基于NSCT和改进模糊的遥感图像增强方法

为了解决遥感图像处理过程中噪声放大和图像失真现象,提出了一种结合NSCT和改进模糊对比度的图像增强方法。通过NSCT变换把图像分解成低频子带和若干个高频子带;对低频子带进行线性增强,并利用改进的阈值函数对高频子带进行去噪;随后采用改进的模糊对比度来调整NSCT反变换的系数,以提高图像的整体对比度。实验结果表明,提出的算法的客观指标明显优于其他对比算法,并且视觉效果也得到很大改善。     

An elasto-plastic fracture mechanics based model for assessment of hydride embrittlement in zircaloy cladding tubes

This paper describes a finite element based fracture mechanics model to assess how hydrides affect the integrity of zircaloy cladding tubes. The hydrides are assumed to fracture at a low load whereas the propagation of the fractured hydrides in the matrix material and failure of the tube is controlled by non-linear fracture mechanics and plastic collapse of the ligaments between the hydrides. The paper quantifies the relative importance of hydride geometrical parameters such as size, orientation and location of individual hydrides and interaction between adjacent hydrides. The paper also presents analyses for some different and representative multi-hydride configurations. The model is adaptable to general and complex crack configurations and can therefore be used to assess realistic hydride configurations. The mechanism of cladding failure is by plastic collapse of ligaments between interacting fractured hydrides. The results show that the integrity can be drastically reduced when several radial hydrides form continuous patterns.     

Application of whey protein isolate in bone regeneration: Effects on growth and osteogenic differentiation of bone-forming cells

Recently, milk-derived proteins have attracted attention for applications in the biomedical field such as tissue regeneration. Whey protein isolate (WPI), especially its main component β-lactoglobulin, can modulate immunity and acts as an antioxidant, antitumor, antiviral, and antibacterial agent. There are very few reports of the application of WPI in tissue engineering, especially in bone tissue engineering. In this study, we tested the influence of different concentrations of WPI on behavior of human osteoblast-like Saos-2 cells, human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASC), and human neonatal dermal fibroblasts (FIB). The positive effect on growth was apparent for Saos-2 cells and FIB but not for ASC. However, the expression of markers characteristic for early osteogenic cell differentiation [type-I collagen (COL1) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)] as well as ALP activity, increased dose-dependently in ASC. Importantly, Saos-2 cells were able to deposit calcium in the presence of WPI, even in a proliferation medium without other supplements that support osteogenic cell differentiation. The results indicate that, depending on the cell type, WPI can act as an enhancer of cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. Therefore, enrichment of biomaterials for bone regeneration with WPI seems a promising approach, especially due to the low cost of WPI.     

Nickel supported on low-rank coal for steam reforming of ethyl acetate

Ethyl acetate is a volatile organic compound (VOC) that has emerged as a major environmental pollutant and also one of representative components of bio-oil. In this study, mostly metallic Ni particles (size: <10 nm) were finely dispersed on low-rank coal (LRC) by the ion-exchange process. Catalytic steam reforming of ethyl acetate (EA) was performed over Ni supported on Eco LRC (Ni/Eco) to reduce EA emissions and simultaneously produce H₂. EA reforming over 17.7 wt% Ni/Eco at 400 °C results in H₂ yield of 70%–80%; this is comparable to that achieved with reforming over commercial Ni/Al₂O₃. Advantageously, metallic Ni particles are dominant over Ni oxides on LRC, and therefore, the pre-reduction step routinely required for an alumina-supported catalyst can be skipped. Furthermore, deactivation by coking is slower with Ni/Eco than with Ni/Al₂O₃ during long-term operation, probably because of the smaller particle size and preferential adsorption on the coal support.     

Characterisation and modelling of the elastic properties of poly(lactic acid) nanofibre scaffolds

The aim of this study is to predict the elastic response of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) electrospun nanofibre scaffolds through mathematical models based on homogenisation and the differential replacement method (DRM). These models principally seek to determine and analyse the effects of the internal morphology of the nanofibres on the effective Young’s modulus of polymer nanofibre scaffolds. The microstructure of the nanofibres was first characterised by SEM, XRD, DSC, AFM, and TEM techniques. From this characterisation, strong evidence of a hierarchical core–shell structure was found. With the experimental data, it was possible to design and validate better models than those currently used. In addition, the effects of the electrospinning parameters, such as take-up velocity and thermal treatment, were analysed and correlated with the morphology and the elastic properties of the nanofibres and their scaffolds. To validate the models’ results, we conducted a series of uniaxial tensile tests on the PLA nanofibre scaffolds. Using the data from the nanofibre measurements, the homogenisation approximations and the model based on the DRM predicted an effective Young’s modulus of 667 and 835 MPa, respectively. The predicted data were in excellent agreement with the experimental results (685–880 MPa). These models will be useful in understanding and evaluating the structure–property relationships of oriented nanofibre scaffolds for medical or biological applications.     

