Cathodically electrodepositable novel coating system from castor oil

A novel polyol synthesised from castor oil by aminolysis and a partially blocked toluene–diisocyanate blocked with N,N′-diethyl lactamide was used to prepare an urethane. This was used in different weight proportions to modify epoxy amine adduct to give binders suitable for cathodic electrodeposition. The pigmented composition of these binders based on the iron oxide (natural) and titanium dioxide (rutile) gave coatings with improved performance.     

Support vector regression for determining the minimum zone sphericity

Several methods have been investigated to determine the deviation of manufactured spherical parts from ideal geometry. One of the most popular is the least squares technique, which is still widely employed in coordinate measuring machines used by industries. The least squares algorithm is optimal under the assumption that the data set is very large and has the inherent disadvantage of overestimating the minimum tolerance zone, resulting sometimes in the rejection of good parts. In addition, it requires that the data be distributed normally. The support vector regression approach alleviates the necessity for these assumptions. While most fitting algorithms in practice today require that the sampled data accurately represent the surface being inspected, support vector regression provides a generalization over the surface. We describe how the concepts of support vector regression can be applied to the determination of tolerance zones of nonlinear surfaces; to demonstrate the unique potential of support vector machine algorithms in the area of coordinate metrology. In specific, we address part quality inspection of spherical geometries.     

A coupling of multi‐zone curved Galerkin BEM with finite elements for independently modelled sub‐domains with non‐matching nodes in elasticity

When the different parts of a structure are modelled independently by BEM or FEM methods, it is sometimes necessary to put the parts together without remeshing of the nodes along the part interfaces. Frequently the nodes do not match along the interface. In this work, the symmetric Galerkin multi‐zone curved boundary element is a fully symmetric formulation and is the method used for the boundary element part. For BEM–FEM coupling it is then necessary to interpolate the tractions in‐between the non‐matching nodes for the FEM part. Finally, the coupling is achieved by transforming the finite element domains to equivalent boundary element domains in a block symmetric formulation. This system is then coupled with a boundary element domain with non‐matching nodes in‐between. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A neural network strategy for end-point optimization of batch processes

The traditional way of operating batch processes has been to utilize an open-loop “golden recipe”. However, there can be substantial batch to batch variation in process conditions and this open-loop strategy can lead to non-optimal operation. In this paper, a new approach is presented for end-point optimization of batch processes by utilizing neural networks. This strategy involves the training of two neural networks; one to predict switching times and the other to predict the input profile in the singular region. This approach alleviates the computational problems assocaiated with the classical Pontryagin's approach and the nonlinear programming approach. The efficacy of this scheme is illustrated via simulation of a fed-batch fermentation.     

Strictly periodic scheduling in IMA-based architectures

The avionic industry has recently adopted the Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA). Such architectures allow the execution of avionic functions on a shared computing platform while avoiding any interference between them. This is done through hard memory and temporal segregation constraints. Although IMA reduces the weight and the power consumption and shortens the design-cycle times, it gives rise to a complex multiprocessor scheduling problem. One of the key difficulties of this problem is related to the strict periodicity of tasks, which means that the time separating two successive executions of the same task is strictly equal to the associated period. In order to help the system designer in producing a proper schedule, an exact formulation based on Integer Linear Programming and a heuristic inspired from Game Theory are proposed. To enhance the solution quality of the heuristic, a?multi-start method, which gives some probabilistic guarantees on the optimality of the solutions, is also introduced.     

Contributions of congruent pitch motion cue to human activity in manual control

The contribution of pitch motion cues to the performance of human pilots in compensatory tracking task are evaluated from pairs of uniquely planned experiments on a motion based research simulator, which allow separation of the visual responses from combined motion-visual responses. Analytical time series human pilot models of the least squares structure are evaluated from the input-output data and the results are discussed in terms of familiar parameters of pilot models and predictor operator. Beneficial contributions of pitch motion cues and subject differences are presented.     

Microbicidal activity of TiO2 nanoparticles synthesised by sol–gel method

In this study, the authors investigated antimicrobial activity of TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) synthesised by sol–gel method. As synthesised TiO₂ NPs were characterised by X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and ultraviolet‐visible absorption spectroscopy. The antimicrobial activity of calcined TiO₂ nanoparticle samples was examined in day light on Gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia and Bacillus subtilis), Gram negative bacteria (Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) and fungal test pathogen Candida albicans. The synthesised TiO₂ NPs were found to be effective in visible light against Streptococcus pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans.Inspec keywords: titanium compounds, microorganisms, nanomedicine, biomedical materials, nanofabrication, sol‐gel processing, ultraviolet spectra, visible spectra, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, nanoparticles, antibacterial activityOther keywords: microbicidal activity, titanium dioxide nanoparticle, sol‐gel method, antimicrobial activity, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet‐visible absorption spectroscopy, Gram positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia, Bacillus subtilis, TiO₂ , Candida albicans, fungal test pathogen, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Gram negative bacteria     

Closed-Form Solution for System Availability Distribution

Highly reliable systems with long mission time, that can tolerate no down time, have motivated the study of system reliability. The emergence of fault-tolerant computing systems, where small down times may be tolerable, and preventive and corrective maintenance permitted, motivates a revisit to measures like mean availability. Vendors of computer systems are being required to specify the level of availability that will be met by their systems over a finite time interval, and pay a penalty for non-compliance. Since no closed-form solution has been reported in the literature, numerical approaches have often been used to compute systems availability over a finite time, even for simple Markov models. We report a Laplace transform solution for the distribution of availability over a finite interval, for a semi-Markov model. The transform of the distribution is analytically inverted to obtain a closed-form solution for the corresponding Markov model.     

Environmentally persistent free radicals induce airway hyperresponsiveness in neonatal rat lungs

Background  

Increased asthma risk/exacerbation in children and infants is associated with exposure to elevated levels of ultrafine particulate matter (PM). The presence of a newly realized class of pollutants, environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs), in PM from combustion sources suggests a potentially unrecognized risk factor for the development and/or exacerbation of asthma.     

Shape design sensitivity analysis via material derivative-adjoint variable technique for 3-D and 2-D curved boundary elements

A general approach to shape design sensitivity analysis of three- and two-dimensional elastic solid objects is developed using the material derivative-adjoint variable technique and boundary element method. The formulation of the problem is general and first-order sensitivities in the form of boundary integrals for the effect of boundary shape variations are derived for an arbitrary performance functional. Second-order quadrilateral surface elements (for 3-D problems) and quadratic boundary elements (for 2-D problems) are employed in the solution of primary and adjoint systems and discretization of the boundary integral expressions for sensitivities. The accuracy of sensitivity information is studied for selected global performance functionals and also for boundary state fields at discrete points. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of this approach.