WorldWideScience

Sample records for time step control

  1. GOTHIC: Gravitational oct-tree code accelerated by hierarchical time step controlling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miki, Yohei; Umemura, Masayuki

    2017-04-01

    The tree method is a widely implemented algorithm for collisionless N-body simulations in astrophysics well suited for GPU(s). Adopting hierarchical time stepping can accelerate N-body simulations; however, it is infrequently implemented and its potential remains untested in GPU implementations. We have developed a Gravitational Oct-Tree code accelerated by HIerarchical time step Controlling named GOTHIC, which adopts both the tree method and the hierarchical time step. The code adopts some adaptive optimizations by monitoring the execution time of each function on-the-fly and minimizes the time-to-solution by balancing the measured time of multiple functions. Results of performance measurements with realistic particle distribution performed on NVIDIA Tesla M2090, K20X, and GeForce GTX TITAN X, which are representative GPUs of the Fermi, Kepler, and Maxwell generation of GPUs, show that the hierarchical time step achieves a speedup by a factor of around 3-5 times compared to the shared time step. The measured elapsed time per step of GOTHIC is 0.30 s or 0.44 s on GTX TITAN X when the particle distribution represents the Andromeda galaxy or the NFW sphere, respectively, with 224 = 16,777,216 particles. The averaged performance of the code corresponds to 10-30% of the theoretical single precision peak performance of the GPU.

  2. Implementation of Real-Time Machining Process Control Based on Fuzzy Logic in a New STEP-NC Compatible System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Po Hu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Implementing real-time machining process control at shop floor has great significance on raising the efficiency and quality of product manufacturing. A framework and implementation methods of real-time machining process control based on STEP-NC are presented in this paper. Data model compatible with ISO 14649 standard is built to transfer high-level real-time machining process control information between CAPP systems and CNC systems, in which EXPRESS language is used to define new STEP-NC entities. Methods for implementing real-time machining process control at shop floor are studied and realized on an open STEP-NC controller, which is developed using object-oriented, multithread, and shared memory technologies conjunctively. Cutting force at specific direction of machining feature in side mill is chosen to be controlled object, and a fuzzy control algorithm with self-adjusting factor is designed and embedded in the software CNC kernel of STEP-NC controller. Experiments are carried out to verify the proposed framework, STEP-NC data model, and implementation methods for real-time machining process control. The results of experiments prove that real-time machining process control tasks can be interpreted and executed correctly by the STEP-NC controller at shop floor, in which actual cutting force is kept around ideal value, whether axial cutting depth changes suddenly or continuously.

  3. Time step size selection for radiation diffusion calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rider, W.J.; Knoll, D.A.

    1999-01-01

    The purpose of this note is to describe a time step control technique as applied to radiation diffusion. Standard practice only provides a heuristic criteria related to the relative change in the dependent variables. The authors propose an alternative based on relatively simple physical principles. This time step control applies to methods of solution that are unconditionally stable and converges nonlinearities within a time step in the governing equations. Commonly, nonlinearities in the governing equations are evaluated using existing (old time) data. The authors refer to this as the semi-implicit (SI) method. When a method converges nonlinearities within a time step, the entire governing equation including all nonlinearities is self-consistently evaluated using advance time data (with appropriate time centering for accuracy)

  4. Unexpected perturbations training improves balance control and voluntary stepping times in older adults - a double blind randomized control trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurz, Ilan; Gimmon, Yoav; Shapiro, Amir; Debi, Ronen; Snir, Yoram; Melzer, Itshak

    2016-03-04

    Falls are common among elderly, most of them occur while slipping or tripping during walking. We aimed to explore whether a training program that incorporates unexpected loss of balance during walking able to improve risk factors for falls. In a double-blind randomized controlled trial 53 community dwelling older adults (age 80.1±5.6 years), were recruited and randomly allocated to an intervention group (n = 27) or a control group (n = 26). The intervention group received 24 training sessions over 3 months that included unexpected perturbation of balance exercises during treadmill walking. The control group performed treadmill walking with no perturbations. The primary outcome measures were the voluntary step execution times, traditional postural sway parameters and Stabilogram-Diffusion Analysis. The secondary outcome measures were the fall efficacy Scale (FES), self-reported late life function (LLFDI), and Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA). Compared to control, participation in intervention program that includes unexpected loss of balance during walking led to faster Voluntary Step Execution Times under single (p = 0.002; effect size [ES] =0.75) and dual task (p = 0.003; [ES] = 0.89) conditions; intervention group subjects showed improvement in Short-term Effective diffusion coefficients in the mediolateral direction of the Stabilogram-Diffusion Analysis under eyes closed conditions (p = 0.012, [ES] = 0.92). Compared to control there were no significant changes in FES, LLFDI, and POMA. An intervention program that includes unexpected loss of balance during walking can improve voluntary stepping times and balance control, both previously reported as risk factors for falls. This however, did not transferred to a change self-reported function and FES. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01439451 .

  5. Control Software for Piezo Stepping Actuators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shields, Joel F.

    2013-01-01

    A control system has been developed for the Space Interferometer Mission (SIM) piezo stepping actuator. Piezo stepping actuators are novel because they offer extreme dynamic range (centimeter stroke with nanometer resolution) with power, thermal, mass, and volume advantages over existing motorized actuation technology. These advantages come with the added benefit of greatly reduced complexity in the support electronics. The piezo stepping actuator consists of three fully redundant sets of piezoelectric transducers (PZTs), two sets of brake PZTs, and one set of extension PZTs. These PZTs are used to grasp and move a runner attached to the optic to be moved. By proper cycling of the two brake and extension PZTs, both forward and backward moves of the runner can be achieved. Each brake can be configured for either a power-on or power-off state. For SIM, the brakes and gate of the mechanism are configured in such a manner that, at the end of the step, the actuator is in a parked or power-off state. The control software uses asynchronous sampling of an optical encoder to monitor the position of the runner. These samples are timed to coincide with the end of the previous move, which may consist of a variable number of steps. This sampling technique linearizes the device by avoiding input saturation of the actuator and makes latencies of the plant vanish. The software also estimates, in real time, the scale factor of the device and a disturbance caused by cycling of the brakes. These estimates are used to actively cancel the brake disturbance. The control system also includes feedback and feedforward elements that regulate the position of the runner to a given reference position. Convergence time for smalland medium-sized reference positions (less than 200 microns) to within 10 nanometers can be achieved in under 10 seconds. Convergence times for large moves (greater than 1 millimeter) are limited by the step rate.

  6. Microprocessor controller for stepping motors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strait, B.G.; Thuot, M.E.

    1977-01-01

    A new concept for digital computer control of multiple stepping motors which operate in a severe electromagnetic pulse environment is presented. The motors position mirrors in the beam-alignment system of a 100-kJ CO 2 laser. An asynchronous communications channel of a computer is used to send coded messages, containing the motor address and stepping-command information, to the stepping-motor controller in a bit serial format over a fiber-optics communications link. The addressed controller responds by transmitting to the computer its address and other motor information, thus confirming the received message. Each controller is capable of controlling three stepping motors. The controller contains the fiber-optics interface, a microprocessor, and the stepping-motor driven circuits. The microprocessor program, which resides in an EPROM, decodes the received messages, transmits responses, performs the stepping-motor sequence logic, maintains motor-position information, and monitors the motor's reference switch. For multiple stepping-motor application, the controllers are connected in a daisy chain providing control of many motors from one asynchronous communications channel of the computer

  7. Multi-time-step domain coupling method with energy control

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mahjoubi, N.; Krenk, Steen

    2010-01-01

    the individual time step. It is demonstrated that displacement continuity between the subdomains leads to cancelation of the interface contributions to the energy balance equation, and thus stability and algorithmic damping properties of the original algorithms are retained. The various subdomains can...... by a numerical example using a refined mesh around concentrated forces. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd....

  8. Adaptive Time Stepping for Transient Network Flow Simulation in Rocket Propulsion Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majumdar, Alok K.; Ravindran, S. S.

    2017-01-01

    Fluid and thermal transients found in rocket propulsion systems such as propellant feedline system is a complex process involving fast phases followed by slow phases. Therefore their time accurate computation requires use of short time step initially followed by the use of much larger time step. Yet there are instances that involve fast-slow-fast phases. In this paper, we present a feedback control based adaptive time stepping algorithm, and discuss its use in network flow simulation of fluid and thermal transients. The time step is automatically controlled during the simulation by monitoring changes in certain key variables and by feedback. In order to demonstrate the viability of time adaptivity for engineering problems, we applied it to simulate water hammer and cryogenic chill down in pipelines. Our comparison and validation demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of this adaptive strategy.

  9. Effects of walking speed on the step-by-step control of step width.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stimpson, Katy H; Heitkamp, Lauren N; Horne, Joscelyn S; Dean, Jesse C

    2018-02-08

    Young, healthy adults walking at typical preferred speeds use step-by-step adjustments of step width to appropriately redirect their center of mass motion and ensure mediolateral stability. However, it is presently unclear whether this control strategy is retained when walking at the slower speeds preferred by many clinical populations. We investigated whether the typical stabilization strategy is influenced by walking speed. Twelve young, neurologically intact participants walked on a treadmill at a range of prescribed speeds (0.2-1.2 m/s). The mediolateral stabilization strategy was quantified as the proportion of step width variance predicted by the mechanical state of the pelvis throughout a step (calculated as R 2 magnitude from a multiple linear regression). Our ability to accurately predict the upcoming step width increased over the course of a step. The strength of the relationship between step width and pelvis mechanics at the start of a step was reduced at slower speeds. However, these speed-dependent differences largely disappeared by the end of a step, other than at the slowest walking speed (0.2 m/s). These results suggest that mechanics-dependent adjustments in step width are a consistent component of healthy gait across speeds and contexts. However, slower walking speeds may ease this control by allowing mediolateral repositioning of the swing leg to occur later in a step, thus encouraging slower walking among clinical populations with limited sensorimotor control. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  10. Multi-Time Step Service Restoration for Advanced Distribution Systems and Microgrids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Bo; Chen, Chen; Wang, Jianhui; Butler-Purry, Karen L.

    2017-01-01

    Modern power systems are facing increased risk of disasters that can cause extended outages. The presence of remote control switches (RCSs), distributed generators (DGs), and energy storage systems (ESS) provides both challenges and opportunities for developing post-fault service restoration methodologies. Inter-temporal constraints of DGs, ESS, and loads under cold load pickup (CLPU) conditions impose extra complexity on problem formulation and solution. In this paper, a multi-time step service restoration methodology is proposed to optimally generate a sequence of control actions for controllable switches, ESSs, and dispatchable DGs to assist the system operator with decision making. The restoration sequence is determined to minimize the unserved customers by energizing the system step by step without violating operational constraints at each time step. The proposed methodology is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model and can adapt to various operation conditions. Furthermore, the proposed method is validated through several case studies that are performed on modified IEEE 13-node and IEEE 123-node test feeders.

  11. The micro-step motor controller

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hong, Kwang Pyo; Lee, Chang Hee; Moon, Myung Kook; Choi, Bung Hun; Choi, Young Hyun; Cheon, Jong Gu

    2004-11-01

    The developed micro-step motor controller can handle 4 axes stepping motor drivers simultaneously and provide high power bipolar driving mechanism with constant current mode. It can be easily controlled by manual key functions and the motor driving status is displayed by the front panel VFD. Due to the development of several kinds of communication and driving protocol, PC can operate even several micro-step motor controllers at once by multi-drop connection

  12. Stepping movement analysis of control rod drive mechanism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Yantao; Zu Hongbiao

    2013-01-01

    Background: Control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) is one of the important safety-related equipment for nuclear power plants. Purpose: The operating parameters of stepping movement, including lifting loads, step distance and step velocity, are all critical design targets. Methods: FEA and numerical simulation are used to analyze stepping movement separately. Results: The motion equations of the movable magnet in stepping movement are established by load analysis. Gravitation, magnetic force, fluid resistance and spring force are all in consideration in the load analysis. The operating parameters of stepping movement are given. Conclusions: The results, including time history curves of force, speed and etc, can positively used in the design of CRDM. (authors)

  13. Revisionist integral deferred correction with adaptive step-size control

    KAUST Repository

    Christlieb, Andrew

    2015-03-27

    © 2015 Mathematical Sciences Publishers. Adaptive step-size control is a critical feature for the robust and efficient numerical solution of initial-value problems in ordinary differential equations. In this paper, we show that adaptive step-size control can be incorporated within a family of parallel time integrators known as revisionist integral deferred correction (RIDC) methods. The RIDC framework allows for various strategies to implement stepsize control, and we report results from exploring a few of them.

  14. Symplectic integrators with adaptive time steps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, A. S.; Finn, J. M.

    2012-01-01

    In recent decades, there have been many attempts to construct symplectic integrators with variable time steps, with rather disappointing results. In this paper, we identify the causes for this lack of performance, and find that they fall into two categories. In the first, the time step is considered a function of time alone, Δ = Δ(t). In this case, backward error analysis shows that while the algorithms remain symplectic, parametric instabilities may arise because of resonance between oscillations of Δ(t) and the orbital motion. In the second category the time step is a function of phase space variables Δ = Δ(q, p). In this case, the system of equations to be solved is analyzed by introducing a new time variable τ with dt = Δ(q, p) dτ. The transformed equations are no longer in Hamiltonian form, and thus do not benefit from integration methods which would be symplectic for Hamiltonian systems. We analyze two methods for integrating the transformed equations which do, however, preserve the structure of the original equations. The first is an extended phase space method, which has been successfully used in previous studies of adaptive time step symplectic integrators. The second, novel, method is based on a non-canonical mixed-variable generating function. Numerical trials for both of these methods show good results, without parametric instabilities or spurious growth or damping. It is then shown how to adapt the time step to an error estimate found by backward error analysis, in order to optimize the time-stepping scheme. Numerical results are obtained using this formulation and compared with other time-stepping schemes for the extended phase space symplectic method.

  15. Microcomputer-based stepping-motor controller

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, K.

    1983-04-01

    A microcomputer-controlled stepping motor is described. A Motorola MC68701 microcomputer unit is interfaced to a Cybernetic CY500 stored-program controller that outputs through Motorola input/output isolation modules to the stepping motor. A complex multifunction controller with enhanced capabilities is thus available with a minimum number of parts

  16. Solving point reactor kinetic equations by time step-size adaptable numerical methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liao Chaqing

    2007-01-01

    Based on the analysis of effects of time step-size on numerical solutions, this paper showed the necessity of step-size adaptation. Based on the relationship between error and step-size, two-step adaptation methods for solving initial value problems (IVPs) were introduced. They are Two-Step Method and Embedded Runge-Kutta Method. PRKEs were solved by implicit Euler method with step-sizes optimized by using Two-Step Method. It was observed that the control error has important influence on the step-size and the accuracy of solutions. With suitable control errors, the solutions of PRKEs computed by the above mentioned method are accurate reasonably. The accuracy and usage of MATLAB built-in ODE solvers ode23 and ode45, both of which adopt Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method, were also studied and discussed. (authors)

  17. One-Step-Ahead Predictive Control for Hydroturbine Governor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhihuai Xiao

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The hydroturbine generator regulating system can be considered as one system synthetically integrating water, machine, and electricity. It is a complex and nonlinear system, and its configuration and parameters are time-dependent. A one-step-ahead predictive control based on on-line trained neural networks (NNs for hydroturbine governor with variation in gate position is described in this paper. The proposed control algorithm consists of a one-step-ahead neuropredictor that tracks the dynamic characteristics of the plant and predicts its output and a neurocontroller to generate the optimal control signal. The weights of two NNs, initially trained off-line, are updated on-line according to the scalar error. The proposed controller can thus track operating conditions in real-time and produce the optimal control signal over the wide operating range. Only the inputs and outputs of the generator are measured and there is no need to determine the other states of the generator. Simulations have been performed with varying operating conditions and different disturbances to compare the performance of the proposed controller with that of a conventional PID controller and validate the feasibility of the proposed approach.

  18. Data-Based Predictive Control with Multirate Prediction Step

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barlow, Jonathan S.

    2010-01-01

    Data-based predictive control is an emerging control method that stems from Model Predictive Control (MPC). MPC computes current control action based on a prediction of the system output a number of time steps into the future and is generally derived from a known model of the system. Data-based predictive control has the advantage of deriving predictive models and controller gains from input-output data. Thus, a controller can be designed from the outputs of complex simulation code or a physical system where no explicit model exists. If the output data happens to be corrupted by periodic disturbances, the designed controller will also have the built-in ability to reject these disturbances without the need to know them. When data-based predictive control is implemented online, it becomes a version of adaptive control. One challenge of MPC is computational requirements increasing with prediction horizon length. This paper develops a closed-loop dynamic output feedback controller that minimizes a multi-step-ahead receding-horizon cost function with multirate prediction step. One result is a reduced influence of prediction horizon and the number of system outputs on the computational requirements of the controller. Another result is an emphasis on portions of the prediction window that are sampled more frequently. A third result is the ability to include more outputs in the feedback path than in the cost function.

  19. Time step MOTA thermostat simulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guthrie, G.L.

    1978-09-01

    The report details the logic, program layout, and operating procedures for the time-step MOTA (Materials Open Test Assembly) thermostat simulation program known as GYRD. It will enable prospective users to understand the operation of the program, run it, and interpret the results. The time-step simulation analysis was the approach chosen to determine the maximum value gain that could be used to minimize steady temperature offset without risking undamped thermal oscillations. The advantage of the GYRD program is that it directly shows hunting, ringing phenomenon, and similar events. Programs BITT and CYLB are faster, but do not directly show ringing time

  20. Aerial robot intelligent control method based on back-stepping

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Jian; Xue, Qian

    2018-05-01

    The aerial robot is characterized as strong nonlinearity, high coupling and parameter uncertainty, a self-adaptive back-stepping control method based on neural network is proposed in this paper. The uncertain part of the aerial robot model is compensated online by the neural network of Cerebellum Model Articulation Controller and robust control items are designed to overcome the uncertainty error of the system during online learning. At the same time, particle swarm algorithm is used to optimize and fix parameters so as to improve the dynamic performance, and control law is obtained by the recursion of back-stepping regression. Simulation results show that the designed control law has desired attitude tracking performance and good robustness in case of uncertainties and large errors in the model parameters.

  1. Data-based control of a multi-step forming process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulte, R.; Frey, P.; Hildenbrand, P.; Vogel, M.; Betz, C.; Lechner, M.; Merklein, M.

    2017-09-01

    The fourth industrial revolution represents a new stage in the organization and management of the entire value chain. However, concerning the field of forming technology, the fourth industrial revolution has only arrived gradually until now. In order to make a valuable contribution to the digital factory the controlling of a multistage forming process was investigated. Within the framework of the investigation, an abstracted and transferable model is used to outline which data have to be collected, how an interface between the different forming machines can be designed tangible and which control tasks must be fulfilled. The goal of this investigation was to control the subsequent process step based on the data recorded in the first step. The investigated process chain links various metal forming processes, which are typical elements of a multi-step forming process. Data recorded in the first step of the process chain is analyzed and processed for an improved process control of the subsequent process. On the basis of the gained scientific knowledge, it is possible to make forming operations more robust and at the same time more flexible, and thus create the fundament for linking various production processes in an efficient way.

  2. High-resolution seismic wave propagation using local time stepping

    KAUST Repository

    Peter, Daniel

    2017-03-13

    High-resolution seismic wave simulations often require local refinements in numerical meshes to accurately capture e.g. steep topography or complex fault geometry. Together with explicit time schemes, this dramatically reduces the global time step size for ground-motion simulations due to numerical stability conditions. To alleviate this problem, local time stepping (LTS) algorithms allow an explicit time stepping scheme to adapt the time step to the element size, allowing nearoptimal time steps everywhere in the mesh. This can potentially lead to significantly faster simulation runtimes.

  3. Time step length versus efficiency of Monte Carlo burnup calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dufek, Jan; Valtavirta, Ville

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Time step length largely affects efficiency of MC burnup calculations. • Efficiency of MC burnup calculations improves with decreasing time step length. • Results were obtained from SIE-based Monte Carlo burnup calculations. - Abstract: We demonstrate that efficiency of Monte Carlo burnup calculations can be largely affected by the selected time step length. This study employs the stochastic implicit Euler based coupling scheme for Monte Carlo burnup calculations that performs a number of inner iteration steps within each time step. In a series of calculations, we vary the time step length and the number of inner iteration steps; the results suggest that Monte Carlo burnup calculations get more efficient as the time step length is reduced. More time steps must be simulated as they get shorter; however, this is more than compensated by the decrease in computing cost per time step needed for achieving a certain accuracy

  4. Diffeomorphic image registration with automatic time-step adjustment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pai, Akshay Sadananda Uppinakudru; Klein, S.; Sommer, Stefan Horst

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, we propose an automated Euler's time-step adjustment scheme for diffeomorphic image registration using stationary velocity fields (SVFs). The proposed variational problem aims at bounding the inverse consistency error by adaptively adjusting the number of Euler's step required to r...... accuracy as a fixed time-step scheme however at a much less computational cost....

  5. Testing a stepped care model for binge-eating disorder: a two-step randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tasca, Giorgio A; Koszycki, Diana; Brugnera, Agostino; Chyurlia, Livia; Hammond, Nicole; Francis, Kylie; Ritchie, Kerri; Ivanova, Iryna; Proulx, Genevieve; Wilson, Brian; Beaulac, Julie; Bissada, Hany; Beasley, Erin; Mcquaid, Nancy; Grenon, Renee; Fortin-Langelier, Benjamin; Compare, Angelo; Balfour, Louise

    2018-05-24

    A stepped care approach involves patients first receiving low-intensity treatment followed by higher intensity treatment. This two-step randomized controlled trial investigated the efficacy of a sequential stepped care approach for the psychological treatment of binge-eating disorder (BED). In the first step, all participants with BED (n = 135) received unguided self-help (USH) based on a cognitive-behavioral therapy model. In the second step, participants who remained in the trial were randomized either to 16 weeks of group psychodynamic-interpersonal psychotherapy (GPIP) (n = 39) or to a no-treatment control condition (n = 46). Outcomes were assessed for USH in step 1, and then for step 2 up to 6-months post-treatment using multilevel regression slope discontinuity models. In the first step, USH resulted in large and statistically significant reductions in the frequency of binge eating. Statistically significant moderate to large reductions in eating disorder cognitions were also noted. In the second step, there was no difference in change in frequency of binge eating between GPIP and the control condition. Compared with controls, GPIP resulted in significant and large improvement in attachment avoidance and interpersonal problems. The findings indicated that a second step of a stepped care approach did not significantly reduce binge-eating symptoms beyond the effects of USH alone. The study provided some evidence for the second step potentially to reduce factors known to maintain binge eating in the long run, such as attachment avoidance and interpersonal problems.

  6. PID controller auto-tuning based on process step response and damping optimum criterion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavković, Danijel; Polak, Siniša; Zorc, Davor

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents a novel method of PID controller tuning suitable for higher-order aperiodic processes and aimed at step response-based auto-tuning applications. The PID controller tuning is based on the identification of so-called n-th order lag (PTn) process model and application of damping optimum criterion, thus facilitating straightforward algebraic rules for the adjustment of both the closed-loop response speed and damping. The PTn model identification is based on the process step response, wherein the PTn model parameters are evaluated in a novel manner from the process step response equivalent dead-time and lag time constant. The effectiveness of the proposed PTn model parameter estimation procedure and the related damping optimum-based PID controller auto-tuning have been verified by means of extensive computer simulations. © 2013 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Stabilization of a three-dimensional limit cycle walking model through step-to-step ankle control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Myunghee; Collins, Steven H

    2013-06-01

    Unilateral, below-knee amputation is associated with an increased risk of falls, which may be partially related to a loss of active ankle control. If ankle control can contribute significantly to maintaining balance, even in the presence of active foot placement, this might provide an opportunity to improve balance using robotic ankle-foot prostheses. We investigated ankle- and hip-based walking stabilization methods in a three-dimensional model of human gait that included ankle plantarflexion, ankle inversion-eversion, hip flexion-extension, and hip ad/abduction. We generated discrete feedback control laws (linear quadratic regulators) that altered nominal actuation parameters once per step. We used ankle push-off, lateral ankle stiffness and damping, fore-aft foot placement, lateral foot placement, or all of these as control inputs. We modeled environmental disturbances as random, bounded, unexpected changes in floor height, and defined balance performance as the maximum allowable disturbance value for which the model walked 500 steps without falling. Nominal walking motions were unstable, but were stabilized by all of the step-to-step control laws we tested. Surprisingly, step-by-step modulation of ankle push-off alone led to better balance performance (3.2% leg length) than lateral foot placement (1.2% leg length) for these control laws. These results suggest that appropriate control of robotic ankle-foot prosthesis push-off could make balancing during walking easier for individuals with amputation.

  8. Lateral stability of the spring-mass hopper suggests a two-step control strategy for running.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carver, Sean G; Cowan, Noah J; Guckenheimer, John M

    2009-06-01

    This paper investigates the control of running gaits in the context of a spring loaded inverted pendulum model in three dimensions. Specifically, it determines the minimal number of steps required for an animal to recover from a perturbation to a specified gait. The model has four control inputs per step: two touchdown angles (azimuth and elevation) and two spring constants (compression and decompression). By representing the locomotor movement as a discrete-time return map and using the implicit function theorem we show that the number of recovery steps needed following a perturbation depends upon the goals of the control mechanism. When the goal is to follow a straight line, two steps are necessary and sufficient for small lateral perturbations. Multistep control laws have a larger number of control inputs than outputs, so solutions of the control problem are not unique. Additional constraints, referred to here as synergies, are imposed to determine unique control inputs for perturbations. For some choices of synergies, two-step control can be expressed as two iterations of its first step policy and designed so that recovery occurs in just one step for all perturbations for which one-step recovery is possible.

  9. An explicit multi-time-stepping algorithm for aerodynamic flows

    OpenAIRE

    Niemann-Tuitman, B.E.; Veldman, A.E.P.

    1997-01-01

    An explicit multi-time-stepping algorithm with applications to aerodynamic flows is presented. In the algorithm, in different parts of the computational domain different time steps are taken, and the flow is synchronized at the so-called synchronization levels. The algorithm is validated for aerodynamic turbulent flows. For two-dimensional flows speedups in the order of five with respect to single time stepping are obtained.

  10. Time-optimal control of reactor power

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bernard, J.A.

    1987-01-01

    Control laws that permit adjustments in reactor power to be made in minimum time and without overshoot have been formulated and demonstrated. These control laws which are derived from the standard and alternate dynamic period equations, are closed-form expressions of general applicability. These laws were deduced by noting that if a system is subject to one or more operating constraints, then the time-optimal response is to move the system along these constraints. Given that nuclear reactors are subject to limitations on the allowed reactor period, a time-optimal control law would step the period from infinity to the minimum allowed value, hold the period at that value for the duration of the transient, and then step the period back to infinity. The change in reactor would therefore be accomplished in minimum time. The resulting control laws are superior to other forms of time-optimal control because they are general-purpose, closed-form expressions that are both mathematically tractable and readily implanted. Moreover, these laws include provisions for the use of feedback. The results of simulation studies and actual experiments on the 5 MWt MIT Research Reactor in which these time-optimal control laws were used successfully to adjust the reactor power are presented

  11. A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial of 6-Step vs 3-Step Hand Hygiene Technique in Acute Hospital Care in the United Kingdom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reilly, Jacqui S; Price, Lesley; Lang, Sue; Robertson, Chris; Cheater, Francine; Skinner, Kirsty; Chow, Angela

    2016-06-01

    OBJECTIVE To evaluate the microbiologic effectiveness of the World Health Organization's 6-step and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 3-step hand hygiene techniques using alcohol-based handrub. DESIGN A parallel group randomized controlled trial. SETTING An acute care inner-city teaching hospital (Glasgow). PARTICIPANTS Doctors (n=42) and nurses (n=78) undertaking direct patient care. INTERVENTION Random 1:1 allocation of the 6-step (n=60) or the 3-step (n=60) technique. RESULTS The 6-step technique was microbiologically more effective at reducing the median log10 bacterial count. The 6-step technique reduced the count from 3.28 CFU/mL (95% CI, 3.11-3.38 CFU/mL) to 2.58 CFU/mL (2.08-2.93 CFU/mL), whereas the 3-step reduced it from 3.08 CFU/mL (2.977-3.27 CFU/mL) to 2.88 CFU/mL (-2.58 to 3.15 CFU/mL) (P=.02). However, the 6-step technique did not increase the total hand coverage area (98.8% vs 99.0%, P=.15) and required 15% (95% CI, 6%-24%) more time (42.50 seconds vs 35.0 seconds, P=.002). Total hand coverage was not related to the reduction in bacterial count. CONCLUSIONS Two techniques for hand hygiene using alcohol-based handrub are promoted in international guidance, the 6-step by the World Health Organization and 3-step by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study provides the first evidence in a randomized controlled trial that the 6-step technique is superior, thus these international guidance documents should consider this evidence, as should healthcare organizations using the 3-step technique in practice. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;37:661-666.

  12. Newmark local time stepping on high-performance computing architectures

    KAUST Repository

    Rietmann, Max

    2016-11-25

    In multi-scale complex media, finite element meshes often require areas of local refinement, creating small elements that can dramatically reduce the global time-step for wave-propagation problems due to the CFL condition. Local time stepping (LTS) algorithms allow an explicit time-stepping scheme to adapt the time-step to the element size, allowing near-optimal time-steps everywhere in the mesh. We develop an efficient multilevel LTS-Newmark scheme and implement it in a widely used continuous finite element seismic wave-propagation package. In particular, we extend the standard LTS formulation with adaptations to continuous finite element methods that can be implemented very efficiently with very strong element-size contrasts (more than 100×). Capable of running on large CPU and GPU clusters, we present both synthetic validation examples and large scale, realistic application examples to demonstrate the performance and applicability of the method and implementation on thousands of CPU cores and hundreds of GPUs.

  13. Newmark local time stepping on high-performance computing architectures

    KAUST Repository

    Rietmann, Max; Grote, Marcus; Peter, Daniel; Schenk, Olaf

    2016-01-01

    In multi-scale complex media, finite element meshes often require areas of local refinement, creating small elements that can dramatically reduce the global time-step for wave-propagation problems due to the CFL condition. Local time stepping (LTS) algorithms allow an explicit time-stepping scheme to adapt the time-step to the element size, allowing near-optimal time-steps everywhere in the mesh. We develop an efficient multilevel LTS-Newmark scheme and implement it in a widely used continuous finite element seismic wave-propagation package. In particular, we extend the standard LTS formulation with adaptations to continuous finite element methods that can be implemented very efficiently with very strong element-size contrasts (more than 100×). Capable of running on large CPU and GPU clusters, we present both synthetic validation examples and large scale, realistic application examples to demonstrate the performance and applicability of the method and implementation on thousands of CPU cores and hundreds of GPUs.

  14. Newmark local time stepping on high-performance computing architectures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rietmann, Max, E-mail: max.rietmann@erdw.ethz.ch [Institute for Computational Science, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano (Switzerland); Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zurich (Switzerland); Grote, Marcus, E-mail: marcus.grote@unibas.ch [Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Basel (Switzerland); Peter, Daniel, E-mail: daniel.peter@kaust.edu.sa [Institute for Computational Science, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano (Switzerland); Institute of Geophysics, ETH Zurich (Switzerland); Schenk, Olaf, E-mail: olaf.schenk@usi.ch [Institute for Computational Science, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano (Switzerland)

    2017-04-01

    In multi-scale complex media, finite element meshes often require areas of local refinement, creating small elements that can dramatically reduce the global time-step for wave-propagation problems due to the CFL condition. Local time stepping (LTS) algorithms allow an explicit time-stepping scheme to adapt the time-step to the element size, allowing near-optimal time-steps everywhere in the mesh. We develop an efficient multilevel LTS-Newmark scheme and implement it in a widely used continuous finite element seismic wave-propagation package. In particular, we extend the standard LTS formulation with adaptations to continuous finite element methods that can be implemented very efficiently with very strong element-size contrasts (more than 100x). Capable of running on large CPU and GPU clusters, we present both synthetic validation examples and large scale, realistic application examples to demonstrate the performance and applicability of the method and implementation on thousands of CPU cores and hundreds of GPUs.

  15. An overview on STEP-NC compliant controller development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Othman, M. A.; Minhat, M.; Jamaludin, Z.

    2017-10-01

    The capabilities of conventional Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine tools as termination organiser to fabricate high-quality parts promptly, economically and precisely are undeniable. To date, most CNCs follow the programming standard of ISO 6983, also called G & M code. However, in fluctuating shop floor environment, flexibility and interoperability of current CNC system to react dynamically and adaptively are believed still limited. This outdated programming language does not explicitly relate to each other to have control of arbitrary locations other than the motion of the block-by-block. To address this limitation, new standard known as STEP-NC was developed in late 1990s and is formalized as an ISO 14649. It adds intelligence to the CNC in term of interoperability, flexibility, adaptability and openness. This paper presents an overview of the research work that have been done in developing a STEP-NC controller standard and the capabilities of STEP-NC to overcome modern manufacturing demands. Reviews stated that most existing STEP-NC controller prototypes are based on type 1 and type 2 implementation levels. There are still lack of effort being done to develop type 3 and type 4 STEP-NC compliant controller.

  16. Discrete-time control system design with applications

    CERN Document Server

    Rabbath, C A

    2014-01-01

    This book presents practical techniques of discrete-time control system design. In general, the design techniques lead to low-order dynamic compensators that ensure satisfactory closed-loop performance for a wide range of sampling rates. The theory is given in the form of theorems, lemmas, and propositions. The design of the control systems is presented as step-by-step procedures and algorithms. The proposed feedback control schemes are applied to well-known dynamic system models. This book also discusses: Closed-loop performance of generic models of mobile robot and airborne pursuer dynamic systems under discrete-time feedback control with limited computing capabilities Concepts of discrete-time models and sampled-data models of continuous-time systems, for both single- and dual-rate operation Local versus global digital redesign Optimal, closed-loop digital redesign methods Plant input mapping design Generalized holds and samplers for use in feedback control loops, Numerical simulation of fixed-point arithm...

  17. A two-step method for developing a control rod program for boiling water reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taner, M.S.; Levine, S.H.; Hsiao, M.Y.

    1992-01-01

    This paper reports on a two-step method that is established for the generation of a long-term control rod program for boiling water reactors (BWRs). The new method assumes a time-variant target power distribution in core depletion. In the new method, the BWR control rod programming is divided into two steps. In step 1, a sequence of optimal, exposure-dependent Haling power distribution profiles is generated, utilizing the spectral shift concept. In step 2, a set of exposure-dependent control rod patterns is developed by using the Haling profiles generated at step 1 as a target. The new method is implemented in a computer program named OCTOPUS. The optimization procedure of OCTOPUS is based on the method of approximation programming, in which the SIMULATE-E code is used to determine the nucleonics characteristics of the reactor core state. In a test in cycle length over a time-invariant, target Haling power distribution case because of a moderate application of spectral shift. No thermal limits of the core were violated. The gain in cycle length could be increased further by broadening the extent of the spetral shift

  18. Considerations for the independent reaction times and step-by-step methods for radiation chemistry simulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plante, Ianik; Devroye, Luc

    2017-10-01

    Ionizing radiation interacts with the water molecules of the tissues mostly by ionizations and excitations, which result in the formation of the radiation track structure and the creation of radiolytic species such as H.,.OH, H2, H2O2, and e-aq. After their creation, these species diffuse and may chemically react with the neighboring species and with the molecules of the medium. Therefore radiation chemistry is of great importance in radiation biology. As the chemical species are not distributed homogeneously, the use of conventional models of homogeneous reactions cannot completely describe the reaction kinetics of the particles. Actually, many simulations of radiation chemistry are done using the Independent Reaction Time (IRT) method, which is a very fast technique to calculate radiochemical yields but which do not calculate the positions of the radiolytic species as a function of time. Step-by-step (SBS) methods, which are able to provide such information, have been used only sparsely because these are time-consuming in terms of calculation. Recent improvements in computer performance now allow the regular use of the SBS method in radiation chemistry. The SBS and IRT methods are both based on the Green's functions of the diffusion equation (GFDE). In this paper, several sampling algorithms of the GFDE and for the IRT method are presented. We show that the IRT and SBS methods are exactly equivalent for 2-particles systems for diffusion and partially diffusion-controlled reactions between non-interacting particles. We also show that the results obtained with the SBS simulation method with periodic boundary conditions are in agreement with the predictions by classical reaction kinetics theory, which is an important step towards using this method for modelling of biochemical networks and metabolic pathways involved in oxidative stress. Finally, the first simulation results obtained with the code RITRACKS (Relativistic Ion Tracks) are presented.

  19. An explicit multi-time-stepping algorithm for aerodynamic flows

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Niemann-Tuitman, B.E.; Veldman, A.E.P.

    1997-01-01

    An explicit multi-time-stepping algorithm with applications to aerodynamic flows is presented. In the algorithm, in different parts of the computational domain different time steps are taken, and the flow is synchronized at the so-called synchronization levels. The algorithm is validated for

  20. Time-division-multiplex control scheme for voltage multiplier rectifiers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bin-Han Liu

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available A voltage multiplier rectifier with a novel time-division-multiplexing (TDM control scheme for high step-up converters is proposed in this study. In the proposed TDM control scheme, two full-wave voltage doubler rectifiers can be combined to realise a voltage quadrupler rectifier. The proposed voltage quadrupler rectifier can reduce transformer turn ratio and transformer size for high step-up converters and also reduce voltage stress for the output capacitors and rectifier diodes. An N-times voltage rectifier can be straightforwardly produced by extending the concepts from the proposed TDM control scheme. A phase-shift full-bridge (PSFB converter is adopted in the primary side of the proposed voltage quadrupler rectifier to construct a PSFB quadrupler converter. Experimental results for the PSFB quadrupler converter demonstrate the performance of the proposed TDM control scheme for voltage quadrupler rectifiers. An 8-times voltage rectifier is simulated to determine the validity of extending the proposed TDM control scheme to realise an N-times voltage rectifier. Experimental and simulation results show that the proposed TDM control scheme has great potential to be used in high step-up converters.

  1. The ATP hydrolysis and phosphate release steps control the time course of force development in rabbit skeletal muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sleep, John; Irving, Malcolm; Burton, Kevin

    2005-03-15

    The time course of isometric force development following photolytic release of ATP in the presence of Ca(2+) was characterized in single skinned fibres from rabbit psoas muscle. Pre-photolysis force was minimized using apyrase to remove contaminating ATP and ADP. After the initial force rise induced by ATP release, a rapid shortening ramp terminated by a step stretch to the original length was imposed, and the time course of the subsequent force redevelopment was again characterized. Force development after ATP release was accurately described by a lag phase followed by one or two exponential components. At 20 degrees C, the lag was 5.6 +/- 0.4 ms (s.e.m., n = 11), and the force rise was well fitted by a single exponential with rate constant 71 +/- 4 s(-1). Force redevelopment after shortening-restretch began from about half the plateau force level, and its single-exponential rate constant was 68 +/- 3 s(-1), very similar to that following ATP release. When fibres were activated by the addition of Ca(2+) in ATP-containing solution, force developed more slowly, and the rate constant for force redevelopment following shortening-restretch reached a maximum value of 38 +/- 4 s(-1) (n = 6) after about 6 s of activation. This lower value may be associated with progressive sarcomere disorder at elevated temperature. Force development following ATP release was much slower at 5 degrees C than at 20 degrees C. The rate constant of a single-exponential fit to the force rise was 4.3 +/- 0.4 s(-1) (n = 22), and this was again similar to that after shortening-restretch in the same activation at this temperature, 3.8 +/- 0.2 s(-1). We conclude that force development after ATP release and shortening-restretch are controlled by the same steps in the actin-myosin ATPase cycle. The present results and much previous work on mechanical-chemical coupling in muscle can be explained by a kinetic scheme in which force is generated by a rapid conformational change bracketed by two

  2. Is impaired control of reactive stepping related to falls during inpatient stroke rehabilitation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansfield, Avril; Inness, Elizabeth L; Wong, Jennifer S; Fraser, Julia E; McIlroy, William E

    2013-01-01

    Individuals with stroke fall more often than age-matched controls. Although many focus on the multifactorial nature of falls, the fundamental problem is likely the ability for an individual to generate reactions to recover from a loss of balance. Stepping reactions to recover balance are particularly important to balance recovery, and individuals with stroke have difficulty executing these responses to prevent a fall following a loss of balance. The purpose of this study is to determine if characteristics of balance recovery steps are related to falls during inpatient stroke rehabilitation. We conducted a retrospective review of individuals with stroke attending inpatient rehabilitation (n = 136). Details of falls experienced during inpatient rehabilitation were obtained from incident reports, nursing notes, and patient interviews. Stepping reactions were evoked using a "release-from-lean" postural perturbation. Poisson regression was used to determine characteristics of stepping reactions that were related to increased fall frequency relative to length of stay. In all, 20 individuals experienced 29 falls during inpatient rehabilitation. The characteristics of stepping reactions significantly related to increased fall rates were increased frequency of external assistance to prevent a fall to the floor, increased frequency of no-step responses, increased frequency of step responses with inadequate foot clearance, and delayed time to initiate stepping responses. Impaired control of balance recovery steps is related to increased fall rates during inpatient stroke rehabilitation. This study informs the specific features of stepping reactions that can be targeted with physiotherapy intervention during inpatient rehabilitation to improve dynamic stability control and potentially prevent falls.

  3. Stepping reaction time and gait adaptability are significantly impaired in people with Parkinson's disease: Implications for fall risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caetano, Maria Joana D; Lord, Stephen R; Allen, Natalie E; Brodie, Matthew A; Song, Jooeun; Paul, Serene S; Canning, Colleen G; Menant, Jasmine C

    2018-02-01

    Decline in the ability to take effective steps and to adapt gait, particularly under challenging conditions, may be important reasons why people with Parkinson's disease (PD) have an increased risk of falling. This study aimed to determine the extent of stepping and gait adaptability impairments in PD individuals as well as their associations with PD symptoms, cognitive function and previous falls. Thirty-three older people with PD and 33 controls were assessed in choice stepping reaction time, Stroop stepping and gait adaptability tests; measurements identified as fall risk factors in older adults. People with PD had similar mean choice stepping reaction times to healthy controls, but had significantly greater intra-individual variability. In the Stroop stepping test, the PD participants were more likely to make an error (48 vs 18%), took 715 ms longer to react (2312 vs 1517 ms) and had significantly greater response variability (536 vs 329 ms) than the healthy controls. People with PD also had more difficulties adapting their gait in response to targets (poorer stepping accuracy) and obstacles (increased number of steps) appearing at short notice on a walkway. Within the PD group, higher disease severity, reduced cognition and previous falls were associated with poorer stepping and gait adaptability performances. People with PD have reduced ability to adapt gait to unexpected targets and obstacles and exhibit poorer stepping responses, particularly in a test condition involving conflict resolution. Such impaired stepping responses in Parkinson's disease are associated with disease severity, cognitive impairment and falls. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Aggressive time step selection for the time asymptotic velocity diffusion problem

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hewett, D.W.; Krapchev, V.B.; Hizanidis, K.; Bers, A.

    1984-12-01

    An aggressive time step selector for an ADI algorithm is preseneted that is applied to the linearized 2-D Fokker-Planck equation including an externally imposed quasilinear diffusion term. This method provides a reduction in CPU requirements by factors of two or three compared to standard ADI. More important, the robustness of the procedure greatly reduces the work load of the user. The procedure selects a nearly optimal Δt with a minimum of intervention by the user thus relieving the need to supervise the algorithm. In effect, the algorithm does its own supervision by discarding time steps made with Δt too large

  5. Digital controller for stepping motor-driven X-ray diffractometer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naval, P.C. Jr.; Saligan, P.P.; Calix, V.B.S.

    1985-01-01

    Presented is a stepping motor controller for the Philips PW 1050 Vertical Goniometer featuring crystal-controlled scan rates of 4, 2, 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 degree per minute in the continuous scan mode, and step sizes of 0.005, 0.01, 0.02, 0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 degree when operated in the step scan mode. A slow rate of 96 degrees per minute is provided for positioning purposes. The TTL-implemented design accomodates upgrading to higher levels of automation by a simple substitution of the control logic card. (Auth.)

  6. Significant improvements of electrical discharge machining performance by step-by-step updated adaptive control laws

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Ming; Wu, Jianyang; Xu, Xiaoyi; Mu, Xin; Dou, Yunping

    2018-02-01

    In order to obtain improved electrical discharge machining (EDM) performance, we have dedicated more than a decade to correcting one essential EDM defect, the weak stability of the machining, by developing adaptive control systems. The instabilities of machining are mainly caused by complicated disturbances in discharging. To counteract the effects from the disturbances on machining, we theoretically developed three control laws from minimum variance (MV) control law to minimum variance and pole placements coupled (MVPPC) control law and then to a two-step-ahead prediction (TP) control law. Based on real-time estimation of EDM process model parameters and measured ratio of arcing pulses which is also called gap state, electrode discharging cycle was directly and adaptively tuned so that a stable machining could be achieved. To this end, we not only theoretically provide three proved control laws for a developed EDM adaptive control system, but also practically proved the TP control law to be the best in dealing with machining instability and machining efficiency though the MVPPC control law provided much better EDM performance than the MV control law. It was also shown that the TP control law also provided a burn free machining.

  7. Fast, controlled stepping drive for D2 filament ejection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amenda, W.; Lang, R.S.

    1985-01-01

    Centrifugal pellet injectors are required to refuel plasma machines. The pellet feed into the centrifuge should, if possible, be direct to keep the exit angle divergence small. The D 2 filaments used are first stored in a cryostat and then rapidly transported to the intake region of the centrifuge. An intermittent drive for fast, controlled ejection of D 2 filaments is described here. Mean filament speed of up to 0.6 m/s per step (1.2 mm) are achieved for the centrifugal pellet injector which refuels the ASDEX tokamak at Garching. The timing of the (81) step shifts can be synchronized with the rotor motion. The drive allows rates of up to 50 pellets per second. The drive method also seems to be suitable for direct feeding of other known centrifugal pellet injectors

  8. From quality control to quality systems in x-ray radiology. Step by step approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gendrutis Morkunas; Julius Ziliukas

    2007-01-01

    Complete test of publication follows. Quality systems in x-ray radiology as in any area of medical exposure is an important tool of optimization of radiation protection. Creation of these systems is related with a number of problems: limited resources, lack of knowledge and experience, negative attitude of hospitals staff and administration, lack of advice from outside. Problems related with transitionary period might be softened by the step by step approach. The following steps might be indicated: providing information on quality systems to hospital staff and administration, simple quality control procedures done by outside experts in hospitals, preparation of quality related procedures by hospital staff, practical implementation of quality control procedures done by hospital staff, preparation of quality manual by hospital staff, its integration into common quality system of hospital (if it is available) and constant development, measurements of performance indicators (e.g., patients' doses) and introduction of corrective measures if necessary, dissemination of experience by expert organizations and more advanced hospitals. These steps are to be discussed in the presentations based on Lithuanian experience since 1998.

  9. An adaptive time-stepping strategy for solving the phase field crystal model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Zhengru; Ma, Yuan; Qiao, Zhonghua

    2013-01-01

    In this work, we will propose an adaptive time step method for simulating the dynamics of the phase field crystal (PFC) model. The numerical simulation of the PFC model needs long time to reach steady state, and then large time-stepping method is necessary. Unconditionally energy stable schemes are used to solve the PFC model. The time steps are adaptively determined based on the time derivative of the corresponding energy. It is found that the use of the proposed time step adaptivity cannot only resolve the steady state solution, but also the dynamical development of the solution efficiently and accurately. The numerical experiments demonstrate that the CPU time is significantly saved for long time simulations

  10. Robust Control Charts for Time Series Data

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Croux, C.; Gelper, S.; Mahieu, K.

    2010-01-01

    This article presents a control chart for time series data, based on the one-step- ahead forecast errors of the Holt-Winters forecasting method. We use robust techniques to prevent that outliers affect the estimation of the control limits of the chart. Moreover, robustness is important to maintain

  11. Controlling dental enamel-cavity ablation depth with optimized stepping parameters along the focal plane normal using a three axis, numerically controlled picosecond laser.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Fusong; Lv, Peijun; Wang, Dangxiao; Wang, Lei; Sun, Yuchun; Wang, Yong

    2015-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to establish a depth-control method in enamel-cavity ablation by optimizing the timing of the focal-plane-normal stepping and the single-step size of a three axis, numerically controlled picosecond laser. Although it has been proposed that picosecond lasers may be used to ablate dental hard tissue, the viability of such a depth-control method in enamel-cavity ablation remains uncertain. Forty-two enamel slices with approximately level surfaces were prepared and subjected to two-dimensional ablation by a picosecond laser. The additive-pulse layer, n, was set to 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70. A three-dimensional microscope was then used to measure the ablation depth, d, to obtain a quantitative function relating n and d. Six enamel slices were then subjected to three dimensional ablation to produce 10 cavities, respectively, with additive-pulse layer and single-step size set to corresponding values. The difference between the theoretical and measured values was calculated for both the cavity depth and the ablation depth of a single step. These were used to determine minimum-difference values for both the additive-pulse layer (n) and single-step size (d). When the additive-pulse layer and the single-step size were set 5 and 45, respectively, the depth error had a minimum of 2.25 μm, and 450 μm deep enamel cavities were produced. When performing three-dimensional ablating of enamel with a picosecond laser, adjusting the timing of the focal-plane-normal stepping and the single-step size allows for the control of ablation-depth error to the order of micrometers.

  12. Memory controllers for real-time embedded systems predictable and composable real-time systems

    CERN Document Server

    Akesson, Benny

    2012-01-01

      Verification of real-time requirements in systems-on-chip becomes more complex as more applications are integrated. Predictable and composable systems can manage the increasing complexity using formal verification and simulation.  This book explains the concepts of predictability and composability and shows how to apply them to the design and analysis of a memory controller, which is a key component in any real-time system. This book is generally intended for readers interested in Systems-on-Chips with real-time applications.   It is especially well-suited for readers looking to use SDRAM memories in systems with hard or firm real-time requirements. There is a strong focus on real-time concepts, such as predictability and composability, as well as a brief discussion about memory controller architectures for high-performance computing. Readers will learn step-by-step how to go from an unpredictable SDRAM memory, offering highly variable bandwidth and latency, to a predictable and composable shared memory...

  13. Coherent states for the time dependent harmonic oscillator: the step function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moya-Cessa, Hector; Fernandez Guasti, Manuel

    2003-01-01

    We study the time evolution for the quantum harmonic oscillator subjected to a sudden change of frequency. It is based on an approximate analytic solution to the time dependent Ermakov equation for a step function. This approach allows for a continuous treatment that differs from former studies that involve the matching of two time independent solutions at the time when the step occurs

  14. Revisionist integral deferred correction with adaptive step-size control

    KAUST Repository

    Christlieb, Andrew; Macdonald, Colin; Ong, Benjamin; Spiteri, Raymond

    2015-01-01

    © 2015 Mathematical Sciences Publishers. Adaptive step-size control is a critical feature for the robust and efficient numerical solution of initial-value problems in ordinary differential equations. In this paper, we show that adaptive step

  15. Aging effect on step adjustments and stability control in visually perturbed gait initiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Ruopeng; Cui, Chuyi; Shea, John B

    2017-10-01

    Gait adaptability is essential for fall avoidance during locomotion. It requires the ability to rapidly inhibit original motor planning, select and execute alternative motor commands, while also maintaining the stability of locomotion. This study investigated the aging effect on gait adaptability and dynamic stability control during a visually perturbed gait initiation task. A novel approach was used such that the anticipatory postural adjustment (APA) during gait initiation were used to trigger the unpredictable relocation of a foot-size stepping target. Participants (10 young adults and 10 older adults) completed visually perturbed gait initiation in three adjustment timing conditions (early, intermediate, late; all extracted from the stereotypical APA pattern) and two adjustment direction conditions (medial, lateral). Stepping accuracy, foot rotation at landing, and Margin of Dynamic Stability (MDS) were analyzed and compared across test conditions and groups using a linear mixed model. Stepping accuracy decreased as a function of adjustment timing as well as stepping direction, with older subjects exhibited a significantly greater undershoot in foot placement to late lateral stepping. Late adjustment also elicited a reaching-like movement (i.e. foot rotation prior to landing in order to step on the target), regardless of stepping direction. MDS measures in the medial-lateral and anterior-posterior direction revealed both young and older adults exhibited reduced stability in the adjustment step and subsequent steps. However, young adults returned to stable gait faster than older adults. These findings could be useful for future study of screening deficits in gait adaptability and preventing falls. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Perturbed Strong Stability Preserving Time-Stepping Methods For Hyperbolic PDEs

    KAUST Repository

    Hadjimichael, Yiannis

    2017-09-30

    A plethora of physical phenomena are modelled by hyperbolic partial differential equations, for which the exact solution is usually not known. Numerical methods are employed to approximate the solution to hyperbolic problems; however, in many cases it is difficult to satisfy certain physical properties while maintaining high order of accuracy. In this thesis, we develop high-order time-stepping methods that are capable of maintaining stability constraints of the solution, when coupled with suitable spatial discretizations. Such methods are called strong stability preserving (SSP) time integrators, and we mainly focus on perturbed methods that use both upwind- and downwind-biased spatial discretizations. Firstly, we introduce a new family of third-order implicit Runge–Kuttas methods with arbitrarily large SSP coefficient. We investigate the stability and accuracy of these methods and we show that they perform well on hyperbolic problems with large CFL numbers. Moreover, we extend the analysis of SSP linear multistep methods to semi-discretized problems for which different terms on the right-hand side of the initial value problem satisfy different forward Euler (or circle) conditions. Optimal perturbed and additive monotonicity-preserving linear multistep methods are studied in the context of such problems. Optimal perturbed methods attain augmented monotonicity-preserving step sizes when the different forward Euler conditions are taken into account. On the other hand, we show that optimal SSP additive methods achieve a monotonicity-preserving step-size restriction no better than that of the corresponding non-additive SSP linear multistep methods. Furthermore, we develop the first SSP linear multistep methods of order two and three with variable step size, and study their optimality. We describe an optimal step-size strategy and demonstrate the effectiveness of these methods on various one- and multi-dimensional problems. Finally, we establish necessary conditions

  17. Gait parameter control timing with dynamic manual contact or visual cues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Peter; Werner, William

    2016-01-01

    We investigated the timing of gait parameter changes (stride length, peak toe velocity, and double-, single-support, and complete step duration) to control gait speed. Eleven healthy participants adjusted their gait speed on a treadmill to maintain a constant distance between them and a fore-aft oscillating cue (a place on a conveyor belt surface). The experimental design balanced conditions of cue modality (vision: eyes-open; manual contact: eyes-closed while touching the cue); treadmill speed (0.2, 0.4, 0.85, and 1.3 m/s); and cue motion (none, ±10 cm at 0.09, 0.11, and 0.18 Hz). Correlation analyses revealed a number of temporal relationships between gait parameters and cue speed. The results suggest that neural control ranged from feedforward to feedback. Specifically, step length preceded cue velocity during double-support duration suggesting anticipatory control. Peak toe velocity nearly coincided with its most-correlated cue velocity during single-support duration. The toe-off concluding step and double-support durations followed their most-correlated cue velocity, suggesting feedback control. Cue-tracking accuracy and cue velocity correlations with timing parameters were higher with the manual contact cue than visual cue. The cue/gait timing relationships generalized across cue modalities, albeit with greater delays of step-cycle events relative to manual contact cue velocity. We conclude that individual kinematic parameters of gait are controlled to achieve a desired velocity at different specific times during the gait cycle. The overall timing pattern of instantaneous cue velocities associated with different gait parameters is conserved across cues that afford different performance accuracies. This timing pattern may be temporally shifted to optimize control. Different cue/gait parameter latencies in our nonadaptation paradigm provide general-case evidence of the independent control of gait parameters previously demonstrated in gait adaptation paradigms

  18. Gait parameter control timing with dynamic manual contact or visual cues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rabin, Ely; Shi, Peter; Werner, William

    2016-06-01

    We investigated the timing of gait parameter changes (stride length, peak toe velocity, and double-, single-support, and complete step duration) to control gait speed. Eleven healthy participants adjusted their gait speed on a treadmill to maintain a constant distance between them and a fore-aft oscillating cue (a place on a conveyor belt surface). The experimental design balanced conditions of cue modality (vision: eyes-open; manual contact: eyes-closed while touching the cue); treadmill speed (0.2, 0.4, 0.85, and 1.3 m/s); and cue motion (none, ±10 cm at 0.09, 0.11, and 0.18 Hz). Correlation analyses revealed a number of temporal relationships between gait parameters and cue speed. The results suggest that neural control ranged from feedforward to feedback. Specifically, step length preceded cue velocity during double-support duration suggesting anticipatory control. Peak toe velocity nearly coincided with its most-correlated cue velocity during single-support duration. The toe-off concluding step and double-support durations followed their most-correlated cue velocity, suggesting feedback control. Cue-tracking accuracy and cue velocity correlations with timing parameters were higher with the manual contact cue than visual cue. The cue/gait timing relationships generalized across cue modalities, albeit with greater delays of step-cycle events relative to manual contact cue velocity. We conclude that individual kinematic parameters of gait are controlled to achieve a desired velocity at different specific times during the gait cycle. The overall timing pattern of instantaneous cue velocities associated with different gait parameters is conserved across cues that afford different performance accuracies. This timing pattern may be temporally shifted to optimize control. Different cue/gait parameter latencies in our nonadaptation paradigm provide general-case evidence of the independent control of gait parameters previously demonstrated in gait adaptation paradigms

  19. High-resolution seismic wave propagation using local time stepping

    KAUST Repository

    Peter, Daniel; Rietmann, Max; Galvez, Percy; Ampuero, Jean Paul

    2017-01-01

    High-resolution seismic wave simulations often require local refinements in numerical meshes to accurately capture e.g. steep topography or complex fault geometry. Together with explicit time schemes, this dramatically reduces the global time step

  20. Molecular dynamics based enhanced sampling of collective variables with very large time steps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Pei-Yang; Tuckerman, Mark E.

    2018-01-01

    Enhanced sampling techniques that target a set of collective variables and that use molecular dynamics as the driving engine have seen widespread application in the computational molecular sciences as a means to explore the free-energy landscapes of complex systems. The use of molecular dynamics as the fundamental driver of the sampling requires the introduction of a time step whose magnitude is limited by the fastest motions in a system. While standard multiple time-stepping methods allow larger time steps to be employed for the slower and computationally more expensive forces, the maximum achievable increase in time step is limited by resonance phenomena, which inextricably couple fast and slow motions. Recently, we introduced deterministic and stochastic resonance-free multiple time step algorithms for molecular dynamics that solve this resonance problem and allow ten- to twenty-fold gains in the large time step compared to standard multiple time step algorithms [P. Minary et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 150201 (2004); B. Leimkuhler et al., Mol. Phys. 111, 3579-3594 (2013)]. These methods are based on the imposition of isokinetic constraints that couple the physical system to Nosé-Hoover chains or Nosé-Hoover Langevin schemes. In this paper, we show how to adapt these methods for collective variable-based enhanced sampling techniques, specifically adiabatic free-energy dynamics/temperature-accelerated molecular dynamics, unified free-energy dynamics, and by extension, metadynamics, thus allowing simulations employing these methods to employ similarly very large time steps. The combination of resonance-free multiple time step integrators with free-energy-based enhanced sampling significantly improves the efficiency of conformational exploration.

  1. [Collaborative application of BEPS at different time steps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Wei; Fan, Wen Yi; Tian, Tian

    2016-09-01

    BEPSHourly is committed to simulate the ecological and physiological process of vegetation at hourly time steps, and is often applied to analyze the diurnal change of gross primary productivity (GPP), net primary productivity (NPP) at site scale because of its more complex model structure and time-consuming solving process. However, daily photosynthetic rate calculation in BEPSDaily model is simpler and less time-consuming, not involving many iterative processes. It is suitable for simulating the regional primary productivity and analyzing the spatial distribution of regional carbon sources and sinks. According to the characteristics and applicability of BEPSDaily and BEPSHourly models, this paper proposed a method of collaborative application of BEPS at daily and hourly time steps. Firstly, BEPSHourly was used to optimize the main photosynthetic parameters: the maximum rate of carboxylation (V c max ) and the maximum rate of photosynthetic electron transport (J max ) at site scale, and then the two optimized parameters were introduced into BEPSDaily model to estimate regional NPP at regional scale. The results showed that optimization of the main photosynthesis parameters based on the flux data could improve the simulate ability of the model. The primary productivity of different forest types in descending order was deciduous broad-leaved forest, mixed forest, coniferous forest in 2011. The collaborative application of carbon cycle models at different steps proposed in this study could effectively optimize the main photosynthesis parameters V c max and J max , simulate the monthly averaged diurnal GPP, NPP, calculate the regional NPP, and analyze the spatial distribution of regional carbon sources and sinks.

  2. Evaluation of 'period-generated' control laws for the time-optimal control of reactor power

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bernard, J.A.

    1988-01-01

    Time-Optimal control of neutronic power has recently been achieved by developing control laws that determine the actuator mechanism velocity necessary to produce a specified reactor period. These laws are designated as the 'MIT-SNL Period-Generated Minimum Time Control Laws'. Relative to time-optimal response, they function by altering the rate of change of reactivity so that the instantaneous period is stepped from infinity to its minimum allowed value, held at that value until the desired power level is attained, and then stepped back to infinity. The results of a systematic evaluation of these laws are presented. The behavior of each term in the control laws is shown and the capability of these laws to control properly the reactor power is demonstrated. Factors affecting the implementation of these laws, such as the prompt neutron lifetime and the differential reactivity worth of the actuators, are discussed. Finally, the results of an experimental study in which these laws were used to adjust the power of the 5 MWt MIT Research Reactor are shown. The information presented should be of interest to those designing high performance control systems for test, spacecraft, or, in certain instances, commercial reactors

  3. The importance of time-stepping errors in ocean models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, P. D.

    2011-12-01

    Many ocean models use leapfrog time stepping. The Robert-Asselin (RA) filter is usually applied after each leapfrog step, to control the computational mode. However, it will be shown in this presentation that the RA filter generates very large amounts of numerical diapycnal mixing. In some ocean models, the numerical diapycnal mixing from the RA filter is as large as the physical diapycnal mixing. This lowers our confidence in the fidelity of the simulations. In addition to the above problem, the RA filter also damps the physical solution and degrades the numerical accuracy. These two concomitant problems occur because the RA filter does not conserve the mean state, averaged over the three time slices on which it operates. The presenter has recently proposed a simple modification to the RA filter, which does conserve the three-time-level mean state. The modified filter has become known as the Robert-Asselin-Williams (RAW) filter. When used in conjunction with the leapfrog scheme, the RAW filter eliminates the numerical damping of the physical solution and increases the amplitude accuracy by two orders, yielding third-order accuracy. The phase accuracy is unaffected and remains second-order. The RAW filter can easily be incorporated into existing models of the ocean, typically via the insertion of just a single line of code. Better simulations are obtained, at almost no additional computational expense. Results will be shown from recent implementations of the RAW filter in various ocean models. For example, in the UK Met Office Hadley Centre ocean model, sea-surface temperature and sea-ice biases in the North Atlantic Ocean are found to be reduced. These improvements are encouraging for the use of the RAW filter in other ocean models.

  4. TRIANA. A control strategy for Smart Grids. Forecasting, planning and real-time control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bakker, V.

    2012-01-01

    Increasing demand, extra fluctuation and a large share of distributed electricity generation will put more stress on the electricity supply chain. Therefore, changes are required in the supply chain to maintain a properly functioning, stable and affordable grid. Currently the supply chain is completely driven by demand by constantly adapting the production to the demand. The exploitation of flexibility on the demand side of the supply chain allows for a more efficient and sustainable electricity production. Techniques like controllable distributed generation, distributed storage, and smart appliances can introduce this required flexibility. To exploit the new flexibility, the grid has to become more intelligent, i.e. become a Smart Grid. In this thesis TRIANA, a three step control strategy for the Smart Grid is presented. In the first step of TRIANA, the forecasting step, the scheduling freedom (flexibility) of a device is determined for each individual device by a local controller. In the second step, a (central) planner tries to exploit the freedom of the devices determined in the first step for his objective. The last step of TRIANA is the real-time control step performed by the local controller achieving the planning in the best possible way. In order to analyze the impact of control methodologies for Smart Grid, a simulator based on an energy model has been built. The basic elements of the model are individual devices and between devices energy streams are defined. The energy streams are connected via so called pools, which represent the physical connections between the devices. To study the effectiveness of the control methodology and study the most economic use of the flexibility of devices, multiple scenarios have been simulated. Simulations show that TRIANA can optimize the energy flows and can control the operation of the domestic devices in an economic manner without discomfort for the residents. TRIANA is a methodology capable of adjusting the energy

  5. Studies on steps affecting tritium residence time in solid blanket

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanaka, Satoru

    1987-01-01

    For the self sustaining of CTR fuel cycle, the effective tritium recovery from blankets is essential. This means that not only tritium breeding ratio must be larger than 1.0, but also high recovering speed is required for the short residence time of tritium in blankets. Short residence time means that the tritium inventory in blankets is small. In this paper, the tritium residence time and tritium inventory in a solid blanket are modeled by considering the steps constituting tritium release. Some of these tritium migration processes were experimentally evaluated. The tritium migration steps in a solid blanket using sintered breeding materials consist of diffusion in grains, desorption at grain edges, diffusion and permeation through grain boundaries, desorption at particle edges, diffusion and percolation through interconnected pores to purging stream, and convective mass transfer to stream. Corresponding to these steps, diffusive, soluble, adsorbed and trapped tritium inventories and the tritium in gas phase are conceivable. The code named TTT was made for calculating these tritium inventories and the residence time of tritium. An example of the results of calculation is shown. The blanket is REPUTER-1, which is the conceptual design of a commercial reversed field pinch fusion reactor studied at the University of Tokyo. The experimental studies on the migration steps of tritium are reported. (Kako, I.)

