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•Label dose tedizolid (TED) was effective for ABSSSIs with MRSA in adolescents/adults.•High-dose TED was preferred for ABSSSIs with (cfr-mediated) linezolid-resistant MRSA.•3 and 4 mg/kg/d of TED were enough for ABSSSIs in 2–6 and 6–12-y-old children.•TED was effective against S. pneumoniaepneumonia, but poor against S. aureus.•TED has poor efficacy against ABSSSIs and pneumonia in neutropenic patients.

AbstractThe objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of various dosing regimens of omadacycline against main drug-resistant pathogens in the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) and community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP). Monte Carlo simulations were conducted using pharmacokinetic parameters and pharmacodynamic data to calculate cumulative fractions of response (CFRs) in terms of drug area under the concentration curve/minimum inhibition concentration targets.CFR ≥ 90% was considered optimal for a dosage regimen. CFR of any approved oral/intravenous regimen with loading-dose was ≥ 90% against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) for ABSSSI and penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumonia, tetracycline-resistant Streptococcus pneumonia, MRSA and β-lactamase positive Haemophilus influenzaefor CABP. In conclusion, approved oral/intravenous loading and maintenance doses of omadacycline showed enough efficacy in the treatment of ABSSI and CABP caused by the main drug-resistant pathogens.

This article proposes a hierarchical cloud-supported control (HCSC) framework for space teleoperation systems, leveraging cloud-supported communication to enhance long-distance transmission and data processing capabilities. The HCSC framework enables cooperation and manipulability improvements for networked-follower robots, while simultaneously processing local and cloud data. Within the framework, we integrate the self-triggered fixed-time estimation, local fixed-time controller, and supertwisting-based observer components. By leveraging self-triggered and fixed-time control theories, we establish sufficient criteria for fixed-time estimation and stabilization in teleoperation systems with cloud-supported communication. These criteria ensure that teleoperation tasks can be accomplished within a user-defined fixed time, regardless of the initial conditions. Besides, the supertwisting-based observer is presented to improve the telepresence, namely, the ability of reconstructing the space interaction force for the human operator in the leader side. Finally, simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the HCSC framework.

The classical results of fixed-time stabilization (FxTS) are generally achieved via nonintermittent control, as well as cannot be employed to deal with discontinuous systems and strictly intermittent control. In this article, we establish a novel FxTS method for analyzing fixed-time convergence and newly develop a strictly intermittent control scheme to stabilize discontinuous systems within a fixed time based on it. The presented method can also be used to effectively estimate the settling time and to simultaneously reveal how the control period, control width, and control gain affect the convergence time of the controlled system. Additionally, we also extend the proposed FxTS method and use it to design a new strictly intermittent control scheme for achieving the preassigned-time stabilization (PaTS) of discontinuous systems. Finally, an example of Chua’s circuit is provided to illustrate the feasibility and applicability of the established FxTS and PaTS methods.

When a multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) is soldered on a printed circuit board (PCB), the capacitor deformation generates a force on the PCB, which serves as a source to excite PCB vibration and generate unwanted acoustic noise. A MLCC can be used under any loading conditions as long as the power supply voltage remains below its rated voltage; thus, the MLCC source mode can be extremely complicated because of different combinations including direct current voltage levels, alternating current noise amplitudes, and related frequencies. When the power rail is under different loading conditions, the PCB vibration amplitude can differ; however, the MLCC vibration source model should remain the same under a given condition. In this article, the MLCC equivalent source models are developed with a simplified method, and a source model library for the six MLCCs is constructed. A method for simplifying the MLCC equivalent source model is addressed from three aspects: frequency, power supply dc voltage, and ac noise amplitude. The developed source model library is validated by comparing the simulated and measured system vibration velocity. The proposed simplification method can significantly reduce model development efforts and enable the creation of a comprehensive source model library for MLCCs.

Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are commonly used on printed circuit board (PCB) power distribution networks (PDN) for decoupling purposes. However, an MLCC can act as a source to excite PCB vibrations due to noise ripples on the power rail. In this letter, four types of equivalent source configurations are studied and compared to represent the excitation of an MLCC on a PCB driven by power rail noise. The corresponding source values are extracted at test-vehicle PCB resonance frequencies. The investigation of the four equivalent source types involves a comparison between simulated and measured PCB vibration velocity responses triggered by MLCC deformation across an audible frequency band. The advantages of each equivalent source are discussed for specific application scenarios.

