Stabilizing predictive control with persistence of excitation for constrained linear systems

A new adaptive predictive controller for constrained linear systems is presented. The main feature of the proposed controller is the partition of the input in two components. The first part is used to persistently excite the system, in order to guarantee accurate and convergent parameter estimates in a deterministic framework. An MPC-inspired receding horizon optimization problem is developed to achieve the required excitation in a manner that is optimal for the plant. The remaining control action is employed by a conventional tube MPC controller to regulate the plant in the presence of parametric uncertainty and the excitation generated for estimation purposes. Constraint satisfaction, robust exponential stability, and convergence of the estimates are guaranteed under design conditions mildly more demanding than that of standard MPC implementations

Switching tube-based MPC: characterization of minimum dwell-time for feasible and robustly stable switching

We study the problem of characterizing mode dependent dwell-times that guarantee safe and stable operation of disturbed switching linear systems in an MPC framework. We assume the switching instances are not known a-priori, but instantly at the moment of switching. We first characterize dwell-times that ensure feasible and stable switching between independently designed robust MPC controllers by means of the well established exponential stability result available in the MPC literature. Then, we employ the concept of multi-set invariance to improve on our previous results, and obtain an exponential stability guarantee for the switching closed-loop dynamics. The theoretical findings are illustrated via a numerical example

Concerning the quark condensate

A continuum expression for the trace of the massive dressed-quark propagator is used to explicate a connection between the infrared limit of the QCD Dirac operator's spectrum and the quark condensate appearing in the operator product expansion, and the connection is verified via comparison with a lattice-QCD simulation. The pseudoscalar vacuum polarisation provides a good approximation to the condensate over a larger range of current-quark masses.Comment: 7 pages, LaTeX2e, revtex

Proton-Antiproton Annihilation into a Lambda_c-Antilambda_c Pair

The process p-pbar -> Lambda_c-Antilambda_c is investigated within the handbag approach. It is shown that the dominant dynamical mechanism, characterized by the partonic subprocess u-ubar -> c-cbar factorizes in the sense that only the subprocess contains highly virtual partons, a gluon to lowest order of perturbative QCD, while the hadronic matrix elements embody only soft scales and can be parameterized in terms of helicity flip and non-flip generalized parton distributions. Modelling these parton distributions by overlaps of light-cone wave functions for the involved baryons we are able to predict cross sections and spin correlation parameters for the process of interest.Comment: 39 pages, 7 figures, problems with printout of figures resolved, Ref. 33 and referring sentences in section 4 change

Semiclassical strings in Sasaki-Einstein manifolds and long operators in N=1 gauge theories

We study the AdS/CFT relation between an infinite class of 5-d Ypq Sasaki-Einstein metrics and the corresponding quiver theories. The long BPS operators of the field theories are matched to massless geodesics in the geometries, providing a test of AdS/CFT for these cases. Certain small fluctuations (in the BMN sense) can also be successfully compared. We then go further and find, using an appropriate limit, a reduced action, first order in time derivatives, which describes strings with large R-charge. In the field theory we consider holomorphic operators with large winding numbers around the quiver and find, interestingly, that, after certain simplifying assumptions, they can be described effectively as strings moving in a particular metric. Although not equal, the metric is similar to the one in the bulk. We find it encouraging that a string picture emerges directly from the field theory and discuss possible ways to improve the agreement.Comment: 44 pages, LaTeX, 9 figures. v2: References adde

Mesons in marginally deformed AdS/CFT

We study the embedding of spacetime filling D7-branes in beta-deformed backgrounds which, according to the AdS/CFT dictionary, corresponds to flavoring beta-deformed N=4 super Yang-Mills. We consider supersymmetric and more general non-supersymmetric three parameter deformations. The equations of motion for quadratic fluctuations of a probe D7-brane wrapped on a deformed three-sphere exhibit a non-trivial coupling between scalar and vector modes induced by the deformation. Nevertheless, we manage to solve them analytically and find that the mesonic mass spectrum is discrete, with a mass gap and a Zeeman-like splitting occurs. Finally we propose the action for the dual field theory as obtained by star-product deformation of super Yang-Mills with fundamental matter.Comment: LaTex, 42 pages, 3 figures, uses JHEP

A genomic prediction model for racecourse starts in the Thoroughbred horse

Durability traits in Thoroughbred horses are heritable, economically valuable and may affect horse welfare. The aims of this study were to test the hypotheses that (i) durability traits are heritable and (ii) genetic data may be used to predict a horse's potential to have a racecourse start. Heritability for the phenotype ‘number of 2‐ and 3‐year‐old starts’ was estimated to be urn:x-wiley:02689146:media:age12798:age12798-math-0001 = 0.11 ± 0.02 (n = 4499). A genome‐wide association study identified SNP contributions to the trait. The neurotrimin (NTM), opioid‐binding protein/cell adhesion molecule like (OPCML) and prolylcarboxypeptidase (PRCP) genes were identified as candidate genes associated with the trait. NTM functions in brain development and has been shown to have been selected during the domestication of the horse. PRCP is an established expression quantitative trait locus involved in the interaction between voluntary exercise and body composition in mice. We hypothesise that variation at these loci contributes to the motivation of the horse to exercise, which may influence its response to the demands of the training and racing environment. A random forest with mixed effects (RFME) model identified a set of SNPs that contributed to 24.7% of the heritable variation in the trait. In an independent validation set (n = 528 horses), the cohort with high genetic potential for a racecourse start had significantly fewer unraced horses (16% unraced) than did low (27% unraced) potential horses and had more favourable race outcomes among those that raced. Therefore, the information from SNPs included in the model may be used to predict horses with a greater chance of a racecourse start

Search for charginos in e+e- interactions at sqrt(s) = 189 GeV

An update of the searches for charginos and gravitinos is presented, based on a data sample corresponding to the 158 pb^{-1} recorded by the DELPHI detector in 1998, at a centre-of-mass energy of 189 GeV. No evidence for a signal was found. The lower mass limits are 4-5 GeV/c^2 higher than those obtained at a centre-of-mass energy of 183 GeV. The (\mu,M_2) MSSM domain excluded by combining the chargino searches with neutralino searches at the Z resonance implies a limit on the mass of the lightest neutralino which, for a heavy sneutrino, is constrained to be above 31.0 GeV/c^2 for tan(beta) \geq 1.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figure

Search for composite and exotic fermions at LEP 2

A search for unstable heavy fermions with the DELPHI detector at LEP is reported. Sequential and non-canonical leptons, as well as excited leptons and quarks, are considered. The data analysed correspond to an integrated luminosity of about 48 pb^{-1} at an e^+e^- centre-of-mass energy of 183 GeV and about 20 pb^{-1} equally shared between the centre-of-mass energies of 172 GeV and 161 GeV. The search for pair-produced new leptons establishes 95% confidence level mass limits in the region between 70 GeV/c^2 and 90 GeV/c^2, depending on the channel. The search for singly produced excited leptons and quarks establishes upper limits on the ratio of the coupling of the excited fermio

Search for lightest neutralino and stau pair production in light gravitino scenarios with stau NLSP

Promptly decaying lightest neutralinos and long-lived staus are searched for in the context of light gravitino scenarios. It is assumed that the stau is the next to lightest supersymmetric particle (NLSP) and that the lightest neutralino is the next to NLSP (NNLSP). Data collected with the Delphi detector at centre-of-mass energies from 161 to 183 \GeV are analysed. No evidence of the production of these particles is found. Hence, lower mass limits for both kinds of particles are set at 95% C.L.. The mass of gaugino-like neutralinos is found to be greater than 71.5 GeV/c^2. In the search for long-lived stau, masses less than 70.0 to 77.5 \GeVcc are excluded for gravitino masses from 10 to 150 \eVcc . Combining this search with the searches for stable heavy leptons and Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model staus a lower limit of 68.5 \GeVcc may be set for the stau mas