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This paper gives an upper bound of a modulus of the derivative of rational functions. rz=z−z0shz/wz∈Rm,n, where r(z) has exactly n poles a1, a2, ⋯, an and all the zeros of r(z) lie in Dk∪Dk+,k ≥ 1 except the zeros of order s at z0, |z0| < k. Moreover, we give an upper bound of a modulus of the derivative of rational functions. rz=z−zvsvz−zv−1sv−1⋯z−z0s0hz/wz, where r(z) has the zeros z0, z1, ⋯, zv with |zi| < k for 0 ≤ i ≤ v and the remaining n − (s0 + s1+⋯+sv) zeros lie in Dk∪Dk+. Additionally, we provide proofs for several results that not only generalize certain inequalities for rational functions with restricted zeros but also offer refinements of certain polynomial inequalities as special cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new family of fourth‐order iterative methods for solving nonlinear equations is proposed using the weight function procedure. This family is optimal in the sense of the Kung–Traub conjecture, as it requires three function evaluations per iteration. Due to its flexible structure, the new family offers a variety of options, demonstrating that it includes several well‐known and recent methods as special cases. In particular, three new specific methods are designed to achieve better results compared to existing methods within the same family. Various nonlinear functions and engineering problems are used to illustrate the performance of these new specific methods, comparing them with existing ones. Furthermore, the analysis of complex dynamics and basins of attraction shows that the newly proposed methods yield the best results, with wider sets of initial points that lead to convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the findings of a study on serum globulin levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The study identified two distinct trajectories of serum globulin levels and developed a predictive model for the elevated globulin level trajectory. The model included various blood test values and may be useful for monitoring and managing SLE. The study highlights the importance of monitoring globulin levels in SLE patients for disease progression. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: In this study, we aimed to decipher the gut microbiome (GM) and serum metabolic characteristic of individuals at high risk for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to investigate the causative effect of GM on the mucosal immune system and its involvement in the pathogenesis of arthritis. Methods: Fecal samples were collected from 38 healthy individuals and 53 high‐risk RA individuals with anti–citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) positivity (Pre‐RA), 12 of 53 Pre‐RA individuals developed RA within 5 years of follow‐up. The differences in intestinal microbial composition between the healthy controls and Pre‐RA individuals or among Pre‐RA subgroups were identified by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. The serum metabolite profile and its correlation with GM were also explored. Moreover, antibiotic‐pretreated mice that received GM from the healthy control or Pre‐RA groups were then evaluated for intestinal permeability, inflammatory cytokines, and immune cell populations. Collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA) was also applied to test the effect of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from Pre‐RA individuals on arthritis severity in mice. Results: Stool microbial diversity was lower in Pre‐RA individuals than in healthy controls. The bacterial community structure and function significantly differed between healthy controls and Pre‐RA individuals. Although there were differences to some extent in the bacterial abundance among the Pre‐RA subgroups, no robust functional differences were observed. The metabolites in the serum of the Pre‐RA group were dramatically different from those in the healthy controls group, with KEGG pathway enrichment of amino acid and lipid metabolism. Moreover, intestinal bacteria from the Pre‐RA group increased intestinal permeability in FMT mice and zonula occludens‐1 expression in the small intestine and Caco‐2 cells. Moreover, Th17 cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes and Peyer's patches were also increased in mice receiving Pre‐RA feces compared to healthy controls. The changes in intestinal permeability and Th17‐cell activation prior to arthritis induction enhanced CIA severity in PreRA‐FMT mice compared with HC‐FMT mice. Conclusion: Gut microbial dysbiosis and metabolome alterations already occur in individuals at high risk for RA. FMT from preclinical individuals triggers intestinal barrier dysfunction and changes mucosal immunity, further contributing to the development of arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the effects of different models on the controllability of leader‐follower dynamics system based on Laplacian matrix are studied, and the controllability results applicable to general model are obtained. Our research is based on three different control modes, namely, broadcast control, UI$$ {U}_I $$ control, and non‐broadcast control, which cover all the control modes in the general model. Specifically, we first identify the relation of different UI$$ {U}_I $$ control, that is, if the system is controllable under i1$$ {i}_1 $$ different control signals, then increasing the number of control signals does not change the controllability of the system. Furthermore, it is proved that in a fixed topology, when the number of control inputs is increased, the controllability of the system is not correlated with the controllability of the original system, which appears counter‐intuitive. But the spectral radius of the Gramian matrix of the controllable system is increased. In addition, we analyze the condition number of Gramian matrix. Based on the above conclusions, we put forward the concept of hierarchical equivalent partition (HEP), and prove that under the general model, the existence of HEP makes the system uncontrollable. Finally, we expect to