Abstract: This paper discuss a coupling strategy of two different
software packages to provide fluid structure interaction (FSI) analysis.
The basic idea is to combine the advantages of the two codes
to create a powerful FSI solver for two and three dimensional
analysis. The fluid part is computed by a program called PETSc-FEM
a software developed at Centro de Investigaci´on de M´etodos
Computacionales –CIMEC. The structural part of the coupled process
is computed by the research code elementary Parallel Solver –
(ELPASO) of the Technische Universit¨at Braunschweig, Institut f¨ur
Konstruktionstechnik (IK).
Abstract: This work is about Six Sigma (SS) implementation in Mexico by using an empirical study. Main goals are to analyze the degree of importance of the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) of SS and to examine if these factors are grouped in some way. A literature research and a survey were conducted to capture SS practitioner’s viewpoint about CSFs in SS implementation and their impact on the performance within manufacturing companies located in Baja California, Mexico. Finally, a Principal Component Analysis showed that nine critical success factors could be grouped in three components, which are: management vision, implementation strategy, and collaborative team. In the other hand, SS’s success is represented by cost reduction, variation reduction, experience and self-esteem of the workers, and quality improvement. Concluding remarks arising from the study are that CSFs are changing through time and paying attention to these nine factors can increase SS’s success likelihood.
Abstract: Transesterification reactions free of catalyst between
roasted chicken fat with methanol were carried out in a batch reactor
in order to produce biodiesel to temperatures from 120°C to 140°C.
Parameters related to the transesterification reactions, including
temperature, time and the molar ratio of chicken fat to methanol also
investigated. The maximum yield of the reaction was of 98% under
conditions of 140°C, 4 h of reaction time and a molar ratio of chicken
fat to methanol of 1:31. The biodiesel thus obtained exhibited a
viscosity of 6.3 mm2/s and a density of 895.9 kg/m3. The results
showed this process can be right choice to produce biodiesel since
this process does not use any catalyst. Therefore, the steps of
neutralization and washing are avoided, indispensables in the case of
the alkaline catalysis.
Abstract: Workflow Management Systems (WfMS) alloworganizations to streamline and automate business processes and reengineer their structure. One important requirement for this type of system is the management and computation of the Quality of Service(QoS) of processes and workflows. Currently, a range of Web processes and workflow languages exist. Each language can be characterized by the set of patterns they support. Developing andimplementing a suitable and generic algorithm to compute the QoSof processes that have been designed using different languages is a difficult task. This is because some patterns are specific to particular process languages and new patterns may be introduced in future versions of a language. In this paper, we describe an adaptive algorithm implemented to cope with these two problems. The algorithm is called adaptive since it can be dynamically changed as the patterns of a process language also change.
Abstract: The steady state response of bond graphs representing
passive and active suspension is presented. A bond graph with
preferred derivative causality assignment to get the steady state
is proposed. A general junction structure of this bond graph
is proposed. The proposed methodology to passive and active
suspensions is applied.
Abstract: It has been recognized that due to the autonomy and
heterogeneity, of Web services and the Web itself, new approaches
should be developed to describe and advertise Web services. The
most notable approaches rely on the description of Web services
using semantics. This new breed of Web services, termed semantic
Web services, will enable the automatic annotation, advertisement,
discovery, selection, composition, and execution of interorganization
business logic, making the Internet become a common
global platform where organizations and individuals communicate
with each other to carry out various commercial activities and to
provide value-added services. This paper deals with two of the
hottest R&D and technology areas currently associated with the Web
– Web services and the semantic Web. It describes how semantic
Web services extend Web services as the semantic Web improves the
current Web, and presents three different conceptual approaches to
deploying semantic Web services, namely, WSDL-S, OWL-S, and
WSMO.
Abstract: The dynamics of a predator-prey model with continuous
threshold policy harvesting functions on the prey is studied. Theoretical
and numerical methods are used to investigate boundedness
of solutions, existence of bionomic equilibria, and the stability properties
of coexistence equilibrium points and periodic orbits. Several
bifurcations as well as some heteroclinic orbits are computed.
Abstract: Process measurement is the task of empirically and objectively assigning numbers to the properties of business processes in such a way as to describe them. Desirable attributes to study and measure include complexity, cost, maintainability, and reliability. In our work we will focus on investigating process complexity. We define process complexity as the degree to which a business process is difficult to analyze, understand or explain. One way to analyze a process- complexity is to use a process control-flow complexity measure. In this paper, an attempt has been made to evaluate the control-flow complexity measure in terms of Weyuker-s properties. Weyuker-s properties must be satisfied by any complexity measure to qualify as a good and comprehensive one.
Abstract: The minimal condition for symmetry breaking in morphogenesis of cellular population was investigated using cellular automata based on reaction-diffusion dynamics. In particular, the study looked for the possibility of the emergence of branching structures due to mechanical interactions. The model used two types of cells an external gradient. The results showed that the external gradient influenced movement of cell type-I, also revealed that clusters formed by cells type-II worked as barrier to movement of cells type-I.
Abstract: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the possible interference of a Nectandra membranacea extract (i) on the labeling of blood cells (BC), (ii) on the labeling process of BC and plasma (P) proteins with technetium-99m (Tc-99m) and (iii) on the morphology of red blood cells (RBC). Blood samples were incubated with a Nectandra membranacea crude extract, stannous chloride, Tc- 99m (sodium pertechnetate) was added, and soluble (SF) and insoluble (IF) fractions were isolated. Morphometry studies were performed with blood samples incubated with Nectandra membranacea extract. The results show that the Nectandra membranacea extract does not promote significant alteration of the labeling of BC, IF-P and IF-BC. The Nectandra membranacea extract was able to alter the erythrocyte membrane morphology, but these morphological changes were not capable to interfere on the labeling of blood constituents with Tc-99m.
Abstract: The highly nonlinear characteristics of drying
processes have prompted researchers to seek new nonlinear control
solutions. However, the relation between the implementation
complexity, on-line processing complexity, reliability control
structure and controller-s performance is not well established. The
present paper proposes high performance nonlinear fuzzy controllers
for a real-time operation of a drying machine, being developed under
a consistent match between those issues. A PCI-6025E data
acquisition device from National Instruments® was used, and the
control system was fully designed with MATLAB® / SIMULINK
language. Drying parameters, namely relative humidity and
temperature, were controlled through MIMOs Hybrid Bang-bang+PI
(BPI) and Four-dimensional Fuzzy Logic (FLC) real-time-based
controllers to perform drying tests on biological materials. The
performance of the drying strategies was compared through several
criteria, which are reported without controllers- retuning. Controllers-
performance analysis has showed much better performance of FLC
than BPI controller. The absolute errors were lower than 8,85 % for
Fuzzy Logic Controller, about three times lower than the
experimental results with BPI control.
Abstract: Biodiesel production with used frying by
transesterification reaction with methanol, using a commercial
kaolinite thermally-activated solid acid catalyst was investigated.
The surface area, the average pore diameter and pore volume of the
kaolinite catalyst were 10 m2/g, 13.0 nm and 30 mm3/g, respectively.
The optimal conditions for the transesterification reaction were
determined to be oil/methanol, in a molar ratio 1:31, temperature 160
ºC and catalyst concentration of 3% (w/w). The yield of fatty acids
methyl esters (FAME) was 92.4% after 2 h of reaction. This method
of preparation of biodiesel can be a positive alternative for utilizing
used frying corn oil for feedstock of biodiesel combined with the
inexpensive catalyst.
Abstract: In this paper, an automated algorithm to estimate and remove the continuous baseline from measured spectra containing both continuous and discontinuous bands is proposed. The algorithm uses previous information contained in a Continuous Database Spectra (CDBS) to obtain a linear basis, with minimum number of sampled vectors, capable of representing a continuous baseline. The proposed algorithm was tested by using a CDBS of flame spectra where Principal Components Analysis and Non-negative Matrix Factorization were used to obtain linear bases. Thus, the radical emissions of natural gas, oil and bio-oil flames spectra at different combustion conditions were obtained. In order to validate the performance in the baseline estimation process, the Goodness-of-fit Coefficient and the Root Mean-squared Error quality metrics were evaluated between the estimated and the real spectra in absence of discontinuous emission. The achieved results make the proposed method a key element in the development of automatic monitoring processes strategies involving discontinuous spectral bands.
Abstract: In the numerical solution of the forward dynamics of a
multibody system, the positions and velocities of the bodies in the
system are obtained first. With the information of the system state
variables at each time step, the internal and external forces acting on
the system are obtained by appropriate contact force models if the
continuous contact method is used instead of a discrete contact
method. The local deformation of the bodies in contact, represented
by penetration, is used to compute the contact force. The ability and
suitability with current cylindrical contact force models to describe
the contact between bodies with cylindrical geometries with
particular focus on internal contacting geometries involving low
clearances and high loads simultaneously is discussed in this paper.
A comparative assessment of the performance of each model under
analysis for different contact conditions, in particular for very
different penetration and clearance values, is presented. It is
demonstrated that some models represent a rough approximation to
describe the conformal contact between cylindrical geometries
because contact forces are underestimated.
Abstract: This paper proposes a methodology for analysis of
the dynamic behavior of a robotic manipulator in continuous
time. Initially this system (nonlinear system) will be decomposed
into linear submodels and analyzed in the context of the Linear
and Parameter Varying (LPV) Systems. The obtained linear
submodels, which represent the local dynamic behavior of the
robotic manipulator in some operating points were grouped in
a Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy structure. The obtained fuzzy model was
analyzed and validated through analog simulation, as universal
approximator of the robotic manipulator.
Abstract: Multimedia distributed systems deal with heterogeneous
data, such as texts, images, graphics, video and audio. The specification
of temporal relations among different data types and distributed
sources is an open research area. This paper proposes a fully
distributed synchronization model to be used in multimedia systems.
One original aspect of the model is that it avoids the use of a common
reference (e.g. wall clock and shared memory). To achieve this, all
possible multimedia temporal relations are specified according to
their causal dependencies.
Abstract: Total liquid ventilation can support gas exchange in animal models of lung injury. Clinical application awaits further technical improvements and performance verification. Our aim was to develop a liquid ventilator, able to deliver accurate tidal volumes, and a computerized system for measuring lung mechanics. The computer-assisted, piston-driven respirator controlled ventilatory parameters that were displayed and modified on a real-time basis. Pressure and temperature transducers along with a lineal displacement controller provided the necessary signals to calculate lung mechanics. Ten newborn lambs (
Abstract: Semantic Web services will enable the semiautomatic
and automatic annotation, advertisement, discovery,
selection, composition, and execution of inter-organization business
logic, making the Internet become a common global platform where
organizations and individuals communicate with each other to carry
out various commercial activities and to provide value-added
services. There is a growing consensus that Web services alone will
not be sufficient to develop valuable solutions due the degree of
heterogeneity, autonomy, and distribution of the Web. This paper
deals with two of the hottest R&D and technology areas currently
associated with the Web – Web services and the Semantic Web. It
presents the synergies that can be created between Web Services and
Semantic Web technologies to provide a new generation of eservices.
Abstract: The Portuguese Constitution, in article 22, instituted
the general principle of tort liability of the State and other public law
entities.
Consequently, ordinary legislation established the tort liability of
the State into the Portuguese Legal Order, by means of Decree-Law
48051, of 1967.
This decree, which was criticised extensively, was amended by
virtue of Law 67/2007, of 31st December, establishing the regime for
tort liability arising from losses caused by third parties, due to the
acts of public management in relation to all the functions of the State,
i.e. i) administrative, ii) legislative, and iii) jurisdictional.
Abstract: Planning the transition period for the adoption of
alternative fuel-technology powertrains is a challenging task that
requires sophisticated analysis tools. In this study, a system dynamic
approach was applied to analyze the bi-directional interaction
between the development of the refueling station network and vehicle
sales. Besides, the developed model was used to estimate the
transition cost to reach a predefined target (share of alternative fuel
vehicles) in different scenarios. Several scenarios have been analyzed
to investigate the effectiveness and cost of incentives on the initial
price of vehicles, and on the evolution of fuel and refueling stations.
Obtained results show that a combined set of incentives will be more
effective than just a single specific type of incentives.