Connecting Link Research Articles

Поэтика вещи в героическом эпосе «Джангар»

Introduction. The article is devoted to the consideration of the poetics of things in the epic tradition of “Dzhangar” of the Kalmyks of Russia and the Oirats of Xinjiang. The image of the world of things that surround the heroes of the epic serves not only as a material background, they (objects, things) are necessary for the actions of the character and the expression of his individuality. The research material is the texts of the epic songs of the Xinjiang-Oirat and Kalmyk versions of “Dzhangar”. The purpose of the article is to consider the objective-material world in the heroic epic “Dzhangar”. Results. Consideration of the objective-material world in the Kalmyk and Xinjiang-Oirat versions of “Dzhangar” showed that in the lyrics a thing is one of the elements characterizing the image of a hero; in the depiction of an epic picture of the world, its heroes, characters, a thing acquires a symbolic meaning. The name of the epic country Bumba is associatively connected with a functioning object — a “treasure vessel”, the semantic field of which is its connecting link. The palace preserves the experience of the nomadic life of the Oirats and Kalmyks, their material way of life, as an objective reality of the epic space. The epic palace of Dzhangar, being a kind of field of attraction, gathers the heroic family at the banquet table, where the ruler of Bumba chooses the hero to go on a military campaign. The items of horse equipment and weapons of the hero in the epic “Dzhangar” are correlated with the objective realities with the help of which the hero moves in the epic space, undergoes difficult trials and achieves the goal of the military campaign. Things that are correlated with objects of material culture perform their main functions and are associated with the peculiarities of the worldview of the traditional culture of the Mongolian peoples.

LEO satellite constellations configuration based on the Doppler effect in laser intersatellite links

SummaryThis paper presents low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation configuration based on the performance of Doppler effect in laser intersatellite links (LISLs). It studies the impact of the LEO constellation's parameters on the performance of the Doppler effect in LISLs. The paper aims to develop LEO satellite constellation configurations that evolve LISLs with minimal Doppler shift. It evaluates the impact of the variation of the relative distance, the inclination angle of the LEO constellation orbital planes, the orbital planes number in the LEO constellation, and the altitude on the performance of Doppler wavelength shift (DWS) in LISLs, for different operating laser wavelengths (OLWs) with respect to two possible intersatellite links (ISL) connection modes within the constellation, straight ISL (n‐to‐n) and inclined ISL (n‐to‐n − 1). n is the order of the satellite in the orbital plane. Simulations are conducted to evaluate the performance of these configurations in terms of altitude, OLW, inclination angle, and the number of orbital planes. In addition, both OneWeb and Starlink constellations are studied to evaluate DWS performance. The study demonstrates that DWS decreases either with the diminution of the relative distance between linked LEO satellites, the inclination of LEO constellation, and the OLW, or with the augmentation of the orbital planes number and altitude. Moreover, the overall DWS between two LEO satellites in the proposed constellation is at least 50% lower than the constellation configuration in other literature. The paper proposes the LEO constellation's configurations that perform LISLs with less possible Doppler effect by optimizing the LEO constellation parameters that impact the Doppler effect. The result of this study helps in the early stage of LEO satellite constellation designing in terms of payload simplicity and cost.

Ventilation Quality Assessment of Dual Courtyard Configuration

Maintaining air quality within building spaces is a challenge under the increased pollutants resources. The optimization of the courtyard building layout toward natural ventilation has emerged as a critical factor in shaping air quality conditions. This study delves into the assessment of outdoor air quality infiltration within a dual courtyard typology characterized by varying proportions and orientations for both the connecting link and openings. To comprehensively analyse air quality within these integrated courtyards, a combination of on-site particle dispersion measurements and flow pattern simulations were employed. The outcomes of this investigation highlight the pronounced impact of atmospheric conditions, particularly wind direction, on the performance of courtyard configurations. The results revealed that dual courtyard provide an approach to address the geometric conflict between thermal comfort and air quality optimization. Even in circumstances with limited flow velocity, the direct connection between courtyards deepens the upward recirculating flow into the courtyard cavity at the activity level. The optimal air quality is attained by planning each courtyard’s upper-level intake and outflow openings, as it provides an evacuation flow out of court cavity and decline the PNC than outside surrounding conditions.

Custom-made tubular Tesla valves for laboratory lessons in classroom

The article proposes new, easy-to-manufacture multivariate tubular Tesla valves that can be used in the educational process at universities and colleges. Detailed instructions for making Tesla valves from available materials using simple tools are provided. The advantages of the proposed Tesla valves over the conventional ones, described in the literature, such as manufacture ease, availability of materials and accessories, mechanical flexibility, and the ability to quickly change the number of links and change the link connection pattern, are indicated. A simple method is proposed for conducting hydrodynamic studies of liquid flow from a vessel through Tesla valves, based on measuring the water level dynamics in the vessel and, in particular, measuring the vessel's complete emptying time. Some simple experiments to demonstrate the diodicity of the valves are carried out. The repeatability and measurement errors are assessed. Parallel and series connections of valve sections are studied. The prospects for Tesla valves' use in various fields of science and technology are considered. The advantages of the proposed valves for laboratory teaching experiments in the classroom are indicated.

Atrophy links lower novelty-related locus coeruleus connectivity to cognitive decline in preclinical AD.

Animal research has shown that tau pathology in the locus coeruleus (LC) is associated with reduced norepinephrine signaling, lower projection density to the medial temporal lobe (MTL), atrophy, and cognitive impairment. We investigated the contribution of LC-MTL functional connectivity (FCLC-MTL) on cortical atrophy across Braak stage regions and its impact on cognition. We analyzed functional magnetic resonance imaging and amyloid beta (Aβ) positron emission tomography data from 128 cognitively normal participants, associating novelty-related FCLC-MTL with longitudinal atrophy and cognition with and without Aβ moderation. Cross-sectionally, lower FCLC-MTL was associated with atrophy in Braak stage II regions. Longitudinally, atrophy in Braak stage 2 to 4 regions related to lower baseline FCLC-MTL at elevated levels of Aβ, but not to other regions. Atrophy in Braak stage 2regions mediated the relation between FCLC-MTL and subsequent cognitive decline. FCLC-MTL is implicated in Aβ-related cortical atrophy, suggesting that LC-MTL connectivity could confer neuroprotective effects in preclinical AD. Novelty-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) LC-medial temporal lobe (MTL) connectivity links to longitudinal Aβ-dependent atrophy. This relationship extended to higher Braak stage regions with increasing Aβ burden. Longitudinal MTL atrophy mediated the LC-MTL connectivity-cognition relationship. Our findings mirror the animal data on MTL atrophy following NE signal dysfunction.

The mechanism of interaction between subjects of financial monitoring and subjects of implementation of the law enforcement function

The relevance of the study is determined by the need to effectively detect, stop and investigate financial crimes, including money laundering, terrorist financing and other violations. The purpose of the research is to study the peculiarities of the cooperation of financial monitoring subjects and law enforcement agencies in the fight against the financing of terrorism and to determine directions for its improvement in Ukraine. The methodological basis of this research is general scientific and special methods. Such methods as analysis and synthesis, deduction and induction, normative and positive analysis, systematization, structural-logical, statistical were used. The interaction of financial monitoring subjects and law enforcement agencies in the system of combating the financing of international terrorism was studied and the role of the State Financial Monitoring as the main connecting link in the effectiveness of this interaction was determined. In the course of the analysis of the messages received by the State Financial Monitoring Service and the materials transferred by this institution to law enforcement agencies, the factors that influenced their dynamics and structure were identified (a change in the approach to the detection of financial transactions with signs of financial monitoring, introduced by the new Law of Ukraine "On Prevention and Counteraction of Legalization ( money laundering), the financing of terrorism and the financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction", as well as the martial law introduced in Ukraine, the nature of financial transactions and the bodies created and whose functions include the processing of materials for such transactions). Differences regarding the organization of cooperation between the specified subjects in different countries of the world are due to both the general policy in the country and the corresponding nature of the anti-legalization legislation. Mechanisms of cooperation between financial monitoring subjects and law enforcement agencies have been defined, which should include: exchange of experience and training in the form of regular meetings, establishment of online information exchange during joint activities to investigate financial crimes.

