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This paper proposes a distributed model predictive control strategy for a HVAC system that relies on its decomposition into subsystems based on the sensitivity analysis. An economic model predictive controller is implemented for every subsystem to optimize the operational cost of the building without compromising the thermal comfort of the occupants. Also, this work demonstrates the coordination strategy between the subsystem controllers using the sensitivity analysis approach. A discussion about the coordination strategy with the convergence property is provided. Finally, the proposed approach is illustrated using the benchmark building that considers the weather of Nancy, France. ; This work is supported by Energy In Time project funded by the European Union within the 7th Framework Program FP7-NMP, Subprogram EeB.NMP.2013-4: Integrated control systems and methodologies to monitor and improve building energy performance ; Peer reviewed

Trabajo presentado a la 36th Chinese Control Conference (CCC), celebrada en Dalian (China) del 26 al 28 de julio de 2017. ; This paper proposes a robust fault detection observer based on zonotopes for discrete-time uncertain systems with sensor faults and unknown but bounded uncertainties. The main advantage of this method is that the observer gain of the robust zonotopic observer is designed to be robust against bounded uncertainties while being sensitive to faults. In order to detect sensor faults with low magnitudes, the fault sensitivity is taken into account by measuring the H_ performance. The designed zonotopic observer gain can be obtained by solving an optimization problem including a sequence of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Finally, an illustrative example is provided to demonstrate the proposed method. ; This work has been partially funded by the Spanish Government and FEDER through the projects CICYT ECOCIS (ref. DPI2013-48243-C2-1-R), CICYT DEOCS (ref. DPI2016-76493-C3-3-R), CICYT HARCRICS (ref. DPI2014-58104-R) and by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61273162, 61403104). ; Peer Reviewed

The study explored the effects of a phonics-based early intervention package on the early reading skills of three preschool students who were d/Deaf or hard of hearing who differed in regard to degree of hearing loss, use of amplification, and communication mode. The 40-week intervention (50-week in one case) was delivered through individual and group phonics-based instruction supplemented by Visual Phonics in a language-enriched preschool classroom. Standardized assessments were conducted before, during, and after the intervention. Along with some additional assessments, the same assessments were conducted in early elementary school. The results showed that all participants demonstrated at least some use of phonemic awareness and phonics skills when they were explicitly trained, and that these skills were sustained in early elementary school. Furthermore, all participants exhibited overall reading levels at or above age level when measured in early elementary school.

Paul, wang, trezek, and luckner offer a rebuttal to an article by Allen, Clark, del Giudice, Koo, Lieberman, Mayberry, and Miller published in the same issue of the American Annals of the Deaf (Fall 2009) that is critical of an article by Wang, Trezek, Luckner, and Paul that was published in the Fall 2008 Annals. Major themes from the article by Wang and colleagues are reiterated, and the research and theoretical support for the qualitative-similarity hypothesis is emphasized. In addition, specific assertions made in the four sections of the article by Allen and colleagues, which are mostly overgeneralizations and misunderstandings, are addressed. Finally, concluding remarks regarding the importance of phonology are provided.

The article challenges educators to rethink reading instruction practices for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The authors begin with a discussion of the role of phonology in reading, then summarize the evidence of phonological coding among skilled deaf readers and investigate alternative routes for acquiring phonologically related skills such as the use of speechreading, articulatory feedback, Visual Phonics, and Cued Speech. Finally, they present recent intervention studies and proposed procedures to employ phonics-based instruction with students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The authors conclude with the assertion that the teaching of phonologically related skills by means of instructional tools such as Visual Phonics and Cued Speech can and should be incorporated into reading instruction for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The authors recommend additional research in this important area.

The bumblebee (Bombus lantschouensis Vogt) is an important pollinator of wild plants. Sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase (SMPD) is a hydrolase that plays a major role in sphingolipid metabolism reactions. We report the preparation and characterization of a polyclonal antibody for bumblebee SMPD. We then use the polyclonal antiserum to detect the SMPD protein at different development stages and in different tissues. Our results showed that a 1228bp fragment homologous with the B. terrestris SMPD gene was successfully amplified. The molecular weight of the fusion protein was about 70 kDa by SDS-PAGE. An effective polyclonal antibody against SMPD was also obtained from mice and found to have a higher specificity for bumblebee SMPD. Western blotting detection showed that SMPD was expressed at a high level in queen ovaries, although expression was lower in the midgut and venom gland. SMPD expression decreased from the egg stage until the pdd stage. We interpret our results as showing that the development of an effective polyclonal antiserum for the SMPD protein of a bumblebee, which provides a tool for exploring the function of the SMPD gene. In addition, the work has confirmed that SMPD should be considered as an important enzyme during bumblebee egg and larval stages.

Trabajo presentado al 20th IFAC (International Federation of Automatic Control) World Congress, celebrado en Toulouse (Francia) del 9 al 14 de julio de 2017. ; A periodic nonlinear economic model predictive control (EMPC) with changing prediction horizon is proposed for the optimal management of water distribution networks (WDNs). The control model of the WDN is built by means of nonlinear differential-algebraic equations in which both the hydraulic pressure and flow variables are taken into account. The model allows the controller to consider minimum pressure constraints at the demands. A periodic terminal constraint is employed in order to guarantee closed-loop stability. The prediction horizon is modified on-line in order to guarantee convergence to the optimal periodic trajectory. The proposed control strategy is verified with the case study of the Richmond water network in a realistic hydraulic simulator. Although there are modeling errors between the control model and hydraulic model, the closed-loop system converges to a sub-optimal periodic trajectory satisfying all the constraints. ; This work has been partially funded by the Spanish Government and FEDER through the projects CICYT ECOCIS (ref. DPI2013-48243), CICYT DEOCS (ref. DPI2016-76493) and CICYT HARCRICS (ref. DPI2014-58104-R). ; Peer Reviewed