Copper as one of the major electronic metals will experience electric current stressing during electronics application. The study comprehensively investigated microhardness and electrical resistivity variations of copper under current stressing at current densities 1.4 x 104and 1.7 × 104A/cm2for up to 8 h. The variations in these properties were correlated with dislocation density and twin fraction. The dislocation density and twin fraction were estimated, respectively, with high resolution transmission electron microscope and Electron Backscatter Diffraction. The twin boundary acts as obstacle to dislocation movement as revealed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The twin boundary predominates over dislocation in governing the microhardness and electrical resistivity of copper under current stressing.

This paper investigates the problems of prescribed-time stabilization and optimization for microgrids with event-triggered interactions employing the cyber-physical system (CPS) framework. The main objective is to concurrently achieve the distributed secondary regulation and optimal power allocation of the microgrids within a prescribed time in the manner of aperiodic intermittent interactions. To this end, we adopt a cyber-physical framework for designing a new distributed prescribed-time control and optimization algorithm. In the proposed algorithm, the convergence time can be arbitrarily prescribed within the physical limits regardless of the prior knowledge of the initial values. Besides, the update of the presented algorithm is based on intermittent interactions with aperiodic event-triggered mechanism, significantly reducing the cost of information exchange. Furthermore, we also demonstrate the prescribed-time stabilization and the exclusion of the possible Zeno behaviors for the presented event-triggered interactions. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm is demonstrated by several simulation results.

On-board electrical components can cause printed circuit board (PCB) vibration, thus generating audio noise if the electrical noise is in the audible frequency range. The electrical component-induced vibration can be equated to an external force applied to the PCB. This article presents a novel methodology to extract the equivalent force of electrical components on a PCB to study board vibration and potential acoustic noise problems. The method is based on a combination of measurement and simulation, wherein PCB vibration is used as the medium in the extraction process. The methodology is validated by the correlation of PCB vibration pattern, frequency, and amplitude with a known electromagnetic force applied to the PCB.

This paper presents a novel distributed predefined-time optimization scheme consisting of the distributed optimization estimator and the local controller for the networked marine surface vehicles. Concretely, the distributed optimization estimator is developed to estimate the optimal solution on to the set constraints. In the local control layer, a sliding mode scheme is built to guarantee that the sailing states of networked marine surface vehicles can track the optimal signals obtained by the distributed optimization estimator. Besides, the regulating time of both the estimation and the local tracking process is independent of the initial system states and can be artificially determined by directly adjusting the sum of serval control parameters. Later, a singularity avoidance scheme is further designed to avoid the possible singularity problems of the local control layer. Finally, a simulation example is given to show the efficacy of the proposed distributed predefined-time optimization algorithm.

BackgroundThe ZFHX3gene plays vital roles in embryonic development, cell proliferation, neuronal differentiation and neuronal death. This study aims to explore the relationship between ZFHX3variants and epilepsy.MethodsWhole-exome sequencing was performed in a cohort of 378 patients with partial (focal) epilepsy. A Drosophila Zfh2knockdown model was used to validate the association between ZFHX3and epilepsy.ResultsCompound heterozygous ZFHX3variants were identified in eight unrelated cases. The burden of ZFHX3variants was significantly higher in the case cohort, shown by multiple/specific statistical analyses. In Zfh2knockdown flies, the incidence and duration of seizure-like behaviour were significantly greater than those in the controls. The Zfh2knockdown flies exhibited more firing in excitatory neurons. All patients presented partial seizures. The five patients with variants in the C-terminus/N-terminus presented mild partial epilepsy. The other three patients included one who experienced frequent non-convulsive status epilepticus and two who had early spasms. These three patients had also neurodevelopmental abnormalities and were diagnosed as developmental epileptic encephalopathy (DEE), but achieved seizure-free after antiepileptic-drug treatment without adrenocorticotropic-hormone/steroids. The analyses of temporal expression (genetic dependent stages) indicated that ZFHX3orthologous were highly expressed in the embryonic stage and decreased dramatically after birth.ConclusionZFHX3is a novel causative gene of childhood partial epilepsy and DEE. The patients of infantile spasms achieved seizure-free after treatment without adrenocorticotropic-hormone/steroids implies a significance of genetic diagnosis in precise treatment. The genetic dependent stage provided an insight into the underlying mechanism of the evolutional course of illness.

