155 research outputs found
A Fault Tolerant Machine Drive Based on Permanent Magnet Assisted Synchronous Reluctance Machine
A fault tolerant machine drive based on permanent magnet assisted synchronous reluctance machine (PMA SynRM) is proposed and investigated for applications where reliability and safety are crucial. In order to achieve enhanced fault tolerant capability, the risk of permanent magnet field that cannot be turned off under fault conditions is minimized without compromise in torque density and efficiency. This is achieved by employing a synchronous reluctance rotor topology with embedded permanent magnets. Three independent, segregated 3-phase windings are configured to ensure isolation and non-overlapping between the three 3-phase winding sets. Each 3-phase winding set is driven by a standard 3-phase inverter to facilitate fast integration and cost reduction. The machine behavior under various fault conditions has been evaluated by finite element (FE) simulations. A 40kW prototype was designed, constructed and tested. The test results demonstrate the performance and excellent fault tolerant capability of the proposed drive system under various faults, including open circuit and short circuit conditions
An oily fish diet improves subclinical inflammation in people at high cardiovascular risk: A randomized controlled study
Interest has arisen on the anti-inflammatory action of dietary components, including long-chain n-3 fatty acids (LCn3) and polyphenols (PP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of diets rich in PP and oily fish (high-LCn3 diets) on markers of subclinical inflammation and growth factors in people at high cardiometabolic risk. Individuals with high waist circumference and one more component of metabolic syndrome were randomized to one of the following isoenergetic diets: Low LCn3&PP, high LCn3, high PP, high LCn3&PP. Before and after 8 weeks, fasting and postprandial plasma concentrations of hs-CRP and fasting serum concentrations of IL-1, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, INF-, TNF-, FGF, VEGF, PDGF-, G-CSF, and GM-CSF were determined. An oily fish diet reduced fasting plasma hs-CRP (1.28 ± 12.0, −12.5 ± 6.9, 22.5 ± 33.6, −12.2 ± 11.9; 8-week percent change, Mean ± SEM; low LCn3&PP, high LCn3, high PP, high LCn3&PP group, respectively), postprandial 6h-AUC hs-CRP (4.6 ± 16.3, −18.2 ± 7.2, 26.9 ± 35.1, −11.5 ± 11.8, 8-week percent change) and fasting IL-6 (20.8 ± 18.7, −2.44 ± 12.4, 28.1 ± 17.4, −9.6 ± 10.2), IL-17 (2.40 ± 4.9, −13.3 ± 4.9, 3.8 ± 4.43, −11.5 ± 4.7), and VEGF (−5.7 ± 5.8, −5.6 ± 7.5, 3.5 ± 5.8, −11.1 ± 5.5) (8-week percent change; p < 0.05 for LCn3 effect for all; no significant effect for PP; 2-factor ANOVA). An oily fish diet improved subclinical inflammation, while no significant effect was observed for dietary polyphenols
Identification of the Red-Necked Longhorn Beetle Aromia bungii (Faldermann, 1835) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) with real-Time PCR on frass
Aromia bungii (Faldermann, 1835) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), the red-necked longhorn beetle is native to eastern Asia, where it is an important wood-borer of fruit and ornamental species of the genus Prunus. A. bungii is a quarantine pest in the European Union, following its accidental introduction and establishment in Germany and Italy, and is currently included in the list of priority pests. To confirm its infestations in outbreak areas, adult or larval specimens are needed to perform morphological or molecular analyses. The presence of A. bungii larvae inside the attacked trees makes the collection of specimens particularly difficult. Thus, we present two diagnostic protocols based on frass analysis with real-time PCR (probe and SYBR Green). The results obtained show that a non-invasive approach for detecting the presence of this harmful invasive pest can be a reliable and accurate alternative diagnostic tool in phytosanitary surveys, as well as to outline a sustainable pest management strategy
Development of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the identification of the invasive wood borer Aromia bungii (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from frass
The red-necked longhorn beetle Aromia bungii (Faldermann, 1835) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is native to east Asia, where it is a major pest of cultivated and ornamental species of the genus Prunus. Morphological or molecular discrimination of adults or larval specimens is required to identify this invasive wood borer. However, recovering larval stages of the pest from trunks and branches causes extensive damage to plants and is timewasting. An alternative approach consists in applying non-invasive molecular diagnostic tools to biological traces (i.e., fecal pellets, frass). In this way, infestations in host plants can be detected without destructive methods. This paper presents a protocol based on both real-time and visual loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), using DNA of A. bungii extracted from fecal particles in larval frass. Laboratory validations demonstrated the robustness of the protocols adopted and their reliability was confirmed performing an inter-lab blind panel. The LAMP assay and the qPCR SYBR Green method using the F3/B3 LAMP external primers were equally sensitive, and both were more sensitive than the conventional PCR (sensitivity > 103 to the same starting matrix). The visual LAMP protocol, due to the relatively easy performance of the method, could be a useful tool to apply in rapid monitoring of A. bungii and in the management of its outbreaks
PenQuest Volume 4, Number 1
Table of Contents for this Volume:
Poetry by Brad Ross
Untitled by Bruce Abbey
it\u27s back by Leslie M. Brown
De-thinging the Thingumbob by Michael R. McMahon
Untitled by Mark Davis
Fractures by Peggy De Broux
Until I Knew by Lori Loper
Untitled by Mark Davis
The Local Art of Darkness by Michael R. McMahon
Home by Peggy de Broux
Untitled by Bruce Abbey
Hooked by Robert M. Hart
Parable of the Balloon (Demonstrated by the Poet to his Dog) by Michael R. McMahon
Flight by Brad Ross
The Stucco Room by Peggy de Broux
Growing Up In America by E. R. Sukovich
I Hear Them Scratching by Brad Ross
It\u27s In The Bag by Susan Torode
Untitled by Mark Davis
Lawrence at Seventeen Coming Home by Brad Ross
