Robust detection, isolation and accommodation for sensor failures

The objective is to extend the recent advances in robust control system design of multivariable systems to sensor failure detection, isolation, and accommodation (DIA), and estimator design. This effort provides analysis tools to quantify the trade-off between performance robustness and DIA sensitivity, which are to be used to achieve higher levels of performance robustness for given levels of DIA sensitivity. An innovations-based DIA scheme is used. Estimators, which depend upon a model of the process and process inputs and outputs, are used to generate these innovations. Thresholds used to determine failure detection are computed based on bounds on modeling errors, noise properties, and the class of failures. The applicability of the newly developed tools are demonstrated on a multivariable aircraft turbojet engine example. A new concept call the threshold selector was developed. It represents a significant and innovative tool for the analysis and synthesis of DiA algorithms. The estimators were made robust by introduction of an internal model and by frequency shaping. The internal mode provides asymptotically unbiased filter estimates.The incorporation of frequency shaping of the Linear Quadratic Gaussian cost functional modifies the estimator design to make it suitable for sensor failure DIA. The results are compared with previous studies which used thresholds that were selcted empirically. Comparison of these two techniques on a nonlinear dynamic engine simulation shows improved performance of the new method compared to previous technique

Inhibitory effect of plant essential oils on Malassezia strains from Iranian dermatitis patients

Introduction: The genus Malassezia is an important skin resident of human. The present study aimed to analyze in vitro activity of the essential oils of Lavandula stoechas, Cuminum cyminum and Artemisia sieberi against clinical strains of Malassezia species. Methods: A total of 47 Malassezia strains, including Malassezia furfur, Malassezia globosa and Malassezia obtuse, were used in this study. A disk diffusion technique was selected for testing the susceptibility of Malassezia strains to the essential oils. Results: All the essential oils showed in vitro activity against Malassezia strains, with M. furfur and M. obtusa being the highest and lowest susceptible of the strains, respectively. The highest antifungal activity was associated with the essential oil of C. cyminum (mean ± SD: 50.0 ± 0.0 mm), followed by L. stoechas (mean ± SD: 46.8 ± 3.1 mm) and A. sieberi (mean ± SD: 36.9 ± 5.7 mm). The inhibition zone ranges were 12.5 to 15.6 mm (mean ± SD: 14.4 ± 1.6 mm) for ketoconazole and 11.6 to 13.3 mm (mean ± SD: 12.4 ± 0.9 mm) for fluconazole. Although all the antifungal drugs were found to possess good antifungal activities against Malassezia strains, their effects were lower than the activities shown by the essential oils tested (P < 0.05). Conclusion: These results indicated that the essential oils tested, especially the one from C. cyminum, inhibited the growth of clinical strains of Malassezia, implying its potential use in the treatment of Malassezia infections. This indicates that this plant may be useful in preparation of new drugs

Shuffled Complex-Self Adaptive Hybrid EvoLution (SC-SAHEL) optimization framework

Simplicity and flexibility of meta-heuristic optimization algorithms have attracted lots of attention in the field of optimization. Different optimization methods, however, hold algorithm-specific strengths and limitations, and selecting the best-performing algorithm for a specific problem is a tedious task. We introduce a new hybrid optimization framework, entitled Shuffled Complex-Self Adaptive Hybrid EvoLution (SC-SAHEL), which combines the strengths of different evolutionary algorithms (EAs) in a parallel computing scheme. SC-SAHEL explores performance of different EAs, such as the capability to escape local attractions, speed, convergence, etc., during population evolution as each individual EA suits differently to various response surfaces. The SC-SAHEL algorithm is benchmarked over 29 conceptual test functions, and a real-world hydropower reservoir model case study. Results show that the hybrid SC-SAHEL algorithm is rigorous and effective in finding global optimum for a majority of test cases, and that it is computationally efficient in comparison to algorithms with individual EA

The comparison of satisfaction of prosthesis in below amputation men using a mechanical and Myoelectric prosthesis by using of TAPES questionnaire

Design and manufacturing of the Myoelecterical prosthesis (in compared to Mechanical prosthesis) is time consuming and expensive. Therefore, considering the high cost of these prostheses should be increase the satisfaction of prosthesis. This study was conducted on assessing the quality of life between two groups. The two groups compared from the aspect of quality of life. The participants were categorized in two groups of 20 below elbow amputation veterans that use from Mechanical or Myoelectrical prosthesis that refer to central technical orthopedic Kosar. For gathering the data we use TPEAS questionnaire. This questionnaire evaluates participants from 3 items: psychosocial adaptation, functional limitation and satisfaction of life. For data analysis use to t independent and ANOVA test. The obtained results revealed that there are significant differentiations in prosthesis satisfaction. This identified that the Myoelecterical groups have upper prosthesis satisfaction in compare to Mechanical group. Therefore the hypothesis of this research in terms of higher satisfaction in the Myoelecterical group was accepted. Keivani Hafshejani mA, Sattari Naeini M, Langari A. The comparison of satisfaction of prosthesis in below amputation men using a mechanical and Myoelectric prosthesis by using of TAPES questionnaire. Life Sci J 2012;9(4):5588-5592] (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 83