A Multi-Objective Scenario Study of County Land Use in Loess Hilly Areas: Taking Lintao County as an Example

Land use serves as a connecting link between human activities and the natural ecology of the surface; under the multi-objective background of national policies and dual-carbon tasks, land use transformation is studied and simulated in multiple scenarios, and carbon stock changes are analyzed based on future land use to explore the path for a region to achieve multi-objective coordination. Drawing upon land use data from 2000 to 2020 in Lintao County, Gansu Province, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the dynamics governing land use transformation. Subsequently, employing the FLUS (Future Land Use Simulation) model, we simulated the projected land use for Lintao County in 2035 under various scenarios. Furthermore, we utilized the InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs) model to assess the change in carbon stock within the study area under each scenario. These analyses aim to furnish a robust scientific foundation for future land use planning endeavors in Lintao County. The conclusions are as follows: (1) The land use transition in Lintao County from 2000 to 2020 showed the strongest motivation for construction land growth, with continued rapid growth in the scale of urban land and other construction land and relatively slow growth in the land for rural settlement areas, while cropland and water areas continued to decrease, forest land grew slowly, the magnitude of land use change exhibited a higher intensity in river townships compared with mountainous townships. (2) The simulation results of cropland protection scenario (CPS), ecological protection scenario (EPS), economic development scenario (EDS), and comprehensive development scenario (CDS) in 2035 are better. Among them, the CDS, which considers various types of higher-level strategic requirements and can compensate for the single-goal nature of the single-demand scenario, demonstrates a higher level of rationality in the land use pattern. (3) The total carbon stock in descending order is the EPS, CDS, EDS, and CPS. Among these, the CDS is at a higher level of total carbon stock, and the changes in carbon stock in each land use site are more balanced, which is an ideal carbon stock state and a scenario more in line with multi-objective coordination.

Проблемные вопросы расторжения брака с недееспособным в судебном порядке

Marriage can be characterized as a connecting link that allows you to create a new cell in society. Undoubtedly, the state, as well as society itself, is interested in creating a strong and satisfying the general requirements of family ties, which will ensure full-fledged upbringing and socialization for the new generation. However, the disintegration of a family in modern times is a fairly common phenomenon that should not be characterized as something negative, because there are cases when the joint life of spouses becomes impossible. Of course, the forced preservation of this kind of relationship, which leads to an imbalance of the concept of "family" will violate the norms of morality and morality in general. In the current legislation, there are problems, primarily related to the dissolution of a marriage with an incapacitated person in court. So the legislator did not provide for some relations related to the procedure for the dissolution of a marriage by an incapacitated person: the procedural actions of the guardian of an incapacitated spouse. The author examines the process of dissolution of marriage with an incapacitated person, touches upon the problems associated with the activities of the guardian of an incapacitated person, determining shortcomings in legislative regulation and requiring the legal attention of the legislator. The procedural problems of the procedure for the dissolution of marriage with an incapacitated person were also identified and ways to solve them were proposed.

