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Summary: This paper presents the design of a robust control law for a class of nonlinear dynamical systems subjected to parametric uncertainty and simultaneous unknown, variable state and input delays. A novel controller is developed, which consists of a filtered tracking error and the integral of previous values of control input where the limits of integration are dependent on the known bound of the input delay. Lyapunov‐Krasovskii functionals–based stability analysis guarantees a global uniformly ultimately bounded tracking result where sufficient conditions on controller gains and maximum allowable delay are derived. The performance and robustness of the controller are evaluated by simulation on a two‐link robot manipulator for different combinations of time‐varying state and input delays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a robust compensator for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems subjected to unknown time-varying input delay. The proposed control law is based on the integral of past values of control and a novel filtered tracking error. Sufficient gain conditions dependent on the known bound of the delay are derived using a Lyapunov-based stability analysis, where Lyapunov-Krasovskii (LK) functionals are used to achieve a global uniformly ultimately bounded (GUUB) tracking result. Simulation results for a nonlinear system are used to evaluate the performance and robustness of the controller for different values of time-varying input delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Life in a typical Indian household revolves around the cooking area, and Indian women spend much of their time there. Cooking stoves in biomass fuel users are nothing more than a pit, a chulha, or three pieces of brick. Cooking under these conditions entails high levels of exposure to cooking smoke. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: (1) To compare the pulmonary function parameters of biomass fuel users with clean fuel users. (2) To evaluate the pulmonary function test (PFT) among individuals exposed to biomass fuel combustion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three hundred and fourteen nonsmoking women without any history of any major chronic illness in the past were selected for this study. The study group comprised of 68 women exposed to biomass fuel combustion, 105 women exposed to clean fuel combustion, and 141 women exposed to mixed fuel (earlier using biomass fuel but now gradually shifting to clean fuel). All women were evaluated for PFTs MIR spirolab III. OBSERVATION AND RESULTS: The lung function parameters were significantly lower in the women exposed to biomass fuel in comparison to the clean fuel users and mixed fuel users forced expiratory volume 1 (FEV1) (P < 0.05); FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) (P < 0.05); FVC (P < 0.05); peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) (P < 0.05); the lung function parameters were also significantly reduced in group of mixed fuel users in comparison to the group of clean fuel users FEV1 (P < 0.05); FEV1/FVC (P < 0.05); FVC (P < 0.05); PEFR (P < 0.05). The evaluation of PFTs suggested the increased risk to the obstructive type of pulmonary disease in biomass users. CONCLUSION: The reduction in the pulmonary function in the biomass-exposed women could be due to high exposure to biomass pollutants with inadequate ventilation in cooking area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study discusses paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded mannosylated-DSPE (Distearoyl-phosphatidyl-ethanolamine) solid lipid nanoparticles (M-SLNs) using mannose as a lectin receptor ligand conjugate for lung cancer targeting and to increase the anticancer activity of PTX against A549 lung's epithelial cancer cells. Materials and methods: The PTX-SLNs were prepared by solvent injection method and mannose was conjugated to the free amine group of stearylamine. The M-SLNs obtained were characterized for their particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential and morphology by transmission electron microscope. Results: The M-SLNs were spherical in shape with 254 ± 2.3 nm average size, positive zeta potential (3.27 mV), 79.4 ± 1.6 drug entrapment efficiency and showed the lower extent of drug release 40% over 48 h in vitro. Cytotoxicity study on A549 cell lines and biodistrubtion study of drug revealed that M-SLNs deliver a higher concentration of PTX as compared to PTX-SLNs in an alveolar cell site. Discussion and conclusion: These results suggested that mannosylated M-SLNs are safe and potential vector for lung cancer targeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]