International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 20-23, 2003 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / The transmission of high-rate telemetry data for space-based relay systems yields unique system requirements. The NASA Space-based Telemetry and Range-Safety (STARS) study evaluated system design requirements during Phase-1 flight tests. STARS Phase-2 efforts include the development of a high-rate transmitter and antenna system to demonstrate prototype system performance capabilities and new technologies for future operational systems to be incorporated into the NASA Next Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) vehicles. Phase-2 Range User (telemetry) system performance requirements and a prototype implementation approach are presented.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 20-23, 2003 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / The use of remote ground stations for telemetry data-relay in space launch applications is costly and limits the geographic locations for launches of future Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) systems. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Space-based Telemetry and Range-Safety (STARS) Study is investigating the use of satellite data relay systems as a replacement or supplement for ground-based tracking and relay stations. Phase-1 of STARS includes flight testing that evaluates satellite data-relay feasibility, defines satellite system performance limitations, and generates requirements for the development of future satellite telemetry data relay systems. STARS Phase-1 ground-test results and goals for the Phase-2 system development and flight-testing are also presented.

Target of Rapamycin Complex 2 (TORC2) has conserved roles in regulating cytoskeleton dynamics and cell migration and has been linked to cancer metastasis. However, little is known about the mechanisms regulating TORC2 activity and function in any system. In Dictyostelium, TORC2 functions at the front of migrating cells downstream of the Ras protein RasC, controlling F-actin dynamics and cAMP production. Here, we report the identification of the small GTPase Rap1 as a conserved binding partner of the TORC2 component RIP3/SIN1, and that Rap1 positively regulates the RasC-mediated activation of TORC2 in Dictyostelium. Moreover, we show that active RasC binds to the catalytic domain of TOR, suggesting a mechanism of TORC2 activation that is similar to Rheb activation of TOR complex 1. Dual Ras/Rap1 regulation of TORC2 may allow for integration of Ras and Rap1 signaling pathways in directed cell migration.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 17-20, 1994 / Town & Country Hotel and Conference Center, San Diego, California / The area of range telemetry and communications has been under budget constraints and interoperability enhancement requirements for some time. The near-term onslaught of multimedia communications offerings by telephony and communications companies is certain to cause range engineering personnel to conduct extensive research and possibly make numerous decisions on procurements and technologies before standards are finalized. This paper will address a low-risk migration path for range telemetry to the new multimedia communications for ranges based on current capabilities. This migration path has an end goal of positioning the ranges to take advantage of future multimedia communications as they become available, while leveraging off of current products and procurements, without a major investment.

Cette thèse visait à caractériser et à modéliser la dynamique des trois ressources principales que sont l'eau, l'azote et le rayonnement dans une association en relais maïs-plante de couverture en semis direct en région tropicale subhumide et ses conséquences sur la productivité de la culture principale et de l'ensemble du système et sur les flux d'eau et d'azote dans le sol. Le travail repose sur un dispositif expérimental mis en place dans les Cerrados, à Unaí (Minas Géras, Brésil) en 2007 pour deux années agricoles, d'une part en station expérimentale permettant un effort de mesure intense et d'autre part dans un réseau de parcelles d'agriculteurs offrant une large gamme de situations pédoclimatiques et de modalités de mise en œuvre des systèmes de culture étudiés. Dans ces derniers, la culture principale était un maïs, et la plante de couverture associée en relais était une culture fourragère tropicale, soit la légumineuse, Cajanus cajan soit la poacée, Brachiaria ruziziensis. Deux dates de semis, précoce et tardive étaient considérées pour le semis de la plante de couverture au sein du maïs, dans le cas de l'essai en station. Ce travail montre que rendement du maïs n'a pas été significativement affecté par la présence de la plante de couverture semée précocement au sein du maïs, en comparaison avec le rendement du maïs en culture pure. En revanche, la production en biomasse de la plante de couverture a été significativement réduite dans l'association. Le semis précoce de la plante de couverture au sein du maïs permet une production en biomasse significativement plus importante qu'un semis tardif (20 jours après floraison du maïs), et une production totale en biomasse de l'ensemble de l'association significativement plus importante par rapport aux cultures pures. Cette production totale a été plus du double comparée à celle de la culture pure de maïs dans le cas de l'association maïs-Cajanus. Les valeurs du Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) du rendement en grain de maïs et de la production de biomasse ont été supérieures à 1, atteignant jusqu'à 2.03 témoignant d'une meilleure valorisation des ressources