Novel model reference adaptive control laws for improved transient dynamics and guaranteed saturation constraints

In classical model reference adaptive control (MRAC), the adaptive rates must be tuned to meet multiple competing objectives. Large adaptive rates guarantee rapid convergence of the trajectory tracking error to zero. However, large adaptive rates may also induce saturation of the actuators and excessive overshoots of the closed-loop system’s trajectory tracking error. Conversely, low adaptive rates may produce unsatisfactory trajectory tracking performances. To overcome these limitations, in the classical MRAC framework, the adaptive rates must be tuned through an iterative process. Alternative approaches require to modify the plant’s reference model or the reference command input. This paper presents the first MRAC laws for nonlinear dynamical systems affected by matched and parametric uncertainties that constrain both the closed-loop system’s trajectory tracking error and the control input at all times within user-defined bounds, and enforce a user-defined rate of convergence on the trajectory tracking error. By applying the proposed MRAC laws, the adaptive rates can be set arbitrarily large and both the plant’s reference model and the reference command input can be chosen arbitrarily. The user-defined rate of convergence of the closed-loop plant’s trajectory is enforced by introducing a user-defined auxiliary reference model, which converges to the trajectory tracking error obtained by applying the classical MRAC laws before its transient dynamics has decayed, and steering the trajectory tracking error to the auxiliary reference model at a rate of convergence that is higher than the rate of convergence of the plant’s reference model. The ability of the proposed MRAC laws to prescribe the performance of the closed-loop system’s trajectory tracking error and control input is guaranteed by barrier Lyapunov functions. Numerical simulations illustrate both the applicability of our theoretical results and their effectiveness compared to other techniques such as prescribed performance control, which allows to constrain both the rate of convergence and the maximum overshoot on the trajectory tracking error of uncertain systems.     

英国大学专利技术转移研究及其借鉴意义

英国大学不仅在研究水平方面而且在与产业界的合作方面均处于全球领先的地位.本文以英国大学专利技术转移活动为研究对象,首先介绍了英国大学专利技术转移活动在许可合同数量和收入两个方面的情况,继而提出英国大学的大学技术转移中心和国家大学技术转移协会是大学专利技术转移活动的重要组织保障,优秀的研究成果和商业化、国际化意识的培养是大学专利技术转移活动的先决条件,政府法律法规的设立和政府项目的支持是大学专利技术转移活动的指导因素.最后,提出了英国大学专利技术转移对我国大学专利技术转移活动的借鉴意义.     

青少年运动缺乏症研究的10大问题

摘要：运动缺乏症（EDD）是一种儿科疾病,特点是中高强度体力活动（MVPA）下降,低于目前的推荐量,也与积极的健康结果（health outcomes）不一致。目前,大多数儿童和青少年符合EDD的诊断标准,因为他们没有达到日常MVPA的最低要求。本文的目的是强调10个与青少年EDD有关的重要研究问题。需要进行重要的研究来更好的定义EDD的临床表现,包括评估体力活动行以确定开始出现EDD的年龄或发育阶段;包括运动技巧和体能的运动起源（kinesiogenesis）的检测;以及对影响青少年MVPA的生活方式因素的评估。关于治疗EDD的干预措施和政策的研究问题,包括评估对卫生保健从业者进行运动医学重要性的教育和训练;确定在临床上识别和治疗EDD青少年的方法的有效性;开发敏感的、特效的、经济的方法以诊断青少年EDD;以及定制方法以促进本病诊疗的医疗保险赔付。如果未来研究不能优化EDD青少年的识别、治疗和管理方案,具有重大影响的生物医学、心理、经济和政治的新的卫生保健问题将会不断出现。     

The professional role and exercise of the role of educational assistance professionals in schools with School Integration Programs in Chile

The incorporation of health professionals into inclusive schools is increasingly necessary. However, the work of these professionals has not yet been studied globally. This qualitative research analyses the perceptions of speech therapists, psychologists, physical therapists and occupational therapists on the role that educational policy defines for working in schools with School Integration Programmes in Chile. Through chain sampling, 52 professionals were interviewed. The data were analysed inductively through thematic analysis. The results show that the role defined by policies for professionals is not in line with the needs of schools and the aspirations of the inclusive approach. The exercise of the role emerges as a distinct entity from the defined role that seems to be more responsive to the needs of schools and students. Interviewees described tensions related to the role in schools, professional training, working conditions and contextual features that would permeate the role that the policy mandates them to play. The findings of the study promote new research horizons related to the role of professional assistants, where research is still incipient worldwide, and invite reflection on the importance of designing education policies with a bottom-up approach to capture the needs presented by learners and professional teams.     

Integration of addiction recovery and professional identities for counselor trainees

Counselor trainees in recovery from substance use often have a foundational recovery identity; they also develop a professional counselor identity through their training. This study utilized narrative inquiry to explore the integration of professional identity and recovery identity. Resonant threads and narrative tensions emerged from the storied experiences of participants.     

Counselor educator workload and burnout in the era of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic brought disruption to teaching and other aspects of workload in higher education. The current study sampled 126 counselor educators about workload, compassion satisfaction, burnout, and job satisfaction. Results indicated that faculty workload and administrative responsibilities increased for counselor educators during the pandemic without adequate compensation or support.     

False negativity to carbohydrate-deficient transferrin and drugs: a clinical case

Introduction:

In this work we report on the possible effect of the medical therapy on CDT concentration in a chronic alcohol abuser, with known medical history (July 2007 – April 2012) and alcohol abuse confirmed by relatives.

Case history:

At the end of 2007, patient displayed the following laboratory results: AST 137 U/L, ALT 120 U/L, GGT 434 U/L, MCV 101 fL and CDT 3.3%. On December 2007, after double coronary artery bypass surgery, he began a pharmacological treatment with amlodipine, perindopril, atorvastatin, isosorbide mononitrate, carvedilol, ticlopidine and pantoprazole. In the next months, until may 2011, the patient resumed alcohol abuse, as confirmed by relatives; however, CDT values were repeatedly found negative (0.8% and 1.1%) despite elevated transaminases and GGT, concurrent elevated ethyl glucuronide concentration (> 50 mg/L) and blood alcohol concentration (> 1 g/L). Alcohol consumption still continued despite increasing disulfiram doses ordered by an Alcohol Rehab Center. On May 2011, the patient was transferred to a private medical center where he currently lives.

Conclusions:

This study suggests the possibility that a medical therapy including different drugs may hamper the identification of chronic alcohol abusers by CDT.