Fast left ventricle tracking in CMR images using localized anatomical affine optical flow

In daily cardiology practice, assessment of left ventricular (LV) global function using non-invasive imaging remains central for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with cardiovascular diseases. Despite the different methodologies currently accessible for LV segmentation in cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) images, a fast and complete LV delineation is still limitedly available for routine use. In this study, a localized anatomically constrained affine optical flow method is proposed for fast and automatic LV tracking throughout the full cardiac cycle in short-axis CMR images. Starting from an automatically delineated LV in the end-diastolic frame, the endocardial and epicardial boundaries are propagated by estimating the motion between adjacent cardiac phases using optical flow. In order to reduce the computational burden, the motion is only estimated in an anatomical region of interest around the tracked boundaries and subsequently integrated into a local affine motion model. Such localized estimation enables to capture complex motion patterns, while still being spatially consistent. The method was validated on 45 CMR datasets taken from the 2009 MICCAI LV segmentation challenge. The proposed approach proved to be robust and efficient, with an average distance error of 2.1 mm and a correlation with reference ejection fraction of 0.98 (1.9 ± 4.5%). Moreover, it showed to be fast, taking 5 seconds for the tracking of a full 4D dataset (30 ms per image). Overall, a novel fast, robust and accurate LV tracking methodology was proposed, enabling accurate assessment of relevant global function cardiac indices, such as volumes and ejection fraction.

Direct Power Control of Matrix Converter Based Unified Power Flow Controllers

This paper presents the Direct Power Control of Three-Phase Matrix Converters (DPC-MC) operating as Unified Power Flow Controllers (UPFC). Since matrix converters allow direct AC/AC power conversion without intermediate energy storage link, the resulting UPFC has reduced volume and cost, together with higher reliability. Theoretical principles of DPC-MC method are established based on an UPFC model, together with a new direct power control approach based on sliding mode control techniques. As a result, active and reactive power can be directly controlled by selection of an appropriate switching state of matrix converter. This new direct power control approach associated to matrix converters technology guarantees decoupled active and reactive power control, zero error tracking, fast response times and timely control actions. Simulation results show good performance of the proposed system.

Scaling of the elastic contribution to the surface free energy of a nematic liquid crystal on a sawtoothed substrate

We characterize the elastic contribution to the surface free energy of a nematic liquid crystal in the presence of a sawtooth substrate. Our findings are based on numerical minimization of the Landau-de Gennes model and analytical calculations on the Frank-Oseen theory. The nucleation of disclination lines (characterized by non-half-integer winding numbers) in the wedges and apexes of the substrate induces a leading order proportional to q ln q to the elastic contribution to the surface free-energy density, with q being the wave number associated with the substrate periodicity.

Magma flow, exsolution processes and rock metasomatism in the Great Messejana-Plasencia dyke (Iberian Peninsula)

Magma flow in dykes is still not well understood; some reported magnetic fabrics are contradictory and the potential effects of exsolution and metasomatism processes on the magnetic properties are issues open to debate. Therefore, a long dyke made of segments with different thickness, which record distinct degrees of metasomatism, the Messejana-Plasencia dyke (MPD), was studied. Oriented dolerite samples were collected along several cross-sections and characterized by means of microscopy and magnetic analyses. The results obtained show that the effects of metasomatism on rock mineralogy are important, and that the metasomatic processes can greatly influence anisotropy degree and mean susceptibility only when rocks are strongly affected by metasomatism. Petrography, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and bulk magnetic analyses show a high-temperature oxidation-exsolution event, experienced by the very early Ti-spinels, during the early stages of magma cooling, which was mostly observed in central domains of the thick dyke segments. Exsolution reduced the grain size of the magnetic carrier (multidomain to single domain transformation), thus producing composite fabrics involving inverse fabrics. These are likely responsible for a significant number of the 'abnormal' fabrics, which make the interpretation of magma flow much more complex. By choosing to use only the 'normal' fabric for magma flow determination, we have reduced by 50 per cent the number of relevant sites. In these sites, the imbrication angle of the magnetic foliation relative to dyke wall strongly suggests flow with end-members indicating vertical-dominated flow (seven sites) and horizontal-dominated flow (three sites).

Thick dyke emplacement and internal flow: A structural and magnetic fabric study of the deep-seated dolerite dyke of Foum Zguid (southern Morocco)

Knowledge on forced magma injection and magma flow in dykes is crucial for the understanding of how magmas migrate through the crust to the Earth's surface. Because many questions still persist, we used the long, thick, and deep-seated Foum Zguid dyke (Morocco) to investigate dyke emplacement and internal flow by means of magnetic methods, structural analysis, petrography, and scanning electron microscopy. We also investigated how the host rocks accommodated the intrusion. Regarding internal flow: 1. Important variations of the rock magnetic properties and magnetic fabric occur with distance from dyke wall; 2. anisotropy of anhysteretic remanent magnetization reveals that anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) results mainly from the superposition of subfabrics with distinct coercivities and that the imbrication between magnetic foliation and dyke plane is more reliable to deduce flow than the orientation of the AMS maximum principal axis; and 3. a dominant upward flow near the margins can be inferred. The magnetic fabric closest to the dyke wall likely records magma flow best due to fast cooling, whereas in the core the magnetic properties have been affected by high-temperature exsolution and metasomatic effects due to slow cooling. Regarding dyke emplacement, this study shows that the thick forceful intrusion induced deformation by homogeneous flattening and/or folding of the host sedimentary strata. Dewatering related to heat, as recorded by thick quartz veins bordering the dyke in some localities, may have also helped accommodating dyke intrusion. The spatial arrangement of quartz veins and their geometrical relationship with the dyke indicate a preintrusive to synintrusive sinistral component of strike slip.

Constructing good deals in discrete time arbitrage-free dynamic pricing models

Recent literature has proved that many classical pricing models (Black and Scholes, Heston, etc.) and risk measures (V aR, CV aR, etc.) may lead to “pathological meaningless situations”, since traders can build sequences of portfolios whose risk leveltends to −infinity and whose expected return tends to +infinity, i.e., (risk = −infinity, return = +infinity). Such a sequence of strategies may be called “good deal”. This paper focuses on the risk measures V aR and CV aR and analyzes this caveat in a discrete time complete pricing model. Under quite general conditions the explicit expression of a good deal is given, and its sensitivity with respect to some possible measurement errors is provided too. We point out that a critical property is the absence of short sales. In such a case we first construct a “shadow riskless asset” (SRA) without short sales and then the good deal is given by borrowing more and more money so as to invest in the SRA. It is also shown that the SRA is interested by itself, even if there are short selling restrictions.

As variáveis condicionantes da previsão do cash flow operacional aplicado às Empresas Portuguesas de vestuário e calçado

O presente artigo tem por finalidade analisar os factores condicionantes da previsão do cash flow proveniente da actividade operacional, através do desenvolvimento de um modelo econométrico que foi estimado com base numa amostra seccional relativa ao ano de 2000 e constituída por 395 empresas portuguesas dos sectores do vestuário e calçado. O modelo foi estimado através do método de mínimos quadrados ordinário (MQO) com a correcção de White e, os resultados obtidos mostraram que o cash flow futuro é explicado pelas variáveis explicativas; recursos gerados na actividade operacional, dívidas de e a terceiros provenientes da actividade operacional e uma variável dummy que diferencia as empresas pelos dois sectores de actividade, todas desfasadas de um período (ano).

Effect of the number of shells on the pressure and energy of two-dimensional free bubble clusters

We have performed Surface Evolver simulations of two-dimensional hexagonal bubble clusters consisting of a central bubble of area lambda surrounded by s shells or layers of bubbles of unit area. Clusters of up to twenty layers have been simulated, with lambda varying between 0.01 and 100. In monodisperse clusters (i.e., for lambda = 1) [M.A. Fortes, F Morgan, M. Fatima Vaz, Philos. Mag. Lett. 87 (2007) 561] both the average pressure of the entire Cluster and the pressure in the central bubble are decreasing functions of s and approach 0.9306 for very large s, which is the pressure in a bubble of an infinite monodisperse honeycomb foam. Here we address the effect of changing the central bubble area lambda. For small lambda the pressure in the central bubble and the average pressure were both found to decrease with s, as in monodisperse clusters. However, for large,, the pressure in the central bubble and the average pressure increase with s. The average pressure of large clusters was found to be independent of lambda and to approach 0.9306 asymptotically. We have also determined the cluster surface energies given by the equation of equilibrium for the total energy in terms of the area and the pressure in each bubble. When the pressures in the bubbles are not available, an approximate equation derived by Vaz et al. [M. Fatima Vaz, M.A. Fortes, F. Graner, Philos. Mag. Lett. 82 (2002) 575] was shown to provide good estimations for the cluster energy provided the bubble area distribution is narrow. This approach does not take cluster topology into account. Using this approximate equation, we find a good correlation between Surface Evolver Simulations and the estimated Values of energies and pressures. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experiencing flow while teaching and learning in individual tuition settings

Conferência anual da ISME

Otimização de um sistema de "Free-Cooling" de uma instalação de climatização: incluindo a definição de um algoritmo de controlo de funcionamento

A utilização de equipamentos de climatização é cada vez mais frequente, e surgem novas tecnologias para aumentar a eficiência do processo, e neste caso, a opção da instalação de um sistema de Unidade de Tratamento de Ar com Economizador é a fundamental temática deste trabalho de dissertação. O “Free-Cooling” baseia-se na utilização total ou parcial do ar exterior para proceder à climatização de um espaço, quando se verificam as condições ótimas para o processo, e quando o sistema apresenta um controlador que permita gerir a abertura dos registos face à temperatura exterior e interior medida. A análise das condições exteriores e interiores é fundamental para dimensionar um Economizador. É necessário determinar o tipo de clima do local para fazer a seleção do tipo de controlo do processo, e recolher também, o perfil de temperaturas exterior para justificar a utilização de “Free-Cooling” no local. A determinação das condições interiores como a quantificação da utilização da iluminação, ocupação e equipamentos, é necessária para determinar a potência das baterias de arrefecimento ou aquecimento, e no caso de ser utilizado “Free-Cooling”, determinar o caudal de ar exterior a insuflar. O balanço térmico das instalações explicita todas as cargas influentes no edifício, e permite quantificar a potência necessária para climatização. Depois, adicionando o Economizador no sistema e comparando os dois sistemas, verifica-se a redução dos custos de utilização da bateria de arrefecimento. O desenvolvimento de um algoritmo de controlo é fundamental para garantir a eficiência do Economizador, onde o controlo dos registos de admissão e retorno de ar é obrigatoriamente relacionado com a leitura dos sensores de temperatura exterior e interior. A quantidade de ar novo insuflado no espaço depende, por fim, da relação entre a carga sensível do local e a diferença de temperatura lida entre os dois sensores.

Matrix Converter-Based Unified Power-Flow Controllers: Advanced Direct Power Control Method

This paper presents a direct power control (DPC) for three-phase matrix converters operating as unified power flow controllers (UPFCs). Matrix converters (MCs) allow the direct ac/ac power conversion without dc energy storage links; therefore, the MC-based UPFC (MC-UPFC) has reduced volume and cost, reduced capacitor power losses, together with higher reliability. Theoretical principles of direct power control (DPC) based on sliding mode control techniques are established for an MC-UPFC dynamic model including the input filter. As a result, line active and reactive power, together with ac supply reactive power, can be directly controlled by selecting an appropriate matrix converter switching state guaranteeing good steady-state and dynamic responses. Experimental results of DPC controllers for MC-UPFC show decoupled active and reactive power control, zero steady-state tracking error, and fast response times. Compared to an MC-UPFC using active and reactive power linear controllers based on a modified Venturini high-frequency PWM modulator, the experimental results of the advanced DPC-MC guarantee faster responses without overshoot and no steady-state error, presenting no cross-coupling in dynamic and steady-state responses.

Study on the glycerolysis reaction of high free fatty acid oils for use as biodiesel feedstock

Biodiesel is the main alternative to fossil diesel and it may be produced from different feedstocks such as semi-refined vegetable oils, waste frying oils or animal fats. However, these feedstocks usually contain significant amounts of free fatty acids (FFA) that make them inadequate for the direct base catalyzed transesterification reaction (where the FFA content should be lower than 4%). The present work describes a possible method for the pre-treatment of oils with a high content of FFA (20 to 50%) by esterification with glycerol. In order to reduce the FFA content, the reaction between these FFA and an esterification agent is carried out before the transesterification reaction. The reaction kinetics was studied in terms of its main factors such astemperature, % of glycerin excess, % of catalyst used, stirring velocity and type of catalyst used. The results showed that glycerolysis is a promising pretreatment to acidic oils or fats (> 20%) as they led to the production of an intermediary material with a low content of FFA that can be used directly in thetransesterification reaction for the production of biodiesel. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.