A chaotic communication system of improved performance based on the Derivative-free nonlinear Kalman filter

The Derivative-free nonlinear Kalman Filter is used for developing a communication system that is based on a chaotic modulator such as the Duffing system. In the transmitter’s side, the source of information undergoes modulation (encryption) in which a chaotic signal generated by the Duffing system is the carrier. The modulated signal is transmitted through a communication channel and at the receiver’s side demodulation takes place, after exploiting the estimation provided about the state vector of the chaotic oscillator by the Derivative-free nonlinear Kalman Filter. Evaluation tests confirm that the proposed filtering method has improved performance over the Extended Kalman Filter and reduces significantly the rate of transmission errors. Moreover, it is shown that the proposed Derivative-free nonlinear Kalman Filter can work within a dual Kalman Filtering scheme, for performing simultaneously transmitter–receiver synchronisation and estimation of unknown coefficients of the communication channel.     

COMBINED CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF AZO DYE-CONTAINING WASTEWATERS

Wastewaters produced in textile industrial processes contain organic dyes, such as azo dyes, which are not amenable to direct biological treatment. This work examines the possibility of combining ozonation with biological treatment for the effective treatment of wastewaters containing the azo dye Orange II. Oxalate, formate, and benzene-sulfonate are found to be the final products of ozonation. Sulfonated aromatics such as benzene-sulfonate cause organic pollution and are not readily degradable because of their xenobiotic character. For the biological treatment of the ozonation products, activated sludge acclimated to the main product (benzene-sulfonate) was used, and batch experiments under aerobic conditions were performed. On the basis of experimental data, mathematical models describing both processes were developed. An overall mathematical model describing the integrated chemical and biological treatment of the dye was used to estimate the cost of the whole process. The implications of this study for the design of effective dye-containing wastewater treatment plants are discussed.     

Infrared Solution‐Processed Quantum Dot Solar Cells Reaching External Quantum Efficiency of 80% at 1.35 µm and Jsc in Excess of 34 mA cm−2

Developing low‐cost photovoltaic absorbers that can harvest the short‐wave infrared (SWIR) part of the solar spectrum, which remains unharnessed by current Si‐based and perovskite photovoltaic technologies, is a prerequisite for making high‐efficiency, low‐cost tandem solar cells. Here, infrared PbS colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells employing a hybrid inorganic–organic ligand exchange process that results in an external quantum efficiency of 80% at 1.35 µm are reported, leading to a short‐circuit current density of 34 mA cm^?2 and a power conversion efficiency (PCE) up to 7.9%, which is a current record for SWIR CQD solar cells. When this cell is placed at the back of an MAPbI₃ perovskite film, it delivers an extra 3.3% PCE by harnessing light beyond 750 nm.     

Non‐linear feedback control of the p 53 protein–mdm 2 inhibitor system using the derivative‐free non‐linear Kalman filter

It is proven that the model of the p 53–mdm 2 protein synthesis loop is a differentially flat one and using a diffeomorphism (change of state variables) that is proposed by differential flatness theory it is shown that the protein synthesis model can be transformed into the canonical (Brunovsky) form. This enables the design of a feedback control law that maintains the concentration of the p 53 protein at the desirable levels. To estimate the non‐measurable elements of the state vector describing the p 53–mdm 2 system dynamics, the derivative‐free non‐linear Kalman filter is used. Moreover, to compensate for modelling uncertainties and external disturbances that affect the p 53–mdm 2 system, the derivative‐free non‐linear Kalman filter is re‐designed as a disturbance observer. The derivative‐free non‐linear Kalman filter consists of the Kalman filter recursion applied on the linearised equivalent of the protein synthesis model together with an inverse transformation based on differential flatness theory that enables to retrieve estimates for the state variables of the initial non‐linear model. The proposed non‐linear feedback control and perturbations compensation method for the p 53–mdm 2 system can result in more efficient chemotherapy schemes where the infusion of medication will be better administered.Inspec keywords: proteins, molecular biophysics, biochemistry, Kalman filters, inverse problems, perturbation theoryOther keywords: nonlinear feedback control, p53 protein‐mdm2 inhibitor system, derivative‐free nonlinear Kalman filter, differential flatness theory, protein synthesis loop, diffeomorphism, protein synthesis model, feedback control law, nonmeasurable elements, modelling uncertainties, inverse transformation, nonlinear model, perturbation compensation method, chemotherapy schemes, medication infusion     

Fault detection and isolation based on fuzzy automata

Fuzzy automata are proposed for fault diagnosis. The output of the monitored system is partitioned into linear segments which in turn are assigned to pattern classes (templates) with the use of membership functions. A sequence of templates is generated and becomes input to fuzzy automata which have transitions that correspond to the templates of the properly functioning system. If the automata reach their final states, i.e. the input sequence is accepted by the automata with a membership degree that exceeds a certain threshold, then normal operation is deduced, otherwise, a failure is diagnosed. Fault diagnosis of a DC motor and detection of abnormalities in the ECG signal are used as case studies.     

Adaptive fuzzy control for field-oriented induction motor drives

With the field-oriented method, the dynamic behavior of the induction motor is rather similar to that of a separately excited DC motor. However, the control performance of the induction motor is still influenced by the unmodelled dynamics or external disturbances, and to compensate for these uncertainties, adaptive fuzzy control is proposed. The overall control signal consists of two elements, (1) the equivalent control which is used for linearization of the induction motor’s model through feedback of the state vector. The equivalent control includes neurofuzzy approximators of the unknown parts of the induction motor model (2) the supervisory control which consists of an H_￥H_{\infty} term and compensates for parametric uncertainties of the induction motor model and external disturbances. The performance of the proposed adaptive fuzzy H_￥H_{\infty} controller is compared to backstepping nonlinear control through simulation tests.     

The anticoagulant activity of enoxaparin sodium during on-line hemodiafiltration and conventional hemodialysis

To study and compare the anticoagulant activity of enoxaparin sodium during on-line hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF) and conventional hemodialysis (C-HD). Enoxaparin was administered as an anticoagulant to 21 hemodialysis patients at the beginning of a single 4-hour OL-HDF session as an intravenous bolus dose of 80 mg/kg. On-line hemodiafiltration was performed using a high-flux polyester polymer alloy dialyzer and a total of 18 L replacement fluid (session A). One week later, the study was repeated in the same patients during a single 4-hour session of C-HD using a low-flux polysulfone dialyzer (session B). Blood samples for the measurement of Hb, blood urea and nitrogen (BUN), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and anti-Xa levels were taken before each study session and 5-minute postdialysis. In 13 more patients, the same study was performed during OL-HDF using a high-flux polysulfone dialyzer (session C). No differences were found between sessions A, B, and C when predialysis values for Hb, BUN, APTT, and anti-Xa were compared. The mean postdialysis APTT and anti-Xa values were 32.5±3.8 seconds and 0.19±0.11 IU/mL, respectively, in session A, 39.0±5.0 seconds and 0.71±0.17 IU/mL in session B, and 33.8±3.1 seconds and 0.35±17 IU/mL in session C (A vs. B, P<0.0001, for both parameters, A vs. C, P<0.003 for anti-XA, and B vs. C, P<0.005, for both parameters). The anticoagulant activity of enoxaparin sodium is decreased significantly during a 4-hour OL-HDF session compared with to a similar session of C-HD. The degree of the reduction seems to depend on the dialyzer's membrane.     

Influence of pH on fermentative hydrogen production from sweet sorghum extract

The present study focused on the influence of pH on the fermentative hydrogen production from the sugars of sweet sorghum extract, in a continuous stirred tank bioreactor. The reactor was operated at a Hydraulic Retention Time of 12 h and a pH range of 3.5–6.5. The maximum hydrogen production rate and yield were obtained at pH 5.3 and were 1752 ± 54 mL H₂/d or 3.50 ± 0.07 L H₂/L reactor/d and 0.93 ± 0.03 mol H₂/mol glucose consumed or 10.51 L H₂/kg sweet sorghum, respectively. The main metabolic product at this pH value was butyric acid. The hydrogen productivity and yield were still at high levels for the pH range of 5.3–4.7, suggesting a pH value of 4.7 as optimum for hydrogen production from an economical point of view, since the energy demand for chemicals is lower at this pH. At this pH range, the dominant fermentation product was butyric acid but when the pH culture sharply decreased to 3.5, hydrogen evolution ceased and the dominant metabolic products were lactic acid and ethanol.     

Preparation and properties of fully esterified erythritol

Pure tetraesters of erythritol with C₁₀, C₁₂, C₁₄, C₁₆, C₁₈ saturated, and C_18:1 unsaturated (oleoyl) fatty acyl chains have been prepared for the first time and characterized using the acylating systems fatty acid/N,N′‐dicyclohexylcarbodiimide/4‐dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP), fatty acid anhydride/DMAP, fatty acyl chloride/pyridine, and fatty acyl chloride/boron trifluoride etherate. For the first three systems the yields were in the range of 80–90% while the fatty acyl chloride/pyridine system has the advantage of lower cost. The fatty acyl chloride/boron trifluoride etherate system gave lower (ca 70%) yields of the tetraesters. The tetraesters of erythritol may have applications analogues to those of triglycerides. In addition, new applications can be envisaged for these compounds, as a result of their differences in physical, chemical, and biochemical properties compared to triglycerides. Practical applications: The tetraesters of erythritol with saturated fatty acyl chains may have applications analogous to those of saturated triglycerides. However, tetraesters with unsaturated fatty acid chains may have greater prospects of having industrial uses after doing chemistry on the carbon–carbon double bonds.