A multi-zone model of the CFR engine : investigating cascading autoignition and octane rating

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references (p. 103-109).The CFR engine is the standardised research engine used for the measurement of knock resistance of fuels through the Research Octane Number (RON) and Motor Octane Number(MON) tests. In standard production engines, knock manifests as an almost instantaneous pressure rise followed by knock ringing" pressure oscillations of similar magnitude. However, knock in the CFR engine is characterised, and measured by, a steep, but more gradual pressure rise, followed by ringing of much lesser magnitude. It has been previously proposed that a cascading autoignition", resulting from an in-cylinder temperature gradient, is responsible for this unique pressure development

Cross-correlation based performance measures for characterizing the influence of in-vehicle interfaces on driving and cognitive workload

Driving is a cognitively loading task which requires drivers\u27 full attention and coordination of both mind and body. However, drivers often engage in side activities which can negatively impact safety. A typical approach for analyzing the influences of side activities on driving is to conduct experiments in which various driving performance measures are collected, such as steering wheel angle and lane position. Those measures are then transformed, typically using means and variances, before being analyzed statistically. However, the problem is that those transformations perform averaging of the acquired data, which can result in missing short, but important events (such as glances directed off-road). As a consequence, statistically significant differences may not be observed between the tested conditions. Nevertheless, just because the influences of in-vehicle interactions do not show in the averages, it does not mean that they do not exist or should be neglected, especially if the nature of the interactions is such that they can be performed frequently (for example, with an infotainment system). This can create a false conclusion about the lack of influence of the tested side activity on driving. The main contribution of this research is in developing two new performance measures inspired by the mathematical function of cross-correlation: one which evaluates the cumulative effect and the other which evaluates the effects of individual instances of in-vehicle interactions on driving and cognitive load. The results from three driving simulator studies demonstrate that our cumulative measure provides more sensitivity to the effects of in-vehicle interactions, even when they are not detected through average-based measures. Additionally, our instance-based measure provides a low-level insight into the nature of the influence of individual in-vehicle interactions. Both measures produce results that can be ranked, which allows determining the relative size of the effect that various in-vehicle interactions have on driving. Finally, we demonstrate a set of variables which can be used for predicting the cumulative and instance-based results. This predictive ability is important, because it may allow obtaining quick simulation results without performing actual experiments, which can be used in the early stages of an interface or experiment design process

Investigation of β-Catenin-Mediated Regulation of IGFBP-6 and the Roles of IGFBP-6 and IGF-II in Dupuytren\u27s Disease

Dupuytren’s Disease (DD) is a benign and heritable connective tissue fibrosis that affects the palmar fascia and typically results in permanent finger contracture(s). Similar to other fibroses, DD is characterized by increased fibroblast proliferation, myofibroblast differentiation and excess collagen deposition. Currently, there are no truly effective treatment options for connective tissue fibroses. Increased levels of β-catenin, an intracellular trans-regulator of gene transcription, have been previously reported in DD. Genes that are associated with, and therefore potentially transcriptionally regulated by, β-catenin during DD development were identified in this thesis. One of these gene targets, IGFBP6, was shown to consistently be associated with β-catenin in fibroblasts derived from phenotypically normal palmar fascia (PF cells) but not fibroblasts derived from diseased tissues (DD cells). β-catenin association with the IGFBP6 promoter in these cells was directly correlated with IGFBP6 expression levels and with the secretion of its protein product, Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein-6 (IGFBP-6). In addition, 1 438 unique genes were shown to associate with β-catenin in DD cells but not PF cells derived from the same patients. The functional consequences of IGFBP-6 repression, and the increased availability of its primary ligand, IGF-II were also elucidated. Exogenous addition of IGFBP-6 inhibited the proliferation of DD and control fibroblasts, and attenuated IGF-II induced contraction of DD cells. IGF-II stimulated the proliferation of normal fibroblasts but not fibroblasts derived from patients with DD. The gene encoding IGF-II, IGF2, was found to be up regulated in DD cells, and potential mechanisms facilitating IGF2 overexpression were investigated. Loss of imprinted expression of IGF2 was detected in a subset of patients and a corresponding loss of H19 expression, a non-coding RNA that is reciprocally expressed relative to IGF2, was observed. Aberrant IGF2 promoter usage was also identified in a subset of DD and PF cells. In combination, these disease-associated changes may explain the increased IGF2 expression in DD. Identification of novel genes targets of β-catenin and the factors that regulate the expression of IGFBP6 or IGF2 during the development of this debilitating fibrosis may allow us to identify novel therapeutic targets

2005 Abstract Booklet

Complete Schedule of Events for the 7th Annual Undergraduate Research Conference at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Motion Control of Hydraulic Winch Using Variable Displacement Motors

The paper II is excluded from the dissertation with respect to copyright.To compete in the open market of the offshore crane industry, it is imperative for the manufacturer to continuously improve crane operability. In this context, the crane operability is expressed by means of a so-called weather window. The weather window is computed from the crane characteristics in combination with that of the vessel and the payload to be handled. It returns a set of boundaries for when it is accepted to perform a planned lift, mainly in terms of current sea-state and wind. The most important crane operability characteristics that enter into the computation of the weather window are maximum wire velocity and load capacity. This thesis focuses on how to improve the operability of active heave compensated offshore cranes. Two ways of achieving that goal have been investigated, namely, an improved control strategy and the use of model-based lift planning. The system investigated is the hydraulic active/passive winch system used by National Oilwell Varco. A new control strategy for the system was developed, tested, and implemented. The new strategy utilizes that variable displacement of the hydraulic motors of the active system of the winch drive. The strategy, semi secondary control, gave significant benefits in terms of reduced peak-pressure, increased load capacity, increased wire-speed capacity, and smoother winch performance at low winch speed. The results were validated and verified through simulations and in-field measurements.publishedVersio

Investigation of low-cost infrared sensing for intelligent deployment of occupant restraints

In automotive transport, airbags and seatbelts are effective at restraining the driver and passenger in the event of a crash, with statistics showing a dramatic reduction in the number of casualties from road crashes. However, statistics also show that a small number of these people have been injured or even killed from striking the airbag, and that the elderly and small children are especially at risk of airbag-related injury. This is the result of the fact that in-car restraint systems were designed for the average male at an average speed of 50 km/hr, and people outside these norms are at risk. Therefore one of the future safety goals of the car manufacturers is to deploy sensors that would gain more information about the driver or passenger of their cars in order to tailor the safety systems specifically for that person, and this is the goal of this project. This thesis describes a novel approach to occupant detection, position measurement and monitoring using a low-cost thermal imaging based system, which is a departure from traditional video camera-based systems, and at an affordable price. Experiments were carried out using a specially designed test rig and a car driving simulator with members of the public. Results have shown that the thermal imager can detect a human in a car cabin mock up and provide crucial real-time position data, which could be used to support intelligent restraint deployment. Other valuable information has been detected such as whether the driver is smoking, drinking a hot or cold drink, using a mobile phone, which can help to infer the level of driver attentiveness or engagement

Eurodisplay 2019

The collection includes abstracts of reports selected by the program by the conference committee

Volume 3 – Conference

We are pleased to present the conference proceedings for the 12th edition of the International Fluid Power Conference (IFK). The IFK is one of the world’s most significant scientific conferences on fluid power control technology and systems. It offers a common platform for the presentation and discussion of trends and innovations to manufacturers, users and scientists. The Chair of Fluid-Mechatronic Systems at the TU Dresden is organizing and hosting the IFK for the sixth time. Supporting hosts are the Fluid Power Association of the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), Dresdner Verein zur Förderung der Fluidtechnik e. V. (DVF) and GWT-TUD GmbH. The organization and the conference location alternates every two years between the Chair of Fluid-Mechatronic Systems in Dresden and the Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems in Aachen. The symposium on the first day is dedicated to presentations focused on methodology and fundamental research. The two following conference days offer a wide variety of application and technology orientated papers about the latest state of the art in fluid power. It is this combination that makes the IFK a unique and excellent forum for the exchange of academic research and industrial application experience. A simultaneously ongoing exhibition offers the possibility to get product information and to have individual talks with manufacturers. The theme of the 12th IFK is “Fluid Power – Future Technology”, covering topics that enable the development of 5G-ready, cost-efficient and demand-driven structures, as well as individual decentralized drives. Another topic is the real-time data exchange that allows the application of numerous predictive maintenance strategies, which will significantly increase the availability of fluid power systems and their elements and ensure their improved lifetime performance. We create an atmosphere for casual exchange by offering a vast frame and cultural program. This includes a get-together, a conference banquet, laboratory festivities and some physical activities such as jogging in Dresden’s old town.:Group 8: Pneumatics Group 9 | 11: Mobile applications Group 10: Special domains Group 12: Novel system architectures Group 13 | 15: Actuators & sensors Group 14: Safety & reliabilit

hlh-1 and the C. elegans Body Wall Muscle Transcriptional Differentiation Network

To understand the structure and function of gene regulatory networks, it is important to first catalogue the components. Measurable constituents of networks include cis-regulatory elements, identified by their conservation and ability to drive expression; transcription factor binding motifs, identified by protein binding; transcription factors, identified by their necessity in network function; and target genes, identified by their conditional expression. The heart of a regulatory network is the transcription factor, which is dedicated to its role in the network. Transcription factors must be activated and regulate downstream targets in a discrete and reproducible fashion. Any deviation in network function may result in the collapse of the network and death of the animal. Thus, a network must be robust enough to function under a variety of biological conditions. However, network redundancies are inefficient in terms of fitness and lost during the course of evolution. The network structure and function reflects these evolutionary realities: strong sequence conservation of cis-regulatory elements coupled with widespread stochastic transcription factor binding, and ancient transcription factor conservation coupled with overlapping activation of targets. The evolution of functional transcription factor networks therefore must be a balance between conservation and flexibility