Incorporating time dependent link costs in multi-state supernetworks

Multi-state supernetwork represents a promising approach to model multi-modal and multi-activity travel behaviour. A derived feature of this approach is that a point-to-point path through the supernetwork represents a specific activity-travel pattern. A limitation of current multi-state supernetworks are constructed in a static way since the elapsed time and other components of the links are pre-defined, which tends to cause inaccuracies in link costs in a dynamic context. To make this approach more powerful and practical, this study attempts to incorporate more fully the time dimension: link costs of travel with both private vehicles and public transport are calculated on-the-fly, and parking costs are made duration-dependent. Moreover, time windows at activity locations are taken into account. Thereafter, the supernetwork structure remains the same, but it can better capture time-space constraints and underlying activity-travel behaviour. A single objective bi-criterion label correcting algorithm is proposed to find the optimal activity-travel patter

The Application of Predictor Feedback in Designing a Preview Controller for Discrete-Time Systems with Input Delay

© 2016 Fucheng Liao et al.This paper presents a method for designing a type one servomechanism for a discrete-time linear system with input delay subject to a previewable desired output and a nonmeasurable constant disturbance. The tracking problem of a delay system is transformed into a regulation problem of a delay-free system via constructing an augmented error system and a variable substitution. A controller is obtained with delay compensation and preview compensation based on preview control theory and the predictor method. When the state vector is not directly measurable, a full-dimensional observer is offered. The effectiveness of the design method is demonstrated by numerical simulations

Timing of hard palate repair and facial growth in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate.

Lateral cephalometric radiographs from the growth archive of the Sri Lankan Cleft Lip and Palate Project were analyzed to elucidate the relationship between timing of hard palate repair and facial growth in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP). One hundred and twenty-five adult patients with nonsyndromic UCLP operated on at different ages for hard palate repair were recruited and their last cephalometric radiographs were used in the cross sectional analysis 104 patients with nonsyndromic UCLP operated on at different ages for hard palate repair and their 290 cephalometric radiographs were available in the longitudinal analysis. The design utilized statistical control for gender, age, and other covariates such as the timing and surgeon of lip repair as well as the technique and surgeon of hard palate repair. Results showed that the length of the alveolar maxilla (PMP-A, p = 0.05) and the anteroposterior alveolar jaw relation (ANB, p 0.05), were related to the timing of hard palate repair. These results suggest that in patients with UCLP late hard palate repair has a smaller adverse effect than early hard palate repair on the forward growth of the maxilla, and that timing of hard palate repair does not significantly affect the growth of the mandible

Material modelling and springback analysis for multi-stage rotary draw bending of thin-walled tube using homogeneous anisotropic hardening model

The aim of this paper is to compare several hardening models and to show their relevance for the prediction of springback and deformation of an asymmetric aluminium alloy tube in multi-stage rotary draw bending process. A three-dimensional finite-element model of the process is developed using the ABAQUS code. For material modelling, the newly developed homogeneous anisotropic hardening model is adopted to capture the Bauschinger effect and transient hardening behaviour of the aluminium alloy tube subjected to non-proportional loading. The material parameters of the hardening model are obtained from uniaxial tension and forward-reverse shear test results of tube specimens. This work shows that this approach reproduces the transient Bauschinger behaviour of the material reasonably well. However, a curve-crossing phenomenon observed for this material cannot be captured by the homogeneous anisotropic hardening model. For comparison purpose, the isotropic and combined isotropic-kinematic hardening models are also adopted for the analysis of the same problem. The predictions of springback and cross-section deformation based on these models are discussed. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.open1134Nsciescopu

Magnetic Component of Quark-Gluon Plasma

We describe recent developments of the "magnetic scenario" of sQGP. We show that at $T=(0.8-1.3)T_c$ there is a dense plasma of monopoles, capable of supporting metastable flux tubes. Their existence allows to quantitatively explained the non-trivial $T$-dependence of the static $\bar Q Q$ potential energy calculated on the lattice. By molecular dynamics simulation we derived transport properties (shear viscosity and diffusion constant) and showed that the best liquid is given by most symmetric plasma, with 50%-50% of electric and magnetic charges. The results are close to those of the ``perfect liquid'' observed at RHIC.Comment: Contribution to the 20th International Conference on Nucleus Nucleus Collisions (Quark Matter 2008

Measuring and analysing vibration motors in insoles via accelerometers

Purpose: Falling is a major public health concern among elderly people, and they often cause serious injuries1,2. They most frequently occur during walking and are associated with the chronic deterioration in the neuromuscular and sensory systems, as well as with ankle muscle weakness and lower endurance of these muscles to fatigue1,3. Vibrating insoles, providing a subsensory mechanical noise signal to the plantar side of the feet, may improve balance in healthy young and older people and in patients with stroke or diabetic neuropathy4. The object of this study is to find the most suitable vibrator to put into the insole which can effectively improve the balance control of the elderlies. Method: We choose three different vibration actuators (micro vibration motor, brushless motor and eccentric motor) with two different weights on the insole. First, we put three same motors and two accelerometers on the insole, as shown in Figure1, then attach another layer on both side of the insole. Second, connect the motors to the power supply and the accelerometer to NI PXI-1033 spectrum analyzer which is used to collect the accelerometers' data. At last, using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to analyze and compare the results to see which motor is the most stable and suitable to put into the insole. Results & Discussion: The results showed that the most stable one is the brushless motor. The reason why the frequency is stable is that the relationship between voltage and frequency is linear, and the error is small through continuous measurements. On the other hand, when a person weight 55 kg stands on the insole, the frequency isn't affected by the weight. These two results appear very similar to each other, as shown in Figure 2. According to the result, we use the brushless motor to be our vibrator in the insole, and hope this will help the elderlies improve their balance control ability more efficiency

Pairing in Asymmetrical Fermi Systems with Intra- and Inter-Species Correlations

We consider inter- and intra-species pairing interactions in an asymmetrical Fermi system. Using equation of motion method, we obtain coupled mean-field equations for superfluid gap functions and population densities. We construct a phase diagram across BCS-BEC regimes. Due to intra-species correlations, the BCS singlet superfluid state can sustain finite polarizations, $P$. For larger $P$, we find phase separations in BCS and BEC regimes. A superfluid phase exists for all $P$ deep in BEC regime. Our results may apply to pairing in ultracold fermions, nuclear and quark matter physics.Comment: Contents revised. Added reference