Direction of arrival estimation using a cluster of beams in a cone-shaped digital array radar'

In this paper some potential system and processing advantages of conformal cone shaped digital array radar have been investigated, in particular in relation to potential alternative approaches for angle estimation with respect to the traditional monopulse. First of all potential benefit in terms of reduction of the number of radiating elements is shown when a conical array is considered with respect to a traditional system formed by four planar arrays, if a coverage of 360° must be assured. Secondly, having in mind an innovative digital array system where the received signals are analog to digital converted at element level and the corresponding data are possibly transferred to a central elaboration unit, an alternative approach is investigated for angular estimation. In this paper we derive the theoretical expression of the Cramer Rao Lower Bound for elevation angle estimation using a cluster of beams; we compare the limit performance of the traditional approach for angle estimation based on Sum and Difference beams with the approach based on a crowded cluster of RX beams properly spaced. The approaches show approximately equivalent performance, making the second particularly interesting for those situations where monopulse is known to experience performance degradation, as low elevation angle estimation; in this particular case an example of cluster design is shown, where the direct signal from a low altitude target must compete with a specular multipath

Comprehensive Auditing in Nuclear Medicine Through the International Atomic Energy Agency Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine Program. Part 2: Analysis of Results.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has developed a program, named Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine (QUANUM), to help its Member States to check the status of their nuclear medicine practices and their adherence to international reference standards, covering all aspects of nuclear medicine, including quality assurance/quality control of instrumentation, radiopharmacy (further subdivided into levels 1, 2, and 3, according to complexity of work), radiation safety, clinical applications, as well as managerial aspects. The QUANUM program is based on both internal and external audits and, with specifically developed Excel spreadsheets, it helps assess the level of conformance (LoC) to those previously defined quality standards. According to their level of implementation, the level of conformance to requested standards; 0 (absent) up to 4 (full conformance). Items scored 0, 1, and 2 are considered non-conformance; items scored 3 and 4 are considered conformance. To assess results of the audit missions performed worldwide over the last 8 years, a retrospective analysis has been run on reports from a total of 42 audit missions in 39 centers, three of which had been re-audited. The analysis of all audit reports has shown an overall LoC of 73.9 ± 8.3% (mean ± standard deviation), ranging between 56.6% and 87.9%. The highest LoC has been found in the area of clinical services (83.7% for imaging and 87.9% for therapy), whereas the lowest levels have been found for Radiopharmacy Level 2 (56.6%); Computer Systems and Data Handling (66.6%); and Evaluation of the Quality Management System (67.6%). Prioritization of non-conformances produced a total of 1687 recommendations in the final audit report. Depending on the impact on safety and daily clinical activities, they were further classified as critical (requiring immediate action; n = 276; 16% of the total); major (requiring action in relatively short time, typically from 3 to 6 months; n = 604; 36%); whereas the remaining 807 (48%) were classified as minor, that is, to be addressed whenever possible. The greatest proportion of recommendations has been found in the category "Managerial, Organization and Documentation" (26%); "Staff Radiation Protection and Safety" (17.3%); "Radiopharmaceuticals Preparation, Dispensing and Handling" (15.8%); and "Quality Assurance/Quality Control" and "Management of Equipment and Software" (11.4%). The lowest level of recommendations belongs to the item "Human Resources" (4%). The QUANUM program proved applicable to a wide variety of institutions, from small practices to larger centers with PET/CT and cyclotrons. Clinical services rendered to patients showed a good compliance with international standards, whereas issues related to radiation protection of both staff and patients will require a higher degree of attention. This is a relevant feedback for the International Atomic Energy Agency with regard to the effective translation of safety recommendations into routine practice. Training on drafting and application of standard operating procedures should also be considered a priority

A Comparative Analysis of the Peptide Repertoires of HLA–DR Molecules Differentially Associated With Rheumatoid Arthritis