find a way to make the system controllable under the general model. Therefore, we obtain sufficient conditions for the system to be controllable. As a by‐product, we find that there is no completely uncontrollable graph when the general model with broadcast control is removed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In most applications, parametric monitoring schemes are used to monitor the majority of industrial and nonindustrial processes in order to improve the quality of the outputs or services. However, parametric monitoring schemes are known to underperform when the normality assumption is not met or when there is not enough information about the symmetry or asymmetry nature of the process underlying distribution. Hence, in this paper, a new nonparametric Phase II Shewhart-type double-sampling (DS) monitoring scheme based on the precedence statistic is proposed in order to efficiently monitor quality processes when the underlying process distribution departs from normality. The performance is investigated using the average run length (ARL), standard deviation of the run length (SDRL), expected ARL (EARL) and expected average number of observations to signal (EANOS), and the average sample sizes (ASS) metrics. The latter metrics are computed using Monte Carlo simulation and exact formulae. In general, it is shown that the new DS precedence scheme outperforms the existing basic Shewhart precedence scheme with and without supplementary runs rules in many situations. A real-life illustrative example based on a filling process of milk bottles is provided to demonstrate the application and implementation of the new DS precedence monitoring scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic characteristics of the mechanical arm with a rigid-flexible structure are very complex. The reason is that it is a complex DPS (distributed parameter system) with infinite dimension and nonlinearity in essence due to the rigid-flexible coupling. So, accurately positioning and controlling the rigid-flexible mechanical arms could be difficult. Therefore, a model reduction method of rigid-flexible mechanical arms based on the approximate inertial manifold is put forward. To repress the residual vibration of the end of the mechanical arm, a feedforward control strategy is designed. The high-dimensional solution of the vibration equation of the rigid-flexible mechanical arms is projected into the complete space composed of orthogonal decomposition modes. By using Galerkin's method, the system is simplified and the approximate solution is obtained through the interaction between high-order and low-order modes. The truncated finite mode is also used to construct a lowest-order dynamic model on the basis of approximate inertia manifold. Given the reduced-order rigid-flexible mechanical arms dynamic model, dynamic response analysis is conducted to optimize the target position error and end residual vibration. A limited number of sinusoidal signals approximately combine the input signal, by using the particle swarm optimization algorithm to optimize the input signal, and the amplitude of the sinusoidal signal is corrected. The simulation results depict the superiority of the proposed method, which greatly suppresses the end residual vibration of the mechanical arm and realizes the accurate positioning of the end of the mechanical arm. In addition, the hardware experimental device of the rigid-flexible mechanical arms is constructed, and the experimental verification of the above method is put into effect. The simulation results of angular displacement and end vibration of the reduced model are accordant which is shown by the experimental results of the hardware platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive evolution to cellular stress is a process implicated in a wide range of biological and clinical phenomena. Two major routes of adaptation have been identified: non-genetic changes, which allow expression of different phenotypes in novel environments, and genetic variation achieved by selection of fitter phenotypes. While these processes are broadly accepted, their temporal and epistatic features in the context of cellular evolution and emerging drug resistance are contentious. In this manuscript, we generated hypomorphic alleles of the essential nuclear pore complex (NPC) gene NUP58. By dissecting early and long-term mechanisms of adaptation in independent clones, we observed that early physiological adaptation correlated with transcriptome rewiring and upregulation of genes known to interact with the NPC; long-term adaptation and fitness recovery instead occurred via focal amplification of NUP58 and restoration of mutant protein expression. These data support the concept that early phenotypic plasticity allows later acquisition of genetic adaptations to a specific impairment. We propose this approach as a genetic model to mimic targeted drug therapy in human cells and to dissect mechanisms of adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new asymmetric Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional method for investigating the asymptotic stability of time‐delay systems. Two resulting delay‐dependent asymptotic stability conditions in the form of linear matrix inequalities are given. The advantages of the new approaches are verified theoretically and numerically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Developing cheap and abundant materials as high efficient HER catalysts to replace noble metal catalysts is urgent. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) as one attention‐drawing material still has an enormous limit due to the layers stacking and the lacking of active sites. Therefore, the N, P dual‐doped MoS2 on hollow carbon spheres (denoted as P‐MoS2@NCs) has been developed via template sacrifice, polymerization, and hydrothermal process. The synergistic effect between the N, P dual‐doped hollow carbon spheres, and MoS2, which has abundant active sites can enhance the electrocatalytic performance of HER. As expected, the formed P‐MoS2@NCs‐2 exhibits excellent electrochemical property for HER. The overpotential at 10 mA cm−2 and Tafel slope are as low as 147 mV (V vs RHE) and 72 mV/dec. Otherwise, it shows excellent durability in 0.5 M H2SO4. It provides a new method to develop advanced MoS2‐based catalyst for the HER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As good thickeners for clean fracturing fluids, high salt‐tolerant surfactants have received increasing attention. Based on previous studies, we have further studied the performances of four surfactants, EDAS (JS‐SO), EHSB (JS‐OH‐SO), ETAC (JN) and EDHB (JS‐OH), in monovalent (NaCl) and divalent (CaCl2) salts. This is of great significance for the application of high‐salinity formation water to directly prepare fracturing fluids. The results showed that in high‐salinity aqueous solutions, both zwitterionic surfactants and cationic surfactants can exhibit extremely strong salt tolerance. The addition of the counter ion salt can destroy the internal salt, thus increasing water solubility of zwitterionic surfactants. Cationic surfactants have strong water solubility, and the counter ion Cl− will weaken the electrostatic shielding effect between the head groups. Surfactants can still maintain excellent network structures under high‐salinity conditions. This is mainly owing to the extreme insensitivity of zwitterionic surfactants to salts and the large initial head group area of cationic surfactants. In actual applications, the formation water from the Tahe Oilfield was used directly to prepare the fracturing fluids. Testing the rheological properties of fracturing fluid systems found that adding a small amount of hydrophobic associating polymers can increase the temperature resistance from 100 °C to 140 °C, and the final viscosity can be maintained above 30 mPa S. At the same time, they all showed excellent proppant suspension properties and extremely low core damage rates. The results indicated that even in high‐salinity formation water and high‐temperature formation, these fracturing fluid systems still have good performances, extremely low damage and meet fracturing fluid industry standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the fixed‐time synchronization for complex‐valued bidirectional associative memory (BAM) neural networks with time delays is studied. Based on the fixed‐time stability, the Lyapunov functional method and some inequality techniques, a new criterion is presented to guarantee that the addressed systems achieve synchronization in fixed time and a more accurate estimation independent of the initial conditions is given for the settling time. Meanwhile, a new nonlinear delayed controller different from the existing ones is designed. In the end, two numerical examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the obtained result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IL‐38 is a newly identified cytokine that belongs to the IL‐1 family. In our previous study, we found elevated plasma levels of IL‐38 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the clear relationship of IL‐38 expression in plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and clinical and laboratory features needs elucidation. Additionally, we evaluated the possible role of IL‐38 in regulating production of inflammatory cytokines in PBMCs in vitro. A pristane‐induced murine lupus model was used to further demonstrate the effects of IL‐38 on cytokines in vivo and discuss the significance of IL‐38 in lupus development. The results showed that mRNA expression of IL‐38 in PBMCs of patients with SLE was elevated compared with volunteers, and expression of IL‐38 in both plasma and PBMCs was strongly related to clinical features, such as haematuria and proteinuria, and correlated with a SLEDAI score. Plasma levels of TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐6 and IL‐23 were elevated in patients with SLE and were related to plasma levels of IL‐38. In vitro, PBMCs of patients with SLE stimulated with IL‐38 showed a decreased expression of the four inflammatory cytokines compared with PBMCs of patients without treatment. Interestingly, IL‐38 administration in lupus mice significantly reduced the development of lupus, such as reduced proteinuria, improved histological examinations of the kidneys and down‐regulated inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, IL‐38 may suppress synthesis of pro‐inflammatory cytokines and therefore regulate lupus pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder. MASP2 is a mediator that plays an important role in complement system. As dysregulation of the complement system has been demonstrated to correlate with SLE pathogenesis, the role of MASP2 in lupus has not been widely discussed. In the present study, serum levels of MASP2 were evaluated in 61 lupus patients and 98 healthy controls by training cohort, and then a validation cohort including 100 lupus, 100 rheumatoid arthritis, 100 osteoarthritis, 100 gout, 44 Sjogren's syndrome, 41 ankylosing spondylitis patients confirmed the findings. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined the discriminatory capacity for serum MASP2. PCR methods tested the association of MASP2 gene polymorphisms (rs7548659, rs17409276, rs2273346, rs1782455 and rs6695096) and SLE risk. Impact of polymorphism on MASP2 serum levels was evaluated as well. Results showed that serum levels of MASP2 were significantly higher in lupus patients and correlated with some clinical, laboratory characteristics in the training cohort, and were much higher as compared to that in different rheumatic diseases patients in the validation cohort. Serum MASP2 showed a good diagnostic ability for lupus. Genotype frequencies and allele frequency of polymorphisms rs7548659, rs2273346 were strongly related to SLE risk, and genotypes of rs17409276, rs1782455, rs76695096 were significantly correlated with lupus genetic susceptibility. Interestingly, patients carrying GA genotype of rs17409276, TT, TC genotype of rs6695096 showed higher levels of serum MASP2. The findings suggested that MASP2 may be a