MACHINE LEARNING FOR AUTOMATIC EXTRACTION OF WATER BODIES USING SENTINEL-2 IMAGERY

Context. Given the aggravation of environmental and water problems, there is a need to improve automated methods for extracting and monitoring water bodies in urban ecosystems. The problem of efficient and automated extraction of water bodies is becoming relevant given the large amount of data obtained from satellite systems. The object of study is water bodies that are automatically extracted from Sentinel-2 optical satellite images using machine learning methods.
 Objective. The goal of the work is to improve the efficiency of the process of extracting the boundaries of water bodies on digital optical satellite images by using machine learning methods.
 Method. The paper proposes an automated information technology for delineating the boundaries of water bodies on Sentinel-2 digital optical satellite images. The process includes eight stages, starting with data download and using topographic maps to obtain basic information about the study area. Then, the process involved data pre-processing, which included calibrating the images, removing atmospheric noise, and enhancing contrast. Next, the EfficientNet-B0 architecture is applied to identify water features, facilitating optimal network width scaling, depth, and image resolution. ResNet blocks compress and expand channels. It allows for optimal connectivity of large-scale and multi-channel links across layers. After that, the Regional Proposal Network defines regions of interest (ROI), and ROI alignment ensures data homogeneity. The Fully connected layer helps in segmenting the regions, and the Fully connected network creates binary masks for accurate identification of water bodies. The final step of the method is to analyze spatial and temporal changes in the images to identify differences, changes, and trends that may indicate specific phenomena or events. This approach allows automating and accurately identifying water features on satellite images using machine learning.
 Results. The implementation of the proposed technology is development through Python software development. An assessment of the technology’s accuracy, conducted through a comparative analysis with existing methods, such as water indices and K-means, confirms a high level of accuracy in the period from 2017 to 2023 (up to 98%). The Kappa coefficient, which considers the degree of consistency between the actual and predicted classification, confirms the stability and reliability of our approach, reaching a value of 0.96.
 Conclusions. The experiments confirm the effectiveness of the proposed automated information technology and allow us to recommend it for use in studies of changes in coastal areas, decision-making in the field of coastal resource management, and land use. Prospects for further research may include new methods that seasonal changes and provide robustness in the selection and mapping of water surfaces.

FORCE CALCULATION OF THE ABENICS ACTIVE HINGE OF THE MANIPULATOR-MOTOR OF THE MULTI-PURPOSE ROBOTIC PLATFORM

It has been established that the prerequisite for multi-purpose robotic platform (MPRP), which determines the use of a manipulator-mover with an active Abenics joint, is, first of all, road conditions (locality), because in field conditions or as a result of missile and artillery damage, such extreme conditions occur when the movement on the main mover is impossible and there is a need to involve auxiliary (additional) mechanisms. The design features of the Abenics technology were analyzed and its advantages in providing three degrees of freedom at one point of contact were clarified. On the basis of the provisions of the theory of machine parts and the Solid Works software, the strength calculation of the Abenics hinge was carried out, namely: allowable contact fatigue stresses 412 MPa, allowable bending stresses 267 MPa; circular Ft 683 N and radial Fr 247,9 N forces in engagement. The transmission was checked for contact stress strength H 407,6 MPa and for the bending strength of the wheel teeth in 41,95 MPa; the torque around the Abenics active joint is determined in Mкрш 136 Nm. The distribution of stresses relative to the faces to which a force of 683 N was applied is graphically presented. The manipulators-movers in which the Abenics active hinge will be used, with the above results, will have a load capacity of 150-200 kg, which makes it possible to evacuate a wounded soldier with equipment or deliver corresponding load on the front edge (firing positions). Thus, the approach proposed by the author can be the basis for the creation of new promising MPRPs with increased operational properties such as passability and stability, because their manipulators will be able, if necessary, to perform the function of a stepping or wheel drive. It is proposed to first of all implement the capabilities of Abenics technology on MPRPs of rear, technical and medical support, which will not require additional stabilization of their hull in comparison with combat and special ground robotic complexes. In the future, the same technology can be applied in the field of mobile robotics, because it allows you to design the connection of links (kinematic pairs) of the manipulator on an active ball joint, that is, at one point, while increasing the efficiency of the operation of the manipulator by reducing the consumption of resources.

