A ducted wind turbine simulation model for building simulation

Power production is shifting away from centralized generation plants to production of heat and power at the point of demand. A technology that may play a part in this shift is the ducted wind turbine (DWT). The emergence of small building integrated micro turbines opens up the possibility of utilizing the differential pressures occurring around buildings for local power production. This paper describes work to develop and test a simple mathematical model of a ducted wind turbine and its integration within a building simulation tool. A case study in which the simulation model will be used to analyse of the likely power output from a building incorporating ducted wind turbines within the façade is also presented

Real-time PCR quantitation of hepatitis B virus DNA using automated sample preparation and murine cytomegalovirus internal control

Quantitation of circulating hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA is important for monitoring disease progression and for assessing the response to antiviral therapy. Several commercial and 'in house' assays for HBV DNA quantitation have been described but many of these have limitations of relatively low sensitivity and limited dynamic range. This study describes the development and evaluation of a FRET-based real-time PCR assay designed to overcome these limitations and to provide accurate quantitation of DNA from all eight genotypes of HBV (A-H). The assay employs a fully automated nucleic acid extraction system permitting high-sample throughput with minimal 'hands-on' time and incorporates a murine cytomegalovirus (mCMV) internal control to prevent false negative results and under-reporting due to unrecognised problems with viral lysis, DNA purification or PCR amplification. Sensitivity, assessed by Probit analysis at the 95% detection level, was 24.4 IU/ml, associated with an extremely wide dynamic range (similar to 9 log(10)). Coefficients of variation were low for both intra-assay and inter-assay variability (CV%, 7-11%) and quantitative data correlated well (R-2 = 0.97) with the Digene hybrid capture assay. This assay provides an ideal system for therapeutic monitoring and for studying the relationship between HBV viral load and stage of disease. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

The Fall of the Tragic Hero: A Critique of the “Hubristic Principle”

The idea of attaching moral depravity to the fall of the tragic heroes (according to Aristotle, those men who enjoy prosperity and high reputation like Oedipus and Thyestes etc.) did not start with the three tragic poets, namely; Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, but rather it dates back even to Homer. This idea is, of course, influenced by the old Greek tradition of Koros, Hubris, Nemesis and Ate. The totality of this traditional view and its application is equated to the phrase ‘hubristic principle’, in the scheme of this work. The hubristic principle makes specific that the fall of the herois as a result of a sin or wrong that he committed. The commission of this wrong must not go unpunished. In effect, the hand of Justice, what they call nemesis, no matter how delayed must fall on the hero. The problem is how then do you reconcile situations where the fall of the hero is not hismaking? In other words, where do you place undeserved misfortune that befalls the hero? Apparently, it is this inadequacy of the hubristic syndrome that Aristotle proposes hamartia (Greek, for error) as the appropriate means in accounting for the fall of the tragic hero. This paperdiscusses first, the hubristic principle and its application and second, assesses the reliability of the theory in accounting for the fall of the tragic hero

Evaluation (and related activities) of a NHS supported local delivery model for non-credit bearing Multi-professional Support for Learning and Assessment in Practice in Greater Manchester

Background: HEE North West (HEE NW) is currently piloting for 12 months a partnership of Trusts within Greater Manchester to deliver non-credit bearing Multi-Professional Support of Learning and Assessment in Practice (MSLAP) programme in NHS, private, voluntary and independent settings under an agreement with the University of Bolton (UoB). Health Education England North West (HEE NW) have commissioned an evaluation of the model by the University of Salford School of Nursing, Midwifery, Social Work & Social Sciences (NMSWSS) to compare this model to different national HEE mentorship training delivery models and policies

Factors that influence running intensity in interchange players in professional rugby league

