Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on the planet killing about a million people a year. These insects are competent vectors of multiple pathogens (e.g., Plasmodium sp, filarial worms, and arboviruses). In most species, females are blood feeders, and must consume a blood meal to complete a gonotrophic cycle. Extensive research has been conducted on hematophagy and host-seeking behaviors, but relatively little is known about phytophagy. Sugar feeding is an essential aspect of mosquito biology. Both male and female mosquitoes must consume sugar as a primary fuel source. Mosquitoes use olfactory and visual cues among other cues to find suitable food sources. Abiotic factors, such as temperature and humidity, have been shown to impact mosquito behaviors, including sugar feeding. Recently, sugar feeding has been identified as a promising control target for multiple species of mosquitoes. Attractive toxic sugar baits (ATSBs) attract both male and females through the use of plant derived volatiles. In this work, we first examined the effects of temperature and humidity on the survival of sugar fed Aedes aegypti. We showed that sugar feeding greatly increases longevity in optimal conditions and that humidity impacted survival while temperature less so. Second, we aimed at developing an ATSB for controlling Aedes j. japonicus mosquitoes. Overall, this work sheds light on the importance of abiotic factors and sugar feeding on mosquito survival and lays the groundwork for controlling an invasive mosquito species. / Master of Science in Life Sciences / Mosquitoes are the deadliest organisms on the planet killing about a million people each year due to the multitude of pathogens they may transmit (e.g., malaria parasites, Zika virus, dengue virus). Female mosquitoes transmit pathogens by taking blood meals to obtain essential nutrients needed to develop eggs. If knowledge on host-seeking behavior and blood-feeding is extensive, comparatively less is known about sugar feeding. Sugar feeding is an important behavior displayed by both male and female mosquitoes to obtain energy for flying, reproduction, and survival. Mosquitoes feed on a variety of sugar sources including plant nectar and decaying fruits. They use multiple different cues in order to locate suitable meals including olfaction and vision. Environmental factors such as temperature and humidity affect mosquito activity, dehydration, and sugar feeding. In the present work, we first examined the effects of temperature and humidity on survival in the major disease vector species, Aedes aegypti. As the global temperatures are increasing, it is essential to better understand how mosquitoes adapt and deal with environmental stressors in a changing world. We then aimed at exploiting sugar feeding behavior by developing a novel method of control for another invasive mosquito species, Aedes j. japonicus. Together, these results help us have a better understanding of mosquito biology and ecology which is crucial for predicting future distribution of invasive species and designing new control strategies.

Diseases such as malaria and dengue impose great economic burdens and are a serious threat to public health, with young children being among the worst affected. These diseases are transmitted by mosquitoes, also called disease vectors, which are able to transmit both parasitic and viral infections. One of the most important strategies in the battle against mosquito-borne diseases is vector control by insecticides and the goal is to prevent people from being bitten by mosquitoes. Today’s vector control methods are seriously threatened by the development and spread of insecticide-resistant mosquitos warranting the search for new insecticides. This thesis has investigated the possibilities of vector control using non-covalent inhibitors targeting acetylcholinesterase (AChE); an essential enzyme present in mosquitoes as well as in humans and other mammals. A key requirement for such compounds to be considered safe and suitable for development into new public health insecticides is selectivity towards the mosquito enzyme AChE1. The work presented here is focused on AChE1 from the disease transmitting mosquitoes Anopheles gambiae (AgAChE1) and Aedes aegypti (AaAChE1), and their human (hAChE) and mouse (mAChE) counterparts. By taking a medicinal chemistry approach and utilizing high throughput screening (HTS), new chemical starting points have been identified. Analysis of the combined results of three different HTS campaigns targeting AgAChE1, AaAChE1, and hAChE allowed the identification of several mosquito-selective inhibitors and a number of compound classes were selected for further development. These compounds are non-covalent inhibitors of AChE1 and thereby work via a different mechanism compared to current anti-cholinergic insecticides, whose activity is the result of a covalent modification of the enzyme. The potency and selectivity of two compound classes have been explored in depth using a combination of different tools including design, organic synthesis, biochemical assays, protein X-ray crystallography and homology modeling. Several potent inhibitors with promising selectivity for the mosquito enzymes have been identified and the insecticidal activity of one new compound has been confirmed by in vivo experiments on mosquitoes. The results presented here contribute to the field of public health insecticide discovery by demonstrating the potential of selectively targeting mosquito AChE1 using non-covalent inhibitors. Further, the presented compounds can be used as tools to study mechanisms important in insecticide development, such as exoskeleton penetration and other ADME processes in mosquitoes.

Orientador: Prof. Dr. Alfeu Joãozinho Sguarezi Filho / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do ABC, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Elétrica, 2015. / This research project presents the active and reactive power control of the Doubly Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) employing fuzzy logic for a wind power generation system, the proposed controller is a Fuzzy Logic Controller Takagi Sugeno type (TS FLC) which determines the rotor voltage by the rules base dened by a linear combination of the membership sets of the rotor current error, that reduces the complexity of the structure and consequently a lower computational cost and its easy to implement on a experimental set compared to other controllers such as Fuzzy Mamdani type. System control is accomplished using Stator Flux Field Oriented Control with Space Vector Modulation and computer simulation using mathematical models implemented in Matlab/Simulink. The results indicates that the FLC TS could be an interesting alternative to conventional controllers in the power control of the DFIG during normal operation conditions and under balanced voltage sags conditions.

Submitted by FERNANDO RIBEIRO FILADELFO null (frfiladelfo@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-02-06T19:39:20Z No. of bitstreams: 1 FILADELFO F R - Tese Doutorado - FEG - UNESP.pdf: 2806067 bytes, checksum: 24caf6543f9f724de7248956a15f5279 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by LUIZA DE MENEZES ROMANETTO (luizamenezes@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2017-02-09T19:05:42Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 filadelfo_fr_dr_guara.pdf: 2806067 bytes, checksum: 24caf6543f9f724de7248956a15f5279 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-02-09T19:05:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 filadelfo_fr_dr_guara.pdf: 2806067 bytes, checksum: 24caf6543f9f724de7248956a15f5279 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-07 / Veículos elétricos são considerados a melhor alternativa aos veículos com motores de combustão interna, apresentando vantagens bastante significativas, tais como: emissão zero de poluentes, alta eficiência dos motores elétricos e baixa emissão de ruído acústico. O sistema de propulsão de um veículo elétrico consiste basicamente de uma ou mais fontes de energia, um ou mais motores, conversores de potência, componentes eletrônicos, componentes mecânicos para transmissão de torque e velocidade e rodas com pneus. Neste trabalho é proposta a modelagem de um sistema de propulsão para um veículo elétrico, que inclui o modelo dinâmico veicular para movimento longitudinal, o modelo dinâmico do motor elétrico, o modelo do conversor utilizado para acionamento do motor e o modelo do sistema de controle. Devido às características bastante adequadas para aplicação em sistemas de propulsão automotiva, o motor de indução trifásico é o selecionado para estudo. A estratégia de controle para acionamento do motor, foco deste trabalho, é o Controle Vetorial Direto Orientado pelo Fluxo do Estator, que garante alto desempenho, rápida resposta dinâmica e apresenta insensibilidade à variação de parâmetros do motor durante sua operação. São desenvolvidas novas técnicas para a reconstrução dos sinais das tensões do estator a partir de sinais de controle PWM do conversor e da tensão DC que alimenta o inversor e estimativa da amplitude e posição angular do vetor espacial do fluxo do estator, primordial para a estratégia de controle adotada. A modelagem é toda desenvolvida utilizando o software PSIM e os resultados de simulação são apresentados. / Electric vehicles are the best alternative to internal combustion engines vehicles, presenting significant advantages such as: zero emission of pollutants, high efficiency of electric motors and low noise emission. Basically, an electric vehicle propulsion system consists of one or more energy sources, one or more engines, power converters, electronic components, mechanical components for torque and speed transmission, and wheels with tires. This work proposes the modeling of a propulsion system for an electric vehicle, which includes the dynamic vehicle model for longitudinal movement, the dynamic model of the electric motor, the model of the converter used as motor driver and the model of the control system. Due to very suitable characteristics for application in automotive propulsion systems, three-phase induction motor is chosen for this study. Focus of this work, Direct Stator-Flux-Oriented Vector Control is the control strategy for the motor drive, which guarantees high performance, fast dynamic response and insensitivity due motor parameters variation during its operation. New techniques are developed for the reconstruction of the stator voltages signals from the PWM control signals of the converter and the DC voltage that feeds the inverter and the estimation of the amplitude and angular position of the spatial vector of the stator flux, primordial for the adopted control strategy. Modeling is developed using PSIM software and simulation results are presented.

