bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Auto‐tuning PID controller design using a sliding‐mode approach for DC servomotors
Authors: Hsu Chun‐Fei , Chiu Chien‐Jung , Tsai Jang‐Zern 
Published: April 2011

PurposeThe proportional‐integral‐derivative (PID) controller has been a practical application in industry due to its simple architecture, being easily designed and its parameter tuning without complicated computation. However, the traditional PID controller usually needs some manual retuning before being used for practical application in industry. The purpose of this paper is to propose an auto‐tuning PID controller (ATPIDC) which can automatically tune the controller parameters based on the gradient descent method and the Lyapunov stability theorem. Finally, a field‐programmable gate array (FPGA) chip is adopted to implement the proposed ATPIDC scheme for possible low‐cost and high‐performance industrial applications, and it is applied to a DC servomotor to show its effectiveness.Design/methodology/approachTo ensure the stability of the intelligent control system, a compensator usually should be designed. The most frequently used compensator is designed as a sliding‐mode control, which results in substantial chattering in the control effort. To tackle this problem, the proposed ATPIDC system is composed of a PID controller and a fuzzy compensator. The PID controller can automatically tune the gain factors of the controller gains based on the gradient descent method, and the fuzzy compensator is utilized to eliminate approximation error based on the Lyapunov stability theorem. The proposed fuzzy compensator not only can remove the chattering phenomena of conventional sliding‐mode control completely, but also can guarantee the stability of the closed‐loop system.FindingsThe proposed ATPIDC system is applied to a DC servomotor on a FPGA chip. The hardware implementation of the ATPIDC scheme is developed in a real‐time mode. Using the FPGA to implement, the ATPIDC system can achieve the characteristics of small size, fast execution speed and less memory. A comparison among the fuzzy sliding‐mode control, adaptive robust PID control and the proposed ATPIDC is made. Experimental results verify a better position tracking response can be achieved by the proposed ATPIDC method after control parameters training.Originality/valueThe proposed ATPIDC approach is interesting for the design of an intelligent control scheme. An on‐line parameter training methodology, using the gradient descent method and the Lyapunov stability theorem, is proposed to increase the learning capability. The experimental results verify the system stabilization, favorable tracking performance and no chattering phenomena can be achieved by using the proposed ATPIDC system. Also, the proposed ATPIDC methodology can be easily extended to other motors.
Intravenous immunoglobulins in immunodeficiencies: more than mere replacement therapy
Authors: Kaveri S V , Maddur M S , Hegde P , Lacroix-Desmazes S , Bayry J 
Published: April 2011

Summary
Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is a therapeutic compound prepared from pools of plasma obtained from several thousand healthy blood donors. For more than 20 years, IVIG has been used in the treatment of a wide range of primary and secondary immunodeficiencies. IVIG now represents a standard therapeutic option for most antibody deficiencies. Routinely, IVIG is used in patients with X-linked agammaglobulinaemia (XLA), common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), X-linked hyper-IgM, severe combined immunodeficiency, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, and selective IgG class deficiency. In addition, IVIG is used extensively in the treatment of a wide variety of autoimmune disorders. IVIG is administered at distinct doses in the two clinical settings: whereas immunodeficient patients are treated with replacement levels of IVIG, patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases are administered with very high doses of IVIG. Several lines of experimental evidence gathered in the recent years suggest that the therapeutic beneficial effect of IVIG in immunodeficiencies reflects an active role for IVIG, rather than a mere passive transfer of antibodies.
PROTON GRADIENT REGULATION 3 recognizes multiple targets with limited similarity and mediates translation and RNA stabilization in plastids
Authors: Cai Wenhe , Okuda Kenji , Peng Lianwei , Shikanai Toshiharu 
Published: April 2011

