Reliable H∞ control for discrete-time piecewise linear systems with infinite distributed delays

In this paper, the reliable H∞ control problem is investigated for discrete-time piecewise linear systems with time delays and actuator failures. The time delays are assumed to be infinitely distributed in the discrete-time domain, and the possible failure of each actuator is described by a variable varying in a given interval. The aim of the addressed reliable H∞ control problem is to design a controller such that, for the admissible infinite distributed delays and possible actuator failures, the closed-loop system is exponentially stable with a given disturbance attenuation level γ. The controller gain is characterized in terms of the solution to a linear matrix inequality that can be easily solved by using standard software packages. A simulation example is exploited in order to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed design procedures

Far-Field Optical Nanoscopy Based on Continuous Wave Laser Stimulated Emission Depletion

Stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy is one of the breakthrough technologies that belong to far-field optical microscopy and can achieve nanoscale spatial resolution. We demonstrate a far-field optical nanoscopy based on continuous wave lasers with different wavelengths, i.e., violet and green lasers for excitation and STED, respectively. Fluorescent dyes Coumarin 102 and Atto 390 are used for validating the depletion efficiency. Fluorescent nanoparticles are selected for characterizing the spatial resolution of the STED system. Linear scanning of the laser beams of the STED system along one line of a microscope slide, which is coated with the nanoparticles, indicates that a spatial resolution of about 70 nm has so far been achieved. A two-dimensional image of the particle pattern of the STED system is constructed and compared with scanning confocal microscope. The present work has further extended the application of the STED microscopy into the blue regime

Regulatory mechanism and research progress of ferroptosis in obstetrical and gynecological diseases

Ferroptosis is a novel type of regulated cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, which is distinguished from traditional types of programmed cell death, such as apoptosis, proptosis and necrosis et al. Impaired iron homeostasis, lipid peroxidation and antioxidants depletion are three hallmarks of ferroptosis. Over the past years, emerging studies support the notion that ferroptosis might be involved in the pathology of obstetrical and gynecological diseases, including preeclampsia (PE), endometriosis (EMs) and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). In the PE condition, the high sensitivity of trophoblasts towards ferroptosis has been found to potentially link to inflammation, suboptimal vascular remodeling and aberrant hemodynamics, which are three prominent pathophysiological features of PE. As for EMs, compromised ferroptosis of endometrial cells was associated with the formation ectopic lesions, whereas in the nearby lesions, the presence of ferroptosis was suggested to promote the progression of EMs, contributing to the relative clinical manifestations. Ferroptosis has been implicated a crucial role in the initiation of ovarian follicular atresia, which might help to manage ovulation in PCOS patients. Taken together, this review explored the basis of ferroptosis mechanisms and comprehensively summarized the latest discovery of roles of ferroptosis on PE, EMs and PCOS, gaining a deeper insight into the pathogenesis of these obstetrical and gynecological diseases and investigation of novel therapeutic interventions

Polarizing Lamp

A polarizing lamp includes a polarization beam splitter, a metallic grating reflector having metallic gratings with a trapezoidal profile, and an unpolarized light source positioned between the polarization beam splitter and the metallic grating reflector

Wide-Angle and Broadband Polarization Converter

Apparatus and methods for a polarization converter comprising a polarization beam splitter for receiving an input light beam and allows a transverse magnetic to pass through the polarization beam splitter and reflects a transverse electric wave and a diffraction grating having a reflectivity and polarization convertible grating for receiving the transverse electric wave reflects back a reflected transverse electric wave having a polarization rotation. The broadband wide-angle polarization beam splitter can be alternative optical elements such as a prism or an optical device having multi-layered films. The diffraction grating can be a diffraction grating having alternating parallel protrusions and recesses, metallic diffraction grating, metal-coated diffraction grating, metal-coated multi-layered diffraction grating, non-metallic reflective material surface grating, volume grating, a multi-layer grating, diffractive grating having sub-wavelength grating periods or diffractive grating h

Liquid Crystal Display with Different Twisting Directions of Liquid Crystal Molecules

A liquid crystal display includes a first alignment film having a first alignment direction, a second alignment film having a second alignment direction, and a liquid crystal layer having liquid crystal molecules between the first and second alignment films. The liquid crystal layer is doped with a chiral material that tends to induce a first twist in directors of the liquid crystal molecules when an electric field is applied to the liquid crystal layer. The first and second alignment films have orientations that tends to induce a second twist in the directors when an electric field is applied to the liquid crystal layer, in which the direction of the first twist is different from the direction of the second twist

Liquid Crystal Display

A display includes pixel circuits, each pixel circuit including a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, and a liquid crystal layer doped with a chiral material. The first electric is electrically coupled to a first reference voltage. The second electrode receives a pixel voltage corresponding to a gray scale level, the second electrode including a conducting layer having openings. The third electrode is electrically coupled to a second reference voltage. The second electrode is between the first and third electrodes, and the liquid crystal layer is between the first and second electrodes