Introduction

International audienceThis introductory chapter gives an overview of the aims, scope, and approach of the volume, while also providing a thematic bibliography of the most significant previous literature on Arabic and contact-induced change

On the Exactness of Rational Polynomial Chaos Formulation for the Uncertainty Quantification of Linear Circuits in the Frequency Domain

We discuss the general form of the transfer functions of linear lumped circuits. We show that an arbitrary transfer function defined on such circuits has a functional dependence on individual circuit parameters that is rational, with multi-linear numerator and denominator. This result demonstrates that rational polynomial chaos expansions provide more suitable models than standard polynomial chaos for the uncertainty quantification of this class of circuits

A rational polynomial chaos formulation for the uncertainty quantification of linear circuits in the frequency domain

This paper discusses the general form of the transfer functions of linear lumped circuits. It is shown that an arbitrary transfer function defined on such circuits has a functional dependence on individual circuit parameters that is rational, with multi-linear numerator and denominator. This result is then used to introduce a suitable model for the uncertainty quantification of this class of circuits, namely a rational polynomial chaos expansion in place of the conventional single expansion

Neurophysiological models of gaze control in Humanoid Robotics

This work present a robotic implementation of a neurophysiological model of rapid orienting gaze shifts in humans, with the final goal of model parameters validation and tuning. The quantitative assessment of robot performance confirmed a good ability to foveate the target with low residual errors around the desired target position. Furthermore, the ability to maintain the desired position was good and the gaze fixation after the saccadic movement was executed with only few oscillations of the head and eye. This is because the model required a very high dynamic. 9.1. Robotic point of view The head and eye residual oscillations increase linearly with increasing amplitude. In Fig. 16 is evident that the residual gaze oscillation is less than head. This is explained with the compensation introduced by the eye oscillations which compensate the gaze which becomes more stable. We explain these findings by observing that the accelerations required to execute (or stopand-invert) the movement are very high especially for the eye movement. Even if the robotic head was designed to match the human performances (in terms of angle and velocities) in its present configuration it is still not capable produce such accelerations. This is particularly evident for the movement of the eye because the motor has to invert its rotation when the fixation point is first achieved. With respect to the timing of the movement it has been found that the results of the experiments are in close accordance to the data available on humans (Goossens and Van Opstal, 1997). The same conclusion may be drawn for the shapes of the coordinated movement that can be directly compared to the typical examples reported in Fig. 14. Figure 16, 17 show that the model is capable of providing inadequate control of the redundant platform. The system response is very fast, due to the robotic head platform design. TGst time take into account the problem of eye-head coordination and the very high acceleration. The head is voluntarily delayed less than 30 millisecond after eye movement, according to human physiology, by means of Ph block (Goossens and Van Opstal ,1997). 9.2. Neurophysiological point of view A typical robotic eye-head movement is shows in Fig. 14

Meikal Mumin and Kees Versteegh, The Arabic Script in Africa: Studies in the Use of a Writing System.

The volume under review consists of a collection of sixteen papers resulting from the workshop The Arabic Script in Africa – Diffusion, Usage, Diversity and Dynamics of a Writing System that was held at the University of Cologne in April 2010. It focuses on how Arabic script has been used to write African languages in the graphic form traditionally referred to as ajami, a term derived from the Arabic word ʕaʒam “non-Arab, Persian”. This book focuses on both the linguistic and sociolinguistic ..

Distribution and some biological parameters of the red gurnard, Chelidonichthys cuculus (Actinopterygii, Scorpaeniformes, Triglidae) in the north-central Adriatic Sea

Background. Red gurnard, Chelidonichthys cuculus (Linnaeus, 1758), is distributed in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, and in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Norway to Mauritania, although it is rarely found in the North Sea and on the Norwegian shelf. The aim of this work was to conduct a comprehensive study of red gurnard in the Adriatic Sea on selected aspects the population biology and some of its environmental implications . Materialsandmethods. The sampling covered the entire subdivision GSA17 (north-central Adriatic Sea) and it was based on several bottom trawl surveys of MEDITS and GRUND projects from 2000 through 2009. Biometric parameters, as well as the spatial- and depth distributions were analyzed. The parameters such as the length–weight relation, sex, gonad maturity stage, and the stomach content were determined on a subsample of 539 specimens collected seasonally (summer and autumn–winter) within 2007–2009. The data were processed statistically . Results. Chelidonichthys cuculus was mainly distributed in the central Adriatic. Juveniles showed a distribution in shallower waters while adults tended to migrate towards the Croatian coast at greater depths. The total length of the fish sampled ranged from 40 to 303 mm (TL). We assumed the length of 100 mm as a threshold separat ing juveniles from adults and the length range of 170–190 mm as the maturity size for females and males. Isometric- and allometric growth patterns were showed for the juveniles and the adults, respectively. The diet was based almost exclusively on crustaceans (IRI% > 98%) and it did not change upon reaching the sexual maturity. Chelidonichthys cuculus should be considered a specialist predator feeding mostly on necto-benthic lophogastrids (IRI% > 72%) . Conclusion. This work constitutes an attempt to summarize some environmental and biology aspects of the red gurnard in Adriatic population: differences in depth distribution and growth were found between juveniles and adults but not in diet. Males and females showed differences in growth parameters. Extending the studied area and collecting data of red gurnard in the main areas of production should help in better understanding the biolo gy and dynamics of this species