Submitted by Lucas Mangili Esteves null (lucas82031@aluno.feis.unesp.br) on 2017-02-09T18:36:57Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Lucas_final.pdf: 3159641 bytes, checksum: 2ee0f12201f163a9442f08759eb6e685 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by LUIZA DE MENEZES ROMANETTO (luizamenezes@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2017-02-14T16:49:23Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 esteves_lm_me_ilha.pdf: 3159641 bytes, checksum: 2ee0f12201f163a9442f08759eb6e685 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-02-14T16:49:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 esteves_lm_me_ilha.pdf: 3159641 bytes, checksum: 2ee0f12201f163a9442f08759eb6e685 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-01-12 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Este trabalho apresenta uma análise do motor de indução trifásico (MIT), que é um dos motores mais utilizados em aplicações industriais, e de diferentes metodologias de controle de velocidade aplicadas para este tipo de motor. A princípio realizou-se um estudo do funcionamento do MIT sem nenhum tipo de controle, para somente depois analisar-se tanto técnicas clássicas e já bastante difundidas no controle deste tipo de máquina como também um tipo específico de controlador robusto, a fim de utilizá-lo para substituir os controladores clássicos na intenção de obter-se um desempenho superior. O controlador robusto escolhido foi do tipo com Estrutura Variável e Modos Deslizantes (CEV-MD). Este trabalho foca no estudo do Controle Vetorial Indireto com Orientação sobre o Fluxo do Rotor, sendo utilizados juntamente deste método um controlador clássico (do tipo PI, Proporcional Integral) e o controlador robusto projetado (do tipo CEV-MD), no intuito de realizar-se uma comparação entre o desempenho dos dois controladores mediante diferentes condições de operação, incluindo-se variação de parâmetros do motor e falhas de queda de tensão nos terminais da máquina. Todos os estudos e projetos resultaram em um conjunto de simulações no ambiente MATLAB/Simulink, a partir das quais constatou-se que o controlador robusto projetado apresentou um desempenho um pouco superior ao do PI, tanto no controle da velocidade quanto em relação a tolerar as falhas de queda de tensão. / This paper presents a three phase induction motor analysis, one of the most used machines in industries applications, and also shows different speed control methods for this kind of machine. At first a study about the IM (induction motor) was made without any control technique, and then an analysis of the classic and well known methods is presented, as well as an analysis of a robust controller, in order to replace the classic controllers by this one and achieve better performance. The chosen robust controller was a Variable Structure Controller with Sliding Mode. This paper focus is the study of the Indirect Vector Control with Rotor Orientation, which was used along a classic controller (PI – Proportional Integral) and the above proposed robust controller, in order to make a balance between both considering several operational conditions, including parameters variation and a particular fault (voltage drops on the motor terminals). All the analysis culminated in a set of simulations on the MATLAB/Simulink ambient, from which it was observed that the proposed robust controller showed a better performance than the PI, both on the speed control and the voltage drops faults tolerance.

