Geometry of Control-Affine Systems

Motivated by control-affine systems in optimal control theory, we introduce the notion of a point-affine distribution on a manifold X - i.e., an affine distribution F together with a distinguished vector field contained in F. We compute local invariants for point-affine distributions of constant type when dim(X)=n, rank(F)=n-1, and when dim(X)=3, rank(F)=1. Unlike linear distributions, which are characterized by integer-valued invariants - namely, the rank and growth vector - when dim(X)<=4, we find local invariants depending on arbitrary functions even for rank 1 point-affine distributions on manifolds of dimension 2

Geometry of Optimal Control for Control-Affine Systems

Motivated by the ubiquity of control-affine systems in optimal control theory, we investigate the geometry of point-affine control systems with metric structures in dimensions two and three. We compute local isometric invariants for point-affine distributions of constant type with metric structures for systems with 2 states and 1 control and systems with 3 states and 1 control, and use Pontryagin's maximum principle to find geodesic trajectories for homogeneous examples. Even in these low dimensions, the behavior of these systems is surprisingly rich and varied

Finsler geometry in low-dimensional control theory

Abstract. Following an introduction to control theory, we show how Finsler geometries occur in certain classes of control systems. 1

Mutations on the N-terminal edge of the DELSEED loop in either the α or β subunit of the mitochondrial F 1 -ATPase enhance ATP hydrolysis in the absence of the central γ rotor

F1-ATPase is a rotary molecular machine with a subunit stoichiometry of α3 β3 γ1 δ1 ε1. It has a robust ATP-hydrolyzing activity due to effective cooperativity between the three catalytic sites. It is believed that the central γ rotor dictates the

Torture in Hong Kong: the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

November 1995.Prepared for presentation to the United Nations Committee Against Torture on the occasion of its consideration of the initial report by Hong Kong under Article 19 of the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.Proceedings of a seminar organised by the Centre for Comparative and Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Hong Kong.published_or_final_versionHong Kong and the convention against torture: some legal issues Byrnes, Andrew Byrnes, Andrew 17Mental health in Hong Kong and the convention against torture Pearson, Veronica Pearson, Veronica 71Confession evidence and torture: summary Brabyn, Janice Brabyn, Janice 65The Hong Kong penal system and the convention against torture and related international human rights instruments Broadhurst, R.G. Broadhurst, R.G. 43Letter to Mary Yuen, 9 November 1995, in response to police power and power and police brutality in Hong Kong Hodson, David Hodson, David 37ContributorsPolice power and police brutality in Hong Kong Yuen, Mary Yuen, Mary 27The convention against torture and the work of the torture committee Burns, Peter Burns, Peter 1The torture convention and Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong Baker, Pam Baker, Pam 8

Hong Kong and the implementation of the international Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Law Library has videocassettes of this seminar.Proceedings of a seminar organised by the Centre for Comparative and Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Hong Kong, 30 September 1995.Prepared for submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee on the occasion of its consideration of the United Kingdom's fourth periodic report in respect of Hong Kong regarding the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.October 1995.published_or_final_versionSexual orientation and the law Brandon, Barrie Brandon, Barrie 53Freedom of expression Lau, Kevin Lau, Kevin 111The ICCPR and Vietnamese migrants in Hong Kong Harris, Paul Harris, Paul 99Sexual bias in the Hong Kong legal system: report of the Hong Kong council of women Jordan, Ann D. Jordan, Ann D. 81The failure of the Hong Kong government to implement the right to equality under the ICCPR: an analysis of the sex discrimination ordinance and the government's opposition to broader legislation Petersen, Carole J. Petersen, Carole J. 123Non-judicial domestic mechanisms in Hong Kong for the enforcement of civil and political rights Wu, Anna Wu, Anna 45Killing it softly? The Hong Kong courts and the slow demise of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Byrnes, Andrew Byrnes, Andrew 31Reporting under the international covenant on civil and political rights Jayawickrama, Nihal Jayawickrama, Nihal 21Domestic mechanisms for implementing the international covenant on civil and political rights Bhagwati, P.N. Bhagwati, P.N. 13The international covenant on civil and political rights and the work of the human rights committee Mavrommatis, Andreas Mavrommatis, Andreas 3Contributor

