Flex‐eWare: a flexible model driven solution for designing and implementing embedded distributed systems

The complexity of modern embedded systems increases as they incorporate new concerns such as distribution and mobility. These new features need to be considered as early as possible in the software development life cycle. Model driven engineering promotes an intensive use of models and is now widely seen as a solution to master the development of complex systems such as embedded ones. Component‐based software engineering is another major trend that gains acceptance in the embedded world because of its properties such as reuse, modularity, and flexibility. This article proposes the Flex‐eWare component model (FCM) for designing and implementing modern embedded systems. The FCM unifies model driven engineering and component‐based software engineering and has been evaluated in several application domains with different requirements: wireless sensor networks, distributed client/server applications, and control systems for electrical devices. This approach highlights a new concept: flexibility points that arise at several stages of the development process, that is, in the model (design phase), in the execution platform, and during the execution itself. This flexibility points are captured with model libraries that can extend the FCM. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simulation of air-to-refrigerant fin-and-tube heat exchanger with CFD-based air propagation

A new model for simulating air-to-refrigerant fin-and-tube heat exchangers with computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based air propagation is introduced. This model is based on a segment-by-segment approach and is developed to be a general purpose and flexible simulation tool. The model superimposes a CFD mesh on the heat exchanger model’s geometric grid, interprets the CFD results, and processes them to generate the air propagation path through the heat exchanger. The model is capable of accounting for air flow maldistribution and other complex flow patterns including recirculation zones within the heat exchanger, as well as, entrainment of exit flow into the heat exchanger, using both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) CFD results. The modeling results show that the overall predicted heat load using 3D-CFD simulation results agrees within ±4% of the experimental data, without employing any multipliers on air side correlations.     

Transient and steady-state experimental investigation of flash tank vapor injection heat pump cycle control strategy

Recent research on vapor injection technique has been mostly focused on performance improvement using different system configurations. The flash tank cycle typically shows better performance than the internal heat exchanger cycle. However, the flash tank cycle control strategy is not yet clearly defined. In this study, a novel cycle control strategy is proposed for an R-410A vapor injection flash tank heat pump system and its feasibility was experimentally investigated. The proposed novel cycle control strategy utilized an electronic expansion valve (EEV) for the upper-stage expansion and a thermostatic expansion valve for the lower-stage expansion, and applied an electric heater in the vapor injection line to introduce superheat to the injected vapor by providing a control signal to the upper-stage EEV. Both transient and steady-state system behaviors were studied. The proposed cycle control strategy was found to be able to provide reliable control to the system.     

The impact of prostanoids on pulmonary gas exchange during abdominal surgery with mesenteric traction

We investigated the effect of intravenous (iv) ibuprofen on prostanoid release and on pulmonary gas exchange after abdominal mesenteric traction (MT) during either abdominal aortic surgery or pancreas resection. In a prospective, randomized, double-blind study, 400 mg ibuprofen (pancreas n = 13, aorta n = 13) or a placebo (pancreas n = 13, aorta n = 13) was administered iv before skin incision. MT was applied uniformly. The prostanoid plasma concentrations, venous admixture (Q(va)/Q(t)), and PaO2/FIO2 ratio were determined at baseline (before MT) and 5, 15, 45, and 90 min after MT. Patients who underwent aortic surgery were older and exhibited a lower preoperative PaO2 than those who underwent pancreas resection. Placebo-treated patients revealed a 30-fold peak increase in 6-keto-prostaglandin F1alpha (stable metabolite of prostacyclin) levels after intentional MT during aortic as well as pancreatic operations. This response was accompanied by an increase in Q(va)/Q(t) (ibuprofen: pancreas 7% +/- 1%, aorta 14% +/- 2%; placebo: pancreas 16% +/- 3%, aorta 26% +/- 3%/15 min after MT [mean +/- SEM, P < 0.05, placebo vs ibuprofen]), which resulted in decreased PaO2/ FIO2 ratio only in the aortic surgery patients (ibuprofen: 310 +/- 19; placebo: 237 +/- 24 15 min after MT, [mean +/- SEM, P < 0.05]). The authors conclude that ibuprofen-pretreated patients demonstrated almost constant prostanoid levels without changes in pulmonary gas exchange after MT.     

Domestic refrigerators: recent developments

The refrigerator/freezer is one of the most important and the biggest energy-consuming home appliances. There are several literature references that discuss the historical development of refrigeration^1–14. Most of them, however, consider historical highlights up to several decades ago. This paper summarizes recent developments in the field of domestic household refrigerators based on a survey of publications and patents.     

Assessment of Fibrin-Based Hydrogels Containing a Fibrin-Binding Peptide to Tune Mechanical Properties and Cell Responses

Fibrin-based hydrogels are used as scaffolds in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine due to their biocompatibility, low cell toxicity, autologous production, and relevance for wound healing and clot formation. The availability of fibrinogen as well as its unique mechanical behavior exhibiting nonlinear elasticity makes it suitable for the fabrication of hydrogels. However, the broad application of fibrin hydrogels in biomaterials still faces challenges in terms of gel shrinkage and degradation processes. This can be addressed through the modulation of the hydrogels'r chemical and mechanical properties. In the present work, it is demonstrated that fibrin-based hydrogels with adjustable mechanical properties and controllable degradation profiles can be fabricated through the addition of fibrin-binding peptides. The cyclic peptide X2CXYYGTCLX (Tn7) is used, binding to fibrin by noncovalent supramolecular interactions. These new hydrogels exhibit no toxicity and reduced degradation rate at the same time supporting cell proliferation. Tn7 peptides significantly increase the Young's Modulus and mechanical stiffness as well as fibrin fiber thickness and inter-fiber crosslinking in hydrogels. In conclusion, hydrogels with optimized mechanical properties and controllable degradation profiles that can be advantageous for further approaches in tissue regeneration, cell-based therapies, or clinical treatment options are produced.     

Three-dimensional reconstruction of single particles negatively stained or in vitreous ice.

The random-conical reconstruction method has been highly successful in three-dimensional imaging of macromolecules under low-dose conditions. This article summarizes the different steps of this technique as applied to molecules prepared with negative staining or vitreous ice, and sketches out the current directions of development. We anticipate that by using new instrumental developments, transfer function correction and computational refinement techniques, a resolution in the range of 7-10 A could ultimately be achieved.     

Database design with user-definable modelling concepts

Modelling is an integral part of engineering processes. Consequently, database design for engineering applications should take into account the modelling concepts used by engineers. On the other hand, these applications exhibit a wide diversity of modelling concepts. Rather than consolidating these into one single semantic data model one should aim for correspondingly specialized semantic models. This paper takes a constructive approach to developing such specialized models by proposing an Extensible Semantic Model (ESM) as the basis for declaring specialized semantic data models. The paper introduces a computerized environment for database design based on an ESM, and discusses the consequences of the ESM for a number of design tools: the need for a formal definition of the notion of modelling concept in order to have reliable and precise foundation for the extensions, declarative techniques for quickly introducing graphical representations for new concepts and for using them during schema design, conceptual-level test data generation for a designer-oriented evaluation of designs, and optimization techniques to control the wide latitude in mapping a conceptual schema to a logical schema. First experiences seem to point to considerable productivity gains during database design.     

Three-dimensional tomographic reconstruction in high voltage electron microscopy

The methodology is described, as developed at the Albany NIH Biotechnological High Voltage Electron Microscope Resource, for the three-dimensional reconstruction of objects in thick sections. The reconstructions are obtained from projection sets which are recorded by high voltage electron microscopy. The different steps of the procedure are illustrated in detail, using the cilium reconstruction as an example.