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This paper investigates the leader-following consensus problem for a singular multi-agent system with nonlinear dynamics and signed digraph topology. Firstly, an algorithm is proposed to address the structural balance problem of the signed network, which is suitable for all types of signed graphs. Secondly, by using M-matrix theory, the bipartite consensus conditions for the singular nonlinear multi-agent system are established when the topology digraph is structurally balanced. Thirdly, the global asymptotic stability conditions are presented when the signed network is structurally unbalanced. Both the controllers are designed by using pinning control strategies. Finally, numerical examples are given to illustrate the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the result of finite‐time reliable dissipative control for switched neutral‐type based neural networks subject to input nonlinearities, time‐delay and randomly occurring perturbations. In particular, a novel control model consist of both linear and non‐linear fault inputs is designed for reliable control. In addition, randomly occurring uncertainty caused by stochastic variables satisfying the Bernoulli distribution is considered. Based on Lyapunov stability theory, Jensen's integral inequality technique and average dwell time method, sufficient criteria for finite‐time boundedness of resulting neural networks are obtained. Furthermore, the obtained boundedness theory are enhanced to solve the finite‐time dissipative problem of the considered systems through reliable control against mixed actuator failures. The obtained sufficient conditions are constructed in the form of linear matrix inequalities, which can be facilitated by using some standard numerical Matlab packages. At last, numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the considered theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe the aetiology, clinical features, and short-term outcomes of children with status epilepticus (SE), in particular super-refractory SE (SRSE), by a nationwide multicentre study in China.Methods: In this retrospective study, inpatient children with SE were identified from neurology departments and paediatric intensive care units from 44 hospitals in 27 provinces of China between 2013 and 2015. Clinical data were exported from the Hospital Information System.Results: Clinical records from children with SE (n = 4255) aged 1 month to 18 years were enrolled; 13.1 % were diagnosed with SRSE. The most common known SE aetiology was acute symptomatic aetiology (42.8 %) and 50.2 % of SE was caused by epilepsy of unknown aetiology. Acute central nervous system (CNS) infections (38.8 %) were associated with SRSE (P < 0.001). The overall SE in-hospital mortality rate was 3.0 %, which was significantly higher in the children with SRSE than in those with non-SRSE (15.2 % versus 1.4 %, respectively; P < 0.001). Fourteen percent of the children with SE had various levels of neurological dysfunction at discharge. SRSE was a risk factor for in-hospital mortality (hazard ratio = 4.14; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 2.34-7.32; P < 0.001) and neurological dysfunction at discharge (odds ratio = 2.85; 95 % CI: 1.90-4.27; P < 0.001).Conclusion: Acute symptomatic aetiology was the most common known cause of paediatric SE. Aetiology was associated with progression to SRSE and short-term neurological dysfunction at discharge. Furthermore, SRSE was considered a risk factor for in-hospital mortality and short-term neurological dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genome sequencing is used to make genetic diagnoses in critically ill infants with rapid turnaround time (TAT). Herein, to delineate the value of a genetic diagnosis, we provide the results from 130 pediatric patients in a large, comprehensive children's hospital in China. This study was performed using an optimized trio genome sequencing (OTGS) test. The sequencing depth for patients was 40–50 × and for their parents, it was 8–10 ×. Patients from the pediatric or neonatal intensive care unit (PICU/NICU) with complicated clinical features were enrolled between June 2018 and December 2018, each with a phenotype suggesting an underlying genetic disorder. OTGS testing identified pathogenic variants in 62 of 130 individuals, resulting in a diagnosis rate of 47.7%. The TAT varied from 72 to 120 h, with an average of 94 h and a median of 90 h. Of the 62 infants with diagnoses, 48 (77.4%) had pathogenic single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), 12 (19.4%) had pathogenic copy number variations (CNVs) or structure variants (SVs), and 2 (3.2%) had small deletions in one allele plus pathogenic variants in another allele of autosomal recessive genes. Therapeutic strategies for 48.4% (30/62) of the diagnosed patients were modified and included transplantation, dietary recommendations, or change of drugs, which avoided morbidity and improved prognosis. This study provided high-capacity OTGS testing in detecting SNVs and chromosomal abnormalities with fast response, higher diagnostic yield, and lower cost. OTGS demonstrates the potential to be the first-tier of genetic testing used in critically ill infants in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the problem of event-triggered H ∞ state estimation for switched genetic regulatory networks with static coupling via a sojourn-probability-dependent approach. The measurements of the network are evaluated by the event-triggers which are only undertaken at the switching times. By employing a time-delay approach, the estimation can be achieved by determining the exponential mean-square stability of the switched system with time-varying delay and known sojourn probability, while the system prescribes an