Sharif Digital Repository

Design and development of fault diagnosis schemes (FDS) for electric power distribution systems are major steps in realizing the self-healing function of a smart distribution grid. The application of the FDS in the electric power distribution systems is mainly aimed at precise detecting and locating of the deteriorated components, thereby enhancing the quality and reliability of the electric power delivered to the customers. The impacts of two types of the FDS on distribution system reliability are compared and presented in this paper. The first type is a representative of the FDS which diagnoses the deteriorated components after their failing. However, the second type is a representative of... 

Design and development of fault diagnosis schemes (FDS) for electric power distribution systems are major steps in realizing the self-healing function of a smart distribution grid. The application of the FDS in the electric power distribution systems is mainly aimed at precise detecting and locating of the deteriorated components, thereby enhancing the quality and reliability of the electric power delivered to the customers. The impacts of two types of the FDS on distribution system reliability are compared and presented in this paper. The first type is a representative of the FDS which diagnoses the deteriorated components after their failing. However, the second type is a representative of... 

A fully electrically tunable microwave photonic filter is realized by the implementation of delay lines based on frequency-Time conversion. The frequency response and free spectral range (FSR) of the filter can be engineered by a simple electrical tuning of the delay lines. The method has the capability of being integrated on a silicon photonic platform. In the experiment, a 2-Tap tunable microwave photonic filter with a 3-dB bandwidth of 2.55 GHz, a FSR of 4.016 GHz, a FSR maximum tuning range from -354 MHz to 354 MHz and a full FSR translation range is achieved  

We show that, in a nonlinear centrally coupled circular array of evanescently coupled fibers, the coupling dynamics of a weak signal beam can be efficiently influenced by a high-power control beam that induces nonlinear defects. When the intense control beam is launched into the central core and one core in the periphery, then localized solitons are formed and cause the fibers with induced defects (defected fibers) to decouple from the other array elements. In the presence of a high-intensity control beam, the propagation of weak signal is restricted to the defected optical fibers. The weak signal periodically couples between the induced defects. This oscillatory behavior depends on the sign... 

Symmetric T junctions have been used widely in microfluidics to generate equal-sized microdroplets, which are applicable in drug delivery systems. A newly proposed method for generating unequal-sized microdroplets at a T junction is investigated theoretically and experimentally. Asymmetric T junctions with branches of identical lengths and different cross sections are utilized for this aim. An equation for the critical breakup of droplets at asymmetric T junctions and one for determining the breakup point of droplets are developed. A good agreement was observed between the theories (present and previous) and the experiments  

In this paper we present experimental results describing electrical readout of the mechanical vibratory response of graphene-doped fibers by employing electrical actuation. For a fiber resonator with an approximate radius of 850 nm and length of 100 m, we observed a resonance frequency around 580 kHz with a quality factor (Q) of about 2511 in air at ambient conditions. Through the use of finite element simulations, we show that the reported frequency of resonance is relevant. We also show that the resonance frequency of the fiber resonators decreases as the bias potential is increased due to the electrostatic spring-softening effect  

Background: Secure grasping and effective manipulation of delicate large organs during robotic surgery operations needs especially designed instruments that can enclose a large amount of tissue and feed back the pinch forces. Methods: A large organ triple-jaw grasper was instrumented using practical force sensory and actuating systems. A force tracking scheme was proposed to facilitate auto-grasping of large organs during robotic teleoperation surgery. An on-site force commanding/reflecting mechanism was also implemented to use the device as an independent hand-held robotic instrument. The efficacy of the robotic grasper was examined in phantom tests. Results: The instrument grasped large... 

In this work, the 3D proton dose profile is calculated in a homogenous water phantom using a Monte Carlo application developed with the Geant4 toolkit. The effect of the ridge filter material (for SOBP widths of 6, 9 and 12 cm) on the homogeneity of the dose distribution, secondary neutron production and beam efficiency are investigated in a single ring wobbling irradiation system. The energy spectrum of secondary neutrons per primary proton at various locations around the phantom surface is calculated. The simulation revealed that most of the produced neutrons are released at slight angles which enable them to reach the patient and consequently to be hazardous. Also, the homogeneity of the... 

The aim of this study was to develop a more sophisticated model of the spleen tissue and investigate its interactions with a three-fingered laparoscopic grasper. The spleen tissue, modeled as a hyper viscoelastic material, was subjected to external loadings, imposed by rigid grasping jaws. The tissue deformation as well as the sliding occurrence between tissue and jaws was investigated using nonlinear finite element method. Results indicated that a grasping configuration which aimed a sufficiently large piece of spleen with small radius of curvature was more successful for effective grasping. The trends and magnitudes of the tooltissue interaction forces obtained during effective and... 

Field-effect transistors have been widely used to study electronic transport and doping in colloidal quantum dot solids to great effect. However, the full power of these devices to elucidate the electronic structure of materials has yet to be harnessed. Here, we deploy nanodielectric field-effect transistors to map the energy landscape within the band gap of a colloidal quantum dot solid. We exploit the self-limiting nature of the potentiostatic anodization growth mode to produce the thinnest usable gate dielectric, subject to our voltage breakdown requirements defined by the Fermi sweep range of interest. Lead sulfide colloidal quantum dots are applied as the active region and are treated... 

