Decoherence-free-subspace-based deterministic conversions for entangled states with heralded robust-fidelity quantum gates.

The decoherence-free subspace (DFS) serves as a protective shield against certain types of environmental noise, allowing the system to remain coherent for extended periods of time. In this paper, we propose two protocols, i.e., one converts two-logic-qubit Knill-Laflamme-Milburn (KLM) state to two-logic-qubit Bell states, and the other converts three-logic-qubit KLM state to three-logic-qubit Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states, through cavity-assisted interaction in DFS. Especially, our innovative protocols achieve their objectives in a heralded way, thus enhancing experimental accessibility. Moreover, single photon detectors are incorporated into the setup, which can predict potential failures and ensure seamless interaction between the nitrogen-vacancy center and photons. Rigorous analyses and evaluations of two schemes demonstrate their abilities to achieve near-unit fidelities in principle and exceptional efficiencies. Further, our protocols offer progressive solutions to the challenges posed by decoherence, providing a pathway towards practical quantum technologies.

Qudit-based high-dimensional controlled-not gate.

High-dimensional quantum systems expand quantum channel capacity and information storage space. By implementing high-dimensional quantum logic gates, the speed of quantum computing can be practically enhanced. We propose a deterministic 4 × 4-dimensional controlled-not (CNOT) gate for a hybrid system without ancillary qudits required, where the spatial and polarization states of a single photon serve as a control qudit of four dimensions, whereas two electron-spin states in nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers act as a four-dimensional target qudit. As the control qudits are easily operated employing simple optical elements and the target qudits are available for storage, the CNOT gate works in a deterministic way, and it can be flexibly extended to n × n-dimensional (n > 4) quantum gates for other hybrid systems or different photonic degrees of freedoms. The efficiency and fidelity of the CNOT gate are analyzed aligning with current technological capabilities, finding that they have satisfactory performances.

Colloidal Behaviors of Two-Dimensional Titanium Carbide in Natural Surface Waters: The Role of Solution Chemistry.

Although two-dimensional titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx MXene) has emerged as a shining star material in various communities, its environmental behaviors and fate remain unknown. Herein, the colloidal properties and stability of Ti3C2Tx MXene are explored in aquatic systems for the first time, considering the roles of solution chemistry conditions (e.g., pH, ionic types, and strength). It was found that pH had no effect on the stability of Ti3C2Tx in the range of 5.0-11.0, whereas ionic valence and concentrations displayed significant effects on the aggregation behavior of Ti3C2Tx. By employing time-resolved dynamic light scattering measurements, the critical coagulation concentration (CCC) value of Ti3C2Tx was determined to be 12 mM for NaCl. The divalent cations Ca2+ and Mg2+ exhibited higher destabilizing capacity to Ti3C2Tx, as evidenced by the lower CCC values (0.3 and 0.4 mM for CaCl2 and MgCl2, respectively) and faster coagulation rates. Long-term stability studies implied that Ti3C2Tx MXene was less likely to be transported over long distances in the synthetic or natural waters. These findings provided significant insights into the fate and transport of Ti3C2Tx in the aquatic environment.

Emp10 encodes a mitochondrial PPR protein that affects the cis-splicing of nad2 intron 1 and seed development in maize.

In higher plants, many mitochondrial genes contain group II-type introns that are removed from RNAs by splicing to produce mature transcripts that are then translated into functional proteins. However, the factors involved in the splicing of mitochondrial introns and their biological functions are not well understood in maize. Here, we isolated an empty pericarp 10 (emp10) mutant and identified the underlying gene by map-based cloning. Emp10 encodes a P-type mitochondria-targeted pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein with 10 PPR motifs. Loss of Emp10 function results in splicing defect of the first intron of nad2, a gene encoding subunit 2 of NADH dehydrogenase (also called complex I). The emp10 mutant has undetectable activity of complex I and has arrested development of embryo and endosperm, and thus defective seeds with empty pericarp. Additionally, the basal endosperm transfer layer cells were severely affected, indicating the deficiency of cell wall ingrowths in the emp10 kernels. Moreover, the alternative respiratory pathway involving alternative oxidase was significantly induced in the emp10 mutant. These results suggest that EMP10 is specifically required for the cis-splicing of mitochondrial nad2 intron 1, embryogenesis and endosperm development in maize.

Exploring the Aggregation Mechanism of Graphene Oxide in the Presence of Radioactive Elements: Experimental and Theoretical Studies.

In this study, the aggregation kinetics, aggregate morphology, and aggregation mechanisms of graphene oxide (GO) in the presence of Cs+, Sr2+, UO22+, Eu3+, or Th4+ are characterized by using time-resolved dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy (TEM)-element mapping, redispersion of GO aggregates, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The destabilization capability of Cs+, Sr2+, UO22+, Eu3+, and Th4+ and the corresponding values of the critical coagulation concentration (CCC) are obtained for the first time. Polyacrylic acid is used as a dispersant to investigate the reversion of GO aggregates induced by various radioactive elements. The combined results of the poly(acrylic acid) effect and TEM-element mapping show that Cs+ induces the aggregation of GO through electric double-layer suppression and weak binding with oxygen-containing functional groups. By employing DFT calculations, we find that the electrostatic potential distribution and the charge transfer rather than coordination with oxygen-containing functional groups control the destabilizing ability of radioactive elements with a higher valence. A comprehensive process of experimental and theoretical studies is considered to better elucidate the colloidal behavior, self-assembly process, application as a novel adsorbent, and environmental risks of GO.

EMPTY PERICARP11 serves as a factor for splicing of mitochondrial nad1 intron and is required to ensure proper seed development in maize.

Group II introns are common in the mitochondrial genome of higher plant species. The splicing of these introns is a complex process involving the synergistic action of multiple factors. However, few of these factors have been characterized in maize. In this study, we found that the Empty pericarp11 (Emp11) gene, which encodes a P-type pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein, is required for the development of maize seeds. The loss of Emp11 function seriously impairs embryo and endosperm development, resulting in empty pericarp seeds in maize, and alteration in Emp11 expression leads to quantitative variation in kernel size and weight. We found that the emp11 mutants showed a failure in nad1 intron splicing, exhibited a severe reduction in complex I assembly and activity, mitochondrial structure disturbances, and an increase in alternative oxidase AOX2 and AOX3 levels. Interestingly, the emp11 phenotype was very severe in the W22 inbred line but could be partially recovered in B73 BC2F2 segregating ears. These results suggest that EMP11 serves as a factor for the splicing of mitochondrial nad1 introns and is required for mitochondrial function to ensure proper seed development in maize.

Correlation Between Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen Level and the Clinicopathological Features of Early-Stage Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma and the Predictive Value of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen Combined With Computed Tomography Scan for Lymph Node Metastasis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) and the clinicopathological features of cervical squamous cell carcinoma. The value of SCC-Ag and computed tomography (CT) for predicting lymph node metastasis (LNM) was evaluated. METHODS: A total of 197 patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stages IB to IIA cervical squamous cell carcinoma who underwent radical surgery were enrolled in this study. The SCC-Ag was measured, and CT scans were used for the preoperative assessment of lymph node status. RESULTS: Increased preoperative SCC-Ag levels were associated with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage (P = 0.001), tumor diameter of greater than 4 cm (P < 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.001), LNM (P < 0.001), and greater than one half stromal infiltration (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified LNM (P < 0.001, odds ratio [OR] = 4.399), tumor diameter of greater than >4 cm (P = 0.001, OR = 4.019), and greater than one half stromal infiltration (P = 0.002, OR = 3.680) as independent factors affecting SCC-Ag greater than or equal to 2.35 ng/mL. In the analysis of LNM, SCC-Ag greater than or equal to 2.35 ng/mL (P < 0.001, OR = 4.825) was an independent factor for LNM. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) of SCC-Ag was 0.763 for all patients, and 0.805 and 0.530 for IB1 + IIA1 and IB2 + IIA2 patients, respectively; 2.35 ng/mL was the optimum cutoff for predicting LNM. The combination of CT and SCC-Ag showed a sensitivity and specificity of 82.9% and 66% in parallel tests, and 29.8% and 93.3% in serial tests, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The increase of SCC-Ag level in the preoperative phase means that there may be a pathological risk factor for postoperative outcomes. The SCC-Ag (≥2.35 ng/mL) may be a useful marker for predicting LNM of cervical cancer, especially in stages IB1 and IIA1, and the combination of SCC-Ag and CT may help identify patients with LNM to provide them with the most appropriate therapeutic approach.

Long Non-Coding RNA BANCR Promotes Endometrial Cancer Cell Proliferation and Invasion by Regulating MMP2 and MMP1 via ERK/MAPK Signaling Pathway.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Microarray screening had found BRAF-activated non-coding RNA (BANCR) was significantly upregulated in type 1 endometrial cancer (EC). This study aimed to assess the potential role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) BANCR in the pathogenesis and progression of type 1 EC. METHODS: Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to confirm the expression of BANCR in type 1 EC tissue, and analyze its clinical significance. In vitro, RNA interference (siRNA) was used to investigate the biological role of BANCR in type 1 EC. RESULTS: qRT-PCR revealed that the expression of lncRNA BANCR was higher in type 1 EC (P<0.01). BANCR expression was significantly correlated with FIGO stage, pathological grade, myometrial invasion, and lymph node metastasis. The expression of BANCR was significantly correlated with that of MMP2/MMP1. In vitro, knockdown of BANCR significantly suppressed proliferation, migration, and invasion of Ishikawa and HEC-1A cells, and significantly inhibited the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway that decreased MMP2 and MMP1 expression. CONCLUSION: BANCR is highly expressed in type 1 EC tissue and promotes EC-cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by activating ERK/MAPK signaling pathway that regulates MMP2/MMP1 expression. BANCR is expected to become a prognostic marker and therapeutic target in type 1 EC.

New Insight into GO, Cadmium(II), Phosphate Interaction and Its Role in GO Colloidal Behavior.

This study establishes the relationship between the graphene oxide (GO) colloidal behavior and the co-adsorption of Cd(II) and phosphate (P(V)) on GO. Results reveal that the interactions among GO, Cd(II), and P(V) exhibit a significant dependence on solution chemistry and addition sequences and that these interactions subsequently affect the GO colloidal behavior. The GO aggregation is pH-dependent at pH < 4.0 and depends apparently on the binding ability of Cd(II) to GO at pH > 4.0. When the components were added simultaneously, the presence of P(V) enhances the GO binding capacity toward Cd(II), confirmed by theoretical calculation, resulting in the greater destabilizing influence of Cd(II) + P(V) on GO than Cd(II) at pH 3.0-9.5, while the formation of Cd3(PO4)2 precipitate leads to a lower destabilizing influence of Cd(II) + P(V) on GO than Cd(II) at pH > 9.5. Both pH and addition sequence affect the destabilizing ability of Cd(II) + P(V). These new insights are expected to provide valuable information not only for the application of GO as a potential adsorbent in multicomponent systems for heavy metal ion and oxyanion co-removal but also for the fate and risk assessment of GO after serving as heavy metal ion and oxyanion carrier.

Umbilical cord blood-derived dendritic cells infected by adenovirus for SP17 expression induce antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells against NSCLC cells.

Sperm protein 17 (SP17), a cancer/testis antigen, is expressed by non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study examined whether dendritic cells (DC) from human umbilical cord blood (UCB) could be induced for SP17 expression and induce antigen-specific CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) against NSCLC in vitro. We generated recombinant adenovirus of Ad-SP17 and control Ad-null. Infection with Ad-SP17, but not control, induced higher levels of SP17 expression in UCB-derived DC-Ad-SP17. Infection with Ad-SP17 significantly increased the frequency of CD80(+), CD83(+), CD86(+), and HLA-DR(+) DC that produced higher levels of IL-12, but lower IL-10. Co-culture of DC-Ad-SP17 with autologous UCB lymphocytes induced high frequency of IFNγ(+) CD8(+) CTLs, which had selective cytotoxicity against SP17(+) lung cancer CRL-5922 cells in a HLA-I restrictive manner. Thus, UCB-derived DC modulated for SP17 expression induced antigen-specific anti-tumor immunity against SP17(+) NSCLC, and SP17 may be a valuable target for development of immunotherapy against SP17(+) NSCLC.

Design of Chitosan-Grafted Carbon Nanotubes: Evaluation of How the -OH Functional Group Affects Cs+ Adsorption.

In order to explore the effect of -OH functional groups in Cs+ adsorption, we herein used the low temperature plasma-induced grafting method to graft chitosan onto carbon nanotubes (denoted as CTS-g-CNTs), as raw-CNTs have few functional groups and chitosan has a large number of -OH functional groups. The synthesized CTS-g-CNT composites were characterized using different techniques. The effect of -OH functional groups in the Cs+ adsorption process was evaluated by comparison of the adsorption properties of raw-CNTs with and without grafting chitosan. The variation of environmental conditions such as pH and contact time was investigated. A comparison of contaminated seawater and simulated groundwater was also evaluated. The results indicated that: (1) the adsorption of Cs+ ions was strongly dependent on pH and the competitive cations; (2) for CNT-based material, the -OH functional groups have a positive effect on Cs+ removal; (3) simulated contaminated groundwater can be used to model contaminated seawater to evaluate the adsorption property of CNTs-based material. These results showed direct observational evidence on the effect of -OH functional groups for Cs+ adsorption. Our findings are important in providing future directions to design and to choose effective material to remedy the removal of radioactive cesium from contaminated groundwater and seawater, crucial for public health and the human social environment.

Effect of silicate on the formation and stability of Ni-Al LDH at the γ-Al2O3 surface.

The formation of mixed metal precipitates has been identified as a significant mechanism for the immobilization and elimination of heavy metal ions. Silicate is present in natural systems ubiquitously, which may interfere with metal uptake on the mineral surface and thereby influences the solubility of the precipitate. Herein, kinetic sorption and dissolution experiments combined with extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) were performed to elucidate the effect of silicate on the formation of Ni precipitates at the γ-Al2O3 surfaces. The uptake of Ni on γ-Al2O3 decreased with increasing amounts of silicate coated onto the γ-Al2O3 surface. Results of EXAFS analyses suggested the formation of Ni-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) phases. The surface coating of silicate on γ-Al2O3 reduced Al release and finally resulted in a high Ni:Al ratio due to a lower extent of Al substitution into the precipitates. The presence of silicate prevented the growth of the precipitates and led to the formation of less stable Ni-Al LDH. The influence of silicate on the precipitate formation provided the evidence for the growth relationship between the precipitate and mineral substrate in the real environment. Increased rates of proton-promoted dissolution of Ni surface precipitates were mainly attributed to higher Ni:Al ratios in Ni-Al LDH precipitates formed in the presence of silicate.

Impact of Al2O3 on the aggregation and deposition of graphene oxide.

To assess the environmental behavior and impact of graphene oxide (GO) on living organisms more accurately, the aggregation of GO and its deposition on Al2O3 particles were systematically investigated using batch experiments across a wide range of solution chemistries. The results indicated that the aggregation of GO and its deposition on Al2O3 depended on the solution pH and the types and concentrations of electrolytes. MgCl2 and CaCl2 destabilized GO because of their effective charge screening and neutralization, and the presence of NaH2PO4 and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) improved the stability of GO with the increase in pH values as a result of electrostatic interactions and steric repulsion. Specifically, the dissolution of Al2O3 contributed to GO aggregation at relatively low pH or high pH values. Results from this study provide critical information for predicting the fate of GO in aquatic-terrestrial transition zones, where aluminum (hydro)oxides are present.

Plasma-induced, N-doped, and reduced graphene oxide-incorporated NiCo-layered double hydroxide nanowires as a high-capacity redox mediator for sustainable decoupled water electrolysis.

Although the recent emergence of decoupled water electrolysis prevents typical H2/O2 mixing, the further development of decoupled water electrolysis has been confined by the lack of reliable redox mediator (RM) electrodes to support sustainable H2 production. As energy storage electrodes, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) possess inherently poor conductivity/stability, which can be improved by growing LDHs on graphene substrates in situ. The proper modification of the graphene surface structure can improve the electron transport and energy storage capacity of composite electrodes, while current methods are usually cumbersome and require high temperatures/chemical reagents. Therefore, in this study, dip coating was adopted to grow graphene oxide (GO) on nickel foam (NF). Then, the GO was reduced using nonthermal plasma (NTP) to reduced GO (rGO) in situ while simultaneously implementing N doping to obtain plasma-assisted N-doped rGO on NF (PNrGO/NF). The uniform conductive substrate ensured the subsequent growth of less-aggregated NiCo-LDH nanowires, which improved the conductivity and energy storage capacity (5.93 C/cm2 at 5 mA/cm2) of the NiCo-LDH@PNrGO/NF. For the decoupled system, the composite RM electrode exhibited a high buffering capacity for 1300 s during the decoupled H2/O2 evolution, and in the conventional coupled system, the necessary input voltage of 1.67 V was separated into two lower ones, 1.42/0.33 V for H2/O2 evolutions, respectively. Simultaneously, the RM possessed outstanding redox reversibility and structural stability during long-term cycling. This work could offer a feasible strategy for using NTP to synthesize excellent RM electrodes for application to decoupled water electrolysis.

Lipase in-situ immobilized in covalent organic framework: Enzymatic properties and application in the preparation of 1, 3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol.

In this study, the critical importance of designing an appropriate immobilized carrier and method for free lipase to ensure exceptional biological catalytic activity and stability was emphasized. Covalent organic frameworks (COF-1) were synthesized as a novel porous carrier with an azine structure (-CN-NC-) through the condensation of hydrazine hydrate and benzene-1,3,5-tricarbaldehyde at room temperature. Simultaneously, Rhizomucor miehei lipase (RML) was immobilized within the COF-1 carrier using an in-situ aqueous phase method. Characterization of the carrier and RML@COF-1 and evaluation of the lipase properties of RML and RML@COF-1 through p-Nitrophenyl palmitate hydrolysis were conducted. Additionally, application in the synthesis of 1, 3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol (OPO) was explored. The results showed that RML@COF-1 exhibited a high enzymatic loading of 285.4 mg/g. Under 60℃ conditions, the activity of RML@COF-1 was 2.31 times higher than that of free RML, and RML@COF-1 retained 77.25% of its original activity after 10 cycles of repeated use, indicating its excellent thermal stability and repeatability. Under the optimal conditions (10%, 1:8 PPP/OA, 45℃, 5 h), the yield of OPO reached 47.35%, showcasing the promising application prospects of the novel immobilized enzyme synthesized via in-situ aqueous phase synthesis for OPO preparation.

Identification and Expression Analysis of the WOX Transcription Factor Family in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L.).

WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) transcription factors are unique to plants and play pivotal roles in plant development and stress responses. In this investigation, we acquired protein sequences of foxtail millet WOX gene family members through homologous sequence alignment and a hidden Markov model (HMM) search. Utilizing conserved domain prediction, we identified 13 foxtail millet WOX genes, which were classified into ancient, intermediate, and modern clades. Multiple sequence alignment results revealed that all WOX proteins possess a homeodomain (HD). The SiWOX genes, clustered together in the phylogenetic tree, exhibited analogous protein spatial structures, gene structures, and conserved motifs. The foxtail millet WOX genes are distributed across 7 chromosomes, featuring 3 pairs of tandem repeats: SiWOX1 and SiWOX13, SiWOX4 and SiWOX5, and SiWOX11 and SiWOX12. Collinearity analysis demonstrated that WOX genes in foxtail millet exhibit the highest collinearity with green foxtail, followed by maize. The SiWOX genes primarily harbor two categories of cis-acting regulatory elements: Stress response and plant hormone response. Notably, prominent hormones triggering responses include methyl jasmonate, abscisic acid, gibberellin, auxin, and salicylic acid. Analysis of SiWOX expression patterns and hormone responses unveiled potential functional diversity among different SiWOX genes in foxtail millet. These findings lay a solid foundation for further elucidating the functions and evolution of SiWOX genes.

Coagulation kinetics of humic aggregates in mono- and di-valent electrolyte solutions.

Coagulation behaviors of humic acids (HAs) aggregates in electrolyte solutions at different pHs, valences and concentrations of electrolyte cations were investigated using dynamic light scattering technique in combination of other analytical tools. For monovalent electrolyte sodium chloride (NaCl) solution, at its low concentrations the average hydrodynamic radius () of aggregates kept nearly constant. However, at high NaCl concentrations, could be scaled to the time t as ∝ t(a), suggesting a diffusion-limited colloid aggregation (DLCA). The coagulation value of NaCl in a buffer at pH 7.1 was calculated to be in a range of 61.3-84.4 mM. Divalent cation Mg(2+) was far more effective in enhancing the HA coagulation, as evidenced by a lower coagulation value (between 1.0 and 1.7 mM) and a more rapid coagulation rate. Such an enhancement could be explained by the combined effects of electrostatic repulsion, complexation and bridging. The highest coagulation rate (d/dt) and coagulation value at different pHs followed the order of: acidic > neutral > alkaline, and alkaline > neutral > acidic, respectively. Such a difference was associated with the extent of hydrogen bond and electrostatic repulsion at different protonation/deprotonation states of carboxyl and phenolic -OH groups. Transmission electron microscopic imaging reveals that HA was predominantly globular aggregates with a rough periphery at pH 5.26, and was changed to smooth spherical particles at pH 10.00. These results are useful for better understanding the coagulation behaviors of HAs in both natural and engineered aqueous systems.

Efficient adsorption and reduction of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution by Santa Barbara Amorphous-15 (SBA-15) supported Fe/Ni bimetallic nanoparticles.

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI or Fe0) can rapidly reduce Cr(VI) contaminants in the water environment, but the agglomeration and passivation of the Fe0 system have adverse effects on its application. In this study, a novel mesoporous Santa Barbara Amorphous-15 supported Fe/Ni bimetallic composite (SBA-15@Fe/Ni) is proposed to remove Cr(VI). The proposed material can enhance the stability and removal capacity of the nZVI system. The results show that the unique six-way through-hole structure of SBA-15 provides a place for the dispersion of Fe0 particles. Meanwhile, SBA-15 effectively alleviates the accumulation of Fe0 particles. The removal efficiency of SBA-15@Fe/Ni is better than two single systems (SBA-15 and Fe/Ni). The removal efficiency of SBA-15@Fe/Ni towards Cr(VI) can reach 97.62% after 60 min at pH 4.0. SBA-15@Fe/Ni still maintains excellent performance in the presence of various competitive ions (Cl-, SO42-, CO32-, NO3-). At 298 K, the maximum removal capacity of SBA-15@Fe/Ni towards Cr(VI) is 180.99 mg/g. The possible removal process of SBA-15@Fe/Ni towards Cr(VI) is divided into the following steps: First, Cr(VI) is attracted into the vicinity of the SBA-15@Fe/Ni channel by the electrostatic attraction; Second, the reduction of Cr(VI) occurs after contacting with the Fe/Ni system, and its driving force mainly comes from nZVI and Fe(II); Furthermore, the introduction of Ni can promote Cr(VI) reduction through electron transfer and catalytic hydrogenation. In conclusion, adopting SBA-15@Fe/Ni to treat chromium contamination is an effective and promising approach.

Nonsmooth funnel transformation function-based discrete-time sliding-mode control with deterministic performance margin for servo systems.

This paper proposes a nonsmooth funnel transformation function-based discrete-time sliding-mode control strategy for the discrete-time servo systems with unknown frictions and disturbances. For obtaining a more accurate discrete-time system model, a filter-based adaptive identification algorithm (FAIA) is introduced, where the unknown measurement noises are considered. Based on the identified system model and a novel discrete-time nonsmooth funnel transformation function (improving the tracking performances), a discrete-time sliding-mode surface is designed to confine the tracking error to a smaller funnel region compared with the predefined one, which has a deterministic performance margin related to the upper bound of the lumped disturbance. Furthermore, selections of steady-state funnel boundary and sliding-mode surface parameter can be guided theoretically according to the upper bound of the lumped disturbance. Experimental results show that the tracking error is guaranteed in the predefined funnel with a deterministic performance margin by using the proposed control strategy.

Multi-H∞ Controls for Unknown Input-Interference Nonlinear System With Reinforcement Learning.

This article studies the multi- [Formula: see text] controls for the input-interference nonlinear systems via adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) method, which allows for multiple inputs to have the individual selfish component of the strategy to resist weighted interference. In this line, the ADP scheme is used to learn the Nash-optimization solutions of the input-interference nonlinear system such that multiple [Formula: see text] performance indices can reach the defined Nash equilibrium. First, the input-interference nonlinear system is given and the Nash equilibrium is defined. An adaptive neural network (NN) observer is introduced to identify the input-interference nonlinear dynamics. Then, the critic NNs are used to learn the multiple [Formula: see text] performance indices. A novel adaptive law is designed to update the critic NN weights by minimizing the Hamiltonian-Jacobi-Isaacs (HJI) equation, which can be used to directly calculate the multi- [Formula: see text] controls effectively by using input-output data such that the actor structure is avoided. Moreover, the control system stability and updated parameter convergence are proved. Finally, two numerical examples are simulated to verify the proposed ADP scheme for the input-interference nonlinear system.