Computer-aided train dispatch

The Carajas Line is one of the busiest railway routes and leading carriers of iron ore in the world. The 892 km-long, single-track line connects Sao Luis Harbor with the Carajas iron ore mine in the state of Para in the Amazon. Soon the line will become still busier because a unique real-time knowledge-based system is about to significantly increase its productivity while reducing its operating costs and without compromising safety. An innovative, rule-based expert system that employs fuzzy logic will transform the culture of train operations. The system is described     

The bang-bang hysteresis current waveshaping control technique used to implement a high power factor power supply

This work reports the operation and development of a high power factor power supply that operates at high switching frequency. An optimum power factor correction is obtained using an ac-dc boost converter associated to a nondissipative snubber as a pre-regulator circuit, which presents reduced commutation losses. The same nondissipative snubber is associated to a Forward converter and then used as a dc-dc stage. The proposed switched mode power supply presents high power factor (0.998), high efficiency (91%), low harmonic content (current and voltage total harmonic distortion rates equal to 2.84% and 2.83%, respectively), and also satisfactory regulation. The converter has been theoretically analyzed, designed, simulated and implemented, where experimental results show that soft commutation in all switches is achieved.     

A high-torque low-speed multiphase brushless machine-a perspective application for electric vehicles

This paper presents the design, analysis, simulation, and modeling of a high-torque low-speed multiphase permanent-magnet brushless; machine. The machine fits an in-wheel motor arrangement to be used for electric vehicle applications. This paper presents issues regarding the high-level modeling comprised of a transient model in conjunction with their corresponding experimental evaluation. Analysis was made to combine the modeling efforts with the expected behavior concerned with mutual inductance and armature reaction effects, so as to have realistic simulation results verified by the experimental setup. Comprehensive experimental results corroborate the work.     

Relationship between rheological,textural and melting properties of dark chocolate as influenced by particle size distribution and composition

In dark chocolate, rheological properties during processing are influenced by particle size distribution (PSD), fat and lecithin contents with consequential effects on finished texture and melting characteristics. Multivariate regression, correlation and principal component analyses (PCA) were used to explore their interrelationships. A 4 × 3 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted with varying PSD [D ₉₀ (90% finer than this size) of 18, 25, 35 and 50 μm], fat (25, 30 and 35%) and lecithin (0.3 and 0.5%). Rheological properties (yield stress and apparent viscosity), textural properties (firmness, index of viscosity and hardness) and melting index (duration) were respectively measured using shear rate-controlled rheometer, TA.HD Plus texture analyzer and differential scanning calorimetry. The PSD, fat and lecithin contents significantly influenced all rheological, textural properties and some melting characteristics. Increasing particles sizes reduced yield stress, apparent viscosity, firmness, index of viscosity, hardness and melting index of products with greatest influence with 25% fat and 0.3% lecithin, reduced with increasing fat and lecithin contents. There were high correlation (r = 0.78–0.99) and regression coefficients (R ² = 0.59–0.99) among the rheological, textural and melting index indicating their high inter-relationships. In PCA, the rheological, textural and melting index accounted for >95% variance in the data.     

Functional analysis of the human cytomegalovirus US28 gene by insertion mutagenesis with the green fluorescent protein gene

The protein encoded by the US28 gene of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has homology to G protein-coupled receptors (GCR). Previous studies demonstrated that recombinant US28 protein can bind the beta class of chemokines (K. Neote, D. DiGregorio, J. Y. Mak, R. Horuk, and T. J. Schall, Cell 72:415-425, 1993) and induce a rise in intracellular calcium after the binding of chemokines (J. L. Gao and P. M. Murphy, J. Biol. Chem. 269:28539-28542, 1994). In order to investigate the function of the US28 protein in virus-infected cells, a recombinant HCMV (HV5.8) was constructed, with the US28 open reading frame disrupted by the insertion of the Escherichia coli gpt gene and the gene for the green fluorescent protein. The US28 gene is not required for growth in human fibroblasts (HF). HF infected with wild-type HCMV bound RANTES at 24 h postinfection and demonstrated an intracellular calcium flux induced by RANTES. In cells infected with HV5.8, RANTES did not bind or induce a calcium flux, demonstrating that US28 is responsible for the beta-chemokine binding and induced calcium signaling in HCMV-infected cells. The ability of the US28 gene to bind chemokines was shown to cause a significant reduction in the concentration of RANTES in the medium of infected cells. Northern analysis of RNA from infected cells showed that US28 is an early gene, while US27 (another GCR) is a late gene.     

Stellar Mesh Simplification Using Probabilistic Optimization

This paper proposes the stellar mesh simplification method, a fast implementation of the Four‐Face Cluster (FFC) algorithm. In this method, a probabilistic optimization heuristic substitutes the priority queue of the original method, which results in a 40% faster algorithm with the same order of distortion. It extends naturally to a progressive and/or multiresolution scheme for combinatorial surfaces. This work also presents a simple way to encode the hierarchy of the resulting multiresolution meshes. This work also focuses on important aspects for the development of a practical and robust implementation of this simplification technique, and on the analysis of the influence of the parameters.     

Adsorption of two coffee aromas from synthetic aqueous solution onto granular activated carbon derived from coconut husks

Soluble coffee production requires several processes that cause the loss and degradation of aromas, which reduces the quality of the final product. However, such aromas can be recovered into aqueous solution during the production process. Aromas must be separated from water, and pleasant compounds, such as benzaldehyde, must be separated from unpleasant compounds, such as acetic acid. In this study, the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of benzaldehyde and acetic acid adsorption from synthetic single-solute aqueous systems onto commercial grade granular activated carbon derived from coconut husks were investigated. The contact time required to attain adsorption equilibrium of benzaldehyde was 6 h, while that of acetic acid was 10 h. Adsorption isotherm data revealed that the adsorption of benzaldehyde and acetic acid was exothermic and spontaneous in nature. Moreover, the isosteric heat of adsorption indicated that the adsorbent surface was energetically heterogeneous. The adsorption equilibrium was fitted according to Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherms.     

Discrimination of “Louros” wood from the Brazilian Amazon by near-infrared spectroscopy and machine learning techniques

European Journal of Wood and Wood Products - The integration of near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) with machine learning techniques can be an adequate method for discrimination of wood...