  6. Three-year randomized controlled clinical study of a one step universal adhesive and a two-step self-etch adhesive in Class II resin composite restorations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    van Dijken, Jan WV; Pallesen, Ulla

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate in a randomized clinical evaluation the 3-year clinical durability of a one-step universal adhesive bonding system and compare it intraindividually with a 2-step self-etch adhesive in Class II restorations. Materials and Methods: Each of 57 participants (mean age 58.3 yr......) received at least two, as similar as possible, extended Class II restorations. The cavities in each of the 60 individual pairs of cavities were randomly distributed to the 1-step universal adhesive (All Bond Universal: AU) and the control 2-step self-etch adhesive (Optibond XTR: OX). A low shrinkage resin......) success rates (p>0.05). Annual failure rates were 1.8% and 2.6%, respectively.The main reason for failure was resin composite fracture. Conclusion: Class II resin composite restorations placed with a one-step universal adhesive showed good short time effectiveness....

  7. Optimal order and time-step criterion for Aarseth-type N-body integrators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Makino, Junichiro

    1991-01-01

    How the selection of the time-step criterion and the order of the integrator change the efficiency of Aarseth-type N-body integrators is discussed. An alternative to Aarseth's scheme based on the direct calculation of the time derivative of the force using the Hermite interpolation is compared to Aarseth's scheme, which uses the Newton interpolation to construct the predictor and corrector. How the number of particles in the system changes the behavior of integrators is examined. The Hermite scheme allows a time step twice as large as that for the standard Aarseth scheme for the same accuracy. The calculation cost of the Hermite scheme per time step is roughly twice as much as that of the standard Aarseth scheme. The optimal order of the integrators depends on both the particle number and the accuracy required. The time-step criterion of the standard Aarseth scheme is found to be inapplicable to higher-order integrators, and a more uniformly reliable criterion is proposed. 18 refs

  8. Systematic identification and robust control design for uncertain time delay processes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Huusom, Jakob Kjøbsted; Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad; Jørgensen, Sten Bay

    2011-01-01

    A systematic procedure is proposed to handle the standard process control problem. The considered standard problem involves infrequent step disturbances to processes with large delays and measurement noise. The process is modeled as an ARX model and extended with a suitable noise model in order...... to reject unmeasured step disturbances and unavoidable model errors. This controller is illustrated to perform well for both set point tracking and a disturbance rejection for a SISO process example of a furnace which has a time delay which is significantly longer than the dominating time constant....

  9. A novel instrumented multipeg running wheel system, Step-Wheel, for monitoring and controlling complex sequential stepping in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitsukawa, Takashi; Nagata, Masatoshi; Yanagihara, Dai; Tomioka, Ryohei; Utsumi, Hideko; Kubota, Yasuo; Yagi, Takeshi; Graybiel, Ann M; Yamamori, Tetsuo

    2011-07-01

    Motor control is critical in daily life as well as in artistic and athletic performance and thus is the subject of intense interest in neuroscience. Mouse models of movement disorders have proven valuable for many aspects of investigation, but adequate methods for analyzing complex motor control in mouse models have not been fully established. Here, we report the development of a novel running-wheel system that can be used to evoke simple and complex stepping patterns in mice. The stepping patterns are controlled by spatially organized pegs, which serve as footholds that can be arranged in adjustable, ladder-like configurations. The mice run as they drink water from a spout, providing reward, while the wheel turns at a constant speed. The stepping patterns of the mice can thus be controlled not only spatially, but also temporally. A voltage sensor to detect paw touches is attached to each peg, allowing precise registration of footfalls. We show that this device can be used to analyze patterns of complex motor coordination in mice. We further demonstrate that it is possible to measure patterns of neural activity with chronically implanted tetrodes as the mice engage in vigorous running bouts. We suggest that this instrumented multipeg running wheel (which we name the Step-Wheel System) can serve as an important tool in analyzing motor control and motor learning in mice.

  10. Formulation of an explicit-multiple-time-step time integration method for use in a global primitive equation grid model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chao, W. C.

    1982-01-01

    With appropriate modifications, a recently proposed explicit-multiple-time-step scheme (EMTSS) is incorporated into the UCLA model. In this scheme, the linearized terms in the governing equations that generate the gravity waves are split into different vertical modes. Each mode is integrated with an optimal time step, and at periodic intervals these modes are recombined. The other terms are integrated with a time step dictated by the CFL condition for low-frequency waves. This large time step requires a special modification of the advective terms in the polar region to maintain stability. Test runs for 72 h show that EMTSS is a stable, efficient and accurate scheme.

  11. Time dependent theory of two-step absorption of two pulses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rebane, Inna, E-mail: inna.rebane@ut.ee

    2015-09-25

    The time dependent theory of two step-absorption of two different light pulses with arbitrary duration in the electronic three-level model is proposed. The probability that the third level is excited at the moment t is found in depending on the time delay between pulses, the spectral widths of the pulses and the energy relaxation constants of the excited electronic levels. The time dependent perturbation theory is applied without using “doorway–window” approach. The time and spectral behavior of the spectrum using in calculations as simple as possible model is analyzed. - Highlights: • Time dependent theory of two-step absorption in the three-level model is proposed. • Two different light pulses with arbitrary duration is observed. • The time dependent perturbation theory is applied without “door–window” approach. • The time and spectral behavior of the spectra is analyzed for several cases.

  12. Development of real time diagnostics and feedback algorithms for JET in view of the next step

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murari, A.; Barana, O. [Consorzio RFX Associazione EURATOM ENEA per la Fusione, Corso Stati Uniti 4, Padua (Italy); Felton, R.; Zabeo, L.; Piccolo, F.; Sartori, F. [Euratom/UKAEA Fusion Assoc., Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxon (United Kingdom); Joffrin, E.; Mazon, D.; Laborde, L.; Moreau, D. [Association EURATOM-CEA, CEA Cadarache, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); Albanese, R. [Assoc. Euratom-ENEA-CREATE, Univ. Mediterranea RC (Italy); Arena, P.; Bruno, M. [Assoc. Euratom-ENEA-CREATE, Univ.di Catania (Italy); Ambrosino, G.; Ariola, M. [Assoc. Euratom-ENEA-CREATE, Univ. Napoli Federico Napoli (Italy); Crisanti, F. [Associazone EURATOM ENEA sulla Fusione, C.R. Frascati (Italy); Luna, E. de la; Sanchez, J. [Associacion EURATOM CIEMAT para Fusion, Madrid (Spain)

    2004-07-01

    Real time control of many plasma parameters will be an essential aspect in the development of reliable high performance operation of Next Step Tokamaks. The main prerequisites for any feedback scheme are the precise real-time determination of the quantities to be controlled, requiring top quality and highly reliable diagnostics, and the availability of robust control algorithms. A new set of real time diagnostics was recently implemented on JET to prove the feasibility of determining, with high accuracy and time resolution, the most important plasma quantities. With regard to feedback algorithms, new model-based controllers were developed to allow a more robust control of several plasma parameters. Both diagnostics and algorithms were successfully used in several experiments, ranging from H-mode plasmas to configuration with ITBs (internal thermal barriers). Since elaboration of computationally heavy measurements is often required, significant attention was devoted to non-algorithmic methods like Digital or Cellular Neural/Nonlinear Networks. The real time hardware and software adopted architectures are also described with particular attention to their relevance to ITER. (authors)

  13. Development of real time diagnostics and feedback algorithms for JET in view of the next step

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murari, A.; Felton, R.; Zabeo, L.; Piccolo, F.; Sartori, F.; Murari, A.; Barana, O.; Albanese, R.; Joffrin, E.; Mazon, D.; Laborde, L.; Moreau, D.; Arena, P.; Bruno, M.; Ambrosino, G.; Ariola, M.; Crisanti, F.; Luna, E. de la; Sanchez, J.

    2004-01-01

    Real time control of many plasma parameters will be an essential aspect in the development of reliable high performance operation of Next Step Tokamaks. The main prerequisites for any feedback scheme are the precise real-time determination of the quantities to be controlled, requiring top quality and highly reliable diagnostics, and the availability of robust control algorithms. A new set of real time diagnostics was recently implemented on JET to prove the feasibility of determining, with high accuracy and time resolution, the most important plasma quantities. With regard to feedback algorithms, new model-based controllers were developed to allow a more robust control of several plasma parameters. Both diagnostics and algorithms were successfully used in several experiments, ranging from H-mode plasmas to configuration with internal transport barriers. Since elaboration of computationally heavy measurements is often required, significant attention was devoted to non-algorithmic methods like Digital or Cellular Neural/Nonlinear Networks. The real time hardware and software adopted architectures are also described with particular attention to their relevance to ITER. (authors)

  14. Development of real time diagnostics and feedback algorithms for JET in view of the next step

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murari, A.; Barana, O.; Murari, A.; Felton, R.; Zabeo, L.; Piccolo, F.; Sartori, F.; Joffrin, E.; Mazon, D.; Laborde, L.; Moreau, D.; Albanese, R.; Arena, P.; Bruno, M.; Ambrosino, G.; Ariola, M.; Crisanti, F.; Luna, E. de la; Sanchez, J.

    2004-01-01

    Real time control of many plasma parameters will be an essential aspect in the development of reliable high performance operation of Next Step Tokamaks. The main prerequisites for any feedback scheme are the precise real-time determination of the quantities to be controlled, requiring top quality and highly reliable diagnostics, and the availability of robust control algorithms. A new set of real time diagnostics was recently implemented on JET to prove the feasibility of determining, with high accuracy and time resolution, the most important plasma quantities. With regard to feedback algorithms, new model-based controllers were developed to allow a more robust control of several plasma parameters. Both diagnostics and algorithms were successfully used in several experiments, ranging from H-mode plasmas to configuration with ITBs (internal thermal barriers). Since elaboration of computationally heavy measurements is often required, significant attention was devoted to non-algorithmic methods like Digital or Cellular Neural/Nonlinear Networks. The real time hardware and software adopted architectures are also described with particular attention to their relevance to ITER. (authors)

  15. Multiple time step integrators in ab initio molecular dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luehr, Nathan; Martínez, Todd J.; Markland, Thomas E.

    2014-01-01

    Multiple time-scale algorithms exploit the natural separation of time-scales in chemical systems to greatly accelerate the efficiency of molecular dynamics simulations. Although the utility of these methods in systems where the interactions are described by empirical potentials is now well established, their application to ab initio molecular dynamics calculations has been limited by difficulties associated with splitting the ab initio potential into fast and slowly varying components. Here we present two schemes that enable efficient time-scale separation in ab initio calculations: one based on fragment decomposition and the other on range separation of the Coulomb operator in the electronic Hamiltonian. We demonstrate for both water clusters and a solvated hydroxide ion that multiple time-scale molecular dynamics allows for outer time steps of 2.5 fs, which are as large as those obtained when such schemes are applied to empirical potentials, while still allowing for bonds to be broken and reformed throughout the dynamics. This permits computational speedups of up to 4.4x, compared to standard Born-Oppenheimer ab initio molecular dynamics with a 0.5 fs time step, while maintaining the same energy conservation and accuracy

  16. Stability analysis and time-step limits for a Monte Carlo Compton-scattering method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Densmore, Jeffery D.; Warsa, James S.; Lowrie, Robert B.

    2010-01-01

    A Monte Carlo method for simulating Compton scattering in high energy density applications has been presented that models the photon-electron collision kinematics exactly [E. Canfield, W.M. Howard, E.P. Liang, Inverse Comptonization by one-dimensional relativistic electrons, Astrophys. J. 323 (1987) 565]. However, implementing this technique typically requires an explicit evaluation of the material temperature, which can lead to unstable and oscillatory solutions. In this paper, we perform a stability analysis of this Monte Carlo method and develop two time-step limits that avoid undesirable behavior. The first time-step limit prevents instabilities, while the second, more restrictive time-step limit avoids both instabilities and nonphysical oscillations. With a set of numerical examples, we demonstrate the efficacy of these time-step limits.

  17. Electrohydraulic linear actuator with two stepping motors controlled by overshoot-free algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milecki, Andrzej; Ortmann, Jarosław

    2017-11-01

    The paper describes electrohydraulic spool valves with stepping motors used as electromechanical transducers. A new concept of a proportional valve in which two stepping motors are working differentially is introduced. Such valve changes the fluid flow proportionally to the sum or difference of the motors' steps numbers. The valve design and principle of its operation is described. Theoretical equations and simulation models are proposed for all elements of the drive, i.e., the stepping motor units, hydraulic valve and cylinder. The main features of the valve and drive operation are described; some specific problem areas covering the nature of stepping motors and their differential work in the valve are also considered. The whole servo drive non-linear model is proposed and used further for simulation investigations. The initial simulation investigations of the drive with a new valve have shown that there is a significant overshoot in the drive step response, which is not allowed in positioning process. Therefore additional effort is spent to reduce the overshoot and in consequence reduce the settling time. A special predictive algorithm is proposed to this end. Then the proposed control method is tested and further improved in simulations. Further on, the model is implemented in reality and the whole servo drive system is tested. The investigation results presented in this paper, are showing an overshoot-free positioning process which enables high positioning accuracy.

  18. Home-based step training using videogame technology in people with Parkinson's disease: a single-blinded randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Jooeun; Paul, Serene S; Caetano, Maria Joana D; Smith, Stuart; Dibble, Leland E; Love, Rachelle; Schoene, Daniel; Menant, Jasmine C; Sherrington, Cathie; Lord, Stephen R; Canning, Colleen G; Allen, Natalie E

    2018-03-01

    To determine whether 12-week home-based exergame step training can improve stepping performance, gait and complementary physical and neuropsychological measures associated with falls in Parkinson's disease. A single-blinded randomised controlled trial. Community (experimental intervention), university laboratory (outcome measures). Sixty community-dwelling people with Parkinson's disease. Home-based step training using videogame technology. The primary outcomes were the choice stepping reaction time test and Functional Gait Assessment. Secondary outcomes included physical and neuropsychological measures associated with falls in Parkinson's disease, number of falls over six months and self-reported mobility and balance. Post intervention, there were no differences between the intervention ( n = 28) and control ( n = 25) groups in the primary or secondary outcomes except for the Timed Up and Go test, where there was a significant difference in favour of the control group ( P = 0.02). Intervention participants reported mobility improvement, whereas control participants reported mobility deterioration-between-group difference on an 11-point scale = 0.9 (95% confidence interval: -1.8 to -0.1, P = 0.03). Interaction effects between intervention and disease severity on physical function measures were observed ( P = 0.01 to P = 0.08) with seemingly positive effects for the low-severity group and potentially negative effects for the high-severity group. Overall, home-based exergame step training was not effective in improving the outcomes assessed. However, the improved physical function in the lower disease severity intervention participants as well as the self-reported improved mobility in the intervention group suggest home-based exergame step training may have benefits for some people with Parkinson's disease.

  19. A randomized controlled pilot study of home-based step training in older people using videogame technology.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Schoene

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Stepping impairments are associated with physical and cognitive decline in older adults and increased fall risk. Exercise interventions can reduce fall risk, but adherence is often low. A new exergame involving step training may provide an enjoyable exercise alternative for preventing falls in older people. PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility and safety of unsupervised, home-based step pad training and determine the effectiveness of this intervention on stepping performance and associated fall risk in older people. DESIGN: Single-blinded two-arm randomized controlled trial comparing step pad training with control (no-intervention. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-seven older adults residing in independent-living units of a retirement village in Sydney, Australia. INTERVENTION: Intervention group (IG participants were provided with a computerized step pad system connected to their TVs and played a step game as often as they liked (with a recommended dose of 2-3 sessions per week for 15-20 minutes each for eight weeks. In addition, IG participants were asked to complete a choice stepping reaction time (CSRT task once each week. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: CSRT, the Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA, neuropsychological and functional mobility measures were assessed at baseline and eight week follow-up. RESULTS: Thirty-two participants completed the study (86.5%. IG participants played a median 2.75 sessions/week and no adverse events were reported. Compared to the control group, the IG significantly improved their CSRT (F31,1 = 18.203, p<.001, PPA composite scores (F31,1 = 12.706, p = 0.001, as well as the postural sway (F31,1 = 4.226, p = 0.049 and contrast sensitivity (F31,1 = 4.415, p = 0.044 PPA sub-component scores. In addition, the IG improved significantly in their dual-task ability as assessed by a timed up and go test/verbal fluency task (F31,1 = 4.226, p = 0.049. CONCLUSIONS: Step pad training can

  20. Compensatory stepping responses in individuals with stroke: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lakhani, Bimal; Mansfield, Avril; Inness, Elizabeth L; McIlroy, William E

    2011-05-01

    Impaired postural control and a high incidence of falls are commonly observed following stroke. Compensatory stepping responses are critical to reactive balance control. We hypothesize that, following a stroke, individuals with unilateral limb dyscontrol will be faced with the unique challenge of controlling such rapid stepping reactions that may eventually be linked to the high rate of falling. The objectives of this exploratory pilot study were to investigate compensatory stepping in individuals poststroke with regard to: (1) choice of initial stepping limb (paretic or non-paretic); (2) step characteristics; and (3) differences in step characteristics when the initial step is taken with the paretic vs. the non-paretic limb. Four subjects following stroke (38-165 days post) and 11 healthy young adults were recruited. Anterior and posterior perturbations were delivered by using a weight drop system. Force plates recorded centre-of-pressure excursion prior to the onset of stepping and step timing. Of the four subjects, three only attempted to step with their non-paretic limb and one stepped with either limb. Time to foot-off was generally slow, whereas step onset time and swing time were comparable to healthy controls. Two of the four subjects executed multistep responses in every trial, and attempts to force stepping with the paretic limb were unsuccessful in three of the four subjects. Despite high clinical balance scores, these individuals with stroke demonstrated impaired compensatory stepping responses, suggesting that current clinical evaluations might not accurately reflect reactive balance control in this population.

  1. Grief: Difficult Times, Simple Steps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waszak, Emily Lane

    This guide presents techniques to assist others in coping with the loss of a loved one. Using the language of 9 layperson, the book contains more than 100 tips for caregivers or loved ones. A simple step is presented on each page, followed by reasons and instructions for each step. Chapters include: "What to Say"; "Helpful Things to Do"; "Dealing…

  2. State-plane trajectories used to observe and control the behavior of a voltage step-up dc-to-dc converter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burns, W. W., III; Wilson, T. G.

    1976-01-01

    State-plane analysis techniques are employed to study the voltage step up energy storage dc-to-dc converter. Within this framework, an example converter operating under the influence of a constant on time and a constant frequency controller is examined. Qualitative insight gained through this approach is used to develop a conceptual free running control law for the voltage step up converter which can achieve steady state operation in one on/off cycle of control. Digital computer simulation data is presented to illustrate and verify the theoretical discussions presented.

  3. Mechanical properties of molybdenum-titanium alloys micro-structurally controlled by multi-step internal nitriding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagae, M.; Yoshio, T.; Takemoto, Y.; Takada, J.; Hiraoka, Y.

    2001-01-01

    Internally nitrided dilute Mo-Ti alloys having a heavily deformed microstructure near the specimen surface were prepared by a novel two-step nitriding process at 1173 to 1773 K in N 2 gas. For the nitrided specimens three-point bend tests were performed at temperatures from 77 to 298 K in order to investigate the effect of microstructure control by internal nitriding on the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) of the alloy Yield strength obtained at 243 K of the specimen maintaining the deformed microstructure by the two-step nitriding was about 1.7 times as much as recrystallized specimen. The specimen subjected to the two-step nitriding was bent more than 90 degree at 243 K, whereas recrystallized specimen was fractured after showing a slight ductility at 243 K. DBTT of the specimen subjected to the two-step nitriding and recrystallized specimen was about 153 K and 203 K, respectively. These results indicate that multi-step internal nitriding is very effective to the improvement in the embrittlement by the recrystallization of molybdenum alloys. (author)

  4. Adaptive time-stepping Monte Carlo integration of Coulomb collisions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Särkimäki, K.; Hirvijoki, E.; Terävä, J.

    2018-01-01

    We report an accessible and robust tool for evaluating the effects of Coulomb collisions on a test particle in a plasma that obeys Maxwell-Jüttner statistics. The implementation is based on the Beliaev-Budker collision integral which allows both the test particle and the background plasma to be relativistic. The integration method supports adaptive time stepping, which is shown to greatly improve the computational efficiency. The Monte Carlo method is implemented for both the three-dimensional particle momentum space and the five-dimensional guiding center phase space. Detailed description is provided for both the physics and implementation of the operator. The focus is in adaptive integration of stochastic differential equations, which is an overlooked aspect among existing Monte Carlo implementations of Coulomb collision operators. We verify that our operator converges to known analytical results and demonstrate that careless implementation of the adaptive time step can lead to severely erroneous results. The operator is provided as a self-contained Fortran 95 module and can be included into existing orbit-following tools that trace either the full Larmor motion or the guiding center dynamics. The adaptive time-stepping algorithm is expected to be useful in situations where the collision frequencies vary greatly over the course of a simulation. Examples include the slowing-down of fusion products or other fast ions, and the Dreicer generation of runaway electrons as well as the generation of fast ions or electrons with ion or electron cyclotron resonance heating.

  5. A parallel nearly implicit time-stepping scheme

    OpenAIRE

    Botchev, Mike A.; van der Vorst, Henk A.

    2001-01-01

    Across-the-space parallelism still remains the most mature, convenient and natural way to parallelize large scale problems. One of the major problems here is that implicit time stepping is often difficult to parallelize due to the structure of the system. Approximate implicit schemes have been suggested to circumvent the problem. These schemes have attractive stability properties and they are also very well parallelizable. The purpose of this article is to give an overall assessment of the pa...

  6. Two-step controllable electrochemical etching of tungsten scanning probe microscopy tips

    KAUST Repository

    Khan, Yasser; Al-Falih, Hisham; Ng, Tien Khee; Ooi, Boon S.; Zhang, Yaping

    2012-01-01

    Dynamic electrochemical etching technique is optimized to produce tungsten tips with controllable shape and radius of curvature of less than 10 nm. Nascent features such as dynamic electrochemical etching and reverse biasing after drop-off are utilized, and two-step dynamic electrochemical etching is introduced to produce extremely sharp tips with controllable aspect ratio. Electronic current shut-off time for conventional dc drop-off technique is reduced to ?36 ns using high speed analog electronics. Undesirable variability in tip shape, which is innate to static dc electrochemical etching, is mitigated with novel dynamic electrochemical etching. Overall, we present a facile and robust approach, whereby using a novel etchant level adjustment mechanism, 30° variability in cone angle and 1.5 mm controllability in cone length were achieved, while routinely producing ultra-sharp probes. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.

  7. A Method of MPPT Control Based on Power Variable Step-size in Photovoltaic Converter System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xu Hui-xiang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Since the disadvantage of traditional MPPT algorithms of variable step-size, proposed power tracking based on variable step-size with the advantage method of the constant-voltage and the perturb-observe (P&O[1-3]. The control strategy modify the problem of voltage fluctuation caused by perturb-observe method, at the same time, introducing the advantage of constant-voltage method and simplify the circuit topology. With the theoretical derivation, control the output power of photovoltaic modules to change the duty cycle of main switch. Achieve the maximum power stabilization output, reduce the volatility of energy loss effectively, and improve the inversion efficiency[3,4]. Given the result of experimental test based theoretical derivation and the curve of MPPT when the prototype work.

  8. Stepping-Motion Motor-Control Subsystem For Testing Bearings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powers, Charles E.

    1992-01-01

    Control subsystem closed-loop angular-position-control system causing motor and bearing under test to undergo any of variety of continuous or stepping motions. Also used to test bearing-and-motor assemblies, motors, angular-position sensors including rotating shafts, and like. Monitoring subsystem gathers data used to evaluate performance of bearing or other article under test. Monitoring subsystem described in article, "Monitoring Subsystem For Testing Bearings" (GSC-13432).

  9. A step-by-step solution for embedding user-controlled cines into educational Web pages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornfeld, Daniel

    2008-03-01

    The objective of this article is to introduce a simple method for embedding user-controlled cines into a Web page using a simple JavaScript. Step-by-step instructions are included and the source code is made available. This technique allows the creation of portable Web pages that allow the user to scroll through cases as if seated at a PACS workstation. A simple JavaScript allows scrollable image stacks to be included on Web pages. With this technique, you can quickly and easily incorporate entire stacks of CT or MR images into online teaching files. This technique has the potential for use in case presentations, online didactics, teaching archives, and resident testing.

  10. Angle Control-Based Multi-Terminal Out-of-Step Protection System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antans Sauhats

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available From time to time a sequence of unexpected and overlapping contingencies may lead to power system angular instability and even blackouts if not addressed adequately by means of an out-of-step (OOS protection system. The motivation of the paper is an attempt to develop a workable prototype of the OOS protection system. The deficiencies of the protection currently used in the Latvian Power System network are highlighted and a new protection structure is proposed. The protection system comprises of several strategically located terminals, exchanging information in real time by means of a communication network. The OOS condition detection method is based on system-wide generation sources, electromotive forces, vectors, and angle control. The network splitting decision is based on generator coherence evaluation. Protection terminals determine online the groups of coherent generators and choose the splitting boundary from a predefined transmission lines (TLs cut sets list. The protection system structure, algorithm of operation, and possible IEC 61850 communication standard-based implementation are described.

  11. Performance of an attention-demanding task during treadmill walking shifts the noise qualities of step-to-step variation in step width.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grabiner, Mark D; Marone, Jane R; Wyatt, Marilynn; Sessoms, Pinata; Kaufman, Kenton R

    2018-06-01

    The fractal scaling evident in the step-to-step fluctuations of stepping-related time series reflects, to some degree, neuromotor noise. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the fractal scaling of step width, step width and step width variability are affected by performance of an attention-demanding task. We hypothesized that the attention-demanding task would shift the structure of the step width time series toward white, uncorrelated noise. Subjects performed two 10-min treadmill walking trials, a control trial of undisturbed walking and a trial during which they performed a mental arithmetic/texting task. Motion capture data was converted to step width time series, the fractal scaling of which were determined from their power spectra. Fractal scaling decreased by 22% during the texting condition (p Step width and step width variability increased 19% and five percent, respectively (p step width fractal scaling. The change of the fractal scaling of step width is consistent with increased cognitive demand and suggests a transition in the characteristics of the signal noise. This may reflect an important advance toward the understanding of the manner in which neuromotor noise contributes to some types of falls. However, further investigation of the repeatability of the results, the sensitivity of the results to progressive increases in cognitive load imposed by attention-demanding tasks, and the extent to which the results can be generalized to the gait of older adults seems warranted. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Multiple-time-stepping generalized hybrid Monte Carlo methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Escribano, Bruno, E-mail: bescribano@bcamath.org [BCAM—Basque Center for Applied Mathematics, E-48009 Bilbao (Spain); Akhmatskaya, Elena [BCAM—Basque Center for Applied Mathematics, E-48009 Bilbao (Spain); IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, E-48013 Bilbao (Spain); Reich, Sebastian [Universität Potsdam, Institut für Mathematik, D-14469 Potsdam (Germany); Azpiroz, Jon M. [Kimika Fakultatea, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) and Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), P.K. 1072, Donostia (Spain)

    2015-01-01

    Performance of the generalized shadow hybrid Monte Carlo (GSHMC) method [1], which proved to be superior in sampling efficiency over its predecessors [2–4], molecular dynamics and hybrid Monte Carlo, can be further improved by combining it with multi-time-stepping (MTS) and mollification of slow forces. We demonstrate that the comparatively simple modifications of the method not only lead to better performance of GSHMC itself but also allow for beating the best performed methods, which use the similar force splitting schemes. In addition we show that the same ideas can be successfully applied to the conventional generalized hybrid Monte Carlo method (GHMC). The resulting methods, MTS-GHMC and MTS-GSHMC, provide accurate reproduction of thermodynamic and dynamical properties, exact temperature control during simulation and computational robustness and efficiency. MTS-GHMC uses a generalized momentum update to achieve weak stochastic stabilization to the molecular dynamics (MD) integrator. MTS-GSHMC adds the use of a shadow (modified) Hamiltonian to filter the MD trajectories in the HMC scheme. We introduce a new shadow Hamiltonian formulation adapted to force-splitting methods. The use of such Hamiltonians improves the acceptance rate of trajectories and has a strong impact on the sampling efficiency of the method. Both methods were implemented in the open-source MD package ProtoMol and were tested on a water and a protein systems. Results were compared to those obtained using a Langevin Molly (LM) method [5] on the same systems. The test results demonstrate the superiority of the new methods over LM in terms of stability, accuracy and sampling efficiency. This suggests that putting the MTS approach in the framework of hybrid Monte Carlo and using the natural stochasticity offered by the generalized hybrid Monte Carlo lead to improving stability of MTS and allow for achieving larger step sizes in the simulation of complex systems.

  13. On an efficient multiple time step Monte Carlo simulation of the SABR model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leitao Rodriguez, A.; Grzelak, L.A.; Oosterlee, C.W.

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, we will present a multiple time step Monte Carlo simulation technique for pricing options under the Stochastic Alpha Beta Rho model. The proposed method is an extension of the one time step Monte Carlo method that we proposed in an accompanying paper Leitao et al. [Appl. Math.

  14. Extended State Observer Based Adaptive Back-Stepping Sliding Mode Control of Electronic Throttle in Transportation Cyber-Physical Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongfu Li

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Considering the high accuracy requirement of information exchange via vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V communications, an extended state observer (ESO is designed to estimate the opening angle change of an electronic throttle (ET, wherein the emphasis is placed on the nonlinear uncertainties of stick-slip friction and spring in the system as well as the existence of external disturbance. In addition, a back-stepping sliding mode controller incorporating an adaptive control law is presented, and the stability and robustness of the system are analyzed using Lyapunov technique. Finally, numerical experiments are conducted using simulation. The results show that, compared with back-stepping control (BSC, the proposed controller achieves superior performance in terms of the steady-state error and rising time.

  15. Time to pause before the next step

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siemon, R.E.

    1998-01-01

    Many scientists, who have staunchly supported ITER for years, are coming to realize it is time to further rethink fusion energy's development strategy. Specifically, as was suggested by Grant Logan and Dale Meade, and in keeping with the restructuring of 1996, a theme of better, cheaper, faster fusion would serve the program more effectively than ''demonstrating controlled ignition...and integrated testing of the high-heat-flux and nuclear components required to utilize fusion energy...'' which are the important ingredients of ITER's objectives. The author has personally shifted his view for a mixture of technical and political reasons. On the technical side, he senses that through advanced tokamak research, spherical tokamak research, and advanced stellarator work, scientists are coming to a new understanding that might make a burning-plasma device significantly smaller and less expensive. Thus waiting for a few years, even ten years, seems prudent. Scientifically, there is fascinating physics to be learned through studies of burning plasma on a tokamak. And clearly if one wishes to study burning plasma physics in a sustained plasma, there is no other configuration with an adequate database on which to proceed. But what is the urgency of moving towards an ITER-like step focused on burning plasma? Some of the arguments put forward and the counter arguments are discussed here

  16. The hyperbolic step potential: Anti-bound states, SUSY partners and Wigner time delays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gadella, M. [Departamento de Física Teórica, Atómica y Óptica and IMUVA, Universidad de Valladolid, E-47011 Valladolid (Spain); Kuru, Ş. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Ankara University, 06100 Ankara (Turkey); Negro, J., E-mail: jnegro@fta.uva.es [Departamento de Física Teórica, Atómica y Óptica and IMUVA, Universidad de Valladolid, E-47011 Valladolid (Spain)

    2017-04-15

    We study the scattering produced by a one dimensional hyperbolic step potential, which is exactly solvable and shows an unusual interest because of its asymmetric character. The analytic continuation of the scattering matrix in the momentum representation has a branch cut and an infinite number of simple poles on the negative imaginary axis which are related with the so called anti-bound states. This model does not show resonances. Using the wave functions of the anti-bound states, we obtain supersymmetric (SUSY) partners which are the series of Rosen–Morse II potentials. We have computed the Wigner reflection and transmission time delays for the hyperbolic step and such SUSY partners. Our results show that the more bound states a partner Hamiltonian has the smaller is the time delay. We also have evaluated time delays for the hyperbolic step potential in the classical case and have obtained striking similitudes with the quantum case. - Highlights: • The scattering matrix of hyperbolic step potential is studied. • The scattering matrix has a branch cut and an infinite number of poles. • The poles are associated to anti-bound states. • Susy partners using antibound states are computed. • Wigner time delays for the hyperbolic step and partner potentials are compared.

  17. Evaluating Machine Learning-Based Automated Personalized Daily Step Goals Delivered Through a Mobile Phone App: Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Mo; Fukuoka, Yoshimi; Mintz, Yonatan; Goldberg, Ken; Kaminsky, Philip; Flowers, Elena; Aswani, Anil

    2018-01-25

    Growing evidence shows that fixed, nonpersonalized daily step goals can discourage individuals, resulting in unchanged or even reduced physical activity. The aim of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to evaluate the efficacy of an automated mobile phone-based personalized and adaptive goal-setting intervention using machine learning as compared with an active control with steady daily step goals of 10,000. In this 10-week RCT, 64 participants were recruited via email announcements and were required to attend an initial in-person session. The participants were randomized into either the intervention or active control group with a one-to-one ratio after a run-in period for data collection. A study-developed mobile phone app (which delivers daily step goals using push notifications and allows real-time physical activity monitoring) was installed on each participant's mobile phone, and participants were asked to keep their phone in a pocket throughout the entire day. Through the app, the intervention group received fully automated adaptively personalized daily step goals, and the control group received constant step goals of 10,000 steps per day. Daily step count was objectively measured by the study-developed mobile phone app. The mean (SD) age of participants was 41.1 (11.3) years, and 83% (53/64) of participants were female. The baseline demographics between the 2 groups were similar (P>.05). Participants in the intervention group (n=34) had a decrease in mean (SD) daily step count of 390 (490) steps between run-in and 10 weeks, compared with a decrease of 1350 (420) steps among control participants (n=30; P=.03). The net difference in daily steps between the groups was 960 steps (95% CI 90-1830 steps). Both groups had a decrease in daily step count between run-in and 10 weeks because interventions were also provided during run-in and no natural baseline was collected. The results showed the short-term efficacy of this intervention, which should be formally

  18. Enforcing the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy condition in explicitly conservative local time stepping schemes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gnedin, Nickolay Y.; Semenov, Vadim A.; Kravtsov, Andrey V.

    2018-04-01

    An optimally efficient explicit numerical scheme for solving fluid dynamics equations, or any other parabolic or hyperbolic system of partial differential equations, should allow local regions to advance in time with their own, locally constrained time steps. However, such a scheme can result in violation of the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) condition, which is manifestly non-local. Although the violations can be considered to be "weak" in a certain sense and the corresponding numerical solution may be stable, such calculation does not guarantee the correct propagation speed for arbitrary waves. We use an experimental fluid dynamics code that allows cubic "patches" of grid cells to step with independent, locally constrained time steps to demonstrate how the CFL condition can be enforced by imposing a constraint on the time steps of neighboring patches. We perform several numerical tests that illustrate errors introduced in the numerical solutions by weak CFL condition violations and show how strict enforcement of the CFL condition eliminates these errors. In all our tests the strict enforcement of the CFL condition does not impose a significant performance penalty.

  19. Errors in Postural Preparation Lead to Increased Choice Reaction Times for Step Initiation in Older Adults

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nutt, John G.; Horak, Fay B.

    2011-01-01

    Background. This study asked whether older adults were more likely than younger adults to err in the initial direction of their anticipatory postural adjustment (APA) prior to a step (indicating a motor program error), whether initial motor program errors accounted for reaction time differences for step initiation, and whether initial motor program errors were linked to inhibitory failure. Methods. In a stepping task with choice reaction time and simple reaction time conditions, we measured forces under the feet to quantify APA onset and step latency and we used body kinematics to quantify forward movement of center of mass and length of first step. Results. Trials with APA errors were almost three times as common for older adults as for younger adults, and they were nine times more likely in choice reaction time trials than in simple reaction time trials. In trials with APA errors, step latency was delayed, correlation between APA onset and step latency was diminished, and forward motion of the center of mass prior to the step was increased. Participants with more APA errors tended to have worse Stroop interference scores, regardless of age. Conclusions. The results support the hypothesis that findings of slow choice reaction time step initiation in older adults are attributable to inclusion of trials with incorrect initial motor preparation and that these errors are caused by deficits in response inhibition. By extension, the results also suggest that mixing of trials with correct and incorrect initial motor preparation might explain apparent choice reaction time slowing with age in upper limb tasks. PMID:21498431

  20. Dissolvable fluidic time delays for programming multi-step assays in instrument-free paper diagnostics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lutz, Barry; Liang, Tinny; Fu, Elain; Ramachandran, Sujatha; Kauffman, Peter; Yager, Paul

    2013-07-21

    Lateral flow tests (LFTs) are an ingenious format for rapid and easy-to-use diagnostics, but they are fundamentally limited to assay chemistries that can be reduced to a single chemical step. In contrast, most laboratory diagnostic assays rely on multiple timed steps carried out by a human or a machine. Here, we use dissolvable sugar applied to paper to create programmable flow delays and present a paper network topology that uses these time delays to program automated multi-step fluidic protocols. Solutions of sucrose at different concentrations (10-70% of saturation) were added to paper strips and dried to create fluidic time delays spanning minutes to nearly an hour. A simple folding card format employing sugar delays was shown to automate a four-step fluidic process initiated by a single user activation step (folding the card); this device was used to perform a signal-amplified sandwich immunoassay for a diagnostic biomarker for malaria. The cards are capable of automating multi-step assay protocols normally used in laboratories, but in a rapid, low-cost, and easy-to-use format.

  1. Closed-loop step response for tuning PID-fractional-order-filter controllers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amoura, Karima; Mansouri, Rachid; Bettayeb, Maâmar; Al-Saggaf, Ubaid M

    2016-09-01

    Analytical methods are usually applied for tuning fractional controllers. The present paper proposes an empirical method for tuning a new type of fractional controller known as PID-Fractional-Order-Filter (FOF-PID). Indeed, the setpoint overshoot method, initially introduced by Shamsuzzoha and Skogestad, has been adapted for tuning FOF-PID controller. Based on simulations for a range of first order with time delay processes, correlations have been derived to obtain PID-FOF controller parameters similar to those obtained by the Internal Model Control (IMC) tuning rule. The setpoint overshoot method requires only one closed-loop step response experiment using a proportional controller (P-controller). To highlight the potential of this method, simulation results have been compared with those obtained with the IMC method as well as other pertinent techniques. Various case studies have also been considered. The comparison has revealed that the proposed tuning method performs as good as the IMC. Moreover, it might offer a number of advantages over the IMC tuning rule. For instance, the parameters of the fractional controller are directly obtained from the setpoint closed-loop response data without the need of any model of the plant to be controlled. Copyright © 2016 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Real time implementation and control validation of the wind energy conversion system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sattar, Adnan

    The purpose of the thesis is to analyze dynamic and transient characteristics of wind energy conversion systems including the stability issues in real time environment using the Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS). There are different power system simulation tools available in the market. Real time digital simulator (RTDS) is one of the powerful tools among those. RTDS simulator has a Graphical User Interface called RSCAD which contains detail component model library for both power system and control relevant analysis. The hardware is based upon the digital signal processors mounted in the racks. RTDS simulator has the advantage of interfacing the real world signals from the external devices, hence used to test the protection and control system equipments. Dynamic and transient characteristics of the fixed and variable speed wind turbine generating systems (WTGSs) are analyzed, in this thesis. Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) as a flexible ac transmission system (FACTS) device is used to enhance the fault ride through (FRT) capability of the fixed speed wind farm. Two level voltage source converter based STATCOM is modeled in both VSC small time-step and VSC large time-step of RTDS. The simulation results of the RTDS model system are compared with the off-line EMTP software i.e. PSCAD/EMTDC. A new operational scheme for a MW class grid-connected variable speed wind turbine driven permanent magnet synchronous generator (VSWT-PMSG) is developed. VSWT-PMSG uses fully controlled frequency converters for the grid interfacing and thus have the ability to control the real and reactive powers simultaneously. Frequency converters are modeled in the VSC small time-step of the RTDS and three phase realistic grid is adopted with RSCAD simulation through the use of optical analogue digital converter (OADC) card of the RTDS. Steady state and LVRT characteristics are carried out to validate the proposed operational scheme. Simulation results show good agreement with real

  3. The large discretization step method for time-dependent partial differential equations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haras, Zigo; Taasan, Shlomo

    1995-01-01

    A new method for the acceleration of linear and nonlinear time dependent calculations is presented. It is based on the Large Discretization Step (LDS) approximation, defined in this work, which employs an extended system of low accuracy schemes to approximate a high accuracy discrete approximation to a time dependent differential operator. Error bounds on such approximations are derived. These approximations are efficiently implemented in the LDS methods for linear and nonlinear hyperbolic equations, presented here. In these algorithms the high and low accuracy schemes are interpreted as the same discretization of a time dependent operator on fine and coarse grids, respectively. Thus, a system of correction terms and corresponding equations are derived and solved on the coarse grid to yield the fine grid accuracy. These terms are initialized by visiting the fine grid once in many coarse grid time steps. The resulting methods are very general, simple to implement and may be used to accelerate many existing time marching schemes.

  4. Issues in measure-preserving three dimensional flow integrators: Self-adjointness, reversibility, and non-uniform time stepping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Finn, John M.

    2015-01-01

    Properties of integration schemes for solenoidal fields in three dimensions are studied, with a focus on integrating magnetic field lines in a plasma using adaptive time stepping. It is shown that implicit midpoint (IM) and a scheme we call three-dimensional leapfrog (LF) can do a good job (in the sense of preserving KAM tori) of integrating fields that are reversible, or (for LF) have a “special divergence-free” (SDF) property. We review the notion of a self-adjoint scheme, showing that such schemes are at least second order accurate and can always be formed by composing an arbitrary scheme with its adjoint. We also review the concept of reversibility, showing that a reversible but not exactly volume-preserving scheme can lead to a fractal invariant measure in a chaotic region, although this property may not often be observable. We also show numerical results indicating that the IM and LF schemes can fail to preserve KAM tori when the reversibility property (and the SDF property for LF) of the field is broken. We discuss extensions to measure preserving flows, the integration of magnetic field lines in a plasma and the integration of rays for several plasma waves. The main new result of this paper relates to non-uniform time stepping for volume-preserving flows. We investigate two potential schemes, both based on the general method of Feng and Shang [Numer. Math. 71, 451 (1995)], in which the flow is integrated in split time steps, each Hamiltonian in two dimensions. The first scheme is an extension of the method of extended phase space, a well-proven method of symplectic integration with non-uniform time steps. This method is found not to work, and an explanation is given. The second method investigated is a method based on transformation to canonical variables for the two split-step Hamiltonian systems. This method, which is related to the method of non-canonical generating functions of Richardson and Finn [Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 54, 014004 (2012

  5. Step training improves reaction time, gait and balance and reduces falls in older people: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okubo, Yoshiro; Schoene, Daniel; Lord, Stephen R

    2017-04-01

    To examine the effects of stepping interventions on fall risk factors and fall incidence in older people. Electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane, CENTRAL) and reference lists of included articles from inception to March 2015. Randomised (RCT) or clinical controlled trials (CCT) of volitional and reactive stepping interventions that included older (minimum age 60) people providing data on falls or fall risk factors. Meta-analyses of seven RCTs (n=660) showed that the stepping interventions significantly reduced the rate of falls (rate ratio=0.48, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.65, prisk ratio=0.51, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.68, pfalls and proportion of fallers. A meta-analysis of two RCTs (n=62) showed that stepping interventions significantly reduced laboratory-induced falls, and meta-analysis findings of up to five RCTs and CCTs (n=36-416) revealed that stepping interventions significantly improved simple and choice stepping reaction time, single leg stance, timed up and go performance (pfalls among older adults by approximately 50%. This clinically significant reduction may be due to improvements in reaction time, gait, balance and balance recovery but not in strength. Further high-quality studies aimed at maximising the effectiveness and feasibility of stepping interventions are required. CRD42015017357. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  6. Application of stepping motor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-10-01

    This book is divided into three parts, which is about practical using of stepping motor. The first part has six chapters. The contents of the first part are about stepping motor, classification of stepping motor, basic theory og stepping motor, characteristic and basic words, types and characteristic of stepping motor in hybrid type and basic control of stepping motor. The second part deals with application of stepping motor with hardware of stepping motor control, stepping motor control by microcomputer and software of stepping motor control. The last part mentions choice of stepping motor system, examples of stepping motor, measurement of stepping motor and practical cases of application of stepping motor.

  7. Multi-Step Time Series Forecasting with an Ensemble of Varied Length Mixture Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ouyang, Yicun; Yin, Hujun

    2018-05-01

    Many real-world problems require modeling and forecasting of time series, such as weather temperature, electricity demand, stock prices and foreign exchange (FX) rates. Often, the tasks involve predicting over a long-term period, e.g. several weeks or months. Most existing time series models are inheritably for one-step prediction, that is, predicting one time point ahead. Multi-step or long-term prediction is difficult and challenging due to the lack of information and uncertainty or error accumulation. The main existing approaches, iterative and independent, either use one-step model recursively or treat the multi-step task as an independent model. They generally perform poorly in practical applications. In this paper, as an extension of the self-organizing mixture autoregressive (AR) model, the varied length mixture (VLM) models are proposed to model and forecast time series over multi-steps. The key idea is to preserve the dependencies between the time points within the prediction horizon. Training data are segmented to various lengths corresponding to various forecasting horizons, and the VLM models are trained in a self-organizing fashion on these segments to capture these dependencies in its component AR models of various predicting horizons. The VLM models form a probabilistic mixture of these varied length models. A combination of short and long VLM models and an ensemble of them are proposed to further enhance the prediction performance. The effectiveness of the proposed methods and their marked improvements over the existing methods are demonstrated through a number of experiments on synthetic data, real-world FX rates and weather temperatures.

  8. Understanding and controlling the step bunching instability in aqueous silicon etching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bao, Hailing

    Chemical etching of silicon has been widely used for more than half a century in the semiconductor industry. It not only forms the basis for current wafer cleaning processes, it also serves as a powerful tool to create a variety of surface morphologies for different applications. Its potential for controlling surface morphology at the atomic scale over micron-size regions is especially appealing. In spite of its wide usage, the chemistry of silicon etching is poorly understood. Many seemingly simple but fundamental questions have not been answered. As a result, the development of new etchants and new etching protocols are based on expensive and tedious trial-and-error experiments. A better understanding of the etching mechanism would direct the rational formulation of new etchants that produce controlled etch morphologies. Particularly, micron-scale step bunches spontaneously develop on the vicinal Si(111) surface etched in KOH or other anisotropic aqueous etchants. The ability to control the size, orientation, density and regularity of these surface features would greatly improve the performance of microelectromechanical devices. This study is directed towards understanding the chemistry and step bunching instability in aqueous anisotropic etching of silicon through a combination of experimental techniques and theoretical simulations. To reveal the cause of step-bunching instability, kinetic Monte Carlo simulations were constructed based on an atomistic model of the silicon lattice and a modified kinematic wave theory. The simulations showed that inhomogeneity was the origin of step-bunching, which was confirmed through STM studies of etch morphologies created under controlled flow conditions. To quantify the size of the inhomogeneities in different etchants and to clarify their effects, a five-parallel-trench pattern was fabricated. This pattern used a nitride mask to protect most regions of the wafer; five evenly spaced etch windows were opened to the Si(110

  9. Modified Pressure-Correction Projection Methods: Open Boundary and Variable Time Stepping

    KAUST Repository

    Bonito, Andrea

    2014-10-31

    © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015. In this paper, we design and study two modifications of the first order standard pressure increment projection scheme for the Stokes system. The first scheme improves the existing schemes in the case of open boundary condition by modifying the pressure increment boundary condition, thereby minimizing the pressure boundary layer and recovering the optimal first order decay. The second scheme allows for variable time stepping. It turns out that the straightforward modification to variable time stepping leads to unstable schemes. The proposed scheme is not only stable but also exhibits the optimal first order decay. Numerical computations illustrating the theoretical estimates are provided for both new schemes.

  10. Modified Pressure-Correction Projection Methods: Open Boundary and Variable Time Stepping

    KAUST Repository

    Bonito, Andrea; Guermond, Jean-Luc; Lee, Sanghyun

    2014-01-01

    © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015. In this paper, we design and study two modifications of the first order standard pressure increment projection scheme for the Stokes system. The first scheme improves the existing schemes in the case of open boundary condition by modifying the pressure increment boundary condition, thereby minimizing the pressure boundary layer and recovering the optimal first order decay. The second scheme allows for variable time stepping. It turns out that the straightforward modification to variable time stepping leads to unstable schemes. The proposed scheme is not only stable but also exhibits the optimal first order decay. Numerical computations illustrating the theoretical estimates are provided for both new schemes.

  11. Two-Step Time of Arrival Estimation for Pulse-Based Ultra-Wideband Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Vincent Poor

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available In cooperative localization systems, wireless nodes need to exchange accurate position-related information such as time-of-arrival (TOA and angle-of-arrival (AOA, in order to obtain accurate location information. One alternative for providing accurate position-related information is to use ultra-wideband (UWB signals. The high time resolution of UWB signals presents a potential for very accurate positioning based on TOA estimation. However, it is challenging to realize very accurate positioning systems in practical scenarios, due to both complexity/cost constraints and adverse channel conditions such as multipath propagation. In this paper, a two-step TOA estimation algorithm is proposed for UWB systems in order to provide accurate TOA estimation under practical constraints. In order to speed up the estimation process, the first step estimates a coarse TOA of the received signal based on received signal energy. Then, in the second step, the arrival time of the first signal path is estimated by considering a hypothesis testing approach. The proposed scheme uses low-rate correlation outputs and is able to perform accurate TOA estimation in reasonable time intervals. The simulation results are presented to analyze the performance of the estimator.

  12. Some Comments on the Behavior of the RELAP5 Numerical Scheme at Very Small Time Steps

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tiselj, Iztok; Cerne, Gregor

    2000-01-01

    The behavior of the RELAP5 code at very short time steps is described, i.e., δt [approximately equal to] 0.01 δx/c. First, the property of the RELAP5 code to trace acoustic waves with 'almost' second-order accuracy is demonstrated. Quasi-second-order accuracy is usually achieved for acoustic waves at very short time steps but can never be achieved for the propagation of nonacoustic temperature and void fraction waves. While this feature may be beneficial for the simulations of fast transients describing pressure waves, it also has an adverse effect: The lack of numerical diffusion at very short time steps can cause typical second-order numerical oscillations near steep pressure jumps. This behavior explains why an automatic halving of the time step, which is used in RELAP5 when numerical difficulties are encountered, in some cases leads to the failure of the simulation.Second, the integration of the stiff interphase exchange terms in RELAP5 is studied. For transients with flashing and/or rapid condensation as the main phenomena, results strongly depend on the time step used. Poor accuracy is achieved with 'normal' time steps (δt [approximately equal to] δx/v) because of the very short characteristic timescale of the interphase mass and heat transfer sources. In such cases significantly different results are predicted with very short time steps because of the more accurate integration of the stiff interphase exchange terms

  13. Sharing Steps in the Workplace: Changing Privacy Concerns Over Time

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Nanna Gorm; Shklovski, Irina

    2016-01-01

    study of a Danish workplace participating in a step counting campaign. We find that concerns of employees who choose to participate and those who choose not to differ. Moreover, privacy concerns of participants develop and change over time. Our findings challenge the assumption that consumers...

  14. A simplified controller and detailed dynamics of constant off-time peak current control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van den Bossche, Alex; Dimitrova, Ekaterina; Valchev, Vencislav; Feradov, Firgan

    2017-09-01

    A fast and reliable current control is often the base of power electronic converters. The traditional constant frequency peak control is unstable above 50 % duty ratio. In contrast, the constant off-time peak current control (COTCC) is unconditionally stable and fast, so it is worth analyzing it. Another feature of the COTCC is that one can combine a current control together with a current protection. The time dynamics show a zero-transient response, even when the inductor changes in a wide range. It can also be modeled as a special transfer function for all frequencies. The article shows also that it can be implemented in a simple analog circuit using a wide temperature range IC, such as the LM2903, which is compatible with PV conversion and automotive temperature range. Experiments are done using a 3 kW step-up converter. A drawback is still that the principle does not easily fit in usual digital controllers up to now.

  15. Development of a real time activity monitoring Android application utilizing SmartStep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hegde, Nagaraj; Melanson, Edward; Sazonov, Edward

    2016-08-01

    Footwear based activity monitoring systems are becoming popular in academic research as well as consumer industry segments. In our previous work, we had presented developmental aspects of an insole based activity and gait monitoring system-SmartStep, which is a socially acceptable, fully wireless and versatile insole. The present work describes the development of an Android application that captures the SmartStep data wirelessly over Bluetooth Low energy (BLE), computes features on the received data, runs activity classification algorithms and provides real time feedback. The development of activity classification methods was based on the the data from a human study involving 4 participants. Participants were asked to perform activities of sitting, standing, walking, and cycling while they wore SmartStep insole system. Multinomial Logistic Discrimination (MLD) was utilized in the development of machine learning model for activity prediction. The resulting classification model was implemented in an Android Smartphone. The Android application was benchmarked for power consumption and CPU loading. Leave one out cross validation resulted in average accuracy of 96.9% during model training phase. The Android application for real time activity classification was tested on a human subject wearing SmartStep resulting in testing accuracy of 95.4%.

  16. Measuring border delay and crossing times at the US-Mexico border : part II. Step-by-step guidelines for implementing a radio frequency identification (RFID) system to measure border crossing and wait times.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-01

    The purpose of these step-by-step guidelines is to assist in planning, designing, and deploying a system that uses radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to measure the time needed for commercial vehicles to complete the northbound border c...

  17. Displacement in the parameter space versus spurious solution of discretization with large time step

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mendes, Eduardo; Letellier, Christophe

    2004-01-01

    In order to investigate a possible correspondence between differential and difference equations, it is important to possess discretization of ordinary differential equations. It is well known that when differential equations are discretized, the solution thus obtained depends on the time step used. In the majority of cases, such a solution is considered spurious when it does not resemble the expected solution of the differential equation. This often happens when the time step taken into consideration is too large. In this work, we show that, even for quite large time steps, some solutions which do not correspond to the expected ones are still topologically equivalent to solutions of the original continuous system if a displacement in the parameter space is considered. To reduce such a displacement, a judicious choice of the discretization scheme should be made. To this end, a recent discretization scheme, based on the Lie expansion of the original differential equations, proposed by Monaco and Normand-Cyrot will be analysed. Such a scheme will be shown to be sufficient for providing an adequate discretization for quite large time steps compared to the pseudo-period of the underlying dynamics

  18. Apple interface for experimental instrumentation and control-Pulse counter, timer, digital-to-analog converter, step motor and relays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Souza, J.H.; Cernicchiaro, G.R.C.; Cavalcante, J.T.P.D.

    1989-01-01

    An interface plate for Apple II type microcomputer developed aiming to automatize measuring systems in which a TTL pulse counter, output of analogic voltage (with resolution of 12 bits), out put of step-motor control, relay drive, and timer for real time control, are necessary to carry-out the parallel tasks, is described. An application of this plate to a thermoluminescence reader is also presented. (M.C.K.) [pt

  19. Stepping Stones through Time

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily Lyle

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Indo-European mythology is known only through written records but it needs to be understood in terms of the preliterate oral-cultural context in which it was rooted. It is proposed that this world was conceptually organized through a memory-capsule consisting of the current generation and the three before it, and that there was a system of alternate generations with each generation taking a step into the future under the leadership of a white or red king.

  20. The effects of aging on postural control and selective attention when stepping down while performing a concurrent auditory response task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsang, William W N; Lam, Nazca K Y; Lau, Kit N L; Leung, Harry C H; Tsang, Crystal M S; Lu, Xi

    2013-12-01

    To investigate the effects of aging on postural control and cognitive performance in single- and dual-tasking. A cross-sectional comparative design was conducted in a university motion analysis laboratory. Young adults (n = 30; age 21.9 ± 2.4 years) and older adults (n = 30; age 71.9 ± 6.4 years) were recruited. Postural control after stepping down was measured with and without performing a concurrent auditory response task. Measurement included: (1) reaction time and (2) error rate in performing the cognitive task; (3) total sway path and (4) total sway area after stepping down. Our findings showed that the older adults had significantly longer reaction times and higher error rates than the younger subjects in both the single-tasking and dual-tasking conditions. The older adults had significantly longer reaction times and higher error rates when dual-tasking compared with single-tasking, but the younger adults did not. The older adults demonstrated significantly less total sway path, but larger total sway area in single-leg stance after stepping down than the young adults. The older adults showed no significant change in total sway path and area between the dual-tasking and when compared with single-tasking conditions, while the younger adults showed significant decreases in sway. Older adults prioritize postural control by sacrificing cognitive performance when faced with dual-tasking.

  1. An FPGA-Based Multiple-Axis Velocity Controller and Stepping Motors Drives Design

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lai Chiu-Keng

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available A Field Programmable Gate Array based system is a great hardware platform to support the implementation of hardware controllers such as PID controller and fuzzy controller. It is also programmed as hardware accelerator to speed up the mathematic calculation and greatly enhance the performance as applied to motor drive and motion control. Furthermore, the open structure of FPGA-based system is suitable for those designs with the ability of parallel processing or soft code processor embedded. In this paper, we apply the FPGA to a multi-axis velocity controller design. The developed system integrated three functions inside the FPGA chip, which are respectively the stepping motor drive, the multi-axis motion controller and the motion planning. Furthermore, an embedded controller with a soft code processor compatible to 8051 micro-control unit (MCU is built to handle the data transfer between the FPGA board and host PC. The MCU is also used to initialize the motion control and run the interpolator. The designed system is practically applied to a XYZ motion platform which is driven by stepping motors to verify its performance.

  2. Industrial implementation of spatial variability control by real-time SPC

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roule, O.; Pasqualini, F.; Borde, M.

    2016-10-01

    Advanced technology nodes require more and more information to get the wafer process well setup. The critical dimension of components decreases following Moore's law. At the same time, the intra-wafer dispersion linked to the spatial non-uniformity of tool's processes is not capable to decrease in the same proportions. APC systems (Advanced Process Control) are being developed in waferfab to automatically adjust and tune wafer processing, based on a lot of process context information. It can generate and monitor complex intrawafer process profile corrections between different process steps. It leads us to put under control the spatial variability, in real time by our SPC system (Statistical Process Control). This paper will outline the architecture of an integrated process control system for shape monitoring in 3D, implemented in waferfab.

  3. Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food by Step One real-time polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pochop, Jaroslav; Kačániová, Miroslava; Hleba, Lukáš; Lopasovský, L'ubomír; Bobková, Alica; Zeleňáková, Lucia; Stričík, Michal

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to follow contamination of ready-to-eat food with Listeria monocytogenes by using the Step One real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We used the PrepSEQ Rapid Spin Sample Preparation Kit for isolation of DNA and MicroSEQ® Listeria monocytogenes Detection Kit for the real-time PCR performance. In 30 samples of ready-to-eat milk and meat products without incubation we detected strains of Listeria monocytogenes in five samples (swabs). Internal positive control (IPC) was positive in all samples. Our results indicated that the real-time PCR assay developed in this study could sensitively detect Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food without incubation.

  4. High Step-Up DC—DC Converter for AC Photovoltaic Module with MPPT Control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sundar, Govindasamy; Karthick, Narashiman; Rama Reddy, Sasi

    2014-08-01

    This paper presents the high gain step-up BOOST converter which is essential to step up the low output voltage from PV panel to the high voltage according to the requirement of the application. In this paper a high gain BOOST converter with coupled inductor technique is proposed with the MPPT control. Without extreme duty ratios and the numerous turns-ratios of a coupled inductor this converter achieves a high step-up voltage-conversion ratio and the leakage energy of the coupled inductor is efficiently recycled to the load. MPPT control used to extract the maximum power from PV panel by controlling the Duty ratio of the converter. The PV panel, BOOST converter and the MPPT are modeled using Sim Power System blocks in MATLAB/SIMULINK environment. The prototype model of the proposed converter has been implemented with the maximum measured efficiency is up to 95.4% and full-load efficiency is 93.1%.

  5. Error Analysis of a Fractional Time-Stepping Technique for Incompressible Flows with Variable Density

    KAUST Repository

    Guermond, J.-L.; Salgado, Abner J.

    2011-01-01

    In this paper we analyze the convergence properties of a new fractional time-stepping technique for the solution of the variable density incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. The main feature of this method is that, contrary to other existing algorithms, the pressure is determined by just solving one Poisson equation per time step. First-order error estimates are proved, and stability of a formally second-order variant of the method is established. © 2011 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

  6. The Technique of Changing the Drive Method of Micro Step Drive and Sensorless Drive for Hybrid Stepping Motor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoneda, Makoto; Dohmeki, Hideo

    The position control system with the advantage large torque, low vibration, and high resolution can be obtained by the constant current micro step drive applied to hybrid stepping motor. However loss is large, in order not to be concerned with load torque but to control current uniformly. As the one technique of a position control system in which high efficiency is realizable, the same sensorless control as a permanent magnet motor is effective. But, it was the purpose that the control method proposed until now controls speed. Then, this paper proposed changing the drive method of micro step drive and sensorless drive. The change of the drive method was verified from the simulation and the experiment. On no load, it was checked not producing change of a large speed at the time of a change by making electrical angle and carrying out zero reset of the integrator. On load, it was checked that a large speed change arose. The proposed system could change drive method by setting up the initial value of an integrator using the estimated result, without producing speed change. With this technique, the low loss position control system, which employed the advantage of the hybrid stepping motor, has been built.

  7. Explicit/multi-parametric model predictive control (MPC) of linear discrete-time systems by dynamic and multi-parametric programming

    KAUST Repository

    Kouramas, K.I.

    2011-08-01

    This work presents a new algorithm for solving the explicit/multi- parametric model predictive control (or mp-MPC) problem for linear, time-invariant discrete-time systems, based on dynamic programming and multi-parametric programming techniques. The algorithm features two key steps: (i) a dynamic programming step, in which the mp-MPC problem is decomposed into a set of smaller subproblems in which only the current control, state variables, and constraints are considered, and (ii) a multi-parametric programming step, in which each subproblem is solved as a convex multi-parametric programming problem, to derive the control variables as an explicit function of the states. The key feature of the proposed method is that it overcomes potential limitations of previous methods for solving multi-parametric programming problems with dynamic programming, such as the need for global optimization for each subproblem of the dynamic programming step. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. A real-time and closed-loop control algorithm for cascaded multilevel inverter based on artificial neural network.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Libing; Mao, Chengxiong; Wang, Dan; Lu, Jiming; Zhang, Junfeng; Chen, Xun

    2014-01-01

    In order to control the cascaded H-bridges (CHB) converter with staircase modulation strategy in a real-time manner, a real-time and closed-loop control algorithm based on artificial neural network (ANN) for three-phase CHB converter is proposed in this paper. It costs little computation time and memory. It has two steps. In the first step, hierarchical particle swarm optimizer with time-varying acceleration coefficient (HPSO-TVAC) algorithm is employed to minimize the total harmonic distortion (THD) and generate the optimal switching angles offline. In the second step, part of optimal switching angles are used to train an ANN and the well-designed ANN can generate optimal switching angles in a real-time manner. Compared with previous real-time algorithm, the proposed algorithm is suitable for a wider range of modulation index and results in a smaller THD and a lower calculation time. Furthermore, the well-designed ANN is embedded into a closed-loop control algorithm for CHB converter with variable direct voltage (DC) sources. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed closed-loop control algorithm is able to quickly stabilize load voltage and minimize the line current's THD (<5%) when subjecting the DC sources disturbance or load disturbance. In real design stage, a switching angle pulse generation scheme is proposed and experiment results verify its correctness.

  9. A Real-Time and Closed-Loop Control Algorithm for Cascaded Multilevel Inverter Based on Artificial Neural Network

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Libing Wang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In order to control the cascaded H-bridges (CHB converter with staircase modulation strategy in a real-time manner, a real-time and closed-loop control algorithm based on artificial neural network (ANN for three-phase CHB converter is proposed in this paper. It costs little computation time and memory. It has two steps. In the first step, hierarchical particle swarm optimizer with time-varying acceleration coefficient (HPSO-TVAC algorithm is employed to minimize the total harmonic distortion (THD and generate the optimal switching angles offline. In the second step, part of optimal switching angles are used to train an ANN and the well-designed ANN can generate optimal switching angles in a real-time manner. Compared with previous real-time algorithm, the proposed algorithm is suitable for a wider range of modulation index and results in a smaller THD and a lower calculation time. Furthermore, the well-designed ANN is embedded into a closed-loop control algorithm for CHB converter with variable direct voltage (DC sources. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed closed-loop control algorithm is able to quickly stabilize load voltage and minimize the line current’s THD (<5% when subjecting the DC sources disturbance or load disturbance. In real design stage, a switching angle pulse generation scheme is proposed and experiment results verify its correctness.

  10. Implementation of a variable-step integration technique for nonlinear structural dynamic analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Underwood, P.; Park, K.C.

    1977-01-01

    The paper presents the implementation of a recently developed unconditionally stable implicit time integration method into a production computer code for the transient response analysis of nonlinear structural dynamic systems. The time integrator is packaged with two significant features; a variable step size that is automatically determined and this is accomplished without additional matrix refactorizations. The equations of motion solved by the time integrator must be cast in the pseudo-force form, and this provides the mechanism for controlling the step size. Step size control is accomplished by extrapolating the pseudo-force to the next time (the predicted pseudo-force), then performing the integration step and then recomputing the pseudo-force based on the current solution (the correct pseudo-force); from this data an error norm is constructed, the value of which determines the step size for the next step. To avoid refactoring the required matrix with each step size change a matrix scaling technique is employed, which allows step sizes to change by a factor of 100 without refactoring. If during a computer run the integrator determines it can run with a step size larger than 100 times the original minimum step size, the matrix is refactored to take advantage of the larger step size. The strategy for effecting these features are discussed in detail. (Auth.)

