In the study of linear time-invariant systems, a number of definitions, such as controllability, observability, not having decentralized fixed modes, minimum phase, etc., have been made. These definitions are highly useful in obtaining existence results for solving various types of control problems, but a drawback to these definitions is that they are binary, which simply determines whether a system is, for instance, either controllable or uncontrollable. In practical situations, however, there are many uncertainties in a system’s parameters caused by linearization, modelling errors, discretizations, and other numerical approximations and/or errors. So knowing that a system is controllable can sometimes be misleading if the controllable system is actually "almost" uncontrollable as a result of such uncertainties. Since an "almost" uncontrollable system poses significant difficulty in designing a quality controller, a continuous measure of controllability, called a controllability radius, is more desirable to use and has been widely studied in the past. The main focus of this thesis is to extend the development behind the controllability radius, with an emphasis on real parametric perturbations, to other definitions, replacing the traditional binary 'yes/no' metrics with continuous measures. We study four topics related to this development. First, we generalize the concept of real perturbation values of a matrix to the cases of matrix pairs and matrix triplets. By doing so, we are able to deal with more general perturbation structures and subsequently study, in addition to standard LTI systems, other types of systems such as LTI descriptor and time-delay systems. Second, we introduce the real decentralized fixed mode (DFM) radius, the real transmission zero at s radius, and the real minimum phase radius, which respectively measure how "close" i) a decentralized LTI system is to having a DFM, ii) a centralized system is to having a transmission zero at a particular point s in the complex plane, and iii) a minimum phase system is to being a nonminimum phase system. These radii are defined in terms of real parametric perturbations, and computable formulas for these radii are derived using a characterization based on real perturbation values and the aforementioned generalizations. Third, we present two efficient algorithms to i) solve the general real perturbation value problem, and ii) evaluate the various real LTI robustness radii introduced in this thesis. Finally as the last topic, we study the ability of a LTI system to achieve high performance control, and characterize the difficulty of achieving high performance control using a new continuous measure called the Toughness Index. A number of examples involving the various measures are studied in this thesis.

Le présent mémoire de recherche s'interroge sur les caractéristiques et les fondements de l'échec relatif du désarmement nucléaire au cours des trente-cinq dernières années. En évaluant à la fois les parallèles existant entre le concept de désarmement nucléaire et les études critiques de la sécurité et ceux entre la mise en œuvre du désarmement et la pensée réaliste en relation internationale, cette analyse en arrive à la conclusion que la vision traditionnelle de la sécurité que semblent partager les acteurs impliqués dans le processus de maîtrise des armements et de désarmement nucléaire, limite leurs capacités et leur volonté d'abolir ce type d'armement. En d'autres termes, la vision critique de la sécurité possédant des fondements théoriques similaires au concept de désarmement nucléaire n'est pas partagée par les puissances nucléaires, ce qui explique que la mise en œuvre du désarmement nucléaire tel qu'envisagée par la théorie nous semble impossible. Ainsi, l'opérationnalisation des processus de maîtrise des armements et de désarmement nucléaire, sous la tutelle des puissances nucléaires, s'apparente davantage à une forme de réduction opportuniste sacralisant le soi-disant « intérêt national » de l'État participant, qu'à une réelle volonté de se défaire de ce type d'armement. Divisé en deux parties, ce mémoire explore les fondements théoriques du concept de désarmement nucléaire ainsi que les fondements pratiques de la mise en œuvre des processus de maîtrise des armements et de désarmement nucléaire. Chacune de ces deux parties, subdivisées en trois brefs chapitres explorant concept et mise en œuvre de façon historique et théorique, s'apparente à une analyse comparée de deux théories majeures en relations internationales, soit les études critiques de la sécurité et le réalisme. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Désarmement nucléaire, armement nucléaire, sécurité, théories des relations internationales, études critiques de la sécurité.

L'intégration des énergies renouvelables a conduit à introduire la notion d'utilisation locale de ces nouvelles sources de production. Nous pouvons définir le paradigme de microréseau comme une agrégation de plusieurs sources d'énergie distribuée qui peuvent alimenter leurs charges locales. Ces microréseaux peuvent être îlotables pour garantir la continuité de service et l'alimentation des charges. Pour assurer la fiabilité du réseau, une stratégie de protection des générateurs et du microréseau lui-même a été proposée. Dans ce mémoire, les points communs et les différences entre les générateurs classiques et les générateurs connectés au réseau à l'aide de convertisseur d' d'électronique de puissance sont présentés. Ensuite, nous présentons la conception d'une source de tension à base d'une micro-turbine à gaz comme source d'énergie primaire contrôlable. Nous étudions les possibilités pour le générateur de demeurer connecté dans les conditions du creux de tension (fault-ride-through) tout en étant protégé contre les surintensités. Nous avons proposé deux solutions différentes permettant de limiter ces courants du générateur. De plus, pour assurer la continuité d'alimentation des charges en deux modes de fonctionnement, nous avons intégré un détecteur de l'ilotage basé sur le relais ROCOF dans le système de commande du générateur. Une validation expérimentale pour ces travaux a été réalisée en utilisant la simulation temps réel PHIL. Finalement, un plan de protection coordonnée valide dans les deux modes de fonctionnement et avec les différents types de source est présenté. Cette stratégie a été testée sur un exemple de microréseau simulé sur le simulateur temps réel

To begin with we provide a brief background on the Longwangzhuang coal industry company. In this paper we introduce the BSC and try to search and seek a suitable BSC management system which combined with the Chinese culture, special organization culture and structure. Sequentially, improve the internal system of this company. After all, our conclusion is with the improved strategy and target that is possible to use BSC to improve the internal system in Longwangzhuang coal industry. We give some advices to Longwangzhuang coal Industry Company helps them to improve.

This research addresses the ability of dissipative passive actuators to generate control effects on a passive haptic interface. A haptic display is a human-machine interface that constructs a sensation of touch for the human operator. Applications can be found in various industries, space, medicine and construction etc. A dissipative passive haptic display contains passive actuators that can remove energy from the system by resisting motions in the system. The advantage of a dissipative passive haptic display is better safety compared to an active display. Its disadvantage is the limited control ability from the passive actuators. This research starts with the identification of the control ability and limitations of dissipative passive haptic interfaces. The ability is identified as the steerability, the ability to redirect motions of a manipulator. The force generation analysis of each individual actuator is then selected as an approach to evaluate the steerability. Steerability metrics are defined to evaluate the steerability. Even though non-redundant manipulators dont have desired steerability, optimal steering configurations are found for the best operation. Steerability is improved by redundancy in serial or parallel structures. A theorem is developed to evaluate steerability for redundant manipulators. The influence of system dynamics on their steerabilities is discussed. Previously developed haptic interfaces are evaluated based on their steerabilities. Steerability analysis of three-dimensional haptic interfaces is also given to a limited extent as an extension of the two-dimensional cases. Brakes and clutches are the two types of dissipative passive actuators in this research.

The St. Croix ground lizard, Ameiva polops, is a United States endangered species endemic to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. It was extirpated from St. Croix Proper by invasive mongooses, and remaining populations are on small, nearby cays. In the summer of 2008, as part of the recovery plan for this species, I worked in a multi-agency effort to translocate a population of A. polops to Buck Island Reef National Monument, U.S. Virgin Islands to focus on two main objectives: 1) examine the detection probability of A. polops and infer the consequences of it on population estimates; and 2) examine whether A. polops may deplete its prey base or alter the arthropod assemblage at the translocation site. We used a soft-release strategy for the translocation, in which 57 lizards were initially contained in a series of eight 10 m x 10 m enclosures in the habitat on Buck Island for monitoring. As part of the initial monitoring I conducted visual surveys through all enclosures, with the known number of lizards, to calculate the detection probability and to demonstrate how many individuals would be estimated using visual encounter surveys of this known population. Adjacent to enclosures housing A. polops were control enclosures, without A. polops, which I used to test whether the translocated lizards would impact their prey base over 6 weeks. I found that the detection probability of A. polops is very low (<0.25), which causes population sizes to be severely underestimated, even using some mark-resight techniques. My study of A. polops on the prey community indicated that the lizards generally had no effect on abundance or diversity of arthropods in general, though they may cause small changes for particular taxa. My results help corroborate other evidence that accuracy of population enumeration techniques needs to be improved in order to adequately understand the status of wildlife populations. Additionally, prey resources do not seem to be limiting A. polops in the short-term, and I expect the population will grow, expanding through Buck Island. Future monitoring will be carried out by the National Park Service using robust mark-resight techniques.

The radical democratic conception of civil society strives for theoretically constructing and politically defending civil society as a social sphere autonomous from both the economy and state. As a position taken against Marxist and liberal theories, radical civil societarianism views the cultural and normative structures of modern societies as independent from and prior to systemically conceived economic and political relations. These structures is purported to give way to spontaneous social solidarity characterising civil society. With the mechanisms of domination and exploitation defined outside civil society, this approach ends up with excessive voluntarism characterising social relations thereof. Similarly, in the Turkish context, the dominant centre-periphery approach is predicated upon the external contradiction between the vertical state-society relations and horizontal relations between social actors. It is argued that the dominance of the former has caused the underdevelopment of civil society which is a particular expression of the latter. In any case, social conflicts are detached from structural political and economic mechanisms and conceived in voluntaristic terms. Consequently, the normative position radical civil societarianism takes vis-&agrave / -vis social movements fails to go beyond an imposition of the arbitrary notion of &ldquo / civility&rdquo / through the discourse of self-limitation.

Human right protection is a trend all over the world. Nowadays, there¡¦s no country that implements democratic constitution doesn¡¦t take Constitution as the basic regulation for human right protection, expecting to achieve the goal of protecting human right with the implementation of constitutional government. However, does human right receive absolute protection? Should conflicts occur between public interest and private interest, based on the consideration of public interest, restrictions shall be imposed on private interest. Fighting crimes to establish a society of justice, then there can be space created for individual basic rights. As progresses of the times and advancements of technology, techniques in collecting criminal evidences are renewed constantly. The more advanced high tech crime investigating instruments would have the greater inclination to violate people¡¦s rights. Although the society can¡¦t exist without controls to certain extent, an individual can¡¦t survive without freedom to certain degree, either. Communications surveillance, though a keen weapon applied to criminal investigation, would unavoidably clash with the maintenance of individual rights. High tech monitoring of communications surveillance would inevitably infringe upon personal privacy. As our society changes and develops rapidly, there¡¦s room derived for advancement and development concerning the delimitation of human rights protection and associated concepts. It¡¦s hoped that the problems dwelling in the legal system of communications protection and electronic surveillance of Republic of China can be examined based on administrative law, by means of its five frameworks, namely, basic principles, administrative organization, limitation of administrative power, administrative relief, and administrative supervision. Furthermore, it¡¦s expected that practical suggestions against items required improvement in existing legal system can be brought forth herein pursuant to the discourse of five major frameworks of administrative law mentioned hereinbefore to make the legal system of communications protection and electronic surveillance more sound and complete.

none

The focus of my thesis research is on the interplay between individual behavior, population dynamics and community-level processes within zooplankton communities in coastal Maine. The target organisms of my thesis work are marine copepods. Copepods are small (1-10 mm) crustaceans that perform the essential ecosystem function of consuming and assimilating primary production (phytoplankton) making it available to higher trophic levels such as commercially important fishes. Therefore, copepod population growth is of critical importance to marine food webs. Fertilization limitation has been suggested as a constraint on copepod population growth but field surveys describing the prevalence of fertilization limitation are lacking. During my doctoral research, I explored the in situ fertilization success of two marine copepod species, Temora longicornis and Eurytemora herdmani in coastal Maine. I collected monthly zooplankton samples and analyzed clutches from field-caught females using an egg-staining technique. My results indicate that both species exhibit fertilization limitation in nature and the factors correlated with their fertilization span population, community and ecosystem level factors. To determine a causal relationship between predator density and copepod mating success, I conducted laboratory experiments to assess the effects of a common mysid shrimp predator, Neomysis americana on Eurytemora herdmani mating success. I subjected males and females to predators or predator cues. I found that the presence of a mysid predator, or only a predator cue, reduced copulation frequency and spermatophore transfer leading to a 38-61% decrease in E. herdmani nauplii production. These results suggest that mysid predators can constrain copepod population growth through non-consumptive processes. To determine the effects that resources can impose on copepod behavior, I explored the behavioral and fitness consequences of Temora longicornis ingesting Alexandrium fundyense, a phytoplankton species that forms harmful algal blooms in coastal Maine. My results suggest that ingesting A. fundyense causes copepods to swim faster and with more directional persistence compared to control algae. Temora longicornis increased their average swimming velocity by 24%, which leads to a 24-54% increase in their theoretical encounter rate with predators. Therefore, these findings suggest behaviorally mediated copepod-algal interactions may have significant impacts on harmful algal bloom dynamics and the fate of toxins in marine food webs.