potential disease marker for lupus, and correlate with SLE pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we demonstrate the successful synthesis of nitrogen and selenium co‐doping graphene aerogels (NSeGA) by a convenient and scalable approach. It was found that Se is an effective doping element for improving the energy storage performance of graphene. The synergistic effect between N and Se on improving the performance of supercapacitor was also confirmed. The binder‐free NSeGA electrode exhibited a high specific capacity of 302.9 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1, which is much higher than that of singly Se‐doped graphene aerogel (SeGA, 183.92 F g−1) and singly N‐doped graphene aerogel (NGA, 150.16 F g−1). Even though the current density reached up to 10 A g−1, 90.4 % of its specific capacitance was maintained. The NSeGA also maintained about 94.1 % of the initial capacitance after 12,000 cycles at a current density of 2 A g−1. Moreover, the constructed NSeGA//NSeGA symmetric supercapacitor showed a high energy density of 26.3 W h kg−1 at a power density of 900 W kg−1. Accordingly, as a new type of carbon‐based material, NSeGA has a good prospect in the field of supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The problem of observer‐based adaptive neural control via output feedback for a class of uncertain nonlinear singular systems is studied in this article. The nonlinear singular systems can be regarded as two subsystems that are coupled with each other: differential subsystem and algebraic subsystem. The differential systems can be nonstrict feedback structures. To guarantee that the singular system is regular and impulse‐free, two new conditions are proposed. By the conditions, the linear controller and observer, which are used to estimate the immeasurable state variables, are obtained. Then, an output feedback scheme through adaptive neural backstepping is proposed to ensure that all states of the closed‐loop system are semiglobally uniformly ultimately bounded and converge to a small neighborhood of the origin. Simulation examples illustrate the effectiveness of the presented method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: Nobiletin is a polymethoxylated flavone enriched in Citrus and is used as an important drug in traditional Chinese medicine for various kinds of diseases. Among its multiple functions, it has shown that nobiletin inhibits proliferation of various cancer cells. However, it is unclear whether nobiletin inhibits the growth of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. Materials and Methods: We explored the antitumor effects of nobiletin in TCA‐8113 and CAL‐27 oral squamous cells. The Cell Counting Kit‐8 (CCK8) assay was used to measure cell vitality. Flow cytometry was performed to measure the number of cells in the various phases of the cell cycle. PCR and Western blot were applied to determine mRNA and protein expression, respectively. Results: Nobiletin inhibited proliferation of TCA‐8113 and CAL‐27 cells via inducing cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase. In addition, the levels of phosphorylated‐PKA and phosphorylated‐CREB were reduced in nobiletin‐treated TCA‐8113 and CAL‐27 cells. Importantly, our results showed that nobiletin treatment resulted in impaired mitochondrial function and altered glucose consumption, and pyruvate and lactate production. Lastly, nobiletin was found to inhibit the generation of xenografts in vivo. Interestingly, administration of 50 μmol/L Sp‐cAMP, a potent PKA activator, rescued all phenotypes caused by nobiletin. Conclusions: Nobiletin inhibits OSCC cell proliferation in a mitochondria‐dependent manner, indicating that it may have a promising role in cancer treatment and attenuation of drug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matrix acidization, an important technology for reservoir stimulation, has encountered challenges regarding heterogeneity. In addition to not achieving desired results, conventional acidization makes reservoir heterogeneity more prominent. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of a surfactant‐based functional acid system for uniform acidization in carbonate reservoirs. The two surfactants used in such acid systems are industrial initial products, which can be converted to a hydrochloride surfactant in hydrochloric acid. The conversion alters viscosity in reaction processes and can slow down reaction rates to allow for deeper rock penetration while at the same time forcing fresh acid into the untreated areas. The acid system can enhance well production considerably. It was found that the surfactant solution exhibited a relatively high viscosity at 90°C and is conducive to acid diverting. The retarding rate of the acid system was found to be up to 48%, allowing for deeper penetration. Parallel core flood testing indicates that the acid system exhibits superior diverting performance when compared to regular acid at 20 wt% HCl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin‐29 (IL‐29) is a newly discovered member of type III interferon. It mediates signal transduction via binding to its receptor complex and activates downstream signalling pathways, and therefore induces the generation of inflammatory components. Recent studies reported that expression of IL‐29 is dysregulated in inflammatory autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, osteoarthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, psoriasis and systemic sclerosis. Furthermore, functional analysis revealed that IL‐29 may involve in the pathogenesis of the inflammatory autoimmune disorders. In this review, we will systematically review the current knowledge about IL‐29. The information collected revealed the regulatory role of IL‐29 and may give important implications for its potential in clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin‐34 (IL‐34) shares a common receptor with macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (M‐CSF), and can bind to CSF‐1R, induces lymphocytes differentiation, proliferation, and regulates