Finite-Time Integral Sliding Mode Control for Motion Control of Permanent-Magnet Linear Motors

The finite-time motion control problem of permanent-magnet linear motor (PMLM) is studied in this paper. Firstly, based on finite-time integral sliding mode (FTISM) technique, a finite-time control (FTC) law is proposed such that the PMLM can track the desired trajectory in finite time in the presence of disturbances. Secondly, to alleviate the chattering caused by discontinuous property of the control law, a novel saturation function is introduced to replace the signum function in the proposed FTC law. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is shown by simulation results and comparisons

Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma Histologically Mimicking a Plasmacytoma.

Anaplastic (undifferentiated) thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a rare malignancy which may arise from transformation of a pre-existing differentiated carcinoma. We report the unique case where a lesion of thyroid origin presented with the histological features of mature plasma cells. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the lesion to be an anaplastic thyroid carcinoma arising from papillary thyroid carcinoma. A tumor mimicking a malignancy of a different cellular origin can lead clinicians to incorrect treatment approaches. Careful correlation with clinical details and knowledge of these unique presentations is important for reaching the correct diagnosis

Research on homogeneous deformation of electromagnetic incremental tube bulging

The electromagnetic incremental forming (EMIF) method is used for tube forming process. Suitable 2D FE models are designed to predict the forming process with a moving coil. In comparison with experimental values, simulation method can obtain accurate results. Then, effect factors named overlapping ration of adjacent discharge positions, discharge voltage, forming sequence and die dimension on tube homogeneous deformation are discussed. The result demonstrates that it is feasible to produce long-straight wall tubes using a small coil by electromagnetic incremental tube bulging

Deep Drawing of Cylindrical Cup Using Incremental Electromagnetic Assisted Stamping with Radial Magnetic Pressure

AbstractA new forming method named incremental electromagnetic assisted stamping with radial magnetic pressure is proposed to draw a deep cylindrical cup. The method combines with traditional stamping, electromagnetic sheet forming and electromagnetic launch technology. Three types of discharge coils are imbedded in die and blank holder, respectively. The 3D finite element model is set up to predict the complex deformation process. The forming process and principle of the new method are discussed. The values of material flow, stress and thickness in different forming processes are compared. In comparison with traditional stamping, incremental electromagnetic assisted stamping with radial magnetic pressure can significantly increase the value of material at sheet end flow inward, decrease the tensile stress and thickness reduction at the easily broken position, and obtain uniform stress distribution. Therefore, deeper cylindrical cup could be manufactured by incremental electromagnetic assisted stamping with radial magnetic pressure

Evaluation of a new chemiluminescence immunoassay for diagnosis of syphilis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To assess the sensitivity, specificity, and feasibility of a new chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) in the diagnosis of syphilis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>At first, a retrospective study was conducted, using 135 documented cases of syphilis and 30 potentially interfering samples and 80 normal sera. A prospective study was also performed by testing 2, 071 unselected samples for routine screening for syphilis. CLIA was compared with a nontreponemal test (TRUST) and a treponemal test (TPPA).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was an agreement of 100% between CLIA and TPPA in the respective study. The percentage of agreement among the 245 sera tested was 100.0%. Compared with TPPA, the specificity of CLIA was 99.9% (1817/1819), the sensitivity of CLIA was 100.0% (244/244) in the prospective study. CLIA showed 99.5% agreement with TPPA by testing 2, 071 unselected samples. And CLIA seemed to be more sensitive than TPPA in detecting the samples of primary syphilis.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>CLIA is easy to perform and the indicator results are objective and unequivocal. It may be suitable for large-scale screening as a treponemal test substituted for TPPA.</p

Rag GTPases are cardioprotective by regulating lysosomal function.

The Rag family proteins are Ras-like small GTPases that have a critical role in amino-acid-stimulated mTORC1 activation by recruiting mTORC1 to lysosome. Despite progress in the mechanistic understanding of Rag GTPases in mTORC1 activation, little is known about the physiological function of Rag GTPases in vivo. Here we show that loss of RagA and RagB (RagA/B) in cardiomyocytes results in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and phenocopies lysosomal storage diseases, although mTORC1 activity is not substantially impaired in vivo. We demonstrate that despite upregulation of lysosomal protein expression by constitutive activation of the transcription factor EB (TFEB) in RagA/B knockout mouse embryonic fibroblasts, lysosomal acidification is compromised owing to decreased v-ATPase level in the lysosome fraction. Our study uncovers RagA/B GTPases as key regulators of lysosomal function and cardiac protection

