Investigation of magnetic wedge effects in large-scale BDFMs

This paper studies the effects of magnetic wedges on the equivalent circuit parameters of the Brushless Doubly-Fed Machine (BDFM). Magnetic wedges are used in slot openings of large electrical machines to reduce magnetizing currents, but the study of their effects on the BDFM performance is not straightforward due to the complex magnetic fields in the BDFM. Equivalent circuit and FE models have been developed for a 250 kW BDFM taking into account the effects of wedges and verified experimentally

Design considerations for the brushless doubly-fed (induction) machine

© The Institution of Engineering and Technology. A design procedure for the brushless doubly-fed machine is based on equations derived from a simplified equivalent circuit. The method allows the many variables in the design of this machine to be handled in a straightforward way. Relationships are given for the division of slot area between the two stator windings and for the design of the magnetic circuit. The design method is applied to a frame size 180 machine. In particular, calculated values for flux densities in the machine have been verified by time stepping finite element analysis for actual operating conditions. The approach outlined can also be used as part of a design optimisation routine

Not all low-carbon energy pathways are environmentally "no-regrets" options

Energy system pathways which are projected to deliver minimum possible deployment cost, combined with low Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, are usually considered as ‘no-regrets’ options. However, the question remains whether such energy pathways present ‘no-regrets’ when also considering the wider environmental resource impacts, in particular those on land and water resources. This paper aims to determine whether the energy pathways of the UK’s Carbon Plan are environmental “no-regrets” options, defined in this study as simultaneously exhibiting low impact on land and water services resulting from resource appropriation for energy provision. This is accomplished by estimating the land area and water abstraction required by 2050 under the four pathways of the Carbon Plan with different scenarios for energy crop composition, yield, and power station locations. The outcomes are compared with defined limits for sustainable land appropriation and water abstraction. The results show that of the four Carbon Plan pathways, only the “Higher Renewables, more energy efficiency” pathway is an environmental “no-regrets” option, and that is only if deployment of power stations inland is limited. The study shows that policies for future low-carbon energy systems should be developed with awareness of wider environmental impacts. Failing to do this could lead to a setback in achieving GHG emission reductions goals, because of unforeseen additional competition between the energy sector and demand for land and water services in other sectors.This work has been funded by Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through the Whole System Energy Modelling (wholeSEM) consortium. EPSRC Grant number EP/K039326/1This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.10.00

A new bright z = 6.82 quasar discovered with VISTA: VHS J0411-0907

We present the discovery of a new $z \sim 6.8$ quasar discovered with the near-IR VISTA Hemisphere Survey (VHS) which has been spectroscopically confirmed by the ESO New Technology Telescope (NTT) and the Magellan telescope. This quasar has been selected by spectral energy distribution (SED) classification using near infrared data from VISTA, optical data from Pan-STARRS, and mid-IR data from WISE. The SED classification algorithm is used to statistically rank two classes; foreground Galactic low-mass stars and high redshift quasars, prior to spectroscopic observation. Forced photometry on Pan-STARRS pixels for VHS J0411-0907 allows to improve the SED classification reduced-$\chi^2$ and photometric redshift. VHS J0411-0907 ($z=6.82$, $y_{AB} = 20.1$ mag, $J_{AB} = 20.0$ mag) has the brightest J-band continuum magnitude of the nine known quasars at $z > 6.7$ and is currently the highest redshift quasar detected in the Pan-STARRS survey. This quasar has one of the lowest black hole mass ($M_{\rm{BH}}= (6.13 \pm 0.51)\times 10^8\:\mathrm{M_{\odot}}$) and the highest Eddington ratio ($2.37\pm0.22$) of the known quasars at $z>6.5$. The high Eddington ratio indicates that some very high-$z$ quasars are undergoing super Eddington accretion. We also present coefficients of the best polynomials fits for colours vs spectral type on the Pan-STARRS, VISTA and WISE system for MLT dwarfs and present a forecast for the expected numbers of quasars at $z>6.5$

Response of the Hepatic Transcriptome to Aflatoxin B1 in Domestic Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