SummaryPROTON GRADIENT REGULATION 3 (PGR3) contains 27 pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) motifs and belongs to the P‐subfamily. Previous studies have suggested that PGR3 functions in the stabilization of petL operon RNA and also in the translation of petL and one, or some, of the 11 plastid ndh genes encoding subunits of chloroplast NADH dehydrogenase‐like complex (NDH). The pgr3‐3 allele has been suggested to be specifically defective in the putative PGR3 function of translation. Herein, we show that the polysome association of the monocistronic petL transcript is impaired in pgr3‐3. We detected sequences weakly conserved in the 5′ untranslated regions (UTRs) of petL and ndhA, and these putative elements were recognized by recombinant PGR3 in vitro. Previously, pgr3‐2 was shown to be specifically defective in stabilizing petL operon RNA and to accumulate NDH at wild‐type levels. Consistent with this pgr3‐2 phenotype, we show here that a recombinant protein carrying the pgr3‐2 mutation in the 12th PPR motif bound to the 5′ UTR of ndhA but not of petL. This indicates that a single amino acid alteration changes the binding specificity of PGR3. In contrast, the recombinant protein carrying the pgr3‐3 mutation in the final, 27th, incomplete PPR motif can bind to both petL and ndhA 5′ UTRs, suggesting that the C‐terminal end of PGR3 is not required for binding to targets but is essential for translation of petL and probably also ndhA. Our results fully support the model in which PGR3 recognizes two target sequences and is involved in multiple functions, i.e. stabilizing RNA and activating translation.
Deep sequencing of small RNAs specifically associated with Arabidopsis AGO1 and AGO4 uncovers new AGO functions
Authors: Wang Huan , Zhang Xiuren , Liu Jun , Kiba Takatoshi , Woo Jongchan , Ojo Tolulope , Hafner Markus , Tuschl Thomas , Chua Nam‐Hai , Wang Xiu‐Jie 
Published: April 2011

SummaryAs important components of small RNA (smRNA) pathways, Argonaute (AGO) proteins mediate the interaction of incorporated smRNAs with their targets. Arabidopsis contains 10 AGO proteins with specialized or redundant functions. Among them, AGO1 mainly acts in microRNA (miRNA) and small‐interfering RNA (siRNA) pathways for post‐transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS), whereas AGO4 regulates transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) via endogenous 24‐nucleotide (nt) smRNAs. To fully characterize smRNAs associated with AGO1 and AGO4, we developed a two‐step protocol to purify AGO/smRNA complexes from flowers, leaves, roots and seedlings with enhanced purity, and sequenced the smRNAs by Illumina technology. Besides recovering most previously annotated smRNAs, we also identified some additional miRNAs, phased smRNA clusters and small‐interfering RNAs derived from the overlapping region of natural antisense transcript pairs (NAT) (nat‐siRNAs). We also identified a smRNA distribution feature on miRNA precursors which may help to identify authentic miRNAs. Organ‐specific sequencing provided digital expression profiles of all obtained smRNAs, especially miRNAs. The presence and conservation of collateral miRNAs on known miRNA precursors were also investigated. Intriguingly, about 30% of AGO1‐associated smRNAs were 24‐nt long and unrelated to the 21‐nt species. Further analysis showed that DNA‐dependent RNA polymerase IV (Pol IV)‐dependent smRNAs were mainly 24 nt and associated with AGO4, whereas the majority of the potential Pol V‐dependent ones were 21‐nt smRNAs and bound to AGO1, suggesting the potential involvement of AGO1 in Pol V‐related pathways.
OVATE FAMILY PROTEIN4 (OFP4) interaction with KNAT7 regulates secondary cell wall formation in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Li Eryang , Wang Shucai , Liu Yuanyuan , Chen Jin‐Gui , Douglas Carl J. 
Published: April 2011

