Cost functions for degradation control of electric motors in electric vehicles

This paper introduces a novel set of electric motor degradation cost functions based on energy usage, energy loss and work output, against their continuous operation rated values recommended by the manufacturer. Unlike conventional electric motor degradation indicators such as the bearing life and insulation life based service factors, these cost functions account for the quantified time in the degradation process. The cost functions are evaluated throughout the operational life of the motor using real-time measurements. Hence, they give a very accurate indication, which may be adapted for online controller tuning. This solid establishment of a degradation cost function also enables the system designer to give the user a choice between performance and degradation minimization. The proposed cost function scheme has experimentally been verified using a hardware-in-the-loop electric powertrain test-rig where standard drive cycles are used to conduct the experiments. The experimental results reveal that the degradation cost functions Cumulative Input Energy Ratio (CIER), Cumulative Loss Ratio (CLR) and Cumulative Work Ratio (CWR) accurately represent the electric motor degradation both qualitatively and quantitatively

Oral bacteria modulate Candida biofilm formation

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OCCIDENT & ORIENT: Newsletter of the German Protestant Institute of Archaeology in Amman (Volume 1, No. 2, December 1996)

A Commitment to Strengthening German-Jordanian Cooperation, Promoting Protection of Sites By: Hans-Dieter Bienert, German Protestant Institute of Archaeology (Amman) A New Project on the Nabataean Settlement of Wadi Rum By: Laurent Tholbecq, Institut Francais d’Archéologie du Proche-Orient, Amman (Jordan) Documenting Tools of Old Stone Age Hunters in the Azraq Oasis. By: R. Low, D. Schnurrenberger, R. Watson, G. Rollefson, L. Quintero ‘Ain Ghazal Excavations (1996) unearth Neolithic “Temples” By: Gary Rollefson, ‘Ain Ghazal Research Institute (AGRI), Ober-Ramstadt (Germany) Zeidan Kafafi, Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, Yarmouk University (Jordan) Petra proper and Greater Petra: The Archaeological Activities of Naturhistorische Gesellschaft Nürnberg (Germany) By: Manfred Lindner, Naturhistorische Gesellschaft Nürnberg (Germany) The Gods of the Nabataeans: A New Research Project By: Helmut Merklein, University of Bonn (Germany), Robert Wenning, University of Bonn (Germany) Is it Possible to Manage Future Agriculture in the Jordan Valley by Utilizing SalineWater? By: Brigitta Meier, Frankfurt/Main (Germany) Tell Johifiyeh: An Iron Age Site in Northern Jordan – Preparation of An archaeological Investigation. By: Roland Lamprichs, University of Freiburg (Germany) The ACOR Madaba Project. By: Timothy Harrison, ACOR (Jordan), Patricia Bikai, ACOR (Jordan) Twenty Years in Umm Qais (ancient Gadara) By: Ute Wagner-Lux, Basel (Switzerland), Karel J. H. Vriezen, Utrecht University (Netherlands) Breaking Ground For Professional Conservation. By: Friedrich Zink, Expert Conservator CIM Integrated Expert Program, Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology (IAA), Yarmouk University, Irbid (Jordan) CARCIP: The Second Phase By: Helge H. Fischer, Project Director CARCIP

Turbidometric evaluation of polyene-azole antagonism in C. albicans

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Human Serum Promotes Candida albicans Biofilm growth and Virulence Gene Expression on Silicone Biomaterial

Objectives Systemic candidal infections are a common problem in hospitalized patients due to central venous catheters fabricated using silicone biomaterial (SB). We therefore evaluated the effect of human serum on C. albicans biofilm morphology, growth, and the expression of virulence-related genes on SB in vitro. Methods We cultivated C. albicans SC5314 (wild-type strain, WT) and its derivative HLC54 (hyphal mutant, HM) for 48 h in various conditions, including the presence or absence of SB discs, and human serum. The growth of planktonic and biofilm cells of both strains was monitored at three time points by a tetrazolium salt reduction assay and by scanning electron microscopy. We also analyzed by RT-PCR its expression of the virulence-related genes ALS3, HWP1, EAP1, ECE1, SAP1 - SAP10, PLB1, PLB2, PLC and PLD. Results At each time point, planktonic cells of WT strain cultured in yeast nitrogen base displayed a much higher expression of EAP1 and HWP1, and a moderately higher ALS3 expression, than HM cells. In planktonic cells, expression of the ten SAP genes was higher in the WT strain initially, but were highly expressed in the HM strain by 48 h. Biofilm growth of both strains on SB was promoted in the presence of human serum than in its absence. Significant upregulation of ALS3, HWP1, EAP1, ECE1, SAP1, SAP4, SAP6 - SAP10, PLB1, PLB2 and PLC was observed for WT biofilms grown on serum-treated SB discs for at least one time point, compared with biofilms on serum-free SB discs. Conclusions Human serum stimulates C. albicans biofilm growth on SB discs and upregulates the expression of virulence genes, particularly adhesion genes ALS3 and HWP1, and hydrolase-encoding genes SAP, PLB1 and PLB2. This response is likely to promote the colonization of this versatile pathogen within the human host.published_or_final_versio