Prioritizing conservation areas to mitigate connectivity loss and local extinction risk of a small carnivore (Leopardus guttulus) in South America

Effective conservation management depends on the maintenance of key areas that allow population connectivity across the landscape. However, the lack of knowledge of how habitat conversion affects species movement hinders the identification of these areas. Here, we analyzed the impact of habitat fragmentation on landscape connectivity for Leopardus guttulus, a small Neotropical felid threatened by the high habitat fragmentation across the Atlantic Forest, and mapped and ranked the most important core areas and corridors for conservation actions. We also estimated genetic diversity indices and predicted the viability of the current core areas in the future. Our analyses suggest that L. guttulus populations are fragmented, and connectivity links between populations are few and weak. We predict that due to their size, estimated density and low connectivity, some current core areas may not maintain viable populations in the long-term. Also, ongoing land-use changes may further isolate remaining populations, leading to progressive reductions in the populations they support. In this study, we spatially prioritize the most critical areas for L. guttulus conservation and highlighted the urge that exists in the adoption of management measures for its conservation.

Beyond Hormones: Investigating the Impact of Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component 1 in Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component 1 (PGRMC1) is a candidate oncogene with a prominent involvement in the pathogenesis of diverse cancers (ovarian, thyroid, breast, colon, head, and neck). Our study ascertains the ability of PGRMC1 to influence WNT members in the non-small cell lung cancer subtype-lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and participates in augmented cell proliferation and migration. Both computational and in vitro experimental analyses were performed in this study. Gene silencing, in vitro assays, gene expression & and protein expression studies were performed to ascertain the role of PGRMC1 in LUAD cells. The computational analysis, PGRMC1 gene level expression was analysed using the microarray gene expression omnibus datasets (GSE27262; GSE18842) to compare LUAD tumours and normal tissues. Concurrently, the gene expression profiling interactive analysis of PGRMC1 and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a decreasing patient survival rate with an increasing PGRMC1 gene expression in LUAD tumour samples. Interestingly, the experimental gene silencing studies were conducted in vitro (si-PGRMC1 Vs si-Control) to understand the essential role of PGRMC1 in regulating WNT-associated genes (WNT1, WNT5A, and WNT11). Comparative experimental cell migration and spheroid formation assays (si-PGRMC1 Vs si-Control) in vitro showed a strong association between PGRMC1 and LUAD. In vitro expression analysis using real-time PCR and western blot further confirmed the connecting link between PGRMC1 and WNT5A compared to other WNT member genes (WNT1 and WNT11) in LUAD. The computational and experimental analyses agreed with one another.

Effects of different cold chain logistics modes on the quality and bacterial community succession of fresh pork

The connection and temperature control of cold chain links are key to ensuring meat quality. Considering the practical production of cold chain logistics in China, this study investigated the impact of various cold chain logistics modes (including warehousing, transportation, and sales conditions) at different temperature settings (7 °C, 4 °C, and − 1 °C), modeled in the laboratory, on the quality and bacterial community succession of pork. The pork quality was evaluated by pH, water holding capacity, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), total viable count (TVC) and myowater status. Among the different cold chain logistics modes, the LL1 (samples being warehoused and transported at 4 °C for 96 h and sold at −1 °C) and the SL1 (samples being warehoused and transported at 4 °C for 30 h and sold at −1 °C) modes were suitable for inter-provincial and intra-provincial transportation due to their long shelf life (> 14 days), respectively. The bacterial community succession of pork in different cold chain logistics modes was accessed by high-throughput sequencing. The results indicated that the cold chain logistics modes had affected the bacterial community, with Latilactobacillus being the dominant bacteria in the LL1 mode and SL1 mode during spoilage. The study revealed that the entire or partial process supercooling treatment (−1 °C) during the cold chain logistics process could effectively preserve the meat quality, supporting the high-quality development of the fresh meat cold chain logistics.

