A Non-Invasive Technique for Online Defect Detection on Steel Strip Surfaces

During the production of steel strips, a large amount of surface defects can be generated, due to harsh environmental conditions. A high number of surface defects can lead to rejection by the customer, which represents significant economic losses to the production plant. Thus, it is very important to detect the presence and type of the defects generated during the production of each steel strip. Using this information, it is possible to determine whether a strip is suitable for sale, and it may also be useful to determine the origin of defects and, if possible, prevent them from being generated in subsequent strips. To perform these tasks, non-invasive inspection techniques are usually used, carried out automatically by artificial vision systems. Although the inspection conducted by humans is more accurate, they become fatigued quickly, or may even be unable to carry out the inspection correctly when the forward speed of the strip is high. In this paper, a new detection technique is proposed, based on the division of an image into a set of overlapping areas. The optimum values for the configuration parameters of the detection technique are automatically determined using a genetic algorithm. After the detection phase, all the defects are classified using a neural network. A very satisfactory success rate has been achieved in both detection and classification phases.     

Artificial neural networks as alternative tool for minimizing error predictions in manufacturing ultradeformable nanoliposome formulations

This work was aimed at determining the feasibility of artificial neural networks (ANN) by implementing backpropagation algorithms with default settings to generate better predictive models than multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis. The study was hypothesized on timolol-loaded liposomes. As tutorial data for ANN, causal factors were used, which were fed into the computer program. The number of training cycles has been identified in order to optimize the performance of the ANN. The optimization was performed by minimizing the error between the predicted and real response values in the training step. The results showed that training was stopped at 10?000 training cycles with 80% of the pattern values, because at this point the ANN generalizes better. Minimum validation error was achieved at 12 hidden neurons in a single layer. MLR has great prediction ability, with errors between predicted and real values lower than 1% in some of the parameters evaluated. Thus, the performance of this model was compared to that of the MLR using a factorial design. Optimal formulations were identified by minimizing the distance among measured and theoretical parameters, by estimating the prediction errors. Results indicate that the ANN shows much better predictive ability than the MLR model. These findings demonstrate the increased efficiency of the combination of ANN and design of experiments, compared to the conventional MLR modeling techniques.     

MnO2-Based Electrochemical Supercapacitors on Flexible Carbon Substrates

Manganese dioxide films were grown on large area flexible carbon aerogel substrates. Characterization by x-ray diffraction confirmed α-MnO₂ growth. Three types of films were compared as a function of hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) concentration during growth. The highest concentration of HM TA produced MnO₂ flower-like films, as observed by scanning electron microscopy, whose thickness and surface coverage lead to both a higher specific capacitance and higher series resistance. Specific capacitance was measured to be 64 F/g using a galvanostatic setup, compared to the 47 F/g-specific capacitance of the carbon aerogel substrate. Such supercapacitor devices can be fabricated on large area sheets of carbon aerogel to achieve high total capacitance.     

Impact of the roasting degree of coffee on the in vitro radical scavenging capacity and content of acrylamide

Due to the recognized toxicity of acrylamide, intensive efforts have been made to reduce the concentration of this undesired Maillard by-product in food. This work reports the results obtained from a series of experiments aimed at determining the concentration of acrylamide and the in vitro radical scavenging capacity in the same roasted and ground coffee samples, as it is well established that a significant part of the antioxidant activity in coffee is linked to the melanoidins, which are also considered as Maillard reaction products (MRPs). The radical scavenging capacity was measured using electroparamagnetic resonance (EPR). Coffee samples from the Robusta and Arabica varieties were roasted at 236 °C over different time periods to obtain very light, light, medium and dark roast. Color analyses were performed on all samples. Increasing the roasting degree led to a decrease in acrylamide concentration as well as radical scavenging capacity. The results of this work indicate that any mitigation efforts must also take into account the potential loss of desired food constituents and consequently changes to the risk/benefit characteristics of foods.     

Utilisation of chickpea protein isolates for production of peptides with angiotensin I‐converting enzyme (ACE)‐inhibitory activity

Chickpea protein isolates and the protease alcalase were used for the production of protein hydrolysates that inhibit angiotensin I‐converting enzyme (ACE). The highest degree of inhibition was found in a hydrolysate obtained by 30 min of treatment with alcalase. This hydrolysate was used as starting material for the purification of ACE‐inhibitory peptides. After Biogel P2 gel filtration chromatography and HPLC C₁₈ reverse phase chromatography, four peptides with ACE‐inhibitory activity were purified. Two of them were competitive inhibitors of ACE, while the other two were uncompetitive inhibitors. These results show that chickpea proteins are a good source of ACE‐inhibitory peptides when hydrolysed with the protease alcalase. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Stabilized discontinuous Galerkin method for hyperbolic equations

