Robust and Resilient State Dependent Control of Discrete-Time Nonlinear Systems with General Performance Criteria

A novel state dependent control approach for discrete-time nonlinear systems with general performance criteria is presented. This controller is robust for unstructured model uncertainties, resilient against bounded feedback control gain perturbations in achieving optimality for general performance criteria to secure quadratic optimality with inherent asymptotic stability property together with quadratic dissipative type of disturbance reduction. For the system model, unstructured uncertainty description is assumed, which incorporates commonly used types of uncertainties, such as norm-bounded and positive real uncertainties as special cases. By solving a state dependent linear matrix inequality at each time step, sufficient condition for the control solution can be found which satisfies the general performance criteria. The results of this paper unify existing results on nonlinear quadratic regulator, H∞ and positive real control to provide a novel robust control design. The effectiveness of the proposed technique is demonstrated by simulation of the control of inverted pendulum

The protective role of pregnane X receptor in lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine-induced acute liver injury.

The pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a nuclear receptor transcription factor regulating drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters that facilitate xenobiotic and endobiotic detoxification. Recent studies show that PXR is important in abrogating intestinal tissue damage. This study examines the role of PXR in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/D-galactosamine (GalN)-induced acute liver injury using wild-type and PXR-null mice. LPS/GalN-treated PXR-null mice had greater increases of alanine transaminase (ALT), hepatocyte apoptosis, necrosis, and hemorrhagic liver injury than wild-type mice. LPS/GalN-mediated phosphorylation of JNK1/2 and ERK1/2 was differentially regulated in wild-type and PXR-null mice. Importantly, LPS/GalN-induced hepatic Stat3 survival signaling was impaired and early activation of Jak2 was delayed in PXR-null mice. Expression levels of pro-survival proteins Bcl-xL and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which are downstream of Stat3, were substantially lower in PXR-null than wild-type mouse livers after LPS/GalN treatment. Autophagy is also involved in LPS/GalN-induced liver injury. Lack of PXR resulted in a significant reduction of LC3B-I, -II as well as Beclin-1 protein levels after LPS/GalN treatment. In addition, PXR is implicated in hepatocytes homeostasis. Taken together, PXR is a critical hepatoprotective factor. Increases of LPS/GalN-induced hepatocyte apoptosis and liver injury in PXR-null mice are due to deregulated mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation as well as delayed Jak2/Stat3 activation, which lead to a compromise in defense mechanisms that involve Bcl-xL-, HO-1, and autophagy-mediated pathways

An Expenditure based Approach to Measuring Child Poverty in New Zealand

Poverty is complex, has many dimensions and is difficult to define and measure. When considering child poverty reduction policies, we must thus consider as many different dimensions as possible. In this way, researchers can provide data to build a comprehensive understanding of the issues, allowing decision makers to apply their own judgements. This study aims to provide such data by exploring how household expenditure data can add to our understanding of child poverty

Strategic Engagement and Religious Peace-building: a case study of religious peace work in Jerusalem

This article argues for the importance of a dialogue for strategic engagement and presents an analytical approach to it with reference to three different peacebuilding strategies in terms of conflict resolution theories. As a case study example, the article presents three religious organizations engaged in peacebuilding in Jerusalem and explores the different strategies utilized by them. The article further argues that each single strategy possesses a danger of going wrong, at the same time as each single strategy is a vital component as part of a parallel process along with the others – to achieve the common goal of conflict transformation

Modelling Child Poverty and Wellbeing the Treasury’s TAWA microsimulation model

Large tax–transfer microsimulation models can play a key role in guiding tax–transfer analysis and reform. This article discusses the Treasury’s microsimulation model of the tax–transfer system (the Tax and Welfare Analysis (TAWA) model), including how it is used and the standard outputs it produces. The article also considers whether these standard outputs continue to be fit for purpose. This includes a discussion of different ways of estimating poverty impacts, the role reporting should give to financial incentives to work, and the opportunities provided by improved data. This final point is particularly important for understanding take-up and the prospect for extending the model to cover non-financial measures