Fuzzy Logic Controller of Five Levels Active Power Filter

AbstractThis paper presents five-level inverter as a shunt active power filter (SAPF) to compensate reactive power and suppresses harmonics drawn from a diode rectifier supplying RL load under distorted voltage conditions. The harmonic current extraction is based on the use of self tuning filter (STF) and fuzzy logic controller employed to control harmonic current and inverter DC voltage. The aim of the present work is to obtain a perfect compensation by extracting accurate harmonic currents to improve the performances of the five-levels active power filters.The proposed scheme is validated by computer simulation using MATLAB Fuzzy Logic Toolbox in order to show the effectiveness and ability of this method. The results have demonstrated that the proposed shunt active power filter with STF and Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) have produced a sinusoidal supply current with low harmonic distortion and in phase with the line voltage

Molecular identification of Sicilian (deltaß)º-thalassemia associated with ß-thalassemia and hemoglobin S in Brazil

We describe the clinical and molecular characteristics of two unrelated Brazilian families with an association of the Sicilian form of (deltaß)º-thalassemia with hemoglobin S and ß-thalassemia. Direct sequencing of the ß-globin gene showed only the hemoglobin S mutation in patient 1 and the ß-thalassemia IVS1-110 in patient 2. The other allele was deleted in both patients and PCR of DNA samples of the breakpoint region of both patients showed a band of approximately 1,150 bp, expected to be observed in the DNA of carriers of Sicilian (deltaß)º-thalassemia. The nucleotide sequence of this fragment confirmed the Sicilian deletion. There are few reports concerning the Hb S/(deltaß)º-thalassemia association and patient 2 is the first reported case of Sicilian type of (deltaß)º-thalassemia in association with ß-thalassemia documented at the molecular level.87387

Time to review the role of surrogate endpoints in health policy: state of the art and the way forward

The efficacy of medicines, medical devices, and other health technologies should be proved in trials that assess final patient-relevant outcomes such as survival or morbidity. However, market access and coverage decisions are often based on surrogate endpoints, biomarkers, or intermediate endpoints, which aim to substitute and predict patient-relevant outcomes that are unavailable due to methodological, financial, or practical constraints. We provide a summary of the current use of surrogate endpoints in healthcare policy, discussing the case for and against their adoption and reviewing validation methods. We introduce a three-step framework for policy makers to handle surrogates, which involves establishing the level of evidence, assessing the strength of the association, and quantifying relations between surrogates and final outcomes. Although use of surrogates can be problematic, they can, when selected and validated appropriately, offer important opportunities for more efficient clinical trials and faster access to new health technologies that benefit patients and healthcare systems

Diet-induced obesity induces endoplasmic reticulum stress and insulin resistance in the amygdala of rats

FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOInsulin acts in the hypothalamus, decreasing food intake (FI) by the IR/PI3K/Akt pathway. This pathway is impaired in obese animals and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and low-grade inflammation are possible mechanisms involved in this impairment. Here, we highlighted the amygdala as an important brain region for FI regulation in response to insulin. This regulation was dependent on PI3K/AKT pathway similar to the hypothalamus. Insulin was able to decrease neuropeptide Y (NPY) and increase oxytocin mRNA levels in the amygdala via PI3K, which may contribute to hypophagia. Additionally, obese rats did not reduce FI in response to insulin and AKT phosphorylation was decreased in the amygdala, suggesting insulin resistance. Insulin resistance was associated with ER stress and low-grade inflammation in this brain region. The inhibition of ER stress with PBA reverses insulin action/signaling, decreases NPY and increases oxytocin mRNA levels in the amygdala from obese rats, suggesting that ER stress is probably one of the mechanisms that induce insulin resistance in the amygdala. © 2013 The Authors.Insulin acts in the hypothalamus, decreasing food intake (FI) by the IR/PI3K/Akt pathway. This pathway is impaired in obese animals and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and low-grade inflammation are possible mechanisms involved in this impairment. Here, we highlighted the amygdala as an important brain region for FI regulation in response to insulin. This regulation was dependent on PI3K/AKT pathway similar to the hypothalamus. Insulin was able to decrease neuropeptide Y (NPY) and increase oxytocin mRNA levels in the amygdala via PI3K, which may contribute to hypophagia. Additionally, obese rats did not reduce FI in response to insulin and AKT phosphorylation was decreased in the amygdala, suggesting insulin resistance. Insulin resistance was associated with ER stress and low-grade inflammation in this brain region. The inhibition of ER stress with PBA reverses insulin action/signaling, decreases NPY and increases oxytocin mRNA levels in the amygdala from obese rats, suggesting that ER stress is probably one of the mechanisms that induce insulin resistance in the amygdala31443449FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOsem informaçã

Integrated Personality Profiling Framework Using Traits and Factors Theory for Malaysian HLI Enrolment: A New Approach

Personality profiling is importantespecially in education and human resourcemanagement. Inability to identify individuals’personality may cause misunderstanding ofones potential; and further more, he/she mightfail to recognize his/her own career or academicdirection. This study aimed to develop anintegrated personality framework; using Traitand Factor Theory of Occupational Choice. Thecompleted framework was used as the coreconcept of integrated profiling instrument, namedas Integrated Personality Profiling (i-PRO).The main beneficiary of the completed (i-PRO)will be students, academics and non-academicpersonnel. The sample for this initial study was380 students from one Higher Learning Institution(HLI) in Malaysia. The sampling method usedwas random sampling. The study was done toexplore the Holland’s 3-code interest traits amongengineering students of the said HLI. One of thedeveloped domain used in this initial study wascareer interest domain. The Holland’s 3-codetypologies for Higher Learning Institution (HLI)respondents are Investigative, Social and Realistic(I, S, R)

Infrared thermal imaging as an innovative approach for early detection infestation of stored product insects in certain stored grains

Grains of field crops, such as wheat, maize, faba bean and white bean, are considered strategic food for humanity worldwide and Egypt. Unfortunately, percent losses of grains quantity may reach to 15-30%, as a result of stored product insect damage, and the losses increased dramatically in the last years, as an outcome of quickly productions of these pests. Experiments were conducted on infrared thermal imaging that demonstrate early detection of infestation by stored product insects in wheat, maize, broad bean, white bean and bean grains. The imaging is dependent on subtle significant differences in temperature between infested and healthy grains. Because the thermal imaging data are digital, computer programs can be used to analysis differences in temperature and mining figures explained for that. Results revealed that the use of thermal imaging offers an alternative method to detect an insect infestation. Data concluded that thermal imaging has the potential to identify whether the grains of crops that tested are infested or not, but is less effective in identifying which developmental stage is present. Moreover, it could apply this technique easily on a large scale in silos, storage, mills and granaries without negative impact on quality of stored grains

A Glass Polyalkenoate Cement Carrier for Bone Morphogenetic Proteins

This work considers a glass polyalkenoate cement (GPC)-based carrier for the effective delivery of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) at an implantation site. A 0.12 CaO–0.04 SrO–0.36 ZnO–0.48 SiO2 based glass and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA, Mw 213,000) were employed for the fabrication of the GPC. The media used for the water source in the GPC reaction was altered to produce a series of GPCs. The GPC liquid media was either 100 % distilled water with additions of albumin at 0, 2, 5 and 8 wt% of the glass content, 100 % formulation buffer (IFB), and 100 % BMP (150 µg rhBMP-2/ml IFB). Rheological properties, compressive strength, ion release profiles and BMP release were evaluated. Working times (Tw) of the formulated GPCs significantly increased with the addition of 2 % albumin and remained constant with further increases in albumin content or IFB solutions. Setting time (Ts) experienced an increase with 2 and 5 % albumin content, but a decrease with 8 % albumin. Changing the liquid source to IFB containing 5 % albumin had no significant effect on Ts compared to the 8 % albumin-containing BT101. Replacing the albumin with IFB/BMP-2 did not significantly affect Tw. However, Ts increased for the BT101_BMP-2 containing GPCs, compared to all other samples. The compressive strength evaluated 1 day post cement mixing was not affected significantly by the incorporation of BMPs, but the ion release did increase from the cements, particularly for Zn and Sr. The GPCs released BMP after the first day, which decreased in content during the following 6 days. This study has proven that BMPs can be immobilized into GPCs and may result in novel materials for clinical applications

Energy and electricity consumption analysis of Malaysian industrial sector

Malaysia has been experiencing strong economic growth through the last decade. Energy has been a key input in the development and growth of the country. The industrial sector is the second largest consumers of energy in Malaysia. In the present work sixty-four (64) factories in seven different manufacturing sectors were audited within the four regions of east-coast of Malaysia. In this audit, the most important parameters that have been collected are; power rating and operation time of energy consuming equipment/machinery; fossil fuel and other sources of energy consumption; production figure; peak and off peak tariff usage behavior; and power factor. These data were analyzed to investigate the breakdown of end-use equipment/machinery, the peak and off peak usage behavior, power factor trend, specific energy consumption and specific electricity consumption. The result of the energy audit shows that the highest energy consuming equipment is electric motor followed by liquid pumps and air compressor. The highest specific total energy (fossil fuel and electricity) consumption among the industrial sub-sectors is found in the rubber producing industries followed by fabricated metal industries, while the highest specific electrical energy consumption was found in the fabricated metal industries followed by rubber producing industries. The specific energy and electricity consumptions found in the present study are compared with Indonesian industrial sectors and presented in thin paper. The study also found that the 64% electrical energy was consumed in peak hours by the industries and average power factor ranged from 0.88 to 0.91. The energy audit in this study can be important tools and approaches for the policy maker to get insight into the energy and electricity uses pattern of Malaysian industrial sector