Bone morphogenetic protein 10, a rising star in the field of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Early research suggested that bone morphogenetic protein 10 (BMP10) is primarily involved in cardiac development and congenital heart disease processes. BMP10 is a newly identified cardiac-specific protein. In recent years, reports have emphasized the effects of BMP10 on myocardial apoptosis, fibrosis and immune response, as well as its synergistic effects with BMP9 in vascular endothelium and role in endothelial dysfunction. We believe that concentrating on this aspect of the study will enhance our knowledge of the pathogenesis of diabetes and the cardiovascular field. However, there have been no reports of any reviews discussing the role of BMP10 in diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In addition, the exact pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy is not fully understood, including myocardial energy metabolism disorders, microvascular changes, abnormal apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, collagen structural changes and myocardial fibrosis, all of which cause cardiac function impairment directly or indirectly and interact with one another. This review summarizes the research results of BMP10 in cardiac development, endothelial function and cardiovascular disease in an effort to generate new ideas for future research into diabetic cardiomyopathy.

ACcoding: A graph-based dataset for online judge programming.

A well-designed educational programming dataset is a valuable asset for students and educators. Such a dataset enables students to improve their programming performances continuously, provides researchers with significant data sources to identify students' learning behaviours and enhance the quality of programming education. Several existing datasets for programming education are either limited by a small number of participating students or a short span of learning records, bringing great challenges to investigate students' learning patterns in programming. We present a graph-based large-scale dataset specialized in programming learning on Online Judge (OJ) platform. The dataset, named ACcoding, was built by a university teaching group. As of the submission date of the initial manuscript of this paper (May 6, 2022), the dataset contains 4,046,652 task-solving records submitted by 27,444 students on 4,559 programming tasks over a span of 6 years. The large size of the dataset, combined with rich functional features, empowers educators to trace students' programming progress and choose appropriate programming tasks for specific training purposes. We also presents examples of applications used by the dataset.

Investigation of the Role of K2SO4 Electrolyte in Hole Transport Layer for Efficient Quasi-2D Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes.

Quasi-two-dimensional (2D) perovskite light-emitting diodes are promising light sources for color display and lighting. However, poor carrier injection and transport between the bottom hole transport layer (HTL) and perovskite limit the device performance. Here we demonstrate a simple and effective way to modify the HTL for enhancing the performance of perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs). An electrolyte K2SO4 is used to mix with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as the hole transport layer. The K+ doping helped the quasi-2D perovskite phases grow vertically along the interface of the PEDOT:PSS, fine-modulate the phase distribution, and simultaneously reduce the defect density of quasi-2D perovskites. It also significantly reduced the exciton quenching and injection barrier at PEDOT:PSS and quasi-2D perovskite interface. The optimized green PeLEDs with the K2SO4 doped PEDOT:PSS HTL showed a maximum luminance of 17185 cd/m2 which is almost 4.7 times brighter than the control one, with a maximum external quantum efficiency of 18.64%.

Identification and characterization of a novel tyrosine aminotransferase gene (SmTAT3-2) promotes the biosynthesis of phenolic acids in Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge.

Rosmarinic acid (RA) and salvianolic acid B (SAB) are main phenolic acids in Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge have been widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases due to their excellent pharmacological activity. RA is a precursor of SAB, and tyrosine transaminase (TAT, EC 2.6.1.5) is a crucial rate-limiting enzyme in their metabolism pathway. This study identified a novel TAT gene, SmTAT3-2, and found that it is a new transcript derived from unconventional splicing of SmTAT3. We used different substrates for enzymatic reaction with SmTAT1, SmTAT3 and SmTAT3-2. Subcellular localization of SmTAT1 and SmTAT3-2 was completed based on submicroscopic techniques. In addition, they were overexpressed and CRISPR/Cas9 gene edited in hairy roots of S. miltiorrhiza. Revealed SmTAT3-2 and SmTAT1 showed a stronger affinity for L-tyrosine than SmTAT3, localized in the cytoplasm, and promoted the synthesis of phenolic acid. In overexpressed SmTAT3-2 hairy roots, the content of RA and SAB was significantly increased by 2.53 and 3.38 fold, respectively, which was significantly higher than that of overexpressed SmTAT1 strain compared with EV strain. These findings provide a valuable key enzyme gene for the phenolic acids metabolism pathway and offer a theoretical basis for the clinical application.