par les espèces associées et l'avantage de tels systèmes pour produire à la fois du grain et du fourrage. La thèse montre aussi la forte variabilité du potentiel de production de ces systèmes en parcelles de producteurs et suggère que lorsque les ressources en eau et en azote sont moins disponibles que dans l'essai de station, des compétitions entre maïs et plantes de couverture peuvent réduire les performances agronomiques du maïs et/ou de la plante de couverture comparativement par rapport à la culture pure équivalente. La biomasse totale produite reste cependant supérieure à celle de la culture pure de maïs, sauf pour de rares exceptions où de plus faibles disponibilités en ressources, parfois accentué par des difficultés de gestion technique, le maïs semble souffrir de compétition plus forte et/ou la plante de couverture ne produit que très peu de biomasse. La thèse évalue la capacité d'un modèle de simulation de culture associées, STICS-CA, à fournir une analyse plus fine de la dynamique du partage des ressources dans ces systèmes et à en estimer les performances agronomiques et certains impacts environnementaux en fonction de conditions techniques et édapho-climatiques différentes de celles de notre dispositif. Des modifications mineures et le calage du modèle ont conduit à une simulation satisfaisante des cultures pures de maïs et Brachiaria et de l'association maïs-Brachiaria en semis direct sur mulch pailleux. En revanche il n'a pas été possible d'obtenir une simulation satisfaisante du maïs en semis conventionnel sur sol labouré, ni du Cajanus en culture pure et de l'association maïs-Cajanus en semis direct. . La thèse fournit des informations sur les imperfections du modèle et propose des améliorations aussi bien en termes de formalismes pour la prise en compte de la minéralisation du mulch, qu'en termes de dispo exp / This thesis dealt with characterizing and modeling the dynamics of the three principal resources which are water, nitrogen and radiation in a no-tillage relay intercropping maize-cover crop systems, under sub-humid tropical area climate. Moreover, productivity of the main crop and of the whole system and nitrogen and water flows in the soil are assessed.The study was based on an on-field approach/experimental design carried out during two crop growing seasons in Cerrados region, in Unaí (Minas Géras, Brazil) since 2007. Firstly, an experimental station was used allowing an intense effort of measurement and secondly, a whole of several farmer's fields offering a wide range of soil and climate conditions and modalities of implementation of the studied cropping systems. In the latter, main crop was maize, and intercropped cover crop was a tropical fodder crop, either leguminous, Cajanus cajan or gramineous, Brachiaria ruziziensis. Two dates of sowing, early and late were considered for the sowing of the cover crop in established maize, in the case of the experimental station. This study showed that maize yield was not significantly affected by the presence of the relay cover crops in comparison with maize as the sole crop, even when the cover crop was sown soon after maize emergence in comparison with maize sole crop. In contrast, the production of biomass by the cover crop was significantly lower when grown with maize than when it was grown as a sole crop. In the intercropped systems, when sown early, the cover crop produced higher total biomass than when sown late (20 days after maize flowering). Moreover, total aboveground biomass production of maize intercropped with a cover crop was much higher than that of any of the crops sown alone. Total biomass produced by maize and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) was more than double that maize grown alone. The Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) values of both maize grain yield and biomass production were higher than one, whatever the intercrop system, reaching up to 2.03 providing better available resources use efficiency by the intercropped plants. Thus, such systems permit to produce both maize grains and forage.The thesis shows also the strong variability of the production potential of these systems in farmer's fields and suggests that when water and nitrogen resources are less available than in the experimental station, competitions between maize and cover crops can reduce the agronomic performances of maize and/or the cover crop when compared to the equivalent pure sole crop. Total biomass produced by intercropping remained however higher than that of maize sole crop, except for rare exceptions where lower resources availability, sometimes accentuated by difficulties of technical practice, maize seems to suffer from stronger competition and/or the cover crop produced only very little biomass. The thesis evaluates the capacity of the STICS intercrop model, STICS-CA, to provide a finer analysis of the dynamics of the resource sharing in these systems and to estimate their agronomic performances and certain environmental impacts according to technical practices and soil and climate conditions that were different from those of our experimental station. Minor modifications and model calibration led to obtain satisfying simulations of the sole crops maize and Brachiaria and intercrop maize-Brachiaria in no-tillage under mulch. On the other hand, it was not possible to obtain satisfying simulations of sole crop maize in conventional tillage, nor of sole crop pigeon pea and intercrop maize-pigeon pea in no-tillage under mulch. The thesis provides information on the model imperfections and as well proposes improvements in terms of formalisms to take into account the mineralization of the mulch, as in terms of experimental design.

Cooperative communications by pooling available resources—for example, power and bandwidth—across the network, is a distributed solution for providing robust wireless transmission. Motivated by contemporary applications in multi-hop transmission and ad hoc networks, the classical three-node relay channel (RC) consisting of a source–destination pair and a relay node has received a renewed attention. One of the crucial aspects of the communication over relay networks (RNs) is the design of proper relaying protocols; that is, how the relay should take part in the transmission to meet a certain quality of service. In this dissertation, we address the design of reliable transmission strategies and quantification of the associated transmission rates over RNs. We consider three canonical examples of RNs: the classical RC, the multiple-access RC (MARC) and the two-way RC.We also investigate the three-node RC and MARC with state. The capacity of the aforementioned RNs is an open problem in general except for some special cases. In the thesis, we derive various capacity bounds, through which we also identify the capacity of some new classes of RNs. In particular, we introduce the class of state-decoupled RNs and prove that the noisy network coding is capacity achieving under certain conditions. In the thesis, we also study the effect of the memory length on the capacity of RNs. The investigated relaying protocols in the thesis can be categorized into two groups: protocols with a finite relay memory and those with infinite relay memory requirement. In particular, we consider the design of instantaneous relaying (also referred to as memoryless relaying) in which the output of the relay depends solely on the presently received signal at the relay. For optimizing the relay function, we present several algorithms constructed based on grid search and variational methods. Among other things, we surprisingly identify some classes of semi-deterministic RNs for which a properly constructed instantaneous relaying strategy achieves the capacity. We also show that the capacity of RNs can be increased by allowing the output of the relay to depend on the past received signals as well the current received signal at the relay. As an example, we propose a hybrid digital–analog scheme that outperforms the cutset upper bound for strictly causal relaying. / <p>QC 20110909</p>

Este trabalho apresenta uma estratégia para realizar o controle de tensão em um sistema de distribuição de energia elétrica dotado de comutadores de tap sob carga. Será investigada a aplicação de sistemas inteligentes para tornar os relés reguladores de tensão mais flexíveis. A inserção de módulos inteligentes em relés reguladores de tensão convencionais irá permitir um melhor aproveitamento das funcionalidades já existentes destes dispositivos. Ainda como foco do estudo, pretende-se atuar apenas na subestação de distribuição, realizando medições no barramento secundário e tomando medidas de controle também neste barramento. A capacidade dos sistemas fuzzy em tratar informações incertas, bem como sua potencial aplicabilidade em problemas tendo comportamentos não previsíveis, permitiram a criação de uma estratégia de controle de tensão que atende todas as regulamentações dos órgãos fiscalizadores e, também, os anseios das concessionárias de distribuição de energia elétrica devido aos resultados promissores obtidos em simulação com dados reais das subestações. / This work presents an approach to voltage control in power distribution systems with load tap changers. Intelligent approaches are studied and applied in voltage regulator relay in order to improve the voltage profiles of the system. The proposal of this work is the addition of fuzzy modules in the conventional voltage regulator relays, which allows the exploration of the main functionalities already implemented in such devices. The adaptive fuzzy voltage regulator relay controls the voltage in the distribution substation, monitoring electrical variables and performing the regulation on secondary bus based on the results provided by the fuzzy modules, which are capable to take into account the voltage profile standards for distribution systems as well as operational interests defined by electrical distribution companies. Simulation results using real data from substations are presented to validate the proposed approach.

O trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar e propor a utilização de soluções tecnológicas que permitam a redução dos riscos causados por arcos elétricos nas instalações de uma unidade industrial com sistema isolado de geração elétrica. Por ser extremamente danosa à segurança das pessoas que interagem com uma instalação elétrica e por causar danos significativos aos equipamentos e instalações, a energia incidente, proveniente de um arco elétrico, deve ser mensurada em conformidade com as normas existentes e os riscos devem ser controlados e mitigados, de maneira a não comprometer a integridade física das pessoas e das instalações. Dessa forma, o presente trabalho propõe alterações no sistema de proteção e a inserção de dispositivos dedicados à identificação de arcos elétricos no interior de painéis da unidade em questão, contribuindo significativamente para a redução da energia incidente liberada na ocorrência de um arco elétrico. Essa redução da energia incidente é conseguida devido à redução do tempo para eliminação da falta, necessitando, dessa forma, de dispositivos e relés de proteção voltados exclusivamente para a proteção contra arco elétrico. / This dissertation aims to evaluate and propose the use of technological solutions that enable the reduction of risks caused by arc flash on the premises of an industrial unit with insulated system of electricity generation. It may be extremely damaging to the safety of people who interact with electrical installations and could cause significant damage to the equipment and facilities, the incident energy from an arc flash should be measured in accordance with existing standards, their risks must be controlled and attenuated, in order not to compromise the physical integrity of people and facilities. That way, this paper proposes changes into the system of protection and the insertion of devices dedicated to the identification of arc flashes inside panels of the unit concerned, contributing significantly to the reduction of incident energy released in the event of an arc flash. This reduction is obtained by lowering the time for the elimination of absence, requiring, therefore, devices and protective relays devoted exclusively to protect against electric arc.

Neste trabalho, será abordada a proteção digital fundamentada na teoria de ondas viajantes e da ferramenta Transformada Wavelet. Um algoritmo completo para proteção digital foi implementado, consistindo basicamente nos módulos de detecção, classificação e localização da falta, com a conseqüente determinação das zonas de proteção do relé. Para este esquema completo de releamento, empregou-se como ferramenta de análise a Transformada Wavelet. Sinais transitórios de alta freqüência gerados por uma situação de falta podem ser analisados pela Transformada Wavelet, detectando-se com precisão o instante de chegada das ondas em um ou nos dois terminais da linha. Conhecendo o instante de chegada dessas ondas e sua velocidade de propagação, a zona de proteção na qual a falta está alocada pode ser estimada de maneira fácil e rápida. A capacidade de acusar com precisão os instantes de chegada das ondas torna a Transformada Wavelet adequada ao problema de determinação das zonas de proteção. Nessa implementação, o usuário pode escolher entre as técnicas de aquisição de dados provenientes de um ou de dois terminais. O algoritmo foi implementado através do software Matlabâ e posteriormente testado, quando se utilizaram dados de faltas obtidos através de simulações no software ATP (Alternative Transients Program). Nas simulações aplicadas a este software, considerou-se um sistema de transmissão de 440 kV. As simulações produziram uma base de dados, variando-se os seguintes parâmetros: tipos de faltas, localizações ao longo da linha, ângulos de incidência, resistências de faltas, entre outros. Pelos resultados alcançados, pode-se afirmar que a aplicação é bastante adequada para uso em relés digitais de distância. / The present work deals with digital protection based on the traveling wave theory and Wavelet transform. An complete algorithm for digital protection was implemented. It is composed of modules of fault detection, classification, location, with protection zone determination. For this complete relaying scheme the Wavelet transform was employed as analysis tool. Transient signals of high frequency generated by the fault occurrence was analyzed by the Wavelet transform, and also the instant of the waves arrival was accurately detected in one or two terminals of the line. By knowing the instant of the arrival of the waves and their propagation velocity, the protection zone, in which the fault is located, can be estimated easily and quickly. The Wavelet transform property of accurate detection the instant of waves arrival make it appropriate to the problem of protection zone determination. In this implementation, the user can choose between the location techniques using data from one or two terminals. The algorithm was implemented by Matlab® software and then tested utilizing data of faults obtained by means of simulations of ATP software (Alternative Transients Program). In these simulations, a transmission line of 440 kV was considered. These simulations produced a database composed of various fault types considering different fault locations, fault inception angles and fault resistances. According to the analysis of the test results, it is possible to verify that the application is very adequate for use in digital distance relays.

