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Total glucosides of paeony (TGP) have a potential protective effect on chronic heart failure (CHF) rats, but the mechanism remains unclear. PARP inhibition prevents the decrease in myocardial contractility. Therefore, we aim to investigate the effects and mechanisms of TGP on CHF and the role of PARP-1 in CHF. Left anterior descending ligation rats and adriamycin-treated H9C9 cells were used as CHF models, and captopril as a positive control for in vivo experiments. We found that TGP alleviated myocardial remodeling and improved cardiac morphology and function. TGP also reduced myocardial apoptosis and autophagy, decreased inflammatory factor release, and inhibited the PARP-1 and NF-κB proteins. Through cell transfection, we found that PAPR-1 knockdown inhibited NF-κB nuclear translocation. Additionally, TGP inhibited apoptosis, autophagy, and inflammation in CHF cells, while PARP-1 overexpression partially antagonized them. In conclusion, TGP has the potential to improve CHF and PARP-1 may be a potential target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the stability problem for sampled-data systems by adopting a refined semi-looped-functional, which is with the following two improvements. Firstly, the new functional term is with a new integral vector η0, which contains sampling information of the systems and associates two commonly used vectors. Secondly, the vector η0 is combined into various zero equations for processing the functional, especially where a new equation is derived from η0. Based on the refined functional, further stability results for sampled-data systems are obtained. And the effectiveness of the results is numerically verified through two examples at the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the relationship between macro and meso parameters of the gas hydrate bearing coal (GHBC) and to calibrate the meso-parameters, the numerical tests were conducted to simulate the laboratory triaxial compression tests by PFC3D, with the parallel bond model employed as the particle contact constitutive model. First, twenty simulation tests were conducted to quantify the relationship between the macro–meso parameters. Then, nine orthogonal simulation tests were performed using four meso-mechanical parameters in a three-level to evaluate the sensitivity of the meso-mechanical parameters. Furthermore, the calibration method of the meso-parameters were then proposed. Finally, the contact force chain, the contact force and the contact number were examined to investigate the saturation effect on the meso-mechanical behavior of GHBC. The results show that: (1) The elastic modulus linearly increases with the bonding stiffness ratio and the friction coefficient while exponentially increasing with the normal bonding strength and the bonding radius coefficient. The failure strength increases exponentially with the increase of the friction coefficient, the normal bonding strength and the bonding radius coefficient, and remains constant with the increase of bond stiffness ratio; (2) The friction coefficient and the bond radius coefficient are most sensitive to the elastic modulus and the failure strength; (3) The number of the force chains, the contact force, and the bond strength between particles will increase with the increase of the hydrate saturation, which leads to the larger failure strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a unified framework to achieve the finite/fixed-time synchronization of memristor-based fuzzy delayed neural networks considering both Markov jumping phenomenon and external disturbance. Under the designed common controller, by regulating its main control parameters, the goals of finite-time and fixed-time synchronization for the network can be achieved separately. Besides, by integrating algebraic inequality technologies, the fuzzy set theory and Lyapunov theory, a new finite/fixed-time theorem can be obtained for the drive-response system. Taking into account more complex Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional involving mode-dependent terms and double integral terms, is more closer to practical applications than those in the existing results. Finally, an example is presented to substantiate the effectiveness of the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates a distributed strongly convex constrained optimization problem in the non-Euclidean sense, where the bit rate of the considered communication between nodes is assumed to be limited, and the communication topology is represented by a time-varying directed graph. By considering the limitation of communication capacity, the quantization technique is applied in the process of exchanging information over the network. Then a distributed quantized mirror descent (DQMD) algorithm, which uses the Bregman divergence and time-varying quantizers, is developed for the strongly convex optimization under a convex constraint set. The convergence of the developed algorithm is also analyzed. It is shown that the nodes’ state errors are bounded by some terms related to the quantization resolutions, and the sublinear upper-bounds can be guaranteed by choosing appropriate quantization resolutions. Finally, a distributed ridge regression is provided as an example to verify the validity of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the exponential mixed H∞/L2-L∞\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\usepackage{amsmath}\usepackage{wasysym}\usepackage{amsfonts}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage{mathrsfs}\usepackage{upgreek}\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}\begin{document}$$\mathcal {H} _{\infty }/\mathcal {L}_{2}-\mathcal {L}_{\infty }$$\end{document} state estimation for Markov switching memristive neural networks (MNNs) with time-varying delays. First, in addition to Markov switching parameters, the random variables that obeys Bernoulli distribution are also involved in the MNN model, and thus the considered system model is much more general. Second, the solution in Filippov’s sense is used to transform the Markov switching MNNs into a stochastic system with interval parameters. Third, the reciprocally convex combination technique and an appropriate Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional containing multiple integrals are used to derive less conservative conditions ensuring the existence of the desired state estimators. Finally, a numerical example is provided to show the validity of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the prescribed-time synchronization of coupled memristive neural networks (MNNs). The impulsive effects with heterogeneous impulsive instants and impulsive strengths are considered. Different from related