FEM investigation and thermo-mechanic tests of the new solid tungsten divertor tile for ASDEX Upgrade

A new solid tungsten divertor for the fusion experiment ASDEX Upgrade is under construction at present. A new divertor tile design has been developed to improve the thermal performance of the current divertor made of tungsten coated fine grain graphite. Compared to thin tungsten coatings, divertor tiles made of massive tungsten allow to extend the operational range and to study the plasma material interaction of tungsten in more detail. The improved design for the solid tungsten divertor was tested on different full scale prototypes with a hydrogen ion beam. The influence of a possible material degradation due to thermal cracking or recrystallization can be studied. Furthermore, intensive Finite Element Method (FEM) numerical analysis with the respective test parameters has been performed. The elastic–plastic calculation was applied to analyze thermal stress and the observed elastic and plastic deformation during the heat loading. Additionally, the knowledge gained by the tests and especially by the numerical analysis has been used to optimize the shape of the divertor tiles and the accompanying divertor support structure.This paper discusses the main results of the high heat flux tests and their numerical simulations. In addition, results from some special structural mechanic analysis by means of FEM tools are presented. Finally, first results from the numerical lifecycle analysis of the current tungsten tiles will be reported.     

Grid deformation strategies for CFD analysis of screw compressors

Customized grid generation of twin screw machines for CFD analysis is widely used by the refrigeration and air-conditioning industry today, but is currently not suitable for topologies such as those of single screw, variable pitch or tri screw rotors. This paper investigates a technique called key-frame re-meshing that supplies pre-generated unstructured grids to the CFD solver at different time steps. To evaluate its accuracy, the results of an isentropic compression-expansion process in a reciprocating piston cylinder arrangement have been compared. Three strategies of grid deformation; diffusion equation mesh smoothing, user defined nodal displacement and key-frame remeshing have been assessed. There are many limitations to key-frame re-meshing. It requires time consuming pre-processing, has limited applicability to complex meshes and leads to inaccuracies in conservation of calculated variables. It was concluded that customized tools for generation of CFD grids are required for complex screw machines.     

A switching system based on microcontroller for successive applying of MGT and CPT on MOSFETs

A new, low cost switching system based on PIC 18F4550 microcontroller (MCU), called APL-SM v1.0 system, which enables the successive measuring of both the electrical characteristics in midgap-subthreshold technique (MGT) and charge-pumping currents in charge-pumping technique (CPT) of metal–oxide–semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), has been developed. The APL-SM v1.0 system, instead of expensive switching matrix which price is considerably higher, could be used for the switching from MGT to CPT and vice versa. Using the appropriate program, the system allows the monitoring of MOSFETs during long time periods, helping the performing of long lasting experiments. The good agreement in the electrical characteristics, as well as in the charge-pumping currents, obtained using ultra low current, high speed Keithley switching matrix (SM) and APL-SM system, was obtained.     

Direct potentiometric determination of diastase activity in honey

A novel method for the determination of diastase activity is reported. The method is based on a direct potentiometric measurement of triiodide ion that is released when a starch-triiodide complex is hydrolysed by honey diastase. The increase of free triiodide ion concentration in a sample is found to be directly proportional to the diastase activity of the sample. A response mechanism of the platinum redox electrode is proposed, allowing a calculation of the diastase activity factor (F). The sensor and analyte parameters, including F, were obtained by least squares fitting of potentiometric data using the optimisation function of the Solver add-in of Microsoft Excel. The values of F obtained by the new direct potentiometric method were compared with those obtained using the standard Phadebas method (DN values), and the two values were found to agree within experimental error. Finally, the diastase activity of nine varieties of honey was determined using the novel method developed here.     

Performance Analysis of System with Micro- and Macrodiversity Reception in Correlated Gamma Shadowed Rician Fading Channels

In this paper, the performance of wireless system employing microdiversity to mitigate the effects of short-term fading and macrodiversity to reduce long-term fading (shadowing) effects is studied. The system model assumes implementation of maximal-ratio combining (MRC) at the microlevel and selection combining (SC) at the macrolevel. The received signal envelope follows a Rician distribution and it also suffers gamma shadowing. Novel expressions for the probability density function (PDF), cumulative distribution function (CDF), and moment-generating function (MGF) of the output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are obtained. Several useful performance criteria, such as the moments of the output SNR and outage probability are analytically derived. Moreover, the average bit error probability (ABEP) for noncoherent binary differential phase-shift keying (BDPSK) is calculated using the MGF based approach while the ABEP for coherent binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) is studied by averaging the conditional bit error probability over the PDF. Numerical results are graphically presented to show the effects of various system parameters to the system performance, as well as the enhancement due to use of the combination of micro- and macrodiversity. Some of numerical results are complemented by equivalent computer simulated results which validate the accuracy of the proposed analysis. The agreement between the Rician-gamma and Rician-lognormal fading model is also established.