  11. Robust Moving Horizon H∞ Control of Discrete Time-Delayed Systems with Interval Time-Varying Delays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Yıldız Tascikaraoglu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In this study, design of a delay-dependent type moving horizon state-feedback control (MHHC is considered for a class of linear discrete-time system subject to time-varying state delays, norm-bounded uncertainties, and disturbances with bounded energies. The closed-loop robust stability and robust performance problems are considered to overcome the instability and poor disturbance rejection performance due to the existence of parametric uncertainties and time-delay appeared in the system dynamics. Utilizing a discrete-time Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional, some delay-dependent linear matrix inequality (LMI based conditions are provided. It is shown that if one can find a feasible solution set for these LMI conditions iteratively at each step of run-time, then we can construct a control law which guarantees the closed-loop asymptotic stability, maximum disturbance rejection performance, and closed-loop dissipativity in view of the actuator limitations. Two numerical examples with simulations on a nominal and uncertain discrete-time, time-delayed systems, are presented at the end, in order to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method.

  12. Rapid expansion method (REM) for time‐stepping in reverse time migration (RTM)

    KAUST Repository

    Pestana, Reynam C.

    2009-01-01

    We show that the wave equation solution using a conventional finite‐difference scheme, derived commonly by the Taylor series approach, can be derived directly from the rapid expansion method (REM). After some mathematical manipulation we consider an analytical approximation for the Bessel function where we assume that the time step is sufficiently small. From this derivation we find that if we consider only the first two Chebyshev polynomials terms in the rapid expansion method we can obtain the second order time finite‐difference scheme that is frequently used in more conventional finite‐difference implementations. We then show that if we use more terms from the REM we can obtain a more accurate time integration of the wave field. Consequently, we have demonstrated that the REM is more accurate than the usual finite‐difference schemes and it provides a wave equation solution which allows us to march in large time steps without numerical dispersion and is numerically stable. We illustrate the method with post and pre stack migration results.

  13. Computing the sensitivity of drag and lift in flow past a circular cylinder: Time-stepping versus self-consistent analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meliga, Philippe

    2017-07-01

    We provide in-depth scrutiny of two methods making use of adjoint-based gradients to compute the sensitivity of drag in the two-dimensional, periodic flow past a circular cylinder (Re≲189 ): first, the time-stepping analysis used in Meliga et al. [Phys. Fluids 26, 104101 (2014), 10.1063/1.4896941] that relies on classical Navier-Stokes modeling and determines the sensitivity to any generic control force from time-dependent adjoint equations marched backwards in time; and, second, a self-consistent approach building on the model of Mantič-Lugo et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 084501 (2014), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.084501] to compute semilinear approximations of the sensitivity to the mean and fluctuating components of the force. Both approaches are applied to open-loop control by a small secondary cylinder and allow identifying the sensitive regions without knowledge of the controlled states. The theoretical predictions obtained by time-stepping analysis reproduce well the results obtained by direct numerical simulation of the two-cylinder system. So do the predictions obtained by self-consistent analysis, which corroborates the relevance of the approach as a guideline for efficient and systematic control design in the attempt to reduce drag, even though the Reynolds number is not close to the instability threshold and the oscillation amplitude is not small. This is because, unlike simpler approaches relying on linear stability analysis to predict the main features of the flow unsteadiness, the semilinear framework encompasses rigorously the effect of the control on the mean flow, as well as on the finite-amplitude fluctuation that feeds back nonlinearly onto the mean flow via the formation of Reynolds stresses. Such results are especially promising as the self-consistent approach determines the sensitivity from time-independent equations that can be solved iteratively, which makes it generally less computationally demanding. We ultimately discuss the extent to

  14. Modal Vibration Control in Periodic Time-Varying Structures with Focus on Rotor Blade Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Rene Hardam; Santos, Ilmar

    2004-01-01

    of active modal controllers. The main aim is to reduce vibrations in periodic time-varying structures. Special emphasis is given to vibration control of coupled bladed rotor systems. A state feedback modal control law is developed based on modal analysis in periodic time-varying structures. The first step...... in the procedure is a transformation of the model into a time-invariant modal form by applying the modal matrices, which are also periodic time-variant. Due to coupled rotor and blade motions complex vibration modes occur in the modal transformed state space model. This implies that the modal transformed model...

  15. A stabilized Runge–Kutta–Legendre method for explicit super-time-stepping of parabolic and mixed equations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meyer, Chad D.; Balsara, Dinshaw S.; Aslam, Tariq D.

    2014-01-01

    Parabolic partial differential equations appear in several physical problems, including problems that have a dominant hyperbolic part coupled to a sub-dominant parabolic component. Explicit methods for their solution are easy to implement but have very restrictive time step constraints. Implicit solution methods can be unconditionally stable but have the disadvantage of being computationally costly or difficult to implement. Super-time-stepping methods for treating parabolic terms in mixed type partial differential equations occupy an intermediate position. In such methods each superstep takes “s” explicit Runge–Kutta-like time-steps to advance the parabolic terms by a time-step that is s 2 times larger than a single explicit time-step. The expanded stability is usually obtained by mapping the short recursion relation of the explicit Runge–Kutta scheme to the recursion relation of some well-known, stable polynomial. Prior work has built temporally first- and second-order accurate super-time-stepping methods around the recursion relation associated with Chebyshev polynomials. Since their stability is based on the boundedness of the Chebyshev polynomials, these methods have been called RKC1 and RKC2. In this work we build temporally first- and second-order accurate super-time-stepping methods around the recursion relation associated with Legendre polynomials. We call these methods RKL1 and RKL2. The RKL1 method is first-order accurate in time; the RKL2 method is second-order accurate in time. We verify that the newly-designed RKL1 and RKL2 schemes have a very desirable monotonicity preserving property for one-dimensional problems – a solution that is monotone at the beginning of a time step retains that property at the end of that time step. It is shown that RKL1 and RKL2 methods are stable for all values of the diffusion coefficient up to the maximum value. We call this a convex monotonicity preserving property and show by examples that it is very useful

  16. Experimental study of the pressure discharge process for the hydraulic control rod drive system stepped cylinder

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Jinhua; Bo, Hanliang; Zheng, Wenxiang

    2002-01-01

    The pressure discharge process from the stepped cylinder of the Hydraulic Control Rod Drive System (HCRDS) was studied experimentally in the HCRDS experimental loop for the 200 MW Nuclear Heating Reactor (NHR-200). The results showed that the differential pressure between the outside and the inside of the stepped cylinder increased rapidly to the desired value so that the force induced by the differential pressure which pushes the out tube of stepped cylinder was large enough. Therefore, if the hydraulic control rod were jammed, the pressure could push the hydraulic control rod to overcome the frictional resistance to insert the control rod into the reactor core. The experimental results verified that this design would solve the problem of hydraulic control rod jamming during an accident. (author)

  17. Multiple Time-Step Dual-Hamiltonian Hybrid Molecular Dynamics - Monte Carlo Canonical Propagation Algorithm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yunjie; Kale, Seyit; Weare, Jonathan; Dinner, Aaron R; Roux, Benoît

    2016-04-12

    A multiple time-step integrator based on a dual Hamiltonian and a hybrid method combining molecular dynamics (MD) and Monte Carlo (MC) is proposed to sample systems in the canonical ensemble. The Dual Hamiltonian Multiple Time-Step (DHMTS) algorithm is based on two similar Hamiltonians: a computationally expensive one that serves as a reference and a computationally inexpensive one to which the workload is shifted. The central assumption is that the difference between the two Hamiltonians is slowly varying. Earlier work has shown that such dual Hamiltonian multiple time-step schemes effectively precondition nonlinear differential equations for dynamics by reformulating them into a recursive root finding problem that can be solved by propagating a correction term through an internal loop, analogous to RESPA. Of special interest in the present context, a hybrid MD-MC version of the DHMTS algorithm is introduced to enforce detailed balance via a Metropolis acceptance criterion and ensure consistency with the Boltzmann distribution. The Metropolis criterion suppresses the discretization errors normally associated with the propagation according to the computationally inexpensive Hamiltonian, treating the discretization error as an external work. Illustrative tests are carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.

  18. Positivity-preserving dual time stepping schemes for gas dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parent, Bernard

    2018-05-01

    A new approach at discretizing the temporal derivative of the Euler equations is here presented which can be used with dual time stepping. The temporal discretization stencil is derived along the lines of the Cauchy-Kowalevski procedure resulting in cross differences in spacetime but with some novel modifications which ensure the positivity of the discretization coefficients. It is then shown that the so-obtained spacetime cross differences result in changes to the wave speeds and can thus be incorporated within Roe or Steger-Warming schemes (with and without reconstruction-evolution) simply by altering the eigenvalues. The proposed approach is advantaged over alternatives in that it is positivity-preserving for the Euler equations. Further, it yields monotone solutions near discontinuities while exhibiting a truncation error in smooth regions less than the one of the second- or third-order accurate backward-difference-formula (BDF) for either small or large time steps. The high resolution and positivity preservation of the proposed discretization stencils are independent of the convergence acceleration technique which can be set to multigrid, preconditioning, Jacobian-free Newton-Krylov, block-implicit, etc. Thus, the current paper also offers the first implicit integration of the time-accurate Euler equations that is positivity-preserving in the strict sense (that is, the density and temperature are guaranteed to remain positive). This is in contrast to all previous positivity-preserving implicit methods which only guaranteed the positivity of the density, not of the temperature or pressure. Several stringent reacting and inert test cases confirm the positivity-preserving property of the proposed method as well as its higher resolution and higher computational efficiency over other second-order and third-order implicit temporal discretization strategies.

  19. Effect of One-Step and Multi-Steps Polishing System on Enamel Roughness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cynthia Sumali

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 The final procedures of orthodontic treatment are bracket debonding and cleaning the remaining adhesive. Multi-step polishing system is the most common method used. The disadvantage of that system is long working time, because of the stages that should be done. Therefore, dental material manufacturer make an improvement to the system, to reduce several stages into one stage only. This new system is known as one-step polishing system. Objective: To compare the effect of one-step and multi-step polishing system on enamel roughness after orthodontic bracket debonding. Methods: Randomized control trial was conducted included twenty-eight maxillary premolar randomized into two polishing system; one-step OptraPol (Ivoclar, Vivadent and multi-step AstroPol (Ivoclar, Vivadent. After bracket debonding, the remaining adhesive on each group was cleaned by subjective polishing system for ninety seconds using low speed handpiece. The enamel roughness was subjected to profilometer, registering two roughness parameters (Ra, Rz. Independent t-test was used to analyze the mean score of enamel roughness in each group. Results: There was no significant difference of enamel roughness between one-step and multi-step polishing system (p>0.005. Conclusion: One-step polishing system can produce a similar enamel roughness to multi-step polishing system after bracket debonding and adhesive cleaning.DOI: 10.14693/jdi.v19i3.136

  20. A Control Law Definition of the Open Loop Stepping Electric Drive

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. B. Krasovskii

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper considers an open loop stepping electric drive (SEP with electric crushing of a step and motor fed from the controlled current invertor which should meet the requirement that is to trial a free-form guided trajectory with a split-hair accuracy. It is shown that with traditional programmed control, when the SEP forms motor phase currents of identical amplitude and variable frequency proportional to the set speed of movement, there may be considerable errors reducing a trial accuracy of the set movement trajectory, dynamic indicators provoking oscillatory processes, and even loss of motor synchronism because influence on a dynamic moment of the motor is impossible.The paper offers and proves a new way to define a control algorithm adequate to drive parameters and programmed trajectory of movement, providing error minimization and thereby increasing trial accuracy of set parameters of movement and expanding dynamic capabilities of a drive. The essence of the offered way is to use a modified mathematical model of a drive in d,q coordinates with a motor fed by the current source. In this model a programmed trajectory of movement is chosen as an input action while solving the appropriate equations defines the necessary law of control. The paper describes a developed simulation model of the stepping electric drive in the environment of MATLAB – SIMULINK, which has been used to verify and prove an efficiency of the offered method to define a control law via typical examples.It is established that no error trial of set movement trajectory in case it has breaks (jogs is technically unfeasible, as it demands an infinitely high forcing voltage of the power supply to maintain the instant positive or negative phase shifts of currents formed in the motor windings.The obtained results can be used in designing programmable precision SEPs in robots, numerically controlled machine tools, and assembly equipment.

  1. One-step electrodeposition process of CuInSe2: Deposition time effect

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Administrator

    CuInSe2 thin films were prepared by one-step electrodeposition process using a simplified two- electrodes system. ... homojunctions or heterojunctions (Rincon et al 1983). Efficiency of ... deposition times onto indium thin oxide (ITO)-covered.

  2. Age-related differences in lower-limb force-time relation during the push-off in rapid voluntary stepping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melzer, I; Krasovsky, T; Oddsson, L I E; Liebermann, D G

    2010-12-01

    This study investigated the force-time relationship during the push-off stage of a rapid voluntary step in young and older healthy adults, to study the assumption that when balance is lost a quick step may preserve stability. The ability to achieve peak propulsive force within a short time is critical for the performance of such a quick powerful step. We hypothesized that older adults would achieve peak force and power in significantly longer times compared to young people, particularly during the push-off preparatory phase. Fifteen young and 15 older volunteers performed rapid forward steps while standing on a force platform. Absolute anteroposterior and body weight normalized vertical forces during the push-off in the preparation and swing phases were used to determine time to peak and peak force, and step power. Two-way analyses of variance ('Group' [young-older] by 'Phase' [preparation-swing]) were used to assess our hypothesis (P ≤ 0.05). Older people exerted lower peak forces (anteroposterior and vertical) than young adults, but not necessarily lower peak power. More significantly, they showed a longer time to peak force, particularly in the vertical direction during the preparation phase. Older adults generate propulsive forces slowly and reach lower magnitudes, mainly during step preparation. The time to achieve a peak force and power, rather than its actual magnitude, may account for failures in quickly performing a preventive action. Such delay may be associated with the inability to react and recruit muscles quickly. Thus, training elderly to step fast in response to relevant cues may be beneficial in the prevention of falls. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Stability of the high-order finite elements for acoustic or elastic wave propagation with high-order time stepping

    KAUST Repository

    De Basabe, Jonás D.

    2010-04-01

    We investigate the stability of some high-order finite element methods, namely the spectral element method and the interior-penalty discontinuous Galerkin method (IP-DGM), for acoustic or elastic wave propagation that have become increasingly popular in the recent past. We consider the Lax-Wendroff method (LWM) for time stepping and show that it allows for a larger time step than the classical leap-frog finite difference method, with higher-order accuracy. In particular the fourth-order LWM allows for a time step 73 per cent larger than that of the leap-frog method; the computational cost is approximately double per time step, but the larger time step partially compensates for this additional cost. Necessary, but not sufficient, stability conditions are given for the mentioned methods for orders up to 10 in space and time. The stability conditions for IP-DGM are approximately 20 and 60 per cent more restrictive than those for SEM in the acoustic and elastic cases, respectively. © 2010 The Authors Journal compilation © 2010 RAS.

  4. Microbiological contamination in radiopharmacy: problems and implementation of controls in a step quality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maia, Serge; Nicol, Benoit; Rouleau, Annick; Guilloteau, Denis; Van der mee-marquet, Nathalie

    2008-01-01

    Microbiological contamination (bio-contamination) of the preparation room of injectable radiopharmaceutical drugs must be controlled to guarantee their sterility, but appears difficult to be obtained because of the principles related to the radioprotection of the staff. In order to fulfil the two requirements (sterility and radioprotection), the Radiopharmacy Unit of the University Hospital of Tours implemented a step quality including a system of Quality-Control, in 2004. Material and methods: This system contains, on the one hand, control of the sterility of preparations by direct sowing within culture mediums and, on the other hand, control of the bio-contamination of surfaces of the preparation room by tacking a swab on several representative points. Results: The bio-contamination of surfaces between 2004 and 2005 was frequent and did not stop increasing. After analysis of probable causes, new means of prevention came to supplement this step quality: application of new protocols for the bio-cleaning of surfaces; compliance with rules described in the Good Manufacturing Practices; a continuous formation of the personnel on the principles of hygiene. Thus, between 2005 and 2006, a significant fall of the bacterial colonies number (α < 0.05) and the disappearance of filamentous fungi were obtained. Discussion/Conclusion: This work shows the impact of the implementation of these controls on the microbiological contamination reduction in Radiopharmacy and on the improvement of a step quality. (authors) [fr

  5. Recovery of forward stepping in spinal cord injured patients does not transfer to untrained backward stepping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grasso, Renato; Ivanenko, Yuri P; Zago, Myrka; Molinari, Marco; Scivoletto, Giorgio; Lacquaniti, Francesco

    2004-08-01

    Six spinal cord injured (SCI) patients were trained to step on a treadmill with body-weight support for 1.5-3 months. At the end of training, foot motion recovered the shape and the step-by-step reproducibility that characterize normal gait. They were then asked to step backward on the treadmill belt that moved in the opposite direction relative to standard forward training. In contrast to healthy subjects, who can immediately reverse the direction of walking by time-reversing the kinematic waveforms, patients were unable to step backward. Similarly patients were unable to perform another untrained locomotor task, namely stepping in place on the idle treadmill. Two patients who were trained to step backward for 2-3 weeks were able to develop control of foot motion appropriate for this task. The results show that locomotor improvement does not transfer to untrained tasks, thus supporting the idea of task-dependent plasticity in human locomotor networks.

  6. [The investigation of control mechanisms of stepping rhythm in human in the air-stepping conditions during passive and voluntary leg movements].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solopova, I A; Selionon, V A; Grishin, A A

    2010-01-01

    In unloading condition the degree of activation of the central stepping program was investigated during passive leg movements in healthy subjects, as well as the excitability of spinal motoneurons during passive and voluntary stepping movement. Passive stepping movements with characteristics maximally approximated to those during voluntary stepping were accomplished by experimenter. The comparison of the muscle activity bursts during voluntary and imposed movements was made. In addition to that the influence of artificially created loading onto the foot to the leg movement characteristics was analyzed. Spinal motoneuron excitability was estimated by means of evaluation of amplitude modulation of the soleus H-reflex. The changes of H-reflexes under the fixation of knee or hip joints were also studied. In majority of subjects the passive movements were accompanied by bursts of EMG activity of hip muscles (and sometimes of knee muscles), which timing during step cycle was coincided with burst timing of voluntary step cycle. In many cases the bursts of EMG activity during passive movements exceeded activity in homonymous muscles during voluntary stepping. The foot loading imitation exerted essential influence on distal parts of moving extremity during voluntary as well passive movements, that was expressed in the appearance of movements in the ankle joint and accompanied by emergence and increasing of phasic EMG activity of shank muscles. The excitability of motoneurons during passive movements was greater then during voluntary ones. The changes and modulation of H-reflex throughout the step cycle without restriction of joint mobility and during exclusion of hip joint mobility were similar. The knee joint fixation exerted the greater influence. It is supposed that imposed movements activate the same mechanisms of rhythm generation as a supraspinal commands during voluntary movements. In the conditions of passive movements the presynaptic inhibition depend on afferent

  7. Fast Determination of Distribution-Connected PV Impacts Using a Variable Time-Step Quasi-Static Time-Series Approach: Preprint

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mather, Barry

    2017-08-24

    The increasing deployment of distribution-connected photovoltaic (DPV) systems requires utilities to complete complex interconnection studies. Relatively simple interconnection study methods worked well for low penetrations of photovoltaic systems, but more complicated quasi-static time-series (QSTS) analysis is required to make better interconnection decisions as DPV penetration levels increase. Tools and methods must be developed to support this. This paper presents a variable-time-step solver for QSTS analysis that significantly shortens the computational time and effort to complete a detailed analysis of the operation of a distribution circuit with many DPV systems. Specifically, it demonstrates that the proposed variable-time-step solver can reduce the required computational time by as much as 84% without introducing any important errors to metrics, such as the highest and lowest voltage occurring on the feeder, number of voltage regulator tap operations, and total amount of losses realized in the distribution circuit during a 1-yr period. Further improvement in computational speed is possible with the introduction of only modest errors in these metrics, such as a 91 percent reduction with less than 5 percent error when predicting voltage regulator operations.

  8. Elderly fallers enhance dynamic stability through anticipatory postural adjustments during a choice stepping reaction time

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Romain Tisserand

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available In the case of disequilibrium, the capacity to step quickly is critical to avoid falling for elderly. This capacity can be simply assessed through the choice stepping reaction time test (CSRT, where elderly fallers (F take longer to step than elderly non-fallers (NF. However, reasons why elderly F elongate their stepping time remain unclear. The purpose of this study is to assess the characteristics of anticipated postural adjustments (APA that elderly F develop in a stepping context and their consequences on the dynamic stability. 44 community-dwelling elderly subjects (20 F and 22 NF performed a CSRT where kinematics and ground reaction forces were collected. Variables were analyzed using two-way repeated measures ANOVAs. Results for F compared to NF showed that stepping time is elongated, due to a longer APA phase. During APA, they seem to use two distinct balance strategies, depending on the axis: in the anteroposterior direction, we measured a smaller backward movement and slower peak velocity of the center of pressure (CoP; in the mediolateral direction, the CoP movement was similar in amplitude and peak velocity between groups but lasted longer. The biomechanical consequence of both strategies was an increased margin of stability (MoS at foot-off, in the respective direction. By elongating their APA, elderly F use a safer balance strategy that prioritizes dynamic stability conditions instead of the objective of the task. Such a choice in balance strategy probably comes from muscular limitations and/or a higher fear of falling and paradoxically indicates an increased risk of fall.

  9. Modeling Stepped Leaders Using a Time Dependent Multi-dipole Model and High-speed Video Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karunarathne, S.; Marshall, T.; Stolzenburg, M.; Warner, T. A.; Orville, R. E.

    2012-12-01

    In summer of 2011, we collected lightning data with 10 stations of electric field change meters (bandwidth of 0.16 Hz - 2.6 MHz) on and around NASA/Kennedy Space Center (KSC) covering nearly 70 km × 100 km area. We also had a high-speed video (HSV) camera recording 50,000 images per second collocated with one of the electric field change meters. In this presentation we describe our use of these data to model the electric field change caused by stepped leaders. Stepped leaders of a cloud to ground lightning flash typically create the initial path for the first return stroke (RS). Most of the time, stepped leaders have multiple complex branches, and one of these branches will create the ground connection for the RS to start. HSV data acquired with a short focal length lens at ranges of 5-25 km from the flash are useful for obtaining the 2-D location of these multiple branches developing at the same time. Using HSV data along with data from the KSC Lightning Detection and Ranging (LDAR2) system and the Cloud to Ground Lightning Surveillance System (CGLSS), the 3D path of a leader may be estimated. Once the path of a stepped leader is obtained, the time dependent multi-dipole model [ Lu, Winn,and Sonnenfeld, JGR 2011] can be used to match the electric field change at various sensor locations. Based on this model, we will present the time-dependent charge distribution along a leader channel and the total charge transfer during the stepped leader phase.

  10. Effects of bench step exercise intervention on work ability in terms of cardiovascular risk factors and oxidative stress: a randomized controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohta, Masanori; Eguchi, Yasumasa; Inoue, Tomohiro; Honda, Toru; Morita, Yusaku; Konno, Yoshimasa; Yamato, Hiroshi; Kumashiro, Masaharu

    2015-01-01

    Work ability is partly determined by physical and mental fitness. Bench step exercise can be practiced anywhere at any time. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a bench step exercise on work ability by examining cardiovascular risk factors and oxidative stress. Thirteen volunteers working in a warehousing industry comprised the bench step exercise group (n=7) and the control group (n=6). The participants in the step exercise group were encouraged to practice the step exercise at home for 16 weeks. The step exercise improved glucose metabolism and antioxidative capacity and increased work ability by reducing absences from work and improving the prognosis of work ability. The improvement in work ability was related to a reduction in oxidative stress. These results suggest that a bench step exercise may improve work ability by reducing cardiovascular risk factors and oxidative stress.

  11. Effect of a perturbation-based balance training program on compensatory stepping and grasping reactions in older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansfield, Avril; Peters, Amy L; Liu, Barbara A; Maki, Brian E

    2010-04-01

    Compensatory stepping and grasping reactions are prevalent responses to sudden loss of balance and play a critical role in preventing falls. The ability to execute these reactions effectively is impaired in older adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a perturbation-based balance training program designed to target specific age-related impairments in compensatory stepping and grasping balance recovery reactions. This was a double-blind randomized controlled trial. The study was conducted at research laboratories in a large urban hospital. Thirty community-dwelling older adults (aged 64-80 years) with a recent history of falls or self-reported instability participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a 6-week perturbation-based (motion platform) balance training program or a 6-week control program involving flexibility and relaxation training. Features of balance reactions targeted by the perturbation-based program were: (1) multi-step reactions, (2) extra lateral steps following anteroposterior perturbations, (3) foot collisions following lateral perturbations, and (4) time to complete grasping reactions. The reactions were evoked during testing by highly unpredictable surface translation and cable pull perturbations, both of which differed from the perturbations used during training. /b> Compared with the control program, the perturbation-based training led to greater reductions in frequency of multi-step reactions and foot collisions that were statistically significant for surface translations but not cable pulls. The perturbation group also showed significantly greater reduction in handrail contact time compared with the control group for cable pulls and a possible trend in this direction for surface translations. Further work is needed to determine whether a maintenance program is needed to retain the training benefits and to assess whether these benefits reduce fall risk in daily life. Perturbation-based training

  12. Generalized Runge-Kutta method for two- and three-dimensional space-time diffusion equations with a variable time step

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aboanber, A.E.; Hamada, Y.M.

    2008-01-01

    An extensive knowledge of the spatial power distribution is required for the design and analysis of different types of current-generation reactors, and that requires the development of more sophisticated theoretical methods. Therefore, the need to develop new methods for multidimensional transient reactor analysis still exists. The objective of this paper is to develop a computationally efficient numerical method for solving the multigroup, multidimensional, static and transient neutron diffusion kinetics equations. A generalized Runge-Kutta method has been developed for the numerical integration of the stiff space-time diffusion equations. The method is fourth-order accurate, using an embedded third-order solution to arrive at an estimate of the truncation error for automatic time step control. In addition, the A(α)-stability properties of the method are investigated. The analyses of two- and three-dimensional benchmark problems as well as static and transient problems, demonstrate that very accurate solutions can be obtained with assembly-sized spatial meshes. Preliminary numerical evaluations using two- and three-dimensional finite difference codes showed that the presented generalized Runge-Kutta method is highly accurate and efficient when compared with other optimized iterative numerical and conventional finite difference methods

  13. Once-per-step control of ankle-foot prosthesis push-off work reduces effort associated with balance during walking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Myunghee; Collins, Steven H

    2015-05-01

    Individuals with below-knee amputation have more difficulty balancing during walking, yet few studies have explored balance enhancement through active prosthesis control. We previously used a dynamical model to show that prosthetic ankle push-off work affects both sagittal and frontal plane dynamics, and that appropriate step-by-step control of push-off work can improve stability. We hypothesized that this approach could be applied to a robotic prosthesis to partially fulfill the active balance requirements of human walking, thereby reducing balance-related activity and associated effort for the person using the device. We conducted experiments on human participants (N = 10) with simulated amputation. Prosthetic ankle push-off work was varied on each step in ways expected to either stabilize, destabilize or have no effect on balance. Average ankle push-off work, known to affect effort, was kept constant across conditions. Stabilizing controllers commanded more push-off work on steps when the mediolateral velocity of the center of mass was lower than usual at the moment of contralateral heel strike. Destabilizing controllers enforced the opposite relationship, while a neutral controller maintained constant push-off work regardless of body state. A random disturbance to landing foot angle and a cognitive distraction task were applied, further challenging participants' balance. We measured metabolic rate, foot placement kinematics, center of pressure kinematics, distraction task performance, and user preference in each condition. We expected the stabilizing controller to reduce active control of balance and balance-related effort for the user, improving user preference. The best stabilizing controller lowered metabolic rate by 5.5% (p = 0.003) and 8.5% (p = 0.02), and step width variability by 10.0% (p = 0.009) and 10.7% (p = 0.03) compared to conditions with no control and destabilizing control, respectively. Participants tended to prefer stabilizing controllers

  14. Electric-stepping-motor tests for a control-drum actuator of a nuclear reactor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kieffer, A. W.

    1972-01-01

    Experimental tests were conducted on two stepping motors for application as reactor control-drum actuators. Various control-drum loads with frictional resistances ranging from approximately zero to 40 N-m and inertias ranging from zero to 0.424 kg-sq m were tested.

  15. Healthy younger and older adults control foot placement to avoid small obstacles during gait primarily by modulating step width

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schulz Brian W

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Falls are a significant problem in the older population. Most falls occur during gait, which is primarily regulated by foot placement. Variability of foot placement has been associated with falls, but these associations are inconsistent and generally for smooth, level flooring. This study investigates the control of foot placement and the associated gait variability in younger and older men and women (N=7/group, total N=28 while walking at three different speeds (slow, preferred, and fast across a control surface with no obstacles and surfaces with multiple (64 small (10cm long ×13mm high visible and hidden obstacles. Results Minimum obstacle distance between the shoe and nearest obstacle during each footfall was greater on the visible obstacles surface for older subjects because some of them chose to actively avoid obstacles. This obstacle avoidance strategy was implemented primarily by modulating step width and to a lesser extent step length as indicated by linear regressions of step width and length variability on minimum obstacle distance. Mean gait speed, step length, step width, and step time did not significantly differ by subject group, flooring surface, or obstacle avoidance strategy. Conclusions Some healthy older subjects choose to actively avoid small obstacles that do not substantially perturb their gait by modulating step width and, to a lesser extent, step length. It is not clear if this obstacle avoidance strategy is appropriate and beneficial or overcautious and maladaptive, as it results in fewer obstacles encountered at a consequence of a less efficient gait pattern that has been shown to indicate increased fall risk. Further research is needed on the appropriateness of strategy selection when the environmental demands and/or task requirements have multiple possible completion strategies with conflicting objectives (i.e. perceived safety vs. efficiency.

  16. Operation of general purpose stepping motor controllers at the National Synchrotron Light Source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stubblefield, F.W.

    1987-01-01

    A prototype and four copies of a general purpose subsystem for mechanical positioning of detectors, samples, and beam line optical elements which constitute experiments at the National Synchrotron Light Source facility of Brookhaven National Laboratory have been constructed and placed into operation. Construction of a sixth subsystem is nearing completion. The subsystems effect mechanical positioning by controlling a set of stepping motors and their associated position encoders. The units are general purpose in the sense that they receive commands over a standard 9600 baud asynchronous serial line compatible with the RS-232-C electrical signal standard, generate TTL-compatible streams of stepping pulses which can be used with a wide variety of stepping motors, and read back position values from a number of different types and models of position encoder. The basic structure of the motor controller subsystem is briefly reviewed. Short descriptions of the positioning apparatus actuated at each of the test and experiment stations employing a motor control unit are given. Additions and enhancements to the sub-system made in response to problems indicated by actual operation of the four installed units are described in more detail

  17. Operation of general purpose stepping motor controllers at the National Synchrotron Light Source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stubblefield, F.W.

    1986-10-01

    A prototype and four copies of a general purpose subsystem for mechanical positioning of detectors, samples, and beam line optical elements which constitute experiments at the National Synchrotron Light Source facility of Brookhaven National Laboratory have been constructed and placed into operation. Construction of a sixth subsystem is nearing completion. The subsystems effect mechanical positioning by controlling a set of stepping motors and their associated position encoders. The units are general purpose in the sense that they receive commands over a standard 9600 baud asynchronous serial line compatible with the RS-232-C electrical signal standard, generate TTL-compatible streams of stepping pulses which can be used with a wide variety of stepping motors, and read back position values from a number of different types and models of position encoder. The basic structure of the motor controller subsystem will be briefly reviewed. Short descriptions of the positioning apparatus actuated at each of the test and experiment stations employing a motor control unit are given. Additions and enhancements to the subsystem made in response to problems indicated by actual operation of the four installed units are described in more detail

  18. Rapid expansion method (REM) for time‐stepping in reverse time migration (RTM)

    KAUST Repository

    Pestana, Reynam C.; Stoffa, Paul L.

    2009-01-01

    an analytical approximation for the Bessel function where we assume that the time step is sufficiently small. From this derivation we find that if we consider only the first two Chebyshev polynomials terms in the rapid expansion method we can obtain the second

  19. Multi-step-prediction of chaotic time series based on co-evolutionary recurrent neural network

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma Qianli; Zheng Qilun; Peng Hong; Qin Jiangwei; Zhong Tanwei

    2008-01-01

    This paper proposes a co-evolutionary recurrent neural network (CERNN) for the multi-step-prediction of chaotic time series, it estimates the proper parameters of phase space reconstruction and optimizes the structure of recurrent neural networks by co-evolutionary strategy. The searching space was separated into two subspaces and the individuals are trained in a parallel computational procedure. It can dynamically combine the embedding method with the capability of recurrent neural network to incorporate past experience due to internal recurrence. The effectiveness of CERNN is evaluated by using three benchmark chaotic time series data sets: the Lorenz series, Mackey-Glass series and real-world sun spot series. The simulation results show that CERNN improves the performances of multi-step-prediction of chaotic time series

  20. Licensing procedure by steps, indemnity precaution, control by administrative courts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sellner, D.

    1986-01-01

    The author describes three problems of the Wyhl-judgement of the Federal Administrative Court. The terms 'licensing procedure by steps', 'indemnity precaution pursuant to sec. 7, para. 2, No. 3 Atomic Energy Act', and 'control density of administrative courts' are concretized. The author chooses these terms because they have important impulses even for other fields than Atomic Energy Law. (CW) [de

  1. An output amplitude configurable wideband automatic gain control with high gain step accuracy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He Xiaofeng; Ye Tianchun; Mo Taishan; Ma Chengyan

    2012-01-01

    An output amplitude configurable wideband automatic gain control (AGC) with high gain step accuracy for the GNSS receiver is presented. The amplitude of an AGC is configurable in order to cooperate with baseband chips to achieve interference suppression and be compatible with different full range ADCs. And what's more, the gain-boosting technology is introduced and the circuit is improved to increase the step accuracy. A zero, which is composed by the source feedback resistance and the source capacity, is introduced to compensate for the pole. The AGC is fabricated in a 0.18 μm CMOS process. The AGC shows a 62 dB gain control range by 1 dB each step with a gain error of less than 0.2 dB. The AGC provides 3 dB bandwidth larger than 80 MHz and the overall power consumption is less than 1.8 mA, and the die area is 800 × 300 μm 2 . (semiconductor integrated circuits)

  2. The RiverFish Approach to Business Process Modeling: Linking Business Steps to Control-Flow Patterns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuliane, Devanir; Oikawa, Marcio K.; Malkowski, Simon; Alcazar, José Perez; Ferreira, João Eduardo

    Despite the recent advances in the area of Business Process Management (BPM), today’s business processes have largely been implemented without clearly defined conceptual modeling. This results in growing difficulties for identification, maintenance, and reuse of rules, processes, and control-flow patterns. To mitigate these problems in future implementations, we propose a new approach to business process modeling using conceptual schemas, which represent hierarchies of concepts for rules and processes shared among collaborating information systems. This methodology bridges the gap between conceptual model description and identification of actual control-flow patterns for workflow implementation. We identify modeling guidelines that are characterized by clear phase separation, step-by-step execution, and process building through diagrams and tables. The separation of business process modeling in seven mutually exclusive phases clearly delimits information technology from business expertise. The sequential execution of these phases leads to the step-by-step creation of complex control-flow graphs. The process model is refined through intuitive table and diagram generation in each phase. Not only does the rigorous application of our modeling framework minimize the impact of rule and process changes, but it also facilitates the identification and maintenance of control-flow patterns in BPM-based information system architectures.

  3. Tai Chi practitioners have better postural control and selective attention in stepping down with and without a concurrent auditory response task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Xi; Siu, Ka-Chun; Fu, Siu N; Hui-Chan, Christina W Y; Tsang, William W N

    2013-08-01

    To compare the performance of older experienced Tai Chi practitioners and healthy controls in dual-task versus single-task paradigms, namely stepping down with and without performing an auditory response task, a cross-sectional study was conducted in the Center for East-meets-West in Rehabilitation Sciences at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong. Twenty-eight Tai Chi practitioners (73.6 ± 4.2 years) and 30 healthy control subjects (72.4 ± 6.1 years) were recruited. Participants were asked to step down from a 19-cm-high platform and maintain a single-leg stance for 10 s with and without a concurrent cognitive task. The cognitive task was an auditory Stroop test in which the participants were required to respond to different tones of voices regardless of their word meanings. Postural stability after stepping down under single- and dual-task paradigms, in terms of excursion of the subject's center of pressure (COP) and cognitive performance, was measured for comparison between the two groups. Our findings demonstrated significant between-group differences in more outcome measures during dual-task than single-task performance. Thus, the auditory Stroop test showed that Tai Chi practitioners achieved not only significantly less error rate in single-task, but also significantly faster reaction time in dual-task, when compared with healthy controls similar in age and other relevant demographics. Similarly, the stepping-down task showed that Tai Chi practitioners not only displayed significantly less COP sway area in single-task, but also significantly less COP sway path than healthy controls in dual-task. These results showed that Tai Chi practitioners achieved better postural stability after stepping down as well as better performance in auditory response task than healthy controls. The improved performance that was magnified by dual motor-cognitive task performance may point to the benefits of Tai Chi being a mind-and-body exercise.

  4. Angle Control-Based Multi-Terminal Out-of-Step Protection System

    OpenAIRE

    Antans Sauhats; Andrejs Utans; Dmitrijs Antonovs; Andrejs Svalovs

    2017-01-01

    From time to time a sequence of unexpected and overlapping contingencies may lead to power system angular instability and even blackouts if not addressed adequately by means of an out-of-step (OOS) protection system. The motivation of the paper is an attempt to develop a workable prototype of the OOS protection system. The deficiencies of the protection currently used in the Latvian Power System network are highlighted and a new protection structure is proposed. The protection system comprise...

  5. CALCULATION OF CONTROL CIRCUITS IN TIME DOMAIN USING SCILAB / XCOS ENVIRONMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chioncel Petru

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the computing of control circuits in time domain, starting from the mathematical model of the control path described by differential equation’s with constant coefficients, whose solution can be obtained through Laplace transform and transfer functions. In the field of electric drives, the control circuits can be reduced to elements of PT1 and PT2 type, for which, the responses obtained from step and impulse function in the test process, are analyzed. The presented calculation, done in Scilab, highlights the test responses of the process and, the speed control circuit implemented as block diagrams in Xcos, reveals the improve of the process parameter through the control loop.

  6. Risk Factors for Asthma Exacerbation and Treatment Failure in Adults and Adolescents with Well-Controlled Asthma during Continuation and Step Down Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiMango, Emily; Rogers, Linda; Reibman, Joan; Gerald, Lynn B; Brown, Mark; Sugar, Elizabeth A; Henderson, Robert; Holbrook, Janet T

    2018-06-04

    Although national and international guidelines recommend reduction of asthma controller therapy or 'step-down" therapy in patients with well controlled asthma, it is expected that some individuals may experience worsening of asthma symptoms or asthma exacerbations during step-down. Characteristics associated with subsequent exacerbations during step-down therapy have not been well defined. The effect of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure on risk of treatment failure during asthma step down therapy has not been reported. To identify baseline characteristics associated with treatment failure and asthma exacerbation during maintenance and guideline-based step-down therapy. The present analysis uses data collected from a completed randomized controlled trial of optimal step-down therapy in patients with well controlled asthma taking moderate dose combination inhaled corticosteroids/long acting beta agonists. Participants were 12 years or older with physician diagnosed asthma and were enrolled between December 2011 and May 2014. An Emergency Room visit in the previous year was predictive of a subsequent treatment failure (HR 1.53 (1.06, 2.21 CI). For every 10% increase in baseline forced expiratory volume in one second percent predicted, the hazard for treatment failure was reduced by 14% (95% CI: 0.74-0.99). There was no difference in risk of treatment failure between adults and children, nor did duration of asthma increase risk of treatment failure. Age of asthma onset was not associated with increased risk of treatment failure. Unexpected emergency room visit in the previous year was the only risk factor significantly associated with subsequent asthma exacerbations requiring systemic corticosteroids. Time to treatment failure or exacerbation did not differ in participants with and without self-report of ETS exposure. The present findings can help clinicians identify patients more likely to develop treatment failures and exacerbations and who may therefore

  7. Receiver ASIC for timing, trigger and control distribution in LHC experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Christiansen, J.; Marchioro, A.; Moreira, P.; Sancho, A.

    1996-01-01

    An ASIC receiver has been developed for the optical timing, trigger and control distribution system for LHC detectors. It is capable of recovering the LHC reference clock and the first-level trigger decisions and making them available to the front-end electronics properly deskewed in time. The timing receiver is also capable of recognizing individually addressed commands to provide some slow control capability. Its main functions include post-amplification of the signal received from a photodetector-preamplifier, automatic gain control, data/clock separation, demultiplexing of the trigger and data channels and programmable coarse/fine deskewing functions. The design has been mapped into a standard 1microm CMOS process with all the analogue and timing critical functions implemented in full custom. The jitter measured on the recovered clock is less than 100 ps for input optical powers down to -25 dBm. The time deskewing functions allow the commands and the first level trigger accept signal to be phase shifted up to a maximum of sixteen clock cycles in steps of 0.1 ns

  8. Comparing an Annual and a Daily Time-Step Model for Predicting Field-Scale Phosphorus Loss.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolster, Carl H; Forsberg, Adam; Mittelstet, Aaron; Radcliffe, David E; Storm, Daniel; Ramirez-Avila, John; Sharpley, Andrew N; Osmond, Deanna

    2017-11-01

    A wide range of mathematical models are available for predicting phosphorus (P) losses from agricultural fields, ranging from simple, empirically based annual time-step models to more complex, process-based daily time-step models. In this study, we compare field-scale P-loss predictions between the Annual P Loss Estimator (APLE), an empirically based annual time-step model, and the Texas Best Management Practice Evaluation Tool (TBET), a process-based daily time-step model based on the Soil and Water Assessment Tool. We first compared predictions of field-scale P loss from both models using field and land management data collected from 11 research sites throughout the southern United States. We then compared predictions of P loss from both models with measured P-loss data from these sites. We observed a strong and statistically significant ( loss between the two models; however, APLE predicted, on average, 44% greater dissolved P loss, whereas TBET predicted, on average, 105% greater particulate P loss for the conditions simulated in our study. When we compared model predictions with measured P-loss data, neither model consistently outperformed the other, indicating that more complex models do not necessarily produce better predictions of field-scale P loss. Our results also highlight limitations with both models and the need for continued efforts to improve their accuracy. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  9. Controllable 3D architectures of aligned carbon nanotube arrays by multi-step processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Shaoming

    2003-06-01

    An effective way to fabricate large area three-dimensional (3D) aligned CNTs pattern based on pyrolysis of iron(II) phthalocyanine (FePc) by two-step processes is reported. The controllable generation of different lengths and selective growth of the aligned CNT arrays on metal-patterned (e.g., Ag and Au) substrate are the bases for generating such 3D aligned CNTs architectures. By controlling experimental conditions 3D aligned CNT arrays with different lengths/densities and morphologies/structures as well as multi-layered architectures can be fabricated in large scale by multi-step pyrolysis of FePc. These 3D architectures could have interesting properties and be applied for developing novel nanotube-based devices.

  10. Step by step in dust control

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Archer, N. [Arch Environmental Equipment, Inc. (United States)

    2003-05-01

    The paper examines the different stages in identifying delegating and controlling dust before it becomes a serious problem for a facility. Material handling, processing, storage and traffic are the major dust producing sources. All industries that convey dry, light material need to install a dust control system. The confine-seal-suppress method of dust control has provided excellent results in numerous applications, only with the combination of all three will maximum dust control. When a system is properly engineered and correctly installed, meeting the EPA Government standards becomes very easy, and is necessary in to the operation of a quality facility. 5 photos.

  11. 40 CFR 141.81 - Applicability of corrosion control treatment steps to small, medium-size and large water systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... treatment steps to small, medium-size and large water systems. 141.81 Section 141.81 Protection of... WATER REGULATIONS Control of Lead and Copper § 141.81 Applicability of corrosion control treatment steps...). (ii) A report explaining the test methods used by the water system to evaluate the corrosion control...

  12. Tracking control of air-breathing hypersonic vehicles with non-affine dynamics via improved neural back-stepping design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bu, Xiangwei; He, Guangjun; Wang, Ke

    2018-04-01

    This study considers the design of a new back-stepping control approach for air-breathing hypersonic vehicle (AHV) non-affine models via neural approximation. The AHV's non-affine dynamics is decomposed into velocity subsystem and altitude subsystem to be controlled separately, and robust adaptive tracking control laws are developed using improved back-stepping designs. Neural networks are applied to estimate the unknown non-affine dynamics, which guarantees the addressed controllers with satisfactory robustness against uncertainties. In comparison with the existing control methodologies, the special contributions are that the non-affine issue is handled by constructing two low-pass filters based on model transformations, and virtual controllers are treated as intermediate variables such that they aren't needed for back-stepping designs any more. Lyapunov techniques are employed to show the uniformly ultimately boundedness of all closed-loop signals. Finally, simulation results are presented to verify the tracking performance and superiorities of the investigated control strategy. Copyright © 2018 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Stability of the high-order finite elements for acoustic or elastic wave propagation with high-order time stepping

    KAUST Repository

    De Basabe, Joná s D.; Sen, Mrinal K.

    2010-01-01

    popular in the recent past. We consider the Lax-Wendroff method (LWM) for time stepping and show that it allows for a larger time step than the classical leap-frog finite difference method, with higher-order accuracy. In particular the fourth-order LWM

  14. Sharp Penalty Term and Time Step Bounds for the Interior Penalty Discontinuous Galerkin Method for Linear Hyperbolic Problems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Geevers, Sjoerd; van der Vegt, J.J.W.

    2017-01-01

    We present sharp and sucient bounds for the interior penalty term and time step size to ensure stability of the symmetric interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin (SIPDG) method combined with an explicit time-stepping scheme. These conditions hold for generic meshes, including unstructured

  15. Age differences in the required coefficient of friction during level walking do not exist when experimentally-controlling speed and step length.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Dennis E; Franck, Christopher T; Madigan, Michael L

    2014-08-01

    The effects of gait speed and step length on the required coefficient of friction (COF) confound the investigation of age-related differences in required COF. The goals of this study were to investigate whether age differences in required COF during self-selected gait persist when experimentally-controlling speed and step length, and to determine the independent effects of speed and step length on required COF. Ten young and 10 older healthy adults performed gait trials under five gait conditions: self-selected, slow and fast speeds without controlling step length, and slow and fast speeds while controlling step length. During self-selected gait, older adults walked with shorter step lengths and exhibited a lower required COF. Older adults also exhibited a lower required COF when walking at a controlled speed without controlling step length. When both age groups walked with the same speed and step length, no age difference in required COF was found. Thus, speed and step length can have a large influence on studies investigating age-related differences in required COF. It was also found that speed and step length have independent and opposite effects on required COF, with step length having a strong positive effect on required COF, and speed having a weaker negative effect.

  16. A coupled weather generator - rainfall-runoff approach on hourly time steps for flood risk analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winter, Benjamin; Schneeberger, Klaus; Dung Nguyen, Viet; Vorogushyn, Sergiy; Huttenlau, Matthias; Merz, Bruno; Stötter, Johann

    2017-04-01

    The evaluation of potential monetary damage of flooding is an essential part of flood risk management. One possibility to estimate the monetary risk is to analyze long time series of observed flood events and their corresponding damages. In reality, however, only few flood events are documented. This limitation can be overcome by the generation of a set of synthetic, physically and spatial plausible flood events and subsequently the estimation of the resulting monetary damages. In the present work, a set of synthetic flood events is generated by a continuous rainfall-runoff simulation in combination with a coupled weather generator and temporal disaggregation procedure for the study area of Vorarlberg (Austria). Most flood risk studies focus on daily time steps, however, the mesoscale alpine study area is characterized by short concentration times, leading to large differences between daily mean and daily maximum discharge. Accordingly, an hourly time step is needed for the simulations. The hourly metrological input for the rainfall-runoff model is generated in a two-step approach. A synthetic daily dataset is generated by a multivariate and multisite weather generator and subsequently disaggregated to hourly time steps with a k-Nearest-Neighbor model. Following the event generation procedure, the negative consequences of flooding are analyzed. The corresponding flood damage for each synthetic event is estimated by combining the synthetic discharge at representative points of the river network with a loss probability relation for each community in the study area. The loss probability relation is based on exposure and susceptibility analyses on a single object basis (residential buildings) for certain return periods. For these impact analyses official inundation maps of the study area are used. Finally, by analyzing the total event time series of damages, the expected annual damage or losses associated with a certain probability of occurrence can be estimated for

  17. Inhibition of Non-flux-Controlling Enzymes Deters Cancer Glycolysis by Accumulation of Regulatory Metabolites of Controlling Steps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marín-Hernández, Álvaro; Rodríguez-Zavala, José S; Del Mazo-Monsalvo, Isis; Rodríguez-Enríquez, Sara; Moreno-Sánchez, Rafael; Saavedra, Emma

    2016-01-01

    Glycolysis provides precursors for the synthesis of macromolecules and may contribute to the ATP supply required for the constant and accelerated cellular duplication in cancer cells. In consequence, inhibition of glycolysis has been reiteratively considered as an anti-cancer therapeutic option. In previous studies, kinetic modeling of glycolysis in cancer cells allowed the identification of the main steps that control the glycolytic flux: glucose transporter, hexokinase (HK), hexose phosphate isomerase (HPI), and glycogen degradation in human cervix HeLa cancer cells and rat AS-30D ascites hepatocarcinoma. It was also previously experimentally determined that simultaneous inhibition of the non-controlling enzymes lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), pyruvate kinase (PYK), and enolase (ENO) brings about significant decrease in the glycolytic flux of cancer cells and accumulation of intermediate metabolites, mainly fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (Fru1,6BP), and dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP), which are inhibitors of HK and HPI, respectively. Here it was found by kinetic modeling that inhibition of cancer glycolysis can be attained by blocking downstream non flux-controlling steps as long as Fru1,6BP and DHAP, regulatory metabolites of flux-controlling enzymes, are accumulated. Furthermore, experimental results and further modeling showed that oxamate and iodoacetate inhibitions of PYK, ENO, and glyceraldehyde3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), but not of LDH and phosphoglycerate kinase, induced accumulation of Fru1,6BP and DHAP in AS-30D hepatoma cells. Indeed, PYK, ENO, and GAPDH exerted the highest control on the Fru1,6BP and DHAP concentrations. The high levels of these metabolites inhibited HK and HPI and led to glycolytic flux inhibition, ATP diminution, and accumulation of toxic methylglyoxal. Hence, the anticancer effects of downstream glycolytic inhibitors are very likely mediated by this mechanism. In parallel, it was also found that uncompetitive inhibition of the

  18. The first step in infection control is hand hygiene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canham, Leslie

    2011-01-01

    A dental health care worker (DHCW) has an obligation to prevent the spread of health care associated infections. Adhering to proper hand hygiene procedures, selecting appropriate hand hygiene products and the use of gloves are all important elements of infection control. The CDC Guidelines for Hand Hygiene state that improved hand hygiene practices can reduce transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to patients and personnel in health care settings. DHCWs must also protect themselves by recognizing pitfalls such as irritants or allergies that may pose obstacles to proper hand hygiene. Occupational irritants and allergies can be caused by frequent hand washing, exposure to hand hygiene products, exposure to chemicals and shear forces associated with wearing or removing gloves. Since the primary defense against infection and transmission of pathogens is healthy, unbroken skin, DHCWs must take steps to ensure that their skin remains healthy and intact. These steps include evaluating different types of hand hygiene products, lotions and gloves for the best compatibility. If the DHCW sees a breakdown of his or her skin barrier, steps should be taken to determine the cause and remedy. Remedies can include the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers containing emollients and moisturizers and regular use of a medical grade hand lotion. The bottom line: healthy skin protects you at work and at home. Selection and use of appropriate hand hygiene products, including moisturizers, are an essential part ofa dental office infection control program. My coworker lost the use of her thumb for several months due to complications of a staph infection. She was unable to work and found even simple tasks such as closing a button hard to do. Think of how difficult your work would be if something happened to your hands. Injury, irritation or allergies could alter your ability to work or even perform routine tasks. Our hands provide us with the ability to work in clinical dentistry. It makes

  19. Combined Effects of Numerical Method Type and Time Step on Water Stressed Actual Crop ET

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Ghahraman

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Actual crop evapotranspiration (Eta is important in hydrologic modeling and irrigation water management issues. Actual ET depends on an estimation of a water stress index and average soil water at crop root zone, and so depends on a chosen numerical method and adapted time step. During periods with no rainfall and/or irrigation, actual ET can be computed analytically or by using different numerical methods. Overal, there are many factors that influence actual evapotranspiration. These factors are crop potential evapotranspiration, available root zone water content, time step, crop sensitivity, and soil. In this paper different numerical methods are compared for different soil textures and different crops sensitivities. Materials and Methods: During a specific time step with no rainfall or irrigation, change in soil water content would be equal to evapotranspiration, ET. In this approach, however, deep percolation is generally ignored due to deep water table and negligible unsaturated hydraulic conductivity below rooting depth. This differential equation may be solved analytically or numerically considering different algorithms. We adapted four different numerical methods, as explicit, implicit, and modified Euler, midpoint method, and 3-rd order Heun method to approximate the differential equation. Three general soil types of sand, silt, and clay, and three different crop types of sensitive, moderate, and resistant under Nishaboor plain were used. Standard soil fraction depletion (corresponding to ETc=5 mm.d-1, pstd, below which crop faces water stress is adopted for crop sensitivity. Three values for pstd were considered in this study to cover the common crops in the area, including winter wheat and barley, cotton, alfalfa, sugar beet, saffron, among the others. Based on this parameter, three classes for crop sensitivity was considered, sensitive crops with pstd=0.2, moderate crops with pstd=0.5, and resistive crops with pstd=0

  20. ChromAlign: A two-step algorithmic procedure for time alignment of three-dimensional LC-MS chromatographic surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadygov, Rovshan G; Maroto, Fernando Martin; Hühmer, Andreas F R

    2006-12-15

    We present an algorithmic approach to align three-dimensional chromatographic surfaces of LC-MS data of complex mixture samples. The approach consists of two steps. In the first step, we prealign chromatographic profiles: two-dimensional projections of chromatographic surfaces. This is accomplished by correlation analysis using fast Fourier transforms. In this step, a temporal offset that maximizes the overlap and dot product between two chromatographic profiles is determined. In the second step, the algorithm generates correlation matrix elements between full mass scans of the reference and sample chromatographic surfaces. The temporal offset from the first step indicates a range of the mass scans that are possibly correlated, then the correlation matrix is calculated only for these mass scans. The correlation matrix carries information on highly correlated scans, but it does not itself determine the scan or time alignment. Alignment is determined as a path in the correlation matrix that maximizes the sum of the correlation matrix elements. The computational complexity of the optimal path generation problem is reduced by the use of dynamic programming. The program produces time-aligned surfaces. The use of the temporal offset from the first step in the second step reduces the computation time for generating the correlation matrix and speeds up the process. The algorithm has been implemented in a program, ChromAlign, developed in C++ language for the .NET2 environment in WINDOWS XP. In this work, we demonstrate the applications of ChromAlign to alignment of LC-MS surfaces of several datasets: a mixture of known proteins, samples from digests of surface proteins of T-cells, and samples prepared from digests of cerebrospinal fluid. ChromAlign accurately aligns the LC-MS surfaces we studied. In these examples, we discuss various aspects of the alignment by ChromAlign, such as constant time axis shifts and warping of chromatographic surfaces.

  1. Single-step controlled-NOT logic from any exchange interaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galiautdinov, Andrei

    2007-11-01

    A self-contained approach to studying the unitary evolution of coupled qubits is introduced, capable of addressing a variety of physical systems described by exchange Hamiltonians containing Rabi terms. The method automatically determines both the Weyl chamber steering trajectory and the accompanying local rotations. Particular attention is paid to the case of anisotropic exchange with tracking controls, which is solved analytically. It is shown that, if computational subspace is well isolated, any exchange interaction can always generate high fidelity, single-step controlled-NOT (CNOT) logic, provided that both qubits can be individually manipulated. The results are then applied to superconducting qubit architectures, for which several CNOT gate implementations are identified. The paper concludes with consideration of two CNOT gate designs having high efficiency and operating with no significant leakage to higher-lying noncomputational states.

  2. Quantum Control of Graphene Plasmon Excitation and Propagation at Heaviside Potential Steps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Dongli; Fan, Xiaodong; Li, Xiaoguang; Dai, Siyuan; Wei, Laiming; Qin, Wei; Wu, Fei; Zhang, Huayang; Qi, Zeming; Zeng, Changgan; Zhang, Zhenyu; Hou, Jianguo

    2018-02-14

    Quantum mechanical effects of single particles can affect the collective plasmon behaviors substantially. In this work, the quantum control of plasmon excitation and propagation in graphene is demonstrated by adopting the variable quantum transmission of carriers at Heaviside potential steps as a tuning knob. First, the plasmon reflection is revealed to be tunable within a broad range by varying the ratio γ between the carrier energy and potential height, which originates from the quantum mechanical effect of carrier propagation at potential steps. Moreover, the plasmon excitation by free-space photos can be regulated from fully suppressed to fully launched in graphene potential wells also through adjusting γ, which defines the degrees of the carrier confinement in the potential wells. These discovered quantum plasmon effects offer a unified quantum-mechanical solution toward ultimate control of both plasmon launching and propagating, which are indispensable processes in building plasmon circuitry.

  3. First Steps Toward Incorporating Image Based Diagnostics Into Particle Accelerator Control Systems Using Convolutional Neural Networks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Edelen, A. L.; Biedron, S. G.; Milton, S. V.; Edelen, J. P.

    2016-12-16

    At present, a variety of image-based diagnostics are used in particle accelerator systems. Often times, these are viewed by a human operator who then makes appropriate adjustments to the machine. Given recent advances in using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for image processing, it should be possible to use image diagnostics directly in control routines (NN-based or otherwise). This is especially appealing for non-intercepting diagnostics that could run continuously during beam operation. Here, we show results of a first step toward implementing such a controller: our trained CNN can predict multiple simulated downstream beam parameters at the Fermilab Accelerator Science and Technology (FAST) facility's low energy beamline using simulated virtual cathode laser images, gun phases, and solenoid strengths.

  4. Iteratively improving Hi-C experiments one step at a time.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golloshi, Rosela; Sanders, Jacob T; McCord, Rachel Patton

    2018-04-30

    The 3D organization of eukaryotic chromosomes affects key processes such as gene expression, DNA replication, cell division, and response to DNA damage. The genome-wide chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) approach can characterize the landscape of 3D genome organization by measuring interaction frequencies between all genomic regions. Hi-C protocol improvements and rapid advances in DNA sequencing power have made Hi-C useful to study diverse biological systems, not only to elucidate the role of 3D genome structure in proper cellular function, but also to characterize genomic rearrangements, assemble new genomes, and consider chromatin interactions as potential biomarkers for diseases. Yet, the Hi-C protocol is still complex and subject to variations at numerous steps that can affect the resulting data. Thus, there is still a need for better understanding and control of factors that contribute to Hi-C experiment success and data quality. Here, we evaluate recently proposed Hi-C protocol modifications as well as often overlooked variables in sample preparation and examine their effects on Hi-C data quality. We examine artifacts that can occur during Hi-C library preparation, including microhomology-based artificial template copying and chimera formation that can add noise to the downstream data. Exploring the mechanisms underlying Hi-C artifacts pinpoints steps that should be further optimized in the future. To improve the utility of Hi-C in characterizing the 3D genome of specialized populations of cells or small samples of primary tissue, we identify steps prone to DNA loss which should be considered to adapt Hi-C to lower cell numbers. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Time step size limitation introduced by the BSSN Gamma Driver

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schnetter, Erik, E-mail: schnetter@cct.lsu.ed [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, LA (United States)

    2010-08-21

    Many mesh refinement simulations currently performed in numerical relativity counteract instabilities near the outer boundary of the simulation domain either by changes to the mesh refinement scheme or by changes to the gauge condition. We point out that the BSSN Gamma Driver gauge condition introduces a time step size limitation in a similar manner as a Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy condition, but which is independent of the spatial resolution. We give a didactic explanation of this issue, show why, especially, mesh refinement simulations suffer from it, and point to a simple remedy. (note)

  6. Effects of the lateral amplitude and regularity of upper body fluctuation on step time variability evaluated using return map analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chidori, Kazuhiro; Yamamoto, Yuji

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the lateral amplitude and regularity of upper body fluctuation on step time variability. Return map analysis was used to clarify the relationship between step time variability and a history of falling. Eleven healthy, community-dwelling older adults and twelve younger adults participated in the study. All of the subjects walked 25 m at a comfortable speed. Trunk acceleration was measured using triaxial accelerometers attached to the third lumbar vertebrae (L3) and the seventh cervical vertebrae (C7). The normalized average magnitude of acceleration, the coefficient of determination ($R^2$) of the return map, and the step time variabilities, were calculated. Cluster analysis using the average fluctuation and the regularity of C7 fluctuation identified four walking patterns in the mediolateral (ML) direction. The participants with higher fluctuation and lower regularity showed significantly greater step time variability compared with the others. Additionally, elderly participants who had fallen in the past year had higher amplitude and a lower regularity of fluctuation during walking. In conclusion, by focusing on the time evolution of each step, it is possible to understand the cause of stride and/or step time variability that is associated with a risk of falls.

  7. Step-to-step variability in treadmill walking: influence of rhythmic auditory cueing.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philippe Terrier

    Full Text Available While walking, human beings continuously adjust step length (SpL, step time (SpT, step speed (SpS = SpL/SpT and step width (SpW by integrating both feedforward and feedback mechanisms. These motor control processes result in correlations of gait parameters between consecutive strides (statistical persistence. Constraining gait with a speed cue (treadmill and/or a rhythmic auditory cue (metronome, modifies the statistical persistence to anti-persistence. The objective was to analyze whether the combined effect of treadmill and rhythmic auditory cueing (RAC modified not only statistical persistence, but also fluctuation magnitude (standard deviation, SD, and stationarity of SpL, SpT, SpS and SpW. Twenty healthy subjects performed 6 × 5 min. walking tests at various imposed speeds on a treadmill instrumented with foot-pressure sensors. Freely-chosen walking cadences were assessed during the first three trials, and then imposed accordingly in the last trials with a metronome. Fluctuation magnitude (SD of SpT, SpL, SpS and SpW was assessed, as well as NonStationarity Index (NSI, which estimates the dispersion of local means in the times series (SD of 20 local means over 10 steps. No effect of RAC on fluctuation magnitude (SD was observed. SpW was not modified by RAC, what is likely the evidence that lateral foot placement is separately regulated. Stationarity (NSI was modified by RAC in the same manner as persistent pattern: Treadmill induced low NSI in the time series of SpS, and high NSI in SpT and SpL. On the contrary, SpT, SpL and SpS exhibited low NSI under RAC condition. We used relatively short sample of consecutive strides (100 as compared to the usual number of strides required to analyze fluctuation dynamics (200 to 1000 strides. Therefore, the responsiveness of stationarity measure (NSI to cued walking opens the perspective to perform short walking tests that would be adapted to patients with a reduced gait perimeter.

  8. Development and evaluation of a real-time one step Reverse-Transcriptase PCR for quantitation of Chandipura Virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tandale Babasaheb V

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Chandipura virus (CHPV, a member of family Rhabdoviridae was attributed to an explosive outbreak of acute encephalitis in children in Andhra Pradesh, India in 2003 and a small outbreak among tribal children from Gujarat, Western India in 2004. The case-fatality rate ranged from 55–75%. Considering the rapid progression of the disease and high mortality, a highly sensitive method for quantifying CHPV RNA by real-time one step reverse transcriptase PCR (real-time one step RT-PCR using TaqMan technology was developed for rapid diagnosis. Methods Primers and probe for P gene were designed and used to standardize real-time one step RT-PCR assay for CHPV RNA quantitation. Standard RNA was prepared by PCR amplification, TA cloning and run off transcription. The optimized real-time one step RT-PCR assay was compared with the diagnostic nested RT-PCR and different virus isolation systems [in vivo (mice in ovo (eggs, in vitro (Vero E6, PS, RD and Sand fly cell line] for the detection of CHPV. Sensitivity and specificity of real-time one step RT-PCR assay was evaluated with diagnostic nested RT-PCR, which is considered as a gold standard. Results Real-time one step RT-PCR was optimized using in vitro transcribed (IVT RNA. Standard curve showed linear relationship for wide range of 102-1010 (r2 = 0.99 with maximum Coefficient of variation (CV = 5.91% for IVT RNA. The newly developed real-time RT-PCR was at par with nested RT-PCR in sensitivity and superior to cell lines and other living systems (embryonated eggs and infant mice used for the isolation of the virus. Detection limit of real-time one step RT-PCR and nested RT-PCR was found to be 1.2 × 100 PFU/ml. RD cells, sand fly cells, infant mice, and embryonated eggs showed almost equal sensitivity (1.2 × 102 PFU/ml. Vero and PS cell-lines (1.2 × 103 PFU/ml were least sensitive to CHPV infection. Specificity of the assay was found to be 100% when RNA from other viruses or healthy

  9. Walk Ratio (Step Length/Cadence) as a Summary Index of Neuromotor Control of Gait: Application to Multiple Sclerosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rota, Viviana; Perucca, Laura; Simone, Anna; Tesio, Luigi

    2011-01-01

    In healthy adults, the step length/cadence ratio [walk ratio (WR) in mm/(steps/min) and normalized for height] is known to be constant around 6.5 mm/(step/min). It is a speed-independent index of the overall neuromotor gait control, in as much as it reflects energy expenditure, balance, between-step variability, and attentional demand. The speed…

  10. Time under control: time perspective and desire for control in substance use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fieulaine, Nicolas; Martinez, Frederic

    2010-08-01

    To investigate the role of time perspective and desire for control in self-reported substance use and to test for a moderating effect of desire for control in the relation between time perspective and substance use. A random sample of 240 persons, aged 15 years and over, selected in various public spaces in an urban region in central France. Time perspective was measured using subscales of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI, Zimbardo & Boyd, 1999), Desire for control was measured using a translated version of the Desire for Control Scale (DCS, Burger & Cooper, 1979), and substance use was self-reported. After controlling for age and gender, significant links were found between time perspective and substance use. Desire for control did not appear to be directly related to substance use. The interaction effect between TP and desire for control appeared to be related to substance use. There was evidence that the relation between TP and substance use is buffered by low desire for control. This study converges with previous studies demonstrating the relation between TP and substance use, but provides evidence of the moderating role played by desire for control. Desire for control thus appears as worthy of interest in the analysis of self-regulatory process, and further research on the links between TP and various aspects of control is required. In order to be more effective, the design of future studies and interventions based on time-related issues should consider how desire for control plays a part in establishing vulnerability profiles. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Real-time, single-step bioassay using nanoplasmonic resonator with ultra-high sensitivity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Xiang; Ellman, Jonathan A; Chen, Fanqing Frank; Su, Kai-Hang; Wei, Qi-Huo; Sun, Cheng

    2014-04-01

    A nanoplasmonic resonator (NPR) comprising a metallic nanodisk with alternating shielding layer(s), having a tagged biomolecule conjugated or tethered to the surface of the nanoplasmonic resonator for highly sensitive measurement of enzymatic activity. NPRs enhance Raman signals in a highly reproducible manner, enabling fast detection of protease and enzyme activity, such as Prostate Specific Antigen (paPSA), in real-time, at picomolar sensitivity levels. Experiments on extracellular fluid (ECF) from paPSA-positive cells demonstrate specific detection in a complex bio-fluid background in real-time single-step detection in very small sample volumes.

  12. Two-Step System Identification and Primitive-Based Motion Planning for Control of Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grymin, David J.

    This dissertation addresses motion planning, modeling, and feedback control for autonomous vehicle systems. A hierarchical approach for motion planning and control of nonlinear systems operating in obstacle environments is presented. To reduce computation time during the motion planning process, dynamically feasible trajectories are generated in real-time through concatenation of pre-specified motion primitives. The motion planning task is posed as a search over a directed graph, and the applicability of informed graph search techniques is investigated. Specifically, a locally greedy algorithm with effective backtracking ability is developed and compared to weighted A* search. The greedy algorithm shows an advantage with respect to solution cost and computation time when larger motion primitive libraries that do not operate on a regular state lattice are utilized. Linearization of the nonlinear system equations about the motion primitive library results in a hybrid linear time-varying model, and an optimal control algorithm using the l 2-induced norm as the performance measure is applied to ensure that the system tracks the desired trajectory. The ability of the resulting controller to closely track the trajectory obtained from the motion planner, despite various disturbances and uncertainties, is demonstrated through simulation. Additionally, an approach for obtaining dynamically feasible reference trajectories and feedback controllers for a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on an aerodynamic model derived from flight tests is presented. The modeling approach utilizes the two step method (TSM) with stepwise multiple regression to determine relevant explanatory terms for the aerodynamic models. Dynamically feasible trajectories are then obtained through the solution of an optimal control problem using pseudospectral optimal control software. Discretetime feedback controllers are then obtained to regulate the vehicle along the desired reference trajectory

  13. Plasma Vertical Control with Internal and External Coils in Nest Step Tokamaks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    C.E. Kessel; P. Heitzenroeder; C. Jun

    2000-11-03

    Vertical stability and control are examined for a tokamak configuration intended to be a generic representation of next step devices. Vertical stability calculations show that a critical resistive wall location can be determined for realistic structures, and that the introduction of small amounts of low resistivity material to an all steel structure can significantly reduce the vertical instability growth rate. Vertical control simulations show that internal control coils require significantly less feedback power than external coils, and that low resistivity materials can allow very low feedback powers or coils to be located externally with reasonable feedback powers.

  14. Stepped-Wedge Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial to Promote Option B+ Retention in Central Mozambique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pfeiffer, James T; Napúa, Manuel; Wagenaar, Bradley H; Chale, Falume; Hoek, Roxanne; Micek, Mark; Manuel, João; Michel, Cathy; Cowan, Jessica Greenberg; Cowan, James F; Gimbel, Sarah; Sherr, Kenneth; Gloyd, Stephen; Chapman, Rachel R

    2017-11-01

    This randomized trial studied performance of Option B+ in Mozambique and evaluated an enhanced retention package in public clinics. The study was conducted at 6 clinics in Manica and Sofala Provinces in central Mozambique. Seven hundred sixty-one pregnant women tested HIV+, immediately initiated antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, and were followed to track retention at 6 clinics from May 2014 to May 2015. Clinics were randomly allocated within a stepped-wedge fashion to intervention and control periods. The intervention included (1) workflow modifications and (2) active patient tracking. Retention was defined as percentage of patients returning for 30-, 60-, and 90-day medication refills within 25-35 days of previous refills. During control periods, 52.3% of women returned for 30-day refills vs. 70.8% in intervention periods [odds ratio (OR): 1.80; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05 to 3.08]. At 60 days, 46.1% control vs. 57.9% intervention were retained (OR: 1.82; CI: 1.06 to 3.11), and at 90 days, 38.3% control vs. 41.0% intervention (OR: 1.04; CI: 0.60 to 1.82). In prespecified subanalyses, birth before pickups was strongly associated with failure-women giving birth before ARV pickup were 33.3 times (CI: 4.4 to 250.3), 7.5 times (CI: 3.6 to 15.9), and 3.7 times (CI: 2.2 to 6.0) as likely to not return for ARV pickups at 30, 60, and 90 days, respectively. The intervention was effective at 30 and 60 days, but not at 90 days. Combined 90-day retention (40%) and adherence (22.5%) were low. Efforts to improve retention are particularly important for women giving birth before ARV refills.

  15. Multivariate statistical analysis of a multi-step industrial processes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reinikainen, S.P.; Høskuldsson, Agnar

    2007-01-01

    Monitoring and quality control of industrial processes often produce information on how the data have been obtained. In batch processes, for instance, the process is carried out in stages; some process or control parameters are set at each stage. However, the obtained data might not be utilized...... efficiently, even if this information may reveal significant knowledge about process dynamics or ongoing phenomena. When studying the process data, it may be important to analyse the data in the light of the physical or time-wise development of each process step. In this paper, a unified approach to analyse...... multivariate multi-step processes, where results from each step are used to evaluate future results, is presented. The methods presented are based on Priority PLS Regression. The basic idea is to compute the weights in the regression analysis for given steps, but adjust all data by the resulting score vectors...

  16. Scheme of stepmotor control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grashilin, V.A.; Karyshev, Yu.Ya.

    1982-01-01

    A 6-cycle scheme of step motor is described. The block-diagram and the basic circuit of the step motor control are presented. The step motor control comprises a pulse shaper, electronic commutator and power amplifiers. The step motor supply from 6-cycle electronic commutator provides for higher reliability and accuracy than from 3-cycle commutator. The control of step motor work is realised by the program given by the external source of control signals. Time-dependent diagrams for step motor control are presented. The specifications of the step-motor is given

  17. The effect of a cognitive-motor intervention on voluntary step execution under single and dual task conditions in older adults: a randomized controlled pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pichierri G

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Giuseppe Pichierri,1 Amos Coppe,1 Silvio Lorenzetti,2 Kurt Murer,1 Eling D de Bruin11Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland; 2Institute for Biomechanics, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, SwitzerlandBackground: This randomized controlled pilot study aimed to explore whether a cognitive-motor exercise program that combines traditional physical exercise with dance video gaming can improve the voluntary stepping responses of older adults under attention demanding dual task conditions.Methods: Elderly subjects received twice weekly cognitive-motor exercise that included progressive strength and balance training supplemented by dance video gaming for 12 weeks (intervention group. The control group received no specific intervention. Voluntary step execution under single and dual task conditions was recorded at baseline and post intervention (Week 12.Results: After intervention between-group comparison revealed significant differences for initiation time of forward steps under dual task conditions (U = 9, P = 0.034, r = 0.55 and backward steps under dual task conditions (U = 10, P = 0.045, r = 0.52 in favor of the intervention group, showing altered stepping levels in the intervention group compared to the control group.Conclusion: A cognitive-motor intervention based on strength and balance exercises with additional dance video gaming is able to improve voluntary step execution under both single and dual task conditions in older adults.Keywords: fall prevention, exercise, dance, video game

  18. Hardware And Software Architectures For Reconfigurable Time-Critical Control Tasks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam Piłat

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available The most popular configuration of the controlled laboratory test-rigs is the personalcomputer (PC equipped with the I/O board. The dedicated software components allowsto conduct a wide range of user-defined tasks. The typical configuration functionality canbe customized by PC hardware components and their programmable reconfiguration. Thenext step in the automatic control system design is the embedded solution. Usually, thedesign process of the embedded control system is supported by the high-level software. Thededicated programming tools support multitasking property of the microcontroller by selectionof different sampling frequencies of algorithm blocks. In this case the multi-layer andmultitasking control strategy can be realized on the chip. The proposed solutions implementrapid prototyping approach. The available toolkits and device drivers integrate system-leveldesign environment and the real-time application software, transferring the functionality ofMATLAB/Simulink programs to PCs or microcontrolers application environment.

  19. Scalable explicit implementation of anisotropic diffusion with Runge-Kutta-Legendre super-time stepping

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaidya, Bhargav; Prasad, Deovrat; Mignone, Andrea; Sharma, Prateek; Rickler, Luca

    2017-12-01

    An important ingredient in numerical modelling of high temperature magnetized astrophysical plasmas is the anisotropic transport of heat along magnetic field lines from higher to lower temperatures. Magnetohydrodynamics typically involves solving the hyperbolic set of conservation equations along with the induction equation. Incorporating anisotropic thermal conduction requires to also treat parabolic terms arising from the diffusion operator. An explicit treatment of parabolic terms will considerably reduce the simulation time step due to its dependence on the square of the grid resolution (Δx) for stability. Although an implicit scheme relaxes the constraint on stability, it is difficult to distribute efficiently on a parallel architecture. Treating parabolic terms with accelerated super-time-stepping (STS) methods has been discussed in literature, but these methods suffer from poor accuracy (first order in time) and also have difficult-to-choose tuneable stability parameters. In this work, we highlight a second-order (in time) Runge-Kutta-Legendre (RKL) scheme (first described by Meyer, Balsara & Aslam 2012) that is robust, fast and accurate in treating parabolic terms alongside the hyperbolic conversation laws. We demonstrate its superiority over the first-order STS schemes with standard tests and astrophysical applications. We also show that explicit conduction is particularly robust in handling saturated thermal conduction. Parallel scaling of explicit conduction using RKL scheme is demonstrated up to more than 104 processors.

  20. Microsoft Office professional 2010 step by step

    CERN Document Server

    Cox, Joyce; Frye, Curtis

    2011-01-01

    Teach yourself exactly what you need to know about using Office Professional 2010-one step at a time! With STEP BY STEP, you build and practice new skills hands-on, at your own pace. Covering Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel, Access, Publisher, and OneNote, this book will help you learn the core features and capabilities needed to: Create attractive documents, publications, and spreadsheetsManage your e-mail, calendar, meetings, and communicationsPut your business data to workDevelop and deliver great presentationsOrganize your ideas and notes in one placeConnect, share, and accom

  1. The enhancement of time-stepping procedures in SYVAC A/C

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Broyd, T.W.

    1986-01-01

    This report summarises the work carried out an SYVAC A/C between February and May 1985 aimed at improving the way in which time-stepping procedures are handled. The majority of the work was concerned with three types of problem, viz: i) Long vault release, short geosphere response ii) Short vault release, long geosphere response iii) Short vault release, short geosphere response The report contains details of changes to the logic and structure of SYVAC A/C, as well as the results of code implementation tests. It has been written primarily for members of the UK SYVAC development team, and should not be used or referred to in isolation. (author)

  2. Implementation of PID Controller in MATLAB for Real Time DC Motor Speed Control System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manjunatha Reddy H. K.

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available In this paper the implementation of PIDC (proportional + integral + derivative controller in MATLAB environment for real time DC motor speed control is presented. The MATLAB environment is chosen because of availability of tool boxes which allows the effective way of implementation and analysis of the control system. The performance of PID controller for different inputs is studied. To establish a communication between PC and process parameter, an indigenous Analog to digital and digital to analog (AD-DA board is designed. This board consists of 12-bit A/D converter and 12-bit D/A converter to facilitate the data acquisition and control. In the present study Advantech make PCI-1751 DIOT card is used to interface AD-DA board to PC externally. The data between the AD-DA board and the PC is communicated through the script file written in MATLAB environment. By applying different standard test commands such as step, square, staircase and triangular, the performance of PID controller is studied. The PID controller provides better system response in terms of transient as well as steady-state performances. The controller parameters are manually tuned (kp=0.232, ki=0.078 and kd=0.035 and the results of the best tuned PID controller are presented.

  3. Discrete maximal regularity of time-stepping schemes for fractional evolution equations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Bangti; Li, Buyang; Zhou, Zhi

    2018-01-01

    In this work, we establish the maximal [Formula: see text]-regularity for several time stepping schemes for a fractional evolution model, which involves a fractional derivative of order [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], in time. These schemes include convolution quadratures generated by backward Euler method and second-order backward difference formula, the L1 scheme, explicit Euler method and a fractional variant of the Crank-Nicolson method. The main tools for the analysis include operator-valued Fourier multiplier theorem due to Weis (Math Ann 319:735-758, 2001. doi:10.1007/PL00004457) and its discrete analogue due to Blunck (Stud Math 146:157-176, 2001. doi:10.4064/sm146-2-3). These results generalize the corresponding results for parabolic problems.

  4. Comparison of step-by-step kinematics of resisted, assisted and unloaded 20-m sprint runs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van den Tillaar, Roland; Gamble, Paul

    2018-03-26

    This investigation examined step-by-step kinematics of sprint running acceleration. Using a randomised counterbalanced approach, 37 female team handball players (age 17.8 ± 1.6 years, body mass 69.6 ± 9.1 kg, height 1.74 ± 0.06 m) performed resisted, assisted and unloaded 20-m sprints within a single session. 20-m sprint times and step velocity, as well as step length, step frequency, contact and flight times of each step were evaluated for each condition with a laser gun and an infrared mat. Almost all measured parameters were altered for each step under the resisted and assisted sprint conditions (η 2  ≥ 0.28). The exception was step frequency, which did not differ between assisted and normal sprints. Contact time, flight time and step frequency at almost each step were different between 'fast' vs. 'slow' sub-groups (η 2  ≥ 0.22). Nevertheless overall both groups responded similarly to the respective sprint conditions. No significant differences in step length were observed between groups for the respective condition. It is possible that continued exposure to assisted sprinting might allow the female team-sports players studied to adapt their coordination to the 'over-speed' condition and increase step frequency. It is notable that step-by-step kinematics in these sprints were easy to obtain using relatively inexpensive equipment with possibilities of direct feedback.

  5. Steps of Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Natural Products and Their Characteristic Times

    OpenAIRE

    Sovová, H. (Helena)

    2012-01-01

    Kinetics of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) from plants is variable due to different micro-structure of plants and their parts, different properties of extracted substances and solvents, and different flow patterns in the extractor. Variety of published mathematical models for SFE of natural products corresponds to this diversification. This study presents simplified equations of extraction curves in terms of characteristic times of four single extraction steps: internal diffusion, exter...

  6. Focal cryotherapy: step by step technique description

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Redondo

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Introduction and objective: Focal cryotherapy emerged as an efficient option to treat favorable and localized prostate cancer (PCa. The purpose of this video is to describe the procedure step by step. Materials and methods: We present the case of a 68 year-old man with localized PCa in the anterior aspect of the prostate. Results: The procedure is performed under general anesthesia, with the patient in lithotomy position. Briefly, the equipment utilized includes the cryotherapy console coupled with an ultrasound system, argon and helium gas bottles, cryoprobes, temperature probes and an urethral warming catheter. The procedure starts with a real-time trans-rectal prostate ultrasound, which is used to outline the prostate, the urethra and the rectal wall. The cryoprobes are pretested and placed in to the prostate through the perineum, following a grid template, along with the temperature sensors under ultrasound guidance. A cystoscopy confirms the right positioning of the needles and the urethral warming catheter is installed. Thereafter, the freeze sequence with argon gas is started, achieving extremely low temperatures (-40°C to induce tumor cell lysis. Sequentially, the thawing cycle is performed using helium gas. This process is repeated one time. Results among several series showed a biochemical disease-free survival between 71-93% at 9-70 month- follow-up, incontinence rates between 0-3.6% and erectile dysfunction between 0-42% (1–5. Conclusions: Focal cryotherapy is a feasible procedure to treat anterior PCa that may offer minimal morbidity, allowing good cancer control and better functional outcomes when compared to whole-gland treatment.

  7. Effects of interventions on normalizing step width during self-paced dual-belt treadmill walking with virtual reality, a randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oude Lansink, I L B; van Kouwenhove, L; Dijkstra, P U; Postema, K; Hijmans, J M

    2017-10-01

    Step width is increased during dual-belt treadmill walking, in self-paced mode with virtual reality. Generally a familiarization period is thought to be necessary to normalize step width. The aim of this randomised study was to analyze the effects of two interventions on step width, to reduce the familiarization period. We used the GRAIL (Gait Real-time Analysis Interactive Lab), a dual-belt treadmill with virtual reality in the self-paced mode. Thirty healthy young adults were randomly allocated to three groups and asked to walk at their preferred speed for 5min. In the first session, the control-group received no intervention, the 'walk-on-the-line'-group was instructed to walk on a line, projected on the between-belt gap of the treadmill and the feedback-group received feedback about their current step width and were asked to reduce it. Interventions started after 1min and lasted 1min. During the second session, 7-10days later, no interventions were given. Linear mixed modeling showed that interventions did not have an effect on step width after the intervention period in session 1. Initial step width (second 30s) of session 1 was larger than initial step width of session 2. Step width normalized after 2min and variation in step width stabilized after 1min. Interventions do not reduce step width after intervention period. A 2-min familiarization period is sufficient to normalize and stabilize step width, in healthy young adults, regardless of interventions. A standardized intervention to normalize step width is not necessary. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. A one-step, real-time PCR assay for rapid detection of rhinovirus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Do, Duc H; Laus, Stella; Leber, Amy; Marcon, Mario J; Jordan, Jeanne A; Martin, Judith M; Wadowsky, Robert M

    2010-01-01

    One-step, real-time PCR assays for rhinovirus have been developed for a limited number of PCR amplification platforms and chemistries, and some exhibit cross-reactivity with genetically similar enteroviruses. We developed a one-step, real-time PCR assay for rhinovirus by using a sequence detection system (Applied Biosystems; Foster City, CA). The primers were designed to amplify a 120-base target in the noncoding region of picornavirus RNA, and a TaqMan (Applied Biosystems) degenerate probe was designed for the specific detection of rhinovirus amplicons. The PCR assay had no cross-reactivity with a panel of 76 nontarget nucleic acids, which included RNAs from 43 enterovirus strains. Excellent lower limits of detection relative to viral culture were observed for the PCR assay by using 38 of 40 rhinovirus reference strains representing different serotypes, which could reproducibly detect rhinovirus serotype 2 in viral transport medium containing 10 to 10,000 TCID(50) (50% tissue culture infectious dose endpoint) units/ml of the virus. However, for rhinovirus serotypes 59 and 69, the PCR assay was less sensitive than culture. Testing of 48 clinical specimens from children with cold-like illnesses for rhinovirus by the PCR and culture assays yielded detection rates of 16.7% and 6.3%, respectively. For a batch of 10 specimens, the entire assay was completed in 4.5 hours. This real-time PCR assay enables detection of many rhinovirus serotypes with the Applied Biosystems reagent-instrument platform.

  9. Timing paradox of stepping and falls in ageing: not so quick and quick(er) on the trigger.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Mark W; Mille, Marie-Laure

    2016-08-15

    Physiological and degenerative changes affecting human standing balance are major contributors to falls with ageing. During imbalance, stepping is a powerful protective action for preserving balance that may be voluntarily initiated in recognition of a balance threat, or be induced by an externally imposed mechanical or sensory perturbation. Paradoxically, with ageing and falls, initiation slowing of voluntary stepping is observed together with perturbation-induced steps that are triggered as fast as or faster than for younger adults. While age-associated changes in sensorimotor conduction, central neuronal processing and cognitive functions are linked to delayed voluntary stepping, alterations in the coupling of posture and locomotion may also prolong step triggering. It is less clear, however, how these factors may explain the accelerated triggering of induced stepping. We present a conceptual model that addresses this issue. For voluntary stepping, a disruption in the normal coupling between posture and locomotion may underlie step-triggering delays through suppression of the locomotion network based on an estimation of the evolving mechanical state conditions for stability. During induced stepping, accelerated step initiation may represent an event-triggering process whereby stepping is released according to the occurrence of a perturbation rather than to the specific sensorimotor information reflecting the evolving instability. In this case, errors in the parametric control of induced stepping and its effectiveness in stabilizing balance would be likely to occur. We further suggest that there is a residual adaptive capacity with ageing that could be exploited to improve paradoxical triggering and other changes in protective stepping to impact fall risk. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2016 The Physiological Society.

  10. A step-defined sedentary lifestyle index: <5000 steps/day.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tudor-Locke, Catrine; Craig, Cora L; Thyfault, John P; Spence, John C

    2013-02-01

    Step counting (using pedometers or accelerometers) is widely accepted by researchers, practitioners, and the general public. Given the mounting evidence of the link between low steps/day and time spent in sedentary behaviours, how few steps/day some populations actually perform, and the growing interest in the potentially deleterious effects of excessive sedentary behaviours on health, an emerging question is "How many steps/day are too few?" This review examines the utility, appropriateness, and limitations of using a reoccurring candidate for a step-defined sedentary lifestyle index: 10 000) to lower (sedentary lifestyle index for adults is appropriate for researchers and practitioners and for communicating with the general public. There is little evidence to advocate any specific value indicative of a step-defined sedentary lifestyle index in children and adolescents.

  11. Numerical characterisation of one-step and three-step solar air heating collectors used for cocoa bean solar drying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orbegoso, Elder Mendoza; Saavedra, Rafael; Marcelo, Daniel; La Madrid, Raúl

    2017-12-01

    In the northern coastal and jungle areas of Peru, cocoa beans are dried using artisan methods, such as direct exposure to sunlight. This traditional process is time intensive, leading to a reduction in productivity and, therefore, delays in delivery times. The present study was intended to numerically characterise the thermal behaviour of three configurations of solar air heating collectors in order to determine which demonstrated the best thermal performance under several controlled operating conditions. For this purpose, a computational fluid dynamics model was developed to describe the simultaneous convective and radiative heat transfer phenomena under several operation conditions. The constructed computational fluid dynamics model was firstly validated through comparison with the data measurements of a one-step solar air heating collector. We then simulated two further three-step solar air heating collectors in order to identify which demonstrated the best thermal performance in terms of outlet air temperature and thermal efficiency. The numerical results show that under the same solar irradiation area of exposition and operating conditions, the three-step solar air heating collector with the collector plate mounted between the second and third channels was 67% more thermally efficient compared to the one-step solar air heating collector. This is because the air exposition with the surface of the collector plate for the three-step solar air heating collector former device was twice than the one-step solar air heating collector. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Non-fragile guaranteed cost control for uncertain neutral dynamic systems with time-varying delays in state and control input

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lien, C.-H.

    2007-01-01

    This article considers non-fragile guaranteed cost control problem for a class of uncertain neutral system with time-varying delays in both state and control input. Delay-dependent criteria are proposed to guarantee the robust stabilization of systems. Linear matrix inequality (LMI) optimization approach is used to solve the non-fragile guaranteed cost control problem. Non-fragile guaranteed cost control for unperturbed neutral system is considered in the first step. Robust non-fragile guaranteed cost control for uncertain neutral system is designed directly from the unperturbed condition. An efficient approach is proposed to design the non-fragile guaranteed cost control for uncertain neutral systems. LMI toolbox of Matlab is used to implement the proposed results. Finally, a numerical example is illustrated to show the usefulness of the proposed results

  13. Comparison of step-by-step kinematics in repeated 30m sprints in female soccer players.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van den Tillaar, Roland

    2018-01-04

    The aim of this study was to compare kinematics in repeated 30m sprints in female soccer players. Seventeen subjects performed seven 30m sprints every 30s in one session. Kinematics were measured with an infrared contact mat and laser gun, and running times with an electronic timing device. The main findings were that sprint times increased in the repeated sprint ability test. The main changes in kinematics during the repeated sprint ability test were increased contact time and decreased step frequency, while no change in step length was observed. The step velocity increased in almost each step until the 14, which occurred around 22m. After this, the velocity was stable until the last step, when it decreased. This increase in step velocity was mainly caused by the increased step length and decreased contact times. It was concluded that the fatigue induced in repeated 30m sprints in female soccer players resulted in decreased step frequency and increased contact time. Employing this approach in combination with a laser gun and infrared mat for 30m makes it very easy to analyse running kinematics in repeated sprints in training. This extra information gives the athlete, coach and sports scientist the opportunity to give more detailed feedback and help to target these changes in kinematics better to enhance repeated sprint performance.

  14. Traffic safety and step-by-step driving licence for young people

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tønning, Charlotte; Agerholm, Niels

    2017-01-01

    presents a review of safety effects from step-by-step driving licence schemes. Most of the investigated schemes consist of a step-by-step driving licence with Step 1) various tests and education, Step 2) a period where driving is only allowed together with an experienced driver and Step 3) driving without...... companion is allowed but with various restrictions and, in some cases, additional driving education and tests. In general, a step-by-step driving licence improves traffic safety even though the young people are permitted to drive a car earlier on. The effects from driving with an experienced driver vary......Young novice car drivers are much more accident-prone than other drivers - up to 10 times that of their parents' generation. A central solution to improve the traffic safety for this group is implementation of a step-by-step driving licence. A number of countries have introduced a step...

  15. Experimental evaluation of the MIT-SNL period-generated minimum time control laws for the rapid adjustment of reactor power

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bernard, J.A.; Kwok, K.S.; Menadier, P.T.; Thome, F.V.; Wyant, F.J.

    1987-01-01

    The rapid adjustment of reactor neutronic power has recently been achieved by developing control laws that determine the actuator mechanism velocity necessary to produce a specified reactor period. Designated as the 'MIT-SNL Period-Generated Minimum Time Control Laws,' these relations are closed-form expressions of general applicability. In particular, if there is no limitation on the available rate of change of reactivity, these laws can be used to achieve virtually any desired power profile including time optimal ones. The innovative aspect of these laws is that the rate of change of reactivity rather than the reactivity itself is used as the control signal. For example, relative to a time-optimal response, these laws function by altering the rate of change of reactivity so that the instantaneous period is stepped from infinity to its minimum allowed value, held at that value until the desired power level is attained, and then stepped back to infinity. The response is time-optimal because the power adjustment is continuously made at the maximum allowed rate

  16. Efficient method for time-domain simulation of the linear feedback systems containing fractional order controllers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merrikh-Bayat, Farshad

    2011-04-01

    One main approach for time-domain simulation of the linear output-feedback systems containing fractional-order controllers is to approximate the transfer function of the controller with an integer-order transfer function and then perform the simulation. In general, this approach suffers from two main disadvantages: first, the internal stability of the resulting feedback system is not guaranteed, and second, the amount of error caused by this approximation is not exactly known. The aim of this paper is to propose an efficient method for time-domain simulation of such systems without facing the above mentioned drawbacks. For this purpose, the fractional-order controller is approximated with an integer-order transfer function (possibly in combination with the delay term) such that the internal stability of the closed-loop system is guaranteed, and then the simulation is performed. It is also shown that the resulting approximate controller can effectively be realized by using the proposed method. Some formulas for estimating and correcting the simulation error, when the feedback system under consideration is subjected to the unit step command or the unit step disturbance, are also presented. Finally, three numerical examples are studied and the results are compared with the Oustaloup continuous approximation method. Copyright © 2011 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Diabetes PSA (:30) Step By Step

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2009-10-24

    First steps to preventing diabetes. For Hispanic and Latino American audiences.  Created: 10/24/2009 by National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP), a joint program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.   Date Released: 10/24/2009.

  18. Diabetes PSA (:60) Step By Step

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2009-10-24

    First steps to preventing diabetes. For Hispanic and Latino American audiences.  Created: 10/24/2009 by National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP), a joint program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.   Date Released: 10/24/2009.

  19. Time step rescaling recovers continuous-time dynamical properties for discrete-time Langevin integration of nonequilibrium systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sivak, David A; Chodera, John D; Crooks, Gavin E

    2014-06-19

    When simulating molecular systems using deterministic equations of motion (e.g., Newtonian dynamics), such equations are generally numerically integrated according to a well-developed set of algorithms that share commonly agreed-upon desirable properties. However, for stochastic equations of motion (e.g., Langevin dynamics), there is still broad disagreement over which integration algorithms are most appropriate. While multiple desiderata have been proposed throughout the literature, consensus on which criteria are important is absent, and no published integration scheme satisfies all desiderata simultaneously. Additional nontrivial complications stem from simulating systems driven out of equilibrium using existing stochastic integration schemes in conjunction with recently developed nonequilibrium fluctuation theorems. Here, we examine a family of discrete time integration schemes for Langevin dynamics, assessing how each member satisfies a variety of desiderata that have been enumerated in prior efforts to construct suitable Langevin integrators. We show that the incorporation of a novel time step rescaling in the deterministic updates of position and velocity can correct a number of dynamical defects in these integrators. Finally, we identify a particular splitting (related to the velocity Verlet discretization) that has essentially universally appropriate properties for the simulation of Langevin dynamics for molecular systems in equilibrium, nonequilibrium, and path sampling contexts.

  20. New magnetic real time shape control for MAST

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pangione, L., E-mail: luigi.pangione@ccfe.ac.uk [EURATOM/CCFE Fusion Association – Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); McArdle, G.; Storrs, J. [EURATOM/CCFE Fusion Association – Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom)

    2013-10-15

    Highlights: ► New magnetic shape control system has been implemented. ► It has been intensively tested in a simulation environment. ► A tool chain to produce LTI model and simulate its behaviour has been implemented. ► Experimental results are shown. -- Abstract: The Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak (MAST) real time plasma position controller is based on an optical linear camera placed on the mid plane of the vessel. This solution has the advantage of being a direct observation of the D{sub α} emissions coming from the interaction between the boundary of the plasma and neutral gas, but, on the other hand, it restricts the control to the outer radius of the plasma only. A complete chain of tools has been set up to implement, test and simulate a new real time magnetic plasma shape controller based on the rtEFIT code. The complete working path consists of three elements: a linear static relationship between control parameters and current demands, a linear state space model needed to represent the plasma dynamic response in closed loop simulations, and the possibility to run simulations inside the Plasma Control System (PCS). The linear relationship has been calculated using the FIESTA code, which is developed using Matlab at CCFE. The linear state space model was generated using the CREATE-L code developed by the CREATE Consortium. It has already been successfully used to model JET, FTU and TCV tokamaks. Using this working path many simulations have been carried out allowing fine tuning of the control gains before the real experiment. The simulation testing includes the plasma shape control law as implemented in PCS itself, so intensive debugging has been possible prior to operation. Successful control using rtEFIT was established in the second dedicated experiment during the MAST 2011–12 campaign. This work is a stepping stone towards divertor control which is ultimately intended for application to the super-X divertor in the MAST Upgrade experiment.

  1. Modelling of Sub-daily Hydrological Processes Using Daily Time-Step Models: A Distribution Function Approach to Temporal Scaling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kandel, D. D.; Western, A. W.; Grayson, R. B.

    2004-12-01

    Mismatches in scale between the fundamental processes, the model and supporting data are a major limitation in hydrologic modelling. Surface runoff generation via infiltration excess and the process of soil erosion are fundamentally short time-scale phenomena and their average behaviour is mostly determined by the short time-scale peak intensities of rainfall. Ideally, these processes should be simulated using time-steps of the order of minutes to appropriately resolve the effect of rainfall intensity variations. However, sub-daily data support is often inadequate and the processes are usually simulated by calibrating daily (or even coarser) time-step models. Generally process descriptions are not modified but rather effective parameter values are used to account for the effect of temporal lumping, assuming that the effect of the scale mismatch can be counterbalanced by tuning the parameter values at the model time-step of interest. Often this results in parameter values that are difficult to interpret physically. A similar approach is often taken spatially. This is problematic as these processes generally operate or interact non-linearly. This indicates a need for better techniques to simulate sub-daily processes using daily time-step models while still using widely available daily information. A new method applicable to many rainfall-runoff-erosion models is presented. The method is based on temporal scaling using statistical distributions of rainfall intensity to represent sub-daily intensity variations in a daily time-step model. This allows the effect of short time-scale nonlinear processes to be captured while modelling at a daily time-step, which is often attractive due to the wide availability of daily forcing data. The approach relies on characterising the rainfall intensity variation within a day using a cumulative distribution function (cdf). This cdf is then modified by various linear and nonlinear processes typically represented in hydrological and

  2. Overall asthma control achieved with budesonide/formoterol maintenance and reliever therapy for patients on different treatment steps

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Östlund Ollie

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Adjusting medication for uncontrolled asthma involves selecting one of several options from the same or a higher treatment step outlined in asthma guidelines. We examined the relative benefit of introducing budesonide/formoterol (BUD/FORM maintenance and reliever therapy (Symbicort SMART® Turbuhaler® in patients previously prescribed treatments from Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA Steps 2, 3 or 4. Methods This is a post hoc analysis of the results of five large clinical trials (>12000 patients comparing BUD/FORM maintenance and reliever therapy with other treatments categorised by treatment step at study entry. Both current clinical asthma control during the last week of treatment and exacerbations during the study were examined. Results At each GINA treatment step, the proportion of patients achieving target levels of current clinical control were similar or higher with BUD/FORM maintenance and reliever therapy compared with the same or a higher fixed maintenance dose of inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β2-agonist (ICS/LABA (plus short-acting β2-agonist [SABA] as reliever, and rates of exacerbations were lower at all treatment steps in BUD/FORM maintenance and reliever therapy versus same maintenance dose ICS/LABA (P Conclusions BUD/FORM maintenance and reliever therapy may be a preferable option for patients on Steps 2 to 4 of asthma guidelines requiring a more effective treatment and, compared with other fixed dose alternatives, is most effective in the higher treatment steps.

  3. A positive and multi-element conserving time stepping scheme for biogeochemical processes in marine ecosystem models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radtke, H.; Burchard, H.

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, an unconditionally positive and multi-element conserving time stepping scheme for systems of non-linearly coupled ODE's is presented. These systems of ODE's are used to describe biogeochemical transformation processes in marine ecosystem models. The numerical scheme is a positive-definite modification of the Runge-Kutta method, it can have arbitrarily high order of accuracy and does not require time step adaption. If the scheme is combined with a modified Patankar-Runge-Kutta method from Burchard et al. (2003), it also gets the ability to solve a certain class of stiff numerical problems, but the accuracy is restricted to second-order then. The performance of the new scheme on two test case problems is shown.

  4. Towards a comprehensive framework for cosimulation of dynamic models with an emphasis on time stepping

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoepfer, Matthias

    co-simulation approach to modeling and simulation. It lays out the general approach to dynamic system co-simulation, and gives a comprehensive overview of what co-simulation is and what it is not. It creates a taxonomy of the requirements and limits of co-simulation, and the issues arising with co-simulating sub-models. Possible solutions towards resolving the stated problems are investigated to a certain depth. A particular focus is given to the issue of time stepping. It will be shown that for dynamic models, the selection of the simulation time step is a crucial issue with respect to computational expense, simulation accuracy, and error control. The reasons for this are discussed in depth, and a time stepping algorithm for co-simulation with unknown dynamic sub-models is proposed. Motivations and suggestions for the further treatment of selected issues are presented.

  5. Estimating time-varying exposure-outcome associations using case-control data: logistic and case-cohort analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keogh, Ruth H; Mangtani, Punam; Rodrigues, Laura; Nguipdop Djomo, Patrick

    2016-01-05

    Traditional analyses of standard case-control studies using logistic regression do not allow estimation of time-varying associations between exposures and the outcome. We present two approaches which allow this. The motivation is a study of vaccine efficacy as a function of time since vaccination. Our first approach is to estimate time-varying exposure-outcome associations by fitting a series of logistic regressions within successive time periods, reusing controls across periods. Our second approach treats the case-control sample as a case-cohort study, with the controls forming the subcohort. In the case-cohort analysis, controls contribute information at all times they are at risk. Extensions allow left truncation, frequency matching and, using the case-cohort analysis, time-varying exposures. Simulations are used to investigate the methods. The simulation results show that both methods give correct estimates of time-varying effects of exposures using standard case-control data. Using the logistic approach there are efficiency gains by reusing controls over time and care should be taken over the definition of controls within time periods. However, using the case-cohort analysis there is no ambiguity over the definition of controls. The performance of the two analyses is very similar when controls are used most efficiently under the logistic approach. Using our methods, case-control studies can be used to estimate time-varying exposure-outcome associations where they may not previously have been considered. The case-cohort analysis has several advantages, including that it allows estimation of time-varying associations as a continuous function of time, while the logistic regression approach is restricted to assuming a step function form for the time-varying association.

  6. How many steps/day are enough? for adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rowe David A

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Physical activity guidelines from around the world are typically expressed in terms of frequency, duration, and intensity parameters. Objective monitoring using pedometers and accelerometers offers a new opportunity to measure and communicate physical activity in terms of steps/day. Various step-based versions or translations of physical activity guidelines are emerging, reflecting public interest in such guidance. However, there appears to be a wide discrepancy in the exact values that are being communicated. It makes sense that step-based recommendations should be harmonious with existing evidence-based public health guidelines that recognize that "some physical activity is better than none" while maintaining a focus on time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA. Thus, the purpose of this review was to update our existing knowledge of "How many steps/day are enough?", and to inform step-based recommendations consistent with current physical activity guidelines. Normative data indicate that healthy adults typically take between 4,000 and 18,000 steps/day, and that 10,000 steps/day is reasonable for this population, although there are notable "low active populations." Interventions demonstrate incremental increases on the order of 2,000-2,500 steps/day. The results of seven different controlled studies demonstrate that there is a strong relationship between cadence and intensity. Further, despite some inter-individual variation, 100 steps/minute represents a reasonable floor value indicative of moderate intensity walking. Multiplying this cadence by 30 minutes (i.e., typical of a daily recommendation produces a minimum of 3,000 steps that is best used as a heuristic (i.e., guiding value, but these steps must be taken over and above habitual activity levels to be a true expression of free-living steps/day that also includes recommendations for minimal amounts of time in MVPA. Computed steps/day translations of time in

  7. Microprocessor-based stepping motor driver

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Halbig, J.K.; Klosterbuer, S.F.

    1979-09-01

    The Pion Generation for Medical Irradiations (PIGMI) program at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory requires a versatile stepping motor driver to do beam diagnostic measurements. A driver controlled by a microprocessor that can move eight stepping motors simultaneously was designed. The driver can monitor and respond to clockwise- and counterclockwise-limit switches, and it can monitor a 0- to 10-V dc position signal. The software controls start and stop ramping and maximum stepping rates. 2 figures, 1 table

  8. Aplicación de RT-Linux en el control de motores de pasos. Parte II; Appication of RT-Linux in the Control of Steps Motors. Part II

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ernesto Duany Renté

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Este trabajo complementa al presentado anteriormente: "Aplicación de RT-Linux en el control de motoresde pasos. Primera parte", de manera que se puedan relacionar a las tareas de adquisición y control para laobtención de un sistema lo más exacto posible. Las técnicas empleadas son las de tiempo real aprovechandolas posibilidades del microkernel RT-Linux y los software libres contenidos en sistemas Unix/Linux. Lasseñales se obtienen mediante un conversor AD y mostradas en pantalla empleando el Gnuplot.  The work presented in this paper is a complement to the control and acquisition tasks which were explainedin "Application of RT-Linux in the Control of Steps Motors. First Part", so that those both real time taskscan be fully related in order to make the whole control system more accurate. The employed techniquesare those of Real Time Taking advantage of the possibilities of the micro kernel RT-Linux and the freesoftware distributed in the Unix/Linux operating systems. The signals are obtained by means of an ADconverter and are shown in screen using Gnuplot.

  9. Stepping out: dare to step forward, step back, or just stand still and breathe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waisman, Mary Sue

    2012-01-01

    It is important to step out and make a difference. We have one of the most unique and diverse professions that allows for diversity in thought and practice, permitting each of us to grow in our unique niches and make significant contributions. I was frightened to 'step out' to go to culinary school at the age of 46, but it changed forever the way I look at my profession and I have since experienced the most enjoyable and innovative career. There are also times when it is important to 'step back' to relish the roots of our profession; to help bring food back into nutrition; to translate all of our wonderful science into a language of food that Canadians understand. We all need to take time to 'just stand still and breathe': to celebrate our accomplishments, reflect on our actions, ensure we are heading toward our vision, keep the profession vibrant and relevant, and cherish one another.

  10. Stepping motor control processor reference manual. Volume I

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holloway, F.W.; VanArsdall, P.J.; Suski, G.J.; Gant, R.G.; Rash, M.

    1980-01-01

    This manual is intended to serve several purposes. The first goal is to describe the capabilities and operation of the SMC processor package from an operator or user point of view. Secondly, the manual will describe in some detail the basic hardware elements and how they can be used effectively to implement a step motor control system. Practical information on the use, installation and checkout of the hardware set is presented in the following sections along with programming suggestions. Available related system software is described in this manual for reference and as an aid in understanding the system architecture. Section two presents an overview and operations manual of the SMC processor describing its composition and functional capabilities. Section three contains hardware descriptions in some detail for the LLL-designed hardware used in the SMC processor. Basic theory of operation and important features are explained

  11. Time ordering of two-step processes in energetic ion-atom collisions: Basic formalism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stolterfoht, N.

    1993-01-01

    The semiclassical approximation is applied in second order to describe time ordering of two-step processes in energetic ion-atom collisions. Emphasis is given to the conditions for interferences between first- and second-order terms. In systems with two active electrons, time ordering gives rise to a pair of associated paths involving a second-order process and its time-inverted process. Combining these paths within the independent-particle frozen orbital model, time ordering is lost. It is shown that the loss of time ordering modifies the second-order amplitude so that its ability to interfere with the first-order amplitude is essentially reduced. Time ordering and the capability for interference is regained, as one path is blocked by means of the Pauli exclusion principle. The time-ordering formalism is prepared for papers dealing with collision experiments of single excitation [Stolterfoht et al., following paper, Phys. Rev. A 48, 2986 (1993)] and double excitation [Stolterfoht et al. (unpublished)

  12. The step complexity measure for emergency operating procedures: measure verification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jinkyun; Jung, Wondea; Ha, Jaejoo; Park, Changkue

    2002-01-01

    In complex systems, such as nuclear power plants (NPPs) or airplane control systems, human errors play a major role in many accidents. Therefore, to prevent an occurrence of accidents or to ensure system safety, extensive effort has been made to identify significant factors that can cause human errors. According to related studies, written manuals or operating procedures are revealed as one of the most important factors, and the understandability is pointed out as one of the major reasons for procedure-related human errors. Many qualitative checklists are suggested to evaluate emergency operating procedures (EOPs) of NPPs. However, since qualitative evaluations using checklists have some drawbacks, a quantitative measure that can quantify the complexity of EOPs is very necessary to compensate for them. In order to quantify the complexity of steps included in EOPs, Park et al. suggested the step complexity (SC) measure. In addition, to ascertain the appropriateness of the SC measure, averaged step performance time data obtained from emergency training records for the loss of coolant accident and the excess steam dump event were compared with estimated SC scores. Although averaged step performance time data show good correlation with estimated SC scores, conclusions for some important issues that have to be clarified to ensure the appropriateness of the SC measure were not properly drawn because of lack of backup data. In this paper, to clarify remaining issues, additional activities to verify the appropriateness of the SC measure are performed using averaged step performance time data obtained from emergency training records. The total number of available records is 36, and training scenarios are the steam generator tube rupture and the loss of all feedwater. The number of scenarios is 18 each. From these emergency training records, averaged step performance time data for 30 steps are retrieved. As the results, the SC measure shows statistically meaningful

  13. Aplicación de RT-Linux en el control de motores de pasos. Parte I; Application of RT-Linux in the Control of Steps Mators. Part I

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ernesto Duany Renté

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available La idea fundamental de este artículo es mostrar cómo controlar un motor de paso empleando el puertoparalelo de una computadora, y demostrar la eficiencia temporal de las aplicaciones que se desarrollan ensistemas preparados para ejecutar tareas de precisión; aprovechar al máximo la capacidad de tiempo realestricto que brinda RT-Linux para el control de accionamientos eléctricos. Se desarrolla un pequeño softwareen lenguaje C que envía las señales al puerto paralelo en el tiempo necesario. Este software no estádiseñado con fines comerciales, solo permite realizar pruebas sobre el circuito de control diseñado paraeste propósito.  The fundamental idea of this article is to control a steps motor using the parallel port of a computer anddemonstrate the temporary efficiency of the applications that are executed in prepared systems to executetasks of real time. To take advantage of to the maximum capacity of strict real time that RT-Linux offers usfor the control of electric workings. A small software is developed in language C that sent the signs to theparallel port in the necessary time. This software is not designed with commercial, only allows to carry outtests on the control circuit designed for this purpose.

  14. Development of Stepping Endurance Test Plan on CRDM of a Research Reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, DongHyun; Kim, Hyeonil; Park, Suki [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-10-15

    Various types of the irradiation targets can be loaded and unloaded during power operation, according to the purpose of research reactor utilization. And their reactivity worth varies as well. The insertion rate of reactivity is dependent to reactivity worth of targets, travel length during loading or unloading and transfer device speed. Due to the reactivity transition during loading and unloading, neutron power is changed and reaches an action point of the reactor regulating system. Based on the measured neutron rate of change, reactor power control system controls the power with its own algorithm. It generates the signals and transmits these to the CRDM for motor driving. Stepping motors on the CRDM move the control rods with step signals. The process repeats until power is stabilized. Accordingly, the stepping behaviours of CRDM should be modelled upon an understanding of the control process and reactor responses. Methodology for a stepping endurance test plan on the CRDM of a research reactor is developed since CRDM endurance is very important for reactor controller and should be ensured for a certain period of time throughout the life of a research reactor. Therefore, it is expected to provide a reasonable stepping test plan. In the future, the simulation will be performed with specific design values.

  15. The Chimera II Real-Time Operating System for advanced sensor-based control applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, David B.; Schmitz, Donald E.; Khosla, Pradeep K.

    1992-01-01

    Attention is given to the Chimera II Real-Time Operating System, which has been developed for advanced sensor-based control applications. The Chimera II provides a high-performance real-time kernel and a variety of IPC features. The hardware platform required to run Chimera II consists of commercially available hardware, and allows custom hardware to be easily integrated. The design allows it to be used with almost any type of VMEbus-based processors and devices. It allows radially differing hardware to be programmed using a common system, thus providing a first and necessary step towards the standardization of reconfigurable systems that results in a reduction of development time and cost.

  16. Variable speed wind turbine control by discrete-time sliding mode approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torchani, Borhen; Sellami, Anis; Garcia, Germain

    2016-05-01

    The aim of this paper is to propose a new design variable speed wind turbine control by discrete-time sliding mode approach. This methodology is designed for linear saturated system. The saturation constraint is reported on inputs vector. To this end, the back stepping design procedure is followed to construct a suitable sliding manifold that guarantees the attainment of a stabilization control objective. It is well known that the mechanisms are investigated in term of the most proposed assumptions to deal with the damping, shaft stiffness and inertia effect of the gear. The objectives are to synthesize robust controllers that maximize the energy extracted from wind, while reducing mechanical loads and rotor speed tracking combined with an electromagnetic torque. Simulation results of the proposed scheme are presented. Copyright © 2016 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Kinematic and behavioral analyses of protective stepping strategies and risk for falls among community living older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bair, Woei-Nan; Prettyman, Michelle G; Beamer, Brock A; Rogers, Mark W

    2016-07-01

    Protective stepping evoked by externally applied lateral perturbations reveals balance deficits underlying falls. However, a lack of comprehensive information about the control of different stepping strategies in relation to the magnitude of perturbation limits understanding of balance control in relation to age and fall status. The aim of this study was to investigate different protective stepping strategies and their kinematic and behavioral control characteristics in response to different magnitudes of lateral waist-pulls between older fallers and non-fallers. Fifty-two community-dwelling older adults (16 fallers) reacted naturally to maintain balance in response to five magnitudes of lateral waist-pulls. The balance tolerance limit (BTL, waist-pull magnitude where protective steps transitioned from single to multiple steps), first step control characteristics (stepping frequency and counts, spatial-temporal kinematic, and trunk position at landing) of four naturally selected protective step types were compared between fallers and non-fallers at- and above-BTL. Fallers took medial-steps most frequently while non-fallers most often took crossover-back-steps. Only non-fallers varied their step count and first step control parameters by step type at the instants of step initiation (onset time) and termination (trunk position), while both groups modulated step execution parameters (single stance duration and step length) by step type. Group differences were generally better demonstrated above-BTL. Fallers primarily used a biomechanically less effective medial-stepping strategy that may be partially explained by reduced somato-sensation. Fallers did not modulate their step parameters by step type at first step initiation and termination, instances particularly vulnerable to instability, reflecting their limitations in balance control during protective stepping. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  18. Estimating time-varying exposure-outcome associations using case-control data: logistic and case-cohort analyses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruth H. Keogh

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Traditional analyses of standard case-control studies using logistic regression do not allow estimation of time-varying associations between exposures and the outcome. We present two approaches which allow this. The motivation is a study of vaccine efficacy as a function of time since vaccination. Methods Our first approach is to estimate time-varying exposure-outcome associations by fitting a series of logistic regressions within successive time periods, reusing controls across periods. Our second approach treats the case-control sample as a case-cohort study, with the controls forming the subcohort. In the case-cohort analysis, controls contribute information at all times they are at risk. Extensions allow left truncation, frequency matching and, using the case-cohort analysis, time-varying exposures. Simulations are used to investigate the methods. Results The simulation results show that both methods give correct estimates of time-varying effects of exposures using standard case-control data. Using the logistic approach there are efficiency gains by reusing controls over time and care should be taken over the definition of controls within time periods. However, using the case-cohort analysis there is no ambiguity over the definition of controls. The performance of the two analyses is very similar when controls are used most efficiently under the logistic approach. Conclusions Using our methods, case-control studies can be used to estimate time-varying exposure-outcome associations where they may not previously have been considered. The case-cohort analysis has several advantages, including that it allows estimation of time-varying associations as a continuous function of time, while the logistic regression approach is restricted to assuming a step function form for the time-varying association.

  19. Ovulation induction using clomiphene citrate using stair – Step regimen versus traditional regimen in polycystic ovary syndrome women – A randomized control trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K Agrawal

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To determine the efficacy of the stair-step protocol (SSP using clomiphene citrate (CC in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS and compare it with traditional regimen. Design: This was randomized control trial. Setting: Infertility Clinic. Patient(s: Sixty infertile PCOS women. Intervention(s: Patients were randomized into the study (SSP – 30 patients and control group (traditional protocol – 30 patients. In the SSP, patients were treated with CC 50 mg/day for 5 days and in nonresponsive patients, the dosage was increased to 100 mg/day for 5 days in the same cycle. Maximum dose of 150 mg was given until the dominant follicle was generated. In control group, the dose increment in nonovulatory cases was done in subsequent cycle. Ultrasonography follow-up was done to detect ovulation. Main Outcome Measure(s: Ovulation rate and duration of treatment. Results: Ovulation (66.7% vs. 50% respectively and pregnancy rates (26.7% vs. 15.7% were similar between the stair step and the control group. The duration of treatment was significantly shorter in stair step compared to traditional protocol (17.23 vs. 53 days. CC 100 mg was the most effective dose for ovulation in either group. There were no significant differences in the systemic side effect. Conclusions: By using SSP, effective treatment is provided in significantly shorter time period without any detrimental effect on the ovulation and pregnancy rates.

  20. On the Convexity of Step out - Step in Sequencing Games

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Musegaas, Marieke; Borm, Peter; Quant, Marieke

    2016-01-01

    The main result of this paper is the convexity of Step out - Step in (SoSi) sequencing games, a class of relaxed sequencing games first analyzed by Musegaas, Borm, and Quant (2015). The proof makes use of a polynomial time algorithm determining the value and an optimal processing order for an

  1. A sensitive one-step real-time PCR for detection of avian influenza viruses using a MGB probe and an internal positive control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Delogu Mauro

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Avian influenza viruses (AIVs are endemic in wild birds and their introduction and conversion to highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in domestic poultry is a cause of serious economic losses as well as a risk for potential transmission to humans. The ability to rapidly recognise AIVs in biological specimens is critical for limiting further spread of the disease in poultry. The advent of molecular methods such as real time polymerase chain reaction has allowed improvement of detection methods currently used in laboratories, although not all of these methods include an Internal Positive Control (IPC to monitor for false negative results. Therefore we developed a one-step reverse transcription real time PCR (RRT-PCR with a Minor Groove Binder (MGB probe for the detection of different subtypes of AIVs. This technique also includes an IPC. Methods RRT-PCR was developed using an improved TaqMan technology with a MGB probe to detect AI from reference viruses. Primers and probe were designed based on the matrix gene sequences from most animal and human A influenza virus subtypes. The specificity of RRT-PCR was assessed by detecting influenza A virus isolates belonging to subtypes from H1–H13 isolated in avian, human, swine and equine hosts. The analytical sensitivity of the RRT-PCR assay was determined using serial dilutions of in vitro transcribed matrix gene RNA. The use of a rodent RNA as an IPC in order not to reduce the efficiency of the assay was adopted. Results The RRT-PCR assay is capable to detect all tested influenza A viruses. The detection limit of the assay was shown to be between 5 and 50 RNA copies per reaction and the standard curve demonstrated a linear range from 5 to 5 × 108 copies as well as excellent reproducibility. The analytical sensitivity of the assay is 10–100 times higher than conventional RT-PCR. Conclusion The high sensitivity, rapidity, reproducibility and specificity of the AIV RRT-PCR with

  2. Timing of the steps in transformation of C3H 10T1/2 cells by X-irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kennedy, A.R.; Cairns, J.; Little, J.B.

    1984-01-01

    Transformation of cells in culture by chemical carcinogens or X-rays seems to require at least two steps. The initial step is a frequent event; for example, after transient exposure to either methylcholanthrene or X-rays. It has been hypothesized that the second step behaves like a spontaneous mutation in having a constant but small probability of occurring each time an initiated cell divides. We show here that the clone size distribution of transformed cells in growing cultures initiated by X-rays, is, indeed, exactly what would be expected on that hypothesis. (author)

  3. Compact Two-step Laser Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer for in Situ Analyses of Aromatic Organics on Planetary Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Getty, Stephanie; Brickerhoff, William; Cornish, Timothy; Ecelberger, Scott; Floyd, Melissa

    2012-01-01

    RATIONALE A miniature time-of-flight mass spectrometer has been adapted to demonstrate two-step laser desorption-ionization (LOI) in a compact instrument package for enhanced organics detection. Two-step LDI decouples the desorption and ionization processes, relative to traditional laser ionization-desorption, in order to produce low-fragmentation conditions for complex organic analytes. Tuning UV ionization laser energy allowed control ofthe degree of fragmentation, which may enable better identification of constituent species. METHODS A reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer prototype measuring 20 cm in length was adapted to a two-laser configuration, with IR (1064 nm) desorption followed by UV (266 nm) postionization. A relatively low ion extraction voltage of 5 kV was applied at the sample inlet. Instrument capabilities and performance were demonstrated with analysis of a model polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, representing a class of compounds important to the fields of Earth and planetary science. RESULTS L2MS analysis of a model PAH standard, pyrene, has been demonstrated, including parent mass identification and the onset o(tunable fragmentation as a function of ionizing laser energy. Mass resolution m/llm = 380 at full width at half-maximum was achieved which is notable for gas-phase ionization of desorbed neutrals in a highly-compact mass analyzer. CONCLUSIONS Achieving two-step laser mass spectrometry (L2MS) in a highly-miniature instrument enables a powerful approach to the detection and characterization of aromatic organics in remote terrestrial and planetary applications. Tunable detection of parent and fragment ions with high mass resolution, diagnostic of molecular structure, is possible on such a compact L2MS instrument. Selectivity of L2MS against low-mass inorganic salt interferences is a key advantage when working with unprocessed, natural samples, and a mechanism for the observed selectivity is presented.

  4. Imaginary Time Step Method to Solve the Dirac Equation with Nonlocal Potential

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Ying; Liang Haozhao; Meng Jie

    2009-01-01

    The imaginary time step (ITS) method is applied to solve the Dirac equation with nonlocal potentials in coordinate space. Taking the nucleus 12 C as an example, even with nonlocal potentials, the direct ITS evolution for the Dirac equation still meets the disaster of the Dirac sea. However, following the recipe in our former investigation, the disaster can be avoided by the ITS evolution for the corresponding Schroedinger-like equation without localization, which gives the convergent results exactly the same with those obtained iteratively by the shooting method with localized effective potentials.

  5. Microsoft® Visual Basic® 2010 Step by Step

    CERN Document Server

    Halvorson, Michael

    2010-01-01

    Your hands-on, step-by-step guide to learning Visual Basic® 2010. Teach yourself the essential tools and techniques for Visual Basic® 2010-one step at a time. No matter what your skill level, you'll find the practical guidance and examples you need to start building professional applications for Windows® and the Web. Discover how to: Work in the Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2010 Integrated Development Environment (IDE)Master essential techniques-from managing data and variables to using inheritance and dialog boxesCreate professional-looking UIs; add visual effects and print supportBuild com

  6. Neptunium control in co-decontamination step of purex process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Zefu; He Jianyu; Zhu Zhaowu; Ye Guoan; Zhao Zhiqiang

    2002-01-01

    A new alternative method for separation of Np in the first co-decontamination step is proposed. It comprises two steps, namely, preconditioning of Np valence state in the dissolved solution of spent fuel by NO gas bubbling in HNO 3 medium to produce HNO 2 , which is considered as salt-free process to convert Np(VI) to Np(V) and stabilization of Np(V) with urea, finally, the demonstrative counter current cascade extraction of Np(IV) and Np(V) in a miniature mixer-settler was carried out. The batch experiments show that Np(V) produced after conditioning may be slowly oxidized again to Np(VI) during standing time. Addition of urea in the HNO 3 solution might enhance the stability of Np(V). On the other hand, the solvent extraction by 30% TBP/kerosene could greatly accelerate the oxidation rate of Np(V). The chemical flow sheet study at 25degC shows that, more than 98% of Np could be routed into HLLW if urea is added in the HNO 3 solution. The operating temperature has great influence on the kinetics of Np(V) oxidation. If operation temperature races to 36degC and urea is not added, about 38% of Np will go along with U and Pu into organic phase. The behavior of Np(IV) during extraction shows great accumulation in the middle stages of battery. (author)

  7. Canadian children's and youth's pedometer-determined steps/day, parent-reported TV watching time, and overweight/obesity: The CANPLAY Surveillance Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Craig Cora L

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This study examines associations between pedometer-determined steps/day and parent-reported child's Body Mass Index (BMI and time typically spent watching television between school and dinner. Methods Young people (aged 5-19 years were recruited through their parents by random digit dialling and mailed a data collection package. Information on height and weight and time spent watching television between school and dinner on a typical school day was collected from parents. In total, 5949 boys and 5709 girls reported daily steps. BMI was categorized as overweight or obese using Cole's cut points. Participants wore pedometers for 7 days and logged daily steps. The odds of being overweight and obese by steps/day and parent-reported time spent television watching were estimated using logistic regression for complex samples. Results Girls had a lower median steps/day (10682 versus 11059 for boys and also a narrower variation in steps/day (interquartile range, 4410 versus 5309 for boys. 11% of children aged 5-19 years were classified as obese; 17% of boys and girls were overweight. Both boys and girls watched, on average, Discussion Television viewing is the more prominent factor in terms of predicting overweight, and it contributes to obesity, but steps/day attenuates the association between television viewing and obesity, and therefore can be considered protective against obesity. In addition to replacing opportunities for active alternative behaviours, exposure to television might also impact body weight by promoting excess energy intake. Conclusions In this large nationally representative sample, pedometer-determined steps/day was associated with reduced odds of being obese (but not overweight whereas each parent-reported hour spent watching television between school and dinner increased the odds of both overweight and obesity.

  8. Effects of computing time delay on real-time control systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Kang G.; Cui, Xianzhong

    1988-01-01

    The reliability of a real-time digital control system depends not only on the reliability of the hardware and software used, but also on the speed in executing control algorithms. The latter is due to the negative effects of computing time delay on control system performance. For a given sampling interval, the effects of computing time delay are classified into the delay problem and the loss problem. Analysis of these two problems is presented as a means of evaluating real-time control systems. As an example, both the self-tuning predicted (STP) control and Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control are applied to the problem of tracking robot trajectories, and their respective effects of computing time delay on control performance are comparatively evaluated. For this example, the STP (PID) controller is shown to outperform the PID (STP) controller in coping with the delay (loss) problem.

  9. Step by step parallel programming method for molecular dynamics code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Orii, Shigeo; Ohta, Toshio

    1996-07-01

    Parallel programming for a numerical simulation program of molecular dynamics is carried out with a step-by-step programming technique using the two phase method. As a result, within the range of a certain computing parameters, it is found to obtain parallel performance by using the level of parallel programming which decomposes the calculation according to indices of do-loops into each processor on the vector parallel computer VPP500 and the scalar parallel computer Paragon. It is also found that VPP500 shows parallel performance in wider range computing parameters. The reason is that the time cost of the program parts, which can not be reduced by the do-loop level of the parallel programming, can be reduced to the negligible level by the vectorization. After that, the time consuming parts of the program are concentrated on less parts that can be accelerated by the do-loop level of the parallel programming. This report shows the step-by-step parallel programming method and the parallel performance of the molecular dynamics code on VPP500 and Paragon. (author)

  10. PHISICS/RELAP5-3D Adaptive Time-Step Method Demonstrated for the HTTR LOFC#1 Simulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baker, Robin Ivey [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Balestra, Paolo [Univ. of Rome (Italy); Strydom, Gerhard [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

    2017-05-01

    A collaborative effort between Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) as part of the Civil Nuclear Energy Working Group is underway to model the high temperature engineering test reactor (HTTR) loss of forced cooling (LOFC) transient that was performed in December 2010. The coupled version of RELAP5-3D, a thermal fluids code, and PHISICS, a neutronics code, were used to model the transient. The focus of this report is to summarize the changes made to the PHISICS-RELAP5-3D code for implementing an adaptive time step methodology into the code for the first time, and to test it using the full HTTR PHISICS/RELAP5-3D model developed by JAEA and INL and the LOFC simulation. Various adaptive schemes are available based on flux or power convergence criteria that allow significantly larger time steps to be taken by the neutronics module. The report includes a description of the HTTR and the associated PHISICS/RELAP5-3D model test results as well as the University of Rome sub-contractor report documenting the adaptive time step theory and methodology implemented in PHISICS/RELAP5-3D. Two versions of the HTTR model were tested using 8 and 26 energy groups. It was found that most of the new adaptive methods lead to significant improvements in the LOFC simulation time required without significant accuracy penalties in the prediction of the fission power and the fuel temperature. In the best performing 8 group model scenarios, a LOFC simulation of 20 hours could be completed in real-time, or even less than real-time, compared with the previous version of the code that completed the same transient 3-8 times slower than real-time. A few of the user choice combinations between the methodologies available and the tolerance settings did however result in unacceptably high errors or insignificant gains in simulation time. The study is concluded with recommendations on which methods to use for this HTTR model. An important caveat is that these findings

  11. Rod cluster control assemblies and rod cluster control guide tubes: wear and drop time

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zbinden, M.

    1997-01-01

    The wear of RCCAs and of RCC guide tubes is due to two quite different mechanisms and the remedies to apply for each case might lead to contradictory solutions: - the impact/sliding wear for the seldom moving RCCAs, namely the shutdown RCCAs, under flow-induced vibrations, - the axial sliding wear for the control rods subjected to the stepping movements ordered by the acting load. In this case the hydraulic sticking forces are those which produce an evolution of the surface states that may increase the drop time. The introduction, an historical survey of the encountered difficulties, is followed by short description of the components and then the paper presents contributions of EDF in the R and D field, which take place in two successive multi-annual projects. Lastly, some information is given about the recent evolutions and new problems as well for impact/sliding wear as for drop time under normal or seismic conditions. (author)

  12. Developing a real-time emulation of multiresolutional control architectures for complex, discrete-event systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Davis, W.J.; Macro, J.G.; Brook, A.L. [Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL (United States)] [and others

    1996-12-31

    This paper first discusses an object-oriented, control architecture and then applies the architecture to produce a real-time software emulator for the Rapid Acquisition of Manufactured Parts (RAMP) flexible manufacturing system (FMS). In specifying the control architecture, the coordinated object is first defined as the primary modeling element. These coordinated objects are then integrated into a Recursive, Object-Oriented Coordination Hierarchy. A new simulation methodology, the Hierarchical Object-Oriented Programmable Logic Simulator, is then employed to model the interactions among the coordinated objects. The final step in implementing the emulator is to distribute the models of the coordinated objects over a network of computers and to synchronize their operation to a real-time clock. The paper then introduces the Hierarchical Subsystem Controller as an intelligent controller for the coordinated object. The proposed approach to intelligent control is then compared to the concept of multiresolutional semiosis that has been developed by Dr. Alex Meystel. Finally, the plans for implementing an intelligent controller for the RAMP FMS are discussed.