results on the fixed-time synchronization, this paper focuses on the prescribed-time synchronization of coupled MNNs, in which the settling time can be prescribed according to task requirements. A sufficient criterion is derived to ensure the prescribed-time synchronization of coupled MNNs. Besides, the proposed design method provides less conservatism compared with the existing results. A numerical example and an application in secure communication are provided to show the effectiveness of the theoretical results [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the fuzzy PID filter (FPIDF) controller for the automatic voltage regulator (AVR). This controller is used to maintain the generating unit output voltage within allowable limit, and improve the weakness of the conventional controller's fast response under any sudden changes in operating conditions or any disturbance that affect the voltage stability. Firstly, the PID low pass filter (PIDF) controller initial values are calculated by using teaching-learning based optimization (TLBO) algorithms. After that, we construct the FPIDF for self-tuning the PIDF parameters in real-time to make the controller fast response. The dynamic performance characteristic of the terminal voltage is investigated and analyzed when the system subjected to the different step change in reference voltage from low to high. The performance of FPIDF is compared with PIDF, fuzzy PID (FPID), and classical PID controller. Also, the FPIDF controller performance is compared with other metaheuristics algorithms based on the controller in the latest literature. Moreover, the strengths, robustness, and effectiveness of the FPIDF controller are checked under uncertainties of AVR parameters. The maximum total deviation of the system performance is calculated in different ranges of the system parameter deviations. The results show a small maximum total deviation percentage when using the proposed controller. Finally, we can observe that the FPIDF controller has better dynamic performance than the other controllers, also has strong robustness and fast real-time response under any sudden changes in system operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The full length cDNA sequence of the Tpt1/ TCTP (Tumor protein, Translationally-controlled1) gene was identified from Common Carp ( Cyprinus carpio, Cyprinidae), and was designated as CcTpt1 gene. The CDS is 510 bp and encodes a 170-amino acid peptide with a typical Tpt1 signature 2 domain, and is a typical Tpt1 protein. The deduced amino acid sequence of Tpt1 shared significant identity with the Tpt1 from other animals. A phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that the Common Carp Tpt1 protein has the closest genetic relationship and evolutional distance with Tpt1 from Medaka (Oryzias Latipes). Analysis by RT-PCR showed that the Tpt1 mRNA was detected in heart, liver, gill, kidney, muscle and skin. In embryogenesis, the Tpt1 mRNA was expressed gradually stronger from two-cell stage until prim-5 stage by whole-mount in situ. In larval stage, the Tpt1 was specifically expressed at eyes and brain, later at the ear stone, intestines, gills and internal organs. In addition, the Tpt1 was also found to be expressed in skin matrix being developed into scales and gradually disappeared when the scales were fully formed. These data suggested that the CcTpt1 may play important roles in early embryogenesis and scale initiation in fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the problem of decentralized $\mathcal{L}_{2}$- $\mathcal{L}_{\infty}$ filtering for a class of interconnected (or large-scale) Markovian jump systems with constant time delays. The purpose is to present delay-dependent conditions for the existence of mode-dependent decentralized filters, which guarantees that the filtering error system is stochastically stable with a prescribed $\mathcal{L}_{2}$- $\mathcal{L}_{\infty}$ disturbance attenuation level. Such a purpose is achieved by using a mode-dependent centralized Lyapunov functional together with the so-called Jensen's inequality. The obtained synthesis conditions are expressed in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), which leads to a convex design method for the concerned filters. An example including numerical and simulation results is provided finally to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed design method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the problem of gain-scheduled H ∞ filter design for a class of parameter-varying discrete-time systems. A new LMI-based design approach is proposed by using parameter-dependent Lyapunov functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new class of hybrid impulsive and switching models are introduced and their robust exponential stability and control synthesis are addressed. The proposed switched system is composed of stable subsystems and unstable subsystems, which not only involves state delay and norm-bounded time-varying parameter uncertainties, but also contains the impulsive switching effects between the subsystems. Based on the extension of the system dimension and the concept of average dwell time, a kind of practically useful switching rule is presented which guarantees the desired robust exponential stability. A switched state feedback controller is also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the problem of robust L2 - L∞ filtering for uncertain stochastic time-delay systems in the nonlinear fractional transformation (NFT) form. Attention is focused on the design of both full-order and reduced-order filters, guaranteeing robust stochastic stability and a prescribed level of L2 - L∞ performance for the filtering error system. A parameter-dependent Lyapunov functional is employed to solve the problem. The concerned filters are not only parameter dependent but also have the NFT form. Sufficient conditions for the existence of such filters are presented in terms of certain linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Desired filters are explicitly expressed based on the solutions to the proposed LMIs. A numerical example is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the robust H∞ filtering problem for a class of uncertain singular systems with time delays. The uncertainty under consideration is of a linear fractional form. A sufficient condition for the existence of a full-order H∞ filter is given in terms of matrix inequalities. When a scalar variable in the matrix inequalities is fixed, the condition can be expressed in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The desired H∞ filter can be obtained by solving these LMIs. Two numerical examples are given to demonstrate the application of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]