This study proposes the concept of the local heat loss coefficient and examines the calculation method for the average heat loss coefficient and the average absorber plate temperature. It also presents an exergy analysis model of flat plate collectors, considering non-uniformity in temperature distribution along the absorber plate. The computation results agree well with experimental data. The effects of ambient temperature, solar irradiance, fluid inlet temperature, and fluid mass flow rate on useful heat rate, useful exergy rate, and exergy loss rate are examined. An optimal fluid inlet temperature exists for obtaining the maximum useful exergy rate. The calculated optimal fluid inlet temperature is 69 °C, and the maximum useful exergy rate is 101.6 W. Exergy rate distribution is analyzed when ambient temperature, solar irradiance, fluid mass flow rate, and fluid inlet temperature are set to 20 °C, 800 W/m 2 , 0.05 kg/s, and 50 °C, respectively. The exergy efficiency is 5.96%, and the largest exergy loss is caused by the temperature difference between the absorber plate surface and the sun, accounting for 72.86% of the total exergy rate.

Many stroke patients are expected to rehabilitate at home, which limits their access to proper rehabilitation equipment, treatment, or assessment by therapists. We have developed a novel telerehabilitation system that incorporates a human-upper-limb-like device and an exoskeleton device. The system is designed to provide the feeling of real therapist–patient contact via telerehabilitation. We applied the principle of a series elastic actuator to both the master and slave devices. On the master side, the therapist can operate the device in a rehabilitation center. When performing passive training, the master device can detect the therapist’s motion while controlling the deflection of elastic elements to near-zero, and the patient can receive the motion via the exoskeleton device. When performing active training, the design of the force-sensing mechanism in the master device can detect the assisting force added by the therapist. The force-sensing mechanism also allows force detection with an angle sensor. Patients’ safety is guaranteed by monitoring the motor’s current from the exoskeleton device. To compensate for any possible time delay or data loss, a torque-limiter mechanism was also designed in the exoskeleton device for patients’ safety. Finally, we successfully performed a system performance test for passive training with transmission control protocol/internet protocol communication.

According to the neuro-rehabilitation theory, compared with unilateral training, bilateral training is proven to be an effective method for hemiparesis, which affects the most part of stroke patients. In this study, a novel bilateral rehabilitation training system, which incorporates a lightweight exoskeleton device worn on the affected limb; a haptic device (Phantom Premium), which is used for generating a desired tactile feedback for the affected limb; and a VR (virtual reality) graphic interface, has been developed. The use of VR technology during rehabilitation can provide goal directed tasks with rewards and motivate the patient to undertake extended rehabilitation. This paper is mainly focused on elbow joint training, and other independent joints can be trained by easily changing the VR training interface. The haptic device is adopted to enable patients to use their own decision making abilities with a tactical feedback. Integrated with a VR-based graphic interface, the goal-oriented task can help to gradually recovery their motor function with a coordinative motion between two limbs. In particular, the proposed system can accelerate neural plasticity and motor recovery in those patients with little muscle strength by using the exoskeleton device. The exoskeleton device can provide from relatively high joint impedance to near-zero impedance, and can provide a partial assist as the patient requires.

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Approximately 50−80% of the world population are infected with H. pylori, which is categorized as a class I carcinogen. Antiadhesive therapy is emerging as a promising alternative to antibiotics against bacterial infection. This study demonstrated that defatted wheat germ protein hydrolysates (DWGPH) effectively inhibited H. pylori adhesion to gastric epithelial cells. DWGPH prepared by pronase possessed the best activity where its inhibitory percentage at 10 mg/mL was 51.7 ± 6.8% and the minimum antiadhesive concentration was 0.31 mg/mL. The antiadhesive activity is attributable to peptides acting as receptor analogs in binding to H. pylori. Peptides with potential H. pylori-binding ability (n = 267) were identified, and their structural characteristics were comprehensively analyzed, including net charge, Boman index, instability index, aliphatic index, molecular weight, isoelectric point, hydrophobicity, and Hmoment (α-helix and β-sheet). This work provided an array of peptide sequences for further exploration as putative ligands of H. pylori adhesins and for elucidating molecular mechanisms.

The paper aims to propose a magnetic actuated capsule microrobotic system, which is composed of a magnetically actuated microrobot with a screw jet mechanism, a driving system, and a positioning system. The magnetically actuated microrobot embedded an O-ring magnet as an actuator has potential for achieving a particular task, such as medical diagnose or drug delivery. The driving system composes of a three axes Helmholtz coils to generate a rotational magnetic field for controlling the magnetically actuated microrobot to realize the basic motion in pipe, e.g., forward/backward motion and upward/downward motion. The positioning system is used to detect the pose of the magnetically actuated microrobot in pipe. We will discuss the shape of the Helmholtz coils and the magnetic field around the O-ring magnet to obtain an optimal performance of the magnetically actuated microrobot. The experimental result indicated that the microrobot with screw jet motion has a flexible movement in pipe by adjusting the rotational magnetic field plane and the magnetic field changing frequency.

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