Ondulações de torque devido à comutação de fases é apontada como a principal desvantagem do método de controle 6 pulsos convencional do motor síncrono de ímã permanente no rotor com força contra-eletromotriz trapezoidal. Para reduzir essas ondulações, diferentes estratégias de controle vetorial dessa máquina são apresentadas na literatura. Nesse trabalho é proposto e analisado o controle vetorial dessa máquina utilizando uma malha de controle de corrente baseada no Finite Control-Set Model-based Predictive Control (FCS-MPC). Como resultado, a estrutura de controle vetorial proposta é capaz de reduzir as ondulações de torque de comutação e também aquelas provenientes de imperfeições da força contraeletromotriz trapezoidal. Esse resultado é atingido sem a alteração da estrutura do conversor, adição de circuito ou alteração na tensão de barramento. Em termos de desempenho dinâmico, são demonstradas a rápida dinâmica de torque sem necessidade de sintonia ou projeto de ganhos de controlador e dinâmica desacoplada das variáveis de controle sem necessidade de cálculo de termos de desacoplamento. Esses resultados apontam vantagens sobre recentes propostas na literatura baseada em controladores lineares. Também é implementado uma estratégia de melhoria de desempenho do FCS-MPC baseado na inclusão do conceito de ciclo de trabalho. Essa abordagem permite reduzir significativamente, em baixa velocidade, a banda de ondulação da corrente de estator e torque da máquina, demonstrando uma melhoria em relação ao FCS-MPC sem ciclo de trabalho. / Torque ripples due to phase commutation are pointed to the main drawback of 120 degree 6 step control of synchronous motor with trapezoidal back electromotive force (back EMF). To reduce these ondulations, different vector control strategies are presented in the literature. This study proposes and analyzes the application of the Finite Control-Set Model-based Predictive Control in the current loop of vector control strategy of permanent magnet synchronous motor with trapezoidal back EMF. As a result, the control structure reduces the torque ripple comming from phase commutation and back EMF shape imperfections. This result is achieved without changing the converter topology, the DC link voltage or including aditional circuit. Concerning to dynamic response, the proposed control strategy offers fast torque dynamics without gain tunning needed and decoupled dynamic of variable control. Furthermore, it is implemented an improvement approach to FCS-MPC based on duty-cycle concept. This strategy reduces significantly the torque ripple in low speed range, demonstrating an advance over conventional FCS-MPC.

Ondulações de torque devido à comutação de fases é apontada como a principal desvantagem do método de controle 6 pulsos convencional do motor síncrono de ímã permanente no rotor com força contra-eletromotriz trapezoidal. Para reduzir essas ondulações, diferentes estratégias de controle vetorial dessa máquina são apresentadas na literatura. Nesse trabalho é proposto e analisado o controle vetorial dessa máquina utilizando uma malha de controle de corrente baseada no Finite Control-Set Model-based Predictive Control (FCS-MPC). Como resultado, a estrutura de controle vetorial proposta é capaz de reduzir as ondulações de torque de comutação e também aquelas provenientes de imperfeições da força contraeletromotriz trapezoidal. Esse resultado é atingido sem a alteração da estrutura do conversor, adição de circuito ou alteração na tensão de barramento. Em termos de desempenho dinâmico, são demonstradas a rápida dinâmica de torque sem necessidade de sintonia ou projeto de ganhos de controlador e dinâmica desacoplada das variáveis de controle sem necessidade de cálculo de termos de desacoplamento. Esses resultados apontam vantagens sobre recentes propostas na literatura baseada em controladores lineares. Também é implementado uma estratégia de melhoria de desempenho do FCS-MPC baseado na inclusão do conceito de ciclo de trabalho. Essa abordagem permite reduzir significativamente, em baixa velocidade, a banda de ondulação da corrente de estator e torque da máquina, demonstrando uma melhoria em relação ao FCS-MPC sem ciclo de trabalho. / Torque ripples due to phase commutation are pointed to the main drawback of 120 degree 6 step control of synchronous motor with trapezoidal back electromotive force (back EMF). To reduce these ondulations, different vector control strategies are presented in the literature. This study proposes and analyzes the application of the Finite Control-Set Model-based Predictive Control in the current loop of vector control strategy of permanent magnet synchronous motor with trapezoidal back EMF. As a result, the control structure reduces the torque ripple comming from phase commutation and back EMF shape imperfections. This result is achieved without changing the converter topology, the DC link voltage or including aditional circuit. Concerning to dynamic response, the proposed control strategy offers fast torque dynamics without gain tunning needed and decoupled dynamic of variable control. Furthermore, it is implemented an improvement approach to FCS-MPC based on duty-cycle concept. This strategy reduces significantly the torque ripple in low speed range, demonstrating an advance over conventional FCS-MPC.

Mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and West Nile virus are serious problems in many parts of the world, especially in Africa, and partially in Ethiopia. Millions of people become infected and several hundred thousand people die worldwide from these diseases every year. The most conventional methods for mosquito vector control target female adult mosquitoes in a reactive way using insecticides. However, it is possible to perform proactive vector control through source reduction. The main focus of this study was to investigate if there are any associations between characteristics of managed still water bodies and the presence of mosquito larvae in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. This was done by measuring twelve variables, both abiotic and biotic; pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, biochemical oxygen demand, nitrate, phosphate, sulphate, carbonate, depth and presence of algae as well as collecting and counting mosquito larvae in ten different sites, during a time series of five weeks. The most common managed waters believed to serve as efficient breeding habitat for mosquitoes were ponds and ditches used for irrigation, drainage or cultivation. A total of 204 mosquito larvae were collected, where 95% were found in four of the ten sites, three of them were managed waters and the last one was unmanaged. Statistical analyses were performed in order to examine potential correlations and differences among the sites. Wilcoxon test was performed to investigate differences between managed and unmanaged waters. Simple linear regression analyses were performed to identify driving variables for the presence of mosquito larvae. The main results from the group tests were significant differences in mosquito larvae density between managed and unmanaged sites. Significant differences between mosquito sites and zero-sites for dissolved oxygen and sulphate were found. Simple linear regression revealed pH and dissolved oxygen as driving variables for mosquito larvae presence. It was concluded that resources should be put on treatment or manipulation of ponds, which were considered the preferred mosquito breeding habitats. However, if conflicts arise among interests concerning food production, measures must be planned and performed thoughtfully or focus should be put on less controversial breeding habitats. Among the driving variables, dissolved oxygen was the suggested variable to manipulate in order to reduce mosquito larvae populations. / Myggburna sjukdomar som malaria, denguefeber, gula febern och West Nile viruset orsakar allvarliga problem i många delar av världen, särskilt i Afrika, och till viss del Etiopien. Miljontals människor världen över blir smittade och flera hundratusen dör varje år till följd av dessa sjukdomar. De konventionella metoderna för att kontrollera och minska spridningen av myggburna sjukdomar handlar om att kontrollera vuxna myggor med insektsmedel. Det är dock möjligt att utföra en mer förebyggande vektorkontroll genom att minska populationen. Fokus för denna studie var att undersöka om det fanns några samband mellan mygglarvsförekomst och egenskaperna hos mänskligt reglerade eller oreglerade vatten i och kring Bahir Dar i Etiopien. Detta gjordes genom att mäta tolv variabler, både abiotiska och biotiska såsom; pH, konduktivitet, löst syre, turbiditet, biokemisk syreförbrukning, nitrat, fosfat, sulfat, karbonat, djup och algförekomst, samtidigt som mygglarver samlades in och räknades, vilket utfördes på tio olika platser under fem veckor. Den vanligaste typen av reglerade vatten som potentiellt skulle kunna utgöra effektiva mygglarvshabitat ansågs vara dammar och diken som används för bevattning, dränering eller odling. Totalt samlades 204 mygglarver in och 95 % av dem fanns i enbart fyra av de tio etablerade mätplatserna, där tre var reglerade och den sista var oreglerad. Statistiska analyser utfördes för att undersöka potentiella samband och skillnader i mygglarvsförekomst och uppmätta variabler bland de tio mätplatserna. Wilcoxons metod användes för att undersöka om det fanns skillnader mellan reglerade och oreglerade ytvattensamlingars larvförekomst och egenskaper. Enkel linjär regressionsanalys utfördes för att hitta eventuella drivvariabler som därmed anses styra mygglarvsförekomsten. De huvudsakliga resultaten i studien var att det förekom en signifikant skillnad i mygglarvsdensitet mellan reglerade och oreglerade ytvattensamlingar. Signifikanta skillnader i löst syre och sulfat förekom även mellan myggsiter och nollsiter. Enkel linjär regression visade på att pH och löst syre var de mest drivande variablerna för mygglarvsförekomsten i denna studie. Slutsatsen var att dammar utgjorde de mest tilltalande habitaten i samband med mygghonors äggläggning och därför borde prioriteras med avseende på resursfördelning vid planering och utförande av vektorkontroll. Om det skulle uppstå konflikter mellan olika intressen som kan äventyra matproduktionen bör insatser planeras och genomföras med försiktighet eller istället göras i andra mindre kontroversiella mygglarvshabitat. Den drivvariabel som ansågs vara den mest lämpliga att manipulera var löst syre.

