This paper investigates the robust sliding mode control (SMC) problem for a class of uncertain nonlinear stochastic systems with mixed time-delays. Both the sector-like nonlinearities and the norm-bounded uncertainties enter into the system in randomly ways, and such randomly occurring uncertainties (ROUs) and randomly occurring nonlinearities (RONs) obey certain mutually uncorrelated Bernoulli...

A protective effect of folate against the development of neural tube defects (NTDs), specifically, anencephaly and spina bifida, is now well recognized, having been established by a chain of clinical research studies over the past half century. This article summarizes the more important of these studies, which have led to the current situation in which all women capable of becoming pregnant are...

BACKGROUND Evidence is conflicting as to whether the bioavailability of food folates is influenced by the extent of their conjugation. OBJECTIVE The objective was to compare the bioavailability of 3 representative food folate sources with various degrees of glutamylation-ie, egg yolk, spinach, and yeast, whose polyglutamyl folate content measured 0%, 50%, and 100%, respectively. DESIGN In a...

Our knowledge on the absorption of folate is incomplete. The deconjugation process as a possible limiting factor in the absorption of folates was investigated. The study also attempted to validate the use of the area under the serum response curve (AUC) from food compared with folic acid as a proxy variable for food folate bioavailability. Folate absorption was determined in healthy ileostomy v...

Women have higher requirements for folate during pregnancy. An optimal folate status must be achieved before conception and in the first trimester when the neural tube closes. Low maternal folate status is causally related to neural tube defects (NTDs). Many NTDs can be prevented by increasing maternal folate intake in the preconceptional period. Dietary folate is protective, but recommending i...

Folate intake is strongly influenced by various methods of cooking that can degrade the natural forms of the vitamin in foods. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of different cooking methods on folate retention in various foods that contribute to folate intake in the UK diet. Typical purchasing and cooking practices of representative food folate sources were determined fro...

The Institute of Medicine Panel for Folate and Other B Vitamins and Choline considered data from population-based and metabolic studies to revise the dietary intake standards for pregnancy. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for pregnant women is the average daily dietary intake sufficient to meet the requirements of 97-98% of pregnant women. The RDA is derived from the amount estimated to...

PURPOSE This article explores recruitment strategies based on the transtheoretical model (TTM) with older adults living in a naturally occurring retirement community (NORC) to encourage enrollment in a physical activity promotion program, Active Living Every Day (ALED). Reasons for participation or nonparticipation are identified. DESIGN AND METHODS Recruitment strategies were designed to mov...