On the functional limitation in below elbow amputation men using Mechanical and Myoelectric prosthesis via TAPES questionnaire

It is well established that the Myoelecterical prosthesis must also be effective, smart, light, strong and high permanence, compared to those of Mechanical prosthesis. It is time consuming and expensive that has ultimately led to significant increases in the price of Myoelecterical prosthesis. Therefore, considering the high cost of these prostheses should be decrease the functional limitation, hence assessment the functional limitations between two groups must be clear and explicit. Therefore this study was conducted in this regard. In this descriptive cross-sectional analytical study, to groups compared to each other from quality of life, participants was two groups of 20 below elbow amputation veterans that use from Mechanical or Myoelectrical prosthesis that refer to central technical orthopedic Kosar. For gathering the data we use TPEAS questionnaire. This questionnaire evaluates participants from 3 items: psychosocial adaptation, functional limitation and satisfaction of life. For data analysis use to t independent and ANOVA test. This research showed that there are significant differences between two groups from functional limitation. The findings identified that the Myoelecterical groups have lower functional limitation in compare to Mechanical group. So that the hypothesis of this research in terms of lower functional limitation in the Myoelecterical group was accepted. Keivani Hafshejani mA, Sattari Naeini M, Langari A. On the functional limitation in below elbow amputation men using Mechanical and Myoelectric prosthesis via TAPES questionnaire. Life Sci J 2012;9(4):5579-5582] (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 82

A chip-scale integrated cavity-electro-optomechanics platform

We present an integrated optomechanical and electromechanical nanocavity, in which a common mechanical degree of freedom is coupled to an ultrahigh-Q photonic crystal defect cavity and an electrical circuit. The sys- tem allows for wide-range, fast electrical tuning of the optical nanocavity resonances, and for electrical control of optical radiation pressure back-action effects such as mechanical amplification (phonon lasing), cooling, and stiffening. These sort of integrated devices offer a new means to efficiently interconvert weak microwave and optical signals, and are expected to pave the way for a new class of micro-sensors utilizing optomechanical back-action for thermal noise reduction and low-noise optical read-out.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

Linear and nonlinear capacitive coupling of electro-opto-mechanical photonic crystal cavities

We fabricate and characterize a microscale silicon electro-opto-mechanical system whose mechanical motion is coupled capacitively to an electrical circuit and optically via radiation pressure to a photonic crystal cavity. To achieve large electromechanical interaction strength, we implement an inverse shadow mask fabrication scheme which obtains capacitor gaps as small as 30 nm while maintaining a silicon surface quality necessary for minimizing optical loss. Using the sensitive optical read-out of the photonic crystal cavity, we characterize the linear and nonlinear capacitive coupling to the fundamental 63 MHz in-plane flexural motion of the structure, showing that the large electromechanical coupling in such devices may be suitable for realizing efficient microwave-to-optical signal conversion.Comment: 8 papers, 4 figure

Use of artificial neural network for medical risk assessment analysis

For new medical products and new drugs, unanticipated side effects that rise after consuming the new product is a dominant factor in decision making. In this project, an artificial neural network (NN) engine is designed and developed by the authors to the aim of a medical risk assessment. Firstly, an appropriate NN system is designed and trained. We mostly concerned with the procedure of how the developed NN construction and training. The designed NN for this case has three layers of neuron. These three layers include an input layer, a hidden layer and finally an output layer, with 25 neurons in the hidden layer. The results from NN models can match the data used for training. Hafshejani M K, Sattari Naeini M, Mohammadsharifi A, Langari A. Use of Artificial Neural Network for Medical Risk Assessment Analysis. Life Sci J 2012;9(4):923-925] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 14

Optomechanical circuits for nanomechanical continuous variable quantum state processing

We propose and analyze a nanomechanical architecture where light is used to perform linear quantum operations on a set of many vibrational modes. Suitable amplitude modulation of a single laser beam is shown to generate squeezing, entanglement, and state-transfer between modes that are selected according to their mechanical oscillation frequency. Current optomechanical devices based on photonic crystals may provide a platform for realizing this scheme.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure