Extended Kalman filter based sliding mode control of parallel-connected two five-phase PMSM drive system

This paper presents sliding mode control of sensor-less parallel-connected two five-phase permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs) fed by a single five-leg inverter. For both machines, the rotor speeds and rotor positions as well as load torques are estimated by using Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) scheme. Fully decoupled control of both machines is possible via an appropriate phase transposition while connecting the stator windings parallel and employing proposed speed sensor-less method. In the resulting parallel-connected two-machine drive, the independent control of each machine in the group is achieved by controlling the stator currents and speed of each machine under vector control consideration. The effectiveness of the proposed Extended Kalman Filter in conjunction with the sliding mode control is confirmed through application of different load torques for wide speed range operation. Comparison between sliding mode control and PI control of the proposed two-motor drive is provided. The speed response shows a short rise time, an overshoot during reverse operation and settling times is 0.075 s when PI control is used. The speed response obtained by SMC is without overshoot and follows its reference and settling time is 0.028 s. Simulation results confirm that, in transient periods, sliding mode controller remarkably outperforms its counterpart PI controller

INFLUENCE OF UNCERTAINTY IN AERODYNAMIC PERFORMANCE ON THE DYNAMIC RESPONSE OF A TWO STAGE GEAR SYSTEM

In this paper, the nonlinear dynamic response in a wind turbine system is considered and the quantification of uncertainty effects on the variability of this nonlinear response is investigated. Under dynamic conditions, a lumped model with 12 degrees of freedom is proposed taking into account the uncertainty associated to the power coefficient of the input aerodynamic torque. The dynamic response of the two-stage spur gear system is obtained using ODE45 solver of Matlab. The Polynomial Chaos (PC) method is used to introduce the uncertainties on the proposed model. A comparison between the two dynamic responses given by the proposed lumped dynamic model takes into account the uncertainty. It is performed on the existed model without uncertainty. Thus, the efficiency and robustness of the proposed new methodology is evaluated

NO reduction with NH3 under oxidizing atmosphere on copper loaded hydroxyapatite

International audienceCopper loaded hydroxyapatite catalysts were prepared by ion exchange in aqueous phase. The copper ion exchange capacity of hydroxyapatite host structure is highly dependent on the initial copper concentration of the solution. For the lowest concentration, a pH variation of the exchange solution is observed. This change in pH may allow the deposition of a small amount of copper hydroxide at the expense of cationic substitution of copper. The increase in copper content exchanged has no effect on the profile of conversion of NO by NH3. From this, it is assumed that the copper cations substituted for calcium are not active in the reaction. The profiles of NO conversion obtained, are in agreement with the presence of a small amount of copper oxide clusters deposited on the surfaces of the apatite

Green extraction of oil from Carum carvi seeds using bio-based solvent and supercritical fluid: evaluation of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities

Introduction: The consumption of health-promoting products such as oil seeds may improve human health and prevent certain diseases. Carvi seeds have the potential to produce oil with nutritional and functional properties rich on active compounds. Objective: To extract bioactive lipids from Carum carvi seeds using green methodologies. Material and methods: Supercritical CO2 and ethanol as co-solvent and bio-based solvent 2- methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF) were used to extract the oil from Carum carvi. The yield, the chemical composition, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of green extracted oils were investigated and compared to those obtained with conventional methods (hexane and Folch system). Results: MeTHF extraction gave higher oil yield than that obtained by hexane. Fatty acids composition of the two obtained green extracted oils was similar to conventional extracted ones where petroselinic (39-43%), linoleic (29-31%) and oleic (19-21%) acids were the major compounds. Besides, MeTHF and Sc-CO2 green extracted oils were enriched on bioactive compounds including sterols (5.4 and 7.3 mg/g oil) and total polyphenols (9.3 and 7.6 mg EAG/g oil) which were correlated to enhanced antiradical capacity. Moreover, the green extracted oils exhibited high anti-inflammatory capacity inhibiting NO release in LPS- induced RAW 264.7 macrophages with IC50 values of 28 and 24 μg/ml. Conclusion: Green solvents are a good alternative to petroleum solvents to recover oil from carvi seeds with high amount of nutritionally important fatty acids, along with significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential

Stromal fibroblasts present in breast carcinomas promote tumor growth and angiogenesis through adrenomedullin secretion

International audienceTumor-or cancer-associated fibroblasts (TAFs or CAFs) are active players in tumorigenesis and exhibit distinct angiogenic and tumorigenic properties. Adrenomedullin (AM), a multifunctional peptide plays an important role in angiogenesis and tumor growth through its receptors calcitonin receptor-like receptor/receptor activity modifying protein-2 and-3 (CLR/RAMP2 and CLR/RAMP3). We show that AM and AM receptors mRNAs are highly expressed in CAFs prepared from invasive breast carcinoma when compared to normal fibroblasts. Immunostaining demonstrates the presence of immunoreactive AM and AM receptors in the CAFs (n = 9). The proliferation of CAFs is decreased by anti-AM antibody (αAM) and anti-AM receptors antibody (aAMR) treatment, suggesting that AM may function as a potent autocrine/paracrine growth factor. Systemic administration of aAMR reduced neovascularization of in vivo Matrigel plugs containing CAFs as demonstrated by reduced numbers of the vessel structures, suggesting that AM is one of the CAFs-derived factors responsible for endothelial cell-like and pericytes recruitment to built a neovascularization. We show that MCF-7 admixed with CAFs generated tumors of greater volume significantly different from the MCF-7 xenografts in nude mice due in part to the induced angiogenesis. aAMR and AM 22-52 therapies significantly suppressed the growth of CAFs/MCF-7 tumors. Histological examination of tumors treated with AM 22-52 and aAMR showed evidence of disruption of tumor vasculature with depletion of vascular endothelial cells, induced apoptosis and decrease of tumor cell proliferation. Our findings highlight the importance of CAFs-derived AM pathway in growth of breast carcinoma and in neovascularization by supplying and amplifying signals that are essential for pathologic angiogenesis

Functional Analysis of the Adrenomedullin Pathway in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

International audienceIntroduction: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) grows aggressively within the thoracic cavity and has a very low cure rate, thus highlighting the need for identification of new therapeutic targets. Adrenomedullin (AM) is a multifunctional peptide that is highly expressed in several tumors and plays an important role in angiogenesis and tumor growth after binding to its receptors, calcitonin receptor-like receptor/receptor activity-modifying protein 2 (CLR/RAMP2) and calcitonin receptor-like receptor/receptor activity-modifying protein 3 (CLR/RAMP3). Methods: Real time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to assess the steady-state levels of AM, CLR, RAMP2 and RAMP3 messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts in normal pleural tissue (n=5) and MPM (n=24). The expression of these candidates at protein level was revealed by immunohistochemistry. We also characterized the expression and regulation by hypoxia of AM system in MPM cell lines and MeT-5A cells. In vitro and in vivo studies were performed to determine the functional role of AM system in MPM. Results: In this study, real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction showed twofold to 10 fold higher levels of AM messenger RNA in MPM tissue than in normal pleural tissue. The MPM cell lines H2452, H2052, and human mesothelioma cell line MSTO-211H showed a significant increase in expression of AM messenger RNA under hypoxic conditions. Our results also show that AM stimulates cell proliferation in vitro through the Raf1 protooncogene, serine/threonine kinase (CRAF)/Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MEIC)/Extracellular regulated MAPKinase (ERK) pathway. Furthermore, the proliferation, migration, and invasion of MPM cells were decreased after treatment with anti-AM (alpha AM) and anti-AM receptor antibodies, thus indicating that MPM cells are regulated by AM. The action of AM was specific and mediated by CLR/RAMP2 and CLR/RAMP3 receptors. In vivo, aAM and AM(22-52) antagonist therapies blocked angiogenesis and induced apoptosis in MSTO-211H xenografts, thereby resulting in tumor regression. Histologic examination of tumors treated with AM(22-52) and aAM antibody showed evidence of disruption of tumor vasculature with depletion of vascular endothelial cells and a significant decrease in lymphatic endothelial cells. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the importance of the AM pathway in growth of MPM and in neovascularization by supplying and amplifying signals that are essential for pathologic neoangiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis

Adrenomedullin Blockade Suppresses Growth of Human Hormone-Independent Prostate Tumor Xenograft in Mice

International audiencePurpose: To study the role of the adrenomedullin system [adrenomedullin and its receptors (AMR), CLR, RAMP2, and RAMP3] in prostate cancer androgen-independent growth. Experimental Design: Androgen-dependent and -independent prostate cancer models were used to investigate the role and mechanisms of adrenomedullin in prostate cancer hormone-independent growth and tumor-associated angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. Results: Adrenomedullin and AMR were immunohistochemically localized in the carcinomatous epithelial compartment of prostate cancer specimens of high grade (Gleason score \textgreater7), suggesting a role of the adrenomedullin systemin prostate cancer growth. We used the androgen-independent Du145 cells, for which we demonstrate that adrenomedullin stimulated cell proliferation in vitro through the cAMP/CRAF/MEK/ERK pathway. The proliferation of Du145 and PC3 cells is decreased by anti-adrenomedullin antibody (alpha AM), supporting the fact that adrenomedullin may function as a potent autocrine/paracrine growth factor for prostate cancer androgen-independent cells. In vivo, alpha AM therapy inhibits the growth of Du145 androgen-independent xenografts and interestingly of LNCaP androgen-dependent xenografts only in castrated animals, suggesting strongly that adrenomedullin might play an important role in tumor regrowth following androgen ablation. Histologic examination of alpha AM-treated tumors showed evidence of disruption of tumor vascularity, with depletion of vascular as well as lymphatic endothelial cells and pericytes, and increased lymphatic endothelial cell apoptosis. Importantly, aAM potently blocks tumor-associated lymphangiogenesis, but does not affect established vasculature and lymphatic vessels in normal adult mice. Conclusions: We conclude that expression of adrenomedullin upon androgen ablation in prostate cancer plays an important role in hormone-independent tumor growth and in neovascularization by supplying/amplifying signals essential for pathologic neoangiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. (C) 2013 AACR