Vessel Recognition in Induction Heating Appliances - A Deep-Learning Approach

The selection of a vessel by an induction-hob user has a significant impact on the performance of the appliance. Due to the induction heating physical phenomena, there exist many factors that modify the equivalent impedance of induction hobs and, consequently, the operational conditions of the inverter. In particular, the type of vessel, which is a sole decision of the user, strongly affects these parameters. Besides, the ferromagnetic properties of the different materials the vessels are made with, vary differently with the excitation level, and given that most of the domestic induction hobs are based on an ac-bus voltage arrangement, the excitation level continuously varies. The algorithm proposed in this work takes advantage of this fact to identify the equivalent impedance of the load and recognize the pot. This is accomplished through a phase-sensitive detector that was already proposed in the literature and the application of deep learning. Different convolutional neural networks are tested on an augmented experimental-based dataset and the proposed algorithm is implemented in an experimental prototype with a system-on-chip. The proposed implementation is presented as an effective and accurate method to characterize and discriminate between different pots that could enable further functionalities in new generations of induction hobs

DC-Gain Measurement of the Frequency-to-Output Power Transfer Function based on sidebands for Domestic Induction Heating Applications

This paper analyzes different alternatives to obtain the dc gain of the frequency-to-output power transfer function of a series half-bridge resonant inverter for domestic induction heating. In this application, a full-wave rectified bus voltage usually feeds the inverter, and a constant switching frequency is applied during each half-period of the mains voltage. This dc gain is the derivative of the output power with respect to the frequency. A finite difference approximation to the derivative can be obtained measuring the output power during two consecutive half-periods of the mains voltage by injecting a small frequency increment in the second one. This paper compares five alternatives to estimate the gain in only one half-period of the mains, what would allow to increase the controller bandwidth. The alternatives are based on the computation of the DTFS of the sidebands. They are off-line implemented and experimentally verified. The proposed method can also be implemented in real time into a digital controller

Output voltage estimation of a half-bridge inverter for domestic induction heating applications

The power supplied to a vessel by a domestic induction-heating appliance is strongly dependent on several parameters the designer of the system has no control over: the type and the size of the vessel, misalignments between the pot and the inductor, temperatures, etc. A reliable estimation of the power is essential to ensure that the home appliance works under the expected conditions and the user experience is suitable. Furthermore, any reduction of hardware is totally welcome by consumer-electronics manufacturers. In this work, two methods to estimate the output voltage of a half-bridge inverter without digitizing it with an analog-to-digital converter are proposed and the effects that this estimation has on the power calculation are evaluated. Both methods are implemented and experimentally verified in a real prototype with an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array)

Lipid oxidation in a meat fibre system

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DX189246 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Beetle (Ulomoides dermestoides) fat improves diabetes: effect on liver and pancreatic architecture and on PPARγ expression

Ulomoides dermestoides is a beetle traditionally consumed to treat diabetes. In this study, we performed a composition analysis of U. dermestoides to obtain the principal fractions, which were used to assess the effect on glycemia, liver and pancreatic architecture, and PPARγ and GLUT4 expression. Normal mice and alloxan-induced diabetic mice were administered fractions of chitin, protein or fat, and the acute hypoglycemic effect was evaluated. A subacute study involving daily administration of these fractions to diabetic mice was also performed over 30 days, after which the liver and pancreas were processed by conventional histological techniques and stained with hematoxylin and eosin to evaluate morphological changes. The most active fraction, the fat fraction, was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and PPARγ and GLUT4 mRNA expressions were determined in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The protein and fat fractions exhibited hypoglycemic effects in the acute as well as in the 30-day study. Only the fat fraction led to elevated insulin levels and reduced glycemia, as well as lower intake of water and food. In the liver, we observed recovery of close hepatic cords in the central lobule vein following treatment with the fat fraction, while in the pancreas there was an increased density and percentage of islets and number of cells per islet, suggesting cellular regeneration. The GC-MS analysis of fat revealed three fatty acids as the major components. Finally, increased expression of PPARγ and GLUT4 was observed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, indicating an antidiabetic effect

Time-limited trials of intensive care for critically Ill patients with cancer

__Importance__ Time-limited trials of intensive care are commonly used in patients perceived to have a poor prognosis. The optimal duration of such trials is unknown. Factors such as a cancer diagnosis are associated with clinician pessimism and may affect the decision to limit care independent of a patient’s severity of illness. __Objective__ To identify the optimal duration of intensive care for short-term mortality in critically ill patients with cancer. __Design, Setting, and Participants__ Decision analysis using a state-transition microsimulation model was performed to simulate the hospital course of patients with poor-prognosis primary tumors, metastatic disease, or hematologic malignant neoplasms admitted to medical and surgical intensive care units. Transition probabilities were derived from 920 participants stratified by sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores to identify severity of illness. The model was validated in 3 independent cohorts with 349, 158, and 117 participants from quaternary care academic hospitals. Monte Carlo microsimulation was performed, followed by probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Outcomes were assessed in the overall cohort and in solid tumors alone. __Interventions__ Time-unlimited vs time-limited trials of intensive care. __Main Outcomes and Measures__ 30-day all-cause mortality and mean survival duration. __Results__ The SOFA scores at ICU admission were significantly associated with mortality. A 3-, 8-, or 15-day trial of intensive care resulted in decreased mean 30-day survival vs aggressive care in all but the sickest patients (SOFA score, 5-9: 48.4% [95% CI, 48.0%-48.8%], 60.6% [95% CI, 60.2%-61.1%], and 66.8% [95% CI, 66.4%-67.2%], respectively, vs 74.6% [95% CI, 74.3%-75.0%] with time-unlimited aggressive care; SOFA score, 10-14: 36.2% [95% CI, 35.8%-36.6%], 44.1% [95% CI, 43.6%-44.5%], and 46.1% [95% CI, 45.6%-46.5%], respectively, vs 48.4% [95% CI, 48.0%-48.8%] with aggressive care; SOFA score, ≥15: 5.8% [95% CI, 5.6%-6.0%], 8.1% [95% CI, 7.9%-8.3%], and 8.3% [95% CI, 8.1%-8.6%], respectively, vs 8.8% [95% CI, 8.5%-9.0%] with aggressive care). However, the clinical magnitude of these differences was variable. Trial durations of 8 days in the sickest patients offered mean survival duration that was no more than 1 day different from time-unlimited care, whereas trial durations of 10 to 12 days were required in healthier patients. For the subset of patients with solid tumors, trial durations of 1 to 4 days offered mean survival that was not statistically significantly different from time-unlimited care. __Conclusions and Relevance__ Trials of ICU care lasting 1 to 4 days may be sufficient in patients with poor-prognosis solid tumors, whereas patients with hematologic malignant neoplasms or less severe illness seem to benefit from longer trials of intensive care