Finite-time Prescribed Performance Time-Varying Formation Control for Second-Order Multi-Agent Systems With Non-Strict Feedback Based on a Neural Network Observer

This paper studies the problem of time-varying formation control with finite-time prescribed performance for nonstrict feedback second-order multi-agent systems with unmeasured states and unknown nonlinearities.To eliminate nonlinearities,neural networks are applied to approximate the inherent dynamics of the system.In addition,due to the limitations of the actual working conditions,each follower agent can only obtain the locally measurable partial state information of the leader agent.To address this problem,a neural network state observer based on the leader state information is designed.Then,a finite-time prescribed performance adaptive output feedback control strategy is proposed by restricting the sliding mode surface to a prescribed region,which ensures that the closed-loop system has practical finite-time stability and that formation errors of the multi-agent systems converge to the prescribed performance bound in finite time.Finally,a numerical simulation is provided to demonstrate the practicality and effectiveness of the developed algorithm.

Quantization and Event-Triggered Policy Design for Encrypted Networked Control

This paper proposes a novel event-driven encrypted control framework for linear networked control systems(NCSs),which relies on two modified uniform quantization policies,the Paillier cryptosystem,and an event-triggered strategy.Due to the fact that only integers can work in the Pailler cryptosystem,both the real-valued control gain and system state need to be first quantized before encryption.This is dramatically different from the existing quantized control methods,where only the quantization of a single value,e.g.,the control input or the system state,is considered.To handle this issue,static and dynamic quantization policies are presented,which achieve the desired integer conversions and guarantee asymptotic convergence of the quantized system state to the equilibrium.Then,the quantized system state is encrypted and sent to the controller when the triggering condition,specified by a state-based event-triggered strategy,is satisfied.By doing so,not only the security and confidentiality of data transmitted over the communication network are protected,but also the ciphertext expansion phenomenon can be relieved.Additionally,by tactfully designing the quantization sensitivities and triggering error,the proposed event-driven encrypted control framework ensures the asymptotic stability of the overall closedloop system.Finally,a simulation example of the secure motion control for an inverted pendulum cart system is presented to evaluate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.

Practical Prescribed Time Tracking Control With Bounded Time-Varying Gain Under Non-Vanishing Uncertainties

This paper investigates the prescribed-time control(PTC) problem for a class of strict-feedback systems subject to non-vanishing uncertainties. The coexistence of mismatched uncertainties and non-vanishing disturbances makes PTC synthesis nontrivial. In this work, a control method that does not involve infinite time-varying gain is proposed, leading to a practical and global prescribed time tracking control solution for the strict-feedback systems, in spite of both the mismatched and nonvanishing uncertainties. Different from methods based on control switching to avoid the issue of infinite control gain that involves control discontinuity at the switching point, in our method a softening unit is exclusively included to ensure the continuity of the control action. Furthermore, in contrast to most existing prescribed-time control works where the control scheme is only valid on a finite time interval, in this work, the proposed control scheme is valid on the entire time interval. In addition, the prior information on the upper or lower bound of gi is not in need,enlarging the applicability of the proposed method. Both the theoretical analysis and numerical simulation confirm the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm.

Noise-Tolerant ZNN-Based Data-Driven Iterative Learning Control for Discrete Nonaffine Nonlinear MIMO Repetitive Systems

Aiming at the tracking problem of a class of discrete nonaffine nonlinear multi-input multi-output(MIMO) repetitive systems subjected to separable and nonseparable disturbances, a novel data-driven iterative learning control(ILC) scheme based on the zeroing neural networks(ZNNs) is proposed. First, the equivalent dynamic linearization data model is obtained by means of dynamic linearization technology, which exists theoretically in the iteration domain. Then, the iterative extended state observer(IESO) is developed to estimate the disturbance and the coupling between systems, and the decoupled dynamic linearization model is obtained for the purpose of controller synthesis. To solve the zero-seeking tracking problem with inherent tolerance of noise,an ILC based on noise-tolerant modified ZNN is proposed. The strict assumptions imposed on the initialization conditions of each iteration in the existing ILC methods can be absolutely removed with our method. In addition, theoretical analysis indicates that the modified ZNN can converge to the exact solution of the zero-seeking tracking problem. Finally, a generalized example and an application-oriented example are presented to verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed process.