O objetivo do desenvolvimento deste trabalho é tecer uma análise da viabilidade técnica - econômica da modernização do sistema de Proteção da Distribuição, comparando a utilização dos relés digitais aos quais foram incorporadas novas funções, em relação aos relés eletromecânicos e estáticos. As informações apresentadas nesse trabalho mostram que os relés digitais oferecem uma significante economia quanto ao custo de aquisição e implantação, no desenvolvimento dos projetos de aplicação e na manutenção destes equipamentos após instalados em campo. Os relés eletromecânicos tem sido largamente utilizados nos esquemas de proteção de consumidores industriais e residencias de grande porte e nos sistemas de proteção das companhias de eletricidade. Devido a quantidade de peças móveis e freqüentes re-ajustes que estes tipos de equipamentos necessitam, os mesmos demandam muitas horas dispendidas pelo pessoal de calibração e manutenção das empresas de eletricidade. A realização de Estudos de Proteção, com a parametrização destes relés muitas vezes torna-se inviável, sob o ponto de vista de sensibilidade e da coordenação das proteções, devido ao fato de que estes equipamentos possuem ajustes limitados tanto de valores de corrente de partida como na seleção de curvas tempo x corrente utilizadas para temporização das proteções, no caso de relés eletromecânicos de sobrecorrente. Durante os últimos anos, com o advento da evolução da indústria, da micro eletrônica e do desenvolvimento de softwares, os relés digitais veêm substituíndo os relés eletromecânicos e estáticos, tanto em instalações novas como também nas remodelações das instalações mais antigas, nos sistemas elétricos de proteção industrial e de empresas de eletricidade. Realizou-se uma análise quanto ao histórico dos relés de proteção, mostrando o seu desenvolvimento desde os relés mais antigos, tipos eletromecânicos, após os relés estáticos, que foram a evolução dos anteriores e finalmente estudando os relés digitais. Os relés digitais oferecem muitas vantagens se comparados com os relés eletromecânicos e estáticos, as quais serão abordandos em items específicos da revisão de literatura neste trabalho. O trabalho é finalizado com uma análise de casos, onde foram computados e analisados casos, como índices de fornecimento, custos de instalação de relés digitais em substituição à relés e sistemas eletromecânicos e estáticos, utilizados convencionalmente para a proteção em alimentadores de Subestações da Copel - Companhia Paranaense de Energia, com o objetivo de coletar-se e analisar-se, ao longo de 12 meses as reais vantagens e desvantagens da utilização destes equipamentos nos sistemas elétricos de proteção dos circuitos de distribuição de energia. / The purpose of this study is to carry out a technical and economic feasibility assessment of the updating of the Distribution Protection system, comparing the use of digital relays, to which new functions have been integrated, with electromechanical and static relays. Information hereby presented shows that digital relays are significantly cost-effective in terms of acquisition and implementation for developing application projects and in maintaining that equipment after it has been set up in the field. Electromechanical relays have been largely used in protection schemes for large-scale industrial and residential consumers, as well as in security schemes for power plant companies. Because of the large number of moving parts and frequent readjustments required by that type of equipment, many manhours must be put in by calibration and maintenance staff employed by power plant companies. Carrying out a Protection Study that establishes parameters for those relays is often unfeasible given the sensitivity and coordination of the protections, in that the equipment in question has limited adjustments, both in terms of pick-up currents values and of the selection of time curve vs. current used in the protection timer, in the case of overcurrent electromechanical relays. During the last years, with the rise of industrial evolution, microelectronics and software development, digital relays are replacing electromechanical and static relays in electrical security systems used by industrial and power plant company protection, both in new facilities and in refurbished facilities. A study was carried out on the history of protection relays showing how they developed from the older, electromechanical type after the static relays, which evolved form the former, and was concluded with the study of digital relay models. Digital relays provide significant advantages compared to electromechanical and static relays, which will be covered under specific revision items of the references provided herein. The study is concluded by assessing case studies that were accounted for and assessed, such as supply rates, installation costs of digital relays to replace electromechanical and static systems used traditionally to provide protection for COPEL´s (Power Company of the State of Paraná) Substations. The purpose was to collect and analyze, over a 12-month period, the actual advantages and disadvantages of using that type of equipment in electrical systems that provide circuit protection for power distribution.