Prevalence and Related Factors of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in School-age Children With Atopic Dermatitis.

Context: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease and commonly affects children. AD is associated with a high incidence of ADHD, the most common psychological and neurobehavioral disorder in children and adolescents. If clinicians don't identify ADHD and intervene early, preschool children can experience adverse effects. Objective: The study intended to investigate the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in preschool children with AD, analyze the associated factors, and provide insights for early identification of risk factors and the development of interventions to reduce the likelihood of ADHD occurrence. Design: The research team performed a prospective, observational, case-control study. Setting: The study took place at the Zhoushan branch of Ruijin Hospital at the Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine in Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China. Participants: Participants were 80 school-aged children diagnosed with AD and admitted to the hospital between May 2019 and May 2023. Groups: Based on the presence or absence of ADHD, the research team divided the children into two groups: (1) the Simple AD group with 71 participants with AD only, and the AD + ADHD group, with 9 participants with AD and ADHD. Outcome Measures: The research team: (1) collected and analyzed participants' demographic and clinical data, including an assessment of the AD severity using the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) scale and the presence of sleep disorders using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ); (2) assessed the presence of ADHD using the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham-IV rating scales (SNAP-IV); (3) analyzed the factors influencing the occurrence of ADHD in AD children, using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Among the 80 school-age children with AD, 9 participants (11.25%) had received a diagnosis of ADHD. The AD + ADHD group's age (P < .001); body mass index (BMI), with P < .001; AD severity (P = .013); rate of sleep disorders (P = .001); and levels of serum interleukin 6 (IL-6), with (P < .001), interleukin 4 (IL-4), with (P < .001), and nerve growth factor (NGF), with (P < .001) were all significantly greater than those of the Simple AD group. The univariate logistic regression analysis indicated that age (P = .014), BMI (P = .024), AD severity (P = .022), sleep disorders (P = .042), and levels of IL-6 (P = .044), IL-4 (P = .045), and NGF (P = .046) were all significantly related to the development of ADHD in school-age children with AD. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that sleep disorders (P = .018) and elevated levels of serum IL-6 (P = .032), IL-4 (P = .021), and NGF (P = .016 ) were independent risk factors for ADHD (OR = 2.651, 3.074, 2.686, 3.340). Conclusions: School-aged children with AD are more likely to develop ADHD, which is mainly associated with sleep disorders and elevated levels of serum IL-6, IL-4, and NGF. Clinicians should give attention to these risk factors and implement early interventions to reduce the risk of children with AD developing ADHD.

Impact of Bychkov-Rashba Spin Splitting on Dual Emissions for Lead Halide Perovskite Nanowires.

Bychkov-Rashba spin-orbit coupling (SOC) is decisive for photoinduced photoluminescence (PL) in terms of double emissions. It turns out to be remarkable for one-dimensional lead halide perovskite nanowires (PeNWs). This is primarily due to large surface to volume ratios and structural symmetry breaking fields in the reduced dimension. Systematic studies of the effect of Rashba SOC on PL and its discrimination with the self-trapped exciton in wide temperature and illumination intensity ranges are considerably important and, heretofore, have not been performed. Here, highly crystalline methylammonium lead triiodine (MAPbI3) PeNWs are demonstrated to be able to produce remarkable dual emissions at low temperatures. With extensive analyses by a photoelectrical device-based spin-photogalvanic effect and magnetophotoluminescence, the Rashba effect is proven to be the only factor that governs the dual emissions. We believe a complete understanding of the PL character of PeNWs is beneficial for the development of novel perovskite nanophotonic devices.