Untitled by Brad Ross
Jere\u27s Antiques by Susan Torode
Untitled by Bruce Abbey
Simpson\u27s, for lunch, of course by Joni E. Dooley
Untitled by Mark Davis
Moments For an autobiography by Jocelyn W. Griffo
Untitled by Bruce Abbe
Gravitational Waves From Known Pulsars: Results From The Initial Detector Era
We present the results of searches for gravitational waves from a large selection of pulsars using data from the most recent science runs (S6, VSR2 and VSR4) of the initial generation of interferometric gravitational wave detectors LIGO (Laser Interferometric Gravitational-wave Observatory) and Virgo. We do not see evidence for gravitational wave emission from any of the targeted sources but produce upper limits on the emission amplitude. We highlight the results from seven young pulsars with large spin-down luminosities. We reach within a factor of five of the canonical spin-down limit for all seven of these, whilst for the Crab and Vela pulsars we further surpass their spin-down limits. We present new or updated limits for 172 other pulsars (including both young and millisecond pulsars). Now that the detectors are undergoing major upgrades, and, for completeness, we bring together all of the most up-to-date results from all pulsars searched for during the operations of the first-generation LIGO, Virgo and GEO600 detectors. This gives a total of 195 pulsars including the most recent results described in this paper.United States National Science FoundationScience and Technology Facilities Council of the United KingdomMax-Planck-SocietyState of Niedersachsen/GermanyAustralian Research CouncilInternational Science Linkages program of the Commonwealth of AustraliaCouncil of Scientific and Industrial Research of IndiaIstituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare of ItalySpanish Ministerio de Economia y CompetitividadConselleria d'Economia Hisenda i Innovacio of the Govern de les Illes BalearsNetherlands Organisation for Scientific ResearchPolish Ministry of Science and Higher EducationFOCUS Programme of Foundation for Polish ScienceRoyal SocietyScottish Funding CouncilScottish Universities Physics AllianceNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationOTKA of HungaryLyon Institute of Origins (LIO)National Research Foundation of KoreaIndustry CanadaProvince of Ontario through the Ministry of Economic Development and InnovationNational Science and Engineering Research Council CanadaCarnegie TrustLeverhulme TrustDavid and Lucile Packard FoundationResearch CorporationAlfred P. Sloan FoundationAstronom
Swift follow-up observations of candidate gravitational-wave transient events
We present the first multi-wavelength follow-up observations of two candidate
gravitational-wave (GW) transient events recorded by LIGO and Virgo in their
2009-2010 science run. The events were selected with low latency by the network
of GW detectors and their candidate sky locations were observed by the Swift
observatory. Image transient detection was used to analyze the collected
electromagnetic data, which were found to be consistent with background.
Off-line analysis of the GW data alone has also established that the selected
GW events show no evidence of an astrophysical origin; one of them is
consistent with background and the other one was a test, part of a "blind
injection challenge". With this work we demonstrate the feasibility of rapid
follow-ups of GW transients and establish the sensitivity improvement joint
electromagnetic and GW observations could bring. This is a first step toward an
electromagnetic follow-up program in the regime of routine detections with the
advanced GW instruments expected within this decade. In that regime
multi-wavelength observations will play a significant role in completing the
astrophysical identification of GW sources. We present the methods and results
from this first combined analysis and discuss its implications in terms of
sensitivity for the present and future instruments.Comment: Submitted for publication 2012 May 25, accepted 2012 October 25,
published 2012 November 21, in ApJS, 203, 28 (
http://stacks.iop.org/0067-0049/203/28 ); 14 pages, 3 figures, 6 tables;
LIGO-P1100038; Science summary at
http://www.ligo.org/science/Publication-S6LVSwift/index.php ; Public access
area to figures, tables at
https://dcc.ligo.org/cgi-bin/DocDB/ShowDocument?docid=p110003
A First Search for coincident Gravitational Waves and High Energy Neutrinos using LIGO, Virgo and ANTARES data from 2007
We present the results of the first search for gravitational wave bursts
associated with high energy neutrinos. Together, these messengers could reveal
new, hidden sources that are not observed by conventional photon astronomy,
particularly at high energy. Our search uses neutrinos detected by the
underwater neutrino telescope ANTARES in its 5 line configuration during the
period January - September 2007, which coincided with the fifth and first
science runs of LIGO and Virgo, respectively. The LIGO-Virgo data were analysed
for candidate gravitational-wave signals coincident in time and direction with
the neutrino events. No significant coincident events were observed. We place
limits on the density of joint high energy neutrino - gravitational wave
emission events in the local universe, and compare them with densities of
merger and core-collapse events.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, science summary page at
http://www.ligo.org/science/Publication-S5LV_ANTARES/index.php. Public access
area to figures, tables at
https://dcc.ligo.org/cgi-bin/DocDB/ShowDocument?docid=p120000
Search for gravitational waves associated with the InterPlanetary Network short gamma ray bursts
We outline the scientific motivation behind a search for gravitational waves
associated with short gamma ray bursts detected by the InterPlanetary Network
(IPN) during LIGO's fifth science run and Virgo's first science run. The IPN
localisation of short gamma ray bursts is limited to extended error boxes of
different shapes and sizes and a search on these error boxes poses a series of
challenges for data analysis. We will discuss these challenges and outline the
methods to optimise the search over these error boxes.Comment: Methods paper; Proceedings for Eduardo Amaldi 9 Conference on
Gravitational Waves, July 2011, Cardiff, U
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