  13. Detection of SYT-SSX mutant transcripts in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sarcoma tissues using one-step reverse transcriptase real-time PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norlelawati, A T; Mohd Danial, G; Nora, H; Nadia, O; Zatur Rawihah, K; Nor Zamzila, A; Naznin, M

    2016-04-01

    Synovial sarcoma (SS) is a rare cancer and accounts for 5-10% of adult soft tissue sarcomas. Making an accurate diagnosis is difficult due to the overlapping histological features of SS with other types of sarcomas and the non-specific immunohistochemistry profile findings. Molecular testing is thus considered necessary to confirm the diagnosis since more than 90% of SS cases carry the transcript of t(X;18)(p11.2;q11.2). The purpose of this study is to diagnose SS at molecular level by testing for t(X;18) fusion-transcript expression through One-step reverse transcriptase real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of 23 cases of soft tissue sarcomas, which included 5 and 8 cases reported as SS as the primary diagnosis and differential diagnosis respectively, were retrieved from the Department of Pathology, Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, Kuantan, Pahang. RNA was purified from the tissue block sections and then subjected to One-step reverse transcriptase real-time PCR using sequence specific hydrolysis probes for simultaneous detection of either SYT-SSX1 or SYT-SSX2 fusion transcript. Of the 23 cases, 4 cases were found to be positive for SYT-SSX fusion transcript in which 2 were diagnosed as SS whereas in the 2 other cases, SS was the differential diagnosis. Three cases were excluded due to failure of both amplification assays SYT-SSX and control β-2-microglobulin. The remaining 16 cases were negative for the fusion transcript. This study has shown that the application of One-Step reverse transcriptase real time PCR for the detection SYT-SSX transcript is feasible as an aid in confirming the diagnosis of synovial sarcoma.

  14. A multi-time-step noise reduction method for measuring velocity statistics from particle tracking velocimetry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machicoane, Nathanaël; López-Caballero, Miguel; Bourgoin, Mickael; Aliseda, Alberto; Volk, Romain

    2017-10-01

    We present a method to improve the accuracy of velocity measurements for fluid flow or particles immersed in it, based on a multi-time-step approach that allows for cancellation of noise in the velocity measurements. Improved velocity statistics, a critical element in turbulent flow measurements, can be computed from the combination of the velocity moments computed using standard particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) or particle image velocimetry (PIV) techniques for data sets that have been collected over different values of time intervals between images. This method produces Eulerian velocity fields and Lagrangian velocity statistics with much lower noise levels compared to standard PIV or PTV measurements, without the need of filtering and/or windowing. Particle displacement between two frames is computed for multiple different time-step values between frames in a canonical experiment of homogeneous isotropic turbulence. The second order velocity structure function of the flow is computed with the new method and compared to results from traditional measurement techniques in the literature. Increased accuracy is also demonstrated by comparing the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy measured from this function against previously validated measurements.

  15. Development process and data management of TurnSTEP, a STEP-compliant CNC system for turning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Choi, I.; Suh, S.-H; Kim, K.; Song, M.S.; Jang, M.; Lee, B.-E.

    2006-01-01

    TurnSTEP is one of the earliest STEP-compliant CNC systems for turning. Based on the STEP-NC data model formalized as ISO 14649-12 and 121, it is designed to support intelligent and autonomous control of NC machines for e-manufacturing. The present paper introduces the development process and data

  16. Time domain passivity controller for 4-channel time-delay bilateral teleoperation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rebelo, Joao; Schiele, Andre

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents an extension of the time-domain passivity control approach to a four-channel bilateral controller under the effects of time delays. Time-domain passivity control has been used successfully to stabilize teleoperation systems with position-force and position-position controllers; however, the performance with such control architectures is sub-optimal both with and without time delays. This work extends the network representation of the time-domain passivity controller to the four-channel architecture, which provides perfect transparency to the user without time delay. The proposed architecture is based on modelling the controllers as dependent voltage sources and using only series passivity controllers. The obtained results are shown on a one degree-of-freedom setup and illustrate the stabilization behaviour of the proposed controller when time delay is present in the communication channel.

  17. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical nephrectomy using the Da Vinci Si system: how to improve surgeon autonomy. Our step-by-step technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davila, Hugo H; Storey, Raul E; Rose, Marc C

    2016-09-01

    Herein, we describe several steps to improve surgeon autonomy during a Left Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Nephrectomy (RALRN), using the Da Vinci Si system. Our kidney cancer program is based on 2 community hospitals. We use the Da Vinci Si system. Access is obtained with the following trocars: Two 8 mm robotic, one 8 mm robotic, bariatric length (arm 3), 15 mm for the assistant and 12 mm for the camera. We use curved monopolar scissors in robotic arm 1, Bipolar Maryland in arm 2, Prograsp Forceps in arm 3, and we alternate throughout the surgery with EndoWrist clip appliers and the vessel sealer. Here, we described three steps and the use of 3 robotic instruments to improve surgeon autonomy. Step 1: the lower pole of the kidney was dissected and this was retracted upwards and laterally. This maneuver was performed using the 3rd robotic arm with the Prograsp Forceps. Step 2: the monopolar scissors was replaced (robotic arm 1) with the robotic EndoWrist clip applier, 10 mm Hem-o-Lok. The renal artery and vein were controlled and transected by the main surgeon. Step 3: the superior, posterolateral dissection and all bleeders were carefully coagulated by the surgeon with the EndoWrist one vessel sealer. We have now performed 15 RALRN following these steps. Our results were: blood loss 300 cc, console time 140 min, operating room time 200 min, anesthesia time 180 min, hospital stay 2.5 days, 1 incisional hernia, pathology: (13) RCC clear cell, (1) chromophobe and (1) papillary type 1. Tumor Stage: (5) T1b, (8) T2a, (2) T2b. We provide a concise, step-by-step technique for radical nephrectomy (RN) using the Da Vinci Si robotic system that may provide more autonomy to the surgeon, while maintaining surgical outcome equivalent to standard laparoscopic RN.

  18. Auditory reafferences: The influence of real-time feedback on movement control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian eKennel

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Auditory reafferences are real-time auditory products created by a person’s own movements. Whereas the interdependency of action and perception is generally well studied, the auditory feedback channel and the influence of perceptual processes during movement execution remain largely unconsidered. We argue that movements have a rhythmic character that is closely connected to sound, making it possible to manipulate auditory reafferences online to understand their role in motor control. We examined if step sounds, occurring as a by-product of running, have an influence on the performance of a complex movement task. Twenty participants completed a hurdling task in three auditory feedback conditions: a control condition with normal auditory feedback, a white noise condition in which sound was masked, and a delayed auditory feedback condition. Overall time and kinematic data were collected. Results show that delayed auditory feedback led to a significantly slower overall time and changed kinematic parameters. Our findings complement previous investigations in a natural movement situation with nonartificial auditory cues. Our results support the existing theoretical understanding of action–perception coupling and hold potential for applied work, where naturally occurring movement sounds can be implemented in the motor learning processes.

  19. Auditory reafferences: the influence of real-time feedback on movement control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kennel, Christian; Streese, Lukas; Pizzera, Alexandra; Justen, Christoph; Hohmann, Tanja; Raab, Markus

    2015-01-01

    Auditory reafferences are real-time auditory products created by a person's own movements. Whereas the interdependency of action and perception is generally well studied, the auditory feedback channel and the influence of perceptual processes during movement execution remain largely unconsidered. We argue that movements have a rhythmic character that is closely connected to sound, making it possible to manipulate auditory reafferences online to understand their role in motor control. We examined if step sounds, occurring as a by-product of running, have an influence on the performance of a complex movement task. Twenty participants completed a hurdling task in three auditory feedback conditions: a control condition with normal auditory feedback, a white noise condition in which sound was masked, and a delayed auditory feedback condition. Overall time and kinematic data were collected. Results show that delayed auditory feedback led to a significantly slower overall time and changed kinematic parameters. Our findings complement previous investigations in a natural movement situation with non-artificial auditory cues. Our results support the existing theoretical understanding of action-perception coupling and hold potential for applied work, where naturally occurring movement sounds can be implemented in the motor learning processes.

  20. Smart Wireless Power Transfer Operated by Time-Modulated Arrays via a Two-Step Procedure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diego Masotti

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper introduces a novel method for agile and precise wireless power transmission operated by a time-modulated array. The unique, almost real-time reconfiguration capability of these arrays is fully exploited by a two-step procedure: first, a two-element time-modulated subarray is used for localization of tagged sensors to be energized; the entire 16-element TMA then provides the power to the detected tags, by exploiting the fundamental and first-sideband harmonic radiation. An investigation on the best array architecture is carried out, showing the importance of the adopted nonlinear/full-wave computer-aided-design platform. Very promising simulated energy transfer performance of the entire nonlinear radiating system is demonstrated.

  1. Experimental Investigation of a Base Isolation System Incorporating MR Dampers with the High-Order Single Step Control Algorithm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weiqing Fu

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The conventional isolation structure with rubber bearings exhibits large deformation characteristics when subjected to infrequent earthquakes, which may lead to failure of the isolation layer. Although passive dampers can be used to reduce the layer displacement, the layer deformation and superstructure acceleration responses will increase in cases of fortification earthquakes or frequently occurring earthquakes. In addition to secondary damages and loss of life, such excessive displacement results in damages to the facilities in the structure. In order to overcome these shortcomings, this paper presents a structural vibration control system where the base isolation system is composed of rubber bearings with magnetorheological (MR damper and are regulated using the innovative control strategy. The high-order single-step algorithm with continuity and switch control strategies are applied to the control system. Shaking table test results under various earthquake conditions indicate that the proposed isolation method, compared with passive isolation technique, can effectively suppress earthquake responses for acceleration of superstructure and deformation within the isolation layer. As a result, this structural control method exhibits excellent performance, such as fast computation, generic real-time control, acceleration reduction and high seismic energy dissipation etc. The relative merits of the continuity and switch control strategies are also compared and discussed.

  2. Step 1: Learn about Diabetes

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... please turn JavaScript on. Feature: Type 2 Diabetes Step 1: Learn About Diabetes Past Issues / Fall 2014 ... the whole family healthy! Here are four key steps to help you control your diabetes and live ...

  3. Linear step drive

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haniger, L.; Elger, R.; Kocandrle, L.; Zdebor, J.

    1986-01-01

    A linear step drive is described developed in Czechoslovak-Soviet cooperation and intended for driving WWER-1000 control rods. The functional principle is explained of the motor and the mechanical and electrical parts of the drive, power control, and the indicator of position are described. The motor has latches situated in the reactor at a distance of 3 m from magnetic armatures, it has a low structural height above the reactor cover, which suggests its suitability for seismic localities. Its magnetic circuits use counterpoles; the mechanical shocks at the completion of each step are damped using special design features. The position indicator is of a special design and evaluates motor position within ±1% of total travel. A drive diagram and the flow chart of both the control electronics and the position indicator are presented. (author) 4 figs

  4. Biomechanical influences on balance recovery by stepping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsiao, E T; Robinovitch, S N

    1999-10-01

    Stepping represents a common means for balance recovery after a perturbation to upright posture. Yet little is known regarding the biomechanical factors which determine whether a step succeeds in preventing a fall. In the present study, we developed a simple pendulum-spring model of balance recovery by stepping, and used this to assess how step length and step contact time influence the effort (leg contact force) and feasibility of balance recovery by stepping. We then compared model predictions of step characteristics which minimize leg contact force to experimentally observed values over a range of perturbation strengths. At all perturbation levels, experimentally observed step execution times were higher than optimal, and step lengths were smaller than optimal. However, the predicted increase in leg contact force associated with these deviations was substantial only for large perturbations. Furthermore, increases in the strength of the perturbation caused subjects to take larger, quicker steps, which reduced their predicted leg contact force. We interpret these data to reflect young subjects' desire to minimize recovery effort, subject to neuromuscular constraints on step execution time and step length. Finally, our model predicts that successful balance recovery by stepping is governed by a coupling between step length, step execution time, and leg strength, so that the feasibility of balance recovery decreases unless declines in one capacity are offset by enhancements in the others. This suggests that one's risk for falls may be affected more by small but diffuse neuromuscular impairments than by larger impairment in a single motor capacity.

  5. A Real-Time Temperature Data Transmission Approach for Intelligent Cooling Control of Mass Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peng Lin

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The primary aim of the study presented in this paper is to propose a real-time temperature data transmission approach for intelligent cooling control of mass concrete. A mathematical description of a digital temperature control model is introduced in detail. Based on pipe mounted and electrically linked temperature sensors, together with postdata handling hardware and software, a stable, real-time, highly effective temperature data transmission solution technique is developed and utilized within the intelligent mass concrete cooling control system. Once the user has issued the relevant command, the proposed programmable logic controllers (PLC code performs all necessary steps without further interaction. The code can control the hardware, obtain, read, and perform calculations, and display the data accurately. Hardening concrete is an aggregate of complex physicochemical processes including the liberation of heat. The proposed control system prevented unwanted structural change within the massive concrete blocks caused by these exothermic processes based on an application case study analysis. In conclusion, the proposed temperature data transmission approach has proved very useful for the temperature monitoring of a high arch dam and is able to control thermal stresses in mass concrete for similar projects involving mass concrete.

  6. The association between choice stepping reaction time and falls in older adults--a path analysis model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pijnappels, M.A.G.M.; Delbaere, K.; Sturnieks, D.L.; Lord, S.R.

    2010-01-01

    Background: choice stepping reaction time (CSRT) is a functional measure that has been shown to significantly discriminate older fallers from non-fallers. Objective: to investigate how physiological and cognitive factors mediate the association between CSRT performance and multiple falls by use of

  7. pH-Controlled Two-Step Uncoating of Influenza Virus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Sai; Sieben, Christian; Ludwig, Kai; Höfer, Chris T.; Chiantia, Salvatore; Herrmann, Andreas; Eghiaian, Frederic; Schaap, Iwan A.T.

    2014-01-01

    Upon endocytosis in its cellular host, influenza A virus transits via early to late endosomes. To efficiently release its genome, the composite viral shell must undergo significant structural rearrangement, but the exact sequence of events leading to viral uncoating remains largely speculative. In addition, no change in viral structure has ever been identified at the level of early endosomes, raising a question about their role. We performed AFM indentation on single viruses in conjunction with cellular assays under conditions that mimicked gradual acidification from early to late endosomes. We found that the release of the influenza genome requires sequential exposure to the pH of both early and late endosomes, with each step corresponding to changes in the virus mechanical response. Step 1 (pH 7.5–6) involves a modification of both hemagglutinin and the viral lumen and is reversible, whereas Step 2 (pH pH step or blocking the envelope proton channel M2 precludes proper genome release and efficient infection, illustrating the importance of viral lumen acidification during the early endosomal residence for influenza virus infection. PMID:24703306

  8. Intake flow and time step analysis in the modeling of a direct injection Diesel engine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zancanaro Junior, Flavio V.; Vielmo, Horacio A. [Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil). Mechanical Engineering Dept.], E-mails: zancanaro@mecanica.ufrgs.br, vielmoh@mecanica.ufrgs.br

    2010-07-01

    This paper discusses the effects of the time step on turbulence flow structure in the intake and in-cylinder systems of a Diesel engine during the intake process, under the motored condition. The three-dimensional modeling of a reciprocating engine geometry comprising a bowl-in-piston combustion chamber, intake port of shallow ramp helical type and exhaust port of conventional type. The equations are numerically solved, including a transient analysis, valves and piston movements, for engine speed of 1500 rpm, using a commercial Finite Volumes CFD code. A parallel computation is employed. For the purpose of examining the in-cylinder turbulence characteristics two parameters are observed: the discharge coefficient and swirl ratio. This two parameters quantify the fluid flow characteristics inside cylinder in the intake stroke, therefore, it is very important their study and understanding. Additionally, the evolution of the discharge coefficient and swirl ratio, along crank angle, are correlated and compared, with the objective of clarifying the physical mechanisms. Regarding the turbulence, computations are performed with the Eddy Viscosity Model k-u SST, in its Low-Reynolds approaches, with standard near wall treatment. The system of partial differential equations to be solved consists of the Reynolds-averaged compressible Navier-Stokes equations with the constitutive relations for an ideal gas, and using a segregated solution algorithm. The enthalpy equation is also solved. A moving hexahedral trimmed mesh independence study is presented. In the same way many convergence tests are performed, and a secure criterion established. The results of the pressure fields are shown in relation to vertical plane that passes through the valves. Areas of low pressure can be seen in the valve curtain region, due to strong jet flows. Also, it is possible to note divergences between the time steps, mainly for the smaller time step. (author)

  9. Time-optimal control with finite bandwidth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirose, M.; Cappellaro, P.

    2018-04-01

    Time-optimal control theory provides recipes to achieve quantum operations with high fidelity and speed, as required in quantum technologies such as quantum sensing and computation. While technical advances have achieved the ultrastrong driving regime in many physical systems, these capabilities have yet to be fully exploited for the precise control of quantum systems, as other limitations, such as the generation of higher harmonics or the finite response time of the control apparatus, prevent the implementation of theoretical time-optimal control. Here we present a method to achieve time-optimal control of qubit systems that can take advantage of fast driving beyond the rotating wave approximation. We exploit results from time-optimal control theory to design driving protocols that can be implemented with realistic, finite-bandwidth control fields, and we find a relationship between bandwidth limitations and achievable control fidelity.

  10. Influence of step complexity and presentation style on step performance of computerized emergency operating procedures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu Song [Department of Industrial Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Li Zhizhong [Department of Industrial Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)], E-mail: zzli@tsinghua.edu.cn; Song Fei; Luo Wei; Zhao Qianyi; Salvendy, Gavriel [Department of Industrial Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

    2009-02-15

    With the development of information technology, computerized emergency operating procedures (EOPs) are taking the place of paper-based ones. However, ergonomics issues of computerized EOPs have not been studied adequately since the industrial practice is quite limited yet. This study examined the influence of step complexity and presentation style of EOPs on step performance. A simulated computerized EOP system was developed in two presentation styles: Style A: one- and two-dimensional flowcharts combination; Style B: two-dimensional flowchart and success logic tree combination. Step complexity was quantified by a complexity measure model based on an entropy concept. Forty subjects participated in the experiment of EOP execution using the simulated system. The results of data analysis on the experiment data indicate that step complexity and presentation style could significantly influence step performance (both step error rate and operation time). Regression models were also developed. The regression analysis results imply that operation time of a step could be well predicted by step complexity while step error rate could only partly predicted by it. The result of a questionnaire investigation implies that step error rate was influenced not only by the operation task itself but also by other human factors. These findings may be useful for the design and assessment of computerized EOPs.

  11. Real-time measurement and control at Jet. Experiment Control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Felton, R.; Zabeo, L.; Sartori, F.; Piccolo, F.; Farthing, J.; Budd, T.; Dorling, S.; McCullen, P.; Harling, J.; Dalley, S.; Goodyear, A.; Stephen, A.; Card, P.; Bright, M.; Lucock, R.; Jones, E.; Griph, S.; Hogben, C.; Beldishevski, M.; Buckley, M.; Davis, J.; Young, I.; Hemming, O.; Wheatley, M.; Heesterman, P.; Lloyd, G.; Walters, M.; Bridge, R.; Leggate, H.; Howell, D.; Zastrow, K.D.; Giroud, C.; Coffey, I.; Hawkes, N.; Stamp, M.; Barnsley, R.; Edlington, T.; Guenther, K.; Gowers, C.; Popovichef, S.; Huber, A.; Ingesson, C.; Joffrin, E.; Mazon, D.; Moreau, D.; Murari, A.; Riva, M.; Barana, O.; Bolzonella, T.; Valisa, M.; Innocente, P.; Zerbini, M.; Bosak, K.; Blum, J.; Vitale, E.; Crisanti, F.; La Luna, E. de; Sanchez, J.

    2004-01-01

    Over the past few ears, the preparation of ITER-relevant plasma scenarios has been the main focus experimental activity on tokamaks. The development of integrated, simultaneous, real-time controls of plasma shape, current, pressure, temperature, radiation, neutron profiles, and also impurities, ELMs (edge localized modes) and MHD are now seen to be essential for further development of quasi-steady state conditions with feedback, or the stabilisation of transient phenomena with event-driven actions. For this thrust, the EFDA JET Real Time Project has developed a set of real-time plasma measurements, experiment control, and communication facilities. The Plasma Diagnostics used for real-time experiments are Far Infra Red interferometry, polarimetry, visible, UV and X-ray spectroscopy, LIDAR, bolometry, neutron and magnetics. Further analysis systems produce integrated results such as temperature profiles on geometry derived from MHD equilibrium solutions. The Actuators include toroidal, poloidal and divertor coils, gas and pellet fuelling, neutral beam injection, radiofrequency (ICRH) waves and microwaves (LH). The Heating/Fuelling Operators can either define a power or gas request waveform or select the real-time instantaneous power/gas request from the Real Time Experiment Central Control (RTCC) system. The Real Time Experiment Control system provides both a high-level, control-programming environment and interlocks with the actuators. A MATLAB facility is being developed for the development of more complex controllers. The plasma measurement, controller and plant control systems communicate in ATM network. The EFDA Real Time project is essential groundwork for future reactors such as ITER. It involves many staff from several institutions. The facility is now frequently used in experiments. (authors)

  12. Stepped care for depression and anxiety: from primary care to specialized mental health care: a randomised controlled trial testing the effectiveness of a stepped care program among primary care patients with mood or anxiety disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seekles Wike

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Mood and anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and have a large impact on the lives of the affected individuals. Therefore, optimal treatment of these disorders is highly important. In this study we will examine the effectiveness of a stepped care program for primary care patients with mood and anxiety disorders. A stepped care program is characterized by different treatment steps that are arranged in order of increasing intensity. Methods This study is a randomised controlled trial with two conditions: stepped care and care as usual, whereby the latter forms the control group. The stepped care program consists of four evidence based interventions: (1 Watchful waiting, (2 Guided self-help, (3 Problem Solving Treatment and (4 Medication and/or specialized mental health care. The study population consists of primary care attendees aged 18–65 years. Screeners are sent to all patients of the participating general practitioners. Individuals with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders (DSM diagnosis of major depression, dysthymia, panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, or social phobia are included as well as individuals with minor depression and anxiety disorders. Primary focus is the reduction of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Both conditions are monitored at 8, 16 and 24 weeks. Discussion This study evaluates the effectiveness of a stepped care program for patients with depressive and anxiety disorder. If effective, a stepped care program can form a worthwhile alternative for care as usual. Strengths and limitations of this study are discussed. Trial Registration Current Controlled Trails: ISRCTN17831610.

  13. A randomized controlled trial of group Stepping Stones Triple P: a mixed-disability trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roux, Gemma; Sofronoff, Kate; Sanders, Matthew

    2013-09-01

    Stepping Stones Triple P (SSTP) is a parenting program designed for families of a child with a disability. The current study involved a randomized controlled trial of Group Stepping Stones Triple P (GSSTP) for a mixed-disability group. Participants were 52 families of children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, or an intellectual disability. The results demonstrated significant improvements in parent-reported child behavior, parenting styles, parental satisfaction, and conflict about parenting. Results among participants were similar despite children's differing impairments. The intervention effect was maintained at 6-month follow-up. The results indicate that GSSTP is a promising intervention for a mixed-disability group. Limitations of the study, along with areas for future research, are also discussed. © FPI, Inc.

  14. Adaptive sliding mode back-stepping pitch angle control of a variable-displacement pump controlled pitch system for wind turbines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Xiu-xing; Lin, Yong-gang; Li, Wei; Liu, Hong-wei; Gu, Ya-jing

    2015-09-01

    A variable-displacement pump controlled pitch system is proposed to mitigate generator power and flap-wise load fluctuations for wind turbines. The pitch system mainly consists of a variable-displacement hydraulic pump, a fixed-displacement hydraulic motor and a gear set. The hydraulic motor can be accurately regulated by controlling the pump displacement and fluid flows to change the pitch angle through the gear set. The detailed mathematical representation and dynamic characteristics of the proposed pitch system are thoroughly analyzed. An adaptive sliding mode pump displacement controller and a back-stepping stroke piston controller are designed for the proposed pitch system such that the resulting pitch angle tracks its desired value regardless of external disturbances and uncertainties. The effectiveness and control efficiency of the proposed pitch system and controllers have been verified by using realistic dataset of a 750 kW research wind turbine. Copyright © 2015 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Modeling of Step-up Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems for Control Purposes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Gonzalez

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents modeling approaches for step-up grid-connected photovoltaic systems intended to provide analytical tools for control design. The first approach is based on a voltage source representation of the bulk capacitor interacting with the grid-connected inverter, which is a common model for large DC buses and closed-loop inverters. The second approach considers the inverter of a double-stage PV system as a Norton equivalent, which is widely accepted for open-loop inverters. In addition, the paper considers both ideal and realistic models for the DC/DC converter that interacts with the PV module, providing four mathematical models to cover a wide range of applications. The models are expressed in state space representation to simplify its use in analysis and control design, and also to be easily implemented in simulation software, e.g., Matlab. The PV system was analyzed to demonstrate the non-minimum phase condition for all the models, which is an important aspect to select the control technique. Moreover, the system observability and controllability were studied to define design criteria. Finally, the analytical results are illustrated by means of detailed simulations, and the paper results are validated in an experimental test bench.

  16. A new look at the robust control of discrete-time Markov jump linear systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Todorov, M. G.; Fragoso, M. D.

    2016-03-01

    In this paper, we make a foray in the role played by a set of four operators on the study of robust H2 and mixed H2/H∞ control problems for discrete-time Markov jump linear systems. These operators appear in the study of mean square stability for this class of systems. By means of new linear matrix inequality (LMI) characterisations of controllers, which include slack variables that, to some extent, separate the robustness and performance objectives, we introduce four alternative approaches to the design of controllers which are robustly stabilising and at the same time provide a guaranteed level of H2 performance. Since each operator provides a different degree of conservatism, the results are unified in the form of an iterative LMI technique for designing robust H2 controllers, whose convergence is attained in a finite number of steps. The method yields a new way of computing mixed H2/H∞ controllers, whose conservatism decreases with iteration. Two numerical examples illustrate the applicability of the proposed results for the control of a small unmanned aerial vehicle, and for an underactuated robotic arm.

  17. Multiple time step molecular dynamics in the optimized isokinetic ensemble steered with the molecular theory of solvation: Accelerating with advanced extrapolation of effective solvation forces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Omelyan, Igor; Kovalenko, Andriy

    2013-01-01

    We develop efficient handling of solvation forces in the multiscale method of multiple time step molecular dynamics (MTS-MD) of a biomolecule steered by the solvation free energy (effective solvation forces) obtained from the 3D-RISM-KH molecular theory of solvation (three-dimensional reference interaction site model complemented with the Kovalenko-Hirata closure approximation). To reduce the computational expenses, we calculate the effective solvation forces acting on the biomolecule by using advanced solvation force extrapolation (ASFE) at inner time steps while converging the 3D-RISM-KH integral equations only at large outer time steps. The idea of ASFE consists in developing a discrete non-Eckart rotational transformation of atomic coordinates that minimizes the distances between the atomic positions of the biomolecule at different time moments. The effective solvation forces for the biomolecule in a current conformation at an inner time step are then extrapolated in the transformed subspace of those at outer time steps by using a modified least square fit approach applied to a relatively small number of the best force-coordinate pairs. The latter are selected from an extended set collecting the effective solvation forces obtained from 3D-RISM-KH at outer time steps over a broad time interval. The MTS-MD integration with effective solvation forces obtained by converging 3D-RISM-KH at outer time steps and applying ASFE at inner time steps is stabilized by employing the optimized isokinetic Nosé-Hoover chain (OIN) ensemble. Compared to the previous extrapolation schemes used in combination with the Langevin thermostat, the ASFE approach substantially improves the accuracy of evaluation of effective solvation forces and in combination with the OIN thermostat enables a dramatic increase of outer time steps. We demonstrate on a fully flexible model of alanine dipeptide in aqueous solution that the MTS-MD/OIN/ASFE/3D-RISM-KH multiscale method of molecular dynamics

  18. MASS TRANSFER CONTROL OF A BACKWARD-FACING STEP FLOW BY LOCAL FORCING- EFFECT OF REYNOLDS NUMBER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zouhaier MEHREZ

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The control of fluid mechanics and mass transfer in separated and reattaching flow over a backward-facing step by a local forcing, is studied using Large Eddy Simulation (LES.To control the flow, the local forcing is realized by a sinusoidal oscillating jet at the step edge. The Reynolds number is varied in the range 10000 ≤ Re≤ 50000 and the Schmidt number is fixed at 1.The found results show that the flow structure is modified and the local mass transfer is enhanced by the applied forcing. The observed changes depend on the Reynolds number and vary with the frequency and amplitude of the local forcing. For the all Reynolds numbers, the largest recirculation zone size reduction is obtained at the optimum forcing frequency St = 0.25. At this frequency the local mass transfer enhancement attains the maximum.

  19. Voluntary stepping behavior under single- and dual-task conditions in chronic stroke survivors: A comparison between the involved and uninvolved legs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melzer, Itshak; Goldring, Melissa; Melzer, Yehudit; Green, Elad; Tzedek, Irit

    2010-12-01

    If balance is lost, quick step execution can prevent falls. Research has shown that speed of voluntary stepping was able to predict future falls in old adults. The aim of the study was to investigate voluntary stepping behavior, as well as to compare timing and leg push-off force-time relation parameters of involved and uninvolved legs in stroke survivors during single- and dual-task conditions. We also aimed to compare timing and leg push-off force-time relation parameters between stroke survivors and healthy individuals in both task conditions. Ten stroke survivors performed a voluntary step execution test with their involved and uninvolved legs under two conditions: while focusing only on the stepping task and while a separate attention-demanding task was performed simultaneously. Temporal parameters related to the step time were measured including the duration of the step initiation phase, the preparatory phase, the swing phase, and the total step time. In addition, force-time parameters representing the push-off power during stepping were calculated from ground reaction data and compared with 10 healthy controls. The involved legs of stroke survivors had a significantly slower stepping time than uninvolved legs due to increased swing phase duration during both single- and dual-task conditions. For dual compared to single task, the stepping time increased significantly due to a significant increase in the duration of step initiation. In general, the force time parameters were significantly different in both legs of stroke survivors as compared to healthy controls, with no significant effect of dual compared with single-task conditions in both groups. The inability of stroke survivors to swing the involved leg quickly may be the most significant factor contributing to the large number of falls to the paretic side. The results suggest that stroke survivors were unable to rapidly produce muscle force in fast actions. This may be the mechanism of delayed execution

  20. Evidence for a time-invariant phase variable in human ankle control.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert D Gregg

    Full Text Available Human locomotion is a rhythmic task in which patterns of muscle activity are modulated by state-dependent feedback to accommodate perturbations. Two popular theories have been proposed for the underlying embodiment of phase in the human pattern generator: a time-dependent internal representation or a time-invariant feedback representation (i.e., reflex mechanisms. In either case the neuromuscular system must update or represent the phase of locomotor patterns based on the system state, which can include measurements of hundreds of variables. However, a much simpler representation of phase has emerged in recent designs for legged robots, which control joint patterns as functions of a single monotonic mechanical variable, termed a phase variable. We propose that human joint patterns may similarly depend on a physical phase variable, specifically the heel-to-toe movement of the Center of Pressure under the foot. We found that when the ankle is unexpectedly rotated to a position it would have encountered later in the step, the Center of Pressure also shifts forward to the corresponding later position, and the remaining portion of the gait pattern ensues. This phase shift suggests that the progression of the stance ankle is controlled by a biomechanical phase variable, motivating future investigations of phase variables in human locomotor control.

  1. First steps in quality control equipment MRI; Primeros pasos en el control de calidad de equipos de imagen por resonancia magnetica

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alonso Diaz, M.; Castaneda Arronte, M. J.; Ferreiros Vazquez, N.; Sanchez Merino, G.

    2011-07-01

    The present work aims to develop the initial stages of a program of quality control of nuclear magnetic resonance equipment. Not intended to conduct a comprehensive study covering all aspects of quality control, but gather the steps are followed and the most common problems they are encountering during the development of this program. It has been claimed that the work will be helpful to others facing the same task. Have been studied the compatibility of mannequins and procedures for the various teams. Ideally, such controls should be independent of the procedures and mannequins own commercial houses.

  2. A Test Device Module of the Step Motor Driver for HANARO CAR Operation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Im, Yun-Taek; Doo, Seung-Gyu; Shin, Jin-Won; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Choi, Young-San; Lee, Jung-Hee; Kim, Hyung-Kyoo; Lee, Choong-Sung [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-10-15

    The brand-new control system is reliable and has advantages compared with the old control system, and the installed system covers all functional operations of old system. Nevertheless, packaged RTP systems do not include a step motor or driver, and it is necessary to develop a proper test device to check the step motor and driver without using the RTP system. In particular, the operation of a CAR (Control Absorber Rod) requires many complicated procedures. Occasionally, it takes significant time to prepare for a field test. In this work, a test device module for a step motor diver is shown to emulate a HANARO CAR operation, and the test device system architecture, operational principle, and experiment results are presented. A commercial 8-bit μ-processor is applied to implement the device. A portable test device for HANARO CAR operation is presented. An 8-bit μ-controller is used to emulate a HANARO CAR operation. The digital interface, as well as the functional operation, of the test device module matches that of the currently used driver. This device can be used to check the functional validity of the step motor and driver.

  3. Time-step selection considerations in the analysis of reactor transients with DIF3D-K

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taiwo, T.A.; Khalil, H.S.; Cahalan, J.E.; Morris, E.E.

    1993-01-01

    The DIF3D-K code solves the three-dimensional, time-dependent multigroup neutron diffusion equations by using a nodal approach for spatial discretization and either the theta method or one of three space-time factorization approaches for temporal integration of the nodal equations. The three space-time factorization options (namely, improved quasistatic, adiabatic and conventional point kinetics) were implemented because of their potential efficiency advantage for the analysis of transients in which the flux shape changes more slowly than its amplitude. Here we describe the implementation of DIF3D-K as the neutronics module within the SAS-HWR accident analysis code. We also describe the neutronics-related time step selection algorithms and their influence on the accuracy and efficiency of the various solution options

  4. A training approach to improve stepping automaticity while dual-tasking in Parkinson's disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chomiak, Taylor; Watts, Alexander; Meyer, Nicole; Pereira, Fernando V.; Hu, Bin

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Background: Deficits in motor movement automaticity in Parkinson's disease (PD), especially during multitasking, are early and consistent hallmarks of cognitive function decline, which increases fall risk and reduces quality of life. This study aimed to test the feasibility and potential efficacy of a wearable sensor-enabled technological platform designed for an in-home music-contingent stepping-in-place (SIP) training program to improve step automaticity during dual-tasking (DT). Methods: This was a 4-week prospective intervention pilot study. The intervention uses a sensor system and algorithm that runs off the iPod Touch which calculates step height (SH) in real-time. These measurements were then used to trigger auditory (treatment group, music; control group, radio podcast) playback in real-time through wireless headphones upon maintenance of repeated large amplitude stepping. With small steps or shuffling, auditory playback stops, thus allowing participants to use anticipatory motor control to regain positive feedback. Eleven participants were recruited from an ongoing trial (Trial Number: ISRCTN06023392). Fear of falling (FES-I), general cognitive functioning (MoCA), self-reported freezing of gait (FOG-Q), and DT step automaticity were evaluated. Results: While we found no significant effect of training on FES-I, MoCA, or FOG-Q, we did observe a significant group (music vs podcast) by training interaction in DT step automaticity (Ptraining to increase motor automaticity for people living with PD. The training approach described here can be implemented at home to meet the growing demand for self-management of symptoms by patients. PMID:28151878

  5. Measuring device for control rod driving time

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanaka, Kazuhiko; Hanabusa, Masatoshi.

    1993-01-01

    The present invention concerns a measuring device for control driving time having a function capable of measuring a selected control rod driving time and measuring an entire control rod driving time simultaneously. A calculation means and a store means for the selected rod control rod driving time, and a calculation means and a store means for the entire control rod driving time are disposed individually. Each of them measures the driving time and stores the data independent of each other based on a selected control rod insert ion signal and an entire control rod insertion signal. Even if insertion of selected and entire control rods overlaps, each of the control rod driving times can be measured reliably to provide an advantageous effect capable of more accurately conducting safety evaluation for the nuclear reactor based on the result of the measurement. (N.H.)

  6. Associations of office workers' objectively assessed occupational sitting, standing and stepping time with musculoskeletal symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coenen, Pieter; Healy, Genevieve N; Winkler, Elisabeth A H; Dunstan, David W; Owen, Neville; Moodie, Marj; LaMontagne, Anthony D; Eakin, Elizabeth A; O'Sullivan, Peter B; Straker, Leon M

    2018-04-22

    We examined the association of musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) with workplace sitting, standing and stepping time, as well as sitting and standing time accumulation (i.e. usual bout duration of these activities), measured objectively with the activPAL3 monitor. Using baseline data from the Stand Up Victoria trial (216 office workers, 14 workplaces), cross-sectional associations of occupational activities with self-reported MSS (low-back, upper and lower extremity symptoms in the last three months) were examined using probit regression, correcting for clustering and adjusting for confounders. Sitting bout duration was significantly (p < 0.05) associated, non-linearly, with MSS, such that those in the middle tertile displayed the highest prevalence of upper extremity symptoms. Other associations were non-significant but sometimes involved large differences in symptom prevalence (e.g. 38%) by activity. Though causation is unclear, these non-linear associations suggest that sitting and its alternatives (i.e. standing and stepping) interact with MSS and this should be considered when designing safe work systems. Practitioner summary: We studied associations of objectively assessed occupational activities with musculoskeletal symptoms in office workers. Workers who accumulated longer sitting bouts reported fewer upper extremity symptoms. Total activity duration was not significantly associated with musculoskeletal symptoms. We underline the importance of considering total volumes and patterns of activity time in musculoskeletal research.

  7. Effect of time step size and turbulence model on the open water hydrodynamic performance prediction of contra-rotating propellers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhan-zhi; Xiong, Ying

    2013-04-01

    A growing interest has been devoted to the contra-rotating propellers (CRPs) due to their high propulsive efficiency, torque balance, low fuel consumption, low cavitations, low noise performance and low hull vibration. Compared with the single-screw system, it is more difficult for the open water performance prediction because forward and aft propellers interact with each other and generate a more complicated flow field around the CRPs system. The current work focuses on the open water performance prediction of contra-rotating propellers by RANS and sliding mesh method considering the effect of computational time step size and turbulence model. The validation study has been performed on two sets of contra-rotating propellers developed by David W Taylor Naval Ship R & D center. Compared with the experimental data, it shows that RANS with sliding mesh method and SST k-ω turbulence model has a good precision in the open water performance prediction of contra-rotating propellers, and small time step size can improve the level of accuracy for CRPs with the same blade number of forward and aft propellers, while a relatively large time step size is a better choice for CRPs with different blade numbers.

  8. Control-Oriented Models for Real-Time Simulation of Automotive Transmission Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cavina N.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A control-oriented model of a Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT was developed for real-time Hardware In the Loop (HIL applications, to support model-based development of the DCT controller and to systematically test its performance. The model is an innovative attempt to reproduce the fast dynamics of the actuation system while maintaining a simulation step size large enough for real-time applications. The model comprehends a detailed physical description of hydraulic circuit, clutches, synchronizers and gears, and simplified vehicle and internal combustion engine sub-models. As the oil circulating in the system has a large bulk modulus, the pressure dynamics are very fast, possibly causing instability in a real-time simulation; the same challenge involves the servo valves dynamics, due to the very small masses of the moving elements. Therefore, the hydraulic circuit model has been modified and simplified without losing physical validity, in order to adapt it to the real-time simulation requirements. The results of offline simulations have been compared to on-board measurements to verify the validity of the developed model, which was then implemented in a HIL system and connected to the Transmission Control Unit (TCU. Several tests have been performed on the HIL simulator, to verify the TCU performance: electrical failure tests on sensors and actuators, hydraulic and mechanical failure tests on hydraulic valves, clutches and synchronizers, and application tests comprehending all the main features of the control actions performed by the TCU. Being based on physical laws, in every condition the model simulates a plausible reaction of the system. A test automation procedure has finally been developed to permit the execution of a pattern of tests without the interaction of the user; perfectly repeatable tests can be performed for non-regression verification, allowing the testing of new software releases in fully automatic mode.

  9. Investigation of turbulent separation in a forward-facing step flow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pearson, D S; Goulart, P J; Ganapathisubramani, B

    2011-01-01

    The relation between the upstream and downstream regions of separation of the flow over a forward-facing step is investigated using experimental data. High-speed Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) data is used to show a correlation between the wall shear stress of the oncoming boundary layer and the streamwise location of reverse flow upstream of the step. The time delay associated with the correlation is consistent with average convection velocities in the lower boundary layer. This suggests that appropriate addition of momentum into the boundary layer could be used to control the spatial extent of the separation upstream of the step. In addition, low-speed PIV data is used to show statistical relations between the flow characteristics of the recirculation regions in the vicinity of the step face. It is shown that a slower than average flow velocity above the step face is associated with an increase in the wall-normal extent of upstream reverse flow, an increase in the inclination of the flow above the step and an increase in downstream vorticity.

  10. Intraindividual Stepping Reaction Time Variability Predicts Falls in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bunce, David; Haynes, Becky I; Lord, Stephen R; Gschwind, Yves J; Kochan, Nicole A; Reppermund, Simone; Brodaty, Henry; Sachdev, Perminder S; Delbaere, Kim

    2017-06-01

    Reaction time measures have considerable potential to aid neuropsychological assessment in a variety of health care settings. One such measure, the intraindividual reaction time variability (IIV), is of particular interest as it is thought to reflect neurobiological disturbance. IIV is associated with a variety of age-related neurological disorders, as well as gait impairment and future falls in older adults. However, although persons diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) are at high risk of falling, the association between IIV and prospective falls is unknown. We conducted a longitudinal cohort study in cognitively intact (n = 271) and MCI (n = 154) community-dwelling adults aged 70-90 years. IIV was assessed through a variety of measures including simple and choice hand reaction time and choice stepping reaction time tasks (CSRT), the latter administered as a single task and also with a secondary working memory task. Logistic regression did not show an association between IIV on the hand-held tasks and falls. Greater IIV in both CSRT tasks, however, did significantly increase the risk of future falls. This effect was specific to the MCI group, with a stronger effect in persons exhibiting gait, posture, or physiological impairment. The findings suggest that increased stepping IIV may indicate compromised neural circuitry involved in executive function, gait, and posture in persons with MCI increasing their risk of falling. IIV measures have potential to assess neurobiological disturbance underlying physical and cognitive dysfunction in old age, and aid fall risk assessment and routine care in community and health care settings. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  11. Three-step management of pneumothorax: time for a re-think on initial management†

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaneda, Hiroyuki; Nakano, Takahito; Taniguchi, Yohei; Saito, Tomohito; Konobu, Toshifumi; Saito, Yukihito

    2013-01-01

    Pneumothorax is a common disease worldwide, but surprisingly, its initial management remains controversial. There are some published guidelines for the management of spontaneous pneumothorax. However, they differ in some respects, particularly in initial management. In published trials, the objective of treatment has not been clarified and it is not possible to compare the treatment strategies between different trials because of inappropriate evaluations of the air leak. Therefore, there is a need to outline the optimal management strategy for pneumothorax. In this report, we systematically review published randomized controlled trials of the different treatments of primary spontaneous pneumothorax, point out controversial issues and finally propose a three-step strategy for the management of pneumothorax. There are three important characteristics of pneumothorax: potentially lethal respiratory dysfunction; air leak, which is the obvious cause of the disease; frequent recurrence. These three characteristics correspond to the three steps. The central idea of the strategy is that the lung should not be expanded rapidly, unless absolutely necessary. The primary objective of both simple aspiration and chest drainage should be the recovery of acute respiratory dysfunction or the avoidance of respiratory dysfunction and subsequent complications. We believe that this management strategy is simple and clinically relevant and not dependent on the classification of pneumothorax. PMID:23117233

  12. Projection Operator: A Step Towards Certification of Adaptive Controllers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larchev, Gregory V.; Campbell, Stefan F.; Kaneshige, John T.

    2010-01-01

    One of the major barriers to wider use of adaptive controllers in commercial aviation is the lack of appropriate certification procedures. In order to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), an aircraft controller is expected to meet a set of guidelines on functionality and reliability while not negatively impacting other systems or safety of aircraft operations. Due to their inherent time-variant and non-linear behavior, adaptive controllers cannot be certified via the metrics used for linear conventional controllers, such as gain and phase margin. Projection Operator is a robustness augmentation technique that bounds the output of a non-linear adaptive controller while conforming to the Lyapunov stability rules. It can also be used to limit the control authority of the adaptive component so that the said control authority can be arbitrarily close to that of a linear controller. In this paper we will present the results of applying the Projection Operator to a Model-Reference Adaptive Controller (MRAC), varying the amount of control authority, and comparing controller s performance and stability characteristics with those of a linear controller. We will also show how adjusting Projection Operator parameters can make it easier for the controller to satisfy the certification guidelines by enabling a tradeoff between controller s performance and robustness.

  13. Adaptive Neural Back-Stepping Control with Constrains for a Flexible Air-Breathing Hypersonic Vehicle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pengfei Wang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The design of an adaptive neural back-stepping control for a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle (AHV in the presence of input constraint and aerodynamic uncertainty is discussed. Based on functional decomposition, the dynamics can be decomposed into the velocity subsystem and the altitude subsystem. To guarantee the exploited controller’s robustness with respect to parametric uncertainties, neural network (NN is applied to approximate the lumped uncertainty of each subsystem of AHV model. The exceptional contribution is that novel auxiliary systems are introduced to compensate both the tracking errors and desired control laws, based on which the explored controller can still provide effective tracking of velocity and altitude commands when the actuators are saturated. Finally, simulation studies are made to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control approach in spite of the flexible effects, system uncertainties, and varying disturbances.

  14. Real-time laser cladding control with variable spot size

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arias, J. L.; Montealegre, M. A.; Vidal, F.; Rodríguez, J.; Mann, S.; Abels, P.; Motmans, F.

    2014-03-01

    Laser cladding processing has been used in different industries to improve the surface properties or to reconstruct damaged pieces. In order to cover areas considerably larger than the diameter of the laser beam, successive partially overlapping tracks are deposited. With no control over the process variables this conduces to an increase of the temperature, which could decrease mechanical properties of the laser cladded material. Commonly, the process is monitored and controlled by a PC using cameras, but this control suffers from a lack of speed caused by the image processing step. The aim of this work is to design and develop a FPGA-based laser cladding control system. This system is intended to modify the laser beam power according to the melt pool width, which is measured using a CMOS camera. All the control and monitoring tasks are carried out by a FPGA, taking advantage of its abundance of resources and speed of operation. The robustness of the image processing algorithm is assessed, as well as the control system performance. Laser power is decreased as substrate temperature increases, thus maintaining a constant clad width. This FPGA-based control system is integrated in an adaptive laser cladding system, which also includes an adaptive optical system that will control the laser focus distance on the fly. The whole system will constitute an efficient instrument for part repair with complex geometries and coating selective surfaces. This will be a significant step forward into the total industrial implementation of an automated industrial laser cladding process.

  15. Step-to-step spatiotemporal variables and ground reaction forces of intra-individual fastest sprinting in a single session.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagahara, Ryu; Mizutani, Mirai; Matsuo, Akifumi; Kanehisa, Hiroaki; Fukunaga, Tetsuo

    2018-06-01

    We aimed to investigate the step-to-step spatiotemporal variables and ground reaction forces during the acceleration phase for characterising intra-individual fastest sprinting within a single session. Step-to-step spatiotemporal variables and ground reaction forces produced by 15 male athletes were measured over a 50-m distance during repeated (three to five) 60-m sprints using a long force platform system. Differences in measured variables between the fastest and slowest trials were examined at each step until the 22nd step using a magnitude-based inferences approach. There were possibly-most likely higher running speed and step frequency (2nd to 22nd steps) and shorter support time (all steps) in the fastest trial than in the slowest trial. Moreover, for the fastest trial there were likely-very likely greater mean propulsive force during the initial four steps and possibly-very likely larger mean net anterior-posterior force until the 17th step. The current results demonstrate that better sprinting performance within a single session is probably achieved by 1) a high step frequency (except the initial step) with short support time at all steps, 2) exerting a greater mean propulsive force during initial acceleration, and 3) producing a greater mean net anterior-posterior force during initial and middle acceleration.

  16. Time-step selection considerations in the analysis of reactor transients with DIF3D-K

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taiwo, T.A.; Khalil, H.S.; Cahalan, J.E.; Morris, E.E.

    1993-01-01

    The DIF3D-K code solves the three-dimensional, time-dependent multigroup neutron diffusion equations by using a nodal approach for spatial discretization and either the theta method or one of three space-time factorization approaches for temporal integration of the nodal equations. The three space-time factorization options (namely, improved quasistatic, adiabatic, and conventional point kinetics) were implemented because of their potential efficiency advantage for the analysis of transients in which the flux shape changes more slowly than its amplitude. In this paper, we describe the implementation of DIF3D-K as the neutronics module within the SAS-HWR accident analysis code. We also describe the neuronic-related time-step selection algorithms and their influence on the accuracy and efficiency of the various solution options

  17. Time management training and perceived control of time at work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Häfner, Alexander; Stock, Armin

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of time management training, which was based on psychological theory and research, on perceived control of time, perceived stress, and performance at work. The authors randomly assigned 71 employees to a training group (n = 35) or a waiting-list control group (n = 36). As hypothesized, time management training led to an increase in perceived control of time and a decrease in perceived stress. Time management training had no impact on different performance indicators. In particular, the authors explored the use and the perceived usefulness of the techniques taught. Participants judged the taught techniques as useful, but there were large differences concerning the actual use of the various techniques.

  18. The Next Step in Understanding Impaired Reactive Balance Control in People With Stroke: The Role of Defective Early Automatic Postural Responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Kam, Digna; Roelofs, Jolanda M B; Bruijnes, Amber K B D; Geurts, Alexander C H; Weerdesteyn, Vivian

    2017-08-01

    Postural muscle responses are often impaired after stroke. We aimed to identify the contribution of deficits in very early postural responses to poorer reactive balance capacity, with a particular focus on reactive stepping as a key strategy for avoiding falls. A total of 34 chronic stroke survivors and 17 controls were subjected to translational balance perturbations in 4 directions. We identified the highest perturbation intensity that could be recovered without stepping (single stepping threshold [SST]) and with maximally 1 step (multiple stepping threshold [MST]). We determined onset latencies and response amplitudes of 7 leg muscles bilaterally and identified associations with balance capacity. People with stroke had a lower MST than controls in all directions. Side steps resulted in a higher lateral MST than crossover steps but were less common toward the paretic side. Postural responses were delayed and smaller in amplitude on the paretic side only. We observed the strongest associations between gluteus medius (GLUT) onset and amplitude and MST toward the paretic side ( R 2 = 0.33). Electromyographic variables were rather weakly associated with forward and backward MSTs ( R 2 = 0.10-0.22) and with SSTs ( R 2 = 0.08-0.15). Delayed and reduced paretic postural responses are associated with impaired reactive stepping after stroke. Particularly, fast and vigorous activity of the GLUT is imperative for overcoming large sideways perturbations, presumably because it facilitates the effective use of side steps. Because people with stroke often fall toward the paretic side, this finding indicates an important target for training.

  19. A time-domain decomposition iterative method for the solution of distributed linear quadratic optimal control problems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinkenschloss, Matthias

    2005-01-01

    We study a class of time-domain decomposition-based methods for the numerical solution of large-scale linear quadratic optimal control problems. Our methods are based on a multiple shooting reformulation of the linear quadratic optimal control problem as a discrete-time optimal control (DTOC) problem. The optimality conditions for this DTOC problem lead to a linear block tridiagonal system. The diagonal blocks are invertible and are related to the original linear quadratic optimal control problem restricted to smaller time-subintervals. This motivates the application of block Gauss-Seidel (GS)-type methods for the solution of the block tridiagonal systems. Numerical experiments show that the spectral radii of the block GS iteration matrices are larger than one for typical applications, but that the eigenvalues of the iteration matrices decay to zero fast. Hence, while the GS method is not expected to convergence for typical applications, it can be effective as a preconditioner for Krylov-subspace methods. This is confirmed by our numerical tests.A byproduct of this research is the insight that certain instantaneous control techniques can be viewed as the application of one step of the forward block GS method applied to the DTOC optimality system.

  20. Fractal time series analysis of postural stability in elderly and control subjects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Doussot Michel

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The study of balance using stabilogram analysis is of particular interest in the study of falls. Although simple statistical parameters derived from the stabilogram have been shown to predict risk of falls, such measures offer little insight into the underlying control mechanisms responsible for degradation in balance. In contrast, fractal and non-linear time-series analysis of stabilograms, such as estimations of the Hurst exponent (H, may provide information related to the underlying motor control strategies governing postural stability. In order to be adapted for a home-based follow-up of balance, such methods need to be robust, regardless of the experimental protocol, while producing time-series that are as short as possible. The present study compares two methods of calculating H: Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA and Stabilogram Diffusion Analysis (SDA for elderly and control subjects, as well as evaluating the effect of recording duration. Methods Centre of pressure signals were obtained from 90 young adult subjects and 10 elderly subjects. Data were sampled at 100 Hz for 30 s, including stepping onto and off the force plate. Estimations of H were made using sliding windows of 10, 5, and 2.5 s durations, with windows slid forward in 1-s increments. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to test for the effect of time, age and estimation method on the Hurst exponent, while the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC was used as a measure of reliability. Results Both SDA and DFA methods were able to identify differences in postural stability between control and elderly subjects for time series as short as 5 s, with ICC values as high as 0.75 for DFA. Conclusion Both methods would be well-suited to non-invasive longitudinal assessment of balance. In addition, reliable estimations of H were obtained from time series as short as 5 s.

  1. Impact of first-step potential and time on the vertical growth of ZnO nanorods on ITO substrate by two-step electrochemical deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Tae Gyoum; Jang, Jin-Tak; Ryu, Hyukhyun; Lee, Won-Jae

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •We grew vertical ZnO nanorods on ITO substrate using a two-step continuous potential process. •The nucleation for the ZnO nanorods growth was changed by first-step potential and duration. •The vertical ZnO nanorods were well grown when first-step potential was −1.2 V and 10 s. -- Abstract: In this study, we analyzed the growth of ZnO nanorods on an ITO (indium doped tin oxide) substrate by electrochemical deposition using a two-step, continuous potential process. We examined the effect of changing the first-step potential as well as the first-step duration on the morphological, structural and optical properties of ZnO nanorods, measured via using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL), respectively. As a result, vertical ZnO nanorods were grown on ITO substrate without the need for a template when the first-step potential was set to −1.2 V for a duration of 10 s, and the second-step potential was set to −0.7 V for a duration of 1190 s. The ZnO nanorods on this sample showed the highest XRD (0 0 2)/(1 0 0) peak intensity ratio and the highest PL near band edge emission to deep level emission peak intensity ratio (NBE/DLE). In this study, the nucleation for vertical ZnO nanorod growth on an ITO substrate was found to be affected by changes in the first-step potential and first-step duration

  2. Time-delay effects and simplified control fields in quantum Lyapunov control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yi, X X; Wu, S L; Wu, Chunfeng; Feng, X L; Oh, C H

    2011-01-01

    Lyapunov-based quantum control has the advantage that it is free from the measurement-induced decoherence and it includes the instantaneous information of the system in the control. The Lyapunov control is often confronted with time delay in the control fields and difficulty in practical implementations of the control. In this paper, we study the effect of time delay on the Lyapunov control and explore the possibility of replacing the control field with a pulse train or a bang-bang signal. The efficiency of the Lyapunov control is also presented through examining the convergence time of the system. These results suggest that the Lyapunov control is robust against time delay, easy to realize and effective for high-dimensional quantum systems.

  3. Time Demand and Radiation Dose in 3D-Fluoroscopy-based Navigation-assisted 3D-Fluoroscopy-controlled Pedicle Screw Instrumentations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balling, Horst

    2018-05-01

    Prospective single-center cohort study to record additional time requirements and radiation dose in navigation-assisted O-arm-controlled pedicle screw (PS) instrumentations. The aim of this study was to evaluate amount of extra-time and radiation dose for navigation-assisted PS instrumentations of the thoracolumbosacral spine using O-arm 3D-real-time-navigation (O3DN) compared to non-navigated spinal procedures (NNSPs) with a single C-arm and postoperative computed tomography (CT) scan for controlling PS positions. 3D-navigation is reported to enhance PS insertion accuracy. But time-consuming navigational steps and considerable additional radiation doses seem to limit this modern technique's attraction. A detailed analysis of additional time demand and extra-radiation dose in 3D-navigated spine surgery is not provided in literature, yet. From February 2011 through July 2015, 306 consecutive posterior instrumentations were performed in vertebral levels T10-S1 using O3DN for PS insertion. The duration of procedure-specific navigational steps of the overall collective (I) and the last cohort of 50 consecutive O3DN-surgeries (II) was compared to the average duration of analogous surgical steps in 100 consecutive NNSP using a single C-arm. 3D-radiation dose (dose-length-product, DLP) of navigational and postinstrumentation O-arm scans in group I and II was compared to the average DLP of 100 diagnostic lumbar CT scans. The average presurgical time from patient positioning on the operating table to skin incision was 46.2 ± 10.1 minutes (O3DN, I) and 40.6 ± 9.8 minutes (O3DN, II) versus 30.6 ± 8.3 minutes (NNSP) (P demand of 13.0 minutes compared to NNSP, and with a total DLP below that of a diagnostic lumbar CT scan (P ≈ 0.81). 4.

  4. Simulation study of multi-step model algorithmic control of the nuclear reactor thermal power tracking system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi Xiaoping; Xu Tianshu

    2001-01-01

    The classical control method is usually hard to ensure the thermal power tracking accuracy, because the nuclear reactor system is a complex nonlinear system with uncertain parameters and disturbances. A sort of non-parameter model is constructed with the open-loop impulse response of the system. Furthermore, a sort of thermal power tracking digital control law is presented using the multi-step model algorithmic control principle. The control method presented had good tracking performance and robustness. It can work despite the existence of unmeasurable disturbances. The simulation experiment testifies the correctness and effectiveness of the method. The high accuracy matching between the thermal power and the referenced load is achieved

  5. The effect of fish oil on two-step tuberculin test in hospitalized patients: A randomized controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Arfa

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: According to national tuberculosis control guide, two-step tuberculin skin test (TST should be done in the elderly, if the initial test is negative. However, it raises questions about the usefulness of this approach. Objective: This study aimed to explore the effects of fish oil supplements on the two-step tuberculin test in hospitalized patients. Methods: In this randomized controlled clinical trial, 128 patients randomly allocated to control group (receiving placebo, n=64 and treatment group (receiving fish oil supplements, n=64 during 2016. Fish oil supplement group was treated with 2 g daily for 4 consecutive days. The outcome was considered a change in 2 sequential TST induration sizes. Significant increase in the size of the secondary induration compared to primary was considered 6 mm or more. Findings: There was significant difference between primary and secondary indurations of two groups (higher in treatment group (P=0.04. According to the results of analysis of variance and correlation tests, two effective factors were identified: initial induration and residence location (P=0.014 and P=0.002, respectively. In both groups, no clinically significant increase in the size of induration was observed. Conclusion: It seems that the number of cases considered as infected with tuberculosis does not increase with two- rather than one-step tuberculin skin test. Also, the short-term administration of fish oil supplements does not change this result.

  6. Effect of increased exposure times on amount of residual monomer released from single-step self-etch adhesives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altunsoy, Mustafa; Botsali, Murat Selim; Tosun, Gonca; Yasar, Ahmet

    2015-10-16

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of increased exposure times on the amount of residual Bis-GMA, TEGDMA, HEMA and UDMA released from single-step self-etch adhesive systems. Two adhesive systems were used. The adhesives were applied to bovine dentin surface according to the manufacturer's instructions and were polymerized using an LED curing unit for 10, 20 and 40 seconds (n = 5). After polymerization, the specimens were stored in 75% ethanol-water solution (6 mL). Residual monomers (Bis-GMA, TEGDMA, UDMA and HEMA) that were eluted from the adhesives (after 10 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day, 7 days and 30 days) were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The data were analyzed using 1-way analysis of variance and Tukey HSD tests. Among the time periods, the highest amount of released residual monomers from adhesives was observed in the 10th minute. There were statistically significant differences regarding released Bis-GMA, UDMA, HEMA and TEGDMA between the adhesive systems (p<0.05). There were no significant differences among the 10, 20 and 40 second polymerization times according to their effect on residual monomer release from adhesives (p>0.05). Increasing the polymerization time did not have an effect on residual monomer release from single-step self-etch adhesives.

  7. Preimages for Step-Reduced SHA-2

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aoki, Kazumaro; Guo, Jian; Matusiewicz, Krystian

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, we present preimage attacks on up to 43-step SHA-256 (around 67% of the total 64 steps) and 46-step SHA-512 (around 57.5% of the total 80 steps), which significantly increases the number of attacked steps compared to the best previously published preimage attack working for 24 steps....... The time complexities are 2^251.9, 2^509 for finding pseudo-preimages and 2^254.9, 2^511.5 compression function operations for full preimages. The memory requirements are modest, around 2^6 words for 43-step SHA-256 and 46-step SHA-512. The pseudo-preimage attack also applies to 43-step SHA-224 and SHA-384...

  8. Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer 2007 Step by Step

    CERN Document Server

    Coventry, Penelope

    2008-01-01

    The smart way to learn Office SharePoint Designer 2007-one step at a time! Work at your own pace through the easy numbered steps, practice files on CD, helpful hints, and troubleshooting tips to master the fundamentals of building customized SharePoint sites and applications. You'll learn how to work with Windows® SharePoint Services 3.0 and Office SharePoint Server 2007 to create Web pages complete with Cascading Style Sheets, Lists, Libraries, and customized Web parts. Then, make your site really work for you by adding data sources, including databases, XML data and Web services, and RSS fe

  9. Mind your step: metabolic energy cost while walking an enforced gait pattern.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wezenberg, D; de Haan, A; van Bennekom, C A M; Houdijk, H

    2011-04-01

    The energy cost of walking could be attributed to energy related to the walking movement and energy related to balance control. In order to differentiate between both components we investigated the energy cost of walking an enforced step pattern, thereby perturbing balance while the walking movement is preserved. Nine healthy subjects walked three times at comfortable walking speed on an instrumented treadmill. The first trial consisted of unconstrained walking. In the next two trials, subject walked while following a step pattern projected on the treadmill. The steps projected were either composed of the averaged step characteristics (periodic trial), or were an exact copy including the variability of the steps taken while walking unconstrained (variable trial). Metabolic energy cost was assessed and center of pressure profiles were analyzed to determine task performance, and to gain insight into the balance control strategies applied. Results showed that the metabolic energy cost was significantly higher in both the periodic and variable trial (8% and 13%, respectively) compared to unconstrained walking. The variation in center of pressure trajectories during single limb support was higher when a gait pattern was enforced, indicating a more active ankle strategy. The increased metabolic energy cost could originate from increased preparatory muscle activation to ensure proper foot placement and a more active ankle strategy to control for lateral balance. These results entail that metabolic energy cost of walking can be influenced significantly by control strategies that do not necessary alter global gait characteristics. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. A water-based training program that include perturbation exercises to improve stepping responses in older adults: study protocol for a randomized controlled cross-over trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tsedek Irit

    2008-08-01

    . Voluntary step reaction times and postural stability using stabiliogram diffusion analysis will be tested before and after the 12 weeks of training. Discussion This study will determine whether a water-based balance training program that includes perturbation exercises, in a group setting, can improve speed of voluntary stepping responses and improve balance control. Results will help guide the development of more cost-effective interventions that can prevent the occurrence of falls in the elderly.

  11. Efficient Control Law Simulation for Multiple Mobile Robots

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Driessen, B.J.; Feddema, J.T.; Kotulski, J.D.; Kwok, K.S.

    1998-10-06

    In this paper we consider the problem of simulating simple control laws involving large numbers of mobile robots. Such simulation can be computationally prohibitive if the number of robots is large enough, say 1 million, due to the 0(N2 ) cost of each time step. This work therefore uses hierarchical tree-based methods for calculating the control law. These tree-based approaches have O(NlogN) cost per time step, thus allowing for efficient simulation involving a large number of robots. For concreteness, a decentralized control law which involves only the distance and bearing to the closest neighbor robot will be considered. The time to calculate the control law for each robot at each time step is demonstrated to be O(logN).

  12. Compliant walking appears metabolically advantageous at extreme step lengths.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jaehoon; Bertram, John E A

    2018-05-19

    Humans alter gait in response to unusual gait circumstances to accomplish the task of walking. For instance, subjects spontaneously increase leg compliance at a step length threshold as step length increases. Here we test the hypothesis that this transition occurs based on the level of energy expenditure, where compliant walking becomes less energetically demanding at long step lengths. To map and compare the metabolic cost of normal and compliant walking as step length increases. 10 healthy individuals walked on a treadmill using progressively increasing step lengths (100%, 120%, 140% and 160% of preferred step length), in both normal and compliant leg walking as energy expenditure was recorded via indirect calorimetry. Leg compliance was controlled by lowering the center-of-mass trajectory during stance, forcing the leg to flex and extend as the body moved over the foot contact. For normal step lengths, compliant leg walking was more costly than normal walking gait, but compliant leg walking energetic cost did not increase as rapidly for longer step lengths. This led to an intersection between normal and compliant walking cost curves at 114% relative step length (regression analysis; r 2  = 0.92 for normal walking; r 2  = 0.65 for compliant walking). Compliant leg walking is less energetically demanding at longer step lengths where a spontaneous shift to compliant walking has been observed, suggesting the human motor control system is sensitive to energetic requirements and will employ alternate movement patterns if advantageous strategies are available. The transition could be attributed to the interplay between (i) leg work controlling body travel during single stance and (ii) leg work to control energy loss in the step-to-step transition. Compliant leg walking requires more stance leg work at normal step lengths, but involves less energy loss at the step-to-step transition for very long steps. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Work Time Control and Sleep Disturbances

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Salo, Paula; Ala-Mursula, Leena; Rod, Naja Hulvej

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: Employee control over work times has been associated with favorable psychosocial and health-related outcomes, but the evidence regarding sleep quality remains inconclusive. We examined cross-sectional and prospective associations between work time control and sleep disturbances...... in a large working population, taking into account total hours worked. METHODS: The data were from a full-panel longitudinal cohort study of Finnish public sector employees who responded to questions on work time control and sleep disturbances in years 2000-2001, 2004-2005, 2008-2009, and 2012. The analysis....... RESULTS: Consistently in both cross-sectional and longitudinal models, less control over work time was associated with greater sleep disturbances in the total population and among those working normal 40-hour weeks. Among participants working more than 40 hours a week, work time that was both very high...

  14. SPAR-H Step-by-Step Guidance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    W. J. Galyean; A. M. Whaley; D. L. Kelly; R. L. Boring

    2011-05-01

    This guide provides step-by-step guidance on the use of the SPAR-H method for quantifying Human Failure Events (HFEs). This guide is intended to be used with the worksheets provided in: 'The SPAR-H Human Reliability Analysis Method,' NUREG/CR-6883, dated August 2005. Each step in the process of producing a Human Error Probability (HEP) is discussed. These steps are: Step-1, Categorizing the HFE as Diagnosis and/or Action; Step-2, Rate the Performance Shaping Factors; Step-3, Calculate PSF-Modified HEP; Step-4, Accounting for Dependence, and; Step-5, Minimum Value Cutoff. The discussions on dependence are extensive and include an appendix that describes insights obtained from the psychology literature.

  15. SPAR-H Step-by-Step Guidance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galyean, W.J.; Whaley, A.M.; Kelly, D.L.; Boring, R.L.

    2011-01-01

    This guide provides step-by-step guidance on the use of the SPAR-H method for quantifying Human Failure Events (HFEs). This guide is intended to be used with the worksheets provided in: 'The SPAR-H Human Reliability Analysis Method,' NUREG/CR-6883, dated August 2005. Each step in the process of producing a Human Error Probability (HEP) is discussed. These steps are: Step-1, Categorizing the HFE as Diagnosis and/or Action; Step-2, Rate the Performance Shaping Factors; Step-3, Calculate PSF-Modified HEP; Step-4, Accounting for Dependence, and; Step-5, Minimum Value Cutoff. The discussions on dependence are extensive and include an appendix that describes insights obtained from the psychology literature.

  16. SPAR-H Step-by-Step Guidance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    April M. Whaley; Dana L. Kelly; Ronald L. Boring; William J. Galyean

    2012-06-01

    Step-by-step guidance was developed recently at Idaho National Laboratory for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission on the use of the Standardized Plant Analysis Risk-Human Reliability Analysis (SPAR-H) method for quantifying Human Failure Events (HFEs). This work was done to address SPAR-H user needs, specifically requests for additional guidance on the proper application of various aspects of the methodology. This paper overviews the steps of the SPAR-H analysis process and highlights some of the most important insights gained during the development of the step-by-step directions. This supplemental guidance for analysts is applicable when plant-specific information is available, and goes beyond the general guidance provided in existing SPAR-H documentation. The steps highlighted in this paper are: Step-1, Categorizing the HFE as Diagnosis and/or Action; Step-2, Rate the Performance Shaping Factors; Step-3, Calculate PSF-Modified HEP; Step-4, Accounting for Dependence, and; Step-5, Minimum Value Cutoff.

  17. Effect of the processing steps on compositions of table olive since harvesting time to pasteurization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikzad, Nasim; Sahari, Mohammad A; Vanak, Zahra Piravi; Safafar, Hamed; Boland-nazar, Seyed A

    2013-08-01

    Weight, oil, fatty acids, tocopherol, polyphenol, and sterol properties of 5 olive cultivars (Zard, Fishomi, Ascolana, Amigdalolia, and Conservalia) during crude, lye treatment, washing, fermentation, and pasteurization steps were studied. Results showed: oil percent was higher and lower in Ascolana (crude step) and in Fishomi (pasteurization step), respectively; during processing steps, in all cultivars, oleic, palmitic, linoleic, and stearic acids were higher; the highest changes in saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were in fermentation step; the highest and the lowest ratios of ω3 / ω6 were in Ascolana (washing step) and in Zard (pasteurization step), respectively; the highest and the lowest tocopherol were in Amigdalolia and Fishomi, respectively, and major damage occurred in lye step; the highest and the lowest polyphenols were in Ascolana (crude step) and in Zard and Ascolana (pasteurization step), respectively; the major damage among cultivars occurred during lye step, in which the polyphenol reduced to 1/10 of first content; sterol did not undergo changes during steps. Reviewing of olive patents shows that many compositions of fruits such as oil quality, fatty acids, quantity and its fraction can be changed by alteration in cultivar and process.

  18. SYNTHESIS OF AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR STEPPING-UP CONVERTER OF DC VOLTAGE AT ACTIVE LOAD OPERATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. V. Мironovich

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Investigation of a nontransformer stepping-up converter of dc voltage has been carried out. A non-linear structural circuit of the converter has been developed with the help of the controlled current injection method. A linearization of an object and an automation control system synthesis have been conducted applying method of successive optimization of the circuits. The paper contains results of transient process simulation in the linear computer model and in the power electronics computer model. 

  19. Nonlinear adaptive robust back stepping force control of hydraulic load simulator: Theory and experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yao, Jianyong; Jiao, Zongxia; Yao, Bin

    2014-01-01

    High performance robust force control of hydraulic load simulator with constant but unknown hydraulic parameters is considered. In contrast to the linear control based on hydraulic linearization equations, hydraulic inherent nonlinear properties and uncertainties make the conventional feedback proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control not yield to high performance requirements. Furthermore, the hydraulic system may be subjected to non-smooth and discontinuous nonlinearities due to the directional change of valve opening. In this paper, based on a nonlinear system model of hydraulic load simulator, a discontinuous projection-based nonlinear adaptive robust back stepping controller is developed with servo valve dynamics. The proposed controller constructs a novel stable adaptive controller and adaptation laws with additional pressure dynamic related unknown parameters, which can compensate for the system nonlinearities and uncertain parameters, meanwhile a well-designed robust controller is also synthesized to dominate the model uncertainties coming from both parametric uncertainties and uncertain nonlinearities including unmodeled and ignored system dynamics. The controller theoretically guarantee a prescribed transient performance and final tracking accuracy in presence of both parametric uncertainties and uncertain nonlinearities; while achieving asymptotic output tracking in the absence of unstructured uncertainties. The implementation issues are also discussed for controller simplification. Some comparative results are obtained to verify the high-performance nature of the proposed controller.

  20. Nonlinear adaptive robust back stepping force control of hydraulic load simulator: Theory and experiments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yao, Jianyong [Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing (China); Jiao, Zongxia [Beihang University, Beijing (China); Yao, Bin [Purdue University, West Lafayette (United States)

    2014-04-15

    High performance robust force control of hydraulic load simulator with constant but unknown hydraulic parameters is considered. In contrast to the linear control based on hydraulic linearization equations, hydraulic inherent nonlinear properties and uncertainties make the conventional feedback proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control not yield to high performance requirements. Furthermore, the hydraulic system may be subjected to non-smooth and discontinuous nonlinearities due to the directional change of valve opening. In this paper, based on a nonlinear system model of hydraulic load simulator, a discontinuous projection-based nonlinear adaptive robust back stepping controller is developed with servo valve dynamics. The proposed controller constructs a novel stable adaptive controller and adaptation laws with additional pressure dynamic related unknown parameters, which can compensate for the system nonlinearities and uncertain parameters, meanwhile a well-designed robust controller is also synthesized to dominate the model uncertainties coming from both parametric uncertainties and uncertain nonlinearities including unmodeled and ignored system dynamics. The controller theoretically guarantee a prescribed transient performance and final tracking accuracy in presence of both parametric uncertainties and uncertain nonlinearities; while achieving asymptotic output tracking in the absence of unstructured uncertainties. The implementation issues are also discussed for controller simplification. Some comparative results are obtained to verify the high-performance nature of the proposed controller.

  1. 3D elastic wave modeling using modified high‐order time stepping schemes with improved stability conditions

    KAUST Repository

    Chu, Chunlei; Stoffa, Paul L.; Seif, Roustam

    2009-01-01

    We present two Lax‐Wendroff type high‐order time stepping schemes and apply them to solving the 3D elastic wave equation. The proposed schemes have the same format as the Taylor series expansion based schemes, only with modified temporal extrapolation coefficients. We demonstrate by both theoretical analysis and numerical examples that the modified schemes significantly improve the stability conditions.

  2. Multiple-step fault estimation for interval type-II T-S fuzzy system of hypersonic vehicle with time-varying elevator faults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin Wang

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available This article proposes a multiple-step fault estimation algorithm for hypersonic flight vehicles that uses an interval type-II Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy model. An interval type-II Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy model is developed to approximate the nonlinear dynamic system and handle the parameter uncertainties of hypersonic firstly. Then, a multiple-step time-varying additive fault estimation algorithm is designed to estimate time-varying additive elevator fault of hypersonic flight vehicles. Finally, the simulation is conducted in both aspects of modeling and fault estimation; the validity and availability of such method are verified by a series of the comparison of numerical simulation results.

  3. Analog Fixed Maximum Power Point Control for a PWM Step-downConverter for Water Pumping Installations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beltran, H.; Perez, E.; Chen, Zhe

    2009-01-01

    This paper describes a Fixed Maximum Power Point analog control used in a step-down Pulse Width Modulated power converter. The DC/DC converter drives a DC motor used in small water pumping installations, without any electric storage device. The power supply is provided by PV panels working around....... The proposed Optimal Power Point fix voltage control system is analyzed in comparison to other complex controls....... their maximum power point, with a fixed operating voltage value. The control circuit implementation is not only simple and cheap, but also robust and reliable. System protections and adjustments are also proposed. Simulations and hardware are reported in the paper for a 150W water pumping application system...

  4. Minimal Time Problem with Impulsive Controls

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kunisch, Karl, E-mail: karl.kunisch@uni-graz.at [University of Graz, Institute for Mathematics and Scientific Computing (Austria); Rao, Zhiping, E-mail: zhiping.rao@ricam.oeaw.ac.at [Austrian Academy of Sciences, Radon Institute of Computational and Applied Mathematics (Austria)

    2017-02-15

    Time optimal control problems for systems with impulsive controls are investigated. Sufficient conditions for the existence of time optimal controls are given. A dynamical programming principle is derived and Lipschitz continuity of an appropriately defined value functional is established. The value functional satisfies a Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation in the viscosity sense. A numerical example for a rider-swing system is presented and it is shown that the reachable set is enlargered by allowing for impulsive controls, when compared to nonimpulsive controls.

  5. Finite element time domain modeling of controlled-Source electromagnetic data with a hybrid boundary condition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cai, Hongzhu; Hu, Xiangyun; Xiong, Bin

    2017-01-01

    method which is unconditionally stable. We solve the diffusion equation for the electric field with a total field formulation. The finite element system of equation is solved using the direct method. The solutions of electric field, at different time, can be obtained using the effective time stepping...... method with trivial computation cost once the matrix is factorized. We try to keep the same time step size for a fixed number of steps using an adaptive time step doubling (ATSD) method. The finite element modeling domain is also truncated using a semi-adaptive method. We proposed a new boundary...... condition based on approximating the total field on the modeling boundary using the primary field corresponding to a layered background model. We validate our algorithm using several synthetic model studies....

  6. Adaptive NN tracking control of uncertain nonlinear discrete-time systems with nonaffine dead-zone input.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yan-Jun; Tong, Shaocheng

    2015-03-01

    In the paper, an adaptive tracking control design is studied for a class of nonlinear discrete-time systems with dead-zone input. The considered systems are of the nonaffine pure-feedback form and the dead-zone input appears nonlinearly in the systems. The contributions of the paper are that: 1) it is for the first time to investigate the control problem for this class of discrete-time systems with dead-zone; 2) there are major difficulties for stabilizing such systems and in order to overcome the difficulties, the systems are transformed into an n-step-ahead predictor but nonaffine function is still existent; and 3) an adaptive compensative term is constructed to compensate for the parameters of the dead-zone. The neural networks are used to approximate the unknown functions in the transformed systems. Based on the Lyapunov theory, it is proven that all the signals in the closed-loop system are semi-globally uniformly ultimately bounded and the tracking error converges to a small neighborhood of zero. Two simulation examples are provided to verify the effectiveness of the control approach in the paper.

  7. Sensorimotor and neuropsychological correlates of force perturbations that induce stepping in older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sturnieks, Daina L; Menant, Jasmine; Vanrenterghem, Jos; Delbaere, Kim; Fitzpatrick, Richard C; Lord, Stephen R

    2012-07-01

    Inappropriate stepping in response to unexpected balance perturbations is more prevalent in older people and in those at risk of falling. This study examined responses to force-controlled waist pulls in young and older people, and sought to identify physiological and cognitive correlates of the force threshold for stepping. 242 older (79.7±4.2 years) and 15 young (29.5±5.3 years) adults underwent waist pull perturbations and assessments of physiological and neuropsychological functioning, general health and falls efficacy. Perturbation force that induced stepping, stepping strategy and number of steps were measured. The older group withstood less forceful perturbations with a feet-in-place strategy, compared to young. Likewise, older adults with high falls risk withstood less force than those with low risk. After controlling for body weight and gender, sway and lower limb strength were independent predictors of anterior stepping thresholds, reaction time was an independent predictor of posterior thresholds, and executive functioning and lower limb strength were independent predictors of the lateral thresholds. These results suggest that balance, strength and agility training, in addition to cognitive exercises may enhance the ability to withstand unexpected balance perturbations and reduce the risk of falls in older people. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Detection and Correction of Step Discontinuities in Kepler Flux Time Series

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolodziejczak, J. J.; Morris, R. L.

    2011-01-01

    PDC 8.0 includes an implementation of a new algorithm to detect and correct step discontinuities appearing in roughly one of every 20 stellar light curves during a given quarter. The majority of such discontinuities are believed to result from high-energy particles (either cosmic or solar in origin) striking the photometer and causing permanent local changes (typically -0.5%) in quantum efficiency, though a partial exponential recovery is often observed [1]. Since these features, dubbed sudden pixel sensitivity dropouts (SPSDs), are uncorrelated across targets they cannot be properly accounted for by the current detrending algorithm. PDC detrending is based on the assumption that features in flux time series are due either to intrinsic stellar phenomena or to systematic errors and that systematics will exhibit measurable correlations across targets. SPSD events violate these assumptions and their successful removal not only rectifies the flux values of affected targets, but demonstrably improves the overall performance of PDC detrending [1].

  9. On an adaptive time stepping strategy for solving nonlinear diffusion equations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, K.; Baines, M.J.; Sweby, P.K.

    1993-01-01

    A new time step selection procedure is proposed for solving non- linear diffusion equations. It has been implemented in the ASWR finite element code of Lorenz and Svoboda [10] for 2D semiconductor process modelling diffusion equations. The strategy is based on equi-distributing the local truncation errors of the numerical scheme. The use of B-splines for interpolation (as well as for the trial space) results in a banded and diagonally dominant matrix. The approximate inverse of such a matrix can be provided to a high degree of accuracy by another banded matrix, which in turn can be used to work out the approximate finite difference scheme corresponding to the ASWR finite element method, and further to calculate estimates of the local truncation errors of the numerical scheme. Numerical experiments on six full simulation problems arising in semiconductor process modelling have been carried out. Results show that our proposed strategy is more efficient and better conserves the total mass. 18 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs

  10. Controlling Lipid Fluxes at Glycerol-3-phosphate Acyltransferase Step in Yeast

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marr, Nancy; Foglia, Julena; Terebiznik, Mauricio; Athenstaedt, Karin; Zaremberg, Vanina

    2012-01-01

    The ability to channel excess fatty acids into neutral lipids like triacylglycerol (TAG) is a critical strategy used by cells to maintain lipid homeostasis. Upon activation to acyl-CoA, fatty acids become readily available as substrates for acyltransferases involved in neutral lipid synthesis. Neutral lipids are then packed into organelles derived from the endoplasmic reticulum called lipid particles (LPs). The first acylation step in the de novo pathway for TAG synthesis is catalyzed by glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferases (GPATs). Two isoforms, Gat1p/Gpt2p and Gat2p/Sct1p, are present in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Previous evidence indicated that these enzymes contribute differentially to the synthesis of TAG in actively growing cells. In this work we studied the role of the yeast GPATs in the formation of LPs induced by a surplus of oleic acid. Yeast lacking Gat1p (but not Gat2p) were sensitive to oleate and failed to accumulate LPs induced by this unsaturated fatty acid. It is shown that oleate induces dephosphorylation of Gat1p as well as an increment in its levels. Most importantly, we identified novel Gat1p crescent structures that are formed in the presence of oleate. These structures are connected with the endoplasmic reticulum and are intimately associated with LPs. No such structures were observed for Gat2p. A crucial point of control of lipid fluxes at the GPAT step is proposed. PMID:22267742

  11. Attention demanding tasks during treadmill walking reduce step width variability in young adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Troy Karen L

    2005-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The variability of step time and step width is associated with falls by older adults. Further, step time is significantly influenced when performing attention demanding tasks while walking. Without exception, step time variability has been reported to increase in normal and pathologically aging older adults. Because of the role of step width in managing frontal plane dynamic stability, documenting the influence of attention-demanding tasks on step width variability may provide insight to events that can disturb dynamic stability during locomotion and increase fall risk. Preliminary evidence suggests performance of an attention demanding task significantly decreases step width variability of young adults walking on a treadmill. The purpose of the present study was to confirm or refute this finding by characterizing the extent and direction of the effects of a widely used attention demanding task (Stroop test on the step width variability of young adults walking on a motorized treadmill. Methods Fifteen healthy young adults walked on a motorized treadmill at a self-selected velocity for 10 minutes under two conditions; without performing an attention demanding task and while performing the Stroop test. Step width of continuous and consecutive steps during the collection was derived from the data recorded using a motion capture system. Step width variability was computed as the standard deviation of all recorded steps. Results Step width decreased four percent during performance of the Stroop test but the effect was not significant (p = 0.10. In contrast, the 16 percent decrease in step width variability during the Stroop test condition was significant (p = 0.029. Conclusion The results support those of our previous work in which a different attention demanding task also decreased step width variability of young subjects while walking on a treadmill. The decreased step width variability observed while performing an attention

  12. The Relaxation of Vicinal (001) with ZigZag [110] Steps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawkins, Micah; Hamouda, Ajmi Bh; González-Cabrera, Diego Luis; Einstein, Theodore L.

    2012-02-01

    This talk presents a kinetic Monte Carlo study of the relaxation dynamics of [110] steps on a vicinal (001) simple cubic surface. This system is interesting because [110] steps have different elementary excitation energetics and favor step diffusion more than close-packed [100] steps. In this talk we show how this leads to relaxation dynamics showing greater fluctuations on a shorter time scale for [110] steps as well as 2-bond breaking processes being rate determining in contrast to 3-bond breaking processes for [100] steps. The existence of a steady state is shown via the convergence of terrace width distributions at times much longer than the relaxation time. In this time regime excellent fits to the modified generalized Wigner distribution (as well as to the Berry-Robnik model when steps can overlap) were obtained. Also, step-position correlation function data show diffusion-limited increase for small distances along the step as well as greater average step displacement for zigzag steps compared to straight steps for somewhat longer distances along the step. Work supported by NSF-MRSEC Grant DMR 05-20471 as well as a DOE-CMCSN Grant.

  13. Identification of Time-Varying Pilot Control Behavior in Multi-Axis Control Tasks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaal, Peter M. T.; Sweet, Barbara T.

    2012-01-01

    Recent developments in fly-by-wire control architectures for rotorcraft have introduced new interest in the identification of time-varying pilot control behavior in multi-axis control tasks. In this paper a maximum likelihood estimation method is used to estimate the parameters of a pilot model with time-dependent sigmoid functions to characterize time-varying human control behavior. An experiment was performed by 9 general aviation pilots who had to perform a simultaneous roll and pitch control task with time-varying aircraft dynamics. In 8 different conditions, the axis containing the time-varying dynamics and the growth factor of the dynamics were varied, allowing for an analysis of the performance of the estimation method when estimating time-dependent parameter functions. In addition, a detailed analysis of pilots adaptation to the time-varying aircraft dynamics in both the roll and pitch axes could be performed. Pilot control behavior in both axes was significantly affected by the time-varying aircraft dynamics in roll and pitch, and by the growth factor. The main effect was found in the axis that contained the time-varying dynamics. However, pilot control behavior also changed over time in the axis not containing the time-varying aircraft dynamics. This indicates that some cross coupling exists in the perception and control processes between the roll and pitch axes.

  14. Step Complexity Measure for Emergency Operating Procedures - Determining Weighting Factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jinkyun; Jung, Wondea; Kim, Jaewhan; Ha, Jaejoo

    2003-01-01

    In complex systems, such as nuclear power plants (NPPs) or airplane control systems, human error has been regarded as the primary cause of many events. Therefore, to ensure system safety, extensive effort has been made to identify the significant factors that can cause human error. According to related studies, written manuals or operating procedures are revealed as one of the important factors, and the understandability is pointed out as one of the major reasons for procedure-related human errors.Many qualitative checklists have been suggested to evaluate emergency operating procedures (EOPs) of NPPs so as to minimize procedure-related human errors. However, since qualitative evaluations using checklists have some drawbacks, a quantitative measure that can quantify the complexity of EOPs is indispensable.From this necessity, Park et al. suggested the step complexity (SC) measure to quantify the complexity of procedural steps included in EOPs. To verify the appropriateness of the SC measure, averaged step performance time data obtained from emergency training records of the loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) and the excess steam demand event were compared with estimated SC scores. However, although averaged step performance time data and estimated SC scores show meaningful correlation, some important issues such as determining proper weighting factors have to be clarified to ensure the appropriateness of the SC measure. These were not properly dealt with due to a lack of backup data.In this paper, to resolve one of the important issues, emergency training records are additionally collected and analyzed in order to determine proper weighting factors. The total number of collected records is 66, and the training scenarios cover five emergency conditions including the LOCA, the steam generator tube rupture, the loss of all feedwater, the loss of off-site power, and the station blackout. From these records, average step performance time data are retrieved, and new

  15. A temperature control method for shortening thermal cycling time to achieve rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a disposable polymer microfluidic device

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bu, Minqiang; Perch-Nielsen, Ivan R.; Sørensen, Karen Skotte

    2013-01-01

    steps to achieve a rapid ramping between the temperature steps for DNA denaturation, annealing and extension. The temperature dynamics within the microfluidic PCR chamber was characterized and the overshooting and undershooting parameters were optimized using the temperature-dependent fluorescence......We present a temperature control method capable of effectively shortening the thermal cycling time of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a disposable polymer microfluidic device with an external heater and a temperature sensor. The method employs optimized temperature overshooting and undershooting...

  16. Steps toward improving diet and exercise for cancer survivors (STRIDE): a quasi-randomised controlled trial protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frensham, Lauren J; Zarnowiecki, Dorota M; Parfitt, Gaynor; Stanley, Rebecca M; Dollman, James

    2014-06-13

    Cancer survivorship rates have increased in developed countries largely due to population ageing and improvements in cancer care. Survivorship is a neglected phase of cancer treatment and is often associated with adverse physical and psychological effects. There is a need for broadly accessible, non-pharmacological measures that may prolong disease-free survival, reduce or alleviate co-morbidities and enhance quality of life. The aim of the Steps TowaRd Improving Diet and Exercise (STRIDE) study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an online-delivered physical activity intervention for increasing walking in cancer survivors living in metropolitan and rural areas of South Australia. This is a quasi-randomised controlled trial. The intervention period is 12-weeks with 3-month follow-up. The trial will be conducted at a university setting and community health services in South Australia. Participants will be insufficiently active and aged 18 years or older. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. All participants will receive a pedometer but only the intervention group will have access to the STRIDE website where they will report steps, affect and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) during exercise daily. Researchers will use these variables to individualise weekly step goals to increase walking.The primary outcome measure is steps per day. The secondary outcomes are a) health measures (anthropometric and physiological), b) dietary habits (consumption of core foods and non-core foods) and c) quality of life (QOL) including physical, psychological and social wellbeing. Measures will be collected at baseline, post-intervention and 3-month follow-up. This protocol describes the implementation of a trial using an online resource to assist cancer survivors to become more physically active. It is an innovative tool that uses ratings of perceived exertion and daily affect to create individualised step goals for cancer survivors. The

  17. Step Prediction During Perturbed Standing Using Center Of Pressure Measurements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milos R. Popovic

    2007-04-01

    Full Text Available The development of a sensor that can measure balance during quiet standing and predict stepping response in the event of perturbation has many clinically relevant applica- tions, including closed-loop control of a neuroprothesis for standing. This study investigated the feasibility of an algorithm that can predict in real-time when an able-bodied individual who is quietly standing will have to make a step to compensate for an external perturbation. Anterior and posterior perturbations were performed on 16 able-bodied subjects using a pul- ley system with a dropped weight. A linear relationship was found between the peak center of pressure (COP velocity and the peak COP displacement caused by the perturbation. This result suggests that one can predict when a person will have to make a step based on COP velocity measurements alone. Another important feature of this finding is that the peak COP velocity occurs considerably before the peak COP displacement. As a result, one can predict if a subject will have to make a step in response to a perturbation sufficiently ahead of the time when the subject is actually forced to make the step. The proposed instability detection algorithm will be implemented in a sensor system using insole sheets in shoes with minitur- ized pressure sensors by which the COPv can be continuously measured. The sensor system will be integrated in a closed-loop feedback system with a neuroprosthesis for standing in the near future.

  18. Time-dependent switched discrete-time linear systems control and filtering

    CERN Document Server

    Zhang, Lixian; Shi, Peng; Lu, Qiugang

    2016-01-01

    This book focuses on the basic control and filtering synthesis problems for discrete-time switched linear systems under time-dependent switching signals. Chapter 1, as an introduction of the book, gives the backgrounds and motivations of switched systems, the definitions of the typical time-dependent switching signals, the differences and links to other types of systems with hybrid characteristics and a literature review mainly on the control and filtering for the underlying systems. By summarizing the multiple Lyapunov-like functions (MLFs) approach in which different requirements on comparisons of Lyapunov function values at switching instants, a series of methodologies are developed for the issues on stability and stabilization, and l2-gain performance or tube-based robustness for l∞ disturbance, respectively, in Chapters 2 and 3. Chapters 4 and 5 are devoted to the control and filtering problems for the time-dependent switched linear systems with either polytopic uncertainties or measurable time-varying...

  19. Concepts of real time and semi-real time material control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lovett, J.E.

    1975-01-01

    After a brief consideration of the traditional material balance accounting on an MBA basis, this paper explores the basic concepts of real time and semi-real time material control, together with some of the major problems to be solved. Three types of short-term material control are discussed: storage, batch processing, and continuous processing. (DLC)

  20. A theory of the stepped leader in lightning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lowke, J.J.

    1999-01-01

    There is no generally accepted explanation of the stepped leader behaviour in terms of basic physical processes. Existing theories generally involve significant gas heating within the stepped leader. In the present paper, the stepped nature of the leader is proposed to arise due to a combination of two physical phenomena. Electron transport is dominant over ion transport, during the luminous step stage, because electron mobilities are about 100 times larger than ion mobilities, and the streamer front velocity is determined by electron ionization effects. During the dark time between steps, there are only ions and charge transport is very much slower. The second effect leading to stepped behaviour arises because the electric field required for electric breakdown in air prior to a discharge is ∼30kV/cm, and is very much higher than the electric field of 5kV/cm that is required to sustain a glow discharge in air. During the luminous step stage, electrons tend to produce space charges to make a uniform field in the streamer of ∼5kV/cm. During the dark time between steps, there are no electrons but only ions. Time is required for ion drift to produce a space charge sheath of negative ions at the head of the streamer to produce a field of ∼30kV/cm sufficient for electron ionization to produce a new luminous step

  1. Real-time operating system timing jitter and its impact on motor control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Proctor, Frederick M.; Shackleford, William P.

    2001-12-01

    General-purpose microprocessors are increasingly being used for control applications due to their widespread availability and software support for non-control functions like networking and operator interfaces. Two classes of real-time operating systems (RTOS) exist for these systems. The traditional RTOS serves as the sole operating system, and provides all OS services. Examples include ETS, LynxOS, QNX, Windows CE and VxWorks. RTOS extensions add real-time scheduling capabilities to non-real-time OSes, and provide minimal services needed for the time-critical portions of an application. Examples include RTAI and RTL for Linux, and HyperKernel, OnTime and RTX for Windows NT. Timing jitter is an issue in these systems, due to hardware effects such as bus locking, caches and pipelines, and software effects from mutual exclusion resource locks, non-preemtible critical sections, disabled interrupts, and multiple code paths in the scheduler. Jitter is typically on the order of a microsecond to a few tens of microseconds for hard real-time operating systems, and ranges from milliseconds to seconds in the worst case for soft real-time operating systems. The question of its significance on the performance of a controller arises. Naturally, the smaller the scheduling period required for a control task, the more significant is the impact of timing jitter. Aside from this intuitive relationship is the greater significance of timing on open-loop control, such as for stepper motors, than for closed-loop control, such as for servo motors. Techniques for measuring timing jitter are discussed, and comparisons between various platforms are presented. Techniques to reduce jitter or mitigate its effects are presented. The impact of jitter on stepper motor control is analyzed.

  2. The importance of age composition of 12-step meetings as a moderating factor in the relation between young adults' 12-step participation and abstinence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Labbe, Allison K; Greene, Claire; Bergman, Brandon G; Hoeppner, Bettina; Kelly, John F

    2013-12-01

    Participation in 12-step mutual help organizations (MHO) is a common continuing care recommendation for adults; however, little is known about the effects of MHO participation among young adults (i.e., ages 18-25 years) for whom the typically older age composition at meetings may serve as a barrier to engagement and benefits. This study examined whether the age composition of 12-step meetings moderated the recovery benefits derived from attending MHOs. Young adults (n=302; 18-24 years; 26% female; 94% White) enrolled in a naturalistic study of residential treatment effectiveness were assessed at intake, and 3, 6, and 12 months later on 12-step attendance, age composition of attended 12-step groups, and treatment outcome (Percent Days Abstinent [PDA]). Hierarchical linear models (HLM) tested the moderating effect of age composition on PDA concurrently and in lagged models controlling for confounds. A significant three-way interaction between attendance, age composition, and time was detected in the concurrent (p=0.002), but not lagged, model (b=0.38, p=0.46). Specifically, a similar age composition was helpful early post-treatment among low 12-step attendees, but became detrimental over time. Treatment and other referral agencies might enhance the likelihood of successful remission and recovery among young adults by locating and initially linking such individuals to age appropriate groups. Once engaged, however, it may be prudent to encourage gradual integration into the broader mixed-age range of 12-step meetings, wherein it is possible that older members may provide the depth and length of sober experience needed to carry young adults forward into long-term recovery. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Effect of moisture and drying time on the bond strength of the one-step self-etching adhesive system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoon Lee

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Objectives To investigate the effect of dentin moisture degree and air-drying time on dentin-bond strength of two different one-step self-etching adhesive systems. Materials and Methods Twenty-four human third molars were used for microtensile bond strength testing of G-Bond and Clearfil S3 Bond. The dentin surface was either blot-dried or air-dried before applying these adhesive agents. After application of the adhesive agent, three different air drying times were evaluated: 1, 5, and 10 sec. Composite resin was build up to 4 mm thickness and light cured for 40 sec with 2 separate layers. Then the tooth was sectioned and trimmed to measure the microtensile bond strength using a universal testing machine. The measured bond strengths were analyzed with three-way ANOVA and regression analysis was done (p = 0.05. Results All three factors, materials, dentin wetness and air drying time, showed significant effect on the microtensile bond strength. Clearfil S3 Bond, dry dentin surface and 10 sec air drying time showed higher bond strength. Conclusions Within the limitation of this experiment, air drying time after the application of the one-step self-etching adhesive agent was the most significant factor affecting the bond strength, followed by the material difference and dentin moisture before applying the adhesive agent.

  4. A novel temperature control method for shortening thermal cycling time to achieve rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a disposable polymer microfluidic device

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bu, Minqiang; R. Perch-Nielsen, Ivan; Sørensen, Karen Skotte

    steps to achieve a rapid ramping between the temperature steps for DNA denaturation, annealing and extension. The temperature dynamics within the microfluidic PCR chamber was characterized and the overshooting and undershooting parameters were optimized using the temperature dependent fluorescence......We present a new temperature control method capable of effectively shortening the thermal cycling time of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a disposable polymer microfluidic device with external heater and temperature sensor. The method employs optimized temperature overshooting and undershooting...

  5. Rigid Body Sampling and Individual Time Stepping for Rigid-Fluid Coupling of Fluid Simulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaokun Wang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we propose an efficient and simple rigid-fluid coupling scheme with scientific programming algorithms for particle-based fluid simulation and three-dimensional visualization. Our approach samples the surface of rigid bodies with boundary particles that interact with fluids. It contains two procedures, that is, surface sampling and sampling relaxation, which insures uniform distribution of particles with less iterations. Furthermore, we present a rigid-fluid coupling scheme integrating individual time stepping to rigid-fluid coupling, which gains an obvious speedup compared to previous method. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.

  6. Step-wise refolding of recombinant proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsumoto, Kouhei; Arakawa, Tsutomu; Chen, Linda

    2010-04-01

    Protein refolding is still on trial-and-error basis. Here we describe step-wise dialysis refolding, in which denaturant concentration is altered in step-wise fashion. This technology controls the folding pathway by adjusting the concentrations of the denaturant and other solvent additives to induce sequential folding or disulfide formation.

  7. One False Step: "Detroit," "Step" and Movies of Rising and Falling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beck, Bernard

    2018-01-01

    "Detroit" and "Step" are two recent movies in the context of urban riots in protest of police brutality. They refer to time periods separated by half a century, but there are common themes in the two that seem appropriate to both times. The movies are not primarily concerned with the riot events, but the riot is a major…

  8. Adaptive control of discrete-time chaotic systems: a fuzzy control approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng Gang; Chen Guanrong

    2005-01-01

    This paper discusses adaptive control of a class of discrete-time chaotic systems from a fuzzy control approach. Using the T-S model of discrete-time chaotic systems, an adaptive control algorithm is developed based on some conventional adaptive control techniques. The resulting adaptively controlled chaotic system is shown to be globally stable, and its robustness is discussed. A simulation example of the chaotic Henon map control is finally presented, to illustrate an application and the performance of the proposed control algorithm

  9. Control of mixing step in the bread production with weak wheat flour and sourdough

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandro Parenti

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Recently, several old Italian grain varieties have been reinstated, and the market seems to reward the breads made with these flours. Among such varieties, cultivar Verna appears to be interesting because the regular consumption of bread obtained by this variety and sourdough provides beneficial effects on human health such as the improving of the lipid, inflammatory, and hemorheological profiles. However, flours derived from Verna shows low technological performances. For example, the W value of these flours, obtained with alveoghraphic tests and considered as the commercial standard for the flour “strength” evaluation, is largely inferior than the W values of the commercial flour blends currently used in the bread making process. Moreover, the W values broadly change among the batches of Verna flours, whereas, usually, commercial blends are provided to bakeries with standard technological properties. Hence, these properties of Verna flour could lead to developed or overworked doughs and therefore to breads of worse quality. In addition, the previous mentioned large variability of flours from Verna can affect also the sourdough microbiota. For these reasons the composition and activity of the sourdough microorganisms should be controlled while the mixing process should be able to adapt to the different flour properties. Some works, in literature, report that monitoring the electrical consumption could provide useful information about the dough rheology, and this could be used to monitor the mixing step. In the present work the effect of different mixing times are evaluated on breads made with Verna flour type 2 leavened with sourdough. Tests were carried out at industrial scale in two different days. During the tests the electric consumption was monitored to highlight some features suitable for the mixing phase control. The breads were evaluated in terms of loaf volume measurement, crumb image analysis and losses of moisture content during

  10. Assessing software quality at each step of its life-cycle to enhance reliability of control systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hardion, V.; Buteau, A.; Leclercq, N.; Abeille, G.; Pierre-Joseph, Z.; Le, S.

    2012-01-01

    A distributed software control system aims to enhance the upgrade ability and reliability by sharing responsibility between several components. The disadvantage is that it makes it harder to detect problems on a significant number of modules. With Kaizen in mind we have chosen to continuously invest in automation to obtain a complete overview of software quality despite the growth of legacy code. The development process has already been mastered by staging each life-cycle step thanks to a continuous integration server based on JENKINS and MAVEN. We enhanced this process, focusing on 3 objectives: Automatic Test, Static Code Analysis and Post-Mortem Supervision. Now, the build process automatically includes a test section to detect regressions, incorrect behaviour and integration incompatibility. The in-house TANGOUNIT project satisfies the difficulties of testing distributed components such as Tango Devices. In the next step, the programming code has to pass a complete code quality check-up. The SONAR quality server has been integrated in the process, to collect each static code analysis and display the hot topics on summary web pages. Finally, the integration of Google BREAKPAD in every TANGO Devices gives us essential statistics from crash reports and enables us to replay the crash scenarios at any time. We have already gained greater visibility on current developments. Some concrete results will be presented including reliability enhancement, better management of subcontracted software development, quicker adoption of coding standards by new developers and understanding of impacts when moving to a new technology. (authors)

  11. Timing and motor control in drumming

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dahl, Sofia; Grossbach, Michael; Altenmüller, Eckart

    the stick movement becomes increasingly difficult, sometimes resulting in irregularities in timing and/or striking force. Timing irregularities can also be a revealing sign of motor control problems, such as focal dystonia (Jabusch, Vauth & Altenmüller, 2004). The "breakdown" in motor control can therefore...

  12. Optimal control linear quadratic methods

    CERN Document Server

    Anderson, Brian D O

    2007-01-01

    This augmented edition of a respected text teaches the reader how to use linear quadratic Gaussian methods effectively for the design of control systems. It explores linear optimal control theory from an engineering viewpoint, with step-by-step explanations that show clearly how to make practical use of the material.The three-part treatment begins with the basic theory of the linear regulator/tracker for time-invariant and time-varying systems. The Hamilton-Jacobi equation is introduced using the Principle of Optimality, and the infinite-time problem is considered. The second part outlines the

  13. Time-optimal feedback control for linear systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mirica, S.

    1976-01-01

    The paper deals with the results of qualitative investigations of the time-optimal feedback control for linear systems with constant coefficients. In the first section, after some definitions and notations, two examples are given and it is shown that even the time-optimal control problem for linear systems with constant coefficients which looked like ''completely solved'' requires a further qualitative investigation of the stability to ''permanent perturbations'' of optimal feedback control. In the second section some basic results of the linear time-optimal control problem are reviewed. The third section deals with the definition of Boltyanskii's ''regular synthesis'' and its connection to Filippov's theory of right-hand side discontinuous differential equations. In the fourth section a theorem is proved concerning the stability to perturbations of time-optimal feedback control for linear systems with scalar control. In the last two sections it is proved that, if the matrix which defines the system has only real eigenvalues or is three-dimensional, the time-optimal feedback control defines a regular synthesis and therefore is stable to perturbations. (author)

  14. Transient flow analysis of the single cylinder for the control rod hydraulic driving system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Xinming; Qin, Benke; Bo, Hanliang

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • The control rod hydraulic driving system(CRHDS) is a new type of built-in control rod drive technology. The hydraulic cylinder is the main component of the CRHDS. • Transient flow phenomenon in the CRHDS is studied by experiments under different working conditions. • The working mechanism of the hydraulic cylinder step motion and the key characteristic parameters are analyzed based on the experimental results. - Abstract: The control rod hydraulic driving system (CRHDS) is a new type of built-in control rod drive technology. In the CRHDS the pulse flow from the pump into the hydraulic cylinder of the control rod hydraulic drive mechanism (CRHDM) is regulated by the integrated valve to perform the step motion of the reactor control rod. Transient flow occurs in the CRHDS during control rod step motion process which is studied by experiments. The time-history curves of flow rate, pressure and inner cylinder displacement were analyzed, and the results show that the water hammer pressure peak during the step-up motion is high, while there are no obvious pressure fluctuations in the corresponding step-down motion. In the step-up process, the pressure fluctuation amplitude increases with the increase of CRHDS driving pressure. The step-up time and the pressure increasing time before step-up decreases with the driving pressure. The step-up pressure increases with the driving pressure. In the step-down process, the step-down time, the step-down pressure and the pressure decreasing time before step-down do not change with the increase of the driving pressure. The experimental results lay the base for the working principle and vibration reduction analysis of the CRHDS and it’s also helpful for improvement of the working performance of the key facilities and instruments of the CRHDS loop.

  15. The Healthy Steps Study: A randomized controlled trial of a pedometer-based Green Prescription for older adults. Trial protocol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schluter Philip J

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Graded health benefits of physical activity have been demonstrated for the reduction of coronary heart disease, some cancers, and type-2 diabetes, and for injury reduction and improvements in mental health. Older adults are particularly at risk of physical inactivity, and would greatly benefit from successful targeted physical activity interventions. Methods/Design The Healthy Steps study is a 12-month randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy of a pedometer-based Green Prescription with the conventional time-based Green Prescription in increasing and maintaining physical activity levels in low-active adults over 65 years of age. The Green Prescription interventions involve a primary care physical activity prescription with 3 follow-up telephone counselling sessions delivered by trained physical activity counsellors over 3 months. Those in the pedometer group received a pedometer and counselling based around increasing steps that can be monitored on the pedometer, while those in the standard Green Prescription group received counselling using time-based goals. Baseline, 3 month (end of intervention, and 12 month measures were assessed in face-to-face home visits with outcomes measures being physical activity (Auckland Heart Study Physical Activity Questionnaire, quality of life (SF-36 and EQ-5D, depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale, blood pressure, weight status, functional status (gait speed, chair stands, and tandem balance test and falls and adverse events (self-report. Utilisation of health services was assessed for the economic evaluation carried out alongside this trial. As well, a process evaluation of the interventions and an examination of barriers and motives for physical activity in the sample were conducted. The perceptions of primary care physicians in relation to delivering physical activity counselling were also assessed. Discussion The findings from the Healthy Steps trial are due in late

  16. Adiabatic tapered optical fiber fabrication in two step etching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chenari, Z.; Latifi, H.; Ghamari, S.; Hashemi, R. S.; Doroodmand, F.

    2016-01-01

    A two-step etching method using HF acid and Buffered HF is proposed to fabricate adiabatic biconical optical fiber tapers. Due to the fact that the etching rate in second step is almost 3 times slower than the previous droplet etching method, terminating the fabrication process is controllable enough to achieve a desirable fiber diameter. By monitoring transmitted spectrum, final diameter and adiabaticity of tapers are deduced. Tapers with losses about 0.3 dB in air and 4.2 dB in water are produced. The biconical fiber taper fabricated using this method is used to excite whispering gallery modes (WGMs) on a microsphere surface in an aquatic environment. So that they are suitable to be used in applications like WGM biosensors.

  17. Real-Time Attitude Control Algorithm for Fast Tumbling Objects under Torque Constraint

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsuda, Yuichi; Nakasuka, Shinichi

    This paper describes a new control algorithm for achieving any arbitrary attitude and angular velocity states of a rigid body, even fast and complicated tumbling rotations, under some practical constraints. This technique is expected to be applied for the attitude motion synchronization to capture a non-cooperative, tumbling object in such missions as removal of debris from orbit, servicing broken-down satellites for repairing or inspection, rescue of manned vehicles, etc. For this objective, we have introduced a novel control algorithm called Free Motion Path Method (FMPM) in the previous paper, which was formulated as an open-loop controller. The next step of this consecutive work is to derive a closed-loop FMPM controller, and as the preliminary step toward the objective, this paper attempts to derive a conservative state variables representation of a rigid body dynamics. 6-Dimensional conservative state variables are introduced in place of general angular velocity-attitude angle representation, and how to convert between both representations are shown in this paper.

  18. Time Optimal Run-time Evaluation of Distributed Timing Constraints in Process Control Software

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Drejer, N.; Kristensen, C.H.

    1993-01-01

    This paper considers run-time evaluation of an important class of constraints; Timing constraints. These appear extensively in process control systems. Timing constraints are considered in distributed systems, i.e. systems consisting of multiple autonomous nodes......

  19. Robust control of time-delay chaotic systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hua Changchun; Guan Xinping

    2003-01-01

    Robust control problem of nonlinear time-delay chaotic systems is investigated. For such uncertain systems, we propose adaptive feedback controller and novel nonlinear feedback controller. They are both independent of the time delay and can render the corresponding closed-loop systems globally uniformly ultimately bounded stable. The simulations on controlling logistic system are made and the results show the controllers are feasible

  20. Time Stamp Synchronization of PEFP Distributed Control Systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Young Gi; An, Eun Mi; Kwon, Hyeok Jung; Cho, Yong Sub

    2010-01-01

    Proton Engineering Frontier Project (PEFP) proton linac consists of several types of control systems, such as soft Input Output Controllers (IOC) and embedded IOC based on Experimental Physics Industrial Control System (EPICS) for each subsection of PEFP facility. One of the important factors is that IOC's time clock is synchronized. The synchronized time and time stamp can be achieved with Network Time Protocol (NTP) and EPICS time stamp record without timing hardware. The requirement of the time accuracy of IOCs is less than 1 second. The main objective of this study is to configure a master clock and produce Process Variable (PV) time stamps using local CPU time synchronized from the master clock. The distributed control systems are attached on PEFP control network

  1. How many steps/day are enough? For children and adolescents

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Tudor-Locke, Catrine

    2011-07-28

    Abstract Worldwide, public health physical activity guidelines include special emphasis on populations of children (typically 6-11 years) and adolescents (typically 12-19 years). Existing guidelines are commonly expressed in terms of frequency, time, and intensity of behaviour. However, the simple step output from both accelerometers and pedometers is gaining increased credibility in research and practice as a reasonable approximation of daily ambulatory physical activity volume. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to review existing child and adolescent objectively monitored step-defined physical activity literature to provide researchers, practitioners, and lay people who use accelerometers and pedometers with evidence-based translations of these public health guidelines in terms of steps\\/day. In terms of normative data (i.e., expected values), the updated international literature indicates that we can expect 1) among children, boys to average 12,000 to 16,000 steps\\/day and girls to average 10,000 to 13,000 steps\\/day; and, 2) adolescents to steadily decrease steps\\/day until approximately 8,000-9,000 steps\\/day are observed in 18-year olds. Controlled studies of cadence show that continuous MVPA walking produces 3,300-3,500 steps in 30 minutes or 6,600-7,000 steps in 60 minutes in 10-15 year olds. Limited evidence suggests that a total daily physical activity volume of 10,000-14,000 steps\\/day is associated with 60-100 minutes of MVPA in preschool children (approximately 4-6 years of age). Across studies, 60 minutes of MVPA in primary\\/elementary school children appears to be achieved, on average, within a total volume of 13,000 to 15,000 steps\\/day in boys and 11,000 to 12,000 steps\\/day in girls. For adolescents (both boys and girls), 10,000 to 11,700 may be associated with 60 minutes of MVPA. Translations of time- and intensity-based guidelines may be higher than existing normative data (e.g., in adolescents) and therefore will be more

  2. The step complexity measure for emergency operating procedures - comparing with simulation data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jinkyun; Jung, Wondea; Kim, Jaewhan; Ha, Jaejoo; Shin, Yunghwa

    2001-01-01

    In complex systems, such as nuclear power plants (NPPs) or airplane control systems, human errors play a major role in many accidents. Therefore, to prevent occurrences of accidents or to ensure system safety, extensive effort has been made to identify significant factors that cause human errors. According to related studies, written manuals or operating procedures are revealed as one of the most important factors, and complexity or understandability of a procedure is pointed out as one of the major reasons that make procedure-related human errors. Many qualitative checklists are suggested to evaluate emergency operating procedures (EOPs) of NPPs. However, since qualitative evaluations using checklists have some drawbacks, a quantitative measure that can quantify the complexity of EOPs is imperative to compensate for them. In order to quantify the complexity of EOPs, Park et al. suggested the step complexity (SC) measure to quantify the complexity of a step included in EOPs. In this paper, to ensure the appropriateness of the SC measure, SC scores are compared with averaged step performance time data obtained from emergency training records. The total number of available records is 36, and training scenarios are the loss of coolant accident and the excess steam dump event. The number of scenario is 18 each. From these emergency training records, step performance time data for 39 steps are retrieved, and they are compared with estimated SC scores of them. In addition, several questions that are needed to clarify the appropriateness of the SC measure are also discussed. As a result, it was observed that estimated SC scores and step performance time data have a statistically meaningful correlation. Thus, it can be concluded that the SC measure can quantify the complexity of steps included in EOPs

  3. Step out - Step in Sequencing Games

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Musegaas, M.; Borm, P.E.M.; Quant, M.

    2014-01-01

    In this paper a new class of relaxed sequencing games is introduced: the class of Step out - Step in sequencing games. In this relaxation any player within a coalition is allowed to step out from his position in the processing order and to step in at any position later in the processing order.

  4. Cavity digital control testing system by Simulink step operation method for TESLA linear accelerator and free electron laser

    Science.gov (United States)

    Czarski, Tomasz; Romaniuk, Ryszard S.; Pozniak, Krzysztof T.; Simrock, Stefan

    2004-07-01

    The cavity control system for the TESLA -- TeV-Energy Superconducting Linear Accelerator project is initially introduced in this paper. The FPGA -- Field Programmable Gate Array technology has been implemented for digital controller stabilizing cavity field gradient. The cavity SIMULINK model has been applied to test the hardware controller. The step operation method has been developed for testing the FPGA device coupled to the SIMULINK model of the analog real plant. The FPGA signal processing has been verified according to the required algorithm of the reference MATLAB controller. Some experimental results have been presented for different cavity operational conditions.

  5. Time dependent policy-based access control

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vasilikos, Panagiotis; Nielson, Flemming; Nielson, Hanne Riis

    2017-01-01

    also on other attributes of the environment such as the time. In this paper, we use systems of Timed Automata to model distributed systems and we present a logic in which one can express time-dependent policies for access control. We show how a fragment of our logic can be reduced to a logic......Access control policies are essential to determine who is allowed to access data in a system without compromising the data's security. However, applications inside a distributed environment may require those policies to be dependent on the actual content of the data, the flow of information, while...... that current model checkers for Timed Automata such as UPPAAL can handle and we present a translator that performs this reduction. We then use our translator and UPPAAL to enforce time-dependent policy-based access control on an example application from the aerospace industry....

  6. Calibration and Evaluation of Different Estimation Models of Daily Solar Radiation in Seasonally and Annual Time Steps in Shiraz Region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamid Reza Fooladmand

    2017-06-01

    2006 to 2008 were used for calibrating fourteen estimated models of solar radiation in seasonally and annual time steps and the measured data of years 2009 and 2010 were used for evaluating the obtained results. The equations were used in this study divided into three groups contains: 1 The equations based on only sunshine hours. 2 The equations based on only air temperature. 3 The equations based on sunshine hours and air temperature together. On the other hand, statistical comparison must be done to select the best equation for estimating solar radiation in seasonally and annual time steps. For this purpose, in validation stage the combination of statistical equations and linear correlation was used, and then the value of mean square deviation (MSD was calculated to evaluate the different models for estimating solar radiation in mentioned time steps. Results and Discussion: The mean values of mean square deviation (MSD of fourteen models for estimating solar radiation were equal to 24.16, 20.42, 4.08 and 16.19 for spring to winter respectively, and 15.40 in annual time step. Therefore, the results showed that using the equations for autumn enjoyed high accuracy, however for other seasons had low accuracy. So, using the equations for annual time step were appropriate more than the equations for seasonally time steps. Also, the mean values of mean square deviation (MSD of the equations based on only sunshine hours, the equations based on only air temperature, and the equations based on the combination of sunshine hours and air temperature for estimating solar radiation were equal to 14.82, 17.40 and 14.88, respectively. Therefore, the results indicated that the models based on only air temperature were the worst conditions for estimating solar radiation in Shiraz region, and therefore, using the sunshine hours for estimating solar radiation is necessary. Conclusions: In this study for estimating solar radiation in seasonally and annual time steps in Shiraz region

  7. Effect of Tai Chi Training on Dual-Tasking Performance That Involves Stepping Down among Stroke Survivors: A Pilot Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Wing-Nga; Tsang, William Wai-Nam

    2017-01-01

    Descending stairs demands attention and neuromuscular control, especially with dual-tasking. Studies have demonstrated that stroke often degrades a survivor's ability to descend stairs. Tai Chi has been shown to improve dual-tasking performance of healthy older adults, but no such study has been conducted in stroke survivors. This study investigated the effect of Tai Chi training on dual-tasking performance that involved stepping down and compared it with that of conventional exercise among stroke survivors. Subjects were randomized into Tai Chi ( n = 9), conventional exercise ( n = 8), and control ( n = 9) groups. Those in the former two groups received 12-week training. Assessments included auditory Stroop test, stepping down test, and dual-tasking test involving both simultaneously. They were evaluated before training (time-1), after training (time-2), and one month after training (time-3). Tai Chi group showed significant improvement in the auditory Stroop test from time-1 to time-3 and the performance was significantly better than that of the conventional exercise group in time-3. No significant effect was found in the stepping down task or dual-tasking in the control group. These results suggest a beneficial effect of Tai Chi training on cognition among stroke survivors without compromising physical task performance in dual-tasking. The effect was better than the conventional exercise group. Nevertheless, further research with a larger sample is warranted.

  8. Effect of Tai Chi Training on Dual-Tasking Performance That Involves Stepping Down among Stroke Survivors: A Pilot Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wing-Nga Chan

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Descending stairs demands attention and neuromuscular control, especially with dual-tasking. Studies have demonstrated that stroke often degrades a survivor’s ability to descend stairs. Tai Chi has been shown to improve dual-tasking performance of healthy older adults, but no such study has been conducted in stroke survivors. This study investigated the effect of Tai Chi training on dual-tasking performance that involved stepping down and compared it with that of conventional exercise among stroke survivors. Subjects were randomized into Tai Chi (n=9, conventional exercise (n=8, and control (n=9 groups. Those in the former two groups received 12-week training. Assessments included auditory Stroop test, stepping down test, and dual-tasking test involving both simultaneously. They were evaluated before training (time-1, after training (time-2, and one month after training (time-3. Tai Chi group showed significant improvement in the auditory Stroop test from time-1 to time-3 and the performance was significantly better than that of the conventional exercise group in time-3. No significant effect was found in the stepping down task or dual-tasking in the control group. These results suggest a beneficial effect of Tai Chi training on cognition among stroke survivors without compromising physical task performance in dual-tasking. The effect was better than the conventional exercise group. Nevertheless, further research with a larger sample is warranted.

  9. Step out-step in sequencing games

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Musegaas, Marieke; Borm, Peter; Quant, Marieke

    2015-01-01

    In this paper a new class of relaxed sequencing games is introduced: the class of Step out–Step in sequencing games. In this relaxation any player within a coalition is allowed to step out from his position in the processing order and to step in at any position later in the processing order. First,

  10. Assessment of radiopacity of restorative composite resins with various target distances and exposure times and a modified aluminum step wedge

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bejeh Mir, Arash Poorsattar [Dentistry Student Research Committee (DSRC), Dental Materials Research Center, Dentistry School, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Bejeh Mir, Morvarid Poorsattar [Private Practice of Orthodontics, Montreal, Quebec (Canada)

    2012-09-15

    ANSI/ADA has established standards for adequate radiopacity. This study was aimed to assess the changes in radiopacity of composite resins according to various tube-target distances and exposure times. Five 1-mm thick samples of Filtek P60 and Clearfil composite resins were prepared and exposed with six tube-target distance/exposure time setups (i.e., 40 cm, 0.2 seconds; 30 cm, 0.2 seconds; 30 cm, 0.16 seconds, 30 cm, 0.12 seconds; 15 cm, 0.2 seconds; 15 cm, 0.12 seconds) performing at 70 kVp and 7 mA along with a 12-step aluminum stepwedge (1 mm incremental steps) using a PSP digital sensor. Thereafter, the radiopacities measured with Digora for Windows software 2.5 were converted to absorbencies (i.e., A=-log (1-G/255)), where A is the absorbency and G is the measured gray scale). Furthermore, the linear regression model of aluminum thickness and absorbency was developed and used to convert the radiopacity of dental materials to the equivalent aluminum thickness. In addition, all calculations were compared with those obtained from a modified 3-step stepwedge (i.e., using data for the 2nd, 5th, and 8th steps). The radiopacities of the composite resins differed significantly with various setups (p<0.001) and between the materials (p<0.001). The best predicted model was obtained for the 30 cm 0.2 seconds setup (R2=0.999). Data from the reduced modified stepwedge was remarkable and comparable with the 12-step stepwedge. Within the limits of the present study, our findings support that various setups might influence the radiopacity of dental materials on digital radiographs.

  11. Evolution of robot-assisted orthotopic ileal neobladder formation: a step-by-step update to the University of Southern California (USC) technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chopra, Sameer; de Castro Abreu, Andre Luis; Berger, Andre K; Sehgal, Shuchi; Gill, Inderbir; Aron, Monish; Desai, Mihir M

    2017-01-01

    To describe our, step-by-step, technique for robotic intracorporeal neobladder formation. The main surgical steps to forming the intracorporeal orthotopic ileal neobladder are: isolation of 65 cm of small bowel; small bowel anastomosis; bowel detubularisation; suture of the posterior wall of the neobladder; neobladder-urethral anastomosis and cross folding of the pouch; and uretero-enteral anastomosis. Improvements have been made to these steps to enhance time efficiency without compromising neobladder configuration. Our technical improvements have resulted in an improvement in operative time from 450 to 360 min. We describe an updated step-by-step technique of robot-assisted intracorporeal orthotopic ileal neobladder formation. © 2016 The Authors BJU International © 2016 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Heliostat-field gain-scheduling control applied to a two-step solar hydrogen production plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roca, Lidia; Calle, Alberto de la; Yebra, Luis J.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► A control system is proposed for a solar reactor system which produces hydrogen. ► The controller chooses which heliostats from the solar field must be focused. ► A gain scheduling scheme is included to deal with different system dynamics. ► The scheme is tested and tunned in simulation. ► Real experiments show the promising results of this work. -- Abstract: This article describes a temperature control structure designed for the interior of a solar hydrogen reactor based on a two-step ferrite-redox technology. Until now, this temperature has been controlled by manual selection of the heliostats to be focused on the receiver targets. However, the strong system dependency on operating conditions suggests that the procedure be automated in order to ensure the desired setpoint change response. The aims are to maintain the desired temperatures and to make the setpoint switch as fast as possible, keeping plant conditions within the margins of safety. The scheme proposed includes a procedure for selecting the heliostats to be focused on the reactor by using a simple model of the solar field and a gain scheduling control system which changes the control tuning parameters to deal with the varying dynamics observed during the process. Real experiments show the promising results of this work.

  13. Step Detection Robust against the Dynamics of Smartphones

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hwan-hee; Choi, Suji; Lee, Myeong-jin

    2015-01-01

    A novel algorithm is proposed for robust step detection irrespective of step mode and device pose in smartphone usage environments. The dynamics of smartphones are decoupled into a peak-valley relationship with adaptive magnitude and temporal thresholds. For extracted peaks and valleys in the magnitude of acceleration, a step is defined as consisting of a peak and its adjacent valley. Adaptive magnitude thresholds consisting of step average and step deviation are applied to suppress pseudo peaks or valleys that mostly occur during the transition among step modes or device poses. Adaptive temporal thresholds are applied to time intervals between peaks or valleys to consider the time-varying pace of human walking or running for the correct selection of peaks or valleys. From the experimental results, it can be seen that the proposed step detection algorithm shows more than 98.6% average accuracy for any combination of step mode and device pose and outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms. PMID:26516857

  14. Evaluation of one-step micro polishers for residual resin removal after debonding on fluorosed teeth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Padmalatha Challa

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim and objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of one step micro polishers for residual resin removal on fluorosed teeth using scanning electron microscope (SEM. Methods and Material: 55 teeth with mild to moderate fluorosis were selected with five teeth as control. Metal brackets were bonded onto 50 teeth which were divided into 5 groups. The finishing and polishing methods which were tested include tungsten carbide burs (TCB, multistep finishing system (Sof-Lex, one step polishers (PoGo and combination of TCB with multistep and one step polishing systems. After resin removal, all the samples were examined under SEM for assessment of the enamel surface. Results: The enamel surface was closest to untouched enamel in samples finished with the PoGo one step polishers followed by Sof-Lex multistep finishing system. However, they took the longest time to finish. TCB required the shortest time for residual resin removal. Conclusions: All polishing systems produce a certain degree of damage to the enamel surface with the smoothest surface being produced by one step polishers on fluorosed teeth.

  15. Precision position control of servo systems using adaptive back-stepping and recurrent fuzzy neural networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Han Me; Kim, Jong Shik; Han, Seong Ik

    2009-01-01

    To improve position tracking performance of servo systems, a position tracking control using adaptive back-stepping control(ABSC) scheme and recurrent fuzzy neural networks(RFNN) is proposed. An adaptive rule of the ABSC based on system dynamics and dynamic friction model is also suggested to compensate nonlinear dynamic friction characteristics. However, it is difficult to reduce the position tracking error of servo systems by using only the ABSC scheme because of the system uncertainties which cannot be exactly identified during the modeling of servo systems. Therefore, in order to overcome system uncertainties and then to improve position tracking performance of servo systems, the RFNN technique is additionally applied to the servo system. The feasibility of the proposed control scheme for a servo system is validated through experiments. Experimental results show that the servo system with ABS controller based on the dual friction observer and RFNN including the reconstruction error estimator can achieve desired tracking performance and robustness

  16. Detection of Tomato black ring virus by real-time one-step RT-PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harper, Scott J; Delmiglio, Catia; Ward, Lisa I; Clover, Gerard R G

    2011-01-01

    A TaqMan-based real-time one-step RT-PCR assay was developed for the rapid detection of Tomato black ring virus (TBRV), a significant plant pathogen which infects a wide range of economically important crops. Primers and a probe were designed against existing genomic sequences to amplify a 72 bp fragment from RNA-2. The assay amplified all isolates of TBRV tested, but no amplification was observed from the RNA of other nepovirus species or healthy host plants. The detection limit of the assay was estimated to be around nine copies of the TBRV target region in total RNA. A comparison with conventional RT-PCR and ELISA, indicated that ELISA, the current standard test method, lacked specificity and reacted to all nepovirus species tested, while conventional RT-PCR was approximately ten-fold less sensitive than the real-time RT-PCR assay. Finally, the real-time RT-PCR assay was tested using five different RT-PCR reagent kits and was found to be robust and reliable, with no significant differences in sensitivity being found. The development of this rapid assay should aid in quarantine and post-border surveys for regulatory agencies. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Gain-scheduled {{\\mathscr{H}}}_{\\infty } buckling control of a circular beam-column subject to time-varying axial loads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaeffner, Maximilian; Platz, Roland

    2018-06-01

    For slender beam-columns loaded by axial compressive forces, active buckling control provides a possibility to increase the maximum bearable axial load above that of a purely passive structure. In this paper, an approach for gain-scheduled {{\\mathscr{H}}}∞ buckling control of a slender beam-column with circular cross-section subject to time-varying axial loads is investigated experimentally. Piezo-elastic supports with integrated piezoelectric stack actuators at the beam-column ends allow an active stabilization in arbitrary lateral directions. The axial loads on the beam-column influence its lateral dynamic behavior and, eventually, cause the beam-column to buckle. A reduced modal model of the beam-column subject to axial loads including the dynamics of the electrical components is set up and calibrated with experimental data. Particularly, the linear parameter-varying open-loop plant is used to design a model-based gain-scheduled {{\\mathscr{H}}}∞ buckling control that is implemented in an experimental test setup. The beam-column is loaded by ramp- and step-shaped time-varying axial compressive loads that result in a lateral deformation of the beam-column due to imperfections, such as predeformation, eccentric loading or clamping moments. The lateral deformations and the maximum bearable loads of the beam-column are analyzed and compared for the beam-column with and without gain-scheduled {{\\mathscr{H}}}∞ buckling control or, respectively, active and passive configuration. With the proposed gain-scheduled {{\\mathscr{H}}}∞ buckling control it is possible to increase the maximum bearable load of the active beam-column by 19% for ramp-shaped axial loads and to significantly reduce the beam-column deformations for step-shaped axial loads compared to the passive structure.

  18. One-step reduced kinetics for lean hydrogen-air deflagration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fernandez-Galisteo, D.; Sanchez, A.L. [Area de Mecanica de Fluidos, Univ. Carlos III de Madrid, Leganes 28911 (Spain); Linan, A. [ETSI Aeronauticos, Pl. Cardenal Cisneros 3, Madrid 28040 (Spain); Williams, F.A. [Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0411 (United States)

    2009-05-15

    A short mechanism consisting of seven elementary reactions, of which only three are reversible, is shown to provide good predictions of hydrogen-air lean-flame burning velocities. This mechanism is further simplified by noting that over a range of conditions of practical interest, near the lean flammability limit all reaction intermediaries have small concentrations in the important thin reaction zone that controls the hydrogen-air laminar burning velocity and therefore follow a steady state approximation, while the main species react according to the global irreversible reaction 2H{sub 2} + O{sub 2} {yields} 2H{sub 2}O. An explicit expression for the non-Arrhenius rate of this one-step overall reaction for hydrogen oxidation is derived from the seven-step detailed mechanism, for application near the flammability limit. The one-step results are used to calculate flammability limits and burning velocities of planar deflagrations. Furthermore, implications concerning radical profiles in the deflagration and reasons for the success of the approximations are clarified. It is also demonstrated that adding only two irreversible direct recombination steps to the seven-step mechanism accurately reproduces burning velocities of the full detailed mechanism for all equivalence ratios at normal atmospheric conditions and that an eight-step detailed mechanism, constructed from the seven-step mechanism by adding to it the fourth reversible shuffle reaction, improves predictions of O and OH profiles. The new reduced-chemistry descriptions can be useful for both analytical and computational studies of lean hydrogen-air flames, decreasing required computation times. (author)

  19. Standardization of a two-step real-time polymerase chain reaction based method for species-specific detection of medically important Aspergillus species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, P; Pandey, P; Harishankar, A; Chandy, M; Bhattacharya, S; Chakrabarti, A

    2017-01-01

    Standardization of Aspergillus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) poses two technical challenges (a) standardization of DNA extraction, (b) optimization of PCR against various medically important Aspergillus species. Many cases of aspergillosis go undiagnosed because of relative insensitivity of conventional diagnostic methods such as microscopy, culture or antigen detection. The present study is an attempt to standardize real-time PCR assay for rapid sensitive and specific detection of Aspergillus DNA in EDTA whole blood. Three nucleic acid extraction protocols were compared and a two-step real-time PCR assay was developed and validated following the recommendations of the European Aspergillus PCR Initiative in our setup. In the first PCR step (pan-Aspergillus PCR), the target was 28S rDNA gene, whereas in the second step, species specific PCR the targets were beta-tubulin (for Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus terreus), gene and calmodulin gene (for Aspergillus niger). Species specific identification of four medically important Aspergillus species, namely, A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger and A. terreus were achieved by this PCR. Specificity of the PCR was tested against 34 different DNA source including bacteria, virus, yeast, other Aspergillus sp., other fungal species and for human DNA and had no false-positive reactions. The analytical sensitivity of the PCR was found to be 102 CFU/ml. The present protocol of two-step real-time PCR assays for genus- and species-specific identification for commonly isolated species in whole blood for diagnosis of invasive Aspergillus infections offers a rapid, sensitive and specific assay option and requires clinical validation at multiple centers.

