A Stroke-Limitation AMD Control System with Variable Gain and Limited Area for High-Rise Buildings

Collisions between a moving mass and an anti-collision device increase structural responses and threaten structural safety.An active mass damper(AMD)with stroke limitations is often used to avoid collisions.However,a strokelimited AMD control system with a fixed limited area shortens the available AMD stroke and leads to significant control power.To solve this problem,the design approach with variable gain and limited area(VGLA)is proposed in this study.First,the boundary of variable-limited areas is calculated based on the real-time status of the moving mass.The variable gain(VG)expression at the variable limited area is deduced by considering the saturation of AMD stroke.Then,numerical simulations of a stroke-limited AMD control system with VGLA are conducted on a high-rise building structure.These numerical simulations show that the proposed approach has superior strokelimitation performance compared with a stroke-limited AMD control system with a fixed limited area.Finally,the proposed approach is validated through experiments on a four-story steel frame.

Proteomic response of Phaeocystis globosa to nitrogen limitation

Phaeocystis globosa is an important unicellular eukaryotic alga that can also form colonies.P.globosa can cause massive harmful algal blooms and plays an important role in the global carbon or sulfur cycling.Thus far,the ecophysiology of P.globosa has been investigated by numerous studies.However,the proteomic response of P.globosa to nitrogen depletion remains largely unknown.We compared four protein preparation methods of P.globosa for two-dimensional electrophoresis(2-DE)(Urea/Triton X-100 with trichloroacetic acid(TCA)/acetone precipitation;TCA/acetone precipitation;Radio Immuno Precipitation Assay(RIPA)with TCA/acetone precipitation;and Tris buffer).Results show that the combination of RIPA with TCA/acetone precipitation had a clear gel background and showed the best protein spot separation effect,based on which the proteomic response to nitrogen depletion was studied using 2-DE.In addition,we identified six differentially expressed proteins whose relative abundance increased or decreased more than 1.5-fold(P<0.05).Most proteins could not be identified,which might be attributed to the lack of genomic sequences of P.globosa.Under nitrogen limitation,replication protein-like,RNA ligase,and sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase were reduced,which may decrease the DNA replication level and ATP production in P.globosa cells.The increase of endonucleaseⅢand transcriptional regulator enzyme may affect the metabolic and antioxidant function of P.globosa cells and induce cell apoptosis.These findings provide a basis for further proteomic study of P.globosa and the optimization of protein preparation methods of marine microalgae.

Role of intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography in intracoronary imaging for coronary artery disease:a systematic review

Coronary angiography has long been the standard for coronary imaging,but it has limitations in assessing vessel wall anatomy and guiding percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).Intracoronary imaging techniques like intravascular ultrasound(IVUS)and optical coherence tomography(OCT)can overcome these limitations.IVUS uses ultrasound and OCT uses near-infrared light to visualize coronary pathology in unique ways due to differences in temporal and spatial resolution.These techniques have evolved to offer clinical utility in plaque characterization and vessel assessment during PCI.Meta-analyses and adjusted observational studies suggest that both IVUS and OCT-guided PCI correlate with reduced cardiovascular risks compared to angiographic guidance alone.While IVUS demonstrates consistent clinical outcome benefits,OCT evidence is less robust.IVUS has progressed from early motion detection to high-resolution systems,with smaller compatible catheters.OCT utilizes near infrared light to achieve unparalleled resolutions,but requires temporary blood clearance for optimal imaging.Enhanced visualization and guidance make IVUS and OCT well-suited for higher risk PCI in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease by allowing detailed visualization of complex lesions and ensuring optimal stent deployment and positioning in PCI for patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease,improving outcomes.IVUS and recent advancements in zero-and low-contrast OCT techniques can reduce nephrotoxic contrast exposure,thus helping to minimize PCI complications in these high-risk patient groups.IVUS and OCT provide valuable insights into coronary pathophysiology and guide interventions precisely compared to angiography alone.Both have comparable clinical outcomes,emphasizing the need for tailored imaging choices based on clinical scenarios.Continued refinement and integration of intravascular imaging will likely play a pivotal role in optimizing coronary interventions and outcomes.This systematic review aims to delve into the nuances of IVUS and OCT,highlighting their strengths and limitations as PCI adjuncts.

