An iterative design method for Coalitional control networks with constraints on the shapley Value

9th World CongressThe International Federation of Automatic ControlCape Town, South Africa. August 24-29In this work, we introduce a new iterative design method for a coalitional control scheme for linear systems recently proposed. In this scheme, the links in the network infrastructure are enabled or disabled depending on their contribution to the overall system performance. As a consequence, the local controllers are divided dynamically into sets or coalitions that cooperate in order to attain their control tasks. The new design method allows the control system designer to include new constraints regarding the game theoretical tools of the control architecture, while optimizing the matrices that define the controller

Import demand with product differentiation: disaggregated estimation of italian sectoral elasticities.

This paper focuses on the estimation of sectoral import demand for Italy with European Union Countries, Japan, Canada and the United States. A strong evidence of two-way flows and product differentiation is an accepted regularity of the international trade. Given that, we have tried to include considerations of differentiation in the empirical analysis. Starting from the very disaggregated bilateral trade data (5 digit Sitc Rev. 3) we have classified every and each flow as homogeneous, quality differentiated and non-quality differentiated, using the methodologies developed by Abd-El-Rahman (1986) and Freudenberg and Müller (1992). Then we have included this classification in our econometric estimates of the sectoral import demands. That should increase precision of the estimate, because allow to divide homogeneous from not homogeneous goods in the estimation procedures. Our results suggest a dynamic reaction of italian imports in many sectors, pointing to possible competitive problems for the firms and external balance constraint for the country.

Elevated temperature crack growth

Critical gas turbine engine hot section components such as blades, vanes, and combustor liners tend to develop minute cracks during early stages of operations. The ability of currently available path-independent (P-I) integrals to correlate fatigue crack propagation under conditions that simulate the turbojet engine combustor liner environment was determined. To date, an appropriate specimen design and a crack displacement measurement method were determined. Alloy 718 was selected as the analog material based on its ability to simulate high temperature behavior at lower temperatures in order to facilitate experimental measurements. Available P-I integrals were reviewed and the best approaches are being programmed into a finite element post processor for eventual comparison with experimental data. The experimental data will include cyclic crack growth tests under thermomechanical conditions, and, additionally, thermal gradients

A candidate LiBH4 for hydrogen storage: Crystal structures and reaction mechanisms of intermediate phases

First-principles calculation and x-ray diffraction simulation methods have been used to explore crystal structures and reaction mechanisms of the intermediate phases involved in dehydriding of LiBH4. LiBH4 was found to dehydride via two sequential steps: first dehydriding through LiBH, followed by the dehydriding of LiBH through LiB. The first step, which releases 13.1 wt. % hydrogen, was calculated to have an activation barrier of 2.33 eV per formula unit and was endothermic by 1.28 eV per formula unit, while the second step was endothermic by 0.23 eV per formula unit. On the other hand, if LiBH4 and LiBH each donated one electron, possibly to the catalyst doped on their surfaces, it was found that the barrier for the first step was reduced to 1.50 eV. This implies that the development of the catalyst to induce charge migration from the bulk to the surface is essential to make LiBH4 usable as a hydrogen storage material in a moderate temperature range, which is also important to stabilize the low-temperature structure of Pnma (no. 62) LiBH on dehydrogenation. Consequently, the high 13.1 wt. % hydrogen available from the dehydriding of LiBH4 and LiBH and their phase stability on Pnma when specific catalysts were used suggest that LiBH4 has good potential to be developed as the hydrogen storage medium capable of releasing the Department of Energy target of 6.5 wt. % for a hydrogen fuel cell car in a moderate temperature range

Siberian flood basalt magmatism and Mongolia-Okhotsk slab dehydration

Experimental data combined with numerical calculations suggest that fast subducting slabs are cold enough to carry into the deep mantle a significant portion of the water in antigorite, which transforms with increasing depth to phase A and then to phase E and/or wadsleyite by solid-solid phase transition. Clathrate hydrates and ice VII are also stable at PT conditions of cold slabs and represent other potential phases for water transport into the deep mantle. Some cold slabs are expected to deflect while crossing the 410 km and stagnate in transition zone being unable to penetrate through 660 km discontinuity. In this way slabs can move a long way beneath continents after long-lived subduction. With time, the stagnant slabs are heated to the temperature of the ambient transition zone and release free H~2~O-bearing fluid. Combining with transition zone water filter model this may cause voluminous melting of overlying upper mantle rocks. If such process operates in nature, magmas geochemically similar to island-arc magmas are expected to appear in places relatively remote from active arcs at the time of their emplacement. Dolerites of the south-eastern margin of the Siberian flood basalt province, located about 700 km from suggested trench, were probably associated with fast subduction of the Mongolia-Okhotsk slab and originated by dehydration of the stagnant slab in the transition zone. We show that influence of the subduction-related deep water cycle on Siberian flood basalt magmatism gradually reduced with increasing distance from the subduction zone

Gamified Digital Game-Based Learning as a Pedagogical Strategy: Student Academic Performance and Motivation

Digital game-based learning (DGBL) and Gamification are emerging methodological strategies in education. This research aims to analyze the effects on academic performance and motivation after an experience combining DGBL and Gamification in university students. The sample comprises 126 students, of whom 38 were in the experimental group. Three measurement instruments have been used: an evaluative test to measure academic performance, the Questionnaire on Motivation for Cooperative Playful Learning Strategies (CMELAC) and a questionnaire with three open-ended questions, which complement the measurement of motivation. This analysis is conducted using independent sample t-tests. We undertook a Bonferroni adjustment to the alpha level (new p = 0.017). The results show significant differences in academic performance between the control and experimental groups. Motivation shows high values among all participants. No significant differences were found between the two experimental subgroups when the competition was added to the dynamics. In conclusion, the results of the present study support the gamified DGBL method as an exciting teaching tool that corresponds to students’ active learning and provide valuable immediate feedback on students’ attempts, improvements in academic performance and a high level of motivation

Peak finding through Scan Statistics

We discuss the conditions under which Scan Statistics can be fruitfully implemented to signal a departure from the underlying probability model that describes the experimental data. It is shown that local perturbations (``bumps'' or ``excesses'' of events) are better dealt within this framework and, in general, tests based on these statistics provide a powerful and unbiased alternative to the traditional techniques related with the chi2 and Kolmogorov distributions. Approximate formulas for the computation of Scan Statistics in the range of interest for high energy and nuclear physics applications are also presented.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Nucl.Instrum.Meth.