The McTronX research group, at the Potchefstroom campus of the North–West University, has been researching Active Magnetic Bearings (AMBs). A fully suspended, flywheel energy storage system (FESS) has been developed. Due to excessive unbalance on the rotor, the motor drive could not be tested up to its rated speed. In the interim, until the rotor can be balanced and other rotor dynamic effects have been investigated, the group decided that the existing drive control should be improved and tested on a high–speed permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM), using normal roller element bearings. In order to test the motor control a second (identical) PMSM, mechanically coupled to the former, operates in generator mode which serves as the torque load. Two different control algorithms, namely V/f and vector control, are designed and implemented on a rapid control prototyping system, i.e. dSPACE®. The V/f control is an open–loop, position sensorless technique, whilst the vector controller makes use of a position sensor. From the design and implementation it became clear that the vector control is more robust, in the sense that it is less sensitive on parameter variations and disturbances. It can start up reliably even under full load conditions. The V/f control is an attractive alternative to the vector control, especially in AMB systems, where it may be difficult to mount the position sensor, has to operate in a hazardous environment not suited to the sensor or could degrade the reliability of the AMB system. The cost of the position sensor is not really a concern compared to the cost of an AMB system. The V/f control is more suited to fan and pump applications, which has a low dynamic requirement. The V/f control has high startup currents and is not recommended for applications requiring a high starting torque or fast acceleration during operation. The inverter, which drives the PMSM, also had to be developed. With regard to the motor control, the effects of inverter non–idealities had to be accounted, especially for the V/f control. The implemented control algorithms were tested up to 20 krpm. Discrepancies between the expected and actual results are discussed. Overall, the controllers performed as desired. Generally, the project goals have been reached satisfactorily. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Computer and Electronic Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The McTronX research group, at the Potchefstroom campus of the North–West University, has been researching Active Magnetic Bearings (AMBs). A fully suspended, flywheel energy storage system (FESS) has been developed. Due to excessive unbalance on the rotor, the motor drive could not be tested up to its rated speed. In the interim, until the rotor can be balanced and other rotor dynamic effects have been investigated, the group decided that the existing drive control should be improved and tested on a high–speed permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM), using normal roller element bearings. In order to test the motor control a second (identical) PMSM, mechanically coupled to the former, operates in generator mode which serves as the torque load. Two different control algorithms, namely V/f and vector control, are designed and implemented on a rapid control prototyping system, i.e. dSPACE®. The V/f control is an open–loop, position sensorless technique, whilst the vector controller makes use of a position sensor. From the design and implementation it became clear that the vector control is more robust, in the sense that it is less sensitive on parameter variations and disturbances. It can start up reliably even under full load conditions. The V/f control is an attractive alternative to the vector control, especially in AMB systems, where it may be difficult to mount the position sensor, has to operate in a hazardous environment not suited to the sensor or could degrade the reliability of the AMB system. The cost of the position sensor is not really a concern compared to the cost of an AMB system. The V/f control is more suited to fan and pump applications, which has a low dynamic requirement. The V/f control has high startup currents and is not recommended for applications requiring a high starting torque or fast acceleration during operation. The inverter, which drives the PMSM, also had to be developed. With regard to the motor control, the effects of inverter non–idealities had to be accounted, especially for the V/f control. The implemented control algorithms were tested up to 20 krpm. Discrepancies between the expected and actual results are discussed. Overall, the controllers performed as desired. Generally, the project goals have been reached satisfactorily. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Computer and Electronic Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.