Back to Back Theatre’s ‘Ganesh versus the Third Reich’: Politics, representation and response

This panel considers the work of the Australian contemporary performance company Back to Back Theatre within the context of the conference theme of ‘cultural articulations’. We will address the ways in which religious objections to Ganesh versus the Third Reich were entwined with questions about the economic impact of these objections in attempts to censor and control the work. Helena Grehan’s paper will analyse the production Ganesh versus the Third Reich in terms of the ethical, political and social questions the work engenders. Peter Eckersall’s 'Theatre Love' The paper considers some of the possible ways that reading Back to Back’s theatre might respond to the current wave of a politics where opposition is an end in itself, whereas the idea of ‘taking sides’ requires a radical appreciation of the other. The third element is a roundtable discussion/interview with Bruce Gladwin (Director of Back to Back Theatre) and Alice Nash (Executive Producer Back to Back Theatre

Long time scale molecular dynamics using least action

We present here an efficient method for evaluating molecular trajectories over long time scales. The method is based on optimisation of the path action defined by classical mechanics. We test the technique on non-trivial examples drawn from the literature and discuss the effectiveness of this approach in the study of molecular processes. Many of the present techniques for calculating molecular trajectories are limited computationally. Standard forward integration of Newton's equations of motion yields accurate results for a range of systems whose transition times are many orders of magnitude less than most biologically interesting processes. If one wants to extend these calculations to biologically relevant time scales, it is necessary to develop methodologies which avoid this limitation. The process outlined in this paper has been tested on simple systems using harmonic and Lennard--Jones potential energy functions. The algorithm yields stable trajectories and is adjustable to suite available computational resources. In theory, this algorithm is applicable to any molecular system where the initial and final states are known. This could include investigation of chemical reactions, ligand/receptor binding and work cycles of molecular machinery

A systematic review of lumped-parameter equivalent circuit models for real-time estimation of lithium-ion battery states

This paper presents a systematic review for the most commonly used lumped-parameter equivalent circuit model structures in lithium-ion battery energy storage applications. These models include the Combined model, Rint model, two hysteresis models, Randles' model, a modified Randles' model and two resistor-capacitor (RC) network models with and without hysteresis included. Two variations of the lithium-ion cell chemistry, namely the lithium-ion iron phosphate (LiFePO4) and lithium nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide (LiNMC) are used for testing purposes. The model parameters and states are recursively estimated using a nonlinear system identification technique based on the dual Extended Kalman Filter (dual-EKF) algorithm. The dynamic performance of the model structures are verified using the results obtained from a self-designed pulsed-current test and an electric vehicle (EV) drive cycle based on the New European Drive Cycle (NEDC) profile over a range of operating temperatures. Analysis on the ten model structures are conducted with respect to state-of-charge (SOC) and state-of-power (SOP) estimation with erroneous initial conditions. Comparatively, both RC model structures provide the best dynamic performance, with an outstanding SOC estimation accuracy. For those cell chemistries with large inherent hysteresis levels (e.g. LiFePO4), the RC model with only one time constant is combined with a dynamic hysteresis model to further enhance the performance of the SOC estimator

Effects of Threat and Sleep Deprivation on Action Tendencies and Response Inhibition

The ability to control action is crucial for adaptive responding, but may be compromised in situations involving strong emotions (e.g., threat) or when people are deprived of resources (e.g., sleep). As compromised action control can have large consequences in threatening situations, for example when police officers face a potentially armed suspect, we experimentally investigated how acute threat and partial sleep deprivation affect the ability to control impulsive responses, in 52 healthy young adults performing a simulated shooting task. The results showed that acute threat increased the tendency to act quickly (i.e., reduced response times; Coef = 9.46, 95% CI [3.49, 15.29], p = .001) and impaired response inhibition (i.e., increased stop signal reaction times; Coef = -4.91, 95% CI [-9.47, -0.44], p = .035). In addition, three nights of partial sleep deprivation (five hours [n = 28] vs. eight hours [n = 24] of sleep), led to a significant decrease in overall response accuracy (Coef = -0.22, 95% CI [- 0.40, -0.05], p = .025). Contrary to expectations, our results did not show increased threat sensitivity in sleep-deprived individuals (all p > .13). Nevertheless, they may have important implications for professionals who are required to maintain behavioral control under high levels of threat and who experience disturbed sleep due to e.g. shift work, as both factors negatively affected performanc