H ∞ performance level. A co-design approach for the event-triggered mechanism and the estimators is presented by means of a novel Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional combining with refined Jensen-based inequalities. Finally, a numerical example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the designed estimators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bmi‐1 gene is well recognized as an oncogene, but has been recently demonstrated to play a role in the self‐renewal of tissue‐specific stem cells. By using Bmi‐1GFP/+ mice, we investigated the role of Bmi‐1 in cardiac stem/progenitor cells and myocardial repair. RT‐PCR and flow cytometry analysis indicated that the expression of Bmi‐1 was significantly higher in cardiac side population than the main population from CD45−Ter119−CD31− heart cells. More Sca‐1+ cardiac stem/progenitor cells were found in Bmi‐1 GFPhi subpopulation, and these Bmi‐1 GFPhi heart cells showed the potential of differentiation into SMM+ smooth muscle‐like cells and TnT+ cardiomyocyte‐like cells in vitro. The silencing of Bmi‐1 significantly inhibited the proliferation and differentiation of heart cells. Otherwise, myocardial infarction induced a significantly increase (2.7‐folds) of Bmi‐1 GFPhi population, mainly within the infarction and border zones. These preliminary data suggest that Bmi‐1hi heart cells are enriched in cardiac stem/progenitor cells and may play a role in myocardial repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Vancomycin is a first-line antibiotic used for the treatment of severe gram-positive bacterial infections. Clinical guidelines recommend that the vancomycin trough concentration be 10–15 mg/L for regular infections and 15–20 mg/L for severe infections. We investigated whether increasing the vancomycin concentration would result in better clinical outcomes with sustainable adverse effects (AEs) in the Chinese population. Methods A prospective, open, multicenter clinical observational study was performed in patients with gram-positive bacterial infections from 13 teaching hospitals. Patients received vancomycin therapeutic drug monitoring. Clinical, microbiological, and laboratory data were collected. Results In total, 510 patients were enrolled, and 470 were evaluable, of whom 370 were adults and 100 were children; 35.53% had methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections (vancomycin 50% minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC50] = 1, 90% minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC90] = 1), and 23.19% had Enterococcus species infections (vancomycin MIC50= 1, MIC90= 2). The average trough concentration was 10.54 ± 8.08 mg/L in adults and 6.74 ± 8.93 mg/L in children. The infection was eradicated in 86.22% of adults and 96% of children. Thirty-six vancomycin-related nephrotoxicity cases were reported in the enrolled population. No severe AEs or deaths were related to vancomycin therapy. Logistic regression analysis showed that trough concentration had no relationship with clinical outcomes (adults P =.75, children P =.68) but was correlated with adult nephrotoxicity (P <.0001). Vancomycin trough concentration had an applicable cut point at 13 mg/L. Conclusions Our study shows that vancomycin trough concentration has no statistical correlation with clinical outcomes, and is an indicator of nephrotoxicity in the observed population. We found no evidence that increasing vancomycin trough concentration to 15-20 mg/L can benefit Chinese patients with complicated infections. Clinical Trials Registration ChiCTR-OPC-16007920. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of microplastics on the transport and retention of antibiotics in subsurface environment, polypropylene (PP) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) are selected as typical microplastic and antibiotic contaminant, respectively. The key factors and main control mechanisms are systematically investigated using a combination of adsorption experiments, column experiments and numerical model. The adsorption experiments indicate the largest adsorption capacity of CIP on PP is 1.03 mg·g−1. Simultaneously, the results of column experiments and numerical model suggest that PP can significantly affect the migration behavior and retention of CIP in porous media. CIP mobility is positively correlated to flow velocity, initial concentration of CIP and ionic strength (Na+, Ca2+ and Ba2+). Moreover, compared to monovalent cation (Na+), divalent cations (Ca2+, Ba2+) have a stronger enhancement effect on CIP mobility and a stronger inhibition effect on CIP retention in saturated porous media. The transport of CIP in saturated porous media containing PP is simulated by a single-point kinetic model, and the equations of the transport kinetic parameters of CIP are obtained through regression analysis. The research could help to gain insight into understanding the environmental behavior of antibiotic in the groundwater system, and provide scientific basis for the accurate prediction and assessment of environmental risk caused by microplastic and antibiotic in the groundwater system. [Display omitted] • The adsorption capacity of CIP on PP is stronger than that on QS. • PP significantly affects the migration behavior of CIP in porous media. • Divalent cations enhance CIP mobility more than monovalent cations. • Single-point kinetic deposition model can simulate and predict the effect of PP on CIP migration. • The relationship between CIP transport kinetic parameters and environmental factors are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guoping Lu [a] T. Prabhakar Clement [b] Chunmiao Zheng [a] Todd H. Wiedemeier © Abstract Benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene (BTEX) dissolved into ground water and migrated from a [...]