Observer-Based Human-in-the-Loop Optimal Output Cluster Synchronization Control for Multiagent Systems: A Model-Free Reinforcement Learning Method.

This article investigates the observer-based human-in-the-loop (HiTL) optimal output cluster synchronization control problem for nonlinear multiagent systems (MASs). First, the leader is designed to be nonautonomous, with the unknown time-varying input monitored by the human operator directly. To address the problem that leader's output is not available to each follower, an observer is designed.

A Rolling Light-Driven Pneumatic Soft Actuator Based on Liquid-Gas Phase Change.

Light-driven wireless actuators provide obvious advantages for remote control. However, traditional double-layer actuators are restricted to the thin film deformation mode when undertaking complex tasks. Here, an actuator is proposed that employs thermal strain and local photothermal effects induced by low boiling point liquids to generate asymmetry along the fiber axis, thereby causing elastic deformation of the fiber.

Effect of plasmapheresis versus standard medical treatment in patients with hypertriglyceridemia-associated acute pancreatitis complicated by early organ failure (PERFORM-R): Study design and rationale of a multicenter, pragmatic, registry-based randomized controlled trial.

Background: The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia-associated acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP) is increasing. Studies have demonstrated the association between higher initial plasma triglyceride (TG) levels and worse clinical prognosis; therefore, lowering plasma TG has been the mainstay when managing HTG-AP. For TG-lowering therapy, plasmapheresis, which is costly and of potential complications, is currently widely used to clear TG from plasma, but whether it confers clinical benefits is unclear.

Dynamic analysis of intrahepatic T cells reveals a unique group of restorative Cxcr3 tissue-resident CD4 T cells in acute liver injury.

Acetaminophen (APAP) stands as one of the most prevalent triggers of drug-induced acute liver injury (ALI). The intricate modulation of immune system activation and inflammatory cascades by hepatic immune cells is paramount in managing liver injury and subsequent restoration. In this study, we employed an integrative approach that fused our proprietary flow cytometry analyses across various time points post-APAP injury with publicly available single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets, encompassing time-series data from liver tissue of mice subjected to APAP intoxication.

Progress and Prospects for Titanium Extraction from Titanium-Bearing Blast Furnace Slag.

The composition of TBFS is complex. It is categorized into low (W < 5%), medium (5% < W < 20%), and high-titanium slag (W > 20%) based on Ti content. The titanium in the slag is underutilized, causing it to accumulate and contribute to environmental pollution.

Stepwise extraction of zinc, indium and lead from secondary zinc oxide dusts experimental study.

Secondary zinc oxide dust is rich in high-grade metals such as Zn, In, Pb, and Ga, and in the face of the depletion of ore resources at home and abroad, it is of great significance to seek an efficient process to realize the full resource recovery of valuable metals in secondary zinc oxide dust. In this study, on the basis of the thermodynamic analysis of the wet treatment process, three wet treatment methods, namely "low acid leaching", "high acid leaching" and "chlorination leaching", were used to explore the suitable parameters for stepwise extraction of Zn, In and Pb metals. The results showed that the three wet treatment methods could effectively extract the corresponding main elements, and the optimal leaching rates of Zn, In and Pb were 73, 90 and 94%, respectively.

The Characterization and Stability of Powdered Oil Loaded with β-Carotene Prepared from a Sodium Caseinate-Carrageenan Complex: The Effect of Vacuum Freeze-Drying and Spray-Drying.

β-carotene (BC) has various biological activities, such as anticancer properties, contributing to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, etc., while the poor solubility and low bioavailability limit its further development in the food industry. Therefore, how to effectively encapsulate this unstable substance has become a hot topic.

Triglyceride-lowering therapies in hypertriglyceridemia-associated acute pancreatitis in China: a multicentre prospective cohort study.

Background: No specific triglyceride-lowering therapy is recommended in patients with hypertriglyceridemia-associated acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP), primarily because of the lack of quality evidence. This study aimed to describe practice variations in triglyceride-lowering therapies for early HTG-AP patients and assess whether more rapid triglyceride decline is associated with improving organ failure.

Methods: This is a multicentre, prospective cohort study recruiting HTG-AP patients with elevated plasma triglyceride (> 11.

BCP Buffer Layer Enables Efficient and Stable Dopant-Free P3HT Perovskite Solar Cells.

Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) has garnered significant attention as a novel hole transport material (HTM). Principally, its cost-effective synthesis, excellent hole conductivity, and stable film morphology make it one of the most promising HTMs for perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the efficiency of PSCs employing P3HT remains less than ideal, primarily due to the mismatch of energy levels and insufficient interface contact between P3HT and the perovskite film.

Production of recombinant human type I collagen homotrimers in CHO cells and their physicochemical and functional properties.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in human and mammalian structures and is a component of the mammalian extracellular matrix (ECM). Recombinant collagen is a suitable alternative to native collagen extracted from animal tissue for various biomaterials. However, due to the limitations of the expression system, most recombinant collagens are collagen fragments and lack triple helix structures.

Bioinspired Intelligent Ferrofluid: Old Magnetic Material with New Optical Properties.

Fine-tuning of microstructures enables the modulation of optical properties at multiple scales from metasurfaces to geometric optics. However, a dynamic system with a significant deformation range and topology transformation remains challenging. Owing to its magnetic controllability, ferrofluid has proven to be fertile ground for a wide range of engineering and technological applications.

Synthesis of benzothiazole compounds based on 2D graphene oxide membrane nanoreactors.

The nanoconfinement effect plays an important role in chemical reactions. Inspired by enzymes, this work presents a new way to conduct the rapid flow synthesis of benzothiazoles in the two-dimensional (2D) nanoconfined space created by a graphene oxide membrane. The conversion reaches 96.