Analysis of the Boundary Stability of a Diffusion-Reaction System on a Nanolayer

In this paper, the focus is on the boundary stability of a nanolayer in diffusion-reaction systems, taking into account a nonlinear boundary control condition. The authors focus on demonstrating the boundary stability of a nanolayer using the Lyapunov function approach, while making certain regularity assumptions and imposing appropriate control conditions. In addition, the stability analysis is extended to more complex systems by studying the limit problem with interface conditions using the epi-convergence approach. The results obtained in this article are then tested numerically to validate the theoretical conclusions.

H_∞ Design for Sampled-Data Systems via Lifting Technique: Conditions and Limitation

The initial motivation of the lifting technique is to solve the H∞control problems. However, the conventional weighted H∞design does not meet the conditions required by lifting, so the result often leads to a misjudgement of the design. Two conditions required by using the lifting technique are presented based on the basic formulae of the lifting. It is pointed out that only the H∞disturbance attenuation problem with no weighting functions can meet these conditions, hence, the application of the lifting technique is quite limited.

The Dosimetric Characteristics and Potential Limitation in Clinical Application of a Low Energy Photon Intra-Operative Radiotherapy System

Purpose: To investigate the dosimetric characteristics of a low energy photon intra-operative radiotherapy (IORT) system and explore its potential limitation in clinical application. Methods: A special water phantom, a parallel-plate ionization chamber and an electrometer were used to measure the depth dose rate, isotropy of dose distribution in X/Y plane, dosimetry reproducibility of bare probe and spherical applicators of different size which were used in comparison with the system data. Results: The difference in depth dose rate between the measurement and system data for bare probe is -2.16% ± 1.36%, the range of the relative deviation for isotropy in the X/Y plane is between -1.9% and 2.1%. The difference in depth dose rate, transfer coefficient, isotropy in X/Y plane between the measurement and system data for the whole set of spherical applicators is -10.0% - 2.3%, -8.9% - 4.2% and -1.6% - 2.6%, respectively. Higher surface dose rate and steeper gradient depth dose are observed in smaller spherical applicators. The depth dose rate and isotropy for bare probe and spherical applicators have been shown good reproducibility. The uncertainty of measurement is associated with the positioning accuracy, energy response, noise current and correction function f’(R). Conclusions: Thorough commissioning of the low energy photon IORT system helps us better understand the dosimetry characteristics, verify the system data, obtain adequate data for clinical application and routine quality assurance. The steep gradient depth dose and limited treatment range may restrain its potential in clinical application.

Coronary artery calcium data and reporting system: Strengths and limitations

Coronary artery calcium data and reporting system(CAC-DRS)is a recently introduced standardized reporting system for calcium scoring on computed tomography.CAC-DRS provides four risk categories(0,1,2 and 3)along with treatment recommendations for each category.As with any other new reporting platform,CAC-DRS has both advantages and disadvantages.Improved communication,better clarity of details,organized management recommendations and utility in future research and education are the major strengths of CAC-DRS.It has many limitations such as questionable need for a new system,few missing components,use of a less accurate visual method and treatment suggestions based on expert opinion instead of clinical trials.In this contemporary review,we discuss the new reporting system CAC-DRS,its application,strengths and limitations and conclude with some remarks for the future.

Fully Distributed Nash Equilibrium Seeking for High-Order Players With Actuator Limitations

This paper explores the problem of distributed Nash equilibrium seeking in games, where players have limited knowledge on other players' actions. In particular, the involved players are considered to be high-order integrators with their control inputs constrained within a pre-specified region. A linear transformation for players' dynamics is firstly utilized to facilitate the design of bounded control inputs incorporating multiple saturation functions. By introducing consensus protocols with adaptive and time-varying gains, the unknown actions for players are distributively estimated. Then, a fully distributed Nash equilibrium seeking strategy is exploited, showcasing its remarkable properties: (1) ensuring the boundedness of control inputs;(2) avoiding any global information/parameters;and (3) allowing the graph to be directed. Based on Lyapunov stability analysis, it is theoretically proved that the proposed distributed control strategy can lead all the players' actions to the Nash equilibrium. Finally, an illustrative example is given to validate effectiveness of the proposed method.

