Budgetary reform

With an impeccable sense of timing, you have given me the opportunity to talk, as you say, about something outside the immediate day-to-day concerns of the Government over the last few days, and for that, much thanks. I would like, if I may, to begin by welcoming the continuing interest of the Institute for Fiscal Studies in this issue of budgetary reform and the institutional arrangements by which we seek to decide these issues in government, and in Parliament. The Institute has a long-standing interest in this subject, and it is useful for a Minister, and also for one or two other faces I recognise in the audience from Parliament and outside, to have a forum in which these important issues can be discussed and where the practitioners, the civil servants, the politicians can also meet and discuss them with people from the wider interested communities. So I am grateful to the Institute for providing such an opportunity.

Improved Direct Torque Control method of brushless doubly-fed reluctance machines for wind turbine

Direct Torque Control (DTC) method is an excellent technique for torque and flux control for a brushless doubly-fed reluctance machine (BDFRM). The advantages of the DTC method are simple implementation, fast response and little dependence on the machine parameters. However, the conventional DTC method has high torque and flux ripple and variable switching frequency problems. This paper proposes an improved DTC method for the BDFRM when used in wind power generation systems. The Space Vector Modulation (SVM) method is used for reducing the torque and flux ripple, and also for holding constant the switching frequency of the inverter. The control method is implemented in SIMULINK®/MATLAB® and the results show that the proposed DTC method can overcome the issues and problems associated with the conventional DTC method and improve the system operation performance. © 2013 IEEE

Growing up with HIV: The experiences of young people living with HIV since birth in the UK

About the book: This book draws together a range of both classic and newly commissioned pieces on the multidisciplinary study of death and dying. Organized into five parts, the book begins with a general exploration of the meaning of death, before moving on to consider caring at the end-of-life. Further readings explore the moral and ethical dilemmas in the context of death and dying. The fourth part of the book examines the issue of grief and ritual after death. The final part considers some of the issues that arise when researching the field of death and dying. By drawing together information, reflection, and experience this authoritative text will broaden your understanding of the subject area. The book is designed as a core text for students in nursing, medicine, social work, counseling, and health and social care. It will also be essential reading for all professionals and care givers who come into contact with death and bereavement

Permanent magnet generators for renewable energy devices with wide speed range and pulsating power delivery

This paper describes the design of a direct-drive permanent-magnet generator for use in a novel sea-wave electrical generator. The basic system is briefly described and the target specification derived from the device and the wave tank performance. The design for the brushless permanent-magnet generators is then developed using SPEED PC-BDC and verified using Finite Element Analysis (PC-FEA). A diode bridge model is also tested using Portunus system simulation. Copyright © 2009 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd

Evolutionary cell biology: Functional insight from “Endless forms most beautiful”

In animal and fungal model organisms, the complexities of cell biology have been analyzed in exquisite detail and much is known about how these organisms function at the cellular level. However, the model organisms cell biologists generally use include only a tiny fraction of the true diversity of eukaryotic cellular forms. The divergent cellular processes observed in these more distant lineages are still largely unknown in the general scientific community. Despite the relative obscurity of these organisms, comparative studies of them across eukaryotic diversity have had profound implications for our understanding of fundamental cell biology in all species and have revealed the evolution and origins of previously observed cellular processes. In this Perspective, we will discuss the complexity of cell biology found across the eukaryotic tree, and three specific examples of where studies of divergent cell biology have altered our understanding of key functional aspects of mitochondria, plastids, and membrane trafficking

The acute effects different quantities of branched-chain amino acids have on recovery of muscle function

Purpose: Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation has been shown to significantly reduce the undesirable effects commonly associated with high-intensity training, which include decreases in muscle function and increases in muscle soreness. However, the application of associated BCAA research to the athletic setting is limited, as supplementation protocols have contained either low (3 - 6g), or high (20g) dosages of BCAA, generally administered to untrained individuals. The present study investigated the acute effects of two different quantities of BCAA on the recovery of muscle function following high-intensity resistance training in trained individuals. The main aim was to examine whether there is a dose-response effect of using a higher dosage of BCAA on recovery when compared to a lower dosage. Methods: Five resistance-trained males (mean ± SD, age: 21.8 ± 0.8 years, stature: 1.81 ± 0.57 m, body mass: 83.3 ± 7.2 kg) were recruited and performed baseline assessments including, countermovement (CMJ) and squat jump (SJ), peak (PP) and mean (MP) power (6 s Wingate Cycle) and perceived muscle soreness (soreness). In a counterbalanced, single-blind fashion, participants were provided with either, placebo (blackcurrant squash with negligible calorie content) or 6g or 18g BCAA 20 min prior to, and immediately after completion of a high-intensity strength session (ST). At 24 h post ST, all assessments were completed under all three experimental conditions. Results: Following ST, there were significant decrements in all measures of muscle function across conditions when compared to baseline values (p < 0.05). However, ingestion of 6g and 18g BCAA was shown to significantly attenuate these decrements in comparison to placebo (p < 0.05). A dose-response for BCAA was also present as significant differences (p < 0.05) were shown between ingestion of 6g and 18g; CMJ (18g: 59.1 cm, 6g: 57.7 cm, placebo: 56.6cm), SJ (18g: 54.0 cm, 6g: 52.8 cm, placebo: 51.7 cm), PP (18g: 1133 W, 6g: 1107 W, placebo: 1044 W), MP (18g: 1011 W, 6g: 986 W, placebo: 972 W), soreness (18g: 81 mm, 6g: 91 mm, placebo: 100 mm). Conclusions: BCAA ingested both acutely before, and immediately following intensive resistance training attenuates the decrement observed in muscle function, while alleviating symptoms of muscle soreness. These small but significant findings not only support the proposed ergogenic benefits of BCAA supplementation, but also highlight a potential dose-response, with a higher dose (18g) having a significantly greater effect than a lower dose (6g) in trained individuals

Matrix analysis techniques in cage induction machines

Modern analysis techniques for electrical machines are either analytical or use finite element analysis. Both methods are implemented using computational techniques to solve the magnetic circuit and produce performance predictions. This paper puts forward a steady-state impedance matrix method for analysing a split-phase induction machine that is at the leading edge of analytical modelling of induction motors. The method is implemented and verified against an example to illustrate the asynchronous torques in a non-sinusoidal winding. In the second half of the paper it is shown how the technique can be applied to a three-phase machine and the classical per-phase model is obtained from the derivation. The steady-state model derives a mathematical rigorous equivalent circuit that includes the skew reactance term in the rotor circuit. Copyright © 2009 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd

Fault ride-through of doubly-fed induction generator with converter protection schemes

This paper from the point view of wind farm fault ride-through (FRT) capability, discusses the performance of converter protection schemes to it. Different resistor protection methods are summarized and then a new combined protection with crowbar (CB) and series dynamic resistor (SDR) is proposed. With the analysis of rotor current during fault, resistance values are calculated for practical application. The rotor high current reduction performance is simulated with MATLAB/Simulink. Fault ride-through performance including the reactive power supply, torque fluctuation and rotor speed with crowbar and series dynamic resistor are compared. The proposed method is an alternative for further protection and requirements of wind farm riding-through grid disturbances. Index Terms-Fault ride-through (FRT), Doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG), converter protection, wind generation. © 2008 IEEE