ℒ2-Gain of double integrators with saturation nonlinearity

This note uses quadratic surface Lyapunov functions (SuLFs) to efficiently check if a double integrator in feedback with a saturation nonlinearity has ℒ2-gain less than γ > 0. We show that for many such systems, the ℒ2-gain is nonconservative in the sense that this is approximately equal to the lower bound obtained by replacing the saturation with a constant gain of 1. These results allow the use of classical analysis tools like µ-analysis or integral quadratic constraints to analyze systems with double integrators and saturations, including servo systems like some mechanical systems, satellites, hard disks, compact disk players, etc

Global analysis of piecewise linear systems using impact maps and surface Lyapunov functions

This paper presents an entirely new constructive global analysis methodology for a class of hybrid systems known as piecewise linear systems (PLS). This methodology infers global properties of PLS solely by studying the behavior at switching surfaces associated with PLS. The main idea is to analyze impact maps, i.e., maps from one switching surface to the next switching surface. Such maps are known to be "unfriendly" maps in the sense that they are highly nonlinear, multivalued, and not continuous. We found, however, that an impact map induced by an linear time-invariant flow between two switching surfaces can be represented as a linear transformation analytically parametrized by a scalar function of the state. This representation of impact maps allows the search for surface Lyapunov functions (SuLF) to be done by simply solving a semidefinite program, allowing global asymptotic stability, robustness, and performance of limit cycles and equilibrium points of PLS to be efficiently checked. This new analysis methodology has been applied to relay feedback, on/off and saturation systems, where it has shown to be very successful in globally analyzing a large number of examples. In fact, it is still an open problem whether there exists an example with a globally stable limit cycle or equilibrium point that cannot be successfully analyzed with this new methodology. Examples analyzed include systems of relative degree larger than one and of high dimension, for which no other analysis methodology could be applied. This success in globally analyzing certain classes of PLS has shown the power of this new methodology, and suggests its potential toward the analysis of larger and more complex PLS

Mechanical performance of lap joints of flat roof waterproofing membranes subjected to artificial weathering

The flat roof of a building, here understood as the whole of every construction element from the ceiling to the surface exposed to climatic agents, is made of a set of horizontal or quasi-horizontal layers that satisfy its functional demands. The waterproofing layer is fundamental in most flat roofs and, of the various options, single-layer systems made of prefabricated membranes and mechanically fastened are one of the most frequently used in Portugal. This solution is also used to repair roofs’ waterproofing systems without having to remove the existing layers, thus reducing the cost. However, it is well known that the performance of these systems is strongly influenced by the efficiency of the membrane fastenings, which is directly related to the membranes’ nature and the design and execution of the lap joints. Many of the anomalies that occur are related to the deficient execution of the membranes’ lap joints1–3 and the consequent faulty performance when subjected to average environmental agents. Studies undertaken in Portugal on the behavior of lap joints in membranes made or commercialized in this country4,5 have corroborated other studies in this area and shown that certain membranes perform worse than others when used in single-layer systems. Three different solutions were tested: amyloid precursor protein (APP)- and Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS)-modified bituminous membranes and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membranes. Of the bituminous membranes, the SBS ones produced and commercialized in Portugal presented, as expected, much more satisfactory mechanical characteristics than the APP ones, thus justifying a more thorough study of their suitability for use in mechanically fastened single-layer systems.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Analysis of the quality of life after an endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy : a business intelligence approach

Primary hyperhidrosis, a disorder characterized by an excessive sweating, has been treated by endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy. As a consequence of the surgery, patients improved their overall quality of life. Their day-by-day activities are not affected, or are less affected, by this disorder, and their emotional state verifies a significant improvement, from a situation of shame and self-punishing to what we could say a normal life. This paper presents the analysis of the quality of life of 227 patients that were treated by an endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy. The study was based on the use of business intelligence technologies, which allowed the storage, the analysis and the reporting of all the relevant findings. In technological terms, this paper illustrates the database and data analysis developments needed in a specific healthcare application domain. For data storage, a data mart was designed addressing the relevant attributes. For data analysis, on-line analytical processing and data mining technologies were used to show the evolution of the patients’ health condition and the incidence of complications or side effects as consequence of the surgery.(undefined

Implementação de um sistema de Business Intelligence para a análise da qualidade de vida pré e pós-operatória

A hiperhidrose primária é provocada por uma disfunção do sistema nervoso simpático e é caracterizada por uma sudorese excessiva, a qual condiciona a qualidade de vida dos pacientes que possuem esta doença. A simpaticectomia é uma técnica cirúrgica que pode ser utilizada no tratamento da hiperhidrose primária. Este capítulo apresenta a análise da qualidade de vida de 227 pacientes que foram submetidos a uma simpaticectomia torácica endoscópica. As análises efectuadas recorreram a um sistema de Business Intelligence (BI), o qual permitiu o armazenamento, a manipulação e a análise dos dados recolhidos. Para o armazenamento dos dados foi concebido um Data Mart e para a sua análise foram utilizadas as tecnologias On-line Analytical Processing (OLAP) e Data Mining. A análise dos dados recolhidos permitiu verificar a evolução da qualidade de vida dos pacientes e, ainda, a incidência de complicações ou efeitos secundários como consequência da cirurgia

Catches in ghost-fishing octopus and fish traps in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean (Algarve, Portugal)

Ghost fishing is the term used to describe the continued capture of fish and other living organisms after a fisherman has lost all control over the gear. Traps may be lost for a variety of reasons including theft, vandalism, abandonment, interactions with other gear, fouling on the bottom (i.e., traps and ropes are caught on rocky substrate), bad weather, and human error (Laist, 1995). Annual trap loss can be as high as 20% to 50% of fished traps in some fisheries (Al-Masroori et al., 2004). Because lost traps can continue to fish for long periods, albeit with decreasing efficiency over time (e.g., Smolowitz, 1978; Breen, 1987, 1990; Guillory, 1993), ghost fishing is a concern in fisheries worldwide

A genetic algorithm approach for the single machine scheduling problem with linear earliness and quadratic tardiness penalties

In this paper, we consider the single machine scheduling problem with linear earliness and quadratic tardiness costs, and no machine idle time. We propose a genetic approach based on a random key alphabet. Several genetic algorithms based on this approach are presented. These versions differ on the generation of the initial population, as well as on the use of local search. The proposed procedures are compared with the best existing heuristic, as well as with optimal solutions for the smaller instance sizes. The computational results show that the performance of the proposed genetic approach is improved by the addition of a local search procedure, as well as by the insertion of simple heuristic solutions in the initial population. Indeed, the genetic versions that include either or both of these features not only provide significantly better results, but are also much faster. The genetic versions that use local search are clearly superior to the best existing heuristic, and the improvement in performance increases with both the size and difficulty of the instances. These procedures are also quite close to the optimum, and provided an optimal solution for most of the test instances.scheduling, single machine, linear earliness, quadratic tardiness, genetic algorithms

Probable Person-to-Person Transmission of Legionnaires’ Disease

Correspondence to the Editor.Legionnaires’ disease is an often severe form of pneumonia that is typically acquired by susceptible persons (e.g., elderly persons and smokers) through inhalation of aerosols that contain legionella species.1-4 A cluster of cases of this disease occurred in Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal, in 2014

Global Dynamical Structure Reconstruction from Reconstructed Dynamical Structure Subnetworks: Applications to Biochemical Reaction Networks

In this paper we consider the problem of network reconstruction, with applications to biochemical reaction networks. In particular, we consider the problem of global network reconstruction when there are a limited number of sensors that can be used to simultaneously measure state information. We introduce dynamical structure functions as a way to formulate the network reconstruction problem and motivate their usage with an example physical system from synthetic biology. In particular, we argue that in synthetic biology research, network verification is paramount to robust circuit operation and thus, network reconstruction is an invaluable tool. Nonetheless, we argue that existing approaches for reconstruction are hampered by limited numbers of biological sensors with high temporal resolution. In this way, we motivate the global network reconstruction problem using partial network information and prove that by performing a series of reconstruction experiments, where each experiment reconstructs a subnetwork dynamical structure function, the global dynamical structure function can be recovered in most cases. We illustrate these reconstruction techniques on a recently developed four gene biocircuit, an event detector, and show that it is capable of differentiating the temporal order of input events

Thermoelectric exhaust energy recovery with temperature control through heat pipes

Currently, a great deal of the automotive industry’s R&D effort is focused on improving overall vehicle environmental and energy efficiency. For instance, one of the things that Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Hybrid cars (HEV) have in common is the recovery of waste energy, namely during braking. But, when an I.C. engine is operating (e. g. as a range extender in an EV), a large amount of energy is also wasted within the exhaust gases and with engine cooling, energy that could otherwise be recovered by different methods. This paper reports on the recovery of waste thermal energy using thermoelectric generators (TEG) for application in hybrid, extended range electric vehicles and more generally in any vehicle that could benefit from the generation of a small amount of electric current that would reduce the alternator operation time. Although some manufacturers are trying to develop TEGs to use at exhaust temperatures, there are still no commercially available TEG modules capable of withstanding these extreme temperatures. The present work assesses the potential of the use of heat pipes (HP) as a means of transferring energy from the hot exhaust gases to the TEG modules at a compatible temperature level while minimizing the loss of efficiency due to temperature downgrading. The type of HP used in this study is called Variable Conductance Heat Pipe (VCHP), and its deployment has the advantage of inducing good temperature control. Various types of HPs were designed, manufactured, tested and improved with the aim of enhancing the overall heat transfer process, enabling an optimal level of electric energy recovery from the referred TEG modules. This was accomplished by the testing of different fluids inside the HP and by regulating the pressure of the gas chamber. Although the system is still under improvement, the results indicate that the use of VCHPs in conjunction with thermoelectric generators is a convincing technique for recovering otherwise wasted energy from the exhaust gases.MIT Portugal (MIT-Pt/EDAM-SMS/0030/2008)Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) (bolsa SFRH / BPD / 51048 / 2010