Protostellar Collapse Induced by Compression

We present numerical simulations of the evolution of low-mass, isothermal, molecular cores which are subjected to an increase in external pressure P\xt. If P\xt increases very slowly, the core approaches instability quite quasistatically. However, for larger (but still quite modest) dP\xt/dt a compression wave is driven into the core, thereby triggering collapse from the outside in. If collapse of a core is induced by increasing P\xt, this has a number of interesting consequences. (i) The density profile is approximately flat in the centre during the prestellar phase (i.e. before the compression wave converges on the centre creating the central protostar). (ii) During the prestellar phase there are (subsonic) inward velocities in the outer layers of the core, whilst the inner parts are still approximately at rest. (iii) There is an initial short phase of rapid accretion (notionally the Class 0 phase), followed by a longer phase of slower accretion (the Class I phase). All these features accord well with observation, but are at variance with the predictions of the standard theory of star formation based on the inside-out collapse of a singular isothermal sphere. We note that the setting up of a coherent inward velocity field appears to be a generic feature of compression waves; and we speculate that interactions and interference between such velocity fields may play a crucial r\^ole in initiating the fragmentation of cores and the genesis of multiple star systems.Comment: To be published in MNRA

Optimisation of a wind power site through utilisation of flywheel energy storage technology

Due to the intermittent nature of power generation within a wind farm, power generation often either exceeds or does not meet the export limits of the site. Excess power generated above the export limit is considered as a breach and can cause fines from the local grid operator. The excess energy above the export limit can be exploited to supplement periods of low generation, smoothing the output of the wind farm and providing a larger total output of the site. Due to their resilience to high cycle rates, flywheels are ideally suited to act as an energy store in this scenario. This paper utilises real world data to simulate a wind farm operating in tandem with a Flywheel Energy Storage System (FESS) and assesses the effectiveness of different storage capacities

Enhanced dynamic control strategy for stacked dynamic regulation frequency response services in battery energy storage systems

Energy storage systems are undergoing a transformative role in the electrical grid, driven by the introduction of innovative frequency response services by system operators to unlock their full potential. However, the limited energy storage capacity of these systems necessitates the development of sophisticated energy management strategies. This paper investigates the newly introduced frequency response service, Dynamic Regulation, within the Great Britain electrical grid. Our study not only establishes control parameters but also demonstrates a novel approach to energy management that pushes the boundaries of the allowable service envelope. We present two distinctive control methods, the first serving as a reference for standard response, and the second as a dynamic control approach, exploiting the extremities of the allowable service envelope. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis that considers availability, the number of equivalent full cycles, and cost–revenue analysis based on grouped dynamic control state of charge setpoints is carried out. Our results underscore that the optimization of average availability takes precedence over merely minimizing the number of cycles, which leads us to define a target state of charge range of between 40% and 45% for a 1-h battery to achieve an availability >95%. Furthermore, our study presents simulated results utilizing real-world frequency data, which reveal the transformative potential of the latter control method. By enhancing the availability of battery energy storage systems, this innovative approach promises not only higher revenues for the asset owner but also assists the system operator in managing frequency

Elevated n-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide is associated with mortality in tobacco smokers independent of airflow obstruction

Background: Tobacco use is associated with an increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease. N-terminal pro-brain natiuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a widely available biomarker that is associated with cardiovascular outcomes in other conditions, has not been investigated as a predictor of mortality in tobacco smokers. We hypothesized that NT-proBNP would be an independent prognostic marker in a cohort of well-characterized tobacco smokers without known cardiovascular disease. Methods: Clinical data from 796 subjects enrolled in two prospective tobacco exposed cohorts was assessed to determine factors associated with elevated NT-proBNP and the relationship of these factors and NT-proBNP with mortality. Results: Subjects were followed for a median of 562 (IQR 252 - 826) days. Characteristics associated with a NT-proBNP above the median (≥49 pg/mL) were increased age, female gender, and decreased body mass index. By time-to-event analysis, an NT-proBNP above the median (≥49 pg/mL) was a significant predictor of mortality (log rank p = 0.02). By proportional hazard analysis controlling for age, gender, cohort, and severity of airflow obstruction, an elevated NT-proBNP level (≥49 pg/mL) remained an independent predictor of mortality (HR = 2.19, 95% CI 1.07-4.46, p = 0.031). Conclusions: Elevated NT-proBNP is an independent predictor of mortality in tobacco smokers without known cardiovascular disease, conferring a 2.2 fold increased risk of death. Future studies should assess the ability of this biomarker to guide further diagnostic testing and to direct specific cardiovascular risk reduction inventions that may positively impact quality of life and survival. © 2011 Stamm et al

An investigation into the thermal benefits of multilevel converters

This paper investigates the benefits of distributing thermal load across multiple devices on a single heatsink, with a focus on how this might be a benefit in the use of multilevel converters. The analysis uses finite element modelling to derive trends in performance, which combined with real world data permits for a bulk analysis in to whether multilevel converters have thermal benefits, and if so, to how great an extent. The paper concludes that there are significant and quantifiable benefits to distributing the thermal load, but high order multilevel converters may yield little benefit over lower order systems