Q-Learning-Based Robust Control for Nonlinear Systems With Mismatched Perturbations.

This brief presents a novel optimal control (OC) approach based on Q-learning to address robust control challenges for uncertain nonlinear systems subject to mismatched perturbations. Unlike conventional methodologies that solve the robust control problem directly, our approach reformulates the problem by minimizing a value function that integrates perturbation information. The Q-function is subsequently constructed by coupling the optimal value function with the Hamiltonian function.

AGTR1 potentiates the chemotherapeutic efficacy of cisplatin in esophageal carcinoma through elevation of intracellular Ca and induction of apoptosis.

Cisplatin is one of the principal chemotherapeutic agents used for esophageal cancer (EC) treatment; however, EC mortality remains high. It is therefore imperative to find new therapeutic targets and approaches to potentiate the chemotherapeutic efficacy of cisplatin. Angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AGTR1) is a potential therapeutic target in multiple cancer types.

The transcription factor TaWHY2-6A acts as a positive regulator in response to drought tolerance in transgenic plants.

Drought stress severely affects wheat yield, and Whirly (WHY) transcription factors (TFs) are essential in modulating plant tolerance to abiotic stresses. In this study, we identified six WHY members in the wheat whole-genome database, categorized into Group I and Group II, with three homologous WHY genes in each group. From the four selected drought-responsive candidate genes with upregulated expression, we focused on TaWHY2-6A, which was significantly upregulated under drought stress.

Output-Based Decentralized Adaptive Event-Triggered Control of Interconnected Systems With Sensor/Actuator Failures.

This article presents a double-channel (sensor-to-controller channel and controller-to-actuator channel) event triggered control method for nonlinear interconnected systems subject to sensor and actuator faults via the backstepping technique. It should be emphasized that the utilization of triggering mechanism at the sensor side poses a challenge to the design of backstepping control, as it leads to nondifferentiable virtual control signals due to the discontinuous nature of the state/output signals received at the controller side. In contrast to existing methods, the proposed event triggering mechanism eliminates the need for computing virtual control signals at the sensor side before transmitting them to the controller side.

Sliding-Window CNN + Channel-Time Attention Transformer Network Trained with Inertial Measurement Units and Surface Electromyography Data for the Prediction of Muscle Activation and Motion Dynamics Leveraging IMU-Only Wearables for Home-Based Shoulder Rehabilitation.

Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) are widely utilized in shoulder rehabilitation due to their portability and cost-effectiveness, but their reliance on spatial motion data restricts their use in comprehensive musculoskeletal analyses. To overcome this limitation, we propose SWCTNet (Sliding Window CNN + Channel-Time Attention Transformer Network), an advanced neural network specifically tailored for multichannel temporal tasks. SWCTNet integrates IMU and surface electromyography (sEMG) data through sliding window convolution and channel-time attention mechanisms, enabling the efficient extraction of temporal features.

Synthesis, antibacterial evaluation and preliminary mechanism study of novel isoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid derivatives containing an acylhydrazone disulfone moiety.

Background: Limitations in the use and availability of copper-based fungicides and antibiotics has led to a scarcity of bactericidal agents. It is urgent to develop green bactericides with new modes-of-action and effective chemotypes.

Results: A bioactive substructure splicing approach was applied to optimize the structure of the natural product isoquinolin-3-carboxylic acid (IQ3CA).

Lon protease 1-mediated metabolic reprogramming promotes the progression of prostate cancer.

Lon protease 1 (LONP1) is an ATP-dependent protease located in the mitochondrial matrix and plays a crucial role in regulating mitochondrial proteostasis, metabolism, and cellular stress responses et al. Aberrant LONP1 expression has been found in the progression of various tumors; however, the role and molecular mechanisms of LONP1 in prostate cancer (PCa) remain poorly understood. Here we show that overexpression of LONP1 is closely related to adverse clinic pathological features and poor prognosis in PCa patients.