Dietary exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is detrimental to avian health and leads to major economic losses for the poultry industry. AFB1 is especially hepatotoxic in domestic turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo), since these birds are unable to detoxify AFB1 by glutathione-conjugation. The impacts of AFB1 on the turkey hepatic transcriptome and the potential protection from pretreatment with a Lactobacillus-based probiotic mixture were investigated through RNA-sequencing. Animals were divided into four treatment groups and RNA was subsequently recovered from liver samples. Four pooled RNA-seq libraries were sequenced to produce over 322 M reads totaling 13.8 Gb of sequence. Approximately 170,000 predicted transcripts were de novo assembled, of which 803 had significant differential expression in at least one pair-wise comparison between treatment groups. Functional analysis linked many of the transcripts significantly affected by AFB1 exposure to cancer, apoptosis, the cell cycle or lipid regulation. Most notable were transcripts from the genes encoding E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase Mdm2, osteopontin, S-adenosylmethionine synthase isoform type-2, and lipoprotein lipase. Expression was modulated by the probiotics, but treatment did not completely mitigate the effects of AFB1. Genes identified through transcriptome analysis provide candidates for further study of AFB1 toxicity and targets for efforts to improve the health of domestic turkeys exposed to AFB1.published_or_final_versio

The length-tension diagrams of human oblique muscles in trochlear palsy and strabismus sursoadductorius

We determined the relation between length and tension in detached oblique muscles of 16 strabismus patients that underwent surgery, before and during contraction evoked by intravenous administration of succinylcholine. We frequently found a nonlinear relation between length and tension, unlike our previous findings in recti. In superior oblique palsies, the superior oblique was found, before injection of succinylcholine, to be stiff after elongation, and did not contract after injection of succinylcholine, while the ipsilateral inferior oblique contract after injection of succinylcholine, but with a higher spring constant than did usual. In 3 cases the superior oblique contracted vividly after administration of succinylcholine despite the presence of excyclotropia, stereopsis, torticollis (2 cases) and a hypertropia that increased in adduction, in downgaze, in adduction-and-downgaze and on ipsilateral head-tilt. The finding of a vividly contracting superior oblique is incompatible with the diagnosis of a complete superior oblique palsy. We conclude that some of the cases diagnosed as congenital superior oblique palsy, having a hypertropia increasing in adduction, in downgaze, in adduction-and-downgaze and on ipsilateral head-tilt, are in fact cases of unilateral strabismus sursoadductorius (upshoot in adduction), a non-paretic motility disorder

Comparison and relative utility of inequality measurements: as applied to Scotland’s child dental health

This study compared and assessed the utility of tests of inequality on a series of very large population caries datasets. National cross-sectional caries datasets for Scotland’s 5-year-olds in 1993/94 (n = 5,078); 1995/96 (n = 6,240); 1997/98 (n = 6,584); 1999/00 (n = 6,781); 2002/03 (n = 9,747); 2003/04 (n = 10,956); 2005/06 (n = 10,945) and 2007/08 (n = 12,067) were obtained. Outcomes were based on the d3mft metric (i.e. the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth). An area-based deprivation category (DepCat) measured the subjects’ socioeconomic status (SES). Simple absolute and relative inequality, Odds Ratios and the Significant Caries Index (SIC) as advocated by the World Health Organization were calculated. The measures of complex inequality applied to data were: the Slope Index of Inequality (absolute) and a variety of relative inequality tests i.e. Gini coefficient; Relative Index of Inequality; concentration curve; Koolman and Doorslaer’s transformed Concentration Index; Receiver Operator Curve and Population Attributable Risk (PAR). Additional tests used were plots of SIC deciles (SIC10) and a Scottish Caries Inequality Metric (SCIM10). Over the period, mean d3mft improved from 3.1(95%CI 3.0–3.2) to 1.9(95%CI 1.8–1.9) and d3mft = 0% from 41.1(95%CI 39.8–42.3) to 58.3(95%CI 57.8–59.7). Absolute simple and complex inequality decreased. Relative simple and complex inequality remained comparatively stable. Our results support the use of the SII and RII to measure complex absolute and relative SES inequalities alongside additional tests of complex relative inequality such as PAR and Koolman and Doorslaer’s transformed CI. The latter two have clear interpretations which may influence policy makers. Specialised dental metrics (i.e. SIC, SIC10 and SCIM10) permit the exploration of other important inequalities not determined by SES, and could be applied to many other types of disease where ranking of morbidity is possible e.g. obesity. More generally, the approaches described may be applied to study patterns of health inequality affecting worldwide populations

A Systematic Review of Mosquito Coils and Passive Emanators: Defining Recommendations for Spatial Repellency Testing Methodologies.

Mosquito coils, vaporizer mats and emanators confer protection against mosquito bites through the spatial action of emanated vapor or airborne pyrethroid particles. These products dominate the pest control market; therefore, it is vital to characterize mosquito responses elicited by the chemical actives and their potential for disease prevention. The aim of this review was to determine effects of mosquito coils and emanