Evaluation of acoustic noise and mode frequencies with design variations of switched reluctance machines

The stator mode frequency, as well as the intensity of acoustic noise generated by magnetic radial force, is related to the geometry, configuration, and material properties of the switched reluctance machine (SRM). Two different four-phase 8/6 SRMs with similar specifications, torque-speed requirements, and envelope dimensions have been designed and built for experiments related to noise intensity and stator mode frequencies. One of these two SRMs, labeled as low-noise SRM is designed following the low-noise design guidelines. The other one, labeled as conventional SRM is designed following the conventional design methodology. The mode frequencies and noise pressure levels for both the SRMs have been calculated using the analytical models. Acoustic-noise data collected from a test bench are analyzed to correlate the experimental and theoretical results.     

Four-quadrant and zero-speed sensorless control of a switched reluctance motor

A four-quadrant sensorless controller for switched reluctance motor (SRM) drives is presented in this paper. The drive system with appropriate turn-on and turn-off angles for each operating quadrant delivers excellent dynamic performance over a wide speed range including zero speed. The problems associated with practical implementation especially at low and zero speeds have been addressed and overcome with engineering solutions. Experimental results for a 1-kW SRM obtained on a dSPACE-based system are presented along with useful guidelines for practical implementation.     

Adhesion potential of relining materials to polyamide and PMMA-based denture base materials: effect of surface conditioning methods

This study evaluated the bond strength of relining materials to different denture base materials polyamide and polymethylmethacrylate denture base materials after various surface conditioning methods. Denture base resin specimens (N?=?128; n?=?8 per group) (10?×?10?×?2.5?mm³) were fabricated out of injection-moulded thermoplastic polyamide resin (POL) (Deflex) and heat-polymerized polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA, Dura Dent) (HC). The specimens were randomly divided into 4 main groups according to different surface conditioning methods: (a) No conditioning, control (C), (b) grinding with green stone (G), (c) application of primer (V), (d) silica coating with Al₂O₃ particles coated with SiO₂ (Rocatec) (R). Half of the specimens in each group received auto-polymerized hard relining resin (GC, GC Reline Hard) and the other half PMMA based relining resin (SC, Dura Dent). After thermocycling (×5000), the bonded specimens were tested under tensile forces (0.5?mm/min). Data (MPa) were analyzed using Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests (alpha = 0.05). Bond strength of relining resins were significantly higher to PMMA than to POL, regardless of the conditioning method (p?<?0.05). While R positively affected the bond strength results (p?<?0.05) (4.99?±?1.65–3.27?±?1.31), application V or G did not show significant effect to POL-relining resin adhesion. After R conditioning, bond strength values were significantly higher in HC-GC group (7.48?±?2.32) than POL-GC group (3.27?±?1.31) (p?<?0.05). Adhesion of auto-polymerized relining materials to thermoplastic polyamide or polymethylmethacrylate denture resins could be improved after surface conditioning with silica-coating.     

An investigation of atomic force microscopy,surface topography and adhesion of luting cements to zirconia: effect of silica coating,zirconia primer and laser

This study evaluated the effect various surface conditioning methods on the surface topography and adhesion of luting cements to zirconia. Zirconia blocks (N?=?25) were randomly assigned to five groups according to the surface conditioning methods: (a) No conditioning, control (CON), (b) tribochemical silica coating (TSC), (c) MDP-based zirconia primer (ZRP), (d) coating with nano aluminum nitride (ALN) (e) etching with Er: YAG laser (LAS). The conditioned zirconia blocks were further divided into five subgroups to receive the luting cements: (a) MDP-based resin cement (Panavia F2.0) (PAN), (b) 4-META-based cement (Super Bond) (SUB), (c) UDMA-based (GCem) (GCE), (d) bis-GMA based (Bifix QM) (BIF) and (e) polycarboxylate cement (Poly-F) (POL). Cements were applied in polyethylene moulds (diameter: 3?mm; height: 2?mm). The bonded specimens were first thermocycled for 5500 cycles (5–55?°C) and then adhesive interface was loaded under shear (0.5?mm/min). The data (MPa) were analyzed using 2-way ANOVA, Tukey’s and Bonneferroni tests (alpha?=?0.05). Regardless of the cement type, TSC resulted in significantly higher bond strength (p???0.05) (13.3?±?4.35–25.3?±?6.3) compared to other conditioning methods (2.96?±?1.5–5.4?±?5.47). Regardless of the surface conditioning method, no significant difference was found between MDP, 4-META and UDMA based cements (p?>?0.05) being significantly higher than those of bis-GMA and polycarboxylate cements (p???0.05). Failure types were frequently adhesive in all groups. Tribochemical silica coating provided superior bond results compared to other conditioning methods tested on zirconia especially in conjunction with UDMA- and 4-META-based resin cements.     

A Redox‐Based Superoxide Generation System Using Quinone/Quinone Reductase

Superoxide (O₂^.?) generation in biological systems is achieved through some of the most complex enzymatic systems. Of these, only xanthine/xanthine oxidase has been used for in vitro biochemical studies. However, it suffers from limitations such as a lack of suitable heterologous expression system for xanthine oxidase and the irreversible consumption and low solubility of xanthine under physiological conditions. Herein, we report a redox‐based, enzyme‐catalyzed system, in which autoxidation of hydroquinone to quinone via semiquinone results in superoxide generation. Quinone is reduced back to hydroquinone by using the NfsB (oxygen‐insensitive nitroreductase) enzyme of Escherichia coli strain K‐12 and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate hydride (NADPH; which is regenerated by using the glucose/glucose dehydrogenase system). This new system relies on quinones that can be recycled and have superior water solubility, as well as enzymes that are heterologously expressed. By using a variety of quinones and reaction conditions, along with a comparison of real‐time fluorescence, menadione has been identified as the optimal substrate for superoxide generation. The new redox‐based system presents a viable alternative for studying the biochemistry of superoxide under different physiological and pathological conditions.     

Improving high‐power properties of PZT ceramics by external DC bias field

This paper concludes that the deterioration of the mechanical quality factor Q_m when operated under high power, can be recovered by externally applying positive DC bias field. Material constants for piezoelectric ceramics are generally characterized under low‐power conditions. However, high‐power properties deviate significantly from the ones measured under low‐power conditions (Q_m degrades by a factor of ~2). DC Bias field helps to recover the properties of the ceramic under high‐power conditions. The DC bias field of 200 V/mm exhibits an almost equivalent “opposite” change rate to the vibration velocity of 0.1 m/s. It is also notable that the piezoelectric loss tan θ’ can be decreased most effectively under positive DC bias field (1.9% per 100 V/mm for the hard PZT and 3.1% per 100 V/mm for the soft PZT), in comparison with the elastic or dielectric losses. This report presents a comprehensive analysis on the low‐ and high‐power piezoelectric properties of hard and soft Lead Zirconate Titanates (PZT's) under externally applied DC bias field in the k₃₁ resonance mode (transverse extensional).     

Intelligent antenna selection decision in IEEE 802.15.4 wireless sensor networks: An experimental analysis

The goal of this paper is to study the feasibility of making intelligent antenna selection decision in IEEE 802.15.4 Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). This study provides us the basis to design and implement software defined intelligent antenna switching capability to wireless sensor nodes based on Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) link quality metric. First, we discuss the results of our newly designed radio module (Inverted-F Antenna) for 2.4 GHz bandwidth (WSNs). Second, we propose an intelligent antenna selection strategy to exploit antenna diversity. Third, we propose the prototype of our diversity antenna for the TelosB mote and the intelligent switch design. Finally, we compare the performance of the built-in TelosB antenna with our proposed external antenna in both laboratory and realistic environments. Experimental results confirm the gain of 6–10 dB of the proposed radio module over the built-in radio module of the TelosB motes.     

