A Synthetic Actor model for long-term computer games

Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence provide suitable techniques to improve computer games quality. While the former offers mechanisms to model environment and characters' physical features, the latter provides models and tools for building characters, namely Synthetic Actors or Believable Agents, which can exhibit intelligent social behaviour and express personality and emotions. The current architecture proposals for Synthetic Actors do not fully meet the requirements for long-term games development, such as strategy and adventure ones, it is necessary to guarantee both personality stability and reactive emotional responses, which may be contradictory. In this work, we propose a new Synthetic Actor model that tightly connects emotions and social attitudes to personality, providing a long-term coherent behaviour. This model has been applied to two games presented here as case studies.     

汽轮发电机定子系统固有频率新算法

本文应用群表示理论简化了汽轮发电机定子系统的结构，用有限元方法分析了汽轮发电机定子系统二维和三维两种模型的固有振动特性，给出了冷态工况的二维和三维模型的模态，同时比较了两种模型的分析结果。由模型分析和计算结果可以看出三维模型更符合实际结构。     

Influence of argon-ion bombardment of titanium surfaces on the cell behavior

Several studies in vitro and in vivo accomplished in dental implants have demonstrated that the chemical and physical properties of biomaterials are able to regulate the initial tecidual response around the implant. This tecidual response depends directly on the hydrophily, roughness, texture and chemical composition of the surface. Plasma treatment can be used to improve the surface properties of commercial pure Ti, in order to create different surface topographies, changes in roughness, and modifications in the surface wettability. In this study a surface modification in titanium Cp degree II was carried out, through the plasma treatment and using argon-ion bombardment. A comparison of surface properties and their influence on the cells behavior was also accomplished, besides the quantification of surface roughness, wettability and cellular proliferation. The results showed that the argon-ion bombardment influences the surface energy value, surface roughness and the surface topography of Ti materials. These parameters influence the cellular proliferation process.     

Digital scalar pulse-width modulation: a simple approach tointroduce nonsinusoidal modulating waveforms

The digital scalar pulse-width modulation (DSPWM) gathers the characteristics of simplicity of implementation found in the regular sampling with the flexibility of manipulation of the switching patterns in the space vector modulation (SVPWM). This paper establishes a correlation between the SVPWM and DSPWM techniques. It also shows how to make the DSPWM strategy equivalent to the SVPWM technique without losing its simplicity of implementation. By using such an equivalence concept a microprocessor-based scheme, which uses standard timer circuits and a simple software algorithm, is proposed to implement the DSPWM technique. The introduction of the “distribution ratio” in this technique, allows the development of a systematic approach for implementing either conventional or any modified vector strategies without changing the modulator scheme. This corresponds to generating any attractive nonsinusoidal modulating signals (NSMS) in the carrier-based modulation techniques. Furthermore, the simple digital blocks can be easily implemented as a specialized integrated circuit. Simulated and experimental results demonstrate the validity of the proposed methods     

Development and evaluation of active packaging for sliced mozzarella preservation

Antimicrobial films were formed by the incorporation of nisin (NI), natamycin (NA) and a combination of both (NI + NA) into cellulose polymer. Film efficacies were evaluated in vitro against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 15313, Penicillium sp. and Geotrichum sp. The films were also evaluated on sliced mozzarella cheese against moulds and yeasts, Staphylococcus sp. and psychrotrophic bacteria. Mechanical and microscopic properties of the films and the diffusion of the antimicrobial agents from the film to the cheese were also evaluated. Films containing NI showed an antimicrobial effect in vitro against S. aureus and L. monocytogenes, while films containing NA were effective in vitro against Penicillium sp. and Geotrichum sp. By the ninth day of storage at 12 ± 2°C, the count of yeasts and moulds on cheese covered with films containing NA decreased 2 log10 units compared with the count on cheese with control films. NI film did not show an effect against Staphylococcus sp., but it was effective against psychrotrophic bacteria for 6 days of storage of the cheese. The incorporation of antimicrobial compounds decreased the resistance and elongation of the films and caused changes in their molecular conformation. NI diffusion from the films to the cheese was not detected; however, time‐dependent diffusion of NA from the film containing NI + NA was measured. The incorporation of NI and NA together in the films did not show an effect. The film containing NA showed potential for application as active food packaging for sliced mozzarella cheese. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Estimate of the electric energy generating potential for different sources of biogas in Brazil

The increasing interest in the recuperation of the biogas coming from organic residues, associated with its energetic use is a subject that has been widely discussed. Biogas was merely seen as a sub-product obtained from anaerobic decomposition (without oxygen) of organic residue. In the paper is carried out an evaluation of the quantities of organic residues coming out from the sugar and alcohol industry (vinasse), urban solid and liquid wastes (garbage and sewage) and livestock residues (bovine and swine manure) in Brazil. Finally the electricity generation potential of biogas out of the evaluated sources of organic residues in Brazil is estimated. The results of this study indicate that the potential regarding the production of biogas out of the aforementioned organic residues of electricity production using could meet an energy demand of about 1.05 to 1.13 %. Constraints for biogas energy utilization are identified and discussed.     

Evaluation of a New Field Measurement Method for Arsenic in Drinking Water Samples

The recently lowered arsenic maximum contaminant level will require numerous U.S. water utilities and agencies to monitor and treat for arsenic. This paper describes a new method that measures arsenic in drinking water samples by generating arsine gas from the water and detecting the arsine using a paper-tape instrument. Laboratory tests indicated the method is capable of accurately detecting arsenic in water samples at the microgram per liter level (method detection limit of 0.5?μg/L and practical quantification limit of 2.5?μg/L). The only significant interferences were hydrogen sulfide and antimony. Using the paper-tape instrument, it is also possible to detect As(III) and As(V) that have been separated by either selective arsine generation or ion exchange. While the method proved accurate in the lab, difficulties were encountered during preliminary field testing on 18 different real samples. This technique of converting aqueous arsenic to arsine gas for analysis shows great promise, but the method needs to be refined for use in the field.     

Calculation of the ligand–lanthanide ion energy transfer rate in coordination compounds: contributions of exchange interactions

Recently, one of us (O.L.M.) developed a theoretical approach to the energy transfer process between a ligand and a lanthanide ion in luminescent compounds. This approach takes into account the direct Coulomb interaction only. Here we present further calculations which also include the exchange Coulomb interaction (isotropic and anisotropic). The selection rules on the total angular momentum, J, of the lanthanide 4f states, derived from each interaction are different. They are in fact complementary. We discuss the case of energy transfer to the ⁵D₁ manifold of the Eu³⁺ ion, which is forbidden when only the direct Coulomb interaction is considered but becomes allowed through the exchange interaction. In this case numerical estimates show that, depending on resonance conditions and the nature of the ligand donor state, the transfer rate may assume very high values. It is also emphasised that, according to the present approach, energy transfer to the ⁵D₀ level of the Eu³⁺ ion is forbidden by both mechanisms, provided J-mixing between the ⁷F₀ and ⁷F₂ manifolds is neglected.     

Effect of Drug Solubility in Wet Granulation Fluids on the Dissolution Rates of the Resulting Tablets

One factor in wet granulation processes which affects dissolution rates of the final tablets is shown to be the solubility of the drug substance in the granulating liquid. The relationship is not a direct correlation and a feasible explanation is offered.     

The simultaneous optimization problem for sensitivity and gainmargin

The combined sensitivity and gain margin problem for single-input single-output linear systems is formulated and solved using a complex function interpolation technique. It is proved that this problem always has a real rational solution provided it is solvable in the complex irrational sense. The sensitivity minimization problem subject to a gain margin constraint and its dual problem are also considered. The range of the gain margin constraint is given subject to which the optimal constrained sensitivity is identical with the optimal unconstrained sensitivity. It is shown that, not unexpectedly, the gain margin maximization conflicts with the sensitivity minimization for a nonminimum phase plant