  20. Modeling and Design of MPPT Controller Using Stepped P&O Algorithm in Solar Photovoltaic System

    OpenAIRE

    R. Prakash; B. Meenakshipriya; R. Kumaravelan

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents modeling and simulation of Grid Connected Photovoltaic (PV) system by using improved mathematical model. The model is used to study different parameter variations and effects on the PV array including operating temperature and solar irradiation level. In this paper stepped P&O algorithm is proposed for MPPT control. This algorithm will identify the suitable duty ratio in which the DC-DC converter should be operated to maximize the power output. Photo voltaic array with pro...

  1. A little trouble getting started: Initial slowness in Parkinson's disease step negotiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stone, Amanda E; Skinner, Jared W; Lee, Hyo Keun; Hass, Chris J

    2017-09-01

    Bradykinesia is a prominent problem for persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) and has been studied extensively with upper extremity tasks; however there is a lack of research examining bradykinesia in targeted lower extremity tasks related to mobility. Navigating steps and curbs are challenging tasks for older adults and neurologically impaired and thus utilizing these behaviors provides ecological validity to the study of bradykinesia. Herein we assess differences in step negotiation performance between individuals with PD and aged matched older adults. Three-dimensional kinematics and ground reaction forces were collected while 12 participants with PD and 12 older adults performed a single step up onto a platform. Persons with PD spent a significantly greater amount of time in the heel lift phase (P=0.0003, d=1.80). Peak vertical foot velocity of the lead foot was also significantly less in PD (P=0.02, d=1.05). Lastly, persons with PD displayed reduced sagittal hip and knee range of motion during the trail step (P=0.01, d=1.20 and P=0.02, d=1.05, respectively). Parkinson's participants exhibited slight decrement in step negotiation execution. Increased step time and decreased foot velocity and range of motion were attributes associated with Parkinson's step negotiation performance. Contrary to our hypothesis, in many comparisons, persons with PD during their best medicated state performed comparable to older adults, indicative of successful pharmacotherapy. Rehabilitation efforts can seek to improve performance in motor control tasks such as step negotiation, by restoring the relationship between perceived and actual motor output and enhancing muscle coordination and output as well as ranges of motion. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Engineering applications of discrete-time optimal control

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vidal, Rene Victor Valqui; Ravn, Hans V.

    1990-01-01

    Many problems of design and operation of engineering systems can be formulated as optimal control problems where time has been discretisized. This is also true even if 'time' is not involved in the formulation of the problem, but rather another one-dimensional parameter. This paper gives a review...... of some well-known and new results in discrete time optimal control methods applicable to practical problem solving within engineering. Emphasis is placed on dynamic programming, the classical maximum principle and generalized versions of the maximum principle for optimal control of discrete time systems...

  3. Comparison of single-step and two-step purified coagulants from Moringa oleifera seed for turbidity and DOC removal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Martín, J; Ghebremichael, K; Beltrán-Heredia, J

    2010-08-01

    The coagulant proteins from Moringa oleifera purified with single-step and two-step ion-exchange processes were used for the coagulation of surface water from Meuse river in The Netherlands. The performances of the two purified coagulants and the crude extract were assessed in terms of turbidity and DOC removal. The results indicated that the optimum dosage of the single-step purified coagulant was more than two times higher compared to the two-step purified coagulant in terms of turbidity removal. And the residual DOC in the two-step purified coagulant was lower than in single-step purified coagulant or crude extract. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Finite-Time Reentry Attitude Control Using Time-Varying Sliding Mode and Disturbance Observer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xuzhong Wu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the finite-time attitude control problem for reentry vehicle with redundant actuators in consideration of planet uncertainties and external disturbances. Firstly, feedback linearization technique is used to cancel the nonlinearities of equations of motion to construct a basic mode for attitude controller. Secondly, two kinds of time-varying sliding mode control methods with disturbance observer are integrated with the basic mode in order to enhance the control performance and system robustness. One method is designed based on boundary layer technique and the other is a novel second-order sliding model control method. The finite-time stability analyses of both resultant closed-loop systems are carried out. Furthermore, after attitude controller produces the torque commands, an optimization control allocation approach is introduced to allocate them into aerodynamic surface deflections and on-off reaction control system thrusts. Finally, the numerical simulation results demonstrate that both of the time-varying sliding mode control methods are robust to uncertainties and disturbances without chattering phenomenon. Moreover, the proposed second-order sliding mode control method possesses better control accuracy.

  5. Group sequential designs for stepped-wedge cluster randomised trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grayling, Michael J; Wason, James Ms; Mander, Adrian P

    2017-10-01

    The stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial design has received substantial attention in recent years. Although various extensions to the original design have been proposed, no guidance is available on the design of stepped-wedge cluster randomised trials with interim analyses. In an individually randomised trial setting, group sequential methods can provide notable efficiency gains and ethical benefits. We address this by discussing how established group sequential methodology can be adapted for stepped-wedge designs. Utilising the error spending approach to group sequential trial design, we detail the assumptions required for the determination of stepped-wedge cluster randomised trials with interim analyses. We consider early stopping for efficacy, futility, or efficacy and futility. We describe first how this can be done for any specified linear mixed model for data analysis. We then focus on one particular commonly utilised model and, using a recently completed stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial, compare the performance of several designs with interim analyses to the classical stepped-wedge design. Finally, the performance of a quantile substitution procedure for dealing with the case of unknown variance is explored. We demonstrate that the incorporation of early stopping in stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial designs could reduce the expected sample size under the null and alternative hypotheses by up to 31% and 22%, respectively, with no cost to the trial's type-I and type-II error rates. The use of restricted error maximum likelihood estimation was found to be more important than quantile substitution for controlling the type-I error rate. The addition of interim analyses into stepped-wedge cluster randomised trials could help guard against time-consuming trials conducted on poor performing treatments and also help expedite the implementation of efficacious treatments. In future, trialists should consider incorporating early stopping of some kind into

  6. Structural comparison of anodic nanoporous-titania fabricated from single-step and three-step of anodization using two paralleled-electrodes anodizing cell

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mallika Thabuot

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Anodization of Ti sheet in the ethylene glycol electrolyte containing 0.38wt% NH4F with the addition of 1.79wt% H2O at room temperature was studied. Applied potential of 10-60 V and anodizing time of 1-3 h were conducted by single-step and three-step of anodization within the two paralleled-electrodes anodizing cell. Their structural and textural properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. After annealing at 600°C in the air furnace for 3 h, TiO2-nanotubes was transformed to the higher proportion of anatase crystal phase. Also crystallization of anatase phase was enhanced as the duration of anodization as the final step increased. By using single-step of anodization, pore texture of oxide film was started to reveal at the applied potential of 30 V. Better orderly arrangement of the TiO2-nanotubes array with larger pore size was obtained with the increase of applied potential. The applied potential of 60 V was selected for the three-step of anodization with anodizing time of 1-3 h. Results showed that the well-smooth surface coverage with higher density of porous-TiO2 was achieved using prolonging time at the first and second step, however, discontinuity tube in length was produced instead of the long-vertical tube. Layer thickness of anodic oxide film depended on the anodizing time at the last step of anodization. More well arrangement of nanostructured-TiO2 was produced using three-step of anodization under 60 V with 3 h for each step.

  7. Continuous versus step-by-step scanning mode of a novel 3D scanner for CyberKnife measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al Kafi, M Abdullah; Mwidu, Umar; Moftah, Belal

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the study is to investigate the continuous versus step-by-step scanning mode of a commercial circular 3D scanner for commissioning measurements of a robotic stereotactic radiosurgery system. The 3D scanner was used for profile measurements in step-by-step and continuous modes with the intent of comparing the two scanning modes for consistency. The profile measurements of in-plane, cross-plane, 15 degree, and 105 degree were performed for both fixed cones and Iris collimators at depth of maximum dose and at 10 cm depth. For CyberKnife field size, penumbra, flatness and symmetry analysis, it was observed that the measurements with continuous mode, which can be up to 6 times faster than step-by-step mode, are comparable and produce scans nearly identical to step-by-step mode. When compared with centered step-by-step mode data, a fully processed continuous mode data gives rise to maximum of 0.50% and 0.60% symmetry and flatness difference respectfully for all the fixed cones and Iris collimators studied. - Highlights: • D scanner for CyberKnife beam data measurements. • Beam data analysis for continuous and step-by-step scan modes. • Faster continuous scanning data are comparable to step-by-step mode scan data.

  8. Single-step fabrication of electrodes with controlled nanostructured surface roughness using optically-induced electrodeposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, N.; Li, M.; Liu, L.; Yang, Y.; Mai, J.; Pu, H.; Sun, Y.; Li, W. J.

    2018-02-01

    The customized fabrication of microelectrodes from gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has attracted much attention due to their numerous applications in chemistry and biomedical engineering, such as for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and as catalyst sites for electrochemistry. Herein, we present a novel optically-induced electrodeposition (OED) method for rapidly fabricating gold electrodes which are also surface-modified with nanoparticles in one single step. The electrodeposition mechanism, with respect to the applied AC voltage signal and the elapsed deposition time, on the resulting morphology and particle sizes was investigated. The results from SEM and AFM analysis demonstrated that 80-200 nm gold particles can be formed on the surface of the gold electrodes. Simultaneously, both the size of the nanoparticles and the roughness of the fabricated electrodes can be regulated by the deposition time. Compared to state-of-the-art methods for fabricating microelectrodes with AuNPs, such as nano-seed-mediated growth and conventional electrodeposition, this OED technique has several advantages including: (1) electrode fabrication and surface modification using nanoparticles are completed in a single step, eliminating the need for prefabricating micro electrodes; (2) the patterning of electrodes is defined using a digitally-customized, projected optical image rather than using fixed physical masks; and (3) both the fabrication and surface modification processes are rapid, and the entire fabrication process only requires less than 6 s.

  9. Automating with SIMATIC S7-1500 configuring, programming and testing with STEP 7 Professional

    CERN Document Server

    Berger, Hans

    2014-01-01

    With many innovations, the SIMATIC S7-1500 programmable logic controller (PLC) sets new standards in productivity and efficiency in control technology. By its outstanding system performance and with PROFINET as the standard interface, it ensures extremely short system response times and the highest control quality with a maximum of flexibility for most demanding automation tasks. The engineering software STEP 7 Professional operates inside TIA Portal, a user interface that is designed for intuitive operation. Functionality includes all aspects of Automation: from the configuration of the controllers via the programming in the IEC languages ¿¿LAD, FBD, STL, and SCL up to the program test. In the book, the hardware components of the automation system S7-1500 are presented including the description of their configuration and parameterization. A comprehensive introduction into STEP 7 Professional illustrates the basics of programming and troubleshooting. Beginners learn the basics of automation with Simatic...

  10. Adaptation of the MAST passive current simulation model for real-time plasma control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McArdle, G.J.; Taylor, D.

    2008-01-01

    Successful equilibrium reconstruction on MAST depends on a reliable estimate of the passive current induced in the thick vacuum vessel (which also acts as the load assembly) and other toroidally continuous internal support structures. For the EFIT reconstruction code, a pre-processing program takes the measured plasma and PF coil current evolution and uses a sectional model of the passive structure to solve the ODEs for electromagnetic induction. The results are written to a file, which is treated by EFIT as a set of virtual measurements of the passive current in each section. However, when a real-time version of EFIT was recently installed in the MAST plasma control system, a similar function was required for real-time estimation of the instantaneous passive current. This required several adaptation steps for the induction model to reduce the computational overhead to the absolute minimum, whilst preserving accuracy of the result. These include: ·conversion of the ODE to use an auxiliary variable, avoiding the need to calculate the time derivative of current; ·minimise the order of the system via model reduction techniques with a state-space representation of the problem; ·transformation to eigenmode form, to diagonalise the main matrix for faster computation; ·discretisation of the ODE; ·hand-optimisation to use vector instruction extensions in the real-time processor; ·splitting the task into two parts: the time-critical feedback part, and the next cycle pre-calculation part. After these optimisations, the algorithm was successfully implemented at a cost of just 65 μs per 500 μs control cycle, with only 27 μs added to the control latency. The results show good agreement with the original off-line version. Some of these optimisations have also been used subsequently to improve the performance of the off-line version

  11. Discrete-time inverse optimal control for nonlinear systems

    CERN Document Server

    Sanchez, Edgar N

    2013-01-01

    Discrete-Time Inverse Optimal Control for Nonlinear Systems proposes a novel inverse optimal control scheme for stabilization and trajectory tracking of discrete-time nonlinear systems. This avoids the need to solve the associated Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation and minimizes a cost functional, resulting in a more efficient controller. Design More Efficient Controllers for Stabilization and Trajectory Tracking of Discrete-Time Nonlinear Systems The book presents two approaches for controller synthesis: the first based on passivity theory and the second on a control Lyapunov function (CLF). Th

  12. An investigation of motor learning during side-step cutting, design of a randomised controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lemmink Koen APM

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Of all athletic knee injuries an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL rupture results in the longest time loss from sport. Regardless of the therapy chosen, conservative or reconstructive, athletes are often forced to reduce their level of physical activity and their involvement in sport. Moreover, a recent review reported prevalences of osteoarthritis ranging from 0% to 13% for patients with isolated ACL-deficient (ACL-D knees and respectively 21% to 48% in patients with combined injuries. The need for ACL injury prevention is clear. The identification of risk factors and the development of prevention strategies may therefore have widespread health and economic implications. The focus of this investigation is to assess the role of implicit and explicit motor learning in optimising the performance of a side-step-cutting task. Methods/design A randomized controlled laboratory study will be conducted. Healthy basketball players, females and males, 18 years and older, with no previous lower extremity injuries, playing at the highest recreational level will be included. Subjects will receive a dynamic feedback intervention. Kinematic and kinetic data of the hip, knee and ankle and EMG activity of the quadriceps, hamstrings and gastrocnemius will be recorded. Discussion Female athletes have a significantly higher risk of sustaining an ACL injury than male athletes. Poor biomechanical and neuromuscular control of the lower limb is suggested to be a primary risk factor of an ACL injury mechanism in females. This randomized controlled trial has been designed to investigate whether individual feedback on task performance appears to be an effective intervention method. Results and principles found in this study will be applied to future ACL injury prevention programs, which should maybe more focus on individual injury predisposition. Trial registration Trial registration number NTR2250.

  13. Robust LS-SVM-based adaptive constrained control for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems with time-varying predefined performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Jianjun; Wei, Caisheng; Dai, Honghua; Yuan, Jianping

    2018-03-01

    This paper focuses on robust adaptive control for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems subject to input saturation and external disturbance with guaranteed predefined tracking performance. To reduce the limitations of classical predefined performance control method in the presence of unknown initial tracking errors, a novel predefined performance function with time-varying design parameters is first proposed. Then, aiming at reducing the complexity of nonlinear approximations, only two least-square-support-vector-machine-based (LS-SVM-based) approximators with two design parameters are required through norm form transformation of the original system. Further, a novel LS-SVM-based adaptive constrained control scheme is developed under the time-vary predefined performance using backstepping technique. Wherein, to avoid the tedious analysis and repeated differentiations of virtual control laws in the backstepping technique, a simple and robust finite-time-convergent differentiator is devised to only extract its first-order derivative at each step in the presence of external disturbance. In this sense, the inherent demerit of backstepping technique-;explosion of terms; brought by the recursive virtual controller design is conquered. Moreover, an auxiliary system is designed to compensate the control saturation. Finally, three groups of numerical simulations are employed to validate the effectiveness of the newly developed differentiator and the proposed adaptive constrained control scheme.

  14. Comparing the efficacy of metronome beeps and stepping stones to adjust gait: steps to follow!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bank, Paulina J M; Roerdink, Melvyn; Peper, C E

    2011-03-01

    Acoustic metronomes and visual targets have been used in rehabilitation practice to improve pathological gait. In addition, they may be instrumental in evaluating and training instantaneous gait adjustments. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of two cue types in inducing gait adjustments, viz. acoustic temporal cues in the form of metronome beeps and visual spatial cues in the form of projected stepping stones. Twenty healthy elderly (aged 63.2 ± 3.6 years) were recruited to walk on an instrumented treadmill at preferred speed and cadence, paced by either metronome beeps or projected stepping stones. Gait adaptations were induced using two manipulations: by perturbing the sequence of cues and by imposing switches from one cueing type to the other. Responses to these manipulations were quantified in terms of step-length and step-time adjustments, the percentage correction achieved over subsequent steps, and the number of steps required to restore the relation between gait and the beeps or stepping stones. The results showed that perturbations in a sequence of stepping stones were overcome faster than those in a sequence of metronome beeps. In switching trials, switching from metronome beeps to stepping stones was achieved faster than vice versa, indicating that gait was influenced more strongly by the stepping stones than the metronome beeps. Together these results revealed that, in healthy elderly, the stepping stones induced gait adjustments more effectively than did the metronome beeps. Potential implications for the use of metronome beeps and stepping stones in gait rehabilitation practice are discussed.

  15. A training approach to improve stepping automaticity while dual-tasking in Parkinson's disease: A prospective pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chomiak, Taylor; Watts, Alexander; Meyer, Nicole; Pereira, Fernando V; Hu, Bin

    2017-02-01

    Deficits in motor movement automaticity in Parkinson's disease (PD), especially during multitasking, are early and consistent hallmarks of cognitive function decline, which increases fall risk and reduces quality of life. This study aimed to test the feasibility and potential efficacy of a wearable sensor-enabled technological platform designed for an in-home music-contingent stepping-in-place (SIP) training program to improve step automaticity during dual-tasking (DT). This was a 4-week prospective intervention pilot study. The intervention uses a sensor system and algorithm that runs off the iPod Touch which calculates step height (SH) in real-time. These measurements were then used to trigger auditory (treatment group, music; control group, radio podcast) playback in real-time through wireless headphones upon maintenance of repeated large amplitude stepping. With small steps or shuffling, auditory playback stops, thus allowing participants to use anticipatory motor control to regain positive feedback. Eleven participants were recruited from an ongoing trial (Trial Number: ISRCTN06023392). Fear of falling (FES-I), general cognitive functioning (MoCA), self-reported freezing of gait (FOG-Q), and DT step automaticity were evaluated. While we found no significant effect of training on FES-I, MoCA, or FOG-Q, we did observe a significant group (music vs podcast) by training interaction in DT step automaticity (Ptraining to increase motor automaticity for people living with PD. The training approach described here can be implemented at home to meet the growing demand for self-management of symptoms by patients.

  16. Training to walk amid uncertainty with Re-Step: measurements and changes with perturbation training for hemiparesis and cerebral palsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bar-Haim, Simona; Harries, Netta; Hutzler, Yeshayahu; Belokopytov, Mark; Dobrov, Igor

    2013-09-01

    To describe Re-Step™, a novel mechatronic shoe system that measures center of pressure (COP) gait parameters and complexity of COP dispersion while walking, and to demonstrate these measurements in healthy controls and individuals with hemiparesis and cerebral palsy (CP) before and after perturbation training. The Re-Step™ was used to induce programmed chaotic perturbations to the feet while walking for 30 min for 36 sessions over 12-weeks of training in two subjects with hemiparesis and two with CP. Baseline measurements of complexity indices (fractal dimension and approximate entropy) tended to be higher in controls than in those with disabilities, while COP variability, mean and variability of step time and COP dispersion were lower. After training the disabled subjects these measurement values tended toward those of the controls, along with a decrease in step time, 10 m walk time, average step time, percentage of double support and increased Berg balance score. This pilot trial reveals the feasibility and applicability of this unique measurement and perturbation system for evaluating functional disabilities and changes with interventions to improve walking. Implication for Rehabilitation Walking, of individuals with cerebral palsy and hemiparesis following stroke, can be viewed in terms of a rigid motor behavior that prevents adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Re-Step system (a) measures and records linear and non-linear gait parameters during free walking to provide a detailed evaluation of walking disabilities, (b) is an intervention training modality that applies unexpected perturbations during walking. This perturbation intervention may improve gait and motor functions of individuals with hemiparesis and cerebral plasy.

  17. Efficiency and Safety of One-Step Procedure Combined Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy and Eretrograde Cholangiopancreatography for Treatment of Cholecysto-Choledocholithiasis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zhiyi; Zhang, Luyao; Liu, Yanling; Gu, Yang; Sun, Tieliang

    2017-11-01

    We aimed to evaluate the efficiency and safety of one-step procedure combined endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for treatment of patients with cholecysto-choledocholithiasis. A prospective randomized study was performed on 63 consecutive cholecysto-choledocholithiasis patients during 2008 and 2011. The efficiency and safety of one-step procedure was assessed by comparing the two-step LC with ERCP + endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST). Outcomes including intraoperative features, postoperative features (length of stay and postoperative complications) were evaluated. One- or two-step procedure of LC with ERCP + EST was successfully performed in all patients, and common bile duct stones were completely removed. Statistical analyses showed that length of stay and pulmonary infection rate were significantly lower in the test group compared with that in the control group (P 0.05). The one-step procedure of LC with ERCP + EST is superior to the two-step procedure for treatment of patients with cholecysto-choledocholithiasis regarding to the reduced hospital stay and inhibited occurrence of pulmonary infections. Compared with two-step procedure, one-step procedure of LC with ERCP + EST may be a superior option for cholecysto-choledocholithiasis patients treatment regarding to hospital stay and pulmonary infections.

  18. One-step fabrication of multifunctional micromotors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Wenlong; Liu, Mei; Liu, Limei; Zhang, Hui; Dong, Bin; Li, Christopher Y.

    2015-08-01

    Although artificial micromotors have undergone tremendous progress in recent years, their fabrication normally requires complex steps or expensive equipment. In this paper, we report a facile one-step method based on an emulsion solvent evaporation process to fabricate multifunctional micromotors. By simultaneously incorporating various components into an oil-in-water droplet, upon emulsification and solidification, a sphere-shaped, asymmetric, and multifunctional micromotor is formed. Some of the attractive functions of this model micromotor include autonomous movement in high ionic strength solution, remote control, enzymatic disassembly and sustained release. This one-step, versatile fabrication method can be easily scaled up and therefore may have great potential in mass production of multifunctional micromotors for a wide range of practical applications.Although artificial micromotors have undergone tremendous progress in recent years, their fabrication normally requires complex steps or expensive equipment. In this paper, we report a facile one-step method based on an emulsion solvent evaporation process to fabricate multifunctional micromotors. By simultaneously incorporating various components into an oil-in-water droplet, upon emulsification and solidification, a sphere-shaped, asymmetric, and multifunctional micromotor is formed. Some of the attractive functions of this model micromotor include autonomous movement in high ionic strength solution, remote control, enzymatic disassembly and sustained release. This one-step, versatile fabrication method can be easily scaled up and therefore may have great potential in mass production of multifunctional micromotors for a wide range of practical applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Videos S1-S4 and Fig. S1-S3. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr03574k

  19. Real-time control of Tokamak plasmas: from control of physics to physics-based control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Felici, F. A. A.

    2011-11-01

    Stable, high-performance operation of a tokamak requires several plasma control problems to be handled simultaneously. Moreover, the complex physics which governs the tokamak plasma evolution must be studied and understood to make correct choices in controller design. In this thesis, the two subjects have been merged, using control solutions as experimental tool for physics studies, and using physics knowledge for developing new advanced control solutions. The TCV tokamak at CRPP-EPFL is ideally placed to explore issues at the interface between plasma physics and plasma control, by combining a digital realtime control system with a flexible and powerful set of actuators, in particular the electron cyclotron heating and current drive system (ECRH/ECCD). This experimental platform has been used to develop and test new control strategies for three plasma physics instabilities: sawtooth, edge localized mode (ELM) and neoclassical tearing mode (NTM). The period of the sawtooth crash, a periodic MHD instability in the core of a tokamak plasma, can be varied by localized deposition of ECRH/ECCD near the q = 1 surface (q: safety factor). A sawtooth pacing controller was developed which is able to control the time of appearance of the next sawtooth crash. Each individual sawtooth period can be controlled in real-time. A similar scheme is applied to H-mode plasmas with type-I ELMs, where it is shown that pacing regularizes the ELM period. The regular, reproducible and therefore predictable sawtooth crashes have been used to study the relationship between sawteeth and NTMs. Postcrash MHD activity can provide the ‘seed’ island for an NTM, which then grows under its neoclassical bootstrap drive. The seeding of 3/2 NTMs by long sawtooth crashes can be avoided by preemptive, crash-synchronized EC power injection pulses at the q = 3/2 rational surface location. NTM stabilization experiments in which the ECRH deposition location is moved in real-time with steerable mirrors have

  20. Age-related changes in compensatory stepping in response to unpredictable perturbations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McIlroy, W E; Maki, B E

    1996-11-01

    Recent studies highlight the importance of compensatory stepping to preserve stability, and the spatial and temporal demands placed on the control of this reaction. Age-related changes in the control of stepping could greatly influence the risk of falling. The present study compares, in healthy elderly and young adults, the characteristics of compensatory stepping responses to unpredictable postural perturbations. A moving platform was used to unpredictably perturb the upright stance of 14 naive, active and mobile subjects (5 aged 22 to 28 and 9 aged 65 to 81). The first 10 randomized trials (5 forward and 5 backward) were evaluated to allow a focus on reactions to relatively novel perturbations. The behavior of the subjects was not constrained. Forceplate and kinematic measures were used to evaluate the responses evoked by the brief (600 msec) platform translation. Subjects stepped in 98% of the trials. Although the elderly were less likely to execute a lateral anticipatory postural adjustment prior to foot-lift, the onset of swing-leg unloading tended to begin at the same time in the two age groups. There was remarkable similarity between the young and elderly in many other characteristics of the first step of the response. In spite of this similarity, the elderly subjects were twice as likely to take additional steps to regain stability (63% of trials for elderly). Moreover, in elderly subjects, the additional steps were often directed so as to preserve lateral stability, whereas the young rarely showed this tendency. Given the functional significance of base-of-support changes as a strategy for preserving stability and the age-related differences presently revealed, assessment of the capacity to preserve stability against unpredictable perturbation, and specific measures such as the occurrence or placement of multiple steps, may prove to be a significant predictor of falling risk and an important outcome in evaluating or developing intervention strategies to

  1. When a Step Is Not a Step! Specificity Analysis of Five Physical Activity Monitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connell, Sandra; ÓLaighin, Gearóid; Quinlan, Leo R

    2017-01-01

    Physical activity is an essential aspect of a healthy lifestyle for both physical and mental health states. As step count is one of the most utilized measures for quantifying physical activity it is important that activity-monitoring devices be both sensitive and specific in recording actual steps taken and disregard non-stepping body movements. The objective of this study was to assess the specificity of five activity monitors during a variety of prescribed non-stepping activities. Participants wore five activity monitors simultaneously for a variety of prescribed activities including deskwork, taking an elevator, taking a bus journey, automobile driving, washing and drying dishes; functional reaching task; indoor cycling; outdoor cycling; and indoor rowing. Each task was carried out for either a specific duration of time or over a specific distance. Activity monitors tested were the ActivPAL micro™, NL-2000™ pedometer, Withings Smart Activity Monitor Tracker (Pulse O2)™, Fitbit One™ and Jawbone UP™. Participants were video-recorded while carrying out the prescribed activities and the false positive step count registered on each activity monitor was obtained and compared to the video. All activity monitors registered a significant number of false positive steps per minute during one or more of the prescribed activities. The Withings™ activity performed best, registering a significant number of false positive steps per minute during the outdoor cycling activity only (P = 0.025). The Jawbone™ registered a significant number of false positive steps during the functional reaching task and while washing and drying dishes, which involved arm and hand movement (P positive steps during the cycling exercises (P positive steps were registered on the activity monitors during the non-stepping activities, the authors conclude that non-stepping physical activities can result in the false detection of steps. This can negatively affect the quantification of physical

  2. Simple flight time calibration generator in PLL technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lauch, J.

    1975-01-01

    Calibration and routine check-ups of flight time measuring systems can be carried out with the aid of defined flight time calibration spectra. This paper describes a simple flight time calibration generator capable of generating such calibration spectra in the form of line spectra or of a white spectrum. The flight time of the generator is adjustable in steps from 100 to 3,200 ns. The number of calibration lines can be set to 10 or to 20, resulting in line spacings ranging from 5 to 320 ns. The stop signals are generated by a crystal oscillator, the start signals are generated by a voltage-controlled oscillator locked in a phase control circuit. The start and stop rates can be adjusted in steps. (orig.) [de

  3. Multiple output timing and trigger generator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wheat, Robert M. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Dale, Gregory E [Los Alamos National Laboratory

    2009-01-01

    In support of the development of a multiple stage pulse modulator at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, we have developed a first generation, multiple output timing and trigger generator. Exploiting Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) Micro Controller Units (MCU's), the timing and trigger generator provides 32 independent outputs with a timing resolution of about 500 ns. The timing and trigger generator system is comprised of two MCU boards and a single PC. One of the MCU boards performs the functions of the timing and signal generation (the timing controller) while the second MCU board accepts commands from the PC and provides the timing instructions to the timing controller. The PC provides the user interface for adjusting the on and off timing for each of the output signals. This system provides 32 output or timing signals which can be pre-programmed to be in an on or off state for each of 64 time steps. The width or duration of each of the 64 time steps is programmable from 2 {micro}s to 2.5 ms with a minimum time resolution of 500 ns. The repetition rate of the programmed pulse train is only limited by the time duration of the programmed event. This paper describes the design and function of the timing and trigger generator system and software including test results and measurements.

  4. Time-optimal control of infinite order distributed parabolic systems involving time lags

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G.M. Bahaa

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available A time-optimal control problem for linear infinite order distributed parabolic systems involving constant time lags appear both in the state equation and in the boundary condition is presented. Some particular properties of the optimal control are discussed.

  5. A novel patterning control strategy based on real-time fingerprint recognition and adaptive wafer level scanner optimization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cekli, Hakki Ergun; Nije, Jelle; Ypma, Alexander; Bastani, Vahid; Sonntag, Dag; Niesing, Henk; Zhang, Linmiao; Ullah, Zakir; Subramony, Venky; Somasundaram, Ravin; Susanto, William; Matsunobu, Masazumi; Johnson, Jeff; Tabery, Cyrus; Lin, Chenxi; Zou, Yi

    2018-03-01

    In addition to lithography process and equipment induced variations, processes like etching, annealing, film deposition and planarization exhibit variations, each having their own intrinsic characteristics and leaving an effect, a `fingerprint', on the wafers. With ever tighter requirements for CD and overlay, controlling these process induced variations is both increasingly important and increasingly challenging in advanced integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing. For example, the on-product overlay (OPO) requirement for future nodes is approaching process induced variance to become extremely small. Process variance control is seen as an bottleneck to further shrink which drives the need for more sophisticated process control strategies. In this context we developed a novel `computational process control strategy' which provides the capability of proactive control of each individual wafer with aim to maximize the yield, without introducing a significant impact on metrology requirements, cycle time or productivity. The complexity of the wafer process is approached by characterizing the full wafer stack building a fingerprint library containing key patterning performance parameters like Overlay, Focus, etc. Historical wafer metrology is decomposed into dominant fingerprints using Principal Component Analysis. By associating observed fingerprints with their origin e.g. process steps, tools and variables, we can give an inline assessment of the strength and origin of the fingerprints on every wafer. Once the fingerprint library is established, a wafer specific fingerprint correction recipes can be determined based on its processing history. Data science techniques are used in real-time to ensure that the library is adaptive. To realize this concept, ASML TWINSCAN scanners play a vital role with their on-board full wafer detection and exposure correction capabilities. High density metrology data is created by the scanner for each wafer and on every layer during the

  6. Free Modal Algebras Revisited: The Step-by-Step Method

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bezhanishvili, N.; Ghilardi, Silvio; Jibladze, Mamuka

    2012-01-01

    We review the step-by-step method of constructing finitely generated free modal algebras. First we discuss the global step-by-step method, which works well for rank one modal logics. Next we refine the global step-by-step method to obtain the local step-by-step method, which is applicable beyond

  7. SYSTEMATIZATION OF THE BASIC STEPS OF THE STEP-AEROBICS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Darinka Korovljev

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Following the development of the powerful sport industry, in front of us appeared a lot of new opportunities for creating of the new programmes of exercising with certain requisites. One of such programmes is certainly step-aerobics. Step-aerobics can be defined as a type of aerobics consisting of the basic aerobic steps (basic steps applied in exercising on stepper (step bench, with a possibility to regulate its height. Step-aerobics itself can be divided into several groups, depending on the following: type of music, working methods and adopted knowledge of the attendants. In this work, the systematization of the basic steps in step-aerobics was made on the basis of the following criteria: steps origin, number of leg motions in stepping and relating the body support at the end of the step. Systematization of the basic steps of the step-aerobics is quite significant for making a concrete review of the existing basic steps, thus making creation of the step-aerobics lesson easier

  8. A simple test of choice stepping reaction time for assessing fall risk in people with multiple sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tijsma, Mylou; Vister, Eva; Hoang, Phu; Lord, Stephen R

    2017-03-01

    Purpose To determine (a) the discriminant validity for established fall risk factors and (b) the predictive validity for falls of a simple test of choice stepping reaction time (CSRT) in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Method People with MS (n = 210, 21-74y) performed the CSRT, sensorimotor, balance and neuropsychological tests in a single session. They were then followed up for falls using monthly fall diaries for 6 months. Results The CSRT test had excellent discriminant validity with respect to established fall risk factors. Frequent fallers (≥3 falls) performed significantly worse in the CSRT test than non-frequent fallers (0-2 falls). With the odds of suffering frequent falls increasing 69% with each SD increase in CSRT (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.27-2.26, p = falls in people with MS. This test may prove useful in documenting longitudinal changes in fall risk in relation to MS disease progression and effects of interventions. Implications for rehabilitation Good choice stepping reaction time (CSRT) is required for maintaining balance. A simple low-tech CSRT test has excellent discriminative and predictive validity in relation to falls in people with MS. This test may prove useful documenting longitudinal changes in fall risk in relation to MS disease progression and effects of interventions.

  9. Advanced Map For Real-Time Process Control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shiobara, Yasuhisa; Matsudaira, Takayuki; Sashida, Yoshio; Chikuma, Makoto

    1987-10-01

    MAP, a communications protocol for factory automation proposed by General Motors [1], has been accepted by users throughout the world and is rapidly becoming a user standard. In fact, it is now a LAN standard for factory automation. MAP is intended to interconnect different devices, such as computers and programmable devices, made by different manufacturers, enabling them to exchange information. It is based on the OSI intercomputer com-munications protocol standard under development by the ISO. With progress and standardization, MAP is being investigated for application to process control fields other than factory automation [2]. The transmission response time of the network system and centralized management of data exchanged with various devices for distributed control are import-ant in the case of a real-time process control with programmable controllers, computers, and instruments connected to a LAN system. MAP/EPA and MINI MAP aim at reduced overhead in protocol processing and enhanced transmission response. If applied to real-time process control, a protocol based on point-to-point and request-response transactions limits throughput and transmission response. This paper describes an advanced MAP LAN system applied to real-time process control by adding a new data transmission control that performs multicasting communication voluntarily and periodically in the priority order of data to be exchanged.

  10. Discrete-time nonlinear sliding mode controller

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    Keywords: Discrete-time delay system, Sliding mode control, nonlinear sliding ... of engineering systems such as chemical process control, delay in the actuator ...... instrumentation from Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT),.

  11. Direct output feedback control of discrete-time systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, C.C.; Chung, L.L.; Lu, K.H.

    1993-01-01

    An optimal direct output feedback control algorithm is developed for discrete-time systems with the consideration of time delay in control force action. Optimal constant output feedback gains are obtained through variational process such that certain prescribed quadratic performance index is minimized. Discrete-time control forces are then calculated from the multiplication of output measurements by these pre-calculated feedback gains. According to the proposed algorithm, structural system is assured to remain stable even in the presence of time delay. The number of sensors and controllers may be very small as compared with the dimension of states. Numerical results show that direct velocity feedback control is more sensitive to time delay than state feedback but, is still quite effective in reducing the dynamic responses under earthquake excitation. (author)

  12. Model-Checking Real-Time Control Programs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Iversen, T. K.; Kristoffersen, K. J.; Larsen, Kim Guldstrand

    2000-01-01

    In this paper, we present a method for automatic verification of real-time control programs running on LEGO(R) RCX(TM) bricks using the verification tool UPPALL. The control programs, consisting of a number of tasks running concurrently, are automatically translated into the mixed automata model...... of UPPAAL. The fixed scheduling algorithm used by the LEGO(R) RCX(TM) processor is modeled in UPPALL, and supply of similar (sufficient) timed automata models for the environment allows analysis of the overall real-time system using the tools of UPPALL. To illustrate our technique for sorting LEGO(R) bricks...

  13. Computer experiments of the time-sequence of individual steps in multiple Coulomb-excitation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boer, J. de; Dannhaueser, G.

    1982-01-01

    The way in which the multiple E2 steps in the Coulomb-excitation of a rotational band of a nucleus follow one another is elucidated for selected examples using semiclassical computer experiments. The role a given transition plays for the excitation of a given final state is measured by a quantity named ''importance function''. It is found that these functions, calculated for the highest rotational state, peak at times forming a sequence for the successive E2 transitions starting from the ground state. This sequential behaviour is used to approximately account for the effects on the projectile orbit of the sequential transfer of excitation energy and angular momentum from projectile to target. These orbits lead to similar deflection functions and cross sections as those obtained from a symmetrization procedure approximately accounting for the transfer of angular momentum and energy. (Auth.)

  14. ONE-STEP AND TWO-STEP CALIBRATION OF A PORTABLE PANORAMIC IMAGE MAPPING SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P.-C. Wang

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available A Portable Panoramic Image Mapping System (PPIMS is proposed for rapid acquisition of three-dimensional spatial information. By considering the convenience of use, cost, weight of equipment, precision, and power supply, the designed PPIMS is equipped with 6 circularly arranged cameras to capture panoramic images and a GPS receiver for positioning. The motivation for this design is to develop a hand-held Mobile Mapping System (MMS for some difficult accessing areas by vehicle MMS, such as rugged terrains, forest areas, heavily damaged disaster areas, and crowed places etc. This PPIMS is in fact a GPS assisted close-range photogrammetric system. Compared with the traditional close-range photogrammetry, PPIMS can reduce the need of ground control points significantly. Under the condition of knowing the relative geometric relationships of the equipped sensors, the elements of exterior orientation of each captured image can be solved. However, the procedure of a system calibration should be done accurately to determine the relative geometric relationships of multi-cameras and the GPS antenna center, before the PPIMS can be applied for geo-referenced mapping. In this paper, both of one-step and two-step calibration procedures for PPIMS are performed to determine the lever-arm offsets and boresight angles among cameras and GPS. The performance of the one-step and two-step calibration is evaluated through the analysis of the experimental results. The comparison between these two calibration procedures was also conducted. The two-step calibration method outperforms the one-step calibration method in terms of calibration accuracy and operation convenience. We expect that the proposed two-step calibration procedure can also be applied to other platform-based MMSs.

  15. Numerical analysis of control of hard roof's stepped cantilever structure for longwall mining with sublevel caving

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wei, J.; Jin, Z.; Tang, Y. [Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan (China)

    2002-12-01

    Based on the field monitoring and simulation test of strata movement, the hard roof's stepped cantilever structure and its mechanics model are presented. The finite element method is used to analyse the effect of hard coal cracking under the abutment pressure of hard roof, so the rational pre-treatment span of hard roof is determined, and the rational working resistance of support is selected also. According to the mechanics model, the transient balance conditions of the hard roof's stepped cantilever structure are studied, and the support-rock relation is theoretically explained. As a result, the basic theory and technique of surrounding rocks control for fully mechanised longwall mining with sub-level caving is formed under the hard roof and hard coal conditions, and the hard roof is effectively controlled not only to protect the working face but also to promote the caving of hard top-coal to increase the recovery rate of coal, thus to realise safe and highly efficient and productive fully mechanised longwall mining with sub-level caving in extra-thick seam. Finally, the successfully practice of hard roof control in 8914 and 8911 working face is presented in this paper. 10 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs.

  16. Development of a computer-controlled tensiometer for real-time measurements of tension in tubular organs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gregersen, H; Barlow, J; Thompson, D

    1999-04-01

    A computer-controlled tensiometer for studying wall tension in tubular organs has been developed. The system consisted of a probe with an inflatable balloon, an impedance planimeter, pressure transducer and amplifier, a pump with RS232 interface and a PC with dedicated software. Circumferential wall tension was computed in real time from pressure and cross-sectional area measurements (tension measurement mode). Wall tension can be maintained on a preset level or be changed as a step or ramp function by a feedback control of the infusion/withdrawal pump (tension control mode). A software regulator adjusted the volume rate (low volume rate when the computed tension was close to the preset value) to minimize overshoot and oscillation. Validation tests were performed and the technique was applied in the human oesophagus. Volume- and tension-controlled balloon distensions elicited secondary peristalsis of increasing intensity that was decreased significantly by the antimuscarinic agent Hyoscine butyl bromide. In tension control mode Hyoscine butyl bromide caused oesophageal relaxation, i.e. CSA to increase and pressure to decay. Furthermore, pronounced pressure relaxation and tension relaxation were observed during volume-controlled distension after administration of Hyoscine butyl bromide.

  17. Comparison between time-step-integration and probabilistic methods in seismic analysis of a linear structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schneeberger, B.; Breuleux, R.

    1977-01-01

    Assuming that earthquake ground motion is a stationary time function, the seismic analysis of a linear structure can be done by probailistic methods using the 'power spectral density function' (PSD), instead of applying the more traditional time-step-integration using earthquake time histories (TH). A given structure was analysed both by PSD and TH methods computing and comparing 'floor response spectra'. The analysis using TH was performed for two different TH and different frequency intervals for the 'floor-response-spectra'. The analysis using PSD first produced PSD functions of the responses of the floors and these were then converted into 'foor-response-spectra'. Plots of the resulting 'floor-response-spectra' show: (1) The agreement of TH and PSD results is quite close. (2) The curves produced by PSD are much smoother than those produced by TH and mostly form an enelope of the latter. (3) The curves produced by TH are quite jagged with the location and magnitude of the peaks depending on the choice of frequencies at which the 'floor-response-spectra' were evaluated and on the choice of TH. (Auth.)

  18. Some features of stepped and dart-stepped leaders near the ground in natural negative cloud-to-ground lightning discharges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    X. Qie

    2002-06-01

    Full Text Available Characteristics of the electric fields produced by stepped and dart-stepped leaders 200 µs just prior to the return strokes during natural negative cloud-to-ground (CG lightning discharges have been analyzed by using data from a broad-band slow antenna system with 0.08 µs time resolution in southeastern China. It has been found that the electric field changes between the last stepped leader and the first return stroke could be classified in three categories. The first type is characterized by a small pulse superimposed on the abrupt beginning of the return stroke, and accounts for 42% of all the cases. The second type accounts for 33.3% and is characterized by relatively smooth electric field changes between the last leader pulse and the following return stroke. The third type accounts for 24.7%, and is characterized by small pulses between the last recognizable leader pulse and the following return stroke. On the average, the time interval between the successive leader pulses prior to the first return strokes and subsequent return strokes was 15.8 µs and 9.4 µs, respectively. The distribution of time intervals between successive stepped leader pulses is quite similar to Gaussian distribution while that for dart-stepped leader pulses is more similar to a log-normal distribution. Other discharge features, such as the average time interval between the last leader step and the first return stroke peak, the ratio of the last leader pulse peak to that of the return stroke amplitude are also discussed in the paper.Key words. Meteology and atmospheric dynamics (atmospheric electricity; lightning – Radio science (electromagnetic noise and interference

  19. Some features of stepped and dart-stepped leaders near the ground in natural negative cloud-to-ground lightning discharges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    X. Qie

    Full Text Available Characteristics of the electric fields produced by stepped and dart-stepped leaders 200 µs just prior to the return strokes during natural negative cloud-to-ground (CG lightning discharges have been analyzed by using data from a broad-band slow antenna system with 0.08 µs time resolution in southeastern China. It has been found that the electric field changes between the last stepped leader and the first return stroke could be classified in three categories. The first type is characterized by a small pulse superimposed on the abrupt beginning of the return stroke, and accounts for 42% of all the cases. The second type accounts for 33.3% and is characterized by relatively smooth electric field changes between the last leader pulse and the following return stroke. The third type accounts for 24.7%, and is characterized by small pulses between the last recognizable leader pulse and the following return stroke. On the average, the time interval between the successive leader pulses prior to the first return strokes and subsequent return strokes was 15.8 µs and 9.4 µs, respectively. The distribution of time intervals between successive stepped leader pulses is quite similar to Gaussian distribution while that for dart-stepped leader pulses is more similar to a log-normal distribution. Other discharge features, such as the average time interval between the last leader step and the first return stroke peak, the ratio of the last leader pulse peak to that of the return stroke amplitude are also discussed in the paper.

    Key words. Meteology and atmospheric dynamics (atmospheric electricity; lightning – Radio science (electromagnetic noise and interference

  20. Chemical control of flowering time

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ionescu, Irina Alexandra; Møller, Birger Lindberg; Sánchez Pérez, Raquel

    2017-01-01

    Flowering at the right time is of great importance; it secures seed production and therefore species survival and crop yield. In addition to the genetic network controlling flowering time, there are a number of much less studied metabolites and exogenously applied chemicals that may influence...... on the genetic aspects of flowering time regulation in annuals, but less so in perennials. An alternative to plant breeding approaches is to engineer flowering time chemically via the external application of flower-inducing compounds. This review discusses a variety of exogenously applied compounds used in fruit...

  1. IP Controller Design for Uncertain Two-Mass Torsional System Using Time-Frequency Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Cui

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available With the development of industrial production, drive systems are demanded for larger inertias of motors and load machines, whereas shafts should be lightweight. In this situation, it will excite mechanical vibrations in load side, which is harmful for industrial production when the motor works. Because of the complexity of the flexible shaft, it is often difficult to calculate stiffness coefficient of the flexible shaft. Furthermore, only the velocity of driving side could be measured, whereas the driving torque, the load torque, and the velocity of load side are immeasurable. Therefore, it is inconvenient to design the controller for the uncertain system. In this paper, a low-order IP controller is designed for an uncertain two-mass torsional system based on polynomial method and time-frequency analysis (TFA. IP controller parameters are calculated by inertias of driving side and load side as well as the resonant frequency based on polynomial method. Therein, the resonant frequency is identified using the time-frequency analysis (TFA of the velocity step response of the driving side under the open-loop system state, which can not only avoid harmful persistent start-stop excitation signal of the traditional method, but also obtain high recognition accuracy under the condition of weak vibration signal submerged in noise. The effectiveness of the designed IP controller is verified by groups of experiments. Experimental results show that good performance for vibration suppression is obtained for uncertain two-mass torsional system in a medium-low shaft stiffness condition.

  2. Modeling of the motion of automobile elastic wheel in real-time for creation of wheeled vehicles motion control electronic systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balakina, E. V.; Zotov, N. M.; Fedin, A. P.

    2018-02-01

    Modeling of the motion of the elastic wheel of the vehicle in real-time is used in the tasks of constructing different models in the creation of wheeled vehicles motion control electronic systems, in the creation of automobile stand-simulators etc. The accuracy and the reliability of simulation of the parameters of the wheel motion in real-time when rolling with a slip within the given road conditions are determined not only by the choice of the model, but also by the inaccuracy and instability of the numerical calculation. It is established that the inaccuracy and instability of the calculation depend on the size of the step of integration and the numerical method being used. The analysis of these inaccuracy and instability when wheel rolling with a slip was made and recommendations for reducing them were developed. It is established that the total allowable range of steps of integration is 0.001.0.005 s; the strongest instability is manifested in the calculation of the angular and linear accelerations of the wheel; the weakest instability is manifested in the calculation of the translational velocity of the wheel and moving of the center of the wheel; the instability is less at large values of slip angle and on more slippery surfaces. A new method of the average acceleration is suggested, which allows to significantly reduce (up to 100%) the manifesting of instability of the solution in the calculation of all parameters of motion of the elastic wheel for different braking conditions and for the entire range of steps of integration. The results of research can be applied to the selection of control algorithms in vehicles motion control electronic systems and in the testing stand-simulators

  3. Prototyping Real-Time Control in the SPS

    CERN Document Server

    Andersson, J; Jensen, L; Jones, R; Lamont, M; Wenninger, J; Wijnands, Thijs; CERN. Geneva. AB Department

    2003-01-01

    Real-time control of beam related parameters will be required in the LHC. In order to gain experience of the issues involved in implementing distributed real-time control over large distances, a prototype local orbit feedback system is being developed in the SPS. This will use 6 pickups, each equipped with the full LHC acquisition electronics chain and linked to a real-time communication and feedback system. This reports summarises the .rst tests performed with this system in October 2002, where the data from four pickups was successfully acquired and displayed at 10 Hz in the control room.

  4. Effect of different air-drying time on the microleakage of single-step self-etch adhesives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Horieh Moosavi

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Objectives This study evaluated the effect of three different air-drying times on microleakage of three self-etch adhesive systems. Materials and Methods Class I cavities were prepared for 108 extracted sound human premolars. The teeth were divided into three main groups based on three different adhesives: Opti Bond All in One (OBAO, Clearfil S3 Bond (CSB, Bond Force (BF. Each main group divided into three subgroups regarding the air-drying time: without application of air stream, following the manufacturer's instruction, for 10 sec more than manufacturer's instruction. After completion of restorations, specimens were thermocycled and then connected to a fluid filtration system to evaluate microleakage. The data were statistically analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Tukey-test (α = 0.05. Results The microleakage of all adhesives decreased when the air-drying time increased from 0 sec to manufacturer's instruction (p < 0.001. The microleakage of BF reached its lowest values after increasing the drying time to 10 sec more than the manufacturer's instruction (p < 0.001. Microleakage of OBAO and CSB was significantly lower compared to BF in all three drying time (p < 0.001. Conclusions Increasing in air-drying time of adhesive layer in one-step self-etch adhesives caused reduction of microleakage, but the amount of this reduction may be dependent on the adhesive components of self-etch adhesives.

  5. Time-varying linear control for tiltrotor aircraft

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing ZHANG

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Tiltrotor aircraft have three flight modes: helicopter mode, airplane mode, and transition mode. A tiltrotor has characteristics of highly nonlinear, time-varying flight dynamics and inertial/control couplings in its transition mode. It can transit from the helicopter mode to the airplane mode by tilting its nacelles, and an effective controller is crucial to accomplish tilting transition missions. Longitudinal dynamic characteristics of the tiltrotor are described by a nonlinear Lagrange-form model, which takes into account inertial/control couplings and aerodynamic interferences. Reference commands for airspeed velocity and attitude in the transition mode are calculated dynamically by visiting a command library which is founded in advance by analyzing the flight envelope of the tiltrotor. A Time-Varying Linear (TVL model is obtained using a Taylor-expansion based online linearization technique from the nonlinear model. Subsequently, based on an optimal control concept, an online optimization based control method with input constraints considered is proposed. To validate the proposed control method, three typical tilting transition missions are simulated using the nonlinear model of XV-15 tiltrotor aircraft. Simulation results show that the controller can be used to control the tiltrotor throughout its operating envelop which includes a transition flight, and can also deal with vertical gust disturbances. Keywords: Constrained optimal control, Inertia/control couplings, Tiltrotor aircraft, Time-varying control, Transition mode

  6. Time required for partial pressure of arterial oxygen equilibration during mechanical ventilation after a step change in fractional inspired oxygen concentration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cakar, N; Tuŏrul, M; Demirarslan, A; Nahum, A; Adams, A; Akýncý, O; Esen, F; Telci, L

    2001-04-01

    To determine the time required for the partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) to reach equilibrium after a 0.20 increment or decrement in fractional inspired oxygen concentration (FIO2) during mechanical ventilation. A multi-disciplinary ICU in a university hospital. Twenty-five adult, non-COPD patients with stable blood gas values (PaO2/FIO2 > or = 180 on the day of the study) on pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV). Following a baseline PaO2 (PaO2b) measurement at FIO2 = 0.35, the FIO2 was increased to 0.55 for 30 min and then decreased to 0.35 without any other change in ventilatory parameters. Sequential blood gas measurements were performed at 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 15, 20, 25 and 30 min in both periods. The PaO2 values measured at the 30th min after a step change in FIO2 (FIO2 = 0.55, PaO2[55] and FIO2 = 0.35, PaO2[35]) were accepted as representative of the equilibrium values for PaO2. Each patient's rise and fall in PaO2 over time, PaO2(t), were fitted to the following respective exponential equations: PaO2b + (PaO2[55]-PaO2b)(1-e-kt) and PaO2[55] + (PaO2[35]-PaO2[55])(e-kt) where "t" refers to time, PaO2[55] and PaO2[35] are the final PaO2 values obtained at a new FIO2 of 0.55 and 0.35, after a 0.20 increment and decrement in FIO2, respectively. Time constant "k" was determined by a non-linear fitting curve and 90% oxygenation times were defined as the time required to reach 90% of the final equilibrated PaO2 calculated by using the non-linear fitting curves. Time constant values for the rise and fall periods were 1.01 +/- 0.71 min-1, 0.69 +/- 0.42 min-1, respectively, and 90% oxygenation times for rises and falls in PaO2 periods were 4.2 +/- 4.1 min-1 and 5.5 +/- 4.8 min-1, respectively. There was no significant difference between the rise and fall periods for the two parameters (p > 0.05). We conclude that in stable patients ventilated with PCV, after a step change in FIO2 of 0.20, 5-10 min will be adequate for obtaining a blood gas sample to measure a Pa

  7. A Novel Molten Salt Reactor Concept to Implement the Multi-Step Time-Scheduled Transmutation Strategy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Csom, Gyula; Feher, Sandor; Szieberthj, Mate

    2002-01-01

    Nowadays the molten salt reactor (MSR) concept seems to revive as one of the most promising systems for the realization of transmutation. In the molten salt reactors and subcritical systems the fuel and material to be transmuted circulate dissolved in some molten salt. The main advantage of this reactor type is the possibility of the continuous feed and reprocessing of the fuel. In the present paper a novel molten salt reactor concept is introduced and its transmutation capabilities are studied. The goal is the development of a transmutation technique along with a device implementing it, which yield higher transmutation efficiencies than that of the known procedures and thus results in radioactive waste whose load on the environment is reduced both in magnitude and time length. The procedure is the multi-step time-scheduled transmutation, in which transformation is done in several consecutive steps of different neutron flux and spectrum. In the new MSR concept, named 'multi-region' MSR (MRMSR), the primary circuit is made up of a few separate loops, in which salt-fuel mixtures of different compositions are circulated. The loop sections constituting the core region are only neutronically and thermally coupled. This new concept makes possible the utilization of the spatial dependence of spectrum as well as the advantageous features of liquid fuel such as the possibility of continuous chemical processing etc. In order to compare a 'conventional' MSR and a proposed MRMSR in terms of efficiency, preliminary calculational results are shown. Further calculations in order to find the optimal implementation of this new concept and to emphasize its other advantageous features are going on. (authors)

  8. Developing a discrimination rule between breast cancer patients and controls using proteomics mass spectrometric data: A three-step approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heidema, A.G.; Nagelkerke, N.

    2008-01-01

    To discriminate between breast cancer patients and controls, we used a three-step approach to obtain our decision rule. First, we ranked the mass/charge values using random forests, because it generates importance indices that take possible interactions into account. We observed that the top ranked

  9. Timing control by redundant inhibitory neuronal circuits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tristan, I.; Rulkov, N. F.; Huerta, R.; Rabinovich, M.

    2014-01-01

    Rhythms and timing control of sequential activity in the brain is fundamental to cognition and behavior. Although experimental and theoretical studies support the understanding that neuronal circuits are intrinsically capable of generating different time intervals, the dynamical origin of the phenomenon of functionally dependent timing control is still unclear. Here, we consider a new mechanism that is related to the multi-neuronal cooperative dynamics in inhibitory brain motifs consisting of a few clusters. It is shown that redundancy and diversity of neurons within each cluster enhances the sensitivity of the timing control with the level of neuronal excitation of the whole network. The generality of the mechanism is shown to work on two different neuronal models: a conductance-based model and a map-based model

  10. Timing control by redundant inhibitory neuronal circuits

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tristan, I., E-mail: itristan@ucsd.edu; Rulkov, N. F.; Huerta, R.; Rabinovich, M. [BioCircuits Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0402 (United States)

    2014-03-15

    Rhythms and timing control of sequential activity in the brain is fundamental to cognition and behavior. Although experimental and theoretical studies support the understanding that neuronal circuits are intrinsically capable of generating different time intervals, the dynamical origin of the phenomenon of functionally dependent timing control is still unclear. Here, we consider a new mechanism that is related to the multi-neuronal cooperative dynamics in inhibitory brain motifs consisting of a few clusters. It is shown that redundancy and diversity of neurons within each cluster enhances the sensitivity of the timing control with the level of neuronal excitation of the whole network. The generality of the mechanism is shown to work on two different neuronal models: a conductance-based model and a map-based model.

  11. Calculation method for control rod dropping time in reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nogami, Takeki; Kato, Yoshifumi; Ishino, Jun-ichi; Doi, Isamu.

    1996-01-01

    If a control rod starts dropping, the dropping speed is rapidly increased, then settled substantially constant, rapidly decreased when it reaches a dash pot. A second detection signal generated by removing an AC component from a first detection signal is differentiated twice. The time when the maximum value among the twice differentiated values is generated is determined as a time when the control rods starts dropping. The time when minimum value among the twice differentiated values is generated is determined as a time when the control rod reaches the dash pot of the reactor. The measuring time within a range from the time when the control rod starts dropping to the time when the control rod reaches the dash pot of the reactor is determined. As a result, processing for the calculation of the dropping start time and dash pot reaching time of the control rod can be automatized. Further, it is suffice to conduct differentiation twice till the reaching time, which can facilitate the processing thereby enabling to determine a reliable time range. (N.H.)

  12. A nuclear reactor power controller using a receding horizon control method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Na, Man Gyun; Sim, Young Rok

    2001-01-01

    A receding horizon control method is applied to design a fully automatic controller for thermal power in a reactor core. The basic concept of the receding horizon control is to solve an optimization problem for a finite future at current time and to implement as the current control input the first optimal control input among the solutions of the finite time steps. The procedure is then repeated at each subsequent instant. The receding horizon controller is designed so that the difference between the output and the desired output is minimized and the variation of the control rod position is small. The nonlinear PWR plant model (nonlinear point kinetics equation with six delayed neutron groups and the lumped thermal-hydraulic balance equations) was used to verify the proposed controller of reactor power. And a controller design model used for designing the receding horizon controller was obtained by applying a parameter estimation algorithm. From numerical simulation results, the performances of this controller for the 5%/min ramp increase or decrease of a desired load and its 10% step increase or decrease which are design requirements are proved to be excellent

  13. Experience with high percent step load decrease from full power in NPP Krsko

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vukovic, V.

    2000-01-01

    The control system of NPP Kriko, is designed to automatically control the reactor in the power range between 15 and 100 percent of rated power for the following designed transients; - 10 percent step change in load; 5 percent per minute loading and unloading; step full load decrease with the aid of automatically initiated and controlled steam dump. Because station operation below 15 percent of rated power is designed for a period of time during startup or standby conditions, automatic control below 15 percent is not provided. The steam dump accomplishes the following functional tasks: it permits the nuclear plants to accept a sudden 95 percent loss of load without incurring reactor trip; it removes stored energy and residual heat following a reactor trip and brings the plant to equilibrium no-load conditions without actuation of the steam generator safety valves; it permits control of the steam generator pressure at no-load conditions and permits a manually controlled cooldown of the plant. The first two functional tasks are controlled by Tavg. The third is controlled by steam pressure. Interlocks minimise any possibility of an inadvertent actuation of steam dump system. This paper discusses relationships between designed (described) characteristics of plant and the data which are obtained during startup and/or first ten years of operation. (author)

  14. Exact docking flight controller for autonomous aerial refueling with back-stepping based high order sliding mode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Zikang; Wang, Honglun; Li, Na; Yu, Yue; Wu, Jianfa

    2018-02-01

    Autonomous aerial refueling (AAR) exact docking control has always been an intractable problem due to the strong nonlinearity, the tight coupling of the 6 DOF aircraft model and the complex disturbances of the multiple environment flows. In this paper, the strongly coupled nonlinear 6 DOF model of the receiver aircraft which considers the multiple flow disturbances is established in the affine nonlinear form to facilitate the nonlinear controller design. The items reflecting the influence of the unknown flow disturbances in the receiver dynamics are taken as the components of the "lumped disturbances" together with the items which have no linear correlation with the virtual control variables. These unmeasurable lumped disturbances are estimated and compensated by a specially designed high order sliding mode observer (HOSMO) with excellent estimation property. With the compensation of the estimated lumped disturbances, a back-stepping high order sliding mode based exact docking flight controller is proposed for AAR in the presence of multiple flow disturbances. Extensive simulation results demonstrate the feasibility and superiority of the proposed docking controller.

  15. A muscle-driven approach to restore stepping with an exoskeleton for individuals with paraplegia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Sarah R; Nandor, Mark J; Li, Lu; Kobetic, Rudi; Foglyano, Kevin M; Schnellenberger, John R; Audu, Musa L; Pinault, Gilles; Quinn, Roger D; Triolo, Ronald J

    2017-05-30

    Functional neuromuscular stimulation, lower limb orthosis, powered lower limb exoskeleton, and hybrid neuroprosthesis (HNP) technologies can restore stepping in individuals with paraplegia due to spinal cord injury (SCI). However, a self-contained muscle-driven controllable exoskeleton approach based on an implanted neural stimulator to restore walking has not been previously demonstrated, which could potentially result in system use outside the laboratory and viable for long term use or clinical testing. In this work, we designed and evaluated an untethered muscle-driven controllable exoskeleton to restore stepping in three individuals with paralysis from SCI. The self-contained HNP combined neural stimulation to activate the paralyzed muscles and generate joint torques for limb movements with a controllable lower limb exoskeleton to stabilize and support the user. An onboard controller processed exoskeleton sensor signals, determined appropriate exoskeletal constraints and stimulation commands for a finite state machine (FSM), and transmitted data over Bluetooth to an off-board computer for real-time monitoring and data recording. The FSM coordinated stimulation and exoskeletal constraints to enable functions, selected with a wireless finger switch user interface, for standing up, standing, stepping, or sitting down. In the stepping function, the FSM used a sensor-based gait event detector to determine transitions between gait phases of double stance, early swing, late swing, and weight acceptance. The HNP restored stepping in three individuals with motor complete paralysis due to SCI. The controller appropriately coordinated stimulation and exoskeletal constraints using the sensor-based FSM for subjects with different stimulation systems. The average range of motion at hip and knee joints during walking were 8.5°-20.8° and 14.0°-43.6°, respectively. Walking speeds varied from 0.03 to 0.06 m/s, and cadences from 10 to 20 steps/min. A self-contained muscle

  16. Can Reduced-Step Polishers Be as Effective as Multiple-Step Polishers in Enhancing Surface Smoothness?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kemaloglu, Hande; Karacolak, Gamze; Turkun, L Sebnem

    2017-02-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of various finishing and polishing systems on the final surface roughness of a resin composite. Hypotheses tested were: (1) reduced-step polishing systems are as effective as multiple-step systems on reducing the surface roughness of a resin composite and (2) the number of application steps in an F/P system has no effect on reducing surface roughness. Ninety discs of a nano-hybrid resin composite were fabricated and divided into nine groups (n = 10). Except the control, all of the specimens were roughened prior to be polished by: Enamel Plus Shiny, Venus Supra, One-gloss, Sof-Lex Wheels, Super-Snap, Enhance/PoGo, Clearfil Twist Dia, and rubber cups. The surface roughness was measured and the surfaces were examined under scanning electron microscope. Results were analyzed with analysis of variance and Holm-Sidak's multiple comparisons test (p One-gloss, Enamel Plus Shiny, and Venus Supra groups. (1) The number of application steps has no effect on the performance of F/P systems. (2) Reduced-step polishers used after a finisher can be preferable to multiple-step systems when used on nanohybrid resin composites. (3) The effect of F/P systems on surface roughness seems to be material-dependent rather than instrument- or system-dependent. Reduced-step systems used after a prepolisher can be an acceptable alternative to multiple-step systems on enhancing the surface smoothness of a nanohybrid composite; however, their effectiveness depends on the materials' properties. (J Esthet Restor Dent 29:31-40, 2017). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. When a Step Is Not a Step! Specificity Analysis of Five Physical Activity Monitors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra O'Connell

    Full Text Available Physical activity is an essential aspect of a healthy lifestyle for both physical and mental health states. As step count is one of the most utilized measures for quantifying physical activity it is important that activity-monitoring devices be both sensitive and specific in recording actual steps taken and disregard non-stepping body movements. The objective of this study was to assess the specificity of five activity monitors during a variety of prescribed non-stepping activities.Participants wore five activity monitors simultaneously for a variety of prescribed activities including deskwork, taking an elevator, taking a bus journey, automobile driving, washing and drying dishes; functional reaching task; indoor cycling; outdoor cycling; and indoor rowing. Each task was carried out for either a specific duration of time or over a specific distance. Activity monitors tested were the ActivPAL micro™, NL-2000™ pedometer, Withings Smart Activity Monitor Tracker (Pulse O2™, Fitbit One™ and Jawbone UP™. Participants were video-recorded while carrying out the prescribed activities and the false positive step count registered on each activity monitor was obtained and compared to the video.All activity monitors registered a significant number of false positive steps per minute during one or more of the prescribed activities. The Withings™ activity performed best, registering a significant number of false positive steps per minute during the outdoor cycling activity only (P = 0.025. The Jawbone™ registered a significant number of false positive steps during the functional reaching task and while washing and drying dishes, which involved arm and hand movement (P < 0.01 for both. The ActivPAL™ registered a significant number of false positive steps during the cycling exercises (P < 0.001 for both.As a number of false positive steps were registered on the activity monitors during the non-stepping activities, the authors conclude that non-stepping

  18. Step-by-step cyclic processes scheduling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bocewicz, G.; Nielsen, Izabela Ewa; Banaszak, Z.

