Sensorless speed control of five-phase PMSM drives with low current distortion

This paper introduces a design for a sensorless control of a five-phase PMSM drive working at low and zero speeds with low current distortion. The rotor position is obtained through tracking the saturation saliency by measuring the dynamic currents responses of the motor due to the IGBTs switching actions. It uses the fundamental PWM waveform obtained using the multi-phase space vector pulse width modulation only. The saliency tracking algorithm used in this paper doesn’t only improve the quality of the estimated position signals but also guarantees a minimum current distortion through reducing the modifications introduced on the PWM waveform. Simulation results are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed strategy for saliency tracking and current distortion minimizing of a five-phase PMSM motor drive over a wide speed ranges under different load conditions

Application of the AquaCrop model to simulate the biomass of Miscanthus x giganteus under different nutrient supply conditions

There are conflicting opinions about the need to fertilize Miscanthus and, also, the question has been raised whether Miscanthus should be irrigated, especially if water resources are limited. Crop growth modeling can help answer such questions. In this article the FAO AquaCrop water-driven model was selected to simulate Miscanthus biomass under different nutrient and water supply conditions. The article reports the outcomes of 6-year experiments with Miscanthus on two locations in Serbia: Zemun, where three fertilizer treatments were applied (N-l - 100kgha(-1), N-opt 50kgha(-1) and N-f nonfertilized), and Ralja, where only N-l 100kgha(-1) was applied. Model calibration focused on the measured data (root depth, crop phenology, and the above-ground biomass by year of growth. Calibration results showed a very good match between measured and simulated values. The largest and only significant difference was noted in 2008, when the crop was establishing and exhibited uneven radication. The simulation results for the next 5years showed a variance from -4 to 5.7%, believed to be a very good match. A high coefficient of determination (R-2=0.995) and high Willmott index of agreement (0.998) were also indicative of a good match between simulated and recorded biomass yields. The measured and simulated results for validated datasets at both locations were good. The average RMSE was 2.89 Mgha(-1); when compared to the deviations noted at the test site itself, it was apparent that they were smaller in all the years of research except the first year. The index of agreement was 0.97 and the coefficient of determination R-2 0.947. The AquaCrop model can be used with a high degree of reliability in strategic planning of Miscanthus cultivation in new areas, under different nutrient and water supply and local weather and soil conditions

Generation of anti-inflammatory macrophages for implants and regenerative medicine using self-standing release systems with a phenotype-fixing cytokine cocktail formulation

The immediate tissue microenvironment of implanted biomedical devices and engineered tissues is highly influential on their long term fate and efficacy. The creation of a long-term anti-inflammatory microenvironment around implants and artificial tissues can facilitate their integration. Macrophages are highly plastic cells that define the tissue reactions on the implanted material. Local control of macrophage phenotype by long-term fixation of their healing activities and suppression of inflammatory reactions are required to improve implant acceptance. Herein, we describe the development of a cytokine cocktail (M2Ct) that induces stable M2-like macrophage phenotype with significantly decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine and increased anti-inflammatory cytokine secretion profile. The positive effect of the M2Ct was shown in an in vitro wound healing model; where M2Ct facilitated wound closure by human fibroblasts in co-culture conditions. Using a model for induction of inflammation by LPS we have shown that the M2Ct phenotype is stable for 12 days. However, in the absence of M2Ct in the medium macrophages underwent rapid pro-inflammatory re-programming upon IFNg stimulation. Therefore, loading and release of the cytokine cocktail from a self-standing, transferable gelatin/tyraminated hyaluronic acid based release system was developed to stabilize macrophage phenotype for in vivo applications in implantation and tissue engineering. The M2Ct cytokine cocktail retained its anti-inflammatory activity in controlled release conditions. Our data indicate that the direct application of a potent M2 inducing cytokine cocktail in a transferable release system can significantly improve the long term functionality of biomedical devices by decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion and increasing the rate of wound healing

MiR-155 Induction by F. novicida but Not the Virulent F. tularensis Results in SHIP Down-Regulation and Enhanced Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Response

The intracellular Gram-negative bacterium Francisella tularensis causes the disease tularemia and is known for its ability to subvert host immune responses. Previous work from our laboratory identified the PI3K/Akt pathway and SHIP as critical modulators of host resistance to Francisella. Here, we show that SHIP expression is strongly down-regulated in monocytes and macrophages following infection with F. tularensis novicida (F.n.). To account for this negative regulation we explored the possibility that microRNAs (miRs) that target SHIP may be induced during infection. There is one miR that is predicted to target SHIP, miR-155. We tested for induction and found that F.n. induced miR-155 both in primary monocytes/macrophages and in vivo. Using luciferase reporter assays we confirmed that miR-155 led to down-regulation of SHIP, showing that it specifically targets the SHIP 3′UTR. Further experiments showed that miR-155 and BIC, the gene that encodes miR-155, were induced as early as four hours post-infection in primary human monocytes. This expression was dependent on TLR2/MyD88 and did not require inflammasome activation. Importantly, miR-155 positively regulated pro-inflammatory cytokine release in human monocytes infected with Francisella. In sharp contrast, we found that the highly virulent type A SCHU S4 strain of Francisella tularensis (F.t.) led to a significantly lower miR-155 response than the less virulent F.n. Hence, F.n. induces miR-155 expression and leads to down-regulation of SHIP, resulting in enhanced pro-inflammatory responses. However, impaired miR-155 induction by SCHU S4 may help explain the lack of both SHIP down-regulation and pro-inflammatory response and may account for the virulence of Type A Francisella

