Multi-variable LQG optimal control - restricted structure control for benchmarking and tuning

The paper introduces the benchmarking of multivarialbe systems using an offline optimal LQG approach

Benchmarking for process control with applications in the hot strip finishing steel mill

This paper describes how new benchmarking concepts can be applied to different aspects of process control performance assessment

High Spin Glueballs from the Lattice

We discuss the principles underlying higher spin glueball calculations on the lattice. For that purpose, we develop numerical techniques to rotate Wilson loops by arbitrary angles in lattice gauge theories close to the continuum. As a first application, we compute the glueball spectrum of the SU(2) gauge theory in 2+1 dimensions for both parities and for spins ranging from 0 up to 4 inclusive. We measure glueball angular wave functions directly, decomposing them in Fourier modes and extrapolating the Fourier coefficients to the continuum. This allows a reliable labelling of the continuum states and gives insight into the way rotation symmetry is recovered. As one of our results, we demonstrate that the D=2+1 SU(2) glueball conventionally labelled as J^P = 0^- is in fact 4^- and that the lightest ``J=1'' state has, in fact, spin 3.Comment: Minor changes in the text; the spin 4 glueball mass is taken further out in Euclidean time at higher beta values. 41 pages, 20 figure

Observations Concerning the Effects of Ruminal Evacuation on Intake and Ruminal Recovery of Dry Matter

The effect of repeated total ruminal evacuations on feed intake and animal behavior and rate of ruminal recovery expressed as percentage of feed bunk dry matter disappearance were observed in an observation trial with six Angus crossbred steers. Evacuation stimulated meal size and daily intake in comparison to that of a previous feeding. Feed intake decreased with consecutive evacuations. Two evacuation cycles at a 2-day interval may be the practical Limit to frequency of evacuations without a 1 to 2-week recovery period. Rate of recovery of dry matter from the rumen over a 4-hour period was extremely variable and not correlated with feed intake during the same period

A note on the incidence of soilborne fungi in six crops used in rotation with potatoes

L'incidence des champignons telluriques a été déterminée dans les tissus immédiatement sous la ligne de sol chez le trèfle (Trifolium hybridum et T. pratense), le pois (Pisum sativum), le soya (Glycine max), le ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) cultivés en rotation avec les pommes de terre (Solanum tuberosum). Les légumineuses avaient une incidence significativement plus élevée de Verticillium albo-atrum, Colletotrichum coccodes et Fusarium solani que les graminées. Les pois avaient l'incidence la plus élevée de V. albo-atrum et de F. solani. Le C. coccodes a été isolé plus fréquemment du soya que du trèfle, des pois, du ryegrass, de l'orge ou du blé d'automne. Le Verticillium dahliae a été isolé de toutes les cultures, excepté le trèfle. Les graminées avaient une incidence significativement plus élevée de V. dahliae que les légumineuses. L'incidence du Fusarium sambucinum était plus élevée chez le soya que chez les autres cultures. Le Fusarium oxysporum a été isolé plus fréquemment du soya et de l'orge. L'incidence la plus élevée de Rhizoctonia solani a été trouvée chez le trèfle mais il a été également isolé plus fréquemment du blé d'automne et du ryegrass que du soya et de l'orge.The incidence of soilborne fungi was determined in tissue immediately below the soil line of clover (Trifolium hybridum and T. pratense), peas (Pisum sativum), soybean (Glycine max), ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) grown in rotation with potatoes (Solarium tuberosum). Legume crops had significantly higher incidence of Verticillium albo-atrum, Colletotrichum coccodes, and Fusarium solani than the gramineaceous crops. Peas had the highest incidence of V. albo-atrum and F. solani.C. coccodes was isolated more frequently from soybean than from clover, peas, ryegrass, barley, or winter wheat. Verticillium dahliae was isolated from all crops except clover. Gramineaceous crops had a significantly higher incidence of V. dahliae than legume crops. The incidence of Fusarium sambucinum was higher in soybeans than all other crops. Fusarium oxysporum was isolated most frequently from soybeans and barley. The highest incidence of Rhizoctonia solani was in clover, but it was also isolated more frequently from winter wheat and ryegrass than from soybean and barley

Conservatives moral foundations are more densely connected than liberals’ moral foundations

We use network psychometrics to map a subsection of moral belief systems predicted by moral foundations theory (MFT). This approach conceptualizes moral systems as networks, with moral beliefs represented as nodes connected by direct relations. As such, it advances a novel test of MFT’s claim that liberals and conservatives have different systems of foundational moral values, which we test in three large datasets (N(Sample1) = 854; N(Sample2) = 679; N(Sample3) = 2,572), from two countries (the United States and New Zealand). Results supported our first hypothesis that liberals’ moral systems show more segregation between individualizing and binding foundations than conservatives. Results showed only weak support for our second hypothesis, that this pattern would be more typical of higher educated than less educated liberals/conservatives. Findings support a systems approach to MFT and show the value of modeling moral belief systems as networks

Green synthesis of Ag, Zn and Cu nanoparticles from aqueous extract of Spondias mombin leaves and evaluation of their antibacterial activity

