Performance lower bounds in stochastic robust and adaptive control

The fundamental issues of capability of robust and adaptive control in dealing with uncertainty are investigated in stochastic systems. It is revealed that to capture the intrinsic limitations of adaptive control, it is necessary to use sup_t types of transient and persistent performance, rather than lim sup_t types which reflect only asymptotic behavior of a system. For clarity and technical tractability, a simple first-order linear time-varying system is employed as a vehicle to explore performance lower bounds of robust and adaptive control. Optimal performances of nominal, robust and adaptive control are explicitly derived and their implications are discussed in an information framework. An adaptive strategy is scrutinized for its achievable performance bounds. The results indicate that intimate interaction and inherent conflict between identification and control result in a certain performance lower bound which does not approach the nominal performance even when the system varies very slowly. Explicit lower bounds are obtained when disturbances are either normally or uniformly distributed     

Preparation of acidic or bifunctional catalysts by means of straightforward calcination of as-synthesized [Ga]-ZSM-5 zeolites obtained from alkali-free media. Propane aromatization

Propane aromatization (530°C, 1 atm) was used as a reaction model to evaluate the effect of the calcination temperature on the catalytic properties of an as-synthesized [Ga_1.3]-ZSM-5 zeolite obtained from alkali-free media and calcined at two different temperatures: 530°C (C-530) and 750°C (C-750). Results show that in spite of its lower acidity, C-750 is more active and selective toward aromatics than C-530. This is probably due to the fact that at higher temperature the decomposition of organic compounds used during the zeolite synthesis is accompanied by a partial degalliation of the zeolitic support leading to the production of a bifunctional xGa₂O₃ /H-[Ga_y-ZSM-5(2x+y=1.3)catalyst.     

An efficient method to detect calcitonin mRNA in normal and neoplastic rat C-cells (medullary thyroid carcinoma) by in situ hybridization using a digoxigenin-labeled synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotide probe

We report here an efficient and rapid method for the specific detection of calcitonin in tumor C-cells of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). This occasionally aggressive tumor arises from the endocrine thyroid C-cells. Its principal marker is calcitonin, the predominant C-cell secretion, which is detected in patients and in our animal model by radioimmunoassay of the plasma, as well as by immunohistochemistry of thyroid tissues. Although calcitonin is easily detectable in normal C-cells, its content is greatly reduced in tumor cells owing to the disappearance of the secretory granules that store the mature peptide. This finding suggests cell dedifferentiation correlated with an increasing aggressivity of the tumor. We therefore developed a rapid detection of calcitonin mRNA by in situ hybridization on routine paraffin sections, using a synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotide probe labeled with digoxigenin-dUTP. The reaction was detected with an anti-digoxigenin antibody conjugated with alkaline phosphatase, and the enzyme catalyzed the appearance of a dark blue color. The signal was exclusively restricted to the normal, hyperplastic, and tumor C-cells. It was specific, as increasing concentrations of the unlabeled oligonucleotide led to progressive disappearance of the reaction. Its sensitivity was slightly diminished as compared with corresponding frozen sections, but the intensity of the signal was quite acceptable. High levels of calcitonin mRNA were found in all normal and hyperplastic C-cells. They were increased in most of the tumor MTC cells, which did not correlate with the amount of intracellular peptide stores but explained the abnormally high basal levels of circulating calcitonin of the tumor-bearing rats. ISH is therefore of greater value than ICC for an early anatomopathological detection of this tumor. Our data show that the tumor cells are not "dedifferentiated." They only lack the granular compartment storing the mature peptide before exocytosis, but CT biosynthesis and the rest of the secretory process seem to be complete. Our results suggest that factors expressed in malignant C-cells affect basic cell mechanisms involved in the storage of the mature calcitonin, rather than the expression of the CALC gene.     

A Regularizing Method for Quantitative SPECT Reconstruction

The problem of successive transverse plane reconstruction in single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) is modeled in its more general form, which implies the definition of emission tomographic operators (ETO's) for which an analytical solution can be derived. The properties of the attenuated tomographic operator (ATO) are described and discussed, including the attenuation which is distributed on the reconstruction domain. For this particular operator, a regularizing method (RIM) is proposed, for which it is demonstrated and tested with simulation studies that a filtered, accurate solution can be extracted for the tomographic images as obtained using a single photon emission tomograph based on a rotating gamma camera in clinical use.     

Odour emission ability (OEA) and its application in assessing odour removal efficiency

Odourous emissions from sewer networks and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can significantly impact a local population. Sampling techniques such as wind tunnels and flux hood chambers are traditionally used to collect area source samples for subsequent quantification of odour emission rates using dilution olfactometry, however these methods are unsuitable for assessing liquid samples from point sources due to the large liquid volumes required. To overcome this limitation, a gas phase sample preparation method was developed for assessing the total Odour Emission Ability (OEA) from a liquid sample. The method was validated using two volatile organic sulphur compounds (VOSCs), dimethyl-trisulphide (DMTS) and bismethylthiomethane (BMTM) that are frequently detected from sewers and WWTPs and are relatively stable compared with common VOSCs like mercaptan or methyl mercaptan. The recovery rates of DMTS and BMTM were quantified by injecting a known volume of a standard liquid sample into Tedlar bags using a static injection and a dynamic injection methodology. It was confirmed that both dynamic and static injection methods at ambient condition achieved high recovery rates with no need to consider increasing evaporation by elevating the temperature. This method can also be used to assess odour removal effectiveness of liquids by comparing the OEA before and after the treatment tests. Two application examples were presented.     

Mining frequent conjunctive queries in relational databases through dependency discovery

We present an approach for mining frequent conjunctive in arbitrary relational databases. Our pattern class is the simple, but appealing subclass of simple conjunctive queries. Our algorithm, called Conqueror $^+$ , is capable of detecting previously unknown functional and inclusion dependencies that hold on the database relations as well as on joins of relations. These newly detected dependencies are then used to prune redundant queries. We propose an efficient database-oriented implementation of our algorithm using SQL and provide several promising experimental results.     

Wafer-level multilayer integration of RF passives with thick BCB/metal interlayer connection in silicon-based SiP

This paper presents an integration technology for RF passives using benzocyclobutene (BCB)/metal multilayer interconnection for system-in-package applications. This technology has been specially developed for RF subsystem packages in which a thick polymer, BCB (more than 15 μm thick), is adopted as dielectric with lossy silicon as substrate for its excellent characteristics. Both dry-etch BCB and photosensitive BCB are applied in this work, and their processes are briefly introduced and compared. An RF power divider, an MIM capacitor, different types of RF inductors as well as a coupled microstrip based band-pass filter are fabricated and measured at wafer level. The results show good electrical performances, and accordingly the passives are well applicable in RF band. Moreover, the subsystem models including monolithic chips connected with passives are presented.     

Study of dynamic characteristics of resonators for MEMS resonant vibratory gyroscopes

Dynamic characteristics of resonators for MEMS resonant vibratory gyroscopes are studied in this paper. Firstly, a small parameter method is introduced to analyze the dynamic characteristic stability of the resonator. It is proved that geometrical parameters of the resonator have to be regulated to match corresponding stability analysis. In order to verify the rationality of the theoretical parameters design, static calibration experiment is built using a resonator sample. It is concluded from the calibrated result that the error between theory design and experiment is 0.03?%, which shows they have a good match, and the design of resonator is reasonable. Moreover, the method of small parameter perturbation is considered to analyze the input–output dynamic characteristic. Under some transformations, which make input angular velocity and output resonant frequency shift possess a good linear relationship. In order to verify the correctness of the theory analysis method, dynamic frequency output characteristic experiment is built using the resonant vibratory gyroscope sample. It is concluded from the dynamic measurement result that the correlation coefficient of output fitted curve is 99.95?%, the measured algorithm scale factor of the gyroscope sample is 0.2116, which prove theoretical analyzing approach is feasible.