the synthesis of inflammatory components. Recent findings reported aberrant expression of IL‐34 in several autoimmune disorders, such as lupus, arthritis, systemic sclerosis, inflammatory bowel diseases. The functional analysis further demonstrated that IL‐34 may perform significantly in these inflammatory autoimmune disorders. IL‐34 might consider as a biomarker for these diseases. I hope this collection of the findings in this review will improve knowledge of the role of IL‐34, and targeting IL‐34 may give the potential for these autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous studies showed elevated tumor necrosis factor‐like ligand 1 aberrance (TL1A) expression in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, TL1A polymorphisms with SLE susceptibility remain to be elucidated. In addition, we made meta‐analysis to evaluate the relationship of TL1A polymorphisms and autoimmune diseases owing to inconsistent results. The present research was carried out by 404 SLE, 150 primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) patients, and 574 healthy individuals. Three TL1A polymorphisms (rs3810936, rs6478109, rs7848647) were genotyped using TaqMan genotyping assay. Then, the meta‐analysis was performed by collecting the present case‐control study and previously published research. Results showed that genotypes of rs3810936, rs7848647 were different between SLE patients and healthy controls, whereas no significant association was observed in the three polymorphisms and pSS patients. Genotypes distribution of rs6478109, rs7848647 were strongly related to lupus nephritis within SLE (p = 0.004, p = 0.011), respectively. Moreover, combined meta‐analysis consisted of ten comparative research involving 4,305 patients and 5,600 controls. An association between autoimmune diseases and rs6478109 polymorphism was found. Our findings indicate that gene polymorphisms (rs3810936, rs7848647) of TL1A might correlate with lupus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shale gas transport is influenced by the changes in effective flow channels during production due to an effective stress sensitivity and a sorption layer effect. In this work, shale samples' core analyses, methane adsorption experiments, and effective stress sensitivity experiments were conducted at in situ conditions. Then, a mathematical modeling was applied to quantitatively determine the real shale gas flow behavior considering the changes in effective flow channels during production. The results show that (1) the gas transport capability in matrix has an obvious tendency of increase in the mid‐late production period; (2) the decline of permeability of inorganic pores/fractures tends to be gentler during production, especially for the smaller flow channels; (3) surface diffusion is dominant in shale matrix throughout production; (4) the contribution of Knudsen diffusion to total gas flux cannot be neglected in flow channels with hydraulic radius of tens of nanometers in the early production period or of tens and hundreds of nanometers in the mid‐late production period; and (5) viscous flow generally dominates the total gas flux in flow channels with hydraulic radius more than 10 nm in the early production period or more than 100 nm in the mid‐late production period. This work is beneficial for an accurate evaluation of shale gas transport during production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to discuss the relationship between interferon regulatory factor (IRF)5 gene rs2004640 T/G polymorphism and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) susceptibility. Methods: A meta‐analysis was calculated on the association between rs2004640 polymorphism and SLE by allelic contrast (T vs G), additive model (TT vs GG), recessive model (TT vs TG + GG) and dominant model (TT + TG vs GG). Results: A total of 28 comparisons were identified, including 11 228 SLE cases and 14 374 controls. Meta‐analysis revealed a significant association between allele T and SLE in overall populations (odds ratio [OR] = 1.393, 95% CI: 1.276‐1.522, P < 0.001). Stratification by ethnicity indicated strong associations between T allele and SLE in Asians, Europeans and Latin Americans (OR = 1.256, 95% CI: 1.073‐1.469, P = 0.004; OR = 1.338, 95% CI: 1.080‐1.659, P = 0.008; OR = 1.853, 95% CI: 1.488‐2.308, P < 0.001). Results also showed significant associations between the additive model and SLE in all subjects and Asians (OR = 1.999, 95% CI: 1.442‐2.771, P < 0.001; OR = 1.544, 95% CI: 1.009‐2.362, P < 0.045). In addition, we found significant associations between the dominant model and SLE in all populations and Asians (OR = 1.521, 95% CI: 1.257‐1.841, P < 0.001; OR = 1.270, 95% CI: 1.136‐1.421, P < 0.001). A marginal association was detected between the recessive mode and SLE in overall subjects (OR = 1.480, 95% CI: 1.022‐2.144, P = 0.038). Conclusion: The current study suggested that individuals carrying rs2004640 T allele correlated with a high risk of SLE, and the IRF5 rs2004640 polymorphism was associated with SLE susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Recent findings showed elevated expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐like ligand 1A (TL1A) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and arthritis mice. However, whether TL1A gene polymorphisms may correlate with RA susceptibility needs to be discussed. This case‐control study was performed on 350 RA patients and 556 healthy subjects to identify TL1A genetic variants (rs3810936, rs6478109, and rs7848647) and their possible association with TL1A levels, susceptibility to and severity of RA. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated to represent the correlation between TL1A polymorphisms and RA. The TL1A serum levels were evaluated. Results showed that frequencies of TC, TT + TC genotypes of rs3810936, rs7848647 in RA patients were significantly lower in RA patients compared with controls. Patients with C allele showed more severe disease course (disease activity index: erythrocyte sedimentation rate, rheumatoid factor) than in carriers of T allele. However, the allele or genotype frequencies of rs6478109 were not associated with RA. In addition, TL1A genetic variants conferred higher TL1A levels in RA patients compared with controls. In conclusion, these findings indicated an association between TL1A rs3810936, rs7848647 variation and the susceptibility of RA in a sample of Chinese individuals, and TL1A may correlate with severity of RA. 1.TNF‐like ligand 1A (TL1A) gene polymorphisms correlated with RA.2.TL1A protein concentrations were elevated in RA patients.3.TL1A may play important roles in RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing in situ N‐alkylation of the conjugated compound 9,10‐bis(4‐pyridyl)anthracene (bpanth) as structure‐directing agent, a 3D inorganic‐organic hybrid iodoplumbate, [Me2(bpanth)][Pb4I10] (1), was solvothermally prepared. The in situ N‐alkylation of bpanth with alcohols was investigated. 1 features a novel 3D open framework based on an interesting Pb6I24 cluster. UV/Vis spectroscopy analyses indicate that 1 is a potential semiconductor material with a narrow energy gap of 2.06 eV. It exhibits good catalytic activity in the visible‐light‐drived degradation of an organic dye. This work further illustrates that introducing conjugated organic molecules as templates is conducive to achieving semiconducting hybrid halometallates with narrow band gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper investigates the output containment tracking problem of nonlinear multiagent systems with mismatched uncertain dynamics and input saturations. A neural network–based distributed adaptive command filtered backstepping (CFB) scheme is given, which can guarantee that the containment tracking errors reach to the desired neighborhood of origin and all signals in the closed‐loop system are bounded. Note that error compensation system and virtual control laws established in CFB only use local information, so the given scheme is completely distributed. Moreover, the applied sliding mode differentiator (SMD) can make the outputs of SMD fast approximate the virtual signal and its derivative at each step of backstepping, which can further improve the control quality. Finally, a simulation example is given to show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aims to discuss plasma and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of interleukin (IL)‐37 in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and evaluate the potential of plasma IL‐37 as a biomarker for RA. Method: Plasma IL‐37 levels and IL‐37 mRNA relative concentrations were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and quantitative reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). We discussed the association of IL‐37 levels and clinical, laboratory parameters in RA patients in a training cohort. Plasma IL‐37 levels were tested for discriminatory capacity by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. We then validated plasma IL‐37 expression in a cohort of 598 patients (230 RA, 107 systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE], 100 osteoarthritis [OA], 62 gout, 51 primary Sjögren's syndrome [pSS], 48 ankylosing spondylitis [AS]). Results: Both plasma levels of IL‐37 and mRNA levels of IL‐37 were elevated in RA patients compared to those in healthy controls in the training cohort, and there was a good diagnostic ability to predict RA (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.97). Plasma IL‐37 levels were significantly related to Disease Activity Score of 28 joints ‐ erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28‐ESR) (rs = 0.459, P < 0.001). The levels of IL‐37 mRNA were related to plasma IL‐37 levels (rs = 0.642, P < 0.001), DAS28‐ESR (r = 0.641, P < 0.001) and C‐reactive protein (rs = 0.603, P < 0.001). In the validation cohort, when plasma IL‐37 in RA patients compared with that in SLE, OA, gout, pSS and AS patients, the AUC was 0.86, 0.87, 0.91, 0.87, 0.92, respectively. Conclusion: IL‐37 expression was increased in RA patients, and correlated with disease activity. IL‐37 may be a biomarker for the diagnosis of RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly active, durable, and cost‐effective non‐precious‐metal‐based electrocatalysts are urgently needed to improve the sluggish hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in an alkaline environment. Herein, a lyophilization/thermolysis method is successfully applied to prepare Ni‐doped MoS2 (Ni‐MoS2)/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) hybrid aerogels. The MoS2 aerogel possesses a higher density of exposed active sites than its corresponding bulk material. Inheriting from GO its abundant functional groups during pyrolysis, the RGO aerogel can uniformly disperse MoS2 and simultaneously maintain excellent conductivity. The incorporation of Ni atoms can accelerate the cleavage of the HO−H bond and enhance the adsorption and desorption of intermediate OH−. Owing to the synergistic effect of the compositional and structural advantages of aerogels, the Ni‐MoS2/RGO hybrid aerogel delivers highly promoted HER kinetics in alkaline media. As a result, an optimal η10 (overpotential at 10 mA cm−2) of 168 mV in 1 m KOH is obtained, which is superior to the non‐doped MoS2/RGO hybrid aerogel (225 mV) and MoS2 aerogel (263 mV), letting alone bulk MoS2 (448 mV). Moreover, the η60 (overpotential at 60 mA cm−2) is maintained at 262 mV after chronopotentiometry tests at a constant current density of 10 mA cm−2 for 24 h, indicating an exceptionally stability of the HER catalyst. Aerogels with Ni: The fabrication of Ni‐doped MoS2/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) hybrid aerogel combined with a facile and controllable lyophilization/thermolysis strategy is reported. The constructed Ni‐MoS2/RGO hybrid aerogel electrocatalyst shows excellent hydrogen evolution reaction activity (initial η60=262 mV) and long‐term stability (η60=262 mV after chronopotentiometry test for 24 h) in alkaline solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper investigates the H∞ observer