Cepstral analysis of hypokinetic and ataxic voices : correlations with perceptual and other acoustic measures

To investigate the validity of cepstral analyses against other conventional acoustic measures of voice quality in determining the perceptual impression in different motor speech disorders—hypokinetic and ataxic dysarthria, and speech tasks—prolonged vowels and connected speech. Prolonged vowel productions and connected speech samples (reading passages and monologues) from 43 participants with Parkinson disease and 10 speakers with ataxia were analyzed perceptually by a trained listener using GRBAS. In addition, acoustic measures of cepstral peak prominence (CPP), smoothed CPP (CPPs), harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR), shimmer %, shimmer dB, amplitude perturbation quotient (APQ), relative average perturbation (RAP), jitter, and pitch perturbation quotient (PPQ) were performed. Statistical analysis involved correlations between perceptual and acoustic measures, as well as determination of differences across speaker groups and elicitation tasks. CPP and CPPs results showed greater levels of correlation with overall dysphonia, breathiness, and asthenia ratings than the other acoustic measures, except in the case of roughness. Sustained vowel production produced a higher number of significant correlations across all parameters other than connected speech, but task choice did not affect CPP and CPPs results. There were no significant differences in any parameters across the two speaker groups. The results of this study are consistent with the results of other studies investigating the same measures in speakers with nonmotor-related voice pathologies. In addition, there was an indication that they performed better in relation to asthenia, which might be particularly relevant for the current speaker group. The results support the clinical and research use of CPP and CPPs as a quantitative measure of voice quality in populations with motor speech disorder

Factors associated with preservation of facial nerve function after surgical resection of vestibular schwannoma

Avoidance of facial nerve palsy is one of the major goals of vestibular schwannoma (VS) microsurgery. In this study, we examined the significance of previously implicated prognostic factors (age, tumor size, the extent of resection and the surgical approach) on post-operative facial nerve function. We selected all VS patients from prospectively collected database (1984–2009) who underwent microsurgical resection as their initial treatment for histopathologically confirmed VS. The effect of variables such as surgical approach, tumor size, patient age and extent of resection on rates facial nerve dysfunction after surgery, were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Patients with preoperative facial nerve dysfunction (House-Brackman [HB] score 3 or higher) were excluded, and HB grade of 1 or 2 at the last follow-up visit was defined as “facial nerve preservation.” A total of 624 VS patients were included in this study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that only pre-operative tumor size significantly predicted poorer facial nerve outcome for patients followed-up for ≥6 and ≥12 months (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.09–1.49, p < 0.01; OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.10–1.67, P < 0.01, respectively). We found no significant relationship between facial nerve function and age, extent of resection, surgical approach, or tumor size (when extent of resection and surgical approach were included in the regression analysis). Because facial nerve palsy is a debilitating and psychologically devastating condition for the patient, we suggest altering surgical aggressiveness in patients with unfavorable tumor anatomy, particularly in cases with large tumors where overaggressive resection might subject the patient to unwarranted risk. Residual disease can be followed and controlled with radiosurgery if interval growth is noted

Age at first childbirth and oral contraceptive use are associated with risk of androgen receptor-negative breast cancer: the Malmö Diet and Cancer Cohort.

Risk factors for breast cancer vary according to breast cancer subtype. This study analyzes the impact of potential risk factors in breast cancer by androgen receptor (AR) status

Contrasting Expression of Canonical Wnt Signaling Reporters TOPGAL, BATGAL and Axin2LacZ during Murine Lung Development and Repair

Canonical Wnt signaling plays multiple roles in lung organogenesis and repair by regulating early progenitor cell fates: investigation has been enhanced by canonical Wnt reporter mice, TOPGAL, BATGAL and Axin2LacZ. Although widely used, it remains unclear whether these reporters convey the same information about canonical Wnt signaling. We therefore compared beta-galactosidase expression patterns in canonical Wnt signaling of these reporter mice in whole embryo versus isolated prenatal lungs. To determine if expression varied further during repair, we analyzed comparative pulmonary expression of beta-galactosidase after naphthalene injury. Our data show important differences between reporter mice. While TOPGAL and BATGAL lines demonstrate Wnt signaling well in early lung epithelium, BATGAL expression is markedly reduced in late embryonic and adult lungs. By contrast, Axin2LacZ expression is sustained in embryonic lung mesenchyme as well as epithelium. Three days into repair after naphthalene, BATGAL expression is induced in bronchial epithelium as well as TOPGAL expression (already strongly expressed without injury). Axin2LacZ expression is increased in bronchial epithelium of injured lungs. Interestingly, both TOPGAL and Axin2LacZ are up regulated in parabronchial smooth muscle cells during repair. Therefore the optimal choice of Wnt reporter line depends on whether up- or down-regulation of canonical Wnt signal reporting in either lung epithelium or mesenchyme is being compared