Storage Function (storage + function)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Passivity-based sliding mode control for nonlinear systems

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADAPTIVE CONTROL AND SIGNAL PROCESSING, Issue 9 2008
Ali J. Koshkouei
Abstract Passivity with sliding mode control for a class of nonlinear systems with and without unknown parameters is considered in this paper. In fact, a method for deriving a nonlinear system with external disturbances to a passive system is considered. Then a passive sliding mode control is designed corresponding to a given storage function. The passivity property guarantees the system stability while sliding mode control techniques assures the robustness of the proposed controller. When the system includes unknown parameters, an appropriate updated law is obtained so that the new transformed system is passive. The passivation property of linear systems with sliding mode is also analysed. The linear and nonlinear theories are applied to a simple pendulum model and the gravity-flow/pipeline system, respectively. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


FLOW ANALYSIS OF LANDSLIDE DAMMED LAKE WATERSHEDS: A CASE STUDY1

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION, Issue 6 2006
Kwan Tun Lee
Abstract: The Chi-Chi earthquake, which occurred on September 21, 1999, and had a magnitude of 7.3 on the Richter scale, resulted in an extensive landslide that blocked the Ching-Shui Creek in Taiwan, forming a large lake with a storage volume of 40 million m3. This paper describes an analytical procedure used to perform flow analysis of the Tsao-Ling watershed, which includes the new landslide dammed lake. In this study, a digital elevation model was applied to obtain the watershed geomorphic factors and stage-area storage function of the landslide dammed lake. Satellite images were used to identify the landslide area and the land cover change that occurred as a result of the earthquake. Two topography-based runoff models were applied for long term and short term streamflow analyses of the watershed because the watershed upstream of the landslide dam was ungauged. The simulated daily flow and storm runoff were verified using limited available measured data in the watershed, and good agreement was obtained. The proposed analytical procedure for flow analysis is considered promising for application to other landslide dammed lake watersheds. [source]


Improvement of bladder storage function by ,1-blocker depends on the suppression of C-fiber afferent activity in rats,

NEUROUROLOGY AND URODYNAMICS, Issue 5 2006
Osamu Yokoyama
Abstract Aims ,1-blockers improve voiding symptoms through the reduction of prostatic and urethral smooth muscle tone; however, the underlying mechanism of improvement of storage symptoms is not known. Using a rat model of detrusor overactivity caused by cerebral infarction (CI), we undertook the present study to determine whether the effect of an ,1-blocker, naftopidil, is dependent on the suppression of C-fiber afferents. Methods To induce desensitization of C-fiber bladder afferents, we injected resiniferatoxin (0.3 mg/kg, RTX) sub-cutaneously to female Sprague-Dawley rats 2 days prior to left middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) (RTX-CI rats). As controls we used rats without RTX treatment (CI rats). MCAO and insertion of a polyethylene catheter through the bladder dome were performed under halothane anesthesia. We investigated the effects on cystometrography (CMG) of intravenous (i.v.), intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.), or intrathecal (i.t.) administration of naftopidil in conscious CI rats. Results Bladder capacity (BC) was markedly reduced after MCAO in both RTX-CI and CI rats. I.v. administration of naftopidil significantly increased BC in CI rats without an increase in residual volume, but it had no effects on BC in RTX-CI rats. I.t. administration of naftopidil significantly increased BC in CI but not in RTX-CI rats. Conclusions These results suggest that naftopidil has an inhibitory effect on C-fiber afferents in the lumbosacral spinal cord, improving BC during the storage phase. Neurourol. Urodynam. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Theory and Numerics of Rate-Dependent Incremental Variational Formulations in Ferroelectricity

PROCEEDINGS IN APPLIED MATHEMATICS & MECHANICS, Issue 1 2008
Daniele Rosato
This paper is concerned with macroscopic continuous and discrete variational formulations for domain switching effects at small strains, which occur in ferroelectric ceramics. The developed new three,dimensional model is thermodynamically,consistent and determined by two scalar,valued functions: the energy storage function (Helmholtz free energy) and the dissipation function, which is in particular rate,dependent. The constitutive model successfully reproduces the ferroelastic and the ferroelectric hysteresis as well as the butterfly hysteresis for ferroelectric ceramics. The rate,dependent character of the dissipation function allows us also to reproduce the experimentally observed rate dependency of the above mentioned hysteresis phenomena. An important aspect is the numerical implementation of the coupled problem. The discretization of the two,field problem appears, as a consequence of the proposed incremental variational principle, in a symmetric format. The performance of the proposed methods is demonstrated by means of a benchmark problem. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


The Spleen of Zaedyus pichiy, (Mammalia, Dasypodidae): a Light and Electron Microscopic Study

ANATOMIA, HISTOLOGIA, EMBRYOLOGIA, Issue 4 2003
E. J. Galíndez
Summary Armadillos are ancient mammals important as models for biomedical, evolutive and ecological studies, because they have adaptive and primitive morpho-physiological characteristics. In this work we study the splenic microarchitecture of the ,Patagonian Piche', Zaedyus pichiy, as an attempt to understand the relationship between the organizational plan of the organ and the particular features of this species. The organ samples were classically processed for light and electron microscopic study. The microanatomy of the organ as well as its different cell types are studied. The spleen is non-sinusoidal, with the typical arrangement for storage functions. White pulp is well defined. Red pulp is a meshwork of circulating, immunocompetent and haemopoietic cells. The general structure of the organ agrees with the semi-fossorial habit and the adaptability of the species. Comparative aspects with other armadillos or other less specialized groups are discussed. Persistence of haemopoietic spleen activity in the adult suggests the existence of specific inductive functions of the stroma. Better knowledge of spleen structure and function in ancient mammals may give important information about their phylogeny. [source]