Development of a new stroke scale in an emergency setting

Background: Early identification of stroke is crucial to maximize early management benefits in emergency departments. This study aimed to develop and validate a new stroke recognition instrument for differentiating acute stroke from stroke mimics in an emergency setting. Methods: A prospective observational cohort study among suspected stroke patients presenting to Emergency Department in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University was conducted from May 2012 to March 2013. The symptoms and signs of suspected stroke patients were collected. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with acute stroke. The symptoms and signs closely associated with acute stroke were selected to develop the new stroke scale, Guangzhou Stroke Scale (GZSS). The diagnostic value of GZSS was then compared with ROSIER, FAST and LAPSS. The primary outcome was confirmed stroke by CT within 24 h. Results: Four hundred and sixteen suspected stroke patients (247 ischemia, 107 hemorrhage, 4 transient ischemic attack, 58 non-stroke) were assessed. A new stroke scale, GZSS (total score from −1 to 8.5), was developed and consisted of nine parameters: vertigo (−1), GCS ≤ 8 (+2), facial paralysis (+1), asymmetric arm weakness (+1), asymmetric leg weakness (+1), speech disturbance (+0.5), visual field defect (+1), systolic blood pressure ≥145 mmHg (+1) and diastolic blood pressure ≥95 mmHg (+1). Among the four scales, the discriminatory value (C-statistic) of GZSS was the best (AUC: 0.871 (p < 0.001) when compared to ROSIER (0.772), LAPSS (0.722) and FAST (0.699). At an optimal cut-off score of >1.5 on a scale from −1 to 8.5, the sensitivity and specificity of GZSS were 83.2 and 74.1 %, whilst the sensitivities and specificities of ROSIER were 77.7 and 70.7 %, FAST were 76.0 and 63.8 %, LAPSS were 56.4 and 87.9 %. Conclusion: GZSS had better sensitivity than existing stroke scales in Chinese patients with suspected stroke. Further studies should be conducted to confirm its effectiveness in the initial differentiation of acute stroke from stroke mimics. Keywords: Diagnosis, Stroke, Stroke mimics, ROSIER scale, FAST scale, LAPSS scale, Emergency department, China Abbreviations: AUC, area under the ROC curve; CT, computed tomography; DWI, diffusion weighted imaging; FAST, the face arm speech test; GCS, Glasgow Coma Scale; IQR, inter quartile range; LAPSS, the Los Angeles Prehospital Stroke Screen; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; NIHSS, National Institute of Health stroke scale; OR, odds ratio; ROC, receiver operating characteristic; ROSIER, the Recognition of Stroke in the Emergency Room scale; TIA, transient ischemic attac

STEMI outcomes in Guangzhou and Hong Kong: two-centre retrospective interregional study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Healthcare systems are organized very differently in Hong Kong (HK) and Guangzhou (GZ). This study compared managements of the emergency departments (ED) and one-year mortalities of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients in two teaching hospitals in Guangzhou and Hong Kong. METHODS:Retrospective observational study of STEMI mortalities and treatments in the Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH) and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (AHGZMU), was conducted between January and December 2010. The primary outcome was one-year all cause mortality. RESULTS:Univariate analysis of 76 cases from PWH and 111 cases from AHGZMU showed similar clinical characteristics, except for lower proportions of males (74% vs 92%, P = 0.002), hyperlipidemia (5% vs 25%, P67 years) and hyperglycemia (>10 mmol/L). Aged over 65 years, presence of anterior wall infarct, body weight ≤65 kg, SBP 10 mmol/L were the independent predictors of in-hospital MACE. CONCLUSION:There was no statistically significant difference between the standardized one-year all-cause mortalities of STEMI patients in the setting mainly using thrombolysis with shorter door-to-treatment time and the setting mainly using PCI with longer door-to-treatment time. Aged over 67 years and glucose level over 10 mmol/L were the independent predictors of one-year mortality. Older age, presence of anterior wall infarct, lower body weight, lower SBP at ED and hyperglycemia were the independent predictors of in-hospital MACE

Comparison of outcomes in emergency department patients with suspected cardiac chest pain: two-centre prospective observational study in Southern China

Background Hong Kong (HK) and Guangzhou (GZ) are cities in China with different healthcare systems. This study aimed to compare 30-day and 6-month mortality and characteristics of patients with suspected cardiac chest pain admitted to two emergency departments (ED) in HK and GZ. Methods A prospective observational study enrolled patients with suspected cardiac chest pain presenting to EDs in the Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH), HK and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (AHGZMU),GZ. The primary outcome was 30-day and 6-month mortality. Results In total, 996 patients were recruited, 407 cases from GZ and 589 cases from HK.The 30-day and 6-month mortality of chest patients were 3.7% and 4.7% in GZand 0.3% and 1.9% in HK, respectively. Serum creatinine level (Cr) was an independent factor for 30-day mortality whilst Cr and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were independent factors for 6-month mortality. In Cox regression analysis, unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios for 30-day and 6-month mortality in GZ were significantly increased. Conclusion The 30-day and 6-month mortality of patients with suspected cardiac chest pain in Guangzhou were higher than in Hong Kong due to due to different baseline clinical characteristics of patients and different distributions of diagnoses, which were associated with different healthcare systems. Serum creatinine and SBP were independent factors for 30-day and 6-month mortality