Implementation and Testing of a Backstepping Controller Autopilot for Fixed-wing UAVs

The ability of backstepping controllers to deal with nonlinearities make this technique a suitable candidate for the control of small fixed-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The authors have already proposed a comprehensive approach combining backstepping with PID controllers for simultaneous longitudinal and latero-directional control of fixed-wing UAVs, achieving good performance even with considerable levels of signal noise Sartori et al (2013). In further detail, the ability of the mixed approach to control different size and configuration aircraft in the presence of parametric uncertainties or noise, and when implemented on a microcontroller board was demonstrated. The present paper illustrates integration and testing of the backstepping controller on a real unmanned aircraft. After a summarizing the adopted control design and strategy, initial software and hardware simulations validate the control action for the selected aircraft. The implementation of the microcontroller on the aircraft and the integration with other aircraft systems is also illustrated. Experimental results obtained for ground and flight tests are presented, validating the applicability of the backstepping controller.     

Flow-based method for epinephrine determination using a solid reactor based on molecularly imprinted poly(FePP–MAA–EGDMA)

A solid phase reactor based on molecularly imprinted poly(iron (III) protoporphyrin-methacrylic acid-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (MIP–MAA) has been synthesized by bulk method and applied as an selective material for the epinephrine determination in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. In order to prove the selective behaviour of MIP, two blank polymers named non-imprinted polymer (NIP1), non-imprinted polymer in the absence of hemin (NIP2) as well as a poly(iron (III) protoporphyrin-4-vynilpyridine-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (MIP–4VPy) were synthesized. The epinephrine-selective MIP–MAA reactor was used in a flow injection system, in which an epinephrine solution (120 μL) at pH 8.0 percolates in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (300 μmol L^? 1) through MIP–MAA. The oxidation of epinephrine by hydrogen peroxide is increased by using MIP–MAA, being the product formed monitored by amperometry at 0.0 V vs. Ag/AgCl. The MIP–MAA showed better selective behaviour than NIP1, NIP2 and MIP–4VPy, demonstrating the effectiveness of molecular imprinting effect. Highly improved response was observed for epinephrine in detriment of similar substances (phenol, ascorbic acid, methyl-l-DOPA, p-aminophenol, catechol, l-DOPA and guaiacol). The method provided a calibration curve ranging from 10 to 500 μmol L^? 1 and a limit of detection of 5.2 μmol L^? 1. Kinetic data indicated a value of maximum rate V_max (0.993 μA) and apparent Michaelis–Menten constant of K_m^app(725.6 μmol L^? 1). The feasibility of biomimetic solid reactor was attested by its successful application for epinephrine determination in pharmaceutical formulation.     

Mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel performance benchmarks

Within the framework of the OECD/NEA Expert Group on Reactor-based Plutonium disposition (TFRPD), fuel modeling code benchmarks for MOX fuel were initiated. This paper summarizes the calculation results provided by the contributors for the first two fuel performance benchmark problems. A limited sensitivity study of the effect of the rod power uncertainty on code predictions of fuel centerline temperature and fuel pin pressure also was performed and is included in the paper.     

The influence of weathering and organic matter on heavy metals lability in silicatic, Alpine soils

We investigated the effect of organic matter and weathering on the lability and solid phase speciation of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) in two contrasting subalpine regions in the Italian Alps. Cr, Ni and Cu could be linked to weathering. This was not the case for Pb. Since organic matter (OM) influences the solid phase speciation of heavy metals, the total organic C and N content, the C and N content of different density fractions of OM and also of the labile (oxidised by H₂O₂) and stable (H₂O₂-resistant) fractions were determined. Soil OM stocks were high and soils on north-facing slopes had more OM than the south-facing sites to which they were paired. Density measurements and the H₂O₂ fractionation indicated that the higher OM content on north-facing sites was due to an accumulation of weakly degraded organic material. Due to higher weathering intensity on north-facing sites, the abundance of the EDTA-extractable heavy metals was higher than on south-facing sites. All EDTA-extractable heavy metals showed a good correlation to the water-soluble phenolic concentrations which indicates that the metals were probably translocated as metal-organic complexes. Pb and Cu correlate not only to the light (density < 1 g/cm³) and labile, organic fraction but also to the heavy (density > 2 g/cm³) and stable fraction. High-mountain ecosystems like the Alps are sensitive to changing environmental conditions such as global warming. A warmer climate and the more favourable conditions it brings for biological activity, especially at cooler sites, will probably lead in the short- to mid-term to an increased loss of accumulated, weakly degraded OM. As the Pb and Cu content is significantly related to the labile organic matter pools, the risk exists that an increase in OM mineralisation could affect the storage capacity and mobility of these metals in soils.     

Insight of surface treatments for CMOS compatibility of InAs nanowires

Nano Research - A CMOS compatible process is presented in order to grow self-catalyzed InAs nanowires on silicon by molecular beam epitaxy. The crucial step of this process is a new in-situ surface...     

Aqueous and Solvent‐Free Uncatalyzed Three‐Component Vinylogous Mukaiyama–Mannich Reactions of Pyrrole‐Based Silyl Dienolates

A catalyst‐free, environmentally benign three‐component vinylogous Mukaiyama–Mannich reaction of pyrrole‐based silyl dienolates is presented, which works effectively in both aqueous and solvent‐free environments. Both lipophilic and hydrophilic aldehyde candidates are suitable substrates, allowing access to a rich repertoire of unsaturated vicinal aminolactam structures with virtually complete γ‐site selectivity and moderate to good anti‐diastereoselectivity. The utility of this technology is highlighted by protecting group‐free synthesis of densely hydroxylated, sugar‐related lactam frameworks. The role of water as an indispensable H‐bonding reaction propeller is demonstrated.     

Production of Fusarium verticillioides biocontrol agents, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Microbacterium oleovorans, using different growth media: evaluation of biomass and viability after freeze-drying

The aims of this study were to compare the viability and biomass production of B. amyloliquefaciens and M. oleovorans in different growth media, and the efficiency of a freeze-drying method as a possible formulation process. B. amyloliquefaciens and M. oleovorans were grown in 100 ml of four different media. Media water activity was modified at 0.99, 0.98, 0.97 and 0.96. Nutrient yeast dextrose broth (NYDB) and molasses soy powder (MSB) media were selected and survival levels of cells were determined before and after the freeze-drying process. B. amyloliquefaciens showed the highest survival after freeze-drying when grown in NYDB medium at 0.99 a(w), whereas, at 0.98, 0.97 and 0.96 a(w), the highest survival was obtained in MSB medium. M. oleovorans showed the highest survival in MSB medium at 0.99 a(w). MSB medium was select for biomass production due to high growth and survival after freeze-drying.     

Modeling the human knee for assistive technologies

In this paper, we use motion capture technology together with an EMG-driven musculoskeletal model of the knee joint to predict muscle behavior during human dynamic movements. We propose a muscle model based on infinitely stiff tendons and show this allows speeding up 250?times the computation of muscle force and the resulting joint moment calculation with no loss of accuracy with respect to the previously developed elastic-tendon model. We then integrate our previously developed method for the estimation of 3-D musculotendon kinematics in the proposed EMG-driven model. This new code enabled the creation of a standalone EMG-driven model that was implemented and run on an embedded system for applications in assistive technologies such as myoelectrically controlled prostheses and orthoses.     

Supported Sulfonic Acid as Green and Efficient Catalyst for Baeyer–Villiger Oxidation with 30% Aqueous Hydrogen Peroxide

Silica‐supported propylsulfonic acid is a very good heterogeneous catalyst for the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclic ketones to lactones with stoichiometric 30% aqueous hydrogen peroxide in 1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexafluoro‐2‐propanol as solvent.