Adaptive path following control for miniature unmanned aerial vehicle confined to three-dimensional Dubins path: From take-off to landing.

This study proposes a method for resolving the challenge of controlling miniature fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (MAVs) along a predetermined three-dimensional (3D) Dubins path while using models with uncertainty and when experiencing external wind disturbances. We provide a multilayered structure that incorporates both guiding and control at the same time. In the guidance layer, a modified vector-field-based approach is presented to enable the MAV to follow a 3D Dubins path, including the takeoff, cruise, and landing processes with three different types of route segments. Then, an adaptive sliding model controller is used for the analysis and management of both wind disturbances and system uncertainties. Finally, both simulated scenarios and in-flight trials demonstrate the applicability of the methodology and the efficiency of the proposed approach.

Social determinants of health and hypertension in women compared with men in the United States: An analysis of the NHANES study.

BACKGROUND: Social determinants of health (SDH) reflecting social deprivation have been developed for population health management. There is a paucity of data on the prevalence of SDH and its associations with prevalent hypertension in women compared with men. METHODS: A total of 49 791 participants aged over 20 years from the 1999-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, were included. Information on the SDH, including race/ethnicity, education level, family income, housing, marriage status, employment, were collected. We calculated the prevalence ratio (PR) for each adverse SDH with prevalent hypertension and uncontrolled hypertension by using Cox regression with equal times of follow-up assigned to all individuals with adjustment for age, diabetes, taking lipid-lowering medication, and health behaviors. The population-attributable fractions (PAF) of the SDH were also assessed. RESULTS: A lower proportion of low education attainment was observed in women than men (women: 16.8% vs. men: 17.9%, p = .003), but women had higher proportions of low family income (15.3% vs. 12.5%, p < .001), unmarried state (47.3% vs. 40.9%, p < .001), and unemployment (22.7% vs. 10.7%, p < .001). All the SDH was significantly associated with hypertension in women. There were significant dose-response associations between the numbers of adverse SDH with hypertension. The total PAF of SDH for prevalent hypertension was greater in women (22.2%) than in men (13.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The widely influential SDH is associated with prevalent hypertension and uncontrolled hypertension. To improve hypertension management, health resources should prioritize socioeconomically disadvantaged groups considering gender differences.

MicroRNA­20b­5p promotes ventricular remodeling by targeting the TGF­ß/Smad signaling pathway in a rat model of ischemia­reperfusion injury.

Myocardial ischemic injury results from severe impairment of the coronary blood supply and may lead to metabolic and ultrastructural changes, thereby causing irreversible damage. MicroRNA (miR)­20b­5p has been demonstrated to be involved in malignancies of the breast, colorectum, stomach, blood and oropharynx. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of miR­20b­5p on ventricular remodeling following myocardial ischemia­reperfusion (IR) injury in rats by targeting small mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 7 (Smad7) via the transforming growth factor­ß (TGF­ß)/Smad signaling pathway. A total of 70 adult male Sprague­Dawley rats were divided into seven groups: Sham group, IR group, negative control group, miR­20b­5p mimics group, miR­20b­5p inhibitors group, small interfering RNA (siRNA)­Smad7 group, and miR­20b­5p inhibitors + siRNA­Smad7 group. Dual luciferase reporter gene assays were used to verify the association between miR­20b­5p and Smad7. Myocardial infarction size, myocardial collagen volume fraction and perivascular collagen area were detected separately using triphenyltetrazolium chloride and Masson's staining. The rate of positive expression of Smad7 was detected using immunohistochemistry, and the expression levels of miR­20b­5p, TGF­ß1, Smad3 and Smad7 were detected using reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses. The findings revealed that miR­20b­5p inhibited Smad7. Compared with the sham group, the other six groups had increased myocardial infarction size, myocardial collagen, and expression of miR­20b­5p, TGF­ß1 and Smad3, and decreased expression of Smad7. Compared with the IR group, the miR­20b­5p mimics group and the siRNA­Smad7 group had increased myocardial infarction size and myocardial collagen, increased expression of TGF­ß1 and Smad3, and decreased expression of Smad7. The expression of miR­20b­5p was markedly increased in the miR­20b­5p mimics group, but did not differ significantly from that in the siRNA­Smad7 group. The results demonstrated that miR­20b­5p promoted ventricular remodeling following myocardial IR injury in rats by inhibiting the expression of Smad7 through activating the TGF­ß/Smad signaling pathway.

Pretreatment with intravenous amiodarone improves the efficacy of ibutilide treatment on cardioversion rate and maintenance time of sinus rhythm in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation.

The aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy and safety of the pharmacological conversion of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) using amiodarone or/and ibutilide. Seventy-nine consecutive patients (48 males and 31 females; mean age, 64.6±11.2 years; range, 40-80 years) with non-valvular chronic AF lasting >7 days (range, 7-97 days) that were admitted to hospital for elective pharmacological cardioversion were randomly assigned to receive treatment with intravenous ibutilide (1 mg plus an additional 1 mg if required; n=39) or intravenous amiodarone (300 mg) plus intravenous ibutilide (1 mg; n=40). Success rates of cardioversion were 51.3% (20/39 patients) for ibutilide alone and 71.8% (28/39 patients) for amiodarone + ibutilide (P<0.05). A comparable increase in the QTc interval was observed in the two groups. It was observed that the co-administration of amiodarone and ibutilide was safer than ibutilide alone with regard to the risk of ventricular arrhythmia. Forty-eight patients of successful cardioversion were personally contacted for follow-up. The result indicated that the sinus rhythm maintenance time of the amiodarone + ibutilide group (4.36±2.44 months) was significantly higher than that of the ibutilide group (2.34±1.75 months; P<0.01). In conclusion, pretreatment with intravenous amiodarone + ibutilide for pharmacological cardioversion of persistent AF is considered to be more effective and safer than treatment with ibutilide alone.