This article investigates formation tracking (FT) problem of the networked autonomous surface vehicles (NASVs) with bounded inputs. In order to achieve distributed control, a prescribed-time observer is employed to reshape the leader's states for the follower ASVs, which can only receive the message from the neighbor ASVs. For reducing communication costs and the negative effect of bounded inputs and the unknown uncertainties, a hierarchical reinforcement learning control (HRLC) algorithm based on the cloud-supported communication is proposed, where the cloud-supported estimator is constructed such that the estimated states approach the leader's states with the less communication costs. The local reinforcement learning controller is designed according to the actor-critic strategy such that the actual states converge to the estimated states with the given formation offset. With the help of Lyapunov stability and Hurwitz stability theory, some sufficient conditions of the close-loop system have be obtained. Finally, simulation examples have be proposed to validate the theoretical analysis.

This article studies the secure surrounding formation (SSF) problem of networked marine surface vehicles subject to denial of service (DoS) attacks. A hierarchical control framework is developed for designing the predefined-time fuzzy reinforcement learning controller, which consists of two layers. The distributed resilient estimator is proposed to accurately estimate the trajectory of the leader center in the predefined-time under DoS attacks over digraphs. The fuzzy reinforcement learning local controller is designed to achieve the SSF within the predefined-time. The sufficient conditions for system convergence and stability are derived based on the Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, simulation experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the theoretical results.

Multiple-step pretreatment showed the benefits of improved biomass fractionation, maximized cellulose/hemicelluloses utilization, and enhanced anaerobic digestion performance. This study proposed a pretreatment concept, the integrated alkaline-solid/liquid separation-thermal multiple-step pretreatment (AK-SL-TP), to pretreat spent mushroom substrate (SMS), Napier grass (NP), rice straw (RS), and rice husk (RH) for enhancing anaerobic digestion performance. The integrated alkaline-solid/liquid separation pretreatment (AK-SL) was also compared to evaluate the effect of integrated thermal pretreatment in AK-SL-TP. The pretreatment effect toward enzymatic hydrolysis was also assessed. Multiple pretreatment (AK-SL-TP) showed better performance in terms of biogas production, in which biogas yield was 485 L/kg-VS for SMS, 660 L/kg-VS for NP, 564 L/kg-VS for RS and 101 L/kg-VS for RH, respectively. A linear relationship between biogas production and released glucose/total sugar (glucose and xylose) was observed, with regression coefficient (R2) in the range of 0.88–0.92, indicating enzymatic hydrolysis performance could serve as one promising index for evaluating biogas production.

In this brief, we investigate the predefined-time Nash equilibrium (NE) seeking problem for the uncertain noncooperative games with second-order nonlinear dynamics. The cost function of each player is affected by the uncertain factors. In order to reduce the computational cost and achieve rapid convergence, we propose a novel time base generator (TBG) and a hierarchical predefined-time NE seeking (HPNES) algorithm by using the observer, the gradient method and the sliding mode control method. Based on the theories of symbolic-graphic combination, convex optimization and Lyapunov criteria, the sufficient conditions of the control gains are presented to guarantee the seeking of the NE. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms is verified through the simulations.

In this article, considering three different working modes (including the human-supervised, human-aided, and human-manned modes), we present a novel mode-switched control architecture for solving the human-in-the-loop (HIL) teleoperation problem of multislave robots with local slave-to-slave (S2S) communication, long-distance master-to-slave (M2S) communication and transmission delays. Throughout the control process, the S2S communication is updated following the event-triggered mechanism; meanwhile, the data transmission is fully distributed, namely, no global information can be transmitted. Besides, we also deal with the concerns of enhancing “telepresence,” namely, reconstructing the interaction force between a user-determined slave robot and its task environment at the human side, and then allow the human operator to control the multislave robots in a “virtual reality” way. To this end, by making full use of the historical and current data, the data-training-based (DTB) observer is designed to obtain the interaction force at the side of the slave robot and then assist the human operator to choose a proper control mode. The presented architecture is hierarchically designed for data collection, data processing and physical regulation, involving the DTB observer and the fully distributed event-based (FDEB) estimator in a unified framework. Finally, numerical examples are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the architecture.

This brief presents a novel model predictive control (MPC) algorithm to achieve formation tracking of networked multicopters (nodes) with sensor faults and physical constraints. The algorithm can be used to asymptotically form and maintain a user-defined three-dimensional pattern for the multicopters formation. Another concern lies on how to deal with the usual sensor faults caused by the failure of the Global Positioning System (GPS) or the Inertial Navigation System (INS), in the above-mentioned control process. To this end, we embed the residual generators and auxiliary variable observers into the algorithm for the detection and estimation of the multicopters faults. Multicopters only accept the information related to their neighbors for real-time online rolling optimization. By using the sum of local cost functions to construct a Lyapunov candidate, it is proved that the asymptotic stability of such a distributed MPC (DMPC) is guaranteed under the condition that the weight requirements are satisfied. Simulation results demonstrate the rationality and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