Assessment of cleaning to control lead dust in homes of children with moderate lead poisoning: treatment of lead-exposed children trial

In this article we describe the assessment and control of lead dust exposure in the Treatment of Lead-exposed Children (TLC) Trial, a clinical trial of the effects of oral chelation on developmental end points in urban children with moderately elevated blood lead levels. To reduce potential lead exposure from settled dust or deteriorated paint during the drug treatment phase of the trial, the homes of 765 (98%) of the randomized children (both active and placebo drug treatment groups) were professionally cleaned. Lead dust measurements were made in a sample of 213 homes before and after cleaning. Geometric mean dust lead loadings before cleaning were 43, 29, 308, and 707 micro g/ft2 in the kitchen floor, playroom floor, playroom windowsill, and playroom window well samples respectively. Following cleaning, floor dust lead loadings were reduced on average 32% for paired floor samples (p < 0.0001), 66% for windowsills (p < 0.0001), and 93% for window wells (p < 0.0001). Cleaning was most effective for 146 homes with precleaning dust lead levels above the recommended clearance levels, with average reductions of 44%, 74%, and 93% for floors (p < 0.0001), windowsills (p < 0.0001), and window wells (p < 0.0001), respectively. Despite these substantial reductions in dust lead loadings, a single professional cleaning did not reduce the lead loadings of all dust samples to levels below current federal standards for lead in residential dust. Attainment of dust levels below current standards will require more intensive cleaning and lead hazard reduction strategies

South Pacific Paleogene Climate

International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 378 was designed to recover the first comprehensive set of Paleogene sedimentary sections from a transect of sites strategically positioned in the South Pacific to reconstruct key changes in oceanic and atmospheric circulation. These sites would have provided an unparalleled opportunity to add crucial new data and geographic coverage to existing reconstructions of Paleogene climate. In addition to the ~15 month postponement of Expedition 378 and subsequent port changes resulting in a reduction of the number of primary sites, testing and evaluation of the R/V JOIDES Resolution derrick in the weeks preceding the expedition determined that it would not support deployment of drill strings in excess of 2 km. Because of this determination, only 1 of the originally approved 7 primary sites was drilled. Expedition 378 recovered the first continuously cored, multiple-hole Paleogene sedimentary section from the southern Campbell Plateau at Site U1553. This high–southern latitude site builds on the legacy of Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Site 277, a single, partially spot cored hole, providing a unique opportunity to refine and augment existing reconstructions of the past ~66 My of climate history. This also includes the discovery of a new siliciclastic unit that had never been drilled before. As the world’s largest ocean, the Pacific Ocean is intricately linked to major changes in the global climate system. Previous drilling in the low-latitude Pacific Ocean during Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Legs 138 and 199 and Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expeditions 320 and 321 provided new insights into climate and carbon system dynamics, productivity changes across the zone of divergence, time-dependent calcium carbonate dissolution, bio- and magnetostratigraphy, the location of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, and evolutionary patterns for times of climatic change and upheaval. Expedition 378 in the South Pacific Ocean uniquely complements this work with a high-latitude perspective, especially because appropriate high-latitude records are unobtainable in the Northern Hemisphere of the Pacific Ocean. Site U1553 and the entire corpus of shore-based investigations will significantly contribute to the challenges of the “Climate and Ocean Change: Reading the Past, Informing the Future” theme of the IODP Science Plan (How does Earth’s climate system respond to elevated levels of atmospheric CO2? How resilient is the ocean to chemical perturbations?). Furthermore, Expedition 378 will provide material from the South Pacific Ocean in an area critical for high-latitude climate reconstructions spanning the Paleocene to late Oligocene