Adaptive boundary control of an axially moving system with large acceleration/deceleration under the input saturation

We present the dynamical equation model of the axially moving system, which is expressed through one partial differential equation (PDE) and two ordinary differential equations (ODEs) obtained using the extended Hamilton's principle. In the case of large acceleration/deceleration axially moving system with system parameters uncertainty and input saturation limitation, the combination of Lyapunov theory, S-curve acceleration and deceleration (Sc A/D) and adaptive control techniques adopts auxiliary systems to overcome the saturation limitations of the actuator, thus achieving the purpose of vibration suppression and improving the quality of vibration control. Sc A/D has better flexibility than that of constant speed to ensure the operator performance and diminish the force of impact by tempering the initial acceleration. The designed adaptive control law can avoid the control spillover effect and compensate the system parameters uncertainty. In practice, time-varying boundary interference and distributed disturbance exist in the system. The interference observer is used to track and eliminate the unknown disturbance of the system. The control strategy guarantees the stability of the closed-loop system and the uniform boundedness of all closed-loop states. The numerical simulation results test the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy

The Efficacy and Safety of Radiofrequency Ablation for Bilateral Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma

ObjectiveTo investigate the long-term clinical results of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for bilateral papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).Materials and MethodsFrom October 2014 to February 2018, 47 patients (37 females, 10 males, mean age 43.39 ± 9.26 years) with 100 bilateral PTMC (mean volume 75.22 ± 73.87 mm3) treated by RFA were included in this retrospective study. Bilateral PTMC was defined as at least one tumor located in the contralateral lobe. Patients were followed up at 1, 3, 6, 12 months and every 6–12 months thereafter. Volume, volume reduction ratio (VRR) and local tumor recurrence were evaluated during the follow-up period.ResultsAfter a mean follow-up period of 47.77 ± 11.54 months, the mean volume of bilateral PTMC decreased from 75.22 ± 73.87 mm3 to 0.09 ± 0.44 mm3. The mean VRR was 99.94 ± 0.28% and the complete disappearance rate was 92.00%. During the follow-up, one patient (2.13%) developed lymph node metastasis and two patients (4.26%) had recurrent PTMC. All the recurrent lesions underwent additional RFA and two of them disappeared completely. No life-threatening or delayed complications occurred.ConclusionsWith sufficient preoperative evaluation, RFA might be a promising alternative for bilateral PTMC patients who were unsuitable for surgery or refused surgery

Advances in cultivation, wastewater treatment application, bioactive components of Caulerpa lentillifera and their biotechnological applications

The edible seaweed Caulerpa lentillifera, a powerful natural food source that is rich in protein, minerals, dietary fibers, vitamins, saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids, has been mass cultured in some Asian countries and has been the focus of researchers in recent years. Here, the operational conditions of its culture, application in wastewater treatment, and bioactive components are summarized and comparatively analyzed. Based on previous studies, salinity, nutrient concentrations, irradiance and temperature are stress factors for algal growth. Moreover, dried Caulerpa lentillifera seaweed is efficient in the biosorption of heavy metals and cationic dyes in wastewater, and fresh seaweed can be introduced as a biofilter in aquaculture system treatment. In addition, among the rich bioactive compounds in Caulerpa lentillifera, the phenolic compounds show the potential ability for regulating glucose metabolism in vivo. Polysaccharides and oligosaccharides exhibit anticoagulant, immunomodulatory effects and cancer-preventing activity. Siphonaxanthin is a compound with attractive novel functions in cancer-preventing activity and lipogenesis-inhibiting effects. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of siphonaxanthin extracted from Caulerpa lentillifera could be stronger than that of astaxanthin. This review offers an overview of studies of Caulerpa lentillifera addressing various aspects including cultivation, wastewater treatment and biological active components which may provide valuable information for the cultivation and utilization of this green alga