2,589 research outputs found

    Detection and classification of vibrating objects in SAR images

    Get PDF
    The vibratory response of buildings and machines contains key information that can be exploited to infer their operating conditions and to diagnose failures. Furthermore, since vibration signatures observed from the exterior surfaces of structures are intrinsically linked to the type of machinery operating inside of them, the ability to monitor vibrations remotely can enable the detection and identification of the machinery. This dissertation focuses on developing novel techniques for the detection and M-ary classification of vibrating objects in SAR images. The work performed in this dissertation is conducted around three central claims. First, the non-linear transformation that the micro-Doppler return of a vibrating object suffers through SAR sensing does not destroy its information. Second, the instantaneous frequency (IF) of the SAR signal has sufficient information to characterize vibrating objects. Third, it is possible to develop a detection model that encompasses multiple scenarios including both mono-component and multi-component vibrating objects immersed in noise and clutter. In order to cement these claims, two different detection and classification methodologies are investigated. The first methodology is data-driven and utilizes features extracted with the help of the discrete fractional Fourier transform (DFRFT) to feed machine-learning algorithms (MLAs). Specifically, the DFRFT is applied to the IF of the slow-time SAR data, which is reconstructed using techniques of time-frequency analysis. The second methodology is model-based and employs a probabilistic model of the SAR slow-time signal, the Karhunen-Loève transform (KLT), and a likelihood-based decision function. The performance of the two proposed methodologies is characterized using simulated data as well as real SAR data. The suitability of SAR for sensing vibrations is demonstrated by showing that the separability of different classes of vibrating objects is preserved even after non-linear SAR processing Finally, the proposed algorithms are studied when the range-compressed phase-history data is contaminated with noise and clutter. The results show that the proposed methodologies yields reliable results for signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and signal-to-clutter ratios (SCRs) greater than -5 dB. This requirement is relaxed to SNRs and SCRs greater than -10 dB when the range-compressed phase-history data is pre-processed with the Hankel rank reduction (HRR) clutter-suppression technique

    Peptoid-Based Microsphere Coatings for use as Tunable Biocompatible Interfaces

    Get PDF
    The pursuit of sensitive, non-invasive, and cost efficient diagnostic tools for early stage disease detection have led to the development of sophisticated biosensor technologies for proteomic studies. As these markers increase in complexity, the role of support substrates grows increasingly important. Limitations in existing support substrates include the potential for increased sensitivity, binding specificity, and bio-stability. Ideal support substrates need to provide biocompatible and bioresistant surfaces, that offer high surface areas for binding, and enables the incorporation of diverse chemistries. The use of peptoids as the basis for the deposition of uniform microsphere coatings offers a mean to the attainment of such characteristics. Specifically, it enables for the utilization of its unique characteristics, namely, ease of synthesis and highly customizable side chain chemistries, in order to create a robust, biocompatible surface

    Cocoa Yield Development of Different Sites, Varieties, Production Systems and Years, in Alto Beni, Bolivia

    Get PDF
    One of the most essential limiting factors of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) productivity worldwide is pests and diseases. Each of the major production regions has its specific pests and diseases. Reported yield losses range from minor to almost 100 per cent. In Alto Beni, located in the Amazonian watershed of the department La Paz, Bolivia, the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and its local partners are addressing several problems of cocoa producers using a participatory technology development approach. Problems were identified in a participatory way and are, in order of priority, i) to reduce the incidence of pests and diseases, mainly the cocoa mirid (Monalonion dissimulatum) and Frosty Pod Rot (Moniliophthora roreri); ii) to evaluate the productivity of different cocoa varieties (local selections, introduced clones), and iii) to document the management practices and plantation layouts of high yielding cocoa farmers. In order to develop novel biological pest control measures, both the knowledge of cocoa yield development in the course of the harvest period, as well as the dynamics of pests and diseases are of great interest. Data from three different research activities of the mentioned project are analysed for yield development, the appearance, and the incidence of pests and diseases, where available. The research data are from: a) On-farm trials in multiple locations which were established in 2004. The performance of 16 cocoa varieties has been assessed for 3 years (2010–2012). b) Four high yielding cocoa farmers’ fields (2012 only). c) A long-term field experiment assessing the sustainability of five cocoa production systems (2011 and 2012). The trial investigates the influence of monocultures and different agroforestry systems under organic and conventional management on the yield development, among other agronomic, economic and environmental parameters

    Optimization of Process Flowsheets through Metaheuristic Techniques

    Get PDF
    This book presents a multi-objective optimization framework for optimizing chemical processes. The proposed framework implements a link between process simulators and metaheuristic techniques. The proposed approach is general, and there can be used any process simulator and any metaheuristic technique. This book shows how to implement links between different process simulators such as Aspen Plus®, HYSYS®, SuperPro Designer®, and others, linked to metaheuristic techniques implemented in Matlab®, Excel®, C++, or other programs. This way, the proposed framework allows optimizing any process flowsheet implemented in the process simulator and using the metaheuristic technique, and this way the numerical complications through the optimization process can be eliminated. Furthermore, the proposed framework allows using the thermodynamic, design, and constitutive equations implemented in the process simulator to implement any process

    Peptides binding cocaine: A strategy to design biomimetic receptors

    Get PDF
    A computational methodology for designing and rationalizing the selection of small peptides as biomimetic receptors for cocaine is proposed. The method started by searching and filtering proteins X-ray and NMR data of biological receptor-cocaine complexes. On the basis of different cocaine zones, the amino acids involved in biological binding sites were selected as pivots to design an initial library of 768 penta-peptides. The peptides flexibility was studied determining the minimum number of conformers required to make a reliable computed binding score. The 25 highest ranked penta-peptides were selected and used as starting point to generate a 3000 hexapeptides library by inserting each of the 20 natural amino acids in all sequence positions. All structures were energy minimized and docking runs were carried out using FRED tool from OpenEye scientific. The binding scores calculated by FRED were compared with a preliminary in vivo experimental test, using two different peptides as selective sorbent material used for cocaine in Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) technique coupled with Mass Spectrometry (MS). The simulation data were found to be in agreement with experimental laboratory results, supporting the methodology proposed in this work. © 2013 Perez G, et al

    La conurbación en torno a la ciudad de Neuquén: Perspectiva regional y aportes para el ordenamiento territorial

    Get PDF
    En el norte de la Patagonia argentina, más precisamente en el Alto Valle1 , se ha desarrollado un sistema urbano-rural en el cual una ciudad ha sobresalido del resto en las últimas décadas, la ciudad de Neuquén. En torno a ella se ha manifestado un proceso de conurbación cuyo centro está conformado por esta ciudad, capital de la provincia de Neuquén, y la ciudad de Cipolletti centro de mayor relevancia de la provincia de Río Negro perteneciente a este bloque. Ambas se presentan como una unidad urbana a partir de la cual se han evidenciado importantes procesos de expansión urbana. Esta conurbación presenta una gran concentración de servicios, capital, tecnologías, transportes e infraestructura en general y un peso y densidad poblacional muy superior al del resto de las áreas urbanas del Alto Valle. Esa dinámica poblacional y económica trajo aparejados inconvenientes para esta zona. Los más notables son los conflictos sociales ante una elevada presión sobre el uso de suelo, la pérdida de tierra agrícola ante la expansión urbana y la especulación del negocio inmobiliario, así como el asentamiento de personas en áreas de riesgo y problemas de circulación de las personas. Ante este contexto la presente tesis tiene como objetivo principal analizar características territoriales, demográficas, ambientales y de movilidad urbana de dicha conurbación con el propósito de ofrecer aportes orientados a la formulación de propuestas de ordenamiento territorial. En consecuencia, la investigación intenta dar un panorama general del desarrollo del área urbana de la conurbación para identificar disfuncionalidades o conflictos que atentan contra un desarrollo urbano armónico. Algunas preguntas que surgen desde el inicio de la investigación han permitido guiar el camino en esta tarea: ¿Qué cambios afectaron a la conurbación en torno a la ciudad de Neuquén? ¿De qué manera la afectaron? ¿Cuál es la magnitud de los problemas generados? ¿Cuáles son las nuevas características de esta área urbana y sus tendencias futuras? ¿Cómo abordar y explicar esas problemáticas generadas? ¿Cuáles serían las propuestas más óptimas para resolver estas dificultades? El desarrollo de la investigación se ha segmentado en 10 capítulos, el primero de ellos se presenta como una introducción a todo el documento, el capitulo 2 desarrolla los principales conceptos de la ciencia geográfica que serán tenidos en cuenta en adelante, los mismos parten de considerar a la geografía como una ciencia social centrada en el estudio del espacio geográfico y sus tiempos. A partir de este nivel conceptual se orientan las reflexiones que involucran conceptos como el de región que permitirá entender de manera más apropiada la dinámica de la conurbación neuquina, para luego avanzar sobre conceptos e ideas empíricas cercanas al proceso de urbanización, a los modelos de las plantas urbanas, a la movilidad urbana y a los problemas ambientales. El tercer capítulo detalla la metodología utilizada para la indagación y búsqueda de resultados. No es sólo una enumeración de actividades, sino que se explica de manera asociada al marco teórico y a ciertos conceptos clave, el cómo será la investigación en cuanto a técnicas y procedimientos. En el capítulo 4 se analiza de manera un tanto detallada las condiciones del medio natural que influyen en el asentamiento urbano del área de estudio. Es decir que este apartado no es una descripción exhaustiva del marco natural, es una búsqueda de los condicionantes que permiten o dificultan el surgimiento de áreas urbanas. Así se trabaja principalmente sobre las geoformas o unidades geomorfológicas atendiendo a los procesos naturales que se manifiestan en cada una de ellas y cómo influyen en la actualidad en el desarrollo urbano y en la vida de las personas que habitan la ciudad. El capítulo 5 realiza una auténtica periodización urbana de la zona del Alto Valle, ya que la mayoría de las que podemos encontrar en los textos referidos a la zona están en sintonía económica o determinadas a partir de cortes arbitrarios, sin debidas evaluaciones teórico metodológicas. El capítulo 6 se encuentra muy en sintonía con la concepción de región, a esta altura de la investigación ya se hace necesario identificar algunos límites de la conurbación en torno a la ciudad de Neuquén. Se trata de establecer algunas precisiones en torno a estos aspectos dejando en claro que esos límites no son rígidos y que están identificados en función de los objetivos de esta investigación. Es así que el análisis se basará en algunas variables y luego en capítulos posteriores se avanzará en profundidad sobre otras. En primer lugar, y haciendo honor a la disciplina, se analiza la situación desde el punto de vista espacial (relacionada con la expansión de las áreas urbanas, particularmente sobre áreas agrícolas), para posteriormente trabajar sobre la variable poblacional y finalmente la funcional. En el capítulo 7 se intenta comparar y aplicar diversos indicadores de flujos vehiculares al ámbito de la conurbación neuquina comentando las potencialidades y falencias de cada uno. Tales indicadores son parte de un conjunto más amplio de información base que, tratada debidamente, nos ayuda a comprender como son las características de la movilidad espacial de las personas en este espacio urbano. Los resultados de la aplicación de los indicadores nombrados manifiestan un incremento de los flujos vehiculares en torno a los tramos de rutas más cercanos a la ciudad de Neuquén y a la vez expresan una cierta centralidad de esta ciudad en todo el conjunto de la conurbación. Esto repercute en la generación de problemas en cuanto a cuestiones viales y de transporte de las personas; cuestiones que deben ser tenidas en cuenta por parte de los decisores políticos a la hora de implementar acciones para un mejor ordenamiento territorial. El recorrido realizado en los apartados anteriores hizo posible la identificación de diferentes problemas ambientales que fueron trabajados en el capítulo 8. Algunos de éstos repetidos en los diferentes municipios, otros puntuales y específicos y otros que afectan de manera integral al sistema. Se destacan así los inconvenientes generados a partir de la instalación de viviendas en áreas de riesgo y la contaminación ambiental generada por efluentes, residuos sólidos urbanos y los generados a partir de la actividad petrolera. El capítulo 9 plantea como resultado del recorrido de la investigación algunas posibles acciones a realizar para la mitigación o solución de los principales inconvenientes detectados en la conurbación. Algunas de estas acciones están referidas a problemas teóricos o metodológicos en el entendimiento de los problemas por parte de las autoridades de gobierno, como el abordaje parcializado de los problemas ya sea en forma espacial o temática. Otras acciones propuestas son más directas como la de limitar la expansión urbana y favorecer una mayor densidad de uso del suelo urbano de algunos sectores. Otro tipo de propuestas hacen mención a las funciones o funcionamiento de la conurbación proponiendo nuevas centralidades, una mejora en la circulación a partir de esto, además de sugerir una diversificación y fortalecimiento de ciertos tipos de movilidad urbana. Por último el capítulo 10, arriba a unas conclusiones o reflexiones finales de la investigación que dejan ciertas certezas pero que también abren la puerta a nuevos temas y nuevas formas de estudiar esta conurbación en torno a la ciudad de Neuquén.In the north of the Patagonia Argentina, more precisely in the Alto Valle2 , a rural-urban system has developed, in which Neuquén city has outstood from the rest during the last decades. Around it, a conurbation process has occurred, whose center is comprised by Neuquén city, which is the capital city of Neuquén province, and Cipolletti city, the most important city in Río Negro province. Both cities are presented as an urban unit from which important processes of urban expansion have been evidenced. This conurbation presents a great concentration of services, capital, technologies, transport and infrastructure in general; and has a much higher population density and proportion compared to those of other urban areas of the Alto Valle. This economic and population dynamic brought with it several drawbacks in the area, of which the most notable are the social conflicts due to a high pressure over land use, the loss of agricultural land due to urban expansion, the speculation of the property business, the settlement of people in risk areas and, problems with the circulation of people. In this context, the present thesis aims at analyzing the territorial, demographic, environmental and urban mobility characteristics of such conurbation, with the purpose of offering contributions aimed at the formulation of land-use zoning proposals. In consequence, the research attempts to bring an overview of the development of the urban area of the conurbation to identify dysfunctions or conflicts threating harmonious urban development. The following questions arising from the beginning of the study have allowed framing it within such objectives: Which changes affected conurbation around the city of Neuquén, and in which ways? What is the magnitude of the generated problems? What are the new characteristics of this urban area, and its future trends? How to address and explain the generated issues? Which would be the most adequate proposals for resolving these issues? The investigation has been divided in 10 chapters, of which the first is an introduction of the whole document. Chapter 2 develops the main concepts of geographic science that are taken up in the text, on the basis of geography as a social science centered in the study of the geographic space and its times. From this conceptual level the reflections involving concepts such as region are oriented, which allows a more appropriate understanding of the conurbation dynamic in Neuquén, to then move forward over concepts and empirical ideas that are close to the urbanization process, urban plant models, urban mobility and environmental problems. The third chapter details the methodology used for the inquiry and search of results. The chapter is not only an enumeration of activities, but it rather explains the techniques and proceedings of the research associated to the theoretical framework and certain key concepts. In chapter 4, the environmental conditions influencing the urban settlements in the study area are analyzed in detail. Instead of an exhaustive description of the natural framework, this chapter aims at identifying the conditioning factors that allow or hamper the emergence of urban areas. Thus, it is mainly focused on the geoforms or geomorphological units, with emphasis on the natural processes that arise in each unit, and their present influence over urban development and livelihoods of the inhabitants. Chapter 5 performs an actual urban periodization of the area of Alto Valle, since most of those available in the literature of the area are in tune with the economy or determined from arbitrary cuts, with no theoreticalmethodological evaluations. Chapter 6 is much in tune with the conception of region, and at this stage of the research emerged theneed to identify the boundaries of the conurbation around Neuquén city. Efforts are put in establishing certain precisions with regard to these aspects, making it clear that these boundaries are not rigid and that they are identified based on the objectives of this research. Thus, the analysis is based in certain variables, while the following chapters will move towards other variables. Firstly, and living up to the field, the situation is analyzed from a spatial point of view (related with the expansion of urban areas, particularly over agricultural areas), to posteriorly focus on the population variable, and finally on the functional variable. Chapter 7 aims at comparing and applying several indicators of traffic flow to the scope of the conurbation in Neuquén, discussing the potential and flaws of each one. Such indicators are part of a wider set of base-information that, if properly treated, can help us understand the spatial mobility characteristics of people in this urban space. The results of the application of the mentioned indicators show an increase in the traffic flow around the legs of the route that are closer to Neuquén city; and also denote a certain centrality of the city in the whole conurbation ensemble. This has direct impact on problems related to roads and the transportation of people; issues which must be taken into account by policymakers when implementing actions for a better land-use planning. The process described above allowed for the identification of different environmental issues that were treated in chapter 8. Some of these were generalized in several municipalities, others were more specific and punctual, and others affected the system as a whole. Some of the most important were drawbacks generated from the installation of housing in risk areas and environmental contamination generated by effluents, solid urban waste and waste generated by oil activity. Chapter 9 proposes certain actions to be taken for the mitigation or solution of the main drawbacks detected in the conurbation, as a result of the whole research. Some of these actions refer to theoretical or methodological problems in the understanding of the whole issue by government authorities, such as their biased approach, either spatial or thematic, of such problems. Other proposed actions are more direct, such as the suggestion of limiting urban expansion and favoring a higher density of urban use of land in certain sectors. Other type of proposals make reference to the functions or functioning of the conurbation, suggesting new centralities and a consequent improvement in the circulation; and a diversification and strengthening of other types of urban mobility. Finally, chapter 10 addresses the conclusions and final thoughts of this research, identifying several certainties but also gateways towards new themes, and ways of tackling this conurbation around Neuquén city.Fil: Perez, German Gabriel. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Instituto Patagónico de Estudios de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto Patagónico de Estudios de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales; Argentin
    corecore