[Objective] To evaluate similarity of the peptide repertoires bound to HLA–DR molecules that are differentially associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to define structural features of the shared peptides. [Methods] Peptide pools bound to HLA–DRB1*01:01, HLA–DRB1*04:01, and HLA–DRB1*10:01 (RA associated) and those bound to HLA–DRB1*15:01 (non–RA–associated) were purified and analyzed by liquid chromatography (LC) matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MS) and LC–ion-trap MS. Peptide pools from each allotype were compared in terms of size, protein origin, composition, and affinity (both theoretical and experimental with some peptides). Finally, 1 peptide sequenced from DR1, DR4, and DR10, but not from DR15, was modeled in complex with all 4 HLA–DRB1 molecules and HLA–DRB5*01:01. [Results] A total of 6,309 masses and 962 unique peptide sequences were compared. DR10 shared 29 peptides with DR1, 9 with DR4, and 1 with DR15; DR1 shared 6 peptides with DR4 and 9 with DR15; and DR4 and DR15 shared 4 peptides. The direct identification of peptide ligands indicated that DR1 and DR10 were the most similar molecules regarding the peptides that they could share. The peptides common to these molecules contained a high proportion of Leu at P4 and basic residues at P8 binding core positions. [Conclusion] The degree of overlap between peptide repertoires associated with different HLA–DR molecules is low. The repertoires associated with DR1 and DR10 have the highest similarity among the molecules analyzed (∼10% overlap). Among the peptides shared between DR1 and DR10, a high proportion contained Leu4 and basic residues at the P8 position of the binding core.Supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (project grant SAF2012-35344). The Spanish National Research Council/Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (CSIC/UAB) Proteomics Laboratory and the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital Research Institute Proteomics Laboratory are members of ProteoRed-ISCIII, which is funded by Genoma Spain.Peer Reviewe

Hardware-In-the-Loop operations with an emulator rig for SOFC hybrid systems

This paper shows the Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) technique developed for the complete emulation of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) based hybrid systems. This approach is based on the coupling of an emulator test rig with a real-time software for components which are not included in the plant. The experimental facility is composed of a T100 microturbine (100 kW electrical power size) modified for the connection to an SOFC emulator device. This component is composed of both anodic and cathodic vessels including also the anodic recirculation system which is carried out with a single stage ejector, driven by an air flow in the primary duct. However, no real stack material was installed in the plant. For this reason, a real-time dynamic software was developed in the Matlab-Simulink environment including all the SOFC system components (the fuel cell stack with the calculation of the electrochemical aspects considering also the real losses, the reformer, and a cathodic recirculation based on a blower, etc.). This tool was coupled with the real system utilizing a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) data exchange approach (the model receives flow data from the plant at the inlet duct of the cathodic vessel, while it is able to operate on the turbine changing its set-point of electrical load or turbine outlet temperature). So, the software is operated to control plant properties to generate the effect of a real SOFC in the rig. In stand-alone mode the turbine load is changed with the objective of matching the measured Turbine Outlet Temperature (TOT) value with the calculated one by the model. In grid-connected mode the software/hardware matching is obtained through a direct manipulation of the TOT set-point. This approach was essential to analyze the matching issues between the SOFC and the micro gas turbine devoting several tests on critical operations, such as start-up, shutdown and load changes. Special attention was focused on tests carried out to solve the control system issues for the entire real hybrid plant emulated with this HIL approach. Hence, the innovative control strategies were developed and successfully tested considering both the Proportional Integral Derivative and advanced approaches. Thanks to the experimental tests carried out with this HIL system, a comparison between different control strategies was performed including a statistic analysis on the results The positive performance obtainable with a Model Predictive Control based technique was shown and discussed. So, the HIL system presented in this paper was essential to perform the experimental tests successfully (for real hybrid system development) without the risks of destroying the stack in case of failures. Mainly surge (especially during transient operations, such as load changes) and other critical conditions (e.g. carbon deposition, high pressure difference between the fuel cell sides, high thermal gradients in the stack, excessive thermal stress in the SOFC system components, etc.) have to be carefully avoided in complete plants

Hydrogen production system from photovoltaic panels: experimental characterization and size optimization

In this paper an approach for the determination of the optimal size and management of a plant for hydrogen production from renewable source (photovoltaic panels) is presented. Hydrogen is produced by a pressurized alkaline electrolyser (42 kW) installed at the University Campus of Savona (Italy) in 2014 and fed by electrical energy produced by photovoltaic panels. Experimental tests have been carried out in order to analyze the performance curve of the electrolyser in different operative conditions, investigating the influence of the different parameters on the efficiency. The results have been implemented in a software tool in order to describe the behavior of the systems in off-design conditions. Since the electrical energy produced by photovoltaic panels and used to feed the electrolyser is strongly variable because of the random nature of the solar irradiance, a time-dependent hierarchical thermoeconomic analysis is carried out to evaluate both the optimal size and the management approach related to the system, considering a fixed size of 1 MW for the photovoltaic panels. The thermo-economic analysis is performed with the software tool W-ECoMP, developed by the authors\u2019 research group: the Italian energy scenario is considered, investigating the impact of electricity cost on the results as well

Análise político-jurídica da repartição das competências em matéria de saneamento básico no Brasil

Orientador : Prof. Dr. Edson Luiz PetersCoorientador: Profª. M.Sc. Sandra Mara Pereira de QueirozDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Tecnologia, Programa de Mestrado Profissional em Meio Ambiente Urbano e Industrial, em parceria com o Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem Industrial e a Universität Stuttgart. Defesa: Curitiba, 27/02/2015Inclui referências : f. 134-140Resumo: A Lei 11.445/2007, chamada de Lei de Saneamento, estabeleceu no Brasil as diretrizes nacionais para o saneamento básico e instituiu a política federal de saneamento básico. Em decorrência da evolução histórica do conceito, os serviços públicos de saneamento básico passaram a ser definidos pela lei como sendo (i) captação, tratamento e distribuição de água; (ii) coleta, afastamento, tratamento e disposição final adequada de esgotos sanitários domésticos; (iii) drenagem urbana; e (iv) limpeza urbana e manejo dos resíduos sólidos. Referidos serviços são de interesse local, cujas atividades de organizar e prestar diretamente ou sob regime de concessão ou mediante cooperação federativa são atribuídas pela Constituição aos Municípios. Paralelamente a Constituição estabeleceu a competência comum da União, dos Estados, do Distrito Federal e dos Municípios promover programas visando a melhoria das condições de saneamento básico. A realidade demonstra que as companhias estaduais de saneamento básico operam a maioria dos sistemas de água e esgoto no País, bem como, que a União é o principal agente financiador do setor. Este quadro implica na necessária distribuição de atribuições e competências legislativas e administrativas entre os entes federados. Passados dois séculos das primeiras iniciativas de implantação de sistemas de saneamento básico no Brasil, constata-se que percentual significativo da população ainda não tem acesso a serviços de água e esgoto. A identificação adequada das atribuições de cada ente federado se mostra essencial para o atingimento da universalização com eficiência e modicidade de tarifa, sem descuidar do retorno ao capital investido. O presente trabalho se destina a identificar as atribuições dos entes federados no desempenho das atividades de saneamento básico de acordo com a Constituição e a Lei 11.445/2007, apontar as formas jurídicas possíveis para sua prestação e analisar a proposta de gestão associada trazida pela Lei 11.107/2005. Saneamento básico. Política federal. Diretrizes nacionais. Atribuições dos entes federados. Gestão associada. Competências.Abstract: Law 11.445/2007 nominated as Law of the Sanitation, set to Brazil the national guidelines for the basic sanitation and grounded the federal police for basic sanitation. As a consequence of the historic evolution of the concept, the public services of basic sanitation started to defined by law as being (i) abstraction of water, treatment and distribution of drinkable water; (ii) the adequate collection, removal, treatment and final disposition of domestic sewage; (iii) urban drainage; (iv) urban cleaning and urban solid waste management. Such services are all defined as being of local interest and the services related to them, their organization, direct or through concession or federative cooperation are all devolved upon the Municipalities according to the Federal Constitution. Necessary to that the Federal Constitution also set that there is common competence shared by Union, States, Federal District and Municipalities to promote programmers to ward the betterment of the basic sanitation conditions. The reality has shown that the state basic sanitation companies operate the great majority of the water and sewerage systems In the country and that the Union is the main financial agent of the sector. This scenario implies the need for distribution of attributions and legislative as well as administrative competence among the federal units. After two centuries from the first initiatives of implantation of basic sanitation systems In Brazil, one can see that a meaningful percentage of the population does not have the water and sewerage service rendered. The proper identification of the attributions to each federated unit In the performance of the activities is seen as material to the fulfillment of the universalization with efficiency and adequate tariff, avoiding being regardless to the return of invested capital. The present work seeks to identify the attributions to the federated units In the performance of the sanitation basic activities In accordance with Constitution and Law 11.445/2007; point the suitable lawful ways to the rendering of services; analyze the proposal of associated management as Law 11.107/2005 intends. Basic sanitation. Federal policy. National directives. Attributions of federated units. Associated management competences