Versatile and controlled quantum teleportation network

A quantum teleportation network involving multiple users is essential for future quantum internet.So far,controlled quantum teleportation has been demonstrated in a three-user network.However,versatile and controlled quantum teleportation network involving more users is in demand,which satisfies different combinations of users for practical requirements.Here we propose a highly versatile and controlled teleportation network that can switch among various combinations of different users.We use a single continuous-variable six-partite Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger(GHZ)state to realize such a task by choosing the different measurement and feedback operations.The controlled teleportation network,which includes one sub-network,two sub-networks and three sub-networks,can be realized for different application of user combinations.Furthermore,the coherent feedback control(CFC)can manipulate and improve the teleportation performance.Our approach is flexible and scalable,and would provide a versatile platform for demonstrations of complex quantum communication and quantum computing protocols.

Adaptive admittance tracking control for interactive robot with prescribed performance

An adaptive control approach is presented in this paper for tracking desired trajectories in interactive manipulators. The controller design incorporates prescribed performance functions (PPFs) to improve dynamic performance. Notably, the performance of the output error is confined in an envelope characterized by exponential convergence, leading to convergence to zero. This feature ensures a prompt response from admittance control and establishes a reliable safety framework for interactions. Simulation results provide practical insights,demonstrating the viability of the control scheme proposed in this paper.

On-Chip Micro Temperature Controllers Based on Freestanding Thermoelectric Nano Films for Low-Power Electronics

Multidimensional integration and multifunctional com-ponent assembly have been greatly explored in recent years to extend Moore’s Law of modern microelectronics.However,this inevitably exac-erbates the inhomogeneity of temperature distribution in microsystems,making precise temperature control for electronic components extremely challenging.Herein,we report an on-chip micro temperature controller including a pair of thermoelectric legs with a total area of 50×50μm^(2),which are fabricated from dense and flat freestanding Bi2Te3-based ther-moelectric nano films deposited on a newly developed nano graphene oxide membrane substrate.Its tunable equivalent thermal resistance is controlled by electrical currents to achieve energy-efficient temperature control for low-power electronics.A large cooling temperature difference of 44.5 K at 380 K is achieved with a power consumption of only 445μW,resulting in an ultrahigh temperature control capability over 100 K mW^(-1).Moreover,an ultra-fast cooling rate exceeding 2000 K s^(-1) and excellent reliability of up to 1 million cycles are observed.Our proposed on-chip temperature controller is expected to enable further miniaturization and multifunctional integration on a single chip for microelectronics.

Optimal Cooperative Secondary Control for Islanded DC Microgrids via a Fully Actuated Approach

DC-DC converter-based multi-bus DC microgrids(MGs) in series have received much attention, where the conflict between voltage recovery and current balancing has been a hot topic. The lack of models that accurately portray the electrical characteristics of actual MGs while is controller design-friendly has kept the issue active. To this end, this paper establishes a large-signal model containing the comprehensive dynamical behavior of the DC MGs based on the theory of high-order fully actuated systems, and proposes distributed optimal control based on this. The proposed secondary control method can achieve the two goals of voltage recovery and current sharing for multi-bus DC MGs. Additionally, the simple structure of the proposed approach is similar to one based on droop control, which allows this control technique to be easily implemented in a variety of modern microgrids with different configurations. In contrast to existing studies, the process of controller design in this paper is closely tied to the actual dynamics of the MGs. It is a prominent feature that enables engineers to customize the performance metrics of the system. In addition, the analysis of the stability of the closed-loop DC microgrid system, as well as the optimality and consensus of current sharing are given. Finally, a scaled-down solar and battery-based microgrid prototype with maximum power point tracking controller is developed in the laboratory to experimentally test the efficacy of the proposed control method.

