Nonlinear control design and averaging analysis of a full-bridge boost rectifier

We are considering the problem of controlling AC/DC full bridge converters. The control objectives are twofold:(i) guaranteeing a regulated voltage for the supplied load, (ii) enforcing power factor correction (PFC) with respect to the main supply network. The considered problem is dealt with using a nonlinear controller that involves two loops in cascade. The inner-loop is designed, using sliding mode approach, to cope with the PFC issue. The outer-loop is designed to regulate the converter output voltage. While several double-loop regulators (designed for different converters) can be found in the relevant literature, it is the first time that a so formal average analysis is developed that rigorously describes the controller performances. The development of such theoretical analysis framework is a major motivation of this paper.Postprint (published version

Nonlinear control of single-phase shunt active power filter. Theoretical analysis of closed-loop performances.

The problem of controlling single-phase shunt active power filter is addressed in presence of nonlinear loads. The control objective is twofold: (i) compensation of harmonic and reactive currents absorbed by the nonlinear load; (ii) regulation of the inverter output capacitor voltage. A two-loop cascade control strategy is developed that includes an inner-loop designed, using the backstepping technique, to cope with the compensation issue and an outer-loop designed to regulate the capacitor voltage. The controller performances are formally analysed, using the averaging theory. The analysis results are illustrated by simulation.Preprin

Overexpression of stathmin in breast carcinomas points out to highly proliferative tumours

We recently discovered that stathmin was overexpressed in a subgroup of human breast carcinomas. Stathmin is a cytosolic phosphoprotein proposed to act as a relay integrating diverse cell signalling pathways, notably during the control of cell growth and differentiation. It may also be considered as one of the key regulators of cell division for its ability to destabilize microtubules in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. To assess the significance of stathmin overexpression in breast cancer, we evaluated the correlation of stathmin expression, quantified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, with several disease parameters in a large series of human primary breast cancer (n = 133), obtained in strictly followed up women, whose clinico-pathological data were fully available. In agreement with our preliminary survey, stathmin was found overexpressed in a subgroup of tumours (22%). In addition, overexpression was correlated to the loss of steroid receptors (oestrogen, P = 0.0006; progesterone, P = 0.008), and to the Scarff–Bloom–Richardson histopathological grade III (P = 0.002), this latter being ascribable to the mitotic index component (P = 0.02). Furthermore studies at the DNA level indicated that stathmin is overexpressed irrespective of its genomic status. Our findings raise important questions concerning the causes and consequences of stathmin overexpression, and the reasons of its inability to counteract cell proliferation in the overexpression group. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig