Using transfer entropy to study synaptic integration in Purkinje cells

Peer reviewe

Nautical bottom sediment research: Sub report 8. Sediment parameter evolution in the STT

The Sediment Test Tank (STT) has been built on the terrain of Flanders Hydraulic Research (FHR) to host in-situ sediment for sediment studies. After delivery (16/04/2009) of 50 m³ of sediment from the harbour of Zeebrugge at a density of 1.14 m³/s, sedimentation and consolidation created vertical differences in the sediment in the STT. The measurements started on 21/04/2009. This report deals with the measurements until 26/05/2010.A whole range of parameters have been measured over time and depth to monitor the sediment characteristics as much as possible. Some parameters are measured in situ in the tank, e.g. measurements by the YSI-multiparameter probe and pore pressure measured by piezometric tubes. Other parameters are measured on undisturbed samples, e.g. density, rheological parameters and thermo-gravimetric analysis. This report gives the findings of the measurements and recommendations for further measurement campaigns in the STT

An iterative scheme for distributed model predictive control using Fenchel’s duality,

Abstract We present an iterative distributed version of Han's parallel method for convex optimization that can be used for distributed model predictive control (DMPC) of industrial processes described by dynamically coupled linear systems. The underlying decomposition technique relies on Fenchel's duality and allows subproblems to be solved using local communications only. We investigate two techniques aimed at improving the convergence rate of the iterative approach and illustrate the results using a numerical example. We conclude by discussing open issues of the proposed method and by providing an outlook on research in the field

Experimental study of formwork tightness as a function of rheological properties of SCC

Several studies relating formwork pressure to rheology exist, however the relationship between rheology and leakage through formwork joints remains to be investigated. In practice, standard documents are used to define formwork tightness requirements, typically using a qualitative approach. To try bridge this gap in knowledge, we developed a test set-up to study tightness of formwork joints under pressure as a function of varying rheological properties. Coupled with standard rheology tests, this new test set-up provides means of linking flow rate, formwork pressure, flow area, and the rheological properties. The study seeks to provide insight on measurable governing parameters and thus inform formwork tightness requirements in a more quantifiable manner. This paper presents a test set-up designed to study the flow of fresh paste through small openings. It highlights a preliminary study on the pressure-driven flow of limestone paste through a bottom orifice in a cylindrical container. While this new device may not be directly representative of the actual conditions in formwork, it provides a good base for a fundamental study that can then be extrapolated to a more representative test operation. Preliminary results show a linear relationship between the flow rate and the applied pressure. The results also show that increasing the flow area by a factor of 2.33 had a higher impact than an increase in yield stress and viscosity by a factor of 2.54 and 3.80 respectively. However, more tests need to be carried out to obtain clear trends

Authoritarian leadership and employee creativity: The moderating role of psychological capital and the mediating role of fear and defensive silence

© 2018 Elsevier Inc. Drawing from the transactional theory of stress, we examined the relationships between authoritarian leadership, fear, defensive silence, and ultimately employee creativity. We also explored the moderating effect of employee psychological capital on these mediated relationships. We tested our hypothesized model in two studies of employee-supervisor dyads working in Africa (Nigeria; Study 1) and Asia (China; Study 2). The results of Study 1 revealed that the negative relationship between authoritarian leadership and creativity was mediated by employee defensive silence. Extending these findings in a three-wave study in Study 2, our results revealed a more complex relationship. Specifically, our results showed that both fear and defensive silence serially mediated the link between authoritarian leadership and employee creativity. In addition, we found that this mediated relationship was moderated by employee psychological capital such that the relationship was stronger when psychological capital was low (versus high). Implications for both theory and practice are discussed

From High-Level Task Descriptions to Executable Robot Code

For robots to be productive co-workers in the manufacturing industry, it is necessary that their human colleagues can interact with them and instruct them in a simple manner. The goal of our research is to lower the threshold for humans to instruct manipulation tasks, especially sensorcontrolled assembly. In our previous work we have presented tools for high-level task instruction, while in this paper we present how these symbolic descriptions of object manipulation are translated into executable code for our hybrid industrial robot controllers

Nautical bottom sediment research: Sub report 11. Cohesive sediments dimensional analysis

The dimensional analysis technique was applied in order to determine possible relationships between the measured parameters in the STT and to identify possible inconsistencies in the measurements.The present dimensional analysis focuses only in the sedimentation and consolidation processes.Relationships between parameters could be used to identify inconsistencies for measured pore pressure, effective stresses and density values. Recommendations are suggested for sampling points and measuring methods