Screening, Treatment and Control of High Blood Pressure on Five Sites in Mali

Introduction: High blood pressure is defined as blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg for systolic and or 90 mm Hg for diastolic. It constitutes a major public health problem, the leading chronic disease in the world. The objective was to determine the prevalence, treatment rate and control of hypertension. Methods: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive study which took place over a period of 6 months in a hospital environment and in the general population. Results: Of the 1000 participants, 637 had hypertension, giving a prevalence of 63.70% with a female predominance. Thirty-three percent (33%) were unaware of their high blood pressure. The age group 60 and more was the most represented (44%). A proportion of 33 and 23.20 were overweight and obese participants, respectively. Male subjects were more overweight than female, unlike obesity which was more common among female subjects. Sixty-two percent (62%) of hypertensives were treated, of whom 44% were non-compliant. The excessively high cost and consumption of medications as needed were the main factors in therapeutic non-compliance. Twenty-two percent (22%) of all hypertensive patients and 35% of treated hypertensive patients were controlled. Women were more treated but less observant and less controlled than men. Therapeutic coverage and combination therapy rates were lower in rural areas. Hypertensives who had a high level of education were better treated and controlled than those who had no level. Conclusion: High blood pressure remains a real public health problem in Mali. It is more common in people aged 60 and over and in females. One in three hypertensives were unaware of their hypertension. The majority received antihypertensive treatments, but only a minority of them had their hypertension controlled.

How completely are randomized controlled trials of non-pharmacological interventions following concussion reported? A systematic review

Purpose:The study aimed to examine the reporting completeness of randomized controlled trials(RCTs)of non-pharmacological interventions following concussion.Methods:We searched MEDLINE,Embase,PsycInfo,CINAHL,and Web of Science up to May 2022.Two reviewers independently screened studies and assessed reporting completeness using the Template for Intervention Description and Replication(TIDieR),Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template(CERT),and international Consensus on Therapeutic Exercise aNd Training(i-CONTENT)checklists.Additional information was sought my study authors where reporting was incomplete.Risk of bias(ROB)was assessed with the Cochrane ROB-2 Tool.RCTs examining non-pharmacological interventions following concussion.Results:We included 89 RCTs(n=53 high ROB)examining 11 different interventions for concussion:sub-symptom threshold aerobic exercise,cervicovestibular therapy,physical/cognitive rest,vision therapy,education,psychotherapy,hyperbaric oxygen therapy,transcranial magnetic stimulation,blue light therapy,osteopathic manipulation,and head/neck cooling.Median scores were:TIDieR 9/12(75%;interquartile range(IQR)=5;range:5-12),CERT 17/19(89%;IQR=2;range:10-19),and i-CONTENT 6/7(86%;IQR=1;range:5-7).Percentage of studies completely reporting all items was TIDieR 35%(31/89),CERT 24%(5/21),and i-CONTENT 10%(2/21).Studies were more completely reported after publication of TIDieR(t_(87)=2.08;p=0.04)and CERT(t_(19)=2.72;p=0.01).Reporting completeness was not strongly associated with journal impact factor(TIDieR:rs=0.27;p=0.01;CERT:r_(s)=-0.44;p=0.06;i-CONTENT:r_(s)=-0.17;p=0.48)or ROB(TIDieR:rs=0.11;p=0.31;CERT:rs=0.04;p=0.86;i-CONTENT:rs=0.12;p=0.60).Conclusion:RCTs of non-pharmacological interventions following concussion demonstrate moderate to good reporting completeness,but are often missing key components,particularly modifications,motivational strategies,and qualified supervisor.Reporting completeness improved after TIDieR and CERT publication,but publication in highly cited journals and low ROB do not guarantee reporting completeness.

Study on the clogging mechanism of punching screen in sand control by the punching structure parameters

As an independent sand control unit or a common protective shell of a high-quality screen,the punching screen is the outermost sand retaining unit of the sand control pipe which is used in geothermal well or oil and gas well.However,most screens only consider the influence of the internal sand retaining medium parameters in the sand control performance design while ignoring the influence of the plugging of the punching screen on the overall sand retaining performance of the screen.To explore the clogging mechanism of the punching screen,this paper established the clogging mechanism calculation model of a single punching screen sand control unit by using the computational fluid mechanics-discrete element method(CFD-DEM)combined method.According to the combined motion of particles and fluids,the influence of the internal flow state on particle motion and accumulation was analyzed.The results showed that(1)the clogging process of the punching sand control unit is divided into three stages:initial clogging,aggravation of clogging and stability of clogging.In the initial stage of blockage,coarse particles form a loose bridge structure,and blockage often occurs preferentially at the streamline gathering place below chamfering inside the sand control unit.In the stage of blockage intensification,the particle mass develops into a relatively complete sand bridge,which develops from both ends of the opening to the center of the opening.In the stable plugging stage,the sand deposits show a“fan shape”and form a“V-shaped”gully inside the punching slot element.(2)Under a certain reservoir particle-size distribution,The slit length and opening height have a large influence on the permeability and blockage rate,while the slit width size has little influence on the permeability and blockage rate.The microscopic clogging mechanism and its law of the punching screen prevention unit are proposed in this study,which has some field guidance significance for the design of punching screen and sand prevention selection.

Practical prescribed-time fuzzy tracking control for uncertain nonlinear systems with time-varying actuators faults

The paper investigates the practical prescribed-time fuzzy tracking control problem for a category of nonlinear system subject to time-varying actuator faults.The presence of unknown nonlinear dynamics and actuator faults makes achieving tracking control within a prescribed-time challenging.To tackle this issue,we propose a novel practical prescribed-time fuzzy tracking control strategy,which is independent of the initial state of the system and does not rely on precise modeling of the system and actuators.We apply the approximation capabilities of fuzzy logic systems to handle the unknown nonlinear functions and unidentified actuator faults in the system.The piecewise controller and adaptive law constructed based on piecewise prescribed time-varying function and backstepping technique method establish the theoretical framework of practical prescribed-time tracking control,and extend the range of prescribed-time tracking control to infinity.Regardless of the initial conditions,the proposed control strategy can guarantee that all signals remain uniformly bounded within the practical prescribed time in the presence of unknown nonlinear item and time-varying actuator faults.Simulation example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

Boosting kinetic separation of ethylene and ethane on microporous materials via crystal size control

The adsorptive separation of C_(2)H_(4)and C_(2)H_(6),as an alternative to distillation units consuming high energy,is a promising yet challenging research.The great similarity in the molecular size of C_(2)H_(4)and C_(2)H_(6)brings challenges to the regulation of adsorbents to realize efficient dynamic separation.Herein,we reported the enhancement of the kinetic separation of C_(2)H_(4)/C_(2)H_(6)by controlling the crystal size of ZnAtzPO_(4)(Atz=3-amino-1,2,4-triazole)to amplify the diffusion difference of C_(2)H_(4)and C_(2)H_(6).Through adjusting the synthesis temperature,reactant concentration,and ligands/metal ions molar ratio,ZnAtzPO4 crystals with different sizes were obtained.Both single-component kinetic adsorption tests and binary-component dynamic breakthrough experiments confirmed the enhancement of the dynamic separation of C_(2)H_(4)/C_(2)H_(6)with the increase in the crystal size of ZnAtzPO_(4).The separation selectivity of C_(2)H_(4)/C_(2)H_(6)increased from 1.3 to 98.5 with the increase in the crystal size of ZnAtzPO_(4).This work demonstrated the role of morphology and size control of adsorbent crystals in the improvement of the C_(2)H_(4)/C_(2)H_(6)kinetic separation performance.

