University of Akron

About: University of Akron is a education organization based out in Akron, Ohio, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Polymer & Polymerization. The organization has 17401 authors who have published 29127 publications receiving 702386 citations. The organization is also known as: The University of Akron.

PI and fuzzy estimators for tuning the stator resistance in direct torque control of induction machines

Abstract: Direct torque control (DTC) of induction machines uses the stator resistance of the machine for estimation of the stator flux. Variations of stator resistance due to changes in temperature or frequency make the operation of DTC difficult at low speeds. A method for the estimation of changes in stator resistance during the operation of the machine is presented. The estimation method is implemented using proportional-integral (PI) control and fuzzy logic control schemes. The estimators observe the machine stator current vector to detect the changes in stator resistance. The performance of the two methods are compared using simulation and experimental results. Results obtained have shown improvement in DTC at low speeds.

Performance of Full-Duplex AF Relaying in the Presence of Residual Self-Interference

Abstract: This paper investigates the error and diversity performances of full-duplex (FD) amplify-and-forward (AF) singlerelay systems under the effect of residual self-interference. The variance of this interference is assumed to be proportional to the λ-th power of the transmitted power (0 ≤ λ ≤ 1). The study considers the cooperative linear relaying protocol with direct source-destination link and the dual-hop scheme without direct link, both under uncoded and coded frameworks. At first, closed-form pairwise error probability expressions are derived for the uncoded systems, which are then used to obtain tight bounds to the bit error rate (BER) of the coded systems. To shed an insight on the diversity behavior, asymptotic expressions at high transmission powers are also presented. Different from previous works that treat the direct link as interference, this paper shows that FD linear relaying systems with a suitable precoder can attain the same diversity function as their half-duplex (HD) counterparts. However, further analysis shows that HD orthogonal AF using a superposition constellation is asymptotically optimal in terms of maximum coding gain. In addition, it is shown that the diversity of FD dual-hop systems is a decreasing function of λ and is equal to zero when λ = 1. Although HD relaying is asymptotically optimal under the considered protocols and interference model, illustrative results show that FD relaying is advantageous at practical BER levels when λ is sufficiently small.

Chemistry of Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract: Judicious application of site-selective reactions to non-aligned and aligned carbon nanotubes has opened a rich field of carbon nanotube chemistry. In order to meet specific requirements demanded by particular applications (e.g. biocompatibility for nanotube biosensors and interfacial strength for blending with polymers), chemical modification of carbon nanotubes is essential. The tips of carbon nanotubes are more reactive than their sidewalls, allowing a variety of chemical reagents to be attached at the nanotube tips. Recently, some interesting reactions have also been devised for chemical modification of both the inner and outer nanotube walls, though the seamless arrangement of hexagon rings renders the sidewalls relatively unreactive. This review provides a brief summary of very recent progress in the research on chemistry of carbon nanotubes.

A new attempt to reconcile the statistical and phenomenological theories of rubber elasticity

Abstract: The statistical and phenomenological theories of rubber elasticity are reviewed briefly. Combining recent concepts proposed by Yeoh and Gent, a new theory is proposed. The proposed constitutive model for rubber vulcanizates invokes two mechanisms; one influences behavior at small strains while the other dominates behavior at large strains. Network flaws, such as entanglements, are suspected to be responsible for the first mechanism. Finite extensibility of network chains is identified as the cause of the second. Thus, macroscopic behavior is directly linked to molecular concepts. The proposed theory allows prediction of the stress–strain behavior of a family of four rubber vulcanizates in different modes of deformation (simple extension, compression, and simple shear) from regression analysis of tensile data alone from just one member. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 1919–1931, 1997

MicroRNA-378 limits activation of hepatic stellate cells and liver fibrosis by suppressing Gli3 expression

Abstract: Hedgehog (Hh) signalling regulates hepatic fibrogenesis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) mediate various cellular processes; however, their role in liver fibrosis is unclear. Here we investigate regulation of miRNAs in chronically damaged fibrotic liver. MiRNA profiling shows that expression of miR-378 family members (miR-378a-3p, miR-378b and miR-378d) declines in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-treated compared with corn-oil-treated mice. Overexpression of miR-378a-3p, directly targeting Gli3 in activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), reduces expression of Gli3 and profibrotic genes but induces gfap, the inactivation marker of HSCs, in CCl4-treated liver. Smo blocks transcriptional expression of miR-378a-3p by activating the p65 subunit of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). The hepatic level of miR-378a-3p is inversely correlated with the expression of Gli3 in tumour and non-tumour tissues in human hepatocellular carcinoma. Our results demonstrate that miR-378a-3p suppresses activation of HSCs by targeting Gli3 and its expression is regulated by Smo-dependent NF-κB signalling, suggesting miR-378a-3p has therapeutic potential for liver fibrosis.