In this work a new stabilization technique is proposed and studied for the discontinuous Galerkin method applied to hyperbolic equations. In order to avoid the use of slope limiters, a streamline diffusion-like term is added to control oscillations for arbitrary element orders. Thus, the scheme combines ideas from both the Runge-Kutta discontinuous Galerkin method [J. Scient. Comput. 16 (2001) 173] and the streamline diffusion method [Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 32 (1982)]. To increase the stability range of the method, the diffusion term is treated implicitly. The result is a scheme with higher order in space with the same stability range as the finite volume method. An optimal relation between the time step and the size of the diffusion coefficient is analyzed for numerical precision. The scheme is implemented using the object oriented programming philosophy based on the environment described in [Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 150 (1997)]. Accuracy and shock capturing abilities of the method are analyzed in terms of two bidimensional model problems: the rotating cone and the backward facing step problem for the Euler equations of gas dynamics.     

Screening test to detect meat adulteration through the determination of hemoglobin by cation exchange chromatography with diode array detection

To determine the effects of globin moiety denaturation and pH on the ability of metmyoglobin (MetMb) to undergo reduction, MetMb isolated from porcine hearts was denatured in 8.5M urea. Both native and denatured MetMb solutions were serially reduced with Na₂S₂O₄ (0, 7.5, 15, 18.75, 22.5, 26.25, 30, 30.75, and 45 umol). Reduction was conducted at pH 5, 5.2, 5.4, 5.6, 6, 6.2, 6.4, 6.6, and 7. After reduction, absorbance was determined at 635 nm and the percent of the original MetMb which was reduced was calculated. The average percent MetMb reduced from the native and denatured forms was 35 and 25%, respectively. pH significantly influenced the percentage of MetMb reduced, especially when pH was <6. If the MetMb was denatured prior to reduction, the influence of pH on its ability to undergo reduction was slight. The percentage of denatured MetMb reduced was higher at pH 7 than at all other pHs. High pH enhanced the ability of MetMb to undergo reduction; while low pH decreases it. Low pH may have denatured the native globin moiety.     

Swallowing changes in cerebrovascular accidents: incidence, natural history, and repercussions on the nutritional status, morbidity, and mortality

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of dysphagia in CVA, its natural history and value as a risk factor of respiratory infection, malnutrition and death. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study was made of 187 consecutive patients with cerebrovascular accidents (CVA). A standardized test for dysphagia was done during the first two days of the illness and repeated three days a week. The levels of urea, total proteins and albumin were determined on admission and on discharge. The patients were questioned by phone after 6 months. RESULTS: There was dysphagia of liquids in 36.4% of the patients. The incidence of dysphagia for semisolids was of the same frequency but more severe. Coma was the cause of inability to swallow in 25.7% of the patients. During their stay in hospital one third of the patients with dysphagia died, one third became normal and one third still had dysphagia when they were discharged. After one week, one, three and six months respectively, the cure rate for dysphagia was 29.4%, 4.1%, 55.9% and 55.9%, and survival 83.8%, 67.6%, 61.8% and 60.3%. Thus after 6 months only 3 patients (4.4%) were alive and dysphagic. Half of the 'cures' occurred in the first week, and none occurred after more than 77 days. As compared to the non-dysphagic patients, the dysphagic patients had 10 times more risk of respiratory infection, 18 times higher risk of death, greater loss of albumin and less loss of urea. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of dysphagia in CVA and although functional prognosis is not unfavorable, respiratory infections, malnutrition and death are frequent.     

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia in a pregnant woman

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia is a recently described pulmonary phenomenon involving rapidly progressing respiratory insufficiency. Although it can appear at any age, it has never been reported during pregnancy and its impact on gestation is therefore unknown. We describe the clinical signs and course of disease in this first report of acute eosinophilic pneumonia in a pregnant woman. We emphasize the diagnostic utility of bronchoalveolar lavage, the resolution of symptoms without corticoid treatment and, mainly, the absence of adverse repercussions of the disease on pregnancy.     

Comparison of two particle charging experiments for testing the JSC Mars-1 Martian regolith simulant against man-made materials

NASA has great interest in testing the electrostatic charging of various materials due to the saltation process near the surface of Mars. As wind blows over the Martian regolith, particles are picked up, travel over a distance, and then fall back to the surface. These moving particles collide with each other and with any other materials present giving rise to a triboelectric charge transfer. Variables involved in this charge transfer include the number of particles, the frequency of collisions, and the particle velocities. It is necessary to know the extent of charging of man-made materials in this process in order to better plan future Mars missions. Two different methods for creating frictional charging between the regolith simulant and the materials in question are described. The first method utilizes a deflection board apparatus. The second uses a shaker box apparatus. The benefits and drawbacks of each experimental approach are listed. Some experimental data obtained through each method is provided but further study is required to fully characterize these charging processes.