Sequential Inverse Optimal Control of Discrete-Time Systems

This paper presents a novel sequential inverse optimal control(SIOC)method for discrete-time systems,which calculates the unknown weight vectors of the cost function in real time using the input and output of an optimally controlled discrete-time system.The proposed method overcomes the limitations of previous approaches by eliminating the need for the invertible Jacobian assumption.It calculates the possible-solution spaces and their intersections sequentially until the dimension of the intersection space decreases to one.The remaining one-dimensional vector of the possible-solution space’s intersection represents the SIOC solution.The paper presents clear conditions for convergence and addresses the issue of noisy data by clarifying the conditions for the singular values of the matrices that relate to the possible-solution space.The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through simulation results.

Controlled release of dexamethasone from fibrin sealant for intratympanic administration in inner ear therapy

The aim of the present work was to show the sustainability of fibrin sealant in releasing dexamethasone and adjust the protocol for clinical application of the novel method in the treatment of Meniere’s disease (MD) and sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL).Gelation occurred shortly after mixing dexamethasone-containing fibrinogen with thrombin.Dexamethasone was constantly released for at least 16 d at a stable level after 7d in protocol 1 (low-dose),while it was robustly released within 4 d and slowed afterward until 10 d in protocol 2(high-dose).There were significant differences among the time points in Protocol 2 (p<0.01,ANOVA),and the exponential model with the formula y=15.299*e~(-0.483*t) fits the association.The estimated concentration of dexamethasone released on 7 d in protocol 2 was slightly lower than that observed in protocol 1.The fibrin sealant is capable of constantly releasing dexamethasone with adjustable dynamics.Targeted and minimally invasive administration of the material can be achieved in the clinic by sequential injections of the fluids using a soft-tipped catheter.

Path Planning and Tracking Control for Parking via Soft Actor-Critic Under Non-Ideal Scenarios

Parking in a small parking lot within limited space poses a difficult task. It often leads to deviations between the final parking posture and the target posture. These deviations can lead to partial occupancy of adjacent parking lots, which poses a safety threat to vehicles parked in these parking lots. However, previous studies have not addressed this issue. In this paper, we aim to evaluate the impact of parking deviation of existing vehicles next to the target parking lot(PDEVNTPL) on the automatic ego vehicle(AEV) parking, in terms of safety, comfort, accuracy, and efficiency of parking. A segmented parking training framework(SPTF) based on soft actor-critic(SAC) is proposed to improve parking performance. In the proposed method, the SAC algorithm incorporates strategy entropy into the objective function, to enable the AEV to learn parking strategies based on a more comprehensive understanding of the environment. Additionally, the SPTF simplifies complex parking tasks to maintain the high performance of deep reinforcement learning(DRL). The experimental results reveal that the PDEVNTPL has a detrimental influence on the AEV parking in terms of safety, accuracy, and comfort, leading to reductions of more than 27%, 54%, and 26%respectively. However, the SAC-based SPTF effectively mitigates this impact, resulting in a considerable increase in the parking success rate from 71% to 93%. Furthermore, the heading angle deviation is significantly reduced from 2.25 degrees to 0.43degrees.

A NOTE ON THE GENERAL STABILIZATION OF DISCRETE FEEDBACK CONTROL FOR NON-AUTONOMOUS HYBRID NEUTRAL STOCHASTIC SYSTEMS WITH A DELAY

Discrete feedback control was designed to stabilize an unstable hybrid neutral stochastic differential delay system(HNSDDS) under a highly nonlinear constraint in the H_∞ and exponential forms.Nevertheless,the existing work just adapted to autonomous cases,and the obtained results were mainly on exponential stabilization.In comparison with autonomous cases,non-autonomous systems are of great interest and represent an important challenge.Accordingly,discrete feedback control has here been adjusted with a time factor to stabilize an unstable non-autonomous HNSDDS,in which new Lyapunov-Krasovskii functionals and some novel technologies are adopted.It should be noted,in particular,that the stabilization can be achieved not only in the routine H_∞ and exponential forms,but also the polynomial form and even a general form.

