Predicting Skin Permeability by means of Computational Approaches : Reliability and Caveats in Pharmaceutical Studies

© 2019 American Chemical Society.The skin is the main barrier between the internal body environment and the external one. The characteristics of this barrier and its properties are able to modify and affect drug delivery and chemical toxicity parameters. Therefore, it is not surprising that permeability of many different compounds has been measured through several in vitro and in vivo techniques. Moreover, many different in silico approaches have been used to identify the correlation between the structure of the permeants and their permeability, to reproduce the skin behavior, and to predict the ability of specific chemicals to permeate this barrier. A significant number of issues, like interlaboratory variability, experimental conditions, data set building rationales, and skin site of origin and hydration, still prevent us from obtaining a definitive predictive skin permeability model. This review wants to show the main advances and the principal approaches in computational methods used to predict this property, to enlighten the main issues that have arisen, and to address the challenges to develop in future research.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

A stable and accurate control-volume technique based on integrated radial basis function networks for fluid-flow problems

Radial basis function networks (RBFNs) have been widely used in solving partial differential equations as they are able to provide fast convergence. Integrated RBFNs have the ability to avoid the problem of reduced convergence-rate caused by differentiation. This paper is concerned with the use of integrated RBFNs in the context of control-volume discretisations for the simulation of fluid-flow problems. Special attention is given to (i) the development of a stable high-order upwind scheme for the convection term and (ii) the development of a local high-order approximation scheme for the diffusion term. Benchmark problems including the lid-driven triangular-cavity flow are employed to validate the present technique. Accurate results at high values of the Reynolds number are obtained using relatively-coarse grids

Stratégies de gestion d’énergie pour véhicules électriques et hybride avec systèmes hybride de stockage d’énergie

Les véhicules électriques et hybrides font partie des éléments clés pour résoudre les problèmes de réchauffement de la planète et d'épuisement des ressources en combustibles fossiles dans le domaine du transporte. En raison des limites des différents systèmes de stockage et de conversion d’énergie en termes de puissance et d'énergie, les hybridations sont intéressantes pour les véhicules électriques (VE). Dans cette thèse, deux hybridations typiques sont étudiées • un sous-système de stockage d'énergie hybride combinant des batteries et des supercondensateurs (SC) ; • et un sous-système de traction hybride parallèle combinant moteur à combustion interne et entraînement électrique. Ces sources d'énergie et ces conversions combinées doivent être gérées dans le cadre de stratégies de gestion de l'énergie (SGE). Parmi celles-ci, les méthodes basées sur l'optimisation présentent un intérêt en raison de leur approche systématique et de leurs performances élevées. Néanmoins, ces méthodes sont souvent compliquées et demandent beaucoup de temps de calcul, ce qui peut être difficile à réaliser dans des applications réelles. L'objectif de cette thèse est de développer des SGE simples mais efficaces basées sur l'optimisation en temps réel pour un VE et un camion à traction hybride parallèle alimentés par des batteries et des SC (système de stockage hybride). Les complexités du système étudié sont réduites en utilisant la représentation macroscopique énergétique (REM). La REM permet de réaliser des modèles réduits pour la gestion de l'énergie au niveau de la supervision. La théorie du contrôle optimal est ensuite appliquée à ces modèles réduits pour réaliser des SGE en temps réel. Ces stratégies sont basées sur des réductions de modèle appropriées, mais elles sont systématiques et performantes. Les performances des SGE proposées sont vérifiées en simulation par comparaison avec l’optimum théorique (programmation dynamique). De plus, les capacités en temps réel des SGE développées sont validées via des expériences en « hardware-in-the-loop » à puissances réduites. Les résultats confirment les avantages des stratégies proposées développées par l'approche unifiée de la thèse.Abstract: Electric and hybrid vehicles are among the keys to solve the problems of global warming and exhausted fossil fuel resources in transportation sector. Due to the limits of energy sources and energy converters in terms of power and energy, hybridizations are of interest for future electrified vehicles. Two typical hybridizations are studied in this thesis: • hybrid energy storage subsystem combining batteries and supercapacitors (SCs); and • hybrid traction subsystem combining internal combustion engine and electric drive. Such combined energy sources and converters must be handled by energy management strategies (EMSs). In which, optimization-based methods are of interest due to their high performance. Nonetheless, these methods are often complicated and computation consuming which can be difficult to be realized in real-world applications. The objective of this thesis is to develop simple but effective real-time optimization-based EMSs for an electric car and a parallel hybrid truck supplied by batteries and SCs. The complexities of the studied system are tackled by using Energetic Macroscopic Representation (EMR) which helps to conduct reduced models for energy management at the supervisory level. Optimal control theory is then applied to these reduced models to accomplish real-time EMSs. These strategies are simple due to the suitable model reductions but systematic and high-performance due to the optimization-based methods. The performances of the proposed strategies are verified via simulations by comparing with off-line optimal benchmark deduced by dynamic programming. Moreover, real-time capabilities of these novel EMSs are validated via experiments by using reduced-scale power hardware-in-the-loop simulation. The results confirm the advantages of the proposed strategies developed by the unified approach in the thesis

Influence of Architecture Design on the Performance and Fuel Efficiency of Hydraulic Hybrid Transmissions

Hydraulic hybrids are a proven and effective alternative to electric hybrids for increasing the fuel efficiency of on-road vehicles. To further the state-of-the-art this work investigates how architecture design influences the performance, fuel efficiency, and controllability of hydraulic hybrid transmissions. To that end a novel neural network based power management controller was proposed and investigated for conventional hydraulic hybrids. This control scheme trained a neural network to generalize the globally optimal, though non-implementable, state trajectories generated by dynamic programming. Once trained the neural network was used for online prediction of a transmission’s optimal state trajectory during untrained cycles forming the basis of an implementable controller. During hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing the proposed control strategy improved fuel efficiency by up to 25.5% when compared with baseline approaches. To further improve performance and fuel efficiency a novel transmission architecture termed a Blended Hydraulic Hybrid was proposed and investigated. This novel architecture improves on existing hydraulic hybrids by partially decoupling power transmission from energy storage while simultaneously providing means to recouple the systems when advantageous. Optimal control studies showed the proposed architecture improved fuel efficiency over both baseline mechanical and conventional hydraulic hybrid transmissions. Effective system level and supervisory control schemes were also proposed for the blended hybrid. In order to investigate the concept’s feasibility a blended hybrid transmission was constructed and successfully tested on a HIL transmission dynamometer. Finally to investigate controllability and driver perception an SUV was retrofitted with a blended hybrid transmission. Successful on-road vehicle testing showcased the potential of this novel hybrid architecture as a viable alternative to more conventional electric hybrids in the transportation sector

Vibration reduction for vision systems on board unmanned aerial vehicles using a neuro-fuzzy controller

In this paper, an intelligent control approach based on neuro-fuzzy systems performance is presented, with the objective of counteracting the vibrations that affect the low-cost vision platform onboard an unmanned aerial system of rotating nature. A scaled dynamical model of a helicopter is used to simulate vibrations on its fuselage. The impact of these vibrations on the low-cost vision system will be assessed and an intelligent control approach will be derived in order to reduce its detrimental influence. Different trials that consider a neuro-fuzzy approach as a fundamental part of an intelligent semi-active control strategy have been carried out. Satisfactory results have been achieved compared to those obtained by means of vibration reduction passive techniques

CES-515 Towards Localization and Mapping of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles: A Survey

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) have been used for a huge number of tasks ranging from commercial, military and research areas etc, while the fundamental function of a successful AUV is its localization and mapping ability. This report aims to review the relevant elements of localization and mapping for AUVs. First, a brief introduction of the concept and the historical development of AUVs is given; then a relatively detailed description of the sensor system used for AUV navigation is provided. As the main part of the report, a comprehensive investigation of the simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) for AUVs are conducted, including its application examples. Finally a brief conclusion is summarized

The NASA SBIR product catalog

The purpose of this catalog is to assist small business firms in making the community aware of products emerging from their efforts in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. It contains descriptions of some products that have advanced into Phase 3 and others that are identified as prospective products. Both lists of products in this catalog are based on information supplied by NASA SBIR contractors in responding to an invitation to be represented in this document. Generally, all products suggested by the small firms were included in order to meet the goals of information exchange for SBIR results. Of the 444 SBIR contractors NASA queried, 137 provided information on 219 products. The catalog presents the product information in the technology areas listed in the table of contents. Within each area, the products are listed in alphabetical order by product name and are given identifying numbers. Also included is an alphabetical listing of the companies that have products described. This listing cross-references the product list and provides information on the business activity of each firm. In addition, there are three indexes: one a list of firms by states, one that lists the products according to NASA Centers that managed the SBIR projects, and one that lists the products by the relevant Technical Topics utilized in NASA's annual program solicitation under which each SBIR project was selected

Neurobiologically Inspired Control of Engineered Flapping Flight

This article presents a new control approach for engineered flapping flight with many interacting degrees of freedom. This paper explores the applications of neurobiologically inspired control systems in the form of Central Pattern Generators (CPG) to generate wing trajectories for potential flapping flight MAVs. We present a rigorous mathematical and control theoretic framework to design complex three dimensional motions of flapping wings. Most flapping flight demonstrators are mechanically limited in generating the wing trajectories. Because CPGs lend themselves to more biological examples of flight, a novel robotic model has been developed to emulate the flight of bats. This model has shoulder and leg joints totaling 10 degrees of freedom for control of wing properties. Results of wind tunnel experiments and numerical simulation of CPG-based flight control validate the effectiveness of the proposed neurobiologically inspired control approach

Assessment, design and control strategy development of a fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle for CSU's ecocar

2013 Spring.Includes bibliographical references.Advanced automotive technology assessment and powertrain design are increasingly performed through modeling, simulation, and optimization. But technology assessments usually target many competing criteria making any individual optimization challenging and arbitrary. Further, independent design simulations and optimizations take considerable time to execute, and design constraints and objectives change throughout the design process. Changes in design considerations usually require re-processing of simulations and more time. In this thesis, these challenges are confronted through CSUs participation in the EcoCAR2 hybrid vehicle design competition. The complexity of the competition's design objectives leveraged development of a decision support system tool to aid in multi-criteria decision making across technologies and to perform powertrain optimization. To make the decision support system interactive, and bypass the problem of long simulation times, a new approach was taken. The result of this research is CSU's architecture selection and component sizing, which optimizes a composite objective function representing the competition score. The selected architecture is an electric vehicle with an onboard range extending hydrogen fuel cell system. The vehicle has a 145kW traction motor, 18.9kWh of lithium ion battery, a 15kW fuel cell system, and 5kg of hydrogen storage capacity. Finally, a control strategy was developed that improves the vehicles performance throughout the driving range under variable driving conditions. In conclusion, the design process used in this research is reviewed and evaluated against other common design methodologies. I conclude, through the highlighted case studies, that the approach is more comprehensive than other popular design methodologies and is likely to lead to a higher quality product. The upfront modeling work and decision support system formulation will pay off in superior and timely knowledge transfer and more informed design decisions. The hypothesis is supported by the three case studies examined in this thesis