Role of quantum computing in shaping the future of 6 G technology

ContextThe emergence of 6 G technology heralds a groundbreaking era in digital connectivity, envisaging universal and seamless links. To address the intricate computational and security requirements of this revolution, the integration of quantum computing (QC) into these networks is perceived as a promising solution. ObjectiveThe objective this study presents a comprehensive investigation into the potential roles and implications of QC within the context of 6 G technology. MethodologyTo address the objectives of this study, firstly, we have conducted literature survey to identify the key applications of using QC in 6 G technology. Secondly, we performed interview study with industry experts to identify the best practices related to the key application of QC in 6 G technology. ResultsOur study unfolds in two distinct stages: firstly, we identify 15 key applications of QC in 6 G technology and segmented into 4 core areas. Secondly, the literature findings were empirically validated by conducting interview study and identified 49 best practices related to one of the identified key applications of QC in 6 G technology. ConclusionThe outcomes of this research lay a solid foundation for understanding both the pivotal applications of QC in 6 G technology and the effective practices for its implementation, thus providing valuable insights to both academics and industry practitioners.

An Examination of Farmers Engagement in Assam’s Rural Periodic Markets

The agricultural marketing scenario of Assam is having some distinct features due to its topographicalfactors. Several issues including intensity of flood etc., makes the agricultural marketing process achallenging task for the farmers as well as the other stakeholders. Often, it appears as a discouraging factorfor the farmers to produce certain crops because of issues related to storage and marketing. Primary marketsare the first connecting link between the producer and buyer of agricultural commodities. Thus theseavenues play a crucial role in providing remunerative return or a means of livelihood to the growers. Thereare mainly three major players in the agricultural marketing scenario of Assam. These are the periodicmarkets, daily markets and mobile markets. Rural periodic markets occupy a significant place for a state likeAssam, where 75 percent of the populations are dependent on agriculture for living directly as well asindirectly. More than 80 percent of the farmers are marginal or small in terms of land holding status. Due tosmall amount of disposable surplus, primary markets are the major avenues for disposal of their produces.Apart from livelihood creation, periodic markets also help in the process of value addition of agriculturecommodities by providing scope for forward and backward linkages for the farmers. In this paper attempt ismade to analyze farmer’s participation in the periodic market of Assam. The study is carried out in theSonitpur district of Assam. The work is primarily descriptive in nature. Primary and secondary data wereused for the study. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were followed to collect the desiredinformation. It was observed that primary markets are the major avenues for disposal of agricultural surplus.The prevalent prices of primary market, distance to the nearest market, volume of marketable surplus etc.,influences the marketing decision of the growers. The study suggest for solving several issues for creating aconducive marketing platform for the benefits of the growers.

Design and development of a novel Four-Links rotational hybrid Energy-Harvesting suspension system compatible with conventional suspension technologies

This study introduces a novel rotational Energy Harvesting Shock Absorber (EHSA), specifically designed for use alongside existing vehicle suspension systems. Addressing issues faced by standalone EHSAs, this design incorporates a four-bar mechanism coupled to a rotary energy recovery system. The proposed EHSA system, dubbed the FL-EHSA (Four Links Energy Harvesting Shock Absorber), is based on link connections and is highly versatile. It has the potential to significantly improve vehicle efficiency by harnessing energy usually wasted by traditional shock absorbers. Using a geometric definition process influenced by various factors such as vehicle suspension type and commercial availability of components, the FL-EHSA system was modeled, and bench-tested to validate the system’s energy recovery potential and performance. The movement of the mechanism was analyzed to achieve the target damping value matching the value of a conventional suspension and to maximize efficiency through DOE analysis and to avoid mechanical locking (singular positions). It explains the effect of backlash in mechanical components through simulation and highlights the importance of using dedicated gearboxes for energy recovery. In addition, this work highlights the untapped potential of four-bar mechanisms in automotive energy recovery applications. Moreover, the proposed design is easily integrated into any vehicle, making it a promising solution for EHSA systems.