AbstractThe objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of various micafungin dosing regimens against Candidaspp. in pediatric patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Monte Carlo simulations were conducted using pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters and pharmacodynamic (PD) data to determine the probabilities of target attainment and cumulative fractions of response in terms of area under the concentration curve/minimum inhibition concentration targets of micafungin. Current standard clinical micafungin dosing regimens of 1 and 2 mg/kg/day were appropriate for the prevention and treatment of Candida glabratainfection in pediatric patients undergoing HSCT, respectively. Moreover, the high-dose prophylactic dosage (2 mg/kg/day) and therapeutic dosage (4 mg/kg/day) should be the preferred option to optimize efficacy against Candida albicans. However, none of the simulated regimens was effective against Candida parapsilosisin pediatric HSCT patients. These PK/PD-based simulations rationalize and optimize the micafungin dosing regimens against Candidaspp. in pediatric patients undergoing HSCT.

This article investigates the formation tracking problem of multiquadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are subject to mixed constraints including practical constraints on the velocities, attitudes, and input forces. These constraints present significant challenges in regulating and controlling the UAVs. We propose a hierarchical control strategy with a local layer based on model predictive control (MPC) and a cyber layer based on cooperative rolling optimization control (CROC) to simultaneously solve the tracking problems and ensure that corresponding physical states conform to the mixed constraints. In the cyber layer, each node only needs to receive the information from its neighbor nodes to perform synchronous rolling optimization. The cost function of the local open-loop rolling optimization problem is constructed by penalizing the estimated predicted (E-predicted) trajectory and the estimated assumed (E-assumed) trajectory error in the cyber layer. In the local layer, we propose a control algorithm to solve the mixed constraint problem of the cascade control of the quadrotors, which consists of inner-loop attitude control and outer-loop trajectory tracking control. Finally, the simulation results are presented to analyze the performance and the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) connected to a power distribution network (PDN) can create acoustic noise through a combination of the power rail noise at the MLCCs and the piezoelectric effect of the capacitor's ceramic material. The deformation of the MLCCs brought on by power supply noise creates vibrations which cause the printed circuit board (PCB) to vibrate and generate the audible acoustic noise. In the following paper, a simulation methodology is presented to analyze the acoustic noise created by MLCCs on a PCB. A simulation model for the PCB vibration modal response is built and the modal superposition method is used to analyze the harmonic response of the PCB excited by the capacitor. By multiplying the measured power noise spectrum on the MLCC with the simulated deformation of the PCB found from the harmonic response analysis, the total response is obtained. Simulated results show a good correlation with the measured acoustic noise. The proposed method shows promise for analyzing and predicting the acoustic noise from singing capacitors.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to address the lack of research on utilizing deep learning for the detection of peripheral artery disease (PAD) wounds. The main objective is to present a novel solution for automatic wound segmentation and detection using the Mask R-CNN framework. Methods: The study utilizes a dataset of 3329 clinical wound images, which includes wounds in patients with PAD as well as general trauma. The Mask R-CNN framework is implemented to detect and differentiate wounds. Results: The results of our approach are remarkable, achieving an Intersection over Union score of 0.69, recall of 0.72, precision of 0.77, F1 score of 0.75, and average precision of 0.71. These metrics demonstrate the accuracy and effectiveness of our proposed framework for wound segmentation and diagnosis. Conclusion: Our innovative approach utilizing the Mask R-CNN framework provides an accurate and efficient solution for the detection and classification of wounds, specifically in patients with PAD. The results highlight the practical applicability of our framework and its potential to improve the clinical healthcare of patients dealing with chronic wounds. This study represents a significant step forward in addressing the challenges of PAD and chronic wounds, opening up exciting possibilities for future research in this field.

The construction of C–S bonds is of great importance in the field of synthetic and medicinal chemistry. Herein, solvent-induced umpolung reactions from dioxygenation to interligand C–S cross-coupling in bis(cyclometalated) Ir(III) thiolate complexes are reported in good to excellent yields at room temperature. Specifically, the reaction of rac-[Ir(pq)2(aet)] (where pq is 2-phenylquinoline and aet is 2-aminoethanethiolate) can be selectively switched to dioxygenation in acetonitrile solution in the presence of O2, resulting in the formation of a sulfinato complex rac-[Ir(pq)2(aes)] (where aes is 2-aminoethanesulfinato). Alternatively, the reaction in trifluoroethanol solution leads to interligand C–S cross-coupling, affording a rac-[Ir(pq)(pqaet)](PF6) [where pqaet is 2-((2-phenylquinolin-8-yl)thio)ethan-1-amine] complex, which generates a new tetradentate ligand in situ. Mechanistically, the formation of electrophilic metal thiyl radicals is proposed as a key intermediate in the interligand C–S coupling reaction. Furthermore, the sequential oxidation of a thioether complex into a sulfoxide complex is also observed at room temperature using H2O2as an oxidant. Additionally, a new approach for the synthesis of a hexadentate ligand is developed through sequential C–S and C–N interligand coupling of metal thiolate complexes in situ under visible light irradiation in the presence of O2.

