Matrix method for eigenstructure assignment - The multi-input case with application

The eigenvalue and eigenstructure assignment procedure has found application in a wide variety of control problems. In this paper a method for assigning eigenstructure to a Linear time invariant multi-input system is proposed. The algorithm determines a matrix that has eigenvalues and eigenvectors at the desired locations. It is obtained from the knowledge of the open-loop system and the desired eigenstructure. solution of the matrix equation, involving unknown controller gains, open-loop system matrices, and desired eigenvalues and eigenvectors, results in the state feedback controller. The proposed algorithm requires the closed-loop eigenvalues to be different from those of the open-loop case. This apparent constraint can easily be overcome by a negligible shift in the values. Application of the procedure is illustrated through the offset control of a satellite supported, from an orbiting platform, by a flexible tether,

The fatigue crack growth rate in L-72 Al-alloy plate specimens with cold worked holes

A fatigue crack growth rate study has been carried out on L-72 aluminium alloy plate specimens with and without cold worked holes. The cold worked specimens showed significantly increased fatigue life compared to unworked specimens. Computer software is developed to evaluate the stress intensity factor for non-uniform stress distributions using Green's function approach. The exponents for the Paris equation in the stable crack growth region for cold worked and unworked specimens are 1.26 and 3.15 respectively. The reduction in exponent value indicates the retardation in crack growth rate. An SEM study indicates more plastic deformation at the edge of the hole for unworked samples as compared to the worked samples during the crack initiation period.

On Walkup's class K (d) and a minimal triangulation of (S-3 (sic) S-1)(#3)

For d >= 2, Walkup's class K (d) consists of the d-dimensional simplicial complexes all whose vertex-links are stacked (d - 1)-spheres. Kalai showed that for d >= 4, all connected members of K (d) are obtained from stacked d-spheres by finitely many elementary handle additions. According to a result of Walkup, the face vector of any triangulated 4-manifold X with Euler characteristic chi satisfies f(1) >= 5f(0) - 15/2 chi, with equality only for X is an element of K(4). Kuhnel observed that this implies f(0)(f(0) - 11) >= -15 chi, with equality only for 2-neighborly members of K(4). Kuhnel also asked if there is a triangulated 4-manifold with f(0) = 15, chi = -4 (attaining equality in his lower bound). In this paper, guided by Kalai's theorem, we show that indeed there is such a triangulation. It triangulates the connected sum of three copies of the twisted sphere product S-3 (sic) S-1. Because of Kuhnel's inequality, the given triangulation of this manifold is a vertex-minimal triangulation. By a recent result of Effenberger, the triangulation constructed here is tight. Apart from the neighborly 2-manifolds and the infinite family of (2d + 3)-vertex sphere products Sd-1 X S-1 (twisted for d odd), only fourteen tight triangulated manifolds were known so far. The present construction yields a new member of this sporadic family. We also present a self-contained proof of Kalai's result. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Studies on electrical switching behavior and optical band gap of amorphous Ge-Te-Sn thin films

Amorphous thin film Ge15Te85-xSnx (1 <= x <= 5) and Ge17Te83-xSnx (1 <= x <= 4) switching devices have been deposited in sandwich geometry using a flash evaporation technique, with aluminum as the top and bottom electrodes. Electrical switching studies indicate that these films exhibit memory type electrical switching behavior. The switching fields for both the series of samples have been found to decrease with increase in Sn concentration, which confirms that the metallicity effect on switching fields/voltages, commonly seen in bulk glassy chalcogenides, is valid in amorphous chalcogenide thin films also. In addition, there is no manifestation of rigidity percolation in the composition dependence of switching fields of Ge15Te85-xSnx and Ge17Te83-xSnx amorphous thin film samples. The observed composition dependence of switching fields of amorphous Ge15Te85-xSnx and Ge17Te83-xSnx thin films has been understood on the basis of Chemically Ordered Network model. The optical band gap for these samples, calculated from the absorption spectra, has been found to exhibit a decreasing trend with increasing Sn concentration, which is consistent with the composition dependence of switching fields.

Distribution, Demography, and Conservation of Lion-tailed Macaques (Macaca silenus) in the Anamalai Hills Landscape, Western Ghats, India

The status of the endemic and endangered lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus) has not been properly assessed in several regions of the Western Ghats of southern India. We conducted a study in Parambikulam Forest Reserve in the state of Kerala to determine the distribution, demography, and status of lion-tailed macaques. We laid 5km(2) grid cells on the map of the study area (644km(2)) and made four replicated walks in each grid cell using GPS. We gathered data on lion-tailed macaque group locations, demography, and site covariates including trail length, duration of walk, proportion of evergreen forest, height of tallest trees, and human disturbance index. We also performed occupancy modeling using PRESENCE ver. 3.0. We estimated a minimum of 17 groups of macaques in these hills. Low detection and occupancy probabilities indicated a low density of lion-tailed macaques in the study area. Height of the tallest trees correlated positively whereas human disturbance and proportion of evergreen forest correlated negatively with occupancy in grid cells. We also used data from earlier studies carried out in the surrounding Anamalai Tiger Reserve and Nelliyampathy Hills to discuss the conservation status in the large Anamalai Hills Landscape. This landscape harbors an estimated population of 1108 individuals of lion-tailed macaques, which is about one third of the entire estimated wild population of this species. A conservation plan for this landscape could be used as a model for conservation in other regions of the Western Ghats.

High quality oxide-free metallic nanoparticles: a strategy for synthesis through laser ablation in aqueous medium

The paper explores the synthesis of oxide-free nanoparticles of Ag and Cu through laser ablation of pure targets under aqueous medium and tuning the quality and size through addition of Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in the medium. The size distribution of nanoparticles reduces from 37 +/- 30 nm and 13 +/- 5 nm to 32 +/- 12 nm and 4 +/- 1 nm for Ag and Cu with changes in PVP concentration from 0.00 to 0.02 M, respectively. Irregular shaped particles of Ag with Ag2O phase and a Cu-Cu2O core-shell particles form without the addition of PVP, while oxide layer is absent with 0.02 M of PVP. The recent understanding of the mechanism of particle formation during laser ablation under liquid medium allows us to rationalize our observation.

Experimental Study on Flow and Sediment Movement in Cavity Circulations

This paper reports a flume experiment of flow and sediment movement in a cavity. The flow velocity, sediment concentration and the mechanism of hydraulic sorting in the circulation flow are discussed. The quantity and patterns of sediment deposition in the circulation area are studied as well.

Principales patologías reproductivas en hembras bovinas de Rancho Los Ángeles, comunidad Quínama, Municipio Villa Sandino, Chontales, Enero – Julio 2014

Con el objetivo de evaluar las principales patologías reproductivas en hembras bovinas de rancho los ángeles, comunidad Quinama, municipio Villa Sandino, Chontales, durante el período Enero- Julio 2014, ubicado en el km 203 carretera al Rama, coordenadas geográficas 1327490 latitud norte y 725705 de longitud oeste, el Rancho se encuentran a una altura de 306.27 msnm, comprendida en la zona tropical, temperatura promedio anual de 25 y 28 ºC, precipitación promedio anual de 2.000 mm y humedad relativa de 70-80 %, Se realizó un estudio de manera descriptiva para lo cual se utilizó un registro interno reproductivo que posee el rancho, esto para definir las muestras o animales que se estudiaron , el diagnóstico de las patologías se hizo por medio anamnesis, palpación rectal y examen vaginal, visitando el rancho 1 vez a la semana, siguiendo de cerca las actividades reproductiva del rancho, para identificar si hay o no patologías reproductivas, Los datos se sometieron a análisis no paramétricos para definir el grado de ocurrencia de los mismos, dentro de dichos análisis se realizaron primeramente análisis de correlación y regresión, posteriormente se sometieron a pruebas de Xi2, para determinar la normalidad y el grado de ocurrencia y si están dentro de los parámetros aceptables. Obteniendo los siguientes resultados: De las muestras total de las 20 vacas, según la ecuación general, la prevalencia de patologías reproductivas fue de un 90%, restando un 10% de animales libres de alteraciones. Las causas más frecuentes de patologías reproductivas identificadas fueron con un 44% la atrofia ovárica (AO) siendo la patología mayormente diagnosticada dentro de la muestra estudiada de casos enfermos, seguido por atrofia ovárica acompañado de vulvovaginitis (AOV) con un 27%; hipoplasia ovárica e hipoplasia ovárica acompañado de vulvovaginitis con 11%; finalmente, quistes ováricos con 5%. Y otro resultado de importancia para el estudio es la pérdida económica por las diferentes patologías reproductivas, Podemos decir que si una vaca no concibe durante todo el año por alguna patología reproductiva, el dueño del rancho estaría desaprovechando, por cada vaca un aproximado de C$ 5,989.2 de manutención y perdiendo un ingreso anual de C$24,795.8 por vaca.

Medidas de prevenção de acidentes com navios petroleiros

Consultoria Legislativa - Área XI - Meio Ambiente e Direito Ambiental, Organização Territorial, Desenvolvimento Urbano e Regional.

Luis Badosa: vida y obra. Aproximación a la obra pictórica a través de su vivencia

487 p. : il., col.

Aportaciones al diseño del control jerárquico de microrredes eléctricas

182 p.