Intermediate parameter based distributed sensor fault-tolerant estimation for a class of nonlinear systems.

This paper investigates the estimation problem of a class of nonlinear systems with actuator and sensor faults. The primary objective is to design a distributed fault-tolerant observer which can estimate system states and actuator faults. Firstly, a distributed observer network with intermediate parameters is constructed to compensate the missing information of unobservable nodes of the system.

MPC-Based Asynchronous Attack Tolerant Control for Uncertain Markov Jump Cyber-Physical Systems.

The model predictive control (MPC)-based asynchronous attack tolerant control scheme is investigated in this article for uncertain Markov jump cyber-physical systems (MJCPSs) under the Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack. To tackle the problem of the system running mode may not be observed in the control center, an asynchronous model predictive controller is proposed. Specifically, a dynamic controller, which can tune the performance online, is designed besides a traditional state feedback one.

Therapeutic effects of Reiki on interventions for anxiety: a meta-analysis.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the therapeutic efficacy of Reiki therapy in alleviating anxiety.

Methods: In adherence to academic standards, a thorough search was conducted across esteemed databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and the Cochrane Library. The primary objective of this search was to pinpoint peer-reviewed articles published in English that satisfied specific criteria: (1) employing an experimental or quasi-experimental study design, (2) incorporating Reiki therapy as the independent variable, (3) encompassing diverse patient populations along with healthy individuals, and (4) assessing anxiety as the measured outcome.

MXene-Based Soft Humidity-Driven Actuator with High Sensitivity and Fast Response.

Soft actuators possessing notable mechanical deformations, high sensitivity, and fast response speed play a crucial role in various applications, such as artificial muscles, soft robots, and intelligent devices. In this study, a smart humidity-driven actuator was successfully fabricated by utilizing MXene/cellulose nanofiber (CNF)/LiCl (MCL) through vacuum-assisted filtration with fast response speed and high sensitivity. Utilizing the excellent humidity responsiveness of MXene/CNF and the robust hygroscopicity of LiCl, the synergistic effect of these materials enhances the hygroscopic properties and response speed of the actuator.

LM-Gel Plasticine Based on Binary Cooperative with Kneadable Shaping and Conductivity.

Liquid metal (LM)-based polymers have received growing interest for wearable health monitoring, electronic skins, and soft robotics. However, fabricating multifunctional LM-based polymers, in particular, featuring a convenient shaping ability while offering excellent deformability and conductivity remains a challenge. To overcome this obstacle, here, we propose a strategy to prepare LM-Gel "plasticine" (LGP) with great deformability, which is composed of a PVA (poly(vinyl alcohol)) soft network and an LM conductive phase.

Unveiling the roles of Sertoli cells lineage differentiation in reproductive development and disorders: a review.

In mammals, gonadal somatic cell lineage differentiation determines the development of the bipotential gonad into either the ovary or testis. Sertoli cells, the only somatic cells in the spermatogenic tubules, support spermatogenesis during gonadal development. During embryonic Sertoli cell lineage differentiation, relevant genes, including , , , , , , , and , are expressed at specific times and in specific locations to ensure the correct differentiation of the embryo toward the male phenotype.

Identifying gray matter alterations in Cushing's disease using machine learning: An interpretable approach.

Background: Cushing's Disease (CD) is a rare clinical syndrome characterized by excessive secretion of adrenocorticotrophic hormone, leading to significant functional and structural brain alterations as observed in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). While traditional statistical analysis has been widely employed to investigate these MRI changes in CD, it has lacked the ability to predict individual-level outcomes.

Purpose: To address this problem, this paper has proposed an interpretable machine learning (ML) framework, including model-level assessment, feature-level assessment, and biology-level assessment to ensure a comprehensive analysis based on structural MRI of CD.

Attack-resilient fault detection for interconnected systems under DoS attack.

In light of the expanding cyber-space applications, the imperative consideration of cyber-attack ramifications on system security is evident. This paper presents a resilient dynamic event-triggered fault detection scheme for a class of nonlinear interconnected systems subjected to denial of service (DoS) attacks. To counteract multifaceted threats, the co-design challenge involving switched-type fault detection filters and a resilient dynamic event-triggered transmission mechanism is addressed.

Miniaturized and untethered McKibben muscles based on photothermal-induced gas-liquid transformation.

Pneumatic artificial muscles can move continuously under the power support of air pumps, and their flexibility also provides the possibility for applications in complex environments. However, in order to achieve operation in confined spaces, the miniaturization of artificial muscles becomes crucial. Since external attachment devices greatly hinder the miniaturization and use of artificial muscles, we propose a light-driven approach to get rid of these limitations.

Clinical study on laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery and transumbilical single-port laparoscopic surgery in the treatment of benign ovarian tumours and its influence on ovarian functions.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the influence of traditional laparoscopic surgery and transumbilical single-port laparoscopic surgery on ovarian function in patients with benign ovarian tumours.

Materials And Methods: Forty-four patients with benign ovarian tumours who were treated in our hospital from January 2020 to June 2021 were selected and randomly divided into two groups, with 22 cases in each group according to random number table. The conventional group was treated with conventional laparoscopic surgery, while the modified group was treated with transumbilical single-port laparoscopic surgery.

Effect of tinnitus on sound localization ability in patients with normal hearing.

Objectives: To determine whether tinnitus negatively impacts the accuracy of sound source localization in participants with normal hearing.

Methods: Seventy-five participants with tinnitus and 74 without tinnitus were enrolled in this study. The accuracy of sound source discrimination on the horizontal plane was compared between the two participant groups.

The interference of tinnitus on sound localization was related to the type of stimulus.

Spatial processing is a major cognitive function of hearing. Sound source localization is an intuitive evaluation of spatial hearing. Current evidence of the effect of tinnitus on sound source localization remains limited.