Responses of Maximum Photosystem H PhotochemicalEfficiency of Phytoplankton Communities to NutrientLimitation in the Coastal Sea of Qingdao, China

Nutrient enrichment experiments with nitrogen （N） and phosphorus （P） were conducted with samples from two stationsin the coastal waters of Qingdao, China, during summer to identify limiting nutrients. In late July of 2009, low P concentrations andthe maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II （Fv/Fm） in the initial samples together with Fv/Fm and chlorophyll a （Chl a）responses to P addition indicated P limitation at the two stations. In early August, low P levels still limited phytoplankton growth atstation A. Fv/Fm and Chl a were the highest in the NP treatments at station B, suggesting an N/P co-limitation. In mid-September,nutrient concentrations and Fv/Fm were elevated and phytoplankton communities were healthy. Greater Fv/Fm and Chl a in the treat-ments with added P than those without the addition suggested potential P limitation at station A. Lack of Fv/Fm and Chl a responsesfollowing nutrient additions indicated N and P repletion at station B. At the end of July 2010, neither N nor P was limited at station B.Additionally, Fv/Fm coupled with 24-h-long nutrient enrichment experiments can be used to detect P limitation and N/P co-limitationto natural populations. This method can be more accurate for assessing co-limitation than the use of criteria of nutrient concentrationsand ratios as indicators, and can provide more rapid results than nutrient addition bioassays using chlorophyll response as an indica-tor, when a population is potentially limited. Compared with the two conventional methods, the results based on F,/F~ can also pro-vide more detailed information about physiological states of the populations.

Evaluation of nutrient limitation in aquatic ecosystems with nitrogen fixing bacteria

There has always been a great need for simple and accurate bioassays for evaluating nutrient limitation in aquatic ecosystems. Whereas organic carbon is usually considered to be the limiting nutrient for microbial growth in many aquatic ecosystems, there are, however, many water sources that are limited by phosphorus or nitrogen. A method named ＂nitrogen fixing bacterial growth potential＂ （NFBGP） test, which is based on pre-culturing of autochthonous （target） microorganisms was described. The method was applied to evaluate phosphorus or nitrogen nutrient limitation in lake and sewage water samples using an isolate of the nitrogen fixing bacterium, Azorhizobium sp. WS6. The results corresponded well to those from the traditional algal growth potential （AGP） test and the bacterial regrowth potential （BRP） test, suggesting that the NFBGP test is a useful supplementary method for evaluating the limiting nutrient, especially phosphorus, in an aquatic environment.

Limitations of Lightning Rods in Preventing Direct Lightning Strikes

Since ancient times,lightning disasters have undoubtedly been an unstoppable threat to humanity.During thunderstorms,lightning often damages objects on the ground,such as buildings and structures.Since Franklin invented the lightning rod in 1752,lightning rods have been used worldwide to prevent direct lightning strikes in various fields such as high-voltage power transmission lines,outdoor chemical sites,highways,land and sea wind farms,and forest lightning fire protection.It has been proven that lightning accidents still occur frequently in places where lightning rods are installed and the protective angle method is used.In order to further study the protective effect of lightning rods and identify the shortcomings of lightning rod protection,negative lightning strikes are taken as the research object,to analyze the limitations of lightning rods in preventing direct lightning strikes from the working principle of lightning rods.

Limitations in tracking systems

In this paper, we obtain information theoretical conditions for tracking in linear time-invariant control systems. We consider the particular case where the closed loop contains a channel in the feedback loop. The mutual information rate between the feedback signal and the reference input signal is used to quantify information about the reference signal that is available for feedback. This mutual information rate must be maximized in order to improve the tracking performance. The mutual information is shown to be upper bounded by a quantity that depends on the unstable eigenvalues of the plant and on the channel capacity. If the channel capacity reaches a lower limit, the feedback signal becomes completely uncorrelated with the reference signal, rendering feedback useless. We also find a lower bound on the expected squared tracking error in terms of the entropy of a random reference signal. We show a misleading case where the mutual information rate does not predict the expected effect of nonminimum phase zeros. However, mutual information rate helps generalize the concept that there is a tradeoff when tracking and disturbance rejection are simultaneous goals, and a constraint communication channel is present in the feedback loop. Examples and simulations are provided to demonstrate some of the results.