Can Tibetan medicine Honghua Ruyi pills relieve endometriosisassociated dysmenorrhea?Protocol for a randomized placebocontrolled trial

Objective:To provide high-quality clinical evidence of the efficacy of Tibetan medicine Honghua Ruyi(HHRY)pills for endometriosis-associated dysmenorrhea.Methods:This study constitutes a multicenter,randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled trial encompassing a three-menstrual cycle intervention followed by a three-menstrual cycle follow-up period.A total of 164 eligible females with endometriosis-associated dysmenorrhea were randomly divided into HHRY pills and placebo groups in a 1:1 ratio.The primary outcome included dysmenorrhea symptoms assessed using Visual Analog Scale(VAS)scores and quality of life,whereas the secondary outcome measures included the maximum VAS for non-menstrual pelvic pain,duration of pain episodes(in days),frequency and quantity of the consumption of ibuprofen sustained-release capsules(or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs),and days off work/study for staff/student due to dysmenorrhea,ovarian cyst,and/or pelvic nodule size.The safety was monitored throughout the treatment period.All the analyses were based on the intention-to-treat principle.For continuous outcomes,simple or multiple linear regressions were used to estimate the differences between the HHRY pills and placebo groups,with categorical data expressed as the number and percentage of occurrences.Differences were compared using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test.The predefined analysis was adjusted for concomitant treatment,a variable considered to be associated with outcomes but unaffected by treatment allocation.Estimates of treatment effects were reported with 95%confidence intervals.Two-tailed P values≤.05 were considered statistically significant.Conclusion:Positive results from this trial,upon completion would provide robust evidence for the efficacy and safety of HHRY pills in treating dysmenorrhea in patients with endometriosis.

Detachable string magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy for the noninvasive diagnosis of esophageal diseases:A prospective,blind clinical study

BACKGROUND Traditional esophagogastroduodenoscopy(EGD),an invasive examination method,can cause discomfort and pain in patients.In contrast,magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy(MCE),a noninvasive method,is being applied for the detection of stomach and small intestinal diseases,but its application in treating esophageal diseases is not widespread.AIM To evaluate the safety and efficacy of detachable string MCE(ds-MCE)for the diagnosis of esophageal diseases.METHODS Fifty patients who had been diagnosed with esophageal diseases were pros-pectively recruited for this clinical study and underwent ds-MCE and conven-tional EGD.The primary endpoints included the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,and diagnostic accuracy of ds-MCE for patients with esophageal diseases.The secondary endpoints consisted of visualizing the esophageal and dentate lines,as well as the subjects'tolerance of the procedure.RESULTS Using EGD as the gold standard,the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,and diagnostic accuracy of ds-MCE for esophageal disease detection were 85.71%,86.21%,81.82%,89.29%,and 86%,respectively.ds-MCE was more comfortable and convenient than EGD was,with 80%of patients feeling that ds-MCE examination was very comfortable or comfortable and 50%of patients believing that detachable string v examination was very convenient.CONCLUSION This study revealed that ds-MCE has the same diagnostic effects as traditional EGD for esophageal diseases and is more comfortable and convenient than EGD,providing a novel noninvasive method for treating esophageal diseases.

Asynchronous Learning-Based Output Feedback Sliding Mode Control for Semi-Markov Jump Systems: A Descriptor Approach

This paper presents an asynchronous output-feed-back control strategy of semi-Markovian systems via sliding mode-based learning technique.Compared with most literature results that require exact prior knowledge of system state and mode information,an asynchronous output-feedback sliding sur-face is adopted in the case of incompletely available state and non-synchronization phenomenon.The holonomic dynamics of the sliding mode are characterized by a descriptor system in which the switching surface is regarded as the fast subsystem and the system dynamics are viewed as the slow subsystem.Based upon the co-occurrence of two subsystems,the sufficient stochastic admissibility criterion of the holonomic dynamics is derived by utilizing the characteristics of cumulative distribution functions.Furthermore,a recursive learning controller is formulated to guarantee the reachability of the sliding manifold and realize the chattering reduction of the asynchronous switching and sliding motion.Finally,the proposed theoretical method is substantia-ted through two numerical simulations with the practical contin-uous stirred tank reactor and F-404 aircraft engine model,respectively.