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In this paper, we present a framework to identify discrete-time, single-input/single-output, switched linear systems (SISO-SLSs) from input–output data measurements. Continuous state is not assumed to be measured. The key step is a deadbeat observer-based transformation of the SLS model to a switched auto-regressive with exogenous input (SARX) model. Discrete states are estimated by a three-stage
This paper argues that we have a moral obligation to implement certain health technologies even if we have limited or incomplete evidence of their effectiveness. The focus is on technologies used in non-emergency settings, as opposed to “exceptional cases” such as compassionate use and emergency approvals during public health emergencies. A broadly plausible moral principle – the Ecumenical Princi
This chapter by Emily Silva and Oksana Mont examines the role of libraries of things (LoTs) in reducing consumption through socially sustainable practices. It highlights LoTs' potential to address sustainability and service challenges in circular and sharing business models. The study, based on data from 90 LoTs across North America, Europe and Australia, explores motivations and business model co
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have experienced significant migration trends in recent decades, with a heavy reliance on foreign labour, particularly from Southern Asia. As of 2024, the GCC hosts 25 million migrants, with Southern Asians constituting a significant proportion. This demographic reality has shaped the region's socio-economic structure, with expatriates dominating the pr
Plesiosaurs are charismatic marine reptiles of the Mesozoic Era. Life-like reconstructions of long-necked forms are typically ‘shrink-wrapped’ with a narrow, snake-like neck and a sea turtle-like body; a depiction that has changed little since the initial discovery of plesiosaurs over 200 years ago. Despite their long geological history and importance in founding paleontology as a scientific disci
This edited volume critically investigates women’s knowledge about war and explores the epistemic agency of women in a range of contemporary settings across the globe. Women are deeply affected by war, participate in war and resist war. At the same time, knowledge production often ignores and marginalizes women’s experiences and gendered ways of knowing war. From Colombia to Israel and Palestine,
RNA modifying enzymes play a pivotal role in reshaping gene expression programs in response to diverse intracellular and extracellular cues, thereby maintaining cellular homeostasis. When dysregulated, these enzymes are increasingly implicated in the onset and progression of various diseases. While traditionally recognised for their catalytic functions, mounting evidence suggests that many RNA mod
Comprehensive screening of the general population is the only approach capable of identifying the majority of cases with celiac disease. In 2023, the Italian Parliament enacted a law to implement nationwide screening for celiac disease and type 1 diabetes. However, critical decisions regarding the target population, optimal timing, and screening methods remain unresolved. Previous observational st
The rotational behavior of T=0 and T=1 bands in the odd-odd N=Z nucleus 62Ga is studied theoretically using the spherical shell model (laboratory frame) and the cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky model (intrinsic frame). Both models give a good description of available experimental data. The role of isoscalar and isovector pairing in the T=0 and T=1 bands as functions of angular momentum is studied in the
Two excited superdeformed bands in Gd149 have been observed in -ray spectroscopy. Based on the behavior of the dynamical moments of inertia, we assign one band to a neutron excitation and the other to a proton excitation. The proton-excited-band -ray energies are nearly identical to those already known in Tb150. In addition, two new members of the Gd149 yrast cascade have been observed, extending
The yrast spectra are investigated for the non-collective nuclei150, 152Dy using the Nilsson-Strutinsky + blocked BCS model. The separate effects from the pairing force and the quadrupole force (deformation changes) are studied. It is found that the pairing force is important in describing the yrast line up to/- 30, while the quadrupole force is important for I ≥ 20. The calculated increase of the
The cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky formalism is applied to the many-faceted spectrum of 16O. The deformation parameters ε{lunate}, γ and ε4 are varied independently and many-particle-many-hole excitations are considered in the rotating system. Potential-energy surfaces are presented at different values of spin, parity and signature. Surprisingly good agreement is obtained when the different minima are
The interplay between angular momentum and particle number (which is the equivalent to the angular momentum in gauge space) is studied. The same technique that is used in the case of rotations in ordinary space can be used in gauge space for investigating the properties of individual quasiparticle levels and the total angular momentum of a nucleus. We study the isotopes of Dy and W, where a back-
Using a survey of 5,504 respondents from 22 European countries, we examine preferences regarding cash and cashless payments at the point of sale (POS) during the COVID-19 crisis. Consumers favor cashless transactions when they believe that handling cash presents a higher risk of infection. Moreover, the habits they develop during periods of restrictions and lockdowns appear to further diminish the
Dating the bottommost section of an ice core is often complicated by strong layer thinning and possible disturbances in the stratigraphy. The radioactive decay of atmospherically produced 36Cl and 10Be can provide age estimates, where traditional methods can no longer be used. In this study, we investigated ice from the bottom of the Skytrain ice core, which was drilled in West Antarctica next to
Ice cores are unique archives of paleo-climate information and require accurate dating for its interpretation. Continuous chronologies are usually based on time markers, stratigraphic matching, and orbital tuning, but often end several meters above bedrock, because extreme thinning and sometimes disturbances in the stratigraphy complicate the identification of climate signals and their alignment w
Quality goals have evolved according to the industrial revolution stages from ‘Small Quality’ to ‘Big Quality’ and now to ‘Open Quality’ in the digital transformation era. This study systematically reviews the chronological development of quality paradigms describing how quality management has evolved from Small to Big to Open Quality. We delineate the concept of Open Quality, emphasizing MTCI-bas
This article exposes the invisible sand that underpins Copenhagen’s transformation from fishing village to global city. By “following sand,” we trace how planetary material flows sustain urban expansion while entangling the city in processes of capital accumulation, class restructuring, and ecological degradation. Drawing on Science and Technology Studies (STS) approaches, yet situating them firml
