Nonlinear vehicle control allocation is achieved by distributing the control task to tire forces with nonlinear saturation constraints. The overall vehicle control is accomplished by developing a hierarchical scheme. First, a high-level sliding mode control with adaptive gain is considered to obtain the body force/moment for stable vehicle motion. The proposed controller only requires online ad...

Introduction: Systemic corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory agents with dexamethasone among the most potent in the class. Within (respiratory) allergy, systemic corticosteroids are usually applied in medical emergencies. In these situations, patients may experience physical or logistic problems taking tablets. To fulfil a practical unmet need for outpatients, Dexa ODF, an oral dissolvable film...

Abstract Background Furosemide, a diuretic that acts on the loop of Henle, is commonly used to treat congestive heart failure in veterinary medicine. Some owners have difficulty administering oral tablet medication animal patients, which leads noncompliance, especially during long-term administration. Oral disintegrating film (ODF) has advantages easy administration via non-invasive route, rapi...

The foundations and characteristics of models and methods used in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging, with particular reference to in vivo brain imaging, are reviewed. The first section introduces Fick’s laws, propagators, and the relationship between tissue microstructure and the statistical properties of diffusion of water molecules. The second section introduces the diffusion-weighted sign...

Online discussion forum (ODF) has been touted to enrich the process of acquiring, sharing and exchanging knowledge among students and has increasingly being utilized to complement the conventional ways of teaching. Despite the widespread recognition of the benefits brought about by ODF, antecedent evidence indicates that the forum may not be utilized to its full potential due to lower than expe...

Normal dynamic loading prevents bone resorption; however, the means whereby biophysical factors reduce osteoclast activity are not understood. We show here that mechanical strain (2% at 10 cycles per minute) applied to murine marrow cultures reduced 1, 25(OH)(2)D(3)-stimulated osteoclast formation by 50%. This was preceded by decreased expression of osteoclast differentiation factor (ODF/TRANCE...

Structural investigations of the de Vries smectic-A (SmA) and smectic-C (SmC) phases of four mesogens containing a trisiloxane end segment reveal a linear molecular conformation in the SmA phase and a bent conformation resembling a hockey stick in the SmC phase. The siloxane and the hydrocarbon parts of the molecule tilt at different angles relative to the smectic layer normal and are oriented ...

Background: Retinal vein pulsation is often absent in glaucoma, but can be induced by applying a graded ophthalmodynamometric force (ODF) to the eye, which is elevated in glaucoma. Aim: To assess whether ODF has a predictive value in determining glaucoma progression. Methods: 75 patients with glaucoma and suspected glaucoma were examined prospectively in 1996, and then re-examined at a mean of ...