A tactical data link model based on CCSK-FMSK

In collaborative combat operations, the challenges brought by the communication adversities of tactical data links are becoming increasingly prominent. Ensuring the reliable connection of tactical data links has always been a key issue, especially considering the increasing impact of external interference on the signal at the receiving end of the system, which in turn affects the bit error rate (BER) of the tactical data link system. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a tactical data link anti-interference scheme based on cyclic code shift keying (CCSK) spread spectrum and minimum shift keying (MSK) modulation fusion frequency hopping technology, named CCSK-FMSK, and introduces turbo code and cyclic redundancy check (CRC) coding to construct a tactical data link model based on CCSK-FMSK. Specifically, CCSK-FMSK disperses interference power by expanding the signal spectrum, enhancing the anti-interference ability of tactical data links. CRC coding and Turbo coding achieve error detection and correction by introducing supervised symbols. In addition, this paper proposes a soft despreading and a soft demodulation algorithm corresponding to CCSK spread spectrum and MSK modulation to achieve cascade with Turbo decoder and improve the error rate performance and robustness of the model. Compared with existing models, the tactical data link based on CCSK-FMSK has better BER performance.

Consensus issues in multi-agent-based distributed control with communication link impairments

In multi-agent systems, achieving consensus among autonomous agents is a fundamental problem with wide-ranging applications, from autonomous robotics to distributed sensor networks. However, the real-world deployment of such systems often involves communication links prone to impairments, including packet loss, delays, and network congestion. These communication challenges present formidable obstacles to achieving consensus reliably and efficiently. In this paper, consensus protocols were introduced for network with and without communication impairments and convergence analysis were provided in all the cases. The intricate dynamics of consensus issues in multi-agent-based distributed control under the influence of communication link impairments, connectivity and consensus protocol were established. Undirected communication graphs used to model the topology for agents’ connectivity is significant to addressing consensus issues of communicating agents. The paper also discusses the tradeoffs and design considerations in developing consensus strategies resilient to communication failures while optimizing performance. Simulation results show that an isolated agent in a network can achieve consensus only when there is a reference value. It was also established that communication impairments significantly degrade the performance of distributed agents in a network.

Embedded model control of networked control systems: An experimental robotic application

In Networked Control System (NCS), the absence of physical communication links in the loop leads to relevant issues, such as measurement delays and asynchronous execution of the control commands. In general, these issues may significantly compromise the performance of the NCS, possibly causing unstable behaviours. This paper presents an original approach to the design of a complete digital control unit for a system characterized by a varying sampling time and asynchronous command execution. The approach is based on the Embedded Model Control (EMC) methodology, whose key feature is the estimation of the disturbances, errors and nonlinearities affecting the plant to control and their online cancellation. In this way, measurement delays and execution asynchronicity are treated as errors and rejected up to a given frequency by the EMC unit. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated in a real-world case-study, where the NCS consists of a differential-drive mobile robot (the plant) and a control unit, and the two subsystems communicate through the web without physical connection links. After a preliminary verification using a high-fidelity numerical simulator, the designed controller is validated in several experimental tests, carried out on a real-time embedded system incorporated in the robotic platform.

Neurogenetics of Brain Connectivity: Current Approaches to the Study (Review).

Owing to the advances of neuroimaging techniques, a number of functional brain networks associated both with specific functions and the state of relative inactivity has been distinguished. A sufficient bulk of information has been accumulated on changes in connectivity (links between brain regions) in psychopathologies, for example, depression, schizophrenia, autism. Their genetic markers are being actively investigated using a candidate-gene approach or a genome-wide association study. At the same time, there is not much data considering connectivity as an intermediate link in the genotype-pathology chain, although it seems to be a reliable endophenotype, since it demonstrates a high stability and high heritability. In the present review, we consider the results of investigations devoted to the search for biomarkers, molecular and genetic associations of functional, partially anatomical, and effective connectivity. The main approaches to the evaluation of connectivity neurogenetics have been described, as well as specific genetic variants, for which the association with brain connectivity in psychiatric pathologies has been detected.