Generalized image method with application to the thermal modelingof power devices and circuits

A new analytical thermal model of multilayer substrates is presented. Based on a generalization of the method of images, the model is straightforward to implement and allows a clearer understanding of the effect of geometric and material parameters on the temperature field. Approximate expressions for the thermal resistance in multilayer substrates are derived for the first time. The generalized image method can be applied to solve similar problems which involve the solution of the Laplace equation in composite domains consisting of several layers. Typical examples are problems of the electrostatics and ohmic conduction phenomena     

Anthropomorphic cardiac ultrasound phantom

A new phantom is described which simulates the human cardiac anatomy for applications in ultrasound imaging, ultrasound Doppler, and color-flow Doppler imaging. The phantom consists of a polymer left ventricle which includes a prosthetic mitral and aortic valve and is connected to a mock circulatory loop. Aerated tap water serves as a blood simulating fluid and ultrasound contrast medium within the circulatory loop. The left ventricle is housed in a Lexan ultrasound visualization chamber which includes ultrasound viewing ports and acoustic absorbers. A piston pump connected to the visualization chamber by a single port pumps degassed water within the chamber which in turn pumps the left ventricle. Real-time ultrasound images and Doppler studies measure flow patterns through the valves and within the left ventricle.     

Microfluidic motion for a direct investigation of solvent interactions with PDMS microchannels

Solid surface/liquid interactions play an important role in microfluidics and particularly in manipulation of films, drops and bubbles, a basic requirement for a number of lab-on-chip applications. The behavior of solvents in coated microchannels is difficult to be predicted considering theories; therefore, experimental methods able to estimate the properties at the interface in real time and during the operational regime are amenable. Here, we propose to use an experimental setup to evaluate the effective dynamics of solvents inside PDMS microchannels. The influence of the solvent properties as well as of the channel wall’s wettability on the fluid movements was evaluated. Modification of the channel properties was achieved by introducing Teflon coatings that allow producing stable hydrophobic microchannel walls. The results were fitted according to Washburn-type power-law and compared with theoretical calculations of the parameter β that expresses the dependence of capillary dynamics on surface tension γ, liquid viscosity η, contact angles θ and the hydraulic radius R _H. A comparison between the calculated and the experimental values reveled that parameters other than the contemplated ones influenced the measurements. The main parameter that affects the flow of solvents such as water, methanol ethanol, dimethylformamide, acetonitrile and acetone was found to be the γ/η ratio. Considering these results, the investigation tool described here is believed to be promising to predict the dynamics of common organic solvents inside integrated functional fluidic devices and to accurately control solvent flow, particularly in capillary-driven pumpless systems, a basic requirement for widening the application range of PDMS lab-on-chip devices.     

Synthesis and Evaluation of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blocking Pyrroline Derivatives Endowed with Both Antiarrhythmic and Antioxidant Activities

Under the hypothesis that cardioprotective agents might benefit from synergism between antiarrhythmic activity and antioxidant properties, a small series of mexiletine analogues were coupled with the 2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrroline moiety, known for its antioxidant effect, in order to obtain dual-acting drugs potentially useful in the protection of the heart against post-ischemic reperfusion injury. The pyrroline derivatives reported herein were found to be more potent as antiarrhythmic agents than mexiletine and displayed antioxidant activity. The most interesting tetramethylpyrroline congener, a tert-butyl-substituted analogue, was at least 100 times more active as an antiarrhythmic than mexiletine.     

Multimedia ontology population through semantic analysis and hierarchical deep features extraction techniques

Knowledge and Information Systems - The rapid increase of available data in different complex contexts needs automatic tasks to manage and process contents. Semantic Web technologies represent the...     

Thermal–economic–environmental analysis and multi-objective optimization of an internal-reforming solid oxide fuel cell–gas turbine hybrid system

In this article, an internal-reforming solid oxide fuel cell–gas turbine (IRSOFC–GT) hybrid system is modeled and analyzed from thermal (energy and exergy), economic, and environmental points of view. The model is validated using available data in the literature. Utilizing the genetic algorithm optimization technique, multi-objective optimization of modeled system is carried out and the optimal values of system design parameters are obtained. In the multi-objective optimization procedure, the exergy efficiency and the total cost rate of the system (including the capital and maintenance costs, operational cost (fuel cost), and social cost of air pollution for CO, NO_x, and CO₂) are considered as objective functions. A sensitivity analysis is also performed in order to study the effect of variations of the fuel unit cost on the Pareto optimal solutions and their corresponding design parameters. The optimization results indicate that the final optimum design chosen from the Pareto front results in exergy efficiency of 65.60% while it leads to total cost of 3.28 million US$ year⁻¹. It is also demonstrated that the payback time of the chosen design is 6.14 years.