SummaryThe homeodomain transcription factor KNAT7 has been reported to be involved in the regulation of secondary cell wall biosynthesis. Previous work suggested that KNAT7 can interact with members of the Ovate Family Protein (OFP) transcription co‐regulators. However, it remains unknown whether such an OFP–KNAT7 complex could be involved in the regulation of secondary cell wall biosynthesis in Arabidopsis. We re‐tested OFP1 and OFP4 for their abilities to intact with KNAT7 using yeast two‐hybrid assays, and verified KNAT7–OFP4 interaction but found only weak interaction between KNAT7 and OFP1. Further, the interaction of KNAT7 with OFP4 appears to be mediated by the KNAT7 homeodomain. We used bimolecular fluorescence complementation to confirm interactions and found that OFP1 and OFP4 both interact with KNAT7 in planta. Using a protoplast transient expression system we showed that KNAT7 as well as OFP1 and OFP4 act as transcriptional repressors. Furthermore, in planta interactions between KNAT7 and both OFP1 and OFP4 enhance KNAT7’s transcriptional repression activity. An ofp4 mutant exhibited similar irx and fiber cell wall phenotypes as knat7, and the phenotype of a double ofp4 knat7mutant was similar to those of the single mutants, consistent with the view that KNAT7 and OFP function in a common pathway or complex. Furthermore, the pleiotropic OFP1 and OFP4 overexpression phenotype was suppressed in a knat7 mutant background, suggesting that OFP1 and OFP4 functions depend at least partially on KNAT7 function. We propose that KNAT7 forms a functional complex with OFP proteins to regulate aspects of secondary cell wall formation.
Cryptochrome 1 and phytochrome B control shade‐avoidance responses in Arabidopsis via partially independent hormonal cascades
Authors: Keller Mercedes M. , Jaillais Yvon , Pedmale Ullas V. , Moreno Javier E. , Chory Joanne , Ballaré Carlos L. 
Published: April 2011

SummaryPlants respond to a reduction in the red/far‐red ratio (R:FR) of light, caused by the proximity of other plants, by initiating morphological changes that improve light capture. In Arabidopsis, this response (shade avoidance syndrome, SAS) is controlled by phytochromes (particularly phyB), and is dependent on the TAA1 pathway of auxin biosynthesis. However, when grown in real canopies, we found that phyB mutants and mutants deficient in TAAI (sav3) still display robust SAS responses to increased planting density and leaf shading. The SAS morphology (leaf hyponasty and reduced lamina/petiole ratio) could be phenocopied by exposing plants to blue light attenuation. These responses to blue light attenuation required the UV‐A/blue light photoreceptor cry1. Moreover, they were mediated through mechanisms that showed only limited overlap with the pathways recruited by phyB inactivation. In particular, pathways for polar auxin transport, auxin biosynthesis and gibberellin signaling that are involved in SAS responses to low R:FR were not required for the SAS responses to blue light depletion. By contrast, the brassinosteroid response appeared to be required for the full expression of the SAS phenotype under low blue light. The phyB and cry1 inactivation pathways appeared to converge in their requirement for the basic/helix‐loop‐helix (bHLH) transcription factors PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTORs 4 and 5 (PIF4 and PIF5) to elicit the SAS phenotype. Our results suggest that blue light is an important control of SAS responses, and that PIF4 and PIF5 are critical hubs for a diverse array of signaling routes that control plant architecture in canopies.
Metabolomics reveals comprehensive reprogramming involving two independent metabolic responses of Arabidopsis to UV‐B light
Authors: Kusano Miyako , Tohge Takayuki , Fukushima Atsushi , Kobayashi Makoto , Hayashi Naomi , Otsuki Hitomi , Kondou Youichi , Goto Hiroto , Kawashima Mika , Matsuda Fumio , Niida Rie , Matsui Minami , Saito Kazuki , Fernie Alisdair R. 
Published: April 2011

SummaryBecause of ever‐increasing environmental deterioration it is likely that the influx of UV‐B radiation (280–320 nm) will increase as a result of the depletion of stratospheric ozone. Given this fact it is essential that we better understand both the rapid and the adaptive responses of plants to UV‐B stress. Here, we compare the metabolic responses of wild‐type Arabidopsis with that of mutants impaired in flavonoid (transparent testa 4, tt4; transparent testa 5, tt5) or sinapoyl‐malate (sinapoylglucose accumulator 1, sng1) biosynthesis, exposed to a short 24‐h or a longer 96‐h exposure to this photo‐oxidative stress. In control experiments we subjected the genotypes to long‐day conditions as well as to 24‐ and 96‐h treatments of continuous light. Following these treatments we evaluated the dynamic response of metabolites including flavonoids, sinapoyl‐malate precursors and ascorbate, which are well known to play a role in cellular protection from UV‐B stress, as well as a broader range of primary metabolites, in an attempt to more fully comprehend the metabolic shift following the cellular perception of this stress. Our data reveals that short‐term responses occur only at the level of primary metabolites, suggesting that these effectively prime the cell to facilitate the later production of UV‐B‐absorbing secondary metabolites. The combined results of these studies together with transcript profiles using samples irradiated by 24‐h UV‐B light are discussed in the context of current models concerning the metabolic response of plants to the stress imposed by excessive UV‐B irradiation.
Assigning DYW‐type PPR proteins to RNA editing sites in the funariid mosses Physcomitrella patens and Funaria hygrometrica
Authors: Rüdinger Mareike , Szövényi Péter , Rensing Stefan A. , Knoop Volker 
Published: April 2011

SummaryThe plant‐specific pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins with variable PPR repeat lengths (PLS‐type) and protein extensions up to the carboxyterminal DYW domain have received attention as specific recognition factors for the C‐to‐U type of RNA editing events in plant organelles. Here, we report a DYW‐protein knockout in the model plant Physcomitrella patens specifically affecting mitochondrial RNA editing positions cox1eU755SL and rps14eU137SL. Assignment of DYW proteins and RNA editing sites might best be corroborated by data from a taxon with a slightly different, yet similarly manageable low number of editing sites and DYW proteins. To this end we investigated the mitochondrial editing status of the related funariid moss Funaria hygrometrica. We find that: (i) Funaria lacks three mitochondrial RNA editing positions present in Physcomitrella, (ii) that F. hygrometrica cDNA sequence data identify nine DYW proteins as clear orthologues of their P. patens counterparts, and (iii) that the ‘missing’ 10th DYW protein in F. hygrometrica is responsible for two mitochondrial editing sites in P. patens lacking in F. hygrometrica (nad3eU230SL, nad4eU272SL). Interestingly, the third site of RNA editing missing in F. hygrometrica (rps14eU137SL) is addressed by the DYW protein characterized here and the presence of its orthologue in F. hygrometrica is explained through its simultaneous action on site cox1eU755SL conserved in both mosses.
Employment outcomes following successful renal transplantation
Authors: Eng Mary , Zhang Jie , Cambon Alexander , Marvin Michael R. , Gleason John 
Published: April 2011

Eng M, Zhang J, Cambon A, Marvin MR, Gleason J. Employment outcomes following successful renal transplantation.  Clin Transplant 2011 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399‐0012.2011.01441.x.  © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.Abstract:  Background:  Data on employment outcomes after successful renal transplantation are few. We conducted this study to identify favorable factors for employment after transplantation.Methods:  Adult patients <65 yr of age who underwent renal transplantation between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2007 were surveyed. Patients with graft survival <1 yr were excluded. We also tested their knowledge of Medicare coverage after transplantation. Data were analyzed using chi‐squared and Fisher’s exact tests. p‐Value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:  A 55% response rate was obtained where 56% of respondents were employed after transplantation. Race, marital status, previous transplant, and complicated post‐operative course did not influence employment. Favorable factors include male gender (p = 0.04), younger age (<40 [p = 0.0003] or <50 yr [p < 0.0001]), having ≥1 dependent (p = 0.04), higher education (minimum high school degree [p = 0.003] or some college [p = 0.002]), live donor recipient (p = 0.004), wait time <2 yr (p = 0.03), dialysis <2 yr (p < 0.0001) or pre‐dialysis (p = 0.04), and pre‐transplantation employment (p < 0.0001). Mean time for employment was 4.9 ± 6.3 months (median three months). Common reasons for unemployment were disability (59%) and retirement (27%). Finally, 7% correctly responded that Medicare benefits end 36 months following transplantation.Conclusions:  Potentially modifiable factors to improve employment are earlier referral and better education regarding Medicare eligibility.
Auxin Production by the Rice Blast Fungus and its Localization in Host Tissue
Authors: Tanaka Eiji , Koga Hironori , Mori Mari , Mori Masashi 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThe rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae requires living plant cells in its early stages of infection and invasion of host tissue. In this study, we showed the possibility that an exogenous fungal auxin could be implicated in hemibiotrophic interactions. Chemical analyses showed that this fungus produces a small amount of the auxin indole‐3‐acetic acid during growth in culture. Immunohistological analyses showed that antigens of the anti‐indole‐3‐acetic acid monoclonal antibody were localized in the fungal infection hyphae present in the rice tissue. Rice transformants containing an auxin‐inducible reporter construct demonstrated an auxin response around the apex of the infection hyphae after fungal invasion of living tissue. These results suggest that the rice blast fungus produces a small amount of auxin during its biotrophic phase and the invaded rice tissue responds to the exogenous fungal auxin. This auxin may be involved in the biotrophic phase of the infection hyphae.
Predictors of creatinine rise post‐endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair
Authors: Brooks Christopher Earle , Middleton Andrew , Dhillon Rana , Scott David , Denton Michael 
Published: April 2011