Using seawater for concrete production is potentially advantageous from a sustainability perspective. However, the fundamental mechanisms underlying seawater-mixed concrete are far from being understood, especially from the nanoscale. Herein, molecular models are developed to study, for the first time, the influence of seawater (NaCl solutions) on the behavior of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H, the main binding phase of concrete). Thermodynamically, Na+showed a strong adsorption capacity on the C-S-H surface, resulting in the partial release of Ca2+from the surface (termed as “Na–Ca cation exchange”). Mechanically, the presence of NaCl in the interlayer solutions enhanced the bond performance between the C-S-H layers because Na+ions provided a greater stress transfer capacity than H2O molecules. Under shear loading, the C-S-H layers slid over each other, with the interlayer solutions acting as a lubricant. An increase in NaCl concentration enhanced the sliding resistance, which was attributed to the increased viscosity of the interlayer solutions and strengthening of the solid–solution interfaces. The above atomic-level findings facilitate a better understanding of the influence of seawater on concrete properties.

Objective The present study conducted a meta-analysis to forecast the risk factors associated with level-VII lymph node metastases in case of thyroid neoplasms, intending to assist in determining the requirement for level-VII lymph node lymphadenectomy during the surgery.Methods Electronic databases, PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP, and CBM electronic databases were searched for studies focused on level-VII lymph node metastases in thyroid neoplasms, published up to April 2021. Stata 13.1 software was used for analyses.Results The literature search identified a total of 997 studies. Among these, 8 studies, involving 1813 patients, were included in the present case. All these studies were case-control studies. Results for meta‐analysis showed that male (OR = 1.340, 95% CI: 1.018-1.764, P= .037), age < 45 years (OR = 4.178, 95% CI: 1.601–10.908, P= .003), tumor size ≥ 2.0 cm (OR = 1.960, 95% CI: 1.079-3.562, P= .027), extrathyroidal extension (OR = 2.037, 95% CI: 1.578-2.630, P< .001), distant metastasis (OR = 2.775, 95% CI: 2.005-3.840, P< .001), central lymph node metastasis (OR = 3.500, 95% CI: 1.127-10.874, P= .03), contralateral cervicolateral metastasis (OR = 2.119, 95% CI: 1.514-2.965, P< .001), and bilateral nodal metastasis (OR = 4.651, 95% CI: 2.697-8.020, P< .001) acted as risk factors for level-VII lymph node metastases. In addition to this, sensitivity analyses and bias test showed that the results of meta‐analysis were reliable and stable and involved no publication bias.Conclusion In the present study, male gender, age < 45 years, tumor size ≥ 2.0 cm, extrathyroidal extension, distant metastasis, central lymph node metastasis, contralateral cervicolateral metastasis, and bilateral nodal metastasis were identified as risk factors for level-VII lymph node metastases in case of thyroid neoplasms.

The development of high-performance proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is crucial yet challenging. Enrichment of proton transport pathways by doping ionic hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (iHOFs) in Nafion matrix is important for further development of high-performance PEMFCs. In this work, an iHOF material (iHOF-9) based on arylphosphonate anions and guanidinium cations with the three-dimensional (3D) hydrogen-bonded network was synthesized, which exhibits an ultrahigh proton conductivity of 4.38 × 10–2S·cm–1at 90 °C and 98% RH. In addition, by mixing iHOF into Nafion matrix, we have fabricated the high-performance hybrid membranes, and the maximum proton conductivity value can achieve 6.61 × 10–2S·cm–1for 9%-iHOF-9/Nafionmembrane at 90 °C and 98% RH. iHOF-9/Nafionmembranes were used to fabricate the proton exchange membranes for application in H2/O2fuel cells. The maximum power density of 9%-iHOF-9/Nafionreached 1092.07 mW·cm–2after stabilization for 10 h at 80 °C and 100% RH, which is a 33.99% improvement compared to the recast Nafion membrane. This work doped ultrahigh conductivity iHOF into the Nafion matrix as an emerging proton exchange membrane material, injecting new possibilities for the development of new energy sources.