Magnesium-ion-doped silica nanosheets as degradable drug carriers with enhanced antibacterial activity and cellular uptake.

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have attracted significant interest in drug delivery applications due to their good biocompatibility and high specific surface area. However, conventional MSNs typically have small pore sizes and low degradation rates, resulting in limited drug loading capacity and potential nanoparticle accumulation. This study focuses on the synthesis of novel magnesium (Mg) ion-doped silica nanoparticles (MgMSNs) using a chemical precipitation method followed by calcination.

The superiority of veno-arterial over veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for operative support of lung transplantation.

Background: Veno-arterial (V-A) and veno-venous (V-V) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are crucial support modalities during lung transplantation, yet their comparative effectiveness remains unclear.

Methods: We conducted an 8-year retrospective analysis of 62 lung transplant recipients who received intraoperative ECMO (29 V-A, 33 V-V). Baseline characteristics, surgical parameters, and clinical outcomes were compared.

Coumarin derivatives containing the 1,3,4 oxadiazole/thiadiazole moiety discovered as potential anti-tobacco mosaic virus agents.

In this paper, a series of oxadiazole/thidiazole containing coumarin derivative derivatives were designed, synthesized and characterized using NMR and HRMS. The evaluation of antiviral activity revealed that some of the synthesized compounds exhibited good in vivo antiviral efficacy against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Notably, compounds H6 and Y5 demonstrated exceptional therapeutic and protective effects against TMV, with EC values of 180.

High‑intensity focused ultrasound thermal ablation boosts the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced cancers with liver metastases: A single‑center retrospective cohort study.

High-intensity focused ultrasound thermal ablation (HIFU) is a novel non-invasive technique in the treatment of liver metastases (LIM) that allows focal destruction and is not affected by dose limits. This retrospective study aimed to explore the efficacy of HIFU in improving survival and the safety of the method in newly diagnosed patients with cancer with LIM who received first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. Between January 2018 and December 2023, data from 438 newly diagnosed patients with cancer and LIM who were treated at Mianyang Central Hospital (Mianyang, China) were reviewed.

Efficacy of Xpert MTB/RIF assay in detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis in samples with different results by smear and culture in a coastal city with high incidence of tuberculosis.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a global problem that seriously jeopardizes human health. Among them, the diagnosis and treatment of smear- or culture-negative TB patients is a challenge. The Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) assay has been reported to be a novel molecular diagnostic tool for rapidly detecting TB.

SRPKs Homolog Dsk1 Regulates Homologous Recombination Repair in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Serine-arginine protein kinases (SRPKs) play important roles in diverse biological processes such as alternative splicing and cell cycle. However, the functions of SRPKs in DNA damage response remain unclear. Here we characterized the function of SRPKs homolog Dsk1 in regulating DNA repair in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Design, Synthesis, and Bioactivity of Novel Coumarin-3-carboxylic Acid Derivatives Containing a Thioether Quinoline Moiety.

A series of coumarin-3-carboxylic acid derivatives containing a thioether quinoline moiety were designed and synthesized. The structures of these compounds were determined using H NMR, C NMR, and HRMS. The antibacterial activity of the compounds was evaluated against pv (), (), and ().

Plasma CircCYP24A1 as a Novel Biomarker of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: A clinical challenge in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains the lack of applicable plasma biomarkers for screening and diagnosis. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) hold great potential as biomarkers for cancer. The study aims to explore a circRNA as a potential plasma biomarker for screening strategies and diagnostic approaches to ESCC.

Non-Invasive and Quantitative Evaluation for Disuse Muscle Atrophy Caused by Immobilization After Limb Fracture Based on Surface Electromyography Analysis.

Background: The clinical evaluation for disuse muscle atrophy usually depends on qualitative rating indicators with subjective judgments of doctors and some invasive measurement methods such as needle electromyography. Surface electromyography, as a non-invasive method, has been widely used in the detection of muscular and neurological diseases in recent years. In this paper, we explore how to evaluate disuse muscle atrophy based on surface electromyography; Methods: Firstly, we conducted rat experiments using hind-limb suspension to create a model of disuse muscle atrophy.

