1,721,080 research outputs found

    State observation for systems with linear state dynamics and polynomial output

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    This paper investigates the problem of asymptotic state reconstruction for a class of continuous-time systems characterized by linear input-state dynamics and polynomial state-output function. It is shown that the dynamics of systems in this class can be embedded into the dynamics of systems of higher dimension, with time-varying linear state dynamics and linear state-output map. An asymptotic state observer for the original system is presented, whose design is based on the equations of the extended system. The observer gain is computed on-line by solving a Riccati differential equation. The interest in this observer is in its capability of state reconstruction also in cases in which the original system is not drift-observable (observable for zero input) nor uniformly observable (observable for any input)

    Interplay between endocannabinoids and dopamine in the basal ganglia: implications for pain in Parkinson’s disease

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    : Pain is a complex phenomenon, and basal ganglia circuitry integrates many aspects of pain including motor, emotional, autonomic, and cognitive responses. Perturbations in dopamine (DA) signaling are implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic pain due to its involvement in both pain perception and relief. Several lines of evidence support the role of endocannabinoids (eCBs) in the regulation of many electrical and chemical aspects of DAergic neuron function including excitability, synaptic transmission, integration, and plasticity. However, eCBs play an even more intricate and intimate relationship with DA, as indicated by the adaptive changes in the eCB system following DA depletion. Although the precise mechanisms underlying DA control on pain are not fully understood, given the high correlation of eCB and DAergic system, it is conceivable that eCBs may be part of these mechanisms.In this brief survey, we describe the reciprocal regulation of eCB-DA neurotransmission with a particular emphasis on the actions of eCBs on ionic and synaptic signaling in DAergic neurons mediated by CB receptors or independent on them. Furthermore, we analyze the eCB-DA imbalance which characterizes pain condition and report the implications of reduced DA levels for pain in Parkinson's disease. Lastly, we discuss the potential of the eCB-DA system in the development of future therapeutic strategies for the treatment of pain

    Mathematical models and state observation of the glucose-insulin homeostasis

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    This paper explores the possibility of using an asymptotic state observer for the real-time reconstruction of insulin blood concentration in an individual by using only measurements of the glucose blood concentration. The interest in this topic relies on the fact that the glucose measurements are much more economical and faster then the insulin measurements. An algorithm providing reliable insulin concentrations in real-time is essential for the realization of an “artificial pancreas”, an automatic device aimed to infuse the required amount of insulin into the circulatory system of a diabetic patient. An important issue for a good observer design is the determination of satisfactory models of the glucose-insulin homeostasis. Different models have been considered and discussed in this paper. For all models presented an asymptotic state observer has been constructed and numerical simulations have been successfully carried out

    Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis

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    The present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed

    Mapping the elemental distribution in archaeological findings through advanced Neutron Resonance Transmission Imaging

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    This work highlights recent application of energy-selective neutron imaging at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, specifically focusing on the development of Neutron Resonance Transmission Imaging (NRTI) at the INES instrument. NRTI is a nuclear technique based on resonant neutron absorption reaction, which combines the sensitivity to elemental and isotopic composition with detailed morphological information, using the epithermal portion of the neutron flux available on the INES instrument at the ISIS facility. Unlike standard neutron radiography and tomography methods, NRTI preserves detailed time and energy information for each detector pixel, enabling enhanced visualisation of elemental distribution inside an object’s volume, with the potential for quantitative elemental analysis. These features combined with the non-destructiveness of NRTI make the method promising for applications in the field of Cultural Heritage, especially when it is employed in a multi-technique approach to provide complementary information about the composition and the crystalline structure of archaeological artefacts. A study related to Heritage Science is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of NRTI in non-destructive investigations of inhomogeneous artefacts, specifically focusing on the excavation finds related to the first evidence of ancient brass production in Milan, Italy, during Roman times

    Variations on the Author

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    “Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship

    Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis

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    We provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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