A practical design that combines a fuzzy adaptation technique with sliding mode control to enhance robustness and sliding performance in a class of uncertain MIMO nonlinear systems is proposed. Using an online adaptation scheme, a fuzzy sliding mode controller is used to approximate the equivalent control in the neighbourhood of the sliding manifold. The hitting control is appended to ensure that the fuzzy sliding mode control can achieve a stable closed-loop system for the trajectory-tracking control of a plant with unknown nonlinear dynamics. The proposed design simultaneously guarantees the stability of the adaptation of the fuzzy rules and obtains suitable equivalent control when the nominal mathematical model is unknown in advance. It also provides the designers with flexibility to design and implement the fuzzy rule base without domain experts and without a mathematical model. The robust adaptive scheme is applied to a two-link robotic manipulator and shown to be able to guarantee that the output tracking error will ultimately converge to a residual set.

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Novel preparation of tetrasubstituted furans, starting from the Michael acceptors, tributylphosphine, and acyl chlorides, is realized. A broad range of highly functional furans can be efficiently generated in one step at room temperature within 10 min to 21 h in moderate to high yields (60-99%). The reaction was proposed to proceed via intramolecular Wittig-type reactions, using phosphorus ylides as intermediates.

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Background Aggregation of misfolded amyloid β (Aβ) in senile plaques causes oxidative stress and neuronal death in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Compounds possessing antiaggregation and antioxidant properties are promising candidate compounds for AD treatment. Methods We examined the potential of synthetic derivatives of licochalcone A and coumarin for inhibiting Aβ aggregation, scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), and providing neuroprotection by using biochemical assays and Tet‐On Aβ‐GFP 293/SH‐SY5Y cell models for AD. Results Among test compounds, LM‐031, a novel chalcone‐coumarin hybrid, inhibited Aβ aggregation and scavenged free oxygen radicals. LM‐031 markedly reduced Aβ misfolding and ROS as well as promoted neurite outgrowth and inhibited acetylcholinesterase in Tet‐On Aβ‐GFP 293/SH‐SY5Y cells. Mechanistic studies showed upregulation of the HSPB1 chaperone, NRF2/NQO1/GCLC pathway, and CREB/BDNF/BCL2 pathway. Decreased neurite outgrowth upon the induction of Aβ‐GFP was rescued by LM‐031, which was counteracted by knockdown of HSPB1, NRF2, or CREB. Conclusion Taken together, these findings demonstrate that LM‐031 exhibited antiaggregation, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects against Aβ toxicity by enhancing HSPB1 and the NRF2‐related antioxidant pathway as well as by activating the CREB‐dependent survival and antiapoptosis pathway. These results imply that LM‐031 may be a new therapeutic compound for AD.

An efficient protocol for the synthesis of highly functionalized furans via intramolecular Wittig reaction has been developed using catalytic amounts of phosphine and triethylamine. Silyl chloride served as the initial promoter to activate the phosphine oxide. Reduction of the activated phosphine oxide by hydrosilane resulted in generation of phosphine, while decomposition of Et3N·HCl resulted in regeneration of base, which mediated formation of phosphorus ylide. Remarkably, the in situ generated byproduct, Et3N·HCl, also catalyzes reduction of phosphine oxide.

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An efficient organocatalytic vinylogous Michael addition-triggered quadruple cascade reaction resulting in fused spiroxindoles bearing multiple quaternary stereocenters is demonstrated from β-trifluoroacetylarylidene indanediones and 3-alkylideneoxindoles.