Investigation of Sn Promoter on Ni/CeO Catalysts for Enhanced Acetylene Semihydrogenation to Ethylene.

Ethylene, as an important chemical raw material, could be produced through the coal-based acetylene hydrogenation route. Nickel-based catalysts demonstrate significant activity in the semihydrogenation reaction of acetylene, but they encounter challenges related to catalyst deactivation and overhydrogenation. Herein, the effect of Sn promoter on Ni/CeO catalysts has been comprehensively explored for acetylene semihydrogenation.

Exploring the therapeutic potential of lupeol: A review of its mechanisms, clinical applications, and advances in bioavailability enhancement.

Lupeol, a naturally occurring triterpenoid, has garnered significant attention for its diverse range of biological activities and potential therapeutic applications. This comprehensive review delves into the various aspects of lupeol, including its sources, extraction methods, chemical characteristics, pharmacokinetics, safety evaluation, mechanisms of action, and applications in disease treatment. We highlight the compound's unique carbon skeleton and its role in inflammation regulation, antioxidant activity, and broad-spectrum antimicrobial effects.

Effects of ultra-high dose rate radiotherapy with different fractions and dose rate on acute and chronic lung injury in mice.

Ultra-high dose rate radiotherapy (FLASH radiation) can naturally render normal tissues around the tumor tissue resistant to radiotherapy. In contrast, the tumor tissue remains sensitive to radiation under the same conditions. However, the effects of different fractions and dose rates on FLASH radiation remain unclear.

The C-H···S-S hydrogen bonding in diethyl disulfide⋯difluoromethane: a combined microwave spectroscopic and computational study.

The C-H⋯S weak interaction is crucial for comprehending the stability in biological macromolecules and their interactions with smaller molecules. Despite its prevalence, an in-depth understanding and recognition of such interaction remain elusive. Herein, the rotational spectra of a binary complex formed by diethyl disulfide and difluoromethane were investigated using Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy combined with theoretical calculations to examine the C-H⋯S-S interaction.

Coordinate-Corrected and Graph-Convolution-Based Hand Pose Estimation Method.

To address the problem of low accuracy in joint point estimation in hand pose estimation methods due to the self-similarity of fingers and easy self-obscuration of hand joints, a hand pose estimation method based on coordinate correction and graph convolution is proposed. First, the standard coordinate encoding is improved by generating an unbiased heat map, and the distribution-aware method is used for decoding coordinates to reduce the error in decoding the coordinate encoding of joints. Then, the complex dependency relationship between the joints and the relationship between pixels and joints of the hand are modeled by using graph convolution, and the feature information of the hand joints is enhanced by determining the relationship between the hand joints.

Internally Harmonic Matched Compact GaN Power Amplifier with 78.5% PAE for 2.45 GHz Wireless Power Transfer Systems.

In this paper, a high-efficiency compact power amplifier is designed and fabricated with a 0.25 μm GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) to meet the demands of a high integration level and high efficiency for microwave wireless power transfer (WPT) systems. The proposed power amplifier (PA) is implemented using an internally matched method to achieve a compact circuit size.

Global Regulation of Feedforward Nonlinear Systems: A Logic-Based Switching Gain Approach.

In this article, we investigate the global regulation problem for a class of feedforward nonlinear systems. Notably, the systems under consideration allow unknown input-output-dependent nonlinear growth rates, which has not been considered in existing works. A novel logic-based switching (LBS) gain approach is proposed to counteract the system uncertainties and nonlinearities.

Semi-Global Stabilization of Discrete-Time Linear Systems Subject to Infinite Distributed Input Delays and Actuator Saturations.

The semi-global stabilization problem of discrete-time systems subject to infinite distributed input delays and actuator saturations is investigated in this article. This article develops two low-gain feedback control laws for two types of systems, respectively. It is shown that the resulting system is semi-globally exponentially stabilized.