    2013-01-01

    Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) fleet scheduling is one of the big problems in Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) control. The problem is more complicated when concurrent multi-product manufacturing and resource deadlock avoidance policies are considered. The objective of the research is to pro......Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) fleet scheduling is one of the big problems in Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) control. The problem is more complicated when concurrent multi-product manufacturing and resource deadlock avoidance policies are considered. The objective of the research...... is to provide a declarative model enabling to state a constraint satisfaction problem aimed at AGVs fleet scheduling subject to assumed itineraries of concurrently manufactured product types. In other words, assuming a given layout of FMS’s material handling and production routes of simultaneously manufactured...... orders, the main objective is to provide the declarative framework aimed at conditions allowing one to calculate the AGVs fleet schedule in online mode. An illustrative example of the relevant algebra-like driven step-by-stem cyclic scheduling is provided....

  19. Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 MDX Step by Step

    CERN Document Server

    Smith, Bryan; Consulting, Hitachi

    2009-01-01

    Teach yourself the Multidimensional Expressions (MDX) query language-one step at a time. With this practical, learn-by-doing tutorial, you'll build the core techniques for using MDX with Analysis Services to deliver high-performance business intelligence solutions. Discover how to: Construct and execute MDX queriesWork with tuples, sets, and expressionsBuild complex sets to retrieve the exact data users needPerform aggregation functions and navigate data hierarchiesAssemble time-based business metricsCustomize an Analysis Services cube through the MDX scriptImplement dynamic security to cont

  20. Low-complexity controllers for time-delay systems

    CERN Document Server

    Özbay, Hitay; Bonnet, Catherine; Mounier, Hugues

    2014-01-01

    This volume in the newly established series Advances in Delays and Dynamics (ADD@S) provides a collection of recent results on the design and analysis of Low Complexity Controllers for Time Delay Systems. A widely used indirect method to obtain low order controllers for time delay systems is to design a controller for the reduced order model of the plant. In the dual indirect approach, an infinite dimensional controller is designed first for the original plant model; then, the controller is approximated by keeping track of the degradation in performance and stability robustness measures. The present volume includes new techniques used at different stages of the indirect approach. It also includes new direct design methods for fixed structure and low order controllers. On the other hand, what is meant by low complexity controller is not necessarily low order controller. For example, Smith predictor or similar type of controllers include a copy of the plant internally in the controller, so they are technically ...

  1. Analysis of reaction schemes using maximum rates of constituent steps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Motagamwala, Ali Hussain; Dumesic, James A.

    2016-01-01

    We show that the steady-state kinetics of a chemical reaction can be analyzed analytically in terms of proposed reaction schemes composed of series of steps with stoichiometric numbers equal to unity by calculating the maximum rates of the constituent steps, rmax,i, assuming that all of the remaining steps are quasi-equilibrated. Analytical expressions can be derived in terms of rmax,i to calculate degrees of rate control for each step to determine the extent to which each step controls the rate of the overall stoichiometric reaction. The values of rmax,i can be used to predict the rate of the overall stoichiometric reaction, making it possible to estimate the observed reaction kinetics. This approach can be used for catalytic reactions to identify transition states and adsorbed species that are important in controlling catalyst performance, such that detailed calculations using electronic structure calculations (e.g., density functional theory) can be carried out for these species, whereas more approximate methods (e.g., scaling relations) are used for the remaining species. This approach to assess the feasibility of proposed reaction schemes is exact for reaction schemes where the stoichiometric coefficients of the constituent steps are equal to unity and the most abundant adsorbed species are in quasi-equilibrium with the gas phase and can be used in an approximate manner to probe the performance of more general reaction schemes, followed by more detailed analyses using full microkinetic models to determine the surface coverages by adsorbed species and the degrees of rate control of the elementary steps. PMID:27162366

  2. Model Predictive Control-based gait pattern generation for wearable exoskeletons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Letian; van Asseldonk, Edwin H F; van der Kooij, Herman

    2011-01-01

    This paper introduces a new method for controlling wearable exoskeletons that do not need predefined joint trajectories. Instead, it only needs basic gait descriptors such as step length, swing duration, and walking speed. End point Model Predictive Control (MPC) is used to generate the online joint trajectories based on these gait parameters. Real-time ability and control performance of the method during the swing phase of gait cycle is studied in this paper. Experiments are performed by helping a human subject swing his leg with different patterns in the LOPES gait trainer. Results show that the method is able to assist subjects to make steps with different step length and step duration without predefined joint trajectories and is fast enough for real-time implementation. Future study of the method will focus on controlling the exoskeletons in the entire gait cycle. © 2011 IEEE

  3. Collaborative stepped care for anxiety disorders in primary care: aims and design of a randomized controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Spinhoven Philip

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Panic disorder (PD and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD are two of the most disabling and costly anxiety disorders seen in primary care. However, treatment quality of these disorders in primary care generally falls beneath the standard of international guidelines. Collaborative stepped care is recommended for improving treatment of anxiety disorders, but cost-effectiveness of such an intervention has not yet been assessed in primary care. This article describes the aims and design of a study that is currently underway. The aim of this study is to evaluate effects and costs of a collaborative stepped care approach in the primary care setting for patients with PD and GAD compared with care as usual. Methods/design The study is a two armed, cluster randomized controlled trial. Care managers and their primary care practices will be randomized to deliver either collaborative stepped care (CSC or care as usual (CAU. In the CSC group a general practitioner, care manager and psychiatrist work together in a collaborative care framework. Stepped care is provided in three steps: 1 guided self-help, 2 cognitive behavioral therapy and 3 antidepressant medication. Primary care patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of PD and/or GAD will be included. 134 completers are needed to attain sufficient power to show a clinically significant effect of 1/2 SD on the primary outcome measure, the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI. Data on anxiety symptoms, mental and physical health, quality of life, health resource use and productivity will be collected at baseline and after three, six, nine and twelve months. Discussion It is hypothesized that the collaborative stepped care intervention will be more cost-effective than care as usual. The pragmatic design of this study will enable the researchers to evaluate what is possible in real clinical practice, rather than under ideal circumstances. Many requirements for a high quality trial are being met. Results of

  4. The effects of age and step length on joint kinematics and kinetics of large out-and-back steps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulz, Brian W; Ashton-Miller, James A; Alexander, Neil B

    2008-06-01

    Maximum step length (MSL) is a clinical test that has been shown to correlate with age, various measures of fall risk, and knee and hip joint extension speed, strength, and power capacities, but little is known about the kinematics and kinetics of the large out-and-back step utilized. Body motions and ground reaction forces were recorded for 11 unimpaired younger and 10 older women while attaining maximum step length. Joint kinematics and kinetics were calculated using inverse dynamics. The effects of age group and step length on the biomechanics of these large out-and-back steps were determined. Maximum step length was 40% greater in the younger than in the older women (P<0.0001). Peak knee and hip, but not ankle, angle, velocity, moment, and power were generally greater for younger women and longer steps. After controlling for age group, step length generally explained significant additional variance in hip and torso kinematics and kinetics (incremental R2=0.09-0.37). The young reached their peak knee extension moment immediately after landing of the step out, while the old reached their peak knee extension moment just before the return step liftoff (P=0.03). Maximum step length is strongly associated with hip kinematics and kinetics. Delays in peak knee extension moment that appear to be unrelated to step length, may indicate a reduced ability of older women to rapidly apply force to the ground with the stepping leg and thus arrest the momentum of a fall.

  5. Multi-step prediction for influenza outbreak by an adjusted long short-term memory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, J; Nawata, K

    2018-05-01

    Influenza results in approximately 3-5 million annual cases of severe illness and 250 000-500 000 deaths. We urgently need an accurate multi-step-ahead time-series forecasting model to help hospitals to perform dynamical assignments of beds to influenza patients for the annually varied influenza season, and aid pharmaceutical companies to formulate a flexible plan of manufacturing vaccine for the yearly different influenza vaccine. In this study, we utilised four different multi-step prediction algorithms in the long short-term memory (LSTM). The result showed that implementing multiple single-output prediction in a six-layer LSTM structure achieved the best accuracy. The mean absolute percentage errors from two- to 13-step-ahead prediction for the US influenza-like illness rates were all LSTM has been applied and refined to perform multi-step-ahead prediction for influenza outbreaks. Hopefully, this modelling methodology can be applied in other countries and therefore help prevent and control influenza worldwide.

  6. PEP-II injection timing and controls

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bharadwaj, V.; Browne, M.; Crane, M.; Gromme, T.; Himel, T.; Ross, M.; Stanek, M.; Ronan, M.

    1997-07-01

    Hardware has been built and software written and incorporated in the existing SLC accelerator control system to control injection of beam pulses from the accelerator into the PEP-II storage rings currently under construction. Hardware includes a CAMAC module to delay the machine timing fiducial in order that a beam pulse extracted from a damping ring will be injected into a selected group of four 476 MHz buckets in a PEP-II ring. Further timing control is accomplished by shifting the phase of the bunches stored in the damping rings before extraction while leaving the phase of the PEP-II stored beam unchanged. The software which drives timing devices on a pulse-to-pulse basis relies on a dedicated communication link on which one scheduling microprocessor broadcasts a 128-bit message to all distributed control microprocessors at 360 Hz. PEP-II injection will be driven by the scheduling microprocessor according to lists specifying bucket numbers in arbitrary order, and according to scheduling constraints maximizing the useful beam delivered to the SLC collider currently in operation. These lists will be generated by a microprocessor monitoring the current stored per bucket in each of the PEP-II rings

  7. Evaluating Web-Scale Discovery Services: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joseph Deodato

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Selecting a web-scale discovery service is a large and important undertaking that involves a significant investment of time, staff, and resources. Finding the right match begins with a thorough and carefully planned evaluation process. In order to be successful, this process should be inclusive, goal-oriented, data-driven, user-centered, and transparent. The following article offers a step-by-step guide for developing a web-scale discovery evaluation plan rooted in these five key principles based on best practices synthesized from the literature as well as the author’s own experiences coordinating the evaluation process at Rutgers University. The goal is to offer academic libraries that are considering acquiring a web-scale discovery service a blueprint for planning a structured and comprehensive evaluation process.

  8. The 5 x 5 plan for asthma control: the green route to asthma control

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2015 The Author(s). REVIEW. Introduction. Apart from medication to control asthmatic inflammation, ... therapeutic step in achieving asthma control and normal life. ... important at every visit, and is not time consuming or difficult to perform.

  9. Are women positive for the One Step but negative for the Two Step screening tests for gestational diabetes at higher risk for adverse outcomes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caissutti, Claudia; Khalifeh, Adeeb; Saccone, Gabriele; Berghella, Vincenzo

    2018-02-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate if women meeting criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) by the One Step test as per International Association of the Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) criteria but not by other less strict criteria have adverse pregnancy outcomes compared with GDM-negative controls. The primary outcome was the incidence of macrosomia, defined as birthweight > 4000 g. Electronic databases were searched from their inception until May 2017. All studies identifying pregnant women negative at the Two Step test, but positive at the One Step test for IADPSG criteria were included. We excluded studies that randomized women to the One Step vs. the Two Step tests; studies that compared different criteria within the same screening method; randomized studies comparing treatments for GDM; and studies comparing incidence of GDM in women doing the One Step test vs. the Two Step test. Eight retrospective cohort studies, including 29 983 women, were included. Five study groups and four control groups were identified. The heterogeneity between the studies was high. Gestational hypertension, preeclampsia and large for gestational age, as well as in some analyses cesarean delivery, macrosomia and preterm birth, were significantly more frequent, and small for gestational age in some analyses significantly less frequent, in women GDM-positive by the One Step, but not the Two Step. Women meeting criteria for GDM by IADPSG criteria but not by other less strict criteria have an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as gestational hypertension, preeclampsia and large for gestational age, compared with GDM-negative controls. Based on these findings, and evidence from other studies that treatment decreases these adverse outcomes, we suggest screening for GDM using the One Step IADPSG criteria. © 2017 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  10. Real-time communication for distributed plasma control systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Luchetta, A. [Consorzio RFX, Associazione Euratom-ENEA sulla Fusione, Corso Stati Uniti 4, Padova 35127 (Italy)], E-mail: adriano.luchetta@igi.cnr.it; Barbalace, A.; Manduchi, G.; Soppelsa, A.; Taliercio, C. [Consorzio RFX, Associazione Euratom-ENEA sulla Fusione, Corso Stati Uniti 4, Padova 35127 (Italy)

    2008-04-15

    Real-time control applications will benefit in the near future from the enhanced performance provided by multi-core processor architectures. Nevertheless real-time communication will continue to be critical in distributed plasma control systems where the plant under control typically is distributed over a wide area. At RFX-mod real-time communication is crucial for hard real-time plasma control, due to the distributed architecture of the system, which consists of several VMEbus stations. The system runs under VxWorks and uses Gigabit Ethernet for sub-millisecond real-time communication. To optimize communication in the system, a set of detailed measurements has been carried out on the target platforms (Motorola MVME5100 and MVME5500) using either the VxWorks User Datagram Protocol (UDP) stack or raw communication based on the data link layer. Measurements have been carried out also under Linux, using its UDP stack or, in alternative, RTnet, an open source hard real-time network protocol stack. RTnet runs under Xenomai or RTAI, two popular real-time extensions based on the Linux kernel. The paper reports on the measurements carried out and compares the results, showing that the performance obtained by using open source code is suitable for sub-millisecond real-time communication in plasma control.

  11. Flow control of micro-ramps on supersonic forward-facing step flow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Qing-Hu; Zhu Tao; Wu Anping; Yi Shihe

    2016-01-01

    The effects of the micro-ramps on supersonic turbulent flow over a forward-facing step (FFS) was experimentally investigated in a supersonic low-noise wind tunnel at Mach number 3 using nano-tracer planar laser scattering (NPLS) and particle image velocimetry (PIV) techniques. High spatiotemporal resolution images and velocity fields of supersonic flow over the testing model were captured. The fine structures and their spatial evolutionary characteristics without and with the micro-ramps were revealed and compared. The large-scale structures generated by the micro-ramps can survive the downstream FFS flowfield. The micro-ramps control on the flow separation and the separation shock unsteadiness was investigated by PIV results. With the micro-ramps, the reduction in the range of the reversal flow zone in streamwise direction is 50% and the turbulence intensity is also reduced. Moreover, the reduction in the average separated region and in separation shock unsteadiness are 47% and 26%, respectively. The results indicate that the micro-ramps are effective in reducing the flow separation and the separation shock unsteadiness. (paper)

  12. Canadian children's and youth's pedometer-determined steps/day, parent-reported TV watching time, and overweight/obesity: The CANPLAY Surveillance Study

    OpenAIRE

    Tudor-Locke, Catrine; Craig, Cora L; Cameron, Christine; Griffiths, Joseph M

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Background This study examines associations between pedometer-determined steps/day and parent-reported child's Body Mass Index (BMI) and time typically spent watching television between school and dinner. Methods Young people (aged 5-19 years) were recruited through their parents by random digit dialling and mailed a data collection package. Information on height and weight and time spent watching television between school and dinner on a typical school day was collected from parents...

  13. Real-time control environment for the RFX experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barana, O.; Cavinato, M.; Luchetta, A.; Manduchi, G.; Taliercio, C.

    2005-01-01

    A comprehensive set of control schemes can be presently implemented on RFX due to the enhanced load assembly and renewed power supply system. The schemes include: plasma equilibrium control and resistive wall mode stabilization, aiming at controlling actively the discharge when the passive action of the shell vanishes; the rotation of the localised helical deformation to minimize the enhanced plasma-wall interaction; the MHD mode control and the 'intelligent shell', aiming at achieving a better comprehension of the underlying physics. To the purpose, an integrated, distributed, digital system has been developed consisting of a set of computing nodes. Each node can act either as pre-processing or control station, the former acquiring raw data and computing intermediate control parameters, the latter executing control algorithms and driving the power amplifiers. An overview of the system architecture is presented in the paper with reference to the software real-time environment providing both basic functions, such as data read-out and real-time communication, and useful tools to program control algorithms, to perform simulations and to commission the system. To simulate the control schemes, the real-time environment is extended to include a so called 'simulation mode', in which the real-time nodes exchange their input/output signals with one station running a suitable model of the experiment, for instance the two dimensional FEM code MAXFEA in the case of the equilibrium control. In this way the control system can be tested offline and the time needed for the commissioning of algorithms reduced

  14. Detection of live Salmonella enterica in fresh-cut vegetables by a TaqMan-based one-step reverse transcription real-time PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miao, Y J; Xiong, G T; Bai, M Y; Ge, Y; Wu, Z F

    2018-05-01

    Fresh-cut produce is at greater risk of Salmonella contamination. Detection and early warning systems play an important role in reducing the dissemination of contaminated products. One-step Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) targeting Salmonella tmRNA with or without a 6-h enrichment was evaluated for the detection of Salmonella in fresh-cut vegetables after 6-h storage. LOD of one-step RT-qPCR was 1·0 CFU per ml (about 100 copies tmRNA per ml) by assessed 10-fold serially diluted RNA from 10 6 CFU per ml bacteria culture. Then, one-step RT-qPCR assay was applied to detect viable Salmonella cells in 14 fresh-cut vegetables after 6-h storage. Without enrichment, this assay could detect 10 CFU per g for fresh-cut lettuce, cilantro, spinach, cabbage, Chinese cabbage and bell pepper, and 10 2 CFU per g for other vegetables. With a 6-h enrichment, this assay could detect 10 CFU per g for all fresh-cut vegetables used in this study. Moreover, this assay was able to discriminate viable cells from dead cells. This rapid detection assay may provide potential processing control and early warning method in fresh-cut vegetable processing to strengthen food safety assurance. Significance and Impact of the Study: Fresh-cut produce is at greater risk of Salmonella contamination. Rapid detection methods play an important role in reducing the dissemination of contaminated products. One-step RT-qPCR assay used in this study could detect 10 CFU per g Salmonella for 14 fresh-cut vegetables with a 6-h short enrichment. Moreover, this assay was able to discriminate viable cells from dead cells. This rapid detection assay may provide potential processing control and early warning method in fresh-cut vegetable processing to strengthen food safety assurance. © 2018 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  15. Extraction of Human Stepping Pattern Using Acceleration Sensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toyohira Takayuki

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Gait analysis plays an important role in characterizing individuals and each condition and gait analysis systems have been developed using various devices or instruments. However, most systems do not catch synchronous stepping actions between right foot and left foot. For obtaining a precise gait pattern, a synchronous walking sensing system is developed, in which a pair of acceleration and angular velocity sensors are attached to left and right shoes of a walking person and their data are transmitted to a PC through a wireless channel. Walking data from 19 persons of the age of 14 to 20 are acquired for walking analysis. Stepping time diagrams are extracted from the acquired data of right and left foot actions of stepping-off and-on the ground, and the time diagrams distinguish between an ordinary person and a person injured on left leg, and a stepping recovery process of the injured person is shown. Synchronous sensing of stepping action between right foot and left foot contributes to obtain precise stepping patterns.

  16. Positive Classroom Management. A Step-by-Step Guide to Successfully Running the Show Without Destroying Student Dignity. 2nd Edition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiGiulio, Robert

    This book provides K-12 teachers with concrete, step-by-step guidance on how to improve student behavior through positive classroom management. It explains how to take control of the classroom, offering an alternative to threats, rewards, and punishments. The book is divided into an introduction and three sections with seven chapters. The…

  17. Two-step rocket engine bipropellant valve concept

    Science.gov (United States)

    Capps, J. E.; Ferguson, R. E.; Pohl, H. O.

    1969-01-01

    Initiating combustion of altitude control rocket engines in a precombustion chamber of ductile material reduces high pressure surges generated by hypergolic propellants. Two-step bipropellant valve concepts control initial propellant flow into precombustion chamber and subsequent full flow into main chamber.

  18. Integration of control and building performance simulation software by run-time coupling

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yahiaoui, A.; Hensen, J.L.M.; Soethout, L.L.

    2003-01-01

    This paper presents the background, approach and initial results of a project, which aims to achieve better integrated building and systems control modeling in building performance simulation by runtime coupling of distributed computer programs. This paper focuses on one of the essential steps

  19. Time Optimal Control Laws for Bilinear Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salim Bichiou

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to determine the feedforward and state feedback suboptimal time control for a subset of bilinear systems, namely, the control sequence and reaching time. This paper proposes a method that uses Block pulse functions as an orthogonal base. The bilinear system is projected along that base. The mathematical integration is transformed into a product of matrices. An algebraic system of equations is obtained. This system together with specified constraints is treated as an optimization problem. The parameters to determine are the final time, the control sequence, and the states trajectories. The obtained results via the newly proposed method are compared to known analytical solutions.

  20. Model-Assisted Control of Flow Front in Resin Transfer Molding Based on Real-Time Estimation of Permeability/Porosity Ratio

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bai-Jian Wei

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Resin transfer molding (RTM is a popular manufacturing technique that produces fiber reinforced polymer (FRP composites. In this paper, a model-assisted flow front control system is developed based on real-time estimation of permeability/porosity ratio using the information acquired by a visualization system. In the proposed control system, a radial basis function (RBF network meta-model is utilized to predict the position of the future flow front by inputting the injection pressure, the current position of flow front, and the estimated ratio. By conducting optimization based on the meta-model, the value of injection pressure to be implemented at each step is obtained. Moreover, a cascade control structure is established to further improve the control performance. Experiments show that the developed system successfully enhances the performance of flow front control in RTM. Especially, the cascade structure makes the control system robust to model mismatch.

  1. Improving stability of stabilized and multiscale formulations in flow simulations at small time steps

    KAUST Repository

    Hsu, Ming-Chen

    2010-02-01

    The objective of this paper is to show that use of the element-vector-based definition of stabilization parameters, introduced in [T.E. Tezduyar, Computation of moving boundaries and interfaces and stabilization parameters, Int. J. Numer. Methods Fluids 43 (2003) 555-575; T.E. Tezduyar, Y. Osawa, Finite element stabilization parameters computed from element matrices and vectors, Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 190 (2000) 411-430], circumvents the well-known instability associated with conventional stabilized formulations at small time steps. We describe formulations for linear advection-diffusion and incompressible Navier-Stokes equations and test them on three benchmark problems: advection of an L-shaped discontinuity, laminar flow in a square domain at low Reynolds number, and turbulent channel flow at friction-velocity Reynolds number of 395. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Effectiveness of en masse versus two-step retraction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mumen Z. Rizk

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This review aims to compare the effectiveness of en masse and two-step retraction methods during orthodontic space closure regarding anchorage preservation and anterior segment retraction and to assess their effect on the duration of treatment and root resorption. Methods An electronic search for potentially eligible randomized controlled trials and prospective controlled trials was performed in five electronic databases up to July 2017. The process of study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment was performed by two reviewers independently. A narrative review is presented in addition to a quantitative synthesis of the pooled results where possible. The Cochrane risk of bias tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale were used for the methodological quality assessment of the included studies. Results Eight studies were included in the qualitative synthesis in this review. Four studies were included in the quantitative synthesis. En masse/miniscrew combination showed a statistically significant standard mean difference regarding anchorage preservation − 2.55 mm (95% CI − 2.99 to − 2.11 and the amount of upper incisor retraction − 0.38 mm (95% CI − 0.70 to − 0.06 when compared to a two-step/conventional anchorage combination. Qualitative synthesis suggested that en masse retraction requires less time than two-step retraction with no difference in the amount of root resorption. Conclusions Both en masse and two-step retraction methods are effective during the space closure phase. The en masse/miniscrew combination is superior to the two-step/conventional anchorage combination with regard to anchorage preservation and amount of retraction. Limited evidence suggests that anchorage reinforcement with a headgear produces similar results with both retraction methods. Limited evidence also suggests that en masse retraction may require less time and that no significant differences exist in the amount of root

  3. Thin film complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device using a single-step deposition of the channel layer

    KAUST Repository

    Nayak, Pradipta K.; Caraveo-Frescas, J. A.; Wang, Zhenwei; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Wang, Q. X.; Alshareef, Husam N.

    2014-01-01

    We report, for the first time, the use of a single step deposition of semiconductor channel layer to simultaneously achieve both n-and p-type transport in transparent oxide thin film transistors (TFTs). This effect is achieved by controlling

  4. Administrative Lead Time at Navy Inventory Control Points

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Granetto, Paul

    1994-01-01

    .... We also evaluated the internal controls established for administrative lead time and the adequacy of management's implementation of the DoD Internal Management Control Program for monitoring administrative lead time...

  5. Advanced discrete-time control designs and applications

    CERN Document Server

    Abidi, Khalid

    2015-01-01

    This book covers a wide spectrum of systems such as linear and nonlinear multivariable systems as well as control problems such as disturbance, uncertainty and time-delays. The purpose of this book is to provide researchers and practitioners a manual for the design and application of advanced discrete-time controllers.  The book presents six different control approaches depending on the type of system and control problem. The first and second approaches are based on Sliding Mode control (SMC) theory and are intended for linear systems with exogenous disturbances. The third and fourth approaches are based on adaptive control theory and are aimed at linear/nonlinear systems with periodically varying parametric uncertainty or systems with input delay. The fifth approach is based on Iterative learning control (ILC) theory and is aimed at uncertain linear/nonlinear systems with repeatable tasks and the final approach is based on fuzzy logic control (FLC) and is intended for highly uncertain systems with heuristi...

  6. Real time spectroscopic ellipsometry for analysis and control of thin film polycrystalline semiconductor deposition in photovoltaics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koirala, Prakash; Attygalle, Dinesh; Aryal, Puruswottam; Pradhan, Puja; Chen, Jie [Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States); Marsillac, Sylvain [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529 (United States); Ferlauto, Andre S.; Podraza, Nikolas J.; Collins, Robert W. [Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States)

    2014-11-28

    Real time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE) from the near-infrared to ultraviolet has been applied for analysis of the deposition of polycrystalline thin films that form the basis of two key photovoltaic heterojunction configurations, superstrate SnO{sub 2}/CdS/CdTe and substrate Mo/Cu(In{sub 1−x}Ga{sub x})Se{sub 2}/CdS. The focus of this work is to develop capabilities for monitoring and controlling the key steps in the fabrication of these device structures. Analysis of RTSE data collected during sputter deposition of CdS on a rough SnO{sub 2} transparent top contact provides the time evolution of the CdS effective thickness, or film volume per unit substrate area. This thickness includes interface, bulk, and surface roughness layer components and affects the CdS/CdTe heterojunction performance and the quantum efficiency of the solar cell in the blue region of the solar spectrum. Similarly, analysis of RTSE data collected during co-evaporation of Cu(In{sub 1−x}Ga{sub x})Se{sub 2} (CIGS; x ∼ 0.3) on a rough Mo back contact provides the evolution of a second phase of Cu{sub 2−x}Se within the CIGS layer. During the last stage of CIGS deposition, the In, Ga, and Se co-evaporants convert this Cu{sub 2−x}Se phase to CIGS, and RTSE identifies the endpoint, specifically the time at which complete conversion occurs and single-phase, large-grain CIGS is obtained in this key stage. - Highlights: • Real time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE) study of CdS and CuIn{sub 1−x}Ga{sub x}Se{sub 2} (CIGS) films. • RTSE during CdS deposition provides the evolution of the CdS effective thickness. • RTSE for CIGS film enables to measure and control the composition and thickness. • The work leads to the development of optical models for processing steps.

  7. Translating staff experience into organisational improvement: the HEADS-UP stepped wedge, cluster controlled, non-randomised trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Athanasiou, Thanos; Long, Susannah J; Beveridge, Iain; Sevdalis, Nick

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Frontline insights into care delivery correlate with patients’ clinical outcomes. These outcomes might be improved through near-real time identification and mitigation of staff concerns. We evaluated the effects of a prospective frontline surveillance system on patient and team outcomes. Design Prospective, stepped wedge, non-randomised, cluster controlled trial; prespecified per protocol analysis for high-fidelity intervention delivery. Participants Seven interdisciplinary medical ward teams from two hospitals in the UK. Intervention Prospective clinical team surveillance (PCTS): structured daily interdisciplinary briefings to capture staff concerns, with organisational facilitation and feedback. Main measures The primary outcome was excess length of stay (eLOS): an admission more than 24 hours above the local average for comparable patients. Secondary outcomes included safety and teamwork climates, and incident reporting. Mixed-effects models adjusted for time effects, age, comorbidity, palliation status and ward admissions. Safety and teamwork climates were measured with the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire. High-fidelity PCTS delivery comprised high engagement and high briefing frequency. Results Implementation fidelity was variable, both in briefing frequency (median 80% working days/month, IQR 65%–90%) and engagement (median 70 issues/ward/month, IQR 34–113). 1714/6518 (26.3%) intervention admissions had eLOS versus 1279/4927 (26.0%) control admissions, an absolute risk increase of 0.3%. PCTS increased eLOS in the adjusted intention-to-treat model (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.58, p=0.003). Conversely, high-fidelity PCTS reduced eLOS (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.94, p=0.006). High-fidelity PCTS also increased total, high-yield and non-nurse incident reports (incidence rate ratios 1.28–1.79, all p<0.002). Sustained PCTS significantly improved safety and teamwork climates over time. Conclusions This study highlighted the potential benefits and

  8. Real-Time Optimal Flood Control Decision Making and Risk Propagation Under Multiple Uncertainties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Feilin; Zhong, Ping-An; Sun, Yimeng; Yeh, William W.-G.

    2017-12-01

    Multiple uncertainties exist in the optimal flood control decision-making process, presenting risks involving flood control decisions. This paper defines the main steps in optimal flood control decision making that constitute the Forecast-Optimization-Decision Making (FODM) chain. We propose a framework for supporting optimal flood control decision making under multiple uncertainties and evaluate risk propagation along the FODM chain from a holistic perspective. To deal with uncertainties, we employ stochastic models at each link of the FODM chain. We generate synthetic ensemble flood forecasts via the martingale model of forecast evolution. We then establish a multiobjective stochastic programming with recourse model for optimal flood control operation. The Pareto front under uncertainty is derived via the constraint method coupled with a two-step process. We propose a novel SMAA-TOPSIS model for stochastic multicriteria decision making. Then we propose the risk assessment model, the risk of decision-making errors and rank uncertainty degree to quantify the risk propagation process along the FODM chain. We conduct numerical experiments to investigate the effects of flood forecast uncertainty on optimal flood control decision making and risk propagation. We apply the proposed methodology to a flood control system in the Daduhe River basin in China. The results indicate that the proposed method can provide valuable risk information in each link of the FODM chain and enable risk-informed decisions with higher reliability.

  9. ASDEX Upgrade Discharge Control System—A real-time plasma control framework

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Treutterer, W.; Cole, R.; Lüddecke, K.; Neu, G.; Rapson, C.; Raupp, G.; Zasche, D.; Zehetbauer, T.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The ASDEX Upgrade Discharge Control System (DCS) is a comprehensive control system to conduct fusion experiments. • DCS supports real-time diagnostic integration, adaptable feedback schemes, actuator management and exception handling. • DCS offers workflow management, logging and archiving, self-monitoring and inter-process communication. • DCS is based on a distributed, modular software framework architecture designed for real-time operation. • DCS is composed of re-usable generic but highly customisable components. - Abstract: ASDEX Upgrade is a fusion experiment with a size and complexity to allow extrapolation of technical and physical conditions and requirements to devices like ITER and even beyond. In addressing advanced physics topics it makes extensive use of sophisticated real-time control methods. It comprises real-time diagnostic integration, dynamically adaptable multivariable feedback schemes, actuator management including load distribution schemes and a powerful monitoring and pulse supervision concept based on segment scheduling and exception handling. The Discharge Control System (DCS) supplies all this functionality on base of a modular software framework architecture designed for real-time operation. It provides system-wide services like workflow management, logging and archiving, self-monitoring and inter-process communication on Linux, VxWorks and Solaris operating systems. By default DCS supports distributed computing, and a communication layer allows multi-directional signal transfer and data-driven process synchronisation over shared memory as well as over a number of real-time networks. The entire system is built following the same common design concept combining a rich set of re-usable generic but highly customisable components with a configuration-driven component deployment method. We will give an overview on the architectural concepts as well as on the outstanding capabilities of DCS in the domains of inter

  10. ASDEX Upgrade Discharge Control System—A real-time plasma control framework

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Treutterer, W., E-mail: Wolfgang.Treutterer@ipp.mpg.de [Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Boltzmannstraße 2, 85748 Garching (Germany); Cole, R.; Lüddecke, K. [Unlimited Computer Systems GmbH, Iffeldorf (Germany); Neu, G.; Rapson, C.; Raupp, G.; Zasche, D.; Zehetbauer, T. [Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Boltzmannstraße 2, 85748 Garching (Germany)

    2014-03-15

    Highlights: • The ASDEX Upgrade Discharge Control System (DCS) is a comprehensive control system to conduct fusion experiments. • DCS supports real-time diagnostic integration, adaptable feedback schemes, actuator management and exception handling. • DCS offers workflow management, logging and archiving, self-monitoring and inter-process communication. • DCS is based on a distributed, modular software framework architecture designed for real-time operation. • DCS is composed of re-usable generic but highly customisable components. - Abstract: ASDEX Upgrade is a fusion experiment with a size and complexity to allow extrapolation of technical and physical conditions and requirements to devices like ITER and even beyond. In addressing advanced physics topics it makes extensive use of sophisticated real-time control methods. It comprises real-time diagnostic integration, dynamically adaptable multivariable feedback schemes, actuator management including load distribution schemes and a powerful monitoring and pulse supervision concept based on segment scheduling and exception handling. The Discharge Control System (DCS) supplies all this functionality on base of a modular software framework architecture designed for real-time operation. It provides system-wide services like workflow management, logging and archiving, self-monitoring and inter-process communication on Linux, VxWorks and Solaris operating systems. By default DCS supports distributed computing, and a communication layer allows multi-directional signal transfer and data-driven process synchronisation over shared memory as well as over a number of real-time networks. The entire system is built following the same common design concept combining a rich set of re-usable generic but highly customisable components with a configuration-driven component deployment method. We will give an overview on the architectural concepts as well as on the outstanding capabilities of DCS in the domains of inter

  11. Avoid the tsunami of the Dirac sea in the imaginary time step method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Ying; Liang, Haozhao; Meng, Jie

    2010-01-01

    The discrete single-particle spectra in both the Fermi and Dirac sea have been calculated by the imaginary time step (ITS) method for the Schroedinger-like equation after avoiding the "tsunami" of the Dirac sea, i.e. the diving behavior of the single-particle level into the Dirac sea in the direct application of the ITS method for the Dirac equation. It is found that by the transform from the Dirac equation to the Schroedinger-like equation, the single-particle spectra, which extend from the positive to the negative infinity, can be separately obtained by the ITS evolution in either the Fermi sea or the Dirac sea. Identical results with those in the conventional shooting method have been obtained via the ITS evolution for the equivalent Schroedinger-like equation, which demonstrates the feasibility, practicality and reliability of the present algorithm and dispels the doubts on the ITS method in the relativistic system. (author)

  12. Webinar Presentation: Environmental Exposures and Health Risks in California Child Care Facilities: First Steps to Improve Environmental Health where Children Spend Time

    Science.gov (United States)

    This presentation, Environmental Exposures and Health Risks in California Child Care Facilities: First Steps to Improve Environmental Health where Children Spend Time, was given at the NIEHS/EPA Children's Centers 2016 Webinar Series: Exposome.

  13. Timing system control software in the SLC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thompson, K.; Phinney, N.

    1985-04-01

    A new timing system that allows precision (approx.1 to 2 ns) control of the trigger times of klystrons, beam position monitors, and other devices on a pulse-to-pulse basis at up to 360 Hz is in operation in the first third of the SLAC linear accelerator. The control software is divided between a central host VAX and local Intel 8086-based microprocessor clusters. Facilities exist to set up and adjust the timing of devices or groups of devices independently for beam pulses having different destinations and purposes, which are run in an interlaced fashion during normal machine operation. Upgrading of the system is currently underway, using a new version of the Programmable Delay Unit CAMAC module to allow pipelining of timing information for three machine pulses. An overview of the current state of the system is presented in this paper, with an emphasis on software control

  14. Sub-step methodology for coupled Monte Carlo depletion and thermal hydraulic codes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kotlyar, D.; Shwageraus, E.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Discretization of time in coupled MC codes determines the results’ accuracy. • The error is due to lack of information regarding the time-dependent reaction rates. • The proposed sub-step method considerably reduces the time discretization error. • No additional MC transport solutions are required within the time step. • The reaction rates are varied as functions of nuclide densities and TH conditions. - Abstract: The governing procedure in coupled Monte Carlo (MC) codes relies on discretization of the simulation time into time steps. Typically, the MC transport solution at discrete points will generate reaction rates, which in most codes are assumed to be constant within the time step. This assumption can trigger numerical instabilities or result in a loss of accuracy, which, in turn, would require reducing the time steps size. This paper focuses on reducing the time discretization error without requiring additional MC transport solutions and hence with no major computational overhead. The sub-step method presented here accounts for the reaction rate variation due to the variation in nuclide densities and thermal hydraulic (TH) conditions. This is achieved by performing additional depletion and TH calculations within the analyzed time step. The method was implemented in BGCore code and subsequently used to analyze a series of test cases. The results indicate that computational speedup of up to a factor of 10 may be achieved over the existing coupling schemes.

  15. Real-time controller for hydrostatic transmission

    OpenAIRE

    2014-01-01

    M. Ing. (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) This dissertation describes the development of a modular real-time controller implemented on a personal computer for a hydrostatically driven vehicle. In such a vehicle the conventional mechanical transmission is replaced with a hydrostatic pump and two hydrostatic motors, making use of the secondary control principle. The infinitely variable transmission and wheel pair controller gives the vehicle superior traction and mobility over conventi...

  16. Landing-Time-Controlled Management Of Air Traffic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erzberger, Heinz; Tobias, Leonard

    1988-01-01

    Conceptual system controls aircraft with old and new guidance equipment. Report begins with overview of concept, then reviews controller-interactive simulations. Describes fuel-conservative-trajectory algorithm, based on equations of motion for controlling landing time. Finally, presents results of piloted simulations.

  17. Validity of the Stages of Change in Steps instrument (SoC-Step) for achieving the physical activity goal of 10,000 steps per day.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenkranz, Richard R; Duncan, Mitch J; Caperchione, Cristina M; Kolt, Gregory S; Vandelanotte, Corneel; Maeder, Anthony J; Savage, Trevor N; Mummery, W Kerry

    2015-11-30

    Physical activity (PA) offers numerous benefits to health and well-being, but most adults are not sufficiently physically active to afford such benefits. The 10,000 steps campaign has been a popular and effective approach to promote PA. The Transtheoretical Model posits that individuals have varying levels of readiness for health behavior change, known as Stages of Change (Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, and Maintenance). Few validated assessment instruments are available for determining Stages of Change in relation to the PA goal of 10,000 steps per day. The purpose of this study was to assess the criterion-related validity of the SoC-Step, a brief 10,000 steps per day Stages of Change instrument. Participants were 504 Australian adults (176 males, 328 females, mean age = 50.8 ± 13.0 years) from the baseline sample of the Walk 2.0 randomized controlled trial. Measures included 7-day accelerometry (Actigraph GT3X), height, weight, and self-reported intention, self-efficacy, and SoC-Step: Stages of Change relative to achieving 10,000 steps per day. Kruskal-Wallis H tests with pairwise comparisons were used to determine whether participants differed by stage, according to steps per day, general health, body mass index, intention, and self-efficacy to achieve 10,000 steps per day. Binary logistic regression was used to test the hypothesis that participants in Maintenance or Action stages would have greater likelihood of meeting the 10,000 steps goal, in comparison to participants in the other three stages. Consistent with study hypotheses, participants in Precontemplation had significantly lower intention scores than those in Contemplation (p = 0.003) or Preparation (p per day (OR = 3.11; 95 % CI = 1.66,5.83) compared to those in Precontemplation, Contemplation, or Preparation. Intention (p per day. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry reference: ACTRN12611000157976 World Health Organization Universal Trial

  18. Advanced concepts in accelerator timing control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frankel, R.; Salwen, C.

    1988-01-01

    The control system for the Booster accelerator presently under construction at BNL includes a timing section with serial high speed coded data distribution, computer based encoders for both real time and field driven clocks and a method of easily tracking the performance and reliability of these timing streams. We have developed a simple method for the generation of timing which operates to produce pulses which may be repeated as desired with minimal latency

  19. Study Behaviors and USMLE Step 1 Performance: Implications of a Student Self-Directed Parallel Curriculum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burk-Rafel, Jesse; Santen, Sally A; Purkiss, Joel

    2017-11-01

    To determine medical students' study behaviors when preparing for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1, and how these behaviors are associated with Step 1 scores when controlling for likely covariates. The authors distributed a study-behaviors survey in 2014 and 2015 at their institution to two cohorts of medical students who had recently taken Step 1. Demographic and academic data were linked to responses. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed. Of 332 medical students, 274 (82.5%) participated. Most students (n = 211; 77.0%) began studying for Step 1 during their preclinical curriculum, increasing their intensity during a protected study period during which they averaged 11.0 hours studying per day (standard deviation [SD] 2.1) over a period of 35.3 days (SD 6.2). Students used numerous third-party resources, including reading an exam-specific 700-page review book on average 2.1 times (SD 0.8) and completing an average of 3,597 practice multiple-choice questions (SD 1,611). Initiating study prior to the designated study period, increased review book usage, and attempting more practice questions were all associated with higher Step 1 scores, even when controlling for Medical College Admission Test scores, preclinical exam performance, and self-identified score goal (adjusted R = 0.56, P < .001). Medical students at one public institution engaged in a self-directed, "parallel" Step 1 curriculum using third-party study resources. Several study behaviors were associated with improved USMLE Step 1 performance, informing both institutional- and student-directed preparation for this high-stakes exam.

  20. Real time neutral beam power control on MAST

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Homfray, David A., E-mail: david.homfray@ccfe.ac.uk [EURATOM/CCFE Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon (United Kingdom); Benn, A.; Ciric, D.; Day, I.; Dunkley, V.; Keeling, D.; Khilar, S.; King, D.; King, R. [EURATOM/CCFE Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon (United Kingdom); Kurutz, U. [Department of Experimental Plasma Physics, University of Augsburg, Augsburg (Germany); Payne, D.; Simmonds, M.; Stevenson, P.; Tame, C. [EURATOM/CCFE Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon (United Kingdom)

    2011-10-15

    Real time power control of neutral beam provides an excellent tool for many different plasma physics studies. Power control at a better resolution than the level of a single injector is usually achieved by modulating individual power supplies. However, the short beam slowing down time on MAST is such that the plasma would be sensitive to modulating the neutral beam using this 100% on-off pulse-width modulation method. A novel alternative method of power control has been demonstrated, where the arc current, and hence beam current, has been controlled in real time allowing variations in neutral beam power. This has been demonstrated in a MAST plasma with almost no loss of transmission as a consequence of the optical properties of the high perveance MAST neutral beam system. This paper will detail the methodology, experiment and results and discuss the full implementation of this method that will allow MAST to control the beam power in real time.

  1. Effects of long-term moderate exercise and increase in number of daily steps on serum lipids in women: randomised controlled trial [ISRCTN21921919

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirbod Seyed

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This study was designed to evaluate the effects of a 24-month period of moderate exercise on serum lipids in menopausal women. Methods The subjects (40–60 y were randomly divided into an exercise group (n = 14 and a control group (n = 13. The women in the exercise group were asked to participate in a 90-minute physical education class once a week and to record their daily steps as measured by a pedometer for 24 months. Results Mean of daily steps was significantly higher in the exercise group from about 6,800 to over 8,500 steps (P P Conclusions These results suggest that daily exercise as well as increasing the number of daily steps can improve the profile of serum lipids.

  2. Comparative analysis of single-step and two-step biodiesel production using supercritical methanol on laboratory-scale

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Micic, Radoslav D.; Tomić, Milan D.; Kiss, Ferenc E.; Martinovic, Ferenc L.; Simikić, Mirko Ð.; Molnar, Tibor T.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Single-step supercritical transesterification compared to the two-step process. • Two-step process: oil hydrolysis and subsequent supercritical methyl esterification. • Experiments were conducted in a laboratory-scale batch reactor. • Higher biodiesel yields in two-step process at milder reaction conditions. • Two-step process has potential to be cost-competitive with the single-step process. - Abstract: Single-step supercritical transesterification and two-step biodiesel production process consisting of oil hydrolysis and subsequent supercritical methyl esterification were studied and compared. For this purpose, comparative experiments were conducted in a laboratory-scale batch reactor and optimal reaction conditions (temperature, pressure, molar ratio and time) were determined. Results indicate that in comparison to a single-step transesterification, methyl esterification (second step of the two-step process) produces higher biodiesel yields (95 wt% vs. 91 wt%) at lower temperatures (270 °C vs. 350 °C), pressures (8 MPa vs. 12 MPa) and methanol to oil molar ratios (1:20 vs. 1:42). This can be explained by the fact that the reaction system consisting of free fatty acid (FFA) and methanol achieves supercritical condition at milder reaction conditions. Furthermore, the dissolved FFA increases the acidity of supercritical methanol and acts as an acid catalyst that increases the reaction rate. There is a direct correlation between FFA content of the product obtained in hydrolysis and biodiesel yields in methyl esterification. Therefore, the reaction parameters of hydrolysis were optimized to yield the highest FFA content at 12 MPa, 250 °C and 1:20 oil to water molar ratio. Results of direct material and energy costs comparison suggest that the process based on the two-step reaction has the potential to be cost-competitive with the process based on single-step supercritical transesterification. Higher biodiesel yields, similar or lower energy

  3. Discrete-Time Nonlinear Control of VSC-HVDC System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    TianTian Qian

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Because VSC-HVDC is a kind of strong nonlinear, coupling, and multi-input multioutput (MIMO system, its control problem is always attracting much attention from scholars. And a lot of papers have done research on its control strategy in the continuous-time domain. But the control system is implemented through the computer discrete sampling in practical engineering. It is necessary to study the mathematical model and control algorithm in the discrete-time domain. The discrete mathematical model based on output feedback linearization and discrete sliding mode control algorithm is proposed in this paper. And to ensure the effectiveness of the control system in the quasi sliding mode state, the fast output sampling method is used in the output feedback. The results from simulation experiment in MATLAB/SIMULINK prove that the proposed discrete control algorithm can make the VSC-HVDC system have good static, dynamic, and robust characteristics in discrete-time domain.

  4. Analysis on burnup step effect for evaluating reactor criticality and fuel breeding ratio

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saputra, Geby; Purnama, Aditya Rizki; Permana, Sidik; Suzuki, Mitsutoshi

    2014-01-01

    Criticality condition of the reactors is one of the important factors for evaluating reactor operation and nuclear fuel breeding ratio is another factor to show nuclear fuel sustainability. This study analyzes the effect of burnup steps and cycle operation step for evaluating the criticality condition of the reactor as well as the performance of nuclear fuel breeding or breeding ratio (BR). Burnup step is performed based on a day step analysis which is varied from 10 days up to 800 days and for cycle operation from 1 cycle up to 8 cycles reactor operations. In addition, calculation efficiency based on the variation of computer processors to run the analysis in term of time (time efficiency in the calculation) have been also investigated. Optimization method for reactor design analysis which is used a large fast breeder reactor type as a reference case was performed by adopting an established reactor design code of JOINT-FR. The results show a criticality condition becomes higher for smaller burnup step (day) and for breeding ratio becomes less for smaller burnup step (day). Some nuclides contribute to make better criticality when smaller burnup step due to individul nuclide half-live. Calculation time for different burnup step shows a correlation with the time consuming requirement for more details step calculation, although the consuming time is not directly equivalent with the how many time the burnup time step is divided

  5. Internal control for real-time polymerase chain reaction based on MS2 bacteriophage for RNA viruses diagnostics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zambenedetti, Miriam Ribas; Pavoni, Daniela Parada; Dallabona, Andreia Cristine; Dominguez, Alejandro Correa; Poersch, Celina de Oliveira; Fragoso, Stenio Perdigão; Krieger, Marco Aurélio

    2017-05-01

    Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is routinely used to detect viral infections. In Brazil, it is mandatory the use of nucleic acid tests to detect hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus in blood banks because of the immunological window. The use of an internal control (IC) is necessary to differentiate the true negative results from those consequent from a failure in some step of the nucleic acid test. The aim of this study was the construction of virus-modified particles, based on MS2 bacteriophage, to be used as IC for the diagnosis of RNA viruses. The MS2 genome was cloned into the pET47b(+) plasmid, generating pET47b(+)-MS2. MS2-like particles were produced through the synthesis of MS2 RNA genome by T7 RNA polymerase. These particles were used as non-competitive IC in assays for RNA virus diagnostics. In addition, a competitive control for HCV diagnosis was developed by cloning a mutated HCV sequence into the MS2 replicase gene of pET47b(+)-MS2, which produces a non-propagating MS2 particle. The utility of MS2-like particles as IC was evaluated in a one-step format multiplex real-time RT-PCR for HCV detection. We demonstrated that both competitive and non-competitive IC could be successfully used to monitor the HCV amplification performance, including the extraction, reverse transcription, amplification and detection steps, without compromising the detection of samples with low target concentrations. In conclusion, MS2-like particles generated by this strategy proved to be useful IC for RNA virus diagnosis, with advantage that they are produced by a low cost protocol. An attractive feature of this system is that it allows the construction of a multicontrol by the insertion of sequences from more than one pathogen, increasing its applicability for diagnosing different RNA viruses.

  6. Internal control for real-time polymerase chain reaction based on MS2 bacteriophage for RNA viruses diagnostics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miriam Ribas Zambenedetti

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR is routinely used to detect viral infections. In Brazil, it is mandatory the use of nucleic acid tests to detect hepatitis C virus (HCV, hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus in blood banks because of the immunological window. The use of an internal control (IC is necessary to differentiate the true negative results from those consequent from a failure in some step of the nucleic acid test. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was the construction of virus-modified particles, based on MS2 bacteriophage, to be used as IC for the diagnosis of RNA viruses. METHODS The MS2 genome was cloned into the pET47b(+ plasmid, generating pET47b(+-MS2. MS2-like particles were produced through the synthesis of MS2 RNA genome by T7 RNA polymerase. These particles were used as non-competitive IC in assays for RNA virus diagnostics. In addition, a competitive control for HCV diagnosis was developed by cloning a mutated HCV sequence into the MS2 replicase gene of pET47b(+-MS2, which produces a non-propagating MS2 particle. The utility of MS2-like particles as IC was evaluated in a one-step format multiplex real-time RT-PCR for HCV detection. FINDINGS We demonstrated that both competitive and non-competitive IC could be successfully used to monitor the HCV amplification performance, including the extraction, reverse transcription, amplification and detection steps, without compromising the detection of samples with low target concentrations. In conclusion, MS2-like particles generated by this strategy proved to be useful IC for RNA virus diagnosis, with advantage that they are produced by a low cost protocol. An attractive feature of this system is that it allows the construction of a multicontrol by the insertion of sequences from more than one pathogen, increasing its applicability for diagnosing different RNA viruses.

  7. A new and inexpensive non-bit-for-bit solution reproducibility test based on time step convergence (TSC1.0)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wan, Hui; Zhang, Kai; Rasch, Philip J.; Singh, Balwinder; Chen, Xingyuan; Edwards, Jim

    2017-02-01

    A test procedure is proposed for identifying numerically significant solution changes in evolution equations used in atmospheric models. The test issues a fail signal when any code modifications or computing environment changes lead to solution differences that exceed the known time step sensitivity of the reference model. Initial evidence is provided using the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) version 5.3 that the proposed procedure can be used to distinguish rounding-level solution changes from impacts of compiler optimization or parameter perturbation, which are known to cause substantial differences in the simulated climate. The test is not exhaustive since it does not detect issues associated with diagnostic calculations that do not feedback to the model state variables. Nevertheless, it provides a practical and objective way to assess the significance of solution changes. The short simulation length implies low computational cost. The independence between ensemble members allows for parallel execution of all simulations, thus facilitating fast turnaround. The new method is simple to implement since it does not require any code modifications. We expect that the same methodology can be used for any geophysical model to which the concept of time step convergence is applicable.

  8. Preparation for Compensatory Forward Stepping in Parkinson’s Disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Laurie A.; St George, Rebecca J.; Carlson-Kuhta, Patricia; Nutt, John G.; Horak, Fay B.

    2010-01-01

    Objective To characterize preparation for compensatory stepping in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) compared with healthy control subjects, and to determine whether levodopa medication improves preparation or the execution phases of the step. Design Observational study. Setting Outpatient neuroscience laboratory. Participants Nineteen participants with idiopathic PD tested both in the on and off levodopa states and 17 healthy subjects. Intervention Moveable platform with posterior translations of 24cm at 56cm/s. Main Outcome Measures Compensatory steps forward, in response to a backward surface translation (24cm amplitude at 56cm/s), were categorized according to the presence of an anticipatory postural adjustment (APA) before stepping: no APA, single APA, or multiple APAs. The following step parameters were calculated: step latency, step length, center of mass (CoM) average velocity, and CoM displacement at the step initiation. Results Lateral APAs were evident in 57% and 42% of trials for people with PD in the off and on medication states, respectively, compared with only 10% of trials for control subjects. Compared with subjects with PD who did not have APAs, those subjects with PD who did make an APA prior to stepping had significantly later (mean ± SEM, 356 ± 16ms vs 305 ± 8ms) and shorter (mean ± SEM, 251 ± 27mm vs 300 ± 16mm) steps, their CoM was significantly farther forward (185 ± 7mm vs 171 ± 5mm) at foot-off, and they took significantly more steps to regain equilibrium. Levodopa did not affect the preparation or execution phase of compensatory stepping. Poor axial scores and reports of freezing in the United Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale were associated with use of 1 or more APAs before compensatory stepping. Conclusions Lateral postural preparation prior to compensatory stepping in subjects with PD was associated with inefficient balance recovery from external perturbations. PMID:20801249

  9. Physiological and cognitive mediators for the association between self-reported depressed mood and impaired choice stepping reaction time in older people.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kvelde, T.; Pijnappels, M.A.G.M.; Delbaere, K.; Close, J.C.; Lord, S.R.

    2010-01-01

    Background. The aim of the study was to use path analysis to test a theoretical model proposing that the relationship between self-reported depressed mood and choice stepping reaction time (CSRT) is mediated by psychoactive medication use, physiological performance, and cognitive ability.A total of

  10. Effectiveness of square stepping exercise among subjects with Parkinson's disease: A pilot Randomised Controlled Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hariharasudhan Ravichandran

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder that seriously affects body balance and gait; therefore, increases the risk of fall and related complications. Freezing of gait and postural instability are disabling symptoms, which compromises motor independence among Parkinson's disease patients. Aims and Objectives: The purpose of this study analyses the effects of square-stepping exercise (SSE among Parkinson's disease patients in terms of improving balance and reducing fall risk. Materials and Methods: This is a pilot randomized controlled study, in which thirty male and female Parkinson's disease patients between 60 and 70 years of age were selected by simple random sampling method and randomly divided into SSE group (N-15 and conventional physiotherapy (CPT group (N-15. Interventions were provided for 4 weeks. Baseline and posttest outcomes were measured using the Berg balance scale (BBS and timed up and go test (TUG. Results: Statistical measures of mean, standard deviation, and t-test were performed using SPSS 21. SSE exhibited statistical significant improvement in BBS (P < 0.05 and TUG (P < 0.0001 compared to CPT group. Conclusion: SSE is more effective in improving balance and gait in Parkinson's disease. Although further studies with larger samples are required, the result of this study implies that SSE could be used as a mean of rehabilitation in Parkinson's disease.

  11. Steps and dislocations in cubic lyotropic crystals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leroy, S; Pieranski, P

    2006-01-01

    It has been shown recently that lyotropic systems are convenient for studies of faceting, growth or anisotropic surface melting of crystals. All these phenomena imply the active contribution of surface steps and bulk dislocations. We show here that steps can be observed in situ and in real time by means of a new method combining hygroscopy with phase contrast. First results raise interesting issues about the consequences of bicontinuous topology on the structure and dynamical behaviour of steps and dislocations

  12. Biomechanics and energetics of walking in powered ankle exoskeletons using myoelectric control versus mechanically intrinsic control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koller, Jeffrey R; Remy, C David; Ferris, Daniel P

    2018-05-25

    Controllers for assistive robotic devices can be divided into two main categories: controllers using neural signals and controllers using mechanically intrinsic signals. Both approaches are prevalent in research devices, but a direct comparison between the two could provide insight into their relative advantages and disadvantages. We studied subjects walking with robotic ankle exoskeletons using two different control modes: dynamic gain proportional myoelectric control based on soleus muscle activity (neural signal), and timing-based mechanically intrinsic control based on gait events (mechanically intrinsic signal). We hypothesized that subjects would have different measures of metabolic work rate between the two controllers as we predicted subjects would use each controller in a unique manner due to one being dependent on muscle recruitment and the other not. The two controllers had the same average actuation signal as we used the control signals from walking with the myoelectric controller to shape the mechanically intrinsic control signal. The difference being the myoelectric controller allowed step-to-step variation in the actuation signals controlled by the user's soleus muscle recruitment while the timing-based controller had the same actuation signal with each step regardless of muscle recruitment. We observed no statistically significant difference in metabolic work rate between the two controllers. Subjects walked with 11% less soleus activity during mid and late stance and significantly less peak soleus recruitment when using the timing-based controller than when using the myoelectric controller. While walking with the myoelectric controller, subjects walked with significantly higher average positive and negative total ankle power compared to walking with the timing-based controller. We interpret the reduced ankle power and muscle activity with the timing-based controller relative to the myoelectric controller to result from greater slacking effects

  13. Sampled-data and discrete-time H2 optimal control

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Trentelman, Harry L.; Stoorvogel, Anton A.

    1993-01-01

    This paper deals with the sampled-data H2 optimal control problem. Given a linear time-invariant continuous-time system, the problem of minimizing the H2 performance over all sampled-data controllers with a fixed sampling period can be reduced to a pure discrete-time H2 optimal control problem. This

  14. Finite-Time and Fixed-Time Cluster Synchronization With or Without Pinning Control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xiwei; Chen, Tianping

    2018-01-01

    In this paper, the finite-time and fixed-time cluster synchronization problem for complex networks with or without pinning control are discussed. Finite-time (or fixed-time) synchronization has been a hot topic in recent years, which means that the network can achieve synchronization in finite-time, and the settling time depends on the initial values for finite-time synchronization (or the settling time is bounded by a constant for any initial values for fixed-time synchronization). To realize the finite-time and fixed-time cluster synchronization, some simple distributed protocols with or without pinning control are designed and the effectiveness is rigorously proved. Several sufficient criteria are also obtained to clarify the effects of coupling terms for finite-time and fixed-time cluster synchronization. Especially, when the cluster number is one, the cluster synchronization becomes the complete synchronization problem; when the network has only one node, the coupling term between nodes will disappear, and the synchronization problem becomes the simplest master-slave case, which also includes the stability problem for nonlinear systems like neural networks. All these cases are also discussed. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the correctness of obtained theoretical results.

  15. Two-step rapid sulfur capture. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1994-04-01

    The primary goal of this program was to test the technical and economic feasibility of a novel dry sorbent injection process called the Two-Step Rapid Sulfur Capture process for several advanced coal utilization systems. The Two-Step Rapid Sulfur Capture process consists of limestone activation in a high temperature auxiliary burner for short times followed by sorbent quenching in a lower temperature sulfur containing coal combustion gas. The Two-Step Rapid Sulfur Capture process is based on the Non-Equilibrium Sulfur Capture process developed by the Energy Technology Office of Textron Defense Systems (ETO/TDS). Based on the Non-Equilibrium Sulfur Capture studies the range of conditions for optimum sorbent activation were thought to be: activation temperature > 2,200 K for activation times in the range of 10--30 ms. Therefore, the aim of the Two-Step process is to create a very active sorbent (under conditions similar to the bomb reactor) and complete the sulfur reaction under thermodynamically favorable conditions. A flow facility was designed and assembled to simulate the temperature, time, stoichiometry, and sulfur gas concentration prevalent in the advanced coal utilization systems such as gasifiers, fluidized bed combustors, mixed-metal oxide desulfurization systems, diesel engines, and gas turbines.

  16. Constructing an exposure chart: step by step (based on standard procedures)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    David, Jocelyn L; Cansino, Percedita T.; Taguibao, Angileo P.

    2000-01-01

    An exposure chart is very important in conducting radiographic inspection of materials. By using an accurate exposure chart, an inspector is able to avoid a trial and error way of determining correct time to expose a specimen, thereby producing a radiograph that has an acceptable density based on a standard. The chart gives the following information: x-ray machine model and brand, distance of the x-ray tube from the film, type and thickness of intensifying screens, film type, radiograph density, and film processing conditions. The methods of preparing an exposure chart are available in existing radiographic testing manuals. These described methods are presented in step by step procedures, covering the actual laboratory set-up, data gathering, computations, and transformation of derived data into Characteristic Curve and Exposure Chart

  17. A two-step lyssavirus real-time polymerase chain reaction using degenerate primers with superior sensitivity to the fluorescent antigen test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suin, Vanessa; Nazé, Florence; Francart, Aurélie; Lamoral, Sophie; De Craeye, Stéphane; Kalai, Michael; Van Gucht, Steven

    2014-01-01

    A generic two-step lyssavirus real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), based on a nested PCR strategy, was validated for the detection of different lyssavirus species. Primers with 17 to 30% of degenerate bases were used in both consecutive steps. The assay could accurately detect RABV, LBV, MOKV, DUVV, EBLV-1, EBLV-2, and ABLV. In silico sequence alignment showed a functional match with the remaining lyssavirus species. The diagnostic specificity was 100% and the sensitivity proved to be superior to that of the fluorescent antigen test. The limit of detection was ≤ 1 50% tissue culture infectious dose. The related vesicular stomatitis virus was not recognized, confirming the selectivity for lyssaviruses. The assay was applied to follow the evolution of rabies virus infection in the brain of mice from 0 to 10 days after intranasal inoculation. The obtained RNA curve corresponded well with the curves obtained by a one-step monospecific RABV-qRT-PCR, the fluorescent antigen test, and virus titration. Despite the presence of degenerate bases, the assay proved to be highly sensitive, specific, and reproducible.

  18. Cam Drive Step Mechanism of a Quadruped Robot

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qun Sun

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Bionic quadruped robots received considerable worldwide research attention. For a quadruped robot walking with steady paces on a flat terrain, using a cam drive control mechanism instead of servomotors provides theoretical and practical benefits as it reduces the system weight, cost, and control complexities; thus it may be more cost beneficial for some recreational or household applications. This study explores the robot step mechanism including the leg and cam drive control systems based on studying the bone structure and the kinematic step sequences of dog. The design requirements for the cam drive robot legs have been raised, and the mechanical principles of the leg operating mechanism as well as the control parameters have been analyzed. A cam drive control system was constructed using three cams to control each leg. Finally, a four-leg demo robot was manufactured for experiments and it showed stable walking patterns on a flat floor.

  19. Dynamic balance and stepping versus tai chi training to improve balance and stepping in at-risk older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nnodim, Joseph O; Strasburg, Debra; Nabozny, Martina; Nyquist, Linda; Galecki, Andrzej; Chen, Shu; Alexander, Neil B

    2006-12-01

    To compare the effect of two 10-week balance training programs, Combined Balance and Step Training (CBST) versus tai chi (TC), on balance and stepping measures. Prospective intervention trial. Local senior centers and congregate housing facilities. Aged 65 and older with at least mild impairment in the ability to perform unipedal stance and tandem walk. Participants were allocated to TC (n = 107, mean age 78) or CBST, an intervention focused on improving dynamic balance and stepping (n = 106, mean age 78). At baseline and 10 weeks, participants were tested in their static balance (Unipedal Stance and Tandem Stance (TS)), stepping (Maximum Step Length, Rapid Step Test), and Timed Up and Go (TUG). Performance improved more with CBST than TC, ranging from 5% to 10% for the stepping tests (Maximum Step Length and Rapid Step Test) and 9% for TUG. The improvement in TUG represented an improvement of more than 1 second. Greater improvements were also seen in static balance ability (in TS) with CBST than TC. Of the two training programs, in which variants of each program have been proven to reduce falls, CBST results in modest improvements in balance, stepping, and functional mobility versus TC over a 10-week period. Future research should include a prospective comparison of fall rates in response to these two balance training programs.

  20. Programming a real-time operating system for satellite control applications Satellite Control Applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Omer, M.; Anjum, O.; Suddle, M.R.

    2004-01-01

    With the realization of ideas like formation flights and multi-body space vehicles the demands on an attitude control system have become increasingly complex. Even in its most simplified form, the control system for a typical geostationary satellite has to run various supervisory functions along with determination and control algorithms side by side. Within each algorithm it has to employ multiple actuation and sensing mechanisms and service real time interrupts, for example, in the case of actuator saturation and sensor data fusion. This entails the idea of thread scheduling and program synchronization, tasks specifically meant for a real time OS. This paper explores the embedding of attitude determination and control loop within the framework of a real time operating system provided for TI's DSP C6xxx series. The paper details out the much functionality provided within the scaleable real time kernel and the analysis and configuration tools available, It goes on to describe a layered implementation stack associated with a typical control for Geo Stationary satellites. An application for control is then presented in which state of the art analysis tools are employed to view program threads, synchronization semaphores, hardware interrupts and data exchange pipes operating in real time. (author)