Multiple Loop Self-Triggered Model Predictive Control for Network Scheduling and Control

We present an algorithm for controlling and scheduling multiple linear time-invariant processes on a shared bandwidth limited communication network using adaptive sampling intervals. The controller is centralized and computes at every sampling instant not only the new control command for a process, but also decides the time interval to wait until taking the next sample. The approach relies on model predictive control ideas, where the cost function penalizes the state and control effort as well as the time interval until the next sample is taken. The latter is introduced in order to generate an adaptive sampling scheme for the overall system such that the sampling time increases as the norm of the system state goes to zero. The paper presents a method for synthesizing such a predictive controller and gives explicit sufficient conditions for when it is stabilizing. Further explicit conditions are given which guarantee conflict free transmissions on the network. It is shown that the optimization problem may be solved off-line and that the controller can be implemented as a lookup table of state feedback gains. Simulation studies which compare the proposed algorithm to periodic sampling illustrate potential performance gains.Comment: Accepted for publication in IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technolog

Nord-Süd Agrarhandel unter veränderten Rahmenbedingungen

73 Prozent des weltweiten Handel mit Nahrungsmitteln teilen sich ca 20 Länder (die EU, die USA, Canada, Japan, Brasilien, Mexiko, Argentinien, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, China und Hong-Kong). Afrika wird in den GATT-Statistiken bezüglich Nahrungsmitteln nicht einmal aufgeführt. Verzerrungen des Welthandels aufgrund von staatlichen Eingriffen in den internationalen Wettbewerb treten hauptsächlich durch tarifäre (Erhebung von Zöllen) und nicht-tarifäre Handelshemmnisse (z.B. technische Normen, (Export-) Subventionen, freiwillige Selbstbeschränkungsmaßnahmen, u.s.w.) auf. In dieser Dokumentation werden die wichtigsten Rahmenbedingungen des Agrarhandels untersucht, die den Agrarhandel zwischen der EU und den AKP-Staaten betreffen: - die Reform des GATT/WTO-Abkommens im Jahr 1994, - die Gemeinsame Agrarpolitik der EU (GAP) und deren Reform im Jahr 1992, - das IV Lomé-Abkommen aus dem Jahr 1989, - die Novellierung des Allgemeinen Präferenzsystems der EU (APS) im Jahr 1994, - die Agrarstrategie der AKP-Staaten

Regionalization of the site water balance in forests using fuzzy inference systems

Relief-dependent variations in micro-climatic parameters control evaporation and soil water conditions of forests. Therefore, mapping of soil water conditions in mountainous terrain requires that model computations have a high spatial resolution. Unfortunately, highly sophisticated, physically based modeling in combination with a large number of model runs leads to demanding computation costs. To overcome these shortcomings, a physically and physiologically based water balance model was combined with fuzzy inference systems. Grid-point-specific factors representing the systematic alteration of the station data due to the topography are the basis for the parameterization of the antecedent side of the fuzzy system. Model outputs of the water balance model BROOK 90 were used directly as parameters of the consequents of the fuzzy rules. Thus, the parameterization of the fuzzy inference system is model-based and objective, and parameter training is not required. The validation of the method shows only small differences between fuzzy system outputs and BROOK 90 results.Um bei der flächenhaften Modellierung des Wasserhaushaltes aus dem Relief resultierende Variabilitäten der meteorologischen Eingangsgrößen zu berücksichtigen, ist eine hohe räumliche Auflösung erforderlich. Das führt zu hohen Rechenzeiten. Die Kombination physikalisch und physiologisch begründeter Modellierung mit Fuzzy-Inference-Systemen (FIS) zeigt einen Weg aus diesem Dilemma. Rasterpunktspezifische Korrekturfaktoren widerspiegeln das Verhältnis zwischen den meteorologischen Bedingungen am Standort zu den Messwerten an der Klimastation. Diese Korrekturfaktoren werden direkt zur Parametrisierung der Bedingungen der Fuzzy-regeln verwendet. Als Parameter der Folgerung werden direkt Modellergebnisse des forsthydrologischen Modells BROOK 90 eingesetzt. Damit erfolgt eine objektive modellgestützte Parametrisierung des FIS. Ein Training wird nicht ausgeführt. Die Validierung der Methode zeigt nur geringe Abweichungen zwischen den Modellergebnissen und den FIS-Outputs

Nord-Süd Agrarhandel unter veränderten Rahmenbedingungen

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The effect of ageing and osteoarthritis on the mechanical properties of cartilage and bone in the human knee joint

Osteoarthritis is traditionally associated with cartilage degeneration although is now widely accepted as a whole-joint disease affecting the entire osteochondral unit; however site-specific cartilage and bone material properties during healthy ageing and disease are absent limiting our understanding. Cadaveric specimens (n = 12; 31–88 years) with grades 0–4 osteoarthritis, were dissected and spatially correlated cartilage, subchondral and trabecular bone samples (n = 8 per cadaver) were harvested from femoral and tibial localities. Nanoindentation was utilised to obtain cartilage shear modulus (G′) and bone elastic modulus (E). Cartilage G′ is strongly correlated to age (p = 0.003) and osteoarthritis grade (p = 0.007). Subchondral bone E is moderately correlated to age (p = 0.072) and strongly correlated to osteoarthritis grade (p = 0.013). Trabecular bone E showed no correlation to age (p = 0.372) or osteoarthritis grade (p = 0.778). Changes to cartilage G′ was significantly correlated to changes in subchondral bone E (p = 0.007). Results showed preferential medial osteoarthritis development and moderate correlations between cartilage G′ and sample location (p = 0.083). Also demonstrated for the first time was significant correlations between site-matched cartilage and subchondral bone material property changes during progressive ageing and osteoarthritis, supporting the role of bone in disease initiation and progression. This clinically relevant data indicates a causative link with osteoarthritis and medial habitual loading

Effects of mannose, fructose, and fucose on the structure, stability, and hydration of lysozyme in aqueous solution

The bio-protective properties of monosaccharaides, namely mannose, fructose and fucose, on the stability and dynamical properties of the NMR determined hen egg-white lysozyme structure have been investigated by means of molecular dynamics simulations at room temperature in aqueous solution and in 7 and 13 wt % concentrations of the three sugars. Results are discussed in the framework of the bio-protective phenomena. The three sugars show similar bio-protective behaviours at room temperature (300 K) in the concentration range studied as shown by the small RMSDs of the resulting MD structures from that of starting NMR structure. The effects of sugars on protein conformation are found to be relatively strong in that the conformation of lysozyme is stable after an initial 9 ns equilibration for fucose and mannose and 12 ns equilibration for fructose, respectively, at high concentrations. For mannose the final RMSD is significantly smaller than that of fucose and fructose at the higher concentration, while at the lower concentration the RMSD are essentially the same. The radial distribution function of the water and sugars around lysozyme was used to monito

Tissue material properties and computational modelling of the human tibiofemoral joint: a critical review

Understanding how structural and functional alterations of individual tissues impact on whole-joint function is challenging, particularly in humans where direct invasive experimentation is difficult. Finite element (FE) computational models produce quantitative predictions of the mechanical and physiological behaviour of multiple tissues simultaneously, thereby providing a means to study changes that occur through healthy ageing and disease such as osteoarthritis (OA). As a result, significant research investment has been placed in developing such models of the human knee. Previous work has highlighted that model predictions are highly sensitive to the various inputs used to build them, particularly the mathematical definition of material properties of biological tissues. The goal of this systematic review is two-fold. First, we provide a comprehensive summation and evaluation of existing linear elastic material property data for human tibiofemoral joint tissues, tabulating numerical values as a reference resource for future studies. Second, we review efforts to model tibiofemoral joint mechanical behaviour through FE modelling with particular focus on how studies have sourced tissue material properties. The last decade has seen a renaissance in material testing fuelled by development of a variety of new engineering techniques that allow the mechanical behaviour of both soft and hard tissues to be characterised at a spectrum of scales from nano- to bulk tissue level. As a result, there now exists an extremely broad range of published values for human tibiofemoral joint tissues. However, our systematic review highlights gaps and ambiguities that mean quantitative understanding of how tissue material properties alter with age and OA is limited. It is therefore currently challenging to construct FE models of the knee that are truly representative of a specific age or disease-state. Consequently, recent tibiofemoral joint FE models have been highly generic in terms of material properties even relying on non-human data from multiple species. We highlight this by critically evaluating current ability to quantitatively compare and model (1) young and old and (2) healthy and OA human tibiofemoral joints. We suggest that future research into both healthy and diseased knee function will benefit greatly from a subject- or cohort-specific approach in which FE models are constructed using material properties, medical imagery and loading data from cohorts with consistent demographics and/or disease states

Internal‐Rotation in Hydrogen Peroxide: The Far‐Infrared Spectrum and the Determination of the Hindering Potential

The torsional oscillation between the two OH groups of the hydrogen peroxide molecule is investigated through a study of the far‐infrared absorption spectrum of the molecule. A 1‐m‐focal‐length vacuum grating monochromator was used to scan the region from 15 to 700 cm−1 with an average resolution of 0.3 cm−1. The observed spectrum contains seven perpendicular‐type bands of which only the Q branches are resolved. The centers of the seven bands are at 11.43, 116.51, 198.57, 242.76, 370.70, 521.68, and 557.84 cm−1. These bands result from transitions between different states of the internal rotation and their identification makes it possible to construct the internal‐rotation energy level scheme through the first five excited states. Relative to the torsional ground state, these levels occur at 11.43, 254.2, 370.7, 569.3, and 775.9 cm−1.A theory of internal rotation in the hydrogen peroxide molecule is developed for use in the analysis of the far‐infrared spectra. In this theory, the Hamiltonian is constructed assuming all structural distances and angles fixed except the dihedral angle x defining the relative position of the two OH bars. By the use of a contact transformation the Hamiltonian is put in the form H (asymmetric top)+H(internal rotation) where the interaction between the internal and over‐all rotations arises through the x dependence of the inertial parameters of H(asymmetric top). It is assumed that the relative position of the two OH bars is governed by a potential‐energy function of the form V(x) = V1cosx+V2cos2x+V3cos3xV(x)=V1cosx+V2cos2x+V3cos3x. The internal‐rotation wave equation [αpx2+V(x)]M(x) = EM(x)[αpx2+V(x)]M(x)=EM(x) is solved numerically by an electronic‐computer and the potential function parameters V1=993 cm−1, V2=636 cm−1, and V3=44 cm−1 are chosen to fit the internal‐rotation energy‐level scheme. The trans and cis potential barrier heights are 386 and 2460 cm−1, respectively, and the potential‐function minima are located 111.5° from the cis configuration. Diagonalization of the matrix of the complete Hamiltonian to second order by the use of perturbation theory is sufficient to account for the observed Q‐branch shapes in the far infrared region.Two microwave frequencies observed by Massey and Bianco at 22 054.5 and 27 639.6 Mc/sec are identified from their Stark effects as the first excited‐state transitions J, K, n, τ=8, 6, 1, 1→7, 5, 1, 3 and J, K, n, τ=8, 5, 1, 3→9, 6, 1, 1, respectively, where the internal‐rotation quantum number n=1 denotes the first excited torsional state and where τ denotes trans symmetric (τ=1 and 2) or antisymmetric (τ=3 and 4) states. The form of the dipole moment operator is assumed to be μ0 cos(x/2) and μ0 is found to be 3.15 D in agreement with the value obtained from the torsional ground‐state transitions.Two J=0 microwave series observed by Massey, Beard, and Jen in a mixed sample of the deuterated species D2O2 and HOOD give confirmation of the potential function determined from the H2O2 analysis. The K=4→5 series is identified as the D2O2 first excited torsional state transition n=1→1, τ=4→2. The K=0→1 series is identified as the HOOD torsional ground‐state transition n=0→0, τ=4→2. Only very small changes in the trans barrier height are necessary to fit the constant terms of these series exactly. These changes, which are expected to arise from vibration‐internal rotation interactions, show a reasonable progression from H2O2 to D2O2: V (trans, HOOH) = 386 cm−1, V (trans, HOOD) = 381 cm−1 and V (trans, DOOD) = 378 cm−1.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/71115/2/JCPSA6-42-6-1931-1.pd

Determination of cell survival after irradiation via clonogenic assay versus multiple MTT Assay - A comparative study

For studying proliferation and determination of survival of cancer cells after irradiation, the multiple MTT assay, based on the reduction of a yellow water soluble tetrazolium salt to a purple water insoluble formazan dye by living cells was modified from a single-point towards a proliferation assay. This assay can be performed with a large number of samples in short time using multi-well-plates, assays can be performed semi-automatically with a microplate reader. Survival, the calculated parameter in this assay, is determined mathematically. Exponential growth in both control and irradiated groups was proven as the underlying basis of the applicability of the multiple MTT assay. The equivalence to a clonogenic survival assay with its disadvantages such as time consumption was proven in two setups including plating of cells before and after irradiation. Three cell lines (A 549, LN 229 and F 98) were included in the experiment to study its principal and general applicability