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Summary This study aims to detect voice disorders related to vocal fold nodule, Reinke’s edema and neurological pathologies through multiband cepstral features of the sustained vowel /a/. Detection is performed between pairs of study groups and multiband analysis is accomplished using the wavelet transform. For each pair of groups, a parameters selection is carried out. Time series of the selected parameters are used as input for four classifiers with leave-one-out cross validation. Classification accuracies of 100% are achieved for all pairs including the control group, surpassing the state-of-art methods based on cepstral features, while accuracies higher than 88.50% are obtained for the pathological pairs. The results indicated that the method may be adequate to assist in the diagnosis of the voice disorders addressed. The results must be updated in the future with a larger population to ensure generalization.

Tow-based discontinuous composites consist of carbon-fibre tows dispersed in a polymeric matrix, resulting in a complex microstructure with inherent 3D features such as tow waviness, non-uniform tow thickness, and fibre content variations; however, most models for these materials are based on 2D formulations, or in very computationally-expensive FE models. This work proposes a computationally-efficient microstructure generator able to recreate the 3D features of tow-based discontinuous composites, coupled with an analytical stiffness model able to quantify the effect of tow waviness on the modulus of these materials, for the first time in the literature. The features of the microstructures generated are validated against 3D measurements obtained through micro-CT scans and optical micrographs. The results of the stiffness model are successfully validated against experimental results from the literature, showing that tow waviness can trigger a knock-down of over 20% on the stiffness of tow-based discontinuous composites. It is also shown that current testing standards can lead to uncertainties over 20% on the measurement of the Young’s modulus of tow-based discontinuous composites, and alternatives to define suitable experimental campaigns are proposed.

O procedimento tradicional de controlo da estabilidade microbiológica no vinho consiste na adição de dióxido de enxofre (SO2), que atua como agente antimicrobiano e também antioxidante. A procura de métodos alternativos de controlo microbiológico é importante e necessária, dado que o dióxido de enxofre é um potencial alérgeno e os consumidores procuram cada vez mais produtos saudáveis e livres de conservantes. A radiação ultravioleta tem sido estudada como uma tecnologia inovadora que pode auxiliar na redução do teor de dioxido de enxofre em enologia. O objectivo deste trabalho foi optimizar as condições do processo, face aos resultados já obtidos anteriormente, e avaliar a eficiência na estabilização microbiologica, e a sua influência nos parâmetros fisico-quimicos, na composição fenólica, e nas caracteristicas sensoriais. Assim, o vinho tinto com teor muito baixo em SO2 foi submetido a radiação UV-C com duas doses diferentes, 424J/L e 778J/L, e procedeu-se ainda à preparação de um controlo, a que foi adicionado 30 mg/L de dióxido de enxofre. Os vinhos (UV0, UV1 e UV2) foram analisados ao longo do tempo (de 0 a 4 meses). Os resultados mostram que o tratamento com menor dose é eficaz no controlo microbiológico do produto. A análise sensorial mostrou que o tratamento com radiação UV-C não afectou o aroma e o sabor dos vinhos, inclusivamente estes vinhos foram mais pontuados no descritor intensidade da cor. The traditional procedure for the control of the microbiological stability of wine consists of the addition of sulfur dioxide (SO2), which acts as an antimicrobial agent and also as an antioxidant. The search for alternative methods of microbiological control is important and necessary, since SO2 is a potential allergen and consumers are increasingly looking for healthier and preservative free products. Ultraviolet radiation was tested as an innovative technology that can help reduce the amount of sulphur dioxide used in winemaking. The object of this study was to optimize the process conditions compared to the results obtained previously, and to evaluate the efficiency of microbiological stabilization and its influence on the physico-chemical characteristics, the phenolic composition and sensory profile. Thus, red wine with very low content of sulphur dioxide was subjected to UV-C radiation in two different doses 424J/l e 778J/l, and the preparation of a control wine was carried out to which 30 mg/l sulfur dioxide was added. The wines (control=UV0, UV1 and UV2) were analyzed over time (from 0 to 4 months). The results show that treatment with a lower dosage is effective in the microbiological control of the product. The wines subjected to treatment with UV-C showed an increase in intensity of colour, and the treatment does not affect the flavour and taste of the wine. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

In this paper, we present a concept of near/off-shore Oscillating Water Column (OWC) Wave Energy Converter (WEC) that is equipped with a Power Take Off (PTO) unit based on Dielectric Elastomer Generators (DEGs). DEGs are soft/deformable generators with variable capacitance able to directly convert the mechanical energy that is employed for their deformation into electrostatic energy. The proposed WEC is based on an existing tubular collector chamber of an OWC system designed by the company Sendekia, that is combined with an Inflatable Circular Diaphragm (ICD) DEG. This simplified design presents a very reduced number of moving parts showing potentially high efficiency, reliability and noise-free operation. A multi-physics dynamic model of the system is built using time domain linear hydrodynamics coupled with an analytical non-linear electro-hyperelastic model for the DEG-based PTO. The power matrix of the system is calculated for both regular and irregular waves. Some design issues are introduced showing that the electro-elastic response of the DEG provides the system with an additional stiffness that adds up to the hydrostatic stiffness and affects the resonance of the WEC. As a consequence, the geometric shape/dimensions of the OWC chamber and the layout of the DEG diaphragm should be chosen using an integrated procedure aimed at tuning the overall response of the WEC to the spectra a reference wave climate.

This paper presents experimental and numerical results for tensile strength of tow based discontinues composite (TBDC) plates manufactured using ultra-thin fibre tapes of high stiffness carbon fibres. Numerical models were used to explore the design space of these materials, in order to identify the optimal tow properties that maximise the strength of TBDCs. The experimental show good agreement with the numerical predictions and demonstrate a significant increase in the tensile strength by reducing the tow thickness and increasing the stiffness of the fibres. Strength increases of up to 100%, compared with a commercially available material system, are found, illustrating the highly promising potential of this type of material.

Conventional randomly-oriented Tow Based Discontinues Composites (TBDCs) are materials which combine good mechanical properties, lightweight and high manufacturability, and are therefore interesting for high-volume transport industries. This paper proposes, designs and successfully demonstrates a pathway to produce TBDCs with outstanding stiffness and tensile strength, by using ultra-thin tapes of (ultra-) high modulus carbon-fibres. Numerical models are used to explore the design space of discontinuous composite materials, in order to identify the optimal microstructural design to maximise stiffness and strength. Selected microstructures are manufactured and tested under tension; the experimental results show good agreement with the numerical predictions, and demonstrate a significant increase in the tensile strength and Young’s modulus of TBDCs by reducing the tow thickness and increasing the modulus of the fibres. Strength and stiffness increases of over 100% compared with the commercially available TBDC systems are achieved, resulting in mechanical properties that match the strength and overcome the stiffness of aerospace-graded continuous-fibre laminates.