Search

This article mainly investigates the state‐feedback L1$$ {L}_1 $$ finite‐time control problem for discrete‐time switched positive linear systems with mode‐dependent persistent dwell‐time (MDPDT) switching. The MDPDT switching is more general than the common dwell‐time and average dwell‐time switching because it can perfectly model a type of switched systems with hybrid slow and fast switching properties. Considering the positivity of the system, we adopt multiple linear copositive Lyapunov functions instead of traditional quadratic Lyapunov functions and derive sufficient criteria of finite‐time stability by utilizing the linear programming approach. Then the relationship between the lower bound of such switching signals and parameters of the constructed controllers is found successfully, and a sufficient condition to ensure that the closed‐loop switched system maintains positive and L1$$ {L}_1 $$ finite‐time bounded is proposed. Finally, the efficiency of our developed conclusions is validated by two illustrative examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terminal differentiation induced ncRNA (TINCR), a newly identified lncRNA, has been found to be associated with different human cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, little is known regarding the pathological mechanisms of TINCR in HCC progression. In this study, we confirmed that TINCR expression was upregulated in HCC tumors and cell lines, and high TINCR expression was associated with larger tumor size, advanced tumor node metastasis stage, and poor prognosis. Functionally, knockdown of TINCR facilitated apoptosis and suppressed viability, colony formation and invasion in Huh7 and Hep3B cells. Mechanically, TINCR functioned as competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to regulate DEAD‐box helicase 5 (DDX5) expression through sponging miR‐218‐5p. Moreover, the miR‐218‐5p expression was downregulated and DDX5 expression was upregulated in HCC tumors. The silencing of miR‐218‐5p or ectopic expression of DDX5 abated the tumor‐suppressive effect of TINCR knockdown in vitro. Furthermore, si‐TINCR‐induced inactivation of AKT signaling was rescued by suppression of miR‐218‐5p or overexpression of DDX5. Also, the silencing of TINCR resulted in tumor growth inhibition in vivo. In summary, knockdown of TINCR suppressed HCC progression presumably by inactivation of AKT signaling through targeting the miR‐218‐5p/DDX5 axis, suggesting a novel TINCR/miR‐218‐5p/DDX5 pathway and therapy target for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In clinical practice arterial anatomy evaluation is often determined using computed tomographic angiography (CTA); the effect of enhanced MRI has been neglected.Purpose: To evaluate whether multiple arterial phase (MAP) images from patients who underwent differential subsampling with Cartesian ordering (DISCO) acquisition would improve the hepatic arterial display compared with single arterial phase (SAP) and CTA.Study Type: A prospective, randomized trial.Subjects: In all, 130 patients (mean age, 55.81 ± 9.43 years; range, 35-78 years) including 89 men and 41 women.Field Strength/sequence: 3.0T, DISCO, liver acquisition with volume acceleration-flexible (LAVA-Flex), CTA.Assessment: A simple randomization was conducted and the study was subdivided into study part I (DISCO vs. SAP) and study part II (DISCO vs. CTA). Ten hepatic arterial segments were independently evaluated by three readers in the axial plane and the quality of hepatic arterial display was assessed using a four-point scale.Statistical Tests: Kendall's W-test, χ2 test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test.Results: Excellent interobserver agreement was obtained for hepatic arterial display (all Kendall's W values >0.80). For study part I, the mean arterial display scores for the common hepatic artery (CHA), proper hepatic artery (PHA), left hepatic artery (LHA), right hepatic artery (RHA), left gastric artery (LGA), and gastroduodenal artery (GDA) obtained with DISCO were higher than that obtained with SAP imaging (all P < 0.01). For study part II, comparable image quality for CHA (P = 0.798), PHA (P = 0.440), LHA (P = 0.211), RHA (P = 0.775) LGA (P = 0.468), and GDA (P = 0.801) was obtained with DISCO and CTA.Data Conclusion: The use of MAP acquisition with DISCO is superior to the use of SAP in hepatic arterial display and compares favorably with CTA; in the future, DISCO possibly can replace the latter ionization-related method to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of the liver arterial vessels.Level Of Evidence: 1 Technical Efficacy Stage: 1 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;51:1766-1776. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkyl β‐D‐maltosides are an important class of sugar‐based nonionic surfactants and have been widely studied. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to investigate further their amphiphilic structure‐surface property relationships. In this article, we reported a series of properties of synthetic alkyl β‐D‐maltosides (6a–6i, n = 6–18) including their hydrophilic–lipophilic balance (HLB) number, water solubility, hygroscopicity, moisture‐retention capacity, foaming ability, surface tension, thermotropic phase behavior, and skin irritation. Their HLB number and water solubility decreased with increasing alkyl chain length. Hexyl β‐D‐maltoside exhibited the strongest hygroscopicity and moisture‐retention capacity. Decyl β‐D‐maltoside and dodecyl β‐D‐maltoside possessed excellent foaming power and foaming stability. Furthermore, the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of alkyl β‐D‐maltoside (6a–6g, n = 6–14) and their surface tension at CMC decreased with increasing alkyl chain length. At last, alkyl β‐D‐maltosides (6a–6g) should be considered as safe surfactants by the skin irritation assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of alkyl β- d-galactopyranosides were prepared by the trichloroacetimidate method with d-galactose and alcohols with different chain lengths as raw materials. Their solubility, surface tension, emulsification, foaming, wettability, thermotropic liquid crystalline properties, and thermal stability were investigated. Alkyl β- d-galactopyranosides are soluble in water and ethanol, and the solubility decreases with increasing alkyl chain length. Decyl β- d-galactopyranoside was insoluble in water, but soluble in ethanol. Dissolution of alkyl β- d-galactopyranoside in water is an endothermic process with dissolution enthalpies greater than zero. Nonyl β- d-galactopyranoside had an excellent emulsifying property, better foaming ability and the best foam stability. The CMC values of alkyl β- d-galactopyranosides decrease with increasing of alkyl chain length. Alkyl β- d-galactopyranosides are thermally stable up to 270 °C. Alkyl β- d-galactopyranosides show the distinctive optical texture of a thermotropic liquid crystal smectic A type phase. Decyl β- d-galactopyranoside showed the strongest wettability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: T‐cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain‐4 (TIM‐4) is selectively expressed on antigen‐presenting cells (APCs) and modulates various immune responses. However, the role of TIM‐4 expressed by Kupffer cells (KCs) in liver fibrosis remains unclear. The present study aimed to explore whether and how TIM‐4 expressed by KCs is involved in liver fibrosis. Materials and Methods: Mice chronic liver fibrosis models were established and divided into the olive‐induced control group, CCL4‐induced control group, olive‐induced TIM‐4 interference group and CCL4‐induced TIM‐4 interference group. Different techniques were used to monitor the fibrotic effects of TIM‐4, including histopathological assays, Western blotting, ELISA and transmission electron microscopy. Additionally, mice liver transplant models were established to determine the fibrotic effects of TIM‐4 on fibrosis after liver transplantation (LT). Results: We found that the induction of liver fibrosis by CCL4 was associated with TIM‐4 expression in KCs. TIM‐4 interference essentially contributed to liver fibrosis resolution. KCs from the TIM‐4 interference group had decreased levels of pro‐fibrotic markers, reduced TGF‐β1 secretion and inhibited hepatic stellate cell (HSC) differentiation into myofibroblast‐like cells. In addition, we used GdCl3 to verify that KCs are the primary source of TGF‐β1 during fibrosis progression. Moreover, KCs from CCL4‐induced mice showed increased ROS production, mitophagy activation and TGF‐β1 secretion. However, TIM‐4 interference in the KCs inhibited Akt1‐mediated ROS production, resulting in the suppression of PINK1, Parkin and LC3‐II/I activation and the reduction of TGF‐β1 secretion during liver fibrosis. Additionally, TIM‐4 interference potentially attenuated development of fibrosis after LT. Conclusions: Our findings revealed the underlying mechanisms of TIM‐4 interference in KCs to mitigate liver fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary This article proposes a novel angle representation method for floating‐point number, which eliminates the need for DSP (Digital Signal Processor) resources and reduces the resource usage when performing floating‐point multiplication. Compared with the implementation of floating‐point multiplier using IP cores, the implementation of approximate multiplication based on lookup tables can achieve an average reduction of 58.2% in LUTs (look‐up tables) and an average increase of 20.4% in frequency for mantissa widths ranging from 3 to 12 bits. Additionally, it can also save an average of 23.2% in registers. Analysis of PDP (power‐delay product)/LUT to MRED (mean relative error distance)/PRED (probability of relative error distance) among other approximate multipliers shows that the proposed design extends the Pareto front. At last, simulation of a three‐level inverter is implemented to verify the effectiveness of the multiplier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]