AbstractBackground:  Endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair involves manipulation of the aorta around the renal arteries. Fenestrated grafts involve the direct cannulation, stenting and injecting of contrast into the renal arteries. These procedures may be associated with an acute post‐operative creatinine rise.Methods:  We retrospectively examined data from all endovascular aortic repairs at our institution from 2005 to 2009, where contrast dosage had been recorded. Renal impairment was defined as a 25% increase in creatinine during the 5‐day post‐operative period. Univariable analysis was undertaken for a number of likely predictors, including: age, contrast dosage, preoperative creatinine, graft type (fenestrated or standard), diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, ischaemic heart disease, aspirin therapy, statins therapy, non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug use, preoperative N‐acetyl‐cysteine and intravenous pre‐hydration. Multivariable analysis was then applied to variables with a univariable P‐value of <0.05.Results:  We identified 106 consecutive cases, with complete data for 102. Twenty per cent of patients developed renal impairment (22/102). Contrast dose (P= 0.043) and fenestrated grafts (P= 0.006) were identified as significant risk factors for post‐operative creatinine increase (P= 0.043). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that fenestrated grafts were a risk factor independent of contrast dosage (P < 0.05).Conclusions:  Patients who received a fenestration graft (P < 0.01) and increased contrast dose (P < 0.05) were at a significant increased risk of a 25% post‐operative creatinine rise. The risk of fenestration grafts persisted when multivariable regression was performed to control for contrast dosage (P < 0.05). Other variables investigated were not found to be significant in this study.
Surgery in the setting of Hashimoto's thyroiditis
Authors: Seifman Marc A. , Grodski Simon F. , Bailey Michael , Yeung Meei J. , Serpell Jonathan W. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractBackground:  Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is a chronic autoimmune thyroiditis typically resulting in hypothyroidism. In itself, HT is not an indication for surgery but the co‐existence of thyroid nodular disease creates diagnostic and management difficulties. Indications for thyroidectomy include risk of malignancy and pressure symptoms. While fine needle aspirate cytology is effective in the diagnosis of thyroid lesions, in HT there is increased diagnostic uncertainty. This study aimed to document the results of cytology and the rate of malignancy in HT.Methods:  Data were analysed for the period 1996–2009. All patients who underwent thyroidectomy and had a formal histological diagnosis of HT were included and compared with a control population who underwent thyroidectomy but did not have HT. In both groups, patient demographics, clinical parameters, cytology findings, operative procedure and final histology were reviewed.Results:  One hundred and twelve patients had histologically proven HT, with a significant female preponderance compared with controls (P= 0.002). There were no significant differences between cases and controls for type of procedure or preoperative examination findings. Incidence of hypothyroidism was increased: 17 patients (15.2% versus 1.6%; P < 0.0001), whereas thyrotoxicosis was decreased: four patients (3.6% versus 14.4%; P= 0.002). There was an increased incidence of follicular/indeterminate cytology (35.7% versus 22.1%; P= 0.001). While there was an increased false negative rate in HT, this failed to achieve statistical significance (8.8% versus 2.5%; P= 0.09). Malignancy rates were more prevalent in the setting of HT (23.2% versus 11.4%; P < 0.001).Conclusions:  Given the increased rate of associated malignancy and increased diagnostic uncertainty in patients with HT, we recommend routine preoperative thyroid antibody measurement.
Recent surgical management of ovarian cancer
Authors: Khoury‐Collado Fady , Chi Dennis S. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractOvarian cancer is the second most common gynecological malignancy in the USA, and the majority of patients with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer present with advanced‐stage disease. The standard treatment of these patients involves primary cytoreduction followed by combination chemotherapy. As the evidence has accumulated regarding the benefit of surgical cytoreduction, and as the definition of optimal cytoreduction has evolved, the surgical techniques have expanded in order to achieve this goal. This article discusses the different facets of the surgical management of ovarian cancer, with a special emphasis on the most recent additions to our current knowledge.