Switched reluctance and permanent magnet brushless motors in highly dynamic situations: a comparison in the context of electric brakes

Electromechanical brake (EMB) systems offer the potential for enhanced vehicle control while simplifying the car assembly as well as recycling process. This article offers a comparison of two motor technologies, switched reluctance (SR) and permanent magnet (PM) brushless, motor in highly dynamic situations, in all four quadrants of their torque-speed operating regions, for an EMB application and also describes the motor designs and their static characteristics, before examining in depth their dynamic behavior, in particular special control adaptations to enable the SR motor to reverse rapidly when needed. A 20% longer SR motor provided overall similar dynamic performance, but only if the SR motor is fitted with a speed limit. A method to choose such a speed limit was developed, and the software algorithm implementation was found to be simple and successful.     

Interleukin 13 inhibits growth of human renal cell carcinoma cells independently of the p140 interleukin 4 receptor chain

Interleukin-13 (IL-13) is a cytokine produced primarily by activated T lymphocytes. It exerts a variety of effects on different cell types, including monocytes, B lymphocytes, mast cells, and keratinocytes. The effects of IL-13 on target cells are often similar to the effects of IL-4, which is another cytokine product of activated T lymphocytes. We recently described the expression of intermediate- to high-affinity receptors for IL-13 (IL-13R) on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells. In the present study, we examined the effect of IL-13 on the growth of RCC cells as measured by [3H]thymidine uptake and a clonogenic assay. In addition, we used an IL-4R-specific antibody to examine the specificity of IL-4R and IL-13R binding and function. We observed that IL-13 inhibited RCC cell proliferation by up to 50% and colony formation by up to 32% when compared with cells cultured in medium alone. A combination of IL-4 and IL-13 did not have an additive or synergistic effect on the growth of RCC cells. These cells expressed mRNA for IL-13 and secreted immunoreactive IL-13 protein in culture. The growth-inhibitory effects of IL-13 were specific, because they were not affected by antibodies to IL-4 or to the 140-kilodalton subunit of IL-4R. Furthermore, polyclonal antibodies to IL-4R failed to inhibit the binding of 125I-IL-13 to RCC cells. These results indicate that IL-13 has significant antiproliferative effects on human RCC cells, and the inhibition of IL-13 effects by anti-IL-4R antibody previously reported in lymphoid cells does not occur in RCC cells.     

Mechanism of constitutive activation of the AT1 receptor: influence of the size of the agonist switch binding residue Asn(111)

The AT1 receptor is a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR); its activation from the basal state (R) requires an interaction between Asn111 in transmembrane helix III (TM-III) of the receptor and the Tyr4 residue of angiotensin II (Ang II). Asn111 to Gly111 mutation (N111G) results in constitutive activation of the AT1 receptor (Noda et al. (1996) Biochemistry, 35, 16435-16442). We show here that replacement of the AT1 receptors TM-III with a topologically identical 16-residue segment (Cys101-Val116) from the AT2 receptor induces constitutive activity, although Asn111 is preserved in the resulting chimera, CR18. Effects of CR18 and N111G mutations are neither additive nor synergistic. The conformation(s) induced in either mutant mimics the partially activated state (R'), and transition to the fully activated R conformation in both no longer requires the Tyr4 of Ang II. Both the R state of the receptor and the Tyr4 Ang II dependence of receptor activation can be reinstated by introduction of a larger sized Phe side chain at the 111 position in CR18, suggesting that the CR18 mutation generated an effect similar to the reduction of side chain size in the N111G mutation. Consistently in the native AT1 receptor, R' conformation is generated by replacement with residues smaller but not larger than the Asn111. However, size substitution of several other TM-III residues in both receptors did not affect transitions between R, R', and R states. Thus, the property responsible for Asn111 function as a conformational switch is neither polarity nor hydrogen bonding potential but the side chain size. We conclude that the fundamental mechanism responsible for constitutive activation of the AT1 receptor is to increase the entropy of the key agonist-switch binding residue, Asn111. As a result, the normally agonist-dependent R --> R' transition occurs spontaneously. This mechanism may be applicable to many other GPCRs.