design problem for a class of nonlinear discrete‐time singular systems with time‐varying delays and disturbance inputs. The nonlinear systems can be rectangular and the nonlinearities satisfy the one‐sided Lipschitz condition and quadratically inner‐bounded condition, which are more general than the traditional Lipschitz condition. By appropriately dealing with these two conditions and applying several important inequalities, a linear matrix inequality–based approach for the nonlinear observer design is proposed. The resulting nonlinear H∞ observer guarantees asymptotic stability of the estimation error dynamics with a prescribed performance γ. The synthesis condition of H∞ observer design for nonlinear discrete‐time singular systems without time delays is also presented. The design is first addressed for one‐sided Lipschitz discrete‐time singular systems. Finally, two numerical examples are given to show the effectiveness of the present approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that all agents in a multiagent system can asymptotically converge to a common value based on consensus protocols. Besides, the associated convergence rate depends on the magnitude of the smallest nonzero eigenvalue of Laplacian matrix L. In this paper, we introduce a superposition system to superpose to the original system and study how to change the convergence rate without destroying the connectivity of undirected communication graphs. And we find the result if the eigenvector x of eigenvalue λ has two identical entries xi=xj, then the weight and existence of the edge eij do not affect the magnitude of λ, which is the argument of this paper. By taking advantage of the inequality of eigenvalues, conditions are derived to achieve the largest convergence rate with the largest delay margin, and, at the same time, the corresponding topology structure is characterized in detail. In addition, a method of constructing invalid algebraic connectivity weights is proposed to keep the convergence rate unchanged. Finally, simulations are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study develops a fuzzy finite‐time command filtered position tracking control approach for induction motors with input saturation. First, the fuzzy logic systems are utilised to approximate the non‐linear functions. Then, in order to avoid the 'explosion of complexity' in backstepping design, the finite‐time command filter is employed. In addition, error compensating signals are introduced to decrease the errors produced by command filters. The fuzzy finite‐time adaptive command filtered controllers can guarantee that the tracking error can converge in finite time. The results of simulation show the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a recently discovered class of post‐transcriptional regulators that induce target messenger RNA degradation or translation inhibition. miRNA‐155 (miR‐155) is an important regulator of immune cells both in humans and mice, by which these cells play critical roles in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recent findings showed that expression of miR‐155 was elevated in RA patients and arthritis models. Moreover, miR‐155 overexpression or knockdown performed significantly in the development of arthritis. This review summarizes the recent findings with respect to miR‐155 in immune responses and the underlying mechanisms responsible for miR‐155‐related autoimmune arthritis. Hopefully the information obtained will benefit the development of novel therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, neural networks approximation‐based command filtered adaptive control is studied for induction motors with input saturation. The neural networks are utilised to approximate the non‐linearities, and the command filtering technology is used to deal with the 'explosion of complexity' problem caused by the derivative of virtual controllers in the conventional backstepping design. The compensating signals are further exploited to get rid of the drawback caused by the dynamics surface technology. It is verified that the adaptive neural controller guarantees that the tracking error can converge to a small neighbourhood of the origin. At last, the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method are intuitively illustrated by simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of adaptive practical finite‐time control is considered for a class of single‐input and single‐output non‐linear systems, in which the system non‐linear functions are assumed to be unknown. By combining adaptive fuzzy control approach with the backstepping technology, a backstepping‐based adaptive fuzzy finite‐time control scheme is proposed. In the control design procedure, fuzzy logic systems are employed to identify the non‐linear uncertainties. The stability analysis of the adaptive closed‐loop systems is proposed based on the finite‐time Lyapunov stability theory. The proposed adaptive fuzzy controller guarantees that all the closed signals are semi‐global practical finite‐time stability while the tracking error converges to a small neighbourhood of the origin. Finally, simulation results are presented to validate the effectiveness of our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activated coking wastewater sludge is a significant problem, due to the content of adsorbed hydrophobic organic micro-pollutants which are adsorbed. Here we discuss an O3 fluidized bed reactor (FBR) process able to stabilize and reduce the coking sludge, and also removing 16 target polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) adsorbed onto the sludge. The degradation efficiencies and influential factors affecting the sludge ozonation, such as the concentration of O3 and of H2O2, UV irradiation, and the initial pH were investigated. The results indicate that the target PAHs present in the activated coking sludge, especially those with high molecular weight can be effectively removed by O3 FBR. However, the concentration of O3 plays an important role in the degradation of the target PAHs because a low concentration can generate an increase in the concentrations of PAHs in the liquid phase of the activated coking sludge. Due to the synergistic effect (S > 0), increasing the concentration of H2O2 and increasing the pH value, can improve the removal of most of the target PAHs. The degradation kinetics of the target PAHs are assigned to a pseudo first-order model. In this process, the solubilization rate of the activated coking sludge reached about 68.2% and the target PAHs adsorbed on it were removed by >95% at 500 mg O3 g−1 SS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the static output feedback stabilization problems. An improved path-following method is proposed for continuous-time systems as well as for discrete-time systems. The method has two advantages. Firstly, by virtue of a new linearization approach, the related bilinear matrix inequalities ensuring the stabilization of the systems are expanded and linearized around some points. The initialization methods for both systems are built. Then a wide range perturbation step is added to help the method escape from local optimum. The effectiveness and merits of the proposed method are shown through several examples. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The static output feedback stabilisation problems for singular Markovian jump system are studied. Transition rates are assumed to be generally uncertain, namely, they could be unknown or only their estimate values are known. A criterion on the existence of an output feedback controller is established in terms of bilinear matrix inequalities (BMIs) to guarantee the closed‐loop systems are stochastically admissible. To solve the BMIs in the criteria, the other criterion is presented by using a less conservative linearisation method, and an algorithm is proposed to solve the related conditions. Finally, three numerical examples are given to show the effectiveness of their methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a priming Stroop paradigm was used to determine whether stereotype activation is unintentional. Priming conditions (priming/no-priming) and the relationship between priming and target (consistent/inconsistent/no-relation) were the independent variables; accuracy, reaction time and N400 amplitude were used as dependent variables. The reaction time revealed that stereotype activation is, to some extent, unintentional. Furthermore, the event-related potenial ( ERP) results showed that N400 amplitude was larger for inconsistent conditions than for consistent conditions. This result supported the notion that stereotype activation is an unintentional and automatic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the problems of static output feedback control and H∞ controller design for discrete-time switched systems. Based on piecewise quadratic Lyapunov functions and a new linearization method, new sufficient conditions for system stability and H∞ controller design are obtained. Then, an improved path-following algorithm is built to solve the problems. Finally, the merits and effectiveness of the proposed method are shown by two numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maximum current density ( jmax) is of importance to the modeling of current produced in a bioelectrochemical system (BES). This study explores an alternative to biomass and biofilm thickness, the accumulated charge density ( τ) of electroactive bacteria on the bioanode, to estimate the jmax value. The τ values of five carbon-based bioanodes are chronoamperometrically determined in a substrate-depleted solution. The graphite felt bioanode acclimated for 1, 2, 4, and 6 batches exhibits τ values of 6.14, 11.80, 22.23, and 30.24 C m−2, respectively, and jmax values of 5.31, 6.69, 14.01, and 19.62 A m−2, respectively. A linear correlation between τ and jmax is achieved and can be expressed as jmax=0.64 τ. The τ and jmax values of four other carbon-based bioanodes also follow a linear relationship, with coefficients of approximately 0.64. These results imply that τ is a key parameter for estimating jmax in the BES without the need to determine biomass and biofilm thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY This paper investigates the problem of adaptive neural control design for a class of single-input single-output strict-feedback stochastic nonlinear systems whose output is an known linear function. The radial basis function neural networks are used to approximate the nonlinearities, and adaptive backstepping technique is employed to construct controllers. It is shown that the proposed controller ensures that all signals of the closed-loop system remain bounded in probability, and the tracking error converges to an arbitrarily small neighborhood around the origin in the sense of mean quartic value. The salient property of the proposed scheme is that only one adaptive parameter is needed to be tuned online. So, the computational burden is considerably alleviated. Finally, two numerical examples are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY This paper considers the problem of adaptive neural tracking control for a class of nonlinear stochastic pure-feedback systems with unknown dead zone. Based on the radial basis function neural networks' online approximation capability, a novel adaptive neural controller is presented via backstepping technique. It is shown that the proposed controller guarantees that all the signals of the closed-loop system are semi-globally, uniformly bounded in probability, and the tracking error converges to an arbitrarily small neighborhood around the origin in the sense of mean quartic value. Simulation results further illustrate the effectiveness of the suggested control scheme. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compares the political developments in Taiwan and Mainland China. Similarities between the professional lives of Chiang Ching-Kuo and Deng Xiao-ping; Political reforms in Mainland China and in Taiwan; Characteristics of Beijing's political reform; Political phases undergone by Taiwan; Comparisons between the two governments.