A new geometrical and mechanical relation in the respiratory system with airflow limitation—From the perspective of analytical respiratory mechanics

Classic respiratory mechanics is a branch of vectorial mechanics, which aims to recognize all forces acting on the respiratory system. Another branch of mechanics, analytical mechanics, has been used for analyzing the motions of complicated systems with constraints through equilibrium among scalar quantities such as kinetic energy and potential energy. However, until now, there have not been any studies concerning about analytical respiratory mechanics. In this paper, the author has obtained two types of motion equations (linear and nonlinear) for the airflow limitation from formulation of the analytical respiratory mechanics. Reconstructed flow-volume trajectories of the linear equation revealed a new relationship among the slope of the linear portion of trajectory, the coefficient of the dissipation function and the coefficient of the potential function. Reconstructed trajectories of the nonlinear equation suggested that a curved flow-volume trajectory would be caused by the emergence of regional hypoventilated clusters with airtrapped lobules. In conclusion, analytical respiratory mechanics will provide the basis for analyzing the mechanical properties of the respiratory system con cerning pulmonary functional images made by newly developed technologies.

A Multi-mode Electronic Load Sensing Control Scheme with Power Limitation and Pressure Cut-off for Mobile Machinery

In mobile machinery,hydro-mechanical pumps are increasingly replaced by electronically controlled pumps to improve the automation level,but diversified control functions(e.g.,power limitation and pressure cut-off)are integrated into the electronic controller only from the pump level,leading to the potential instability of the overall system.To solve this problem,a multi-mode electrohydraulic load sensing(MELS)control scheme is proposed especially considering the switching stability from the system level,which includes four working modes of flow control,load sensing,power limitation,and pressure control.Depending on the actual working requirements,the switching rules for the different modes and the switching direction(i.e.,the modes can be switched bilaterally or unilaterally)are defined.The priority of different modes is also defined,from high to low:pressure control,power limitation,load sensing,and flow control.When multiple switching rules are satisfied at the same time,the system switches to the control mode with the highest priority.In addition,the switching stability between flow control and pressure control modes is analyzed,and the controller parameters that guarantee the switching stability are obtained.A comparative study is carried out based on a test rig with a 2-ton hydraulic excavator.The results show that the MELS controller can achieve the control functions of proper flow supplement,power limitation,and pressure cut-off,which has good stability performance when switching between different control modes.This research proposes the MELS control method that realizes the stability of multi-mode switching of the hydraulic system of mobile machinery under different working conditions.

GLOBAL CLASSICAL SOLUTIONS AND THE CLASSICAL LIMIT OF THE NON-RELATIVISTIC VLASOV-DARWIN SYSTEM WITH SMALL INITIAL DATA

We investigate the global classical solutions of the non-relativistic Vlasov-D arwin system with generalized variables(VDG)in three dimensions.We first prove the global existence and uniqueness for small initial data and derive the decay estimates of the Darwin potentials.Then,we show in this framework that the solutions converge in a pointwise sense to solutions of the classical Vlasov-Poisson system(VP)at the asymptotic rate of 1/c2 as the speed of light c tends to infinity for all time.Moreover,we obtain rigorously an asymptotic estimate of the difference between the two systems.

A systematic review of occupational exposure to respirable coal mine dust(RCMD)in the U.S.mining industry

Cumulative inhalation of respirable coal mine dust(RCMD)can lead to severe lung diseases,including coal worker's pneu-moconiosis(CWP),silicosis,mixed dust pneumoconiosis,dust-related diffuse fibrosis(DDF),and progressive massive fibrosis(PMF).Statistics from the number of reported cases showed a significant decrease in the progression of respiratory diseases in the 1990s.However,an unexpected increase in the number of CWP cases was reported in the late 1990s.To date,there has been no comprehensive systematic review to assess all contributing factors to the resurgence of CWP cases.This study aims to investigate the effects of various mining parameters on the prevalence of CWP in coal mines.A systematic review using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis(PRISMA)method was conducted to investigate the health effects of RCMD exposure and identify the factors that may contribute to the recent resurgence of CWP cases.The systematic review yielded a total of 401 papers,which were added to the database.The total number of 148 and 208 papers were excluded from the database in the process of screening and eligibility,respectively.Then,18 papers were considered for data selection and full-text assessment.The review revealed that factors including geographic location,mine size,mining operation type,coal-seam thickness,coal rank,changes in mining practices,technology advancement,and engi-neering dust control practices are contributing to the recent resurgence of CWP among coal workers.However,the evidence for root causes is limited owing to the methodological constraints of the studies;therefore,further detailed studies are needed.