Nanoparticulated TiO 2 fibers as one-dimensional long structures were introduced into TiO 2 P25 nanoparticle films using coelectrophoretic deposition. This prevented the usual crack formation occurring in wet coatings, and resulted in less porosity and higher roughness factor of the films that provided more favorable conditions for electron transport. The films used as the photoanode of a dye solar cell (DSC) produced 65% higher photovoltaic efficiency. TiO 2 fibers can be excellent binders in single-step, organic-free electrophoretic deposition of TiO 2 for DSC photoanode  

Background and aims of the study: Mechanical heart valves (MHV) are widely used to replace dysfunctional and failed heart valves. The bileaflet MHV design is very popular due to its superior hemodynamics. Since their introduction in 1977, the hemodynamics of bileaflet prostheses has been extensively studied. In this study the dynamic behaviour during the closing phase of a bileaflet MHV under normal physiological conditions has been investigated. Methods: Fluid analysis is based on the control volume with moving boundaries in the vicinity of the occluder. Unsteady continuity equation, unsteady momentum equation on the control volume and unsteady Bernoulli's equation have been used to... 

The aim of this study was to use finite element analysis (FEA) to assess the influence of microthread design at the implant neck on stress distribution in the surrounding bone. A commercially available implant with 3.5 mm diameter and 10.5 mm length was selected and used as a model. For the purpose of designing the microthread implant model, microthreads were added to the implant neck in a computerized model. A force measuring 100 N was then applied to the entire surface of the abutment in the vertical direction. The results showed that in both models, stress was mainly concentrated at the cortical bone adjacent to the neck of the implant. Maximum stress values in the cortical bone... 

Paraplegic users of mechanical walking orthoses, e.g. advanced reciprocating gait orthosis (ARGO), often face high energy expenditure and extreme upper body loading during locomotion. We studied the effect of kinematical pattern on the mechanical performance of paraplegic locomotion, in search for an improved gait pattern that leads to lower muscular efforts. A three-dimensional, four segment, six-degrees-of-freedom skeletal model of the advanced reciprocating gait orthosis-assisted paraplegic locomotion was developed based on the data acquired from an experimental study on a single subject. The effect of muscles was represented by ideal joint torque generators. A response surface analysis... 

Nanostructured TiO2 hollow fibers have been prepared using natural cellulose fibers as a template. This cheap and easily processed material was used to produce highly porous photoanodes incorporated in dye-sensitized solar cells and exhibited remarkably enhanced electron transport properties compared to mesoscopic films made of spherical nanoparticles. Photoinjected electron lifetime, in particular, was multiplied by 3-4 in the fiber morphology, while the electron transport rate within the fibrous photoanaode was doubled. A nearly quantitative absorbed photon-to-electrical current conversion yield exceeding 95% was achieved upon excitation at 550 nm and a photovoltaic power conversion... 

Goal: Continuous blood pressure (BP) monitoring can provide invaluable information about individuals' health conditions. However, BP is conventionally measured using inconvenient cuff-based instruments, which prevents continuous BP monitoring. This paper presents an efficient algorithm, based on the pulse arrival time (PAT), for the continuous and cuffless estimation of the systolic BP, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) values. Methods: The proposed framework estimates the BP values through processing vital signals and extracting two types of features, which are based on either physiological parameters or whole-based representation of vital signals. Finally,... 

A sensitive glutamate biosensor is prepared based on glutamate dehydrogenase/vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (GLDH, VACNTs). Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes were grown on a silicon substrate by direct current plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (DC-PECVD) method. The electrochemical behavior of the synthesized VACNTs was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic methods. Glutamate dehydrogenase covalently attached on tip of VACNTs. The electrochemical performance of the electrode for detection of glutamate was investigated by cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry. Differential pulse voltammetric determinations of glutamate are performed... 

Maximal strength measurements of the trunk have been used to evaluate the maximum functional capacity of muscles and the potential mechanical overload or overuse of the lumbar spine tissues in order to estimate the risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries. A new triaxial isometric trunk strength measurement system was designed and developed in the present study, and its reliability and performance was investigated. The system consisted of three main revolute joints, equipped with torque sensors, which intersect at L5-S1 and adjustment facilities to fit the body anthropometry and to accommodate both symmetric and asymmetric postures in both seated and standing positions. The dynamics of... 

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were immobilised with cobalt nanoparticles and analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. This modification procedure substantially improved colloidal dispersion of the immobilised MWCNTs in water and organic solvents, yielding uniform and stable thin films for modification of the glassy carbon electrode surface. The modified electrode showed an efficient catalytic role for the electrochemical oxidation of thioridazine (TR), leading to remarkable decrease in its oxidation overpotential of approximately 100 mV and enhancement of the kinetics of the electrode reaction, which can be confirmed by increasing in the peak current and sharpness of the peak....