Background: Nanotechnology offers an advantage as a green route for synthesis of metal nanoparticles (NPs) with plant extracts as capping agent. Spondias mombin is a fruit-bearing tree and its leaf extracts have been reported to possess anxiolytic, hypoglycaemic, antiepileptic, antipsychotic, sedative, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. The objective of the study is to determine the antibacterial potential of a simple non-toxic product of green synthesis of metallic (Ag, Zn and Cu) nanoparticles using the leaf of Spondias mombin aqueous extracts (SMAE) as a reducing and capping agents of the metal ions.Methodology: Nanoparticles were characterized by UV visible spectrophotometeric analysis, Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FT-IR) spectrophotometer and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Antimicrobial activities of synthesized NPs against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were determined by agar well diffusion technique.Results: The synthesized NPs varied in colour from dark brown to green and appears dominantly spherical, occasionally rod or triangular shaped with size ranging from 65-90 nm. UV spectroscopy absorption spectra of Ag, Zn and Cu NPs had absorbance peak at 267, 262 and 765 nm respectively. FT-IR spectrometry of Zn NP, Cu NP, and SMAE gave wave number ranging from 895.71-3320.67, 747.02-3225.45 and 658.25-3674.49 respectively. FT-IR analysis showed that SMAE acted as reducing and stabilizing agent while the NPs exhibited lower energy absorption band when compared to the plant extract. The NPs demonstrated higher antimicrobial activities against S. aureus than Ps. aeruginosa and E. coli. The antimicrobial activity was higher with copper NP than Ag and Zn NPs, and also higher than SMAE.Conclusion: The result from this study presents an indication for an alternative means for development of novel antimicrobial agents for clinical and biotechnological applications.Keywords: synthesis, nanoparticles, FT-IR, UV-visible spectrophotometry, antibacterial activitiesFrench Title: Synthèse verte de nanoparticules d'Ag, de Zn et de Cu à partir d'extrait aqueux de feuilles de Spondias mombin et évaluation de leur activité antibactérienneContexte: La nanotechnologie offre un avantage en tant que voie verte pour la synthèse de nanoparticules métalliques (NP) avec des extraits de plantes comme agent de coiffage. Spondias mombin est un arbre fruitier et ses extraits de feuilles possèdent des propriétés anxiolytiques,  hypoglycémiques, antiépileptiques, antipsychotiques, sédatives,  antioxydantes et antimicrobiennes. L’objectif de l’étude est de déterminer le potentiel antibactérien d’un simple produit non toxique de synthèse verte de nanoparticules métalliques (Ag, Zn et Cu) à l’aide de la feuille d’extraits aqueux de Spondias mombin (SMAE) en tant qu’agent réducteur et coiffant de la ions métalliques.Méthodologie: Les nanoparticules ont été caractérisées par analyse  spectrophotométrique UV visible, spectrophotomètre à transformée de Fourier infrarouge (FT-IR) et microscope électronique à balayage (MEB). Lesactivités antimicrobiennes de NP synthétisées contre Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus et Pseudomonas aeruginosa ont été déterminées par une technique de diffusion sur puits d’agar.Résultats: Les NP synthétisés ont une couleur allant du brun foncé au vert et apparaissent principalement sphériques, parfois en bâtonnets ou en triangles, avec des tailles allant de 65 à 90 nm. Les spectres  d'absorption par spectroscopie UV des NP Ag, Zn et Cu présentaient des pics  d'absorbance à 267, 262 et 765 nm respectivement. La spectrométrie FT-IR de Zn NP, Cu NP et SMAE a donné un nombre d'onde allant de 895,71 à 3320,67, 747,02 à 3225,45 et 658,25 à 3674,49 respectivement. L'analyse FT-IR a montré que le SMAE agissait en tant qu'agent réducteur et  stabilisant, alors que les NP présentaient une bande d'absorption d'énergie inférieure à celle de l'extrait de plante. Les NP ont démontré des activités antimicrobiennes plus élevées contre S. aureus que Ps. aeruginosa et E. coli. L'activité antimicrobienne était plus élevée avec les NP en cuivre que dans les NP Ag et Zn, et également supérieure à celle du SMAE.Conclusion: le résultat de cette étude présente une indication d'un autre moyen de développement de nouveaux agents antimicrobiens pour des applications cliniques et biotechnologiques.Mots-clés: synthèse, nanoparticules, FT-IR, spectrophotométrie UV-visible, activités antibactériennes

On thin plate spline interpolation

We present a simple, PDE-based proof of the result [M. Johnson, 2001] that the error estimates of [J. Duchon, 1978] for thin plate spline interpolation can be improved by $h^{1/2}$. We illustrate that ${\mathcal H}$-matrix techniques can successfully be employed to solve very large thin plate spline interpolation problem

Fitting a sum of exponentials to lattice correlation functions using a non-uniform prior

Excited states are extracted from lattice correlation functions using a non-uniform prior on the model parameters. Models for both a single exponential and a sum of exponentials are considered, as well as an alternate model for the orthogonalization of the correlation functions. Results from an analysis of torelon and glueball operators indicate the Bayesian methodology compares well with the usual interpretation of effective mass tables produced by a variational procedure. Applications of the methodology are discussed.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, 8 tables, major revision, final versio