DHA attenuates cartilage degeneration by mediating apoptosis and autophagy in human chondrocytes and rat models of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that usually occurs in the elderly, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) plays a therapeutic role in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect and mechanism of DHA on hypertrophic differentiation and senescence of OA chondrocytes to provide a theoretical basis for the effect of OA clinical treatment. A human OA chondrocyte model was established by IL-1ß, and a rat model of OA was established by anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) transection and medial meniscectomy. The result showed DHA promoted chondrocyte proliferation and reduced apoptosis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis showed that there were more autophagosomes in the cytoplasm under the treatment of DHA. Compared to the OA group, samples from the OA + DHA group showed thickened cartilage, reduced degeneration, and an increased rate of collagen II-positive cells, while the Mankin score was significantly lower. In addition, DHA decreased the expression of phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) and the ratio of light chain 3-I/II (LC3-I/II) and increased the expression of Beclin-1 and Bcl-2 measured by western blot analysis. Therefore, DHA promotes chondrocyte proliferation, reduces apoptosis, and increases autophagy in OA chondrocytes, a process that is accomplished by inhibiting the expression of mTOR, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 signaling pathways, providing new perspectives and bootstrap points for the prevention and treatment of OA.

Integrated Multiomics and Synergistic Functional Network Revealed the Mechanism in the Tolerance of Different Ecotypes of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. to Doxycycline Pollution.

Tetracycline pollution in soil irreversibly damages the biosafety of plants by inhibiting the mitochondrial function. Some traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plants, such as Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, have a strong tolerance to mitochondrial damage. We comprehensively compared the doxycycline (DOX) tolerances of two ecotypes of S. miltiorrhiza in the Sichuan and Shandong provinces and found that the Sichuan ecotype had a lower yield reduction, more stable accumulation of medicinal ingredients, higher mitochondrial integrity, and a more robust antioxidant system. The synergetic response networks under DOX pollution of both ecotypes were constructed using RNA sequencing and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The differentiation of the downstream pathways of aromatic amino acids (AAAs) produced variations in the DOX tolerance of S. miltiorrhiza in different regions. The Sichuan ecotype maintained redox homeostasis and xylem development by activating salvianolic acid and indole biosynthesis, while the Shandong ecotype balanced chemical and mechanical defenses by regulating the flavonoid biosynthesis. Rosmarinic acid, a downstream AAA molecule, maintains the mitochondrial homeostasis of plant seedlings under DOX pollution by targeting the ABCG28 transporter. We also highlight the significance of downstream AAA small molecules in guiding the development of bio-based environmental pollution remediation agents.

Stem Cell Applications and Tenogenic Differentiation Strategies for Tendon Repair.

Tendons are associated with a high injury risk because of their overuse and age-related tissue degeneration. Thus, tendon injuries pose great clinical and economic challenges to the society. Unfortunately, the natural healing capacity of tendons is far from perfect, and they respond poorly to conventional treatments when injured. Consequently, tendons require a long period of healing and recovery, and the initial strength and function of a repaired tendon cannot be completely restored as it is prone to a high rate of rerupture. Nowadays, the application of various stem cell sources, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and embryonic stem cells (ESCs), for tendon repair has shown great potential, because these cells can differentiate into a tendon lineage and promote functional tendon repair. However, the mechanism underlying tenogenic differentiation remains unclear. Moreover, no widely adopted protocol has been established for effective and reproducible tenogenic differentiation because of the lack of definitive biomarkers for identifying the tendon differentiation cascades. This work is aimed at reviewing the literature over the past decade and providing an overview of background information on the clinical relevance of tendons and the urgent need to improve tendon repair; the advantages and disadvantages of different stem cell types used for boosting tendon repair; and the unique advantages of reported strategies for tenogenic differentiation, including growth factors, gene modification, biomaterials, and mechanical stimulation.

Hip Arthroscopy With Fluoroscopy-Free Technique for the Treatment of Femoroacetabular Impingement.

Hip arthroscopy is the predominant surgical procedure for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAI). Usually, hip arthroscopy requires intraoperative fluoroscopic guidance for portal establishment, acetabuloplasty, suture anchor placement, and femoroplasty, which has disadvantages such as radiation exposure and prolonged operative time. This article presents a technique of hip arthroscopy without fluoroscopy throughout. By establishing portals through a semiopen hollow guide bar, "one-line trimming" for pincer deformity removal, modified distal anterolateral portal for anchor placement, "triangular abrasion" for cam deformity resection, and intraoperative dynamic examination to ensure adequate relief of impingement, we provide a safe and effective surgical procedure for hip arthroscopy to treat FAI without fluoroscopy.

Spin-photogalvanic effect in chiral lead halide perovskites.

Low-temperature solution-made chiral lead halide perovskites (LHPs) have spontaneous Bychkov-Rashba spin orbit coupling (SOC) and chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) qualities. Their coexistence may give rise to considerable spin and charge conversion capabilities for spin-orbitronic applications. In this study, we demonstrate the spin-photogalvanic effect for (R-MBA)2PbI4 and (S-MBA)2PbI4 polycrystalline film-based lateral devices (100 µm channel length). The light helicity dependence of the short-circuit photocurrent exhibits the circular photogalvanic effect (CPGE) and linear photogalvanic effect (LPGE) with decent two-fold symmetry for a complete cycle in a wide temperature range from 4 K to 300 K. Because of the Rashba SOC and the material helicity, the effect is converse for the two chiral LHPs. In addition, its magnitude and sign can be effectively tuned by constant magnetic fields. The Rashba effect, CISS-generated unbalanced spin transport, and chiral-induced magnetization are mutually responsible for it. Our study evidently proves the future prospect of using chiral LHPs for spin-orbitronics.

Finite time PAILOS based path following control of underactuated marine surface vessel with input saturation.

In this article, the line-of-sight (LOS)-based on the control principle of path following is presented to apply to a marine surface vessel (MSV) with an unknown time-varying sideslip angle. The input saturation and the uncertain model are taken into account. The presented finite-time predictor-based adaptive integral line-of-sight (FPAILOS) guidance principle can estimate the unknown time-varying sideslip angle while compensating for the drift force. The FPAILOS guidance law offers the desired yaw angle. The drift force can be caused by the ocean currents, which are taken into account in the kinematic model for the MSV. For the input saturation problem, we select the finite-time auxiliary system to limit inputs. Designing path following control signals adopts the finite-time dynamic surface control (FDSC) method. The finite-time low-frequency learning-based fuzzy system is designed to solve the uncertain model problem for the MSV. Finally, the stability of the system is demonstrated and numerical simulations are performed, where the objective is to evaluate the proposed theoretical results. With the presented control strategy, the track errors can converge into arbitrary small neighborhoods around zero in finite time.

TRPC6 mediates high glucose-induced mitochondrial fission through activation of CDK5 in cultured human podocytes.

Mitochondrial abnormalities contribute to the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the precise mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction in DN remain unclear. Transient receptor potential canonical channel-6 (TRPC6), a non-selective cation channel permeable to Ca2+, has been shown to regulate mitochondrial dynamics. This study was therefore aimed to explore the regulatory role and mechanisms of TRPC6 in high glucose (HG)-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in podocytes. Here we found that TRPC6 expression and TRPC6-induced Ca2+ influx were increased in HG-treated podocytes. Furthermore, the TRPC6 inhibitor and TRPC6 siRNA ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis in HG-treated podocytes. BAPTA-AM, an intracellular calcium chelating agent, attenuated mitochondrial fission under HG conditions as well. Then, we found the activity of calpain and cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) was markedly enhanced in HG-treated podocytes, which can be blocked by pretreatment with the TRPC6 inhibitor. Calpain-1 inhibition by calpeptin or by calpain-1 siRNA transfection not only attenuated HG-induced mitochondrial fission but also reduced the activity of CDK5. Additionally, the CDK5 inhibitor and its siRNA decreased mitochondrial fragmentation in HG-treated podocytes. Collectively, we revealed the essential role of TRPC6 in regulating HG-induced mitochondrial fission and apoptosis through the calpain-1/CDK5 pathway in human podocytes, which may provide new insights into the pathogenesis of DN.

Bidirectional regulatory effects of Cordyceps on arrhythmia: Clinical evaluations and network pharmacology.

Background: Cordyceps is a precious Chinese herbal medicine with rich bio-active ingredients and is used for regulating arrhythmia alongside routine treatments. However, the efficacy and potential mechanisms of Cordyceps on patients with arrhythmia remain unclear. Methods: Randomized controlled trials of bradycardia treatment with Cordyceps were retrieved from diverse databases and available data. Dichotomous variables were expressed as a risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Continuous variables were expressed as a standardized mean difference (SMD) with a 95% CI. Network pharmacology was used to identify potential targets of Cordyceps for arrhythmia. Metascape was used for gene ontology (GO) and genome (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Results: Nineteen trials included 1,805 patients with arrhythmia, of whom 918 were treated with Ningxinbao capsule plus routine drugs, and, as a control, 887 were treated with only routine drugs. Six trials reported on bradycardia and the other 13 on tachycardia. Treatment with Cordyceps significantly improved the total efficacy rate in both bradycardia (RR = 1.24; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.35; Pz <0.00001) and tachycardia (RR = 1.27; 95% CI, 1.17 to 1.39; Pz <0.00001). Cordyceps also had beneficial secondary outcomes. No serious adverse events occurred in patients treated with Cordyceps. The results of KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were mainly connected to adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. IL6, TNF, TP53, CASP3, CTNNB1, EGF, and NOS3 might be key targets for Cordyceps in the treatment of arrhythmia. Conclusion: This study confirmed that Cordyceps has a certain positive effect on the treatment of arrhythmia and that its main mechanism may be through the regulation of adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.

Effects of Perioperative Fascia Iliaca Compartment Block on Postoperative Pain and Hip Function in Elderly Patients With Hip Fracture.

Purpose: Pain management is a challenging issue in elderly patients with hip fracture. Despite the accepted clinical outcomes following hip surgery, pain and prolonged recovery time are the most difficult consequences associated with the rehabilitation process. The purpose of this study was to evaluate pain relief and functional improvement associated with the Fascia Iliaca Compartment Block (FICB) during the perioperative period of elderly patients with hip fracture. Patients and methods: This study included 120 elderly patients with hip fracture, who were admitted to our institution between January 2019 and December 2020. The participants were subsequently randomly divided into the routine analgesia (RA) and fascia iliaca compartment block (FICB) groups. Inter-group differences were compared via VAS scores at rest and during movement, Harris hip scores (HHS), presence of complications, adverse events after surgery, and length of hospital stay. Results: The FICB group VAS scores at rest at 6 hour, 1 and 3 days, and 1 week after surgery were significantly lower than the RA group (P < .05). Moreover, the FICB group VAS scores with movement were markedly lower at 6 hour, 1 and 3 days, as well as 1 and 2 weeks after surgery (P < .05). The HHS of the FICB and RA groups were (53.41±8.63) and (40.02±9.61), respectively, on the seventh day after surgery, and the difference was statistically significant (P < .05). The incidence of postoperative complications and adverse events in the FICB group were not statistically different from the RA group. The average hospital stay of the FICB group was 2.12 days shorter than the RA group, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = .13). Conclusion: FICB provides superior analgesic effect both at rest and with movement, along with rapid short-term recovery of hip function following surgery in elderly patients with hip fracture, without increasing postoperative complications or adverse events.

Improved highly efficient Dion-Jacobson type perovskite light-emitting diodes by effective surface polarization architecture.

Quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) perovskites are emerging as promising materials for highly stable light-emitting diodes (LEDs). However, their lower charge transport mobilities and higher defect densities may constrain their light-emitting efficiency. Here, we combine an excessive-salt-assisted (ESA) process with antisolvent treatments to inhibit the defects in Dion-Jacobson-type perovskite LEDs. Such a method could improve the film quality and recombination efficiency. By further investigation, we found that artificially building a bulk junction interface and enhancing surface polarization could play a more important role in promoting the ability of charge carrier injection and recombination for high-performance LED devices. Accordingly, the DJ-type quasi-2D perovskite LED can achieve a high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 7.1%.

Low deacetylation degree chitosan oligosaccharide protects against IL-1ß induced inflammation and enhances autophagy activity in human chondrocytes.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease, which can lead to joint pain, stiffness, deformity and dysfunction, that seriously affects the quality of life in patients. At present, the treatments of OA mainly include early pharmacological treatment and late joint replacement. However, current pharmacological treatment has limited efficacy and undesired side effects. Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) is a kind of nontoxic and biodegradable oligo-saccharide, which is composed of 2-20 glucosamine or N-acetylglucosamine linked by ß-1,4 glycosidic bond. Studies have shown that COS has significant biological properties like antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor, as well as immunoregulation ability. However, the effects of COS on OA have not been clarified. In this study, we explored the protective effects of COS with different degrees of deacetylation on chondrocytes stimulated by interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) in vitro. The results showed that IL-1ß inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis. Besides that, IL-1ß increased the expression of the major chondro-degrading genes MMP13 and ADAMTS-5, while decreased the expression of COL2A and ACAN. COS with different degrees of deacetylation (HDACOS, MDACOS, LDACOS) had different effects on IL-1ß induced inflammation. LDACOS had the most obvious anti-inflammatory effects to inhibit the expression of MMP13 and ADAMTS-5 while promoted the expression of COL2A and ACAN. In addition, we found that the expression of autophagy-related gene Beclin-1 was up-regulated, and the ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I was increased in the LDACOS group. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis showed that the number of intracellular autophagosomes increased significantly with the treatment of LDACOS. Based on our research, we suggested that LDACOS could inhibit chondrocytes inflammation and promote cell autophagy, and might be a protective drug for the treatment of OA.

Line-of-sight-based global finite-time stable path following control of unmanned surface vehicles with actuator saturation.

This paper focuses on the path following problem of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) with unknown velocities, model uncertainties, and actuator saturation. To steer a USV rapidly and accurately follow the desired parameterized path, a line-of-sight (LOS)-based finite-time path following scheme is constructed in which the finite-time technique can ensure the fast error convergence, such that some intelligent operations, including patrolling, fuel supplying, and formation control, can be promptly performed. First, USV kinematic and kinetic models are established, and finite-time observers are subsequently employed to identify the unmeasured USV velocities and model uncertainties. Then, an LOS guidance law is designed to achieve the finite-time convergence of the position errors. In addition, an optimized look-ahead distance is developed using a fuzzy algorithm. Meanwhile, the control subsystem is designed at the kinetic level by combining the backstepping sliding mode method and a novel auxiliary dynamic system, where the auxiliary system is applied to address actuator saturation. Subsequently, theoretical analysis is conducted to verify that the entire system is uniformly global finite-time stable (UGFTS). Finally, the simulation studies confirms the availability of the developed method.

Predictor-based practical fixed-time adaptive sliding mode formation control of a time-varying delayed uncertain fully-actuated surface vessel using RBFNN.

This paper focuses on fixed-time formation control (FTFC) of a fully-actuated surface vessel (FASV) considering complex unknowns, including fully unknown dynamics and disturbances, input saturation and time-varying delays. First, using prediction idea to address time delay, a novel state predictor (SP) strategy combining with state transformation (ST) technique is devised for each FASV to predict the evolution of system states such that fixed-time stability can be ensured while solving the delay problem. Besides, the uncertainties in the transformed system are attentively considered. In addition, aiming to distinctly identify complex unknowns, predictor-based neural network is injected into the foregoing delay processing method. Finally, using time base generator (TBG), a new adaptive terminal sliding mode (ATSM) is incorporated into FTFC strategy which in turn contributes to decreasing control inputs and acquiring smooth convergence process. Simulation results and comparisons are thoroughly provided to testify the effectiveness and superiority of the designed FTFC scheme.

Measurement of the relative position of the femoral head center, greater trochanter, and lesser trochanter.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the relationship between the greater trochanter, the lesser trochanter, and the femoral head center is helpful to achieve satisfactory lower limb length in hip arthroplasty, and it may be more important when the contralateral side of the surgical hip cannot be referenced. This work aims to measure the relative position of the femoral head center, the greater trochanter, and the lesser trochanter, and analyze the relationship between these anatomical landmarks. METHODS: The femoral head diameter (D), the linear distance (G) from the femoral head center (C) to the greater trochanter, and the linear distance (L) from the femoral head center to the lesser trochanter were measured by pelvic X-ray. The basic information of the data was analyzed, the ratios of G to D and L to D were calculated, the functional relationship between the data was analyzed after the factors of gender and age were included, and the 95% reference intervals of the basic data and ratio data were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 97 patients with 194 hips were enrolled in this study. The diameter D was 5.08±0.43 cm, the distance G was 4.68±0.45 cm, and the distance L was 4.28±0.49 cm. The G/D ratio was 0.92±0.07, and the 95% reference range was 0.78-1.06. The L/D ratio was 0.84±0.08, and the 95% reference range was 0.68-1.00. Gender (g) was included in the regression analysis, and the regression equations G =1.890+0.536*D and L =1.129+0.620*D were obtained. Age was not related to the distances G and L. CONCLUSIONS: The basic data of G, D, and L was measured, and the relationship between these anatomical landmarks was analyzed.