Potential and limitations of ChatGPT and generative artificial intelligence in medical safety education

The primary objectives of medical safety education are to provide the public with essential knowledge about medications and to foster a scientific approach to drug usage.The era of using artificial intelligence to revolutionize medical safety education has already dawned,and ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence models have immense potential in this domain.Notably,they offer a wealth of knowledge,anonymity,continuous availability,and personalized services.However,the practical implementation of generative artificial intelligence models such as ChatGPT in medical safety education still faces several challenges,including concerns about the accuracy of information,legal responsibilities,and ethical obligations.Moving forward,it is crucial to intelligently upgrade ChatGPT by leveraging the strengths of existing medical practices.This task involves further integrating the model with real-life scenarios and proactively addressing ethical and security issues with the ultimate goal of providing the public with comprehensive,convenient,efficient,and personalized medical services.

Existence of Two Limit Cycles in Zeeman’s Class 30 for 3D Lotka-Volterra Competitive System

Gyllenberg and Yan(Discrete Contin Dyn Syst Ser B 11(2):347–352,2009)presented a system in Zeeman’s class 30 of 3-dimensional Lotka-Volterra(3D LV)competitive systems to admit at least two limit cycles,one of which is generated by the Hopf bifurcation and the other is obtained by the Poincaré-Bendixson theorem.Yu et al.(J Math Anal Appl 436:521–555,2016,Sect.3.4)recalculated the first Liapunov coefficient of Gyllenberg and Yan’s system to be positive,rather than negative as in Gyllenberg and Yan(2009),and pointed out that the Poincaré-Bendixson theorem is not applicable for that system.Jiang et al.(J Differ Equ 284:183–218,2021,p.213)proposed an open question:“whether Zeeman’s class 30 can be rigorously proved to admit at least two limit cycles by the Hopf theorem and the Poincaré-Bendixson theorem?”This paper provides four systems in Zeeman’s class 30 to admit at least two limit cycles by the Hopf theorem and the Poincaré-Bendixson theorem and gives an answer to the above question.

Assessment of the 2 Conventional Physiotherapy Sessions Alone versus One Session Associated to Kabat’s Method in the Rehabilitation of Buruli Ulcer Patients (PUB), with Functional Limitations in the District Hospital of Akonolinga, Cameroon

Buruli ulcer (BU) is a chronic, indolent necrotizing disease of the skin and underlying tissues caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, which may result in functional disability. This disease is the third most frequent infection after leprosy and tuberculosis caused by a mycobacterium. The main objective of this study was to determine comparative effectiveness of conventional physiotherapy alone to its association with Kabat’s method in the management of post-Buruli ulcer functional limitations. This was an interventional randomized, comparative and prospective study. It took place at the district hospital of Akonolinga from the 12th June to 12th September 2016. The study was included, post-Buruli ulcer patients who matched the eligibility criteria, were under treatment in the physiotherapy unit, and who accepted to participate in our study. A questionnaire on the socio-demographic profile of participants, the ulcer localization, the limitation stage, previous medical history and functional mobility assessment scale was administered to the subjects before and after the intervention which lasted for twelve weeks. We had 2 groups: the case group received association of Kabat technique to conventional physiotherapy and the control group received conventional physiotherapy alone. We had 22 patients, 11 patients for the experimental group, 11 patients for the control group. The mean age was 26.18 years, 54.5% of female participation, 68.2% of leg localization, 59.1% patients with severe limitations of functional mobility, and preference for traditional medication 95.5%. After evaluation of efficiency, we concluded that there was no statistically significant difference between the two treatment protocols. Further studies with larger sample size are recommended.

Crossing Limit Cycles of Planar Piecewise Hamiltonian Systems with Linear Centers Separated by Two Parallel Straight Lines

In this paper, we have studied several classes of planar piecewise Hamiltonian systems with three zones separated by two parallel straight lines. Firstly, we give the maximal number of limit cycles in these classes of systems with a center in two zones and without equilibrium points in the other zone (or with a center in one zone and without equilibrium points in the other zones). In addition, we also give examples to illustrate that it can reach the maximal number.