Background: Rugby league coaches adopt replacement strategies for their interchange players to maximize running intensity; however, it is important to understand the factors that may influence match performance. Purpose: To assess the independent factors affecting running intensity sustained by interchange players during professional rugby league. Methods: Global positioning system (GPS) data were collected from all interchanged players (starters and nonstarters) in a professional rugby league squad across 24 matches of a National Rugby League season. A multilevel mixed-model approach was employed to establish the effect of various technical (attacking and defensive involvements), temporal (bout duration, time in possession, etc), and situational (season phase, recovery cycle, etc) factors on the relative distance covered and average metabolic power (Pmet) during competition. Significant effects were standardized using correlation coefficients, and the likelihood of the effect was described using magnitude-based inferences. Results: Superior intermittent running ability resulted in very likely large increases in both relative distance and Pmet. As the length of a bout increased, both measures of running intensity exhibited a small decrease. There were at least likely small increases in running intensity for matches played after short recovery cycles and against strong opposition. During a bout, the number of collision-based involvements increased running intensity, whereas time in possession and ball time out of play decreased demands. Conclusions: These data demonstrate a complex interaction of individual- and match-based factors that require consideration when developing interchange strategies, and the manipulation of training loads during shorter recovery periods and against stronger opponents may be beneficial

PubChem3D: Diversity of shape

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The shape diversity of 16.4 million biologically relevant molecules from the PubChem Compound database and their 1.46 billion diverse conformers was explored as a function of molecular volume.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The diversity of shape space was investigated by determining the shape similarity threshold to achieve a maximum on the count of reference shapes per unit of conformer volume. The rate of growth in shape space, as represented by a decreasing shape similarity threshold, was found to be remarkably smooth as a function of volume. There was no apparent correlation between the count of conformers per unit volume and their diversity, meaning that a single reference shape can describe the shape space of many chemical structures. The ability of a volume to describe the shape space of lesser volumes was also examined. It was shown that a given volume was able to describe 40-70% of the shape diversity of lesser volumes, for the majority of the volume range considered in this study.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The relative growth of shape diversity as a function of volume and shape similarity is surprisingly uniform. Given the distribution of chemicals in PubChem versus what is theoretically synthetically possible, the results from this analysis should be considered a conservative estimate to the true diversity of shape space.</p

Acceleration-Based Running Intensities of Professional Rugby League Match-Play

Purpose: To quantify the energetic cost of running and acceleration efforts during rugby league competition to aid in prescription and monitoring of training. Methods: Global positioning system (GPS) data were collected from 37 professional rugby league players across 2 seasons. Peak values for relative distance, average acceleration/deceleration, and metabolic power (P_met) were calculated for 10 different moving-average durations (1–10 min) for each position. A mixed-effects model was used to assess the effect of position for each duration, and individual comparisons were made using a magnitude-based-inference network. Results: There were almost certainly large differences in relative distance and P_met between the 10-min window and all moving averages <5 min in duration (ES = 1.21–1.88). Fullbacks, halves, and hookers covered greater relative distances than outside backs, edge forwards, and middle forwards for moving averages lasting 2–10 min. Acceleration/deceleration demands were greatest in hookers and halves compared with fullbacks, middle forwards, and outside backs. P_met was greatest in hookers, halves, and fullbacks compared with middle forwards and outside backs. Conclusions: Competition running intensities varied by both position and moving-average duration. Hookers exhibited the greatest P_met of all positions, due to high involvement in both attack and defense. Fullbacks also reached high P_met, possibly due to a greater absolute volume of running. This study provides coaches with match data that can be used for the prescription and monitoring of specific training drills

Autonomic response to exercise as measured by cardiovascular variability

Motivation. There is growing interest in the use of cardiovascular variability indicators as measures of autonomic activity, even though reported results are not always comparable or as expected. This review aims to determine the consistency of results reported on the autonomic response to physical exercise as measured by heart rate variability, blood pressure variability and baroreceptor sensitivity. Method. An Ovid MEDLINE Database search for the period 1950 - March 2008 produced 46 articles for review. The published articles that evaluate the effect of exercise on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) are summarised in three categories: the response of the ANS during a bout of exercise, directly after exercise (recovery measurements), and after a long-term exercise programme. Results. Articles on the effect of training on the ANS as measured by cardiovascular variability indicators show increased variability, decreased variability, and no change in variability. Conclusion. Findings in this review emphasise that standardisation and refinement of these measuring tools are essential to produce results that can be repeated and used as reference. Standardisation is essential as these measurements are increasingly employed in studies regarding investigations of central autonomic regulation, those exploring the link between psychological pro cesses and physiological functioning, and those indicating ANS activity in response to exercise, training and overtraining. This review shows that important aspects are inter-individual differences, duration and intensity of the exercise programme, and choice and specific implementation of variability analysis techniques. South African Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 20 (4) 2008: pp. 102-10