This paper proposes two novel master-slave configurations that provide improvements in both control and communication aspects of teleoperation systems to achieve an overall improved performance in position control. The proposed novel master-slave configurations integrate modular control and communication approaches, consisting of a delay regulator to address problems related to variable network delay common to such systems, and a model tracking control that runs on the slave side for the compensation of uncertainties and model mismatch on the slave side. One of the configurations uses a sliding mode observer and the other one uses a modified Smith predictor scheme on the master side to ensure position transparency between the master and slave, while reference tracking of the slave is ensured by a proportional-differentiator type controller in both configurations. Experiments conducted for the networked position control of a single-link arm under system uncertainties and randomly varying network delays demonstrate significant performance improvements with both configurations over the past literature.

Studies are supporting neuroprotective benefi t of therapeutic hypothermia in term newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.We assessed survival and neurodevelopmental outcome of neonates subjected to the procedure and factors that may haveinfl uenced it. Newborns with gestational age of more than 36 weeks and less than 6 hours of age with moderate to severe asphyxialencephalopathy underwent cooling protocol at a temperature of 33.5 °C for 72 hours and rewarming period of 6 hours. The outcomemeasures assessed were death and neurodevelopmental characteristics. Twenty-fi ve children were assessed during the period fromOctober 2010 to October 2013. Median gestational age was 40 weeks, birth weight 3470 g, Apgar score 2/4 and pH on admission tothe hospital 7.02. Four (16%) children died and two were lost for follow up. At the age of fi nal assessment, developmental categoriesof communication were normal in 68.4%, problem solving in 73.7%, personal-social in 68.4%, gross motor in 57.9%, and fi ne motorin 36.8% but with a high need of retesting in this area. Seven of 19 patients (36.8%) had completely normal results for all fi ve categories,while three (15.8%) had abnormal results for all categories. None of the 18 parameters that were correlated with neurodevelopmentaloutcome showed statistical signifi cance. Amplitude integrated electroencephalography was done in ten patients and themost prominent fi nding was discontinuous activity in eight patients. In conclusion, a relatively small number of patients and limitationsof this study design precluded any far-reaching conclusions, but we think that this method can provide better survival and lessneurologic sequels in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy patients.

We prove that the meromorphic continuations of the Ruelle and Selberg zeta functions considered by Bunke and Olbrich are of finite order not larger than the dimension of the underlaying compact, odd-dimensional, locally symmetric space.

Contemporary university courses in the process of implementation of principles based on the Bologna Declaration is between traditional and contemporary paradigm of high education. Integrating of new valid forms is possible to actualize in readiness to change in relationships within academic community that still has intention of centralization in form but with no essence and purposefulness of educational work. Those changes happen in conceptions, goals and tasks, curriculums and programs, education of new teaching staff, organization and managing, financing and legal regulations and other segments streaming towards standardization and adaption of universities to needs of society and time with a special accent on creation of assumptions for continual lifetime education and professional development. In relation to this, methodic organization of teaching in which a special accent is put on teaching aids, didactic media and teaching technology is of existential value to sustainability of contemporary university courses. Results acquired through analytic descriptive method and survey method as a variant of analytic descriptive method and through apposite instruments for self evaluation of university teaching staff shows that contemporary university teaching is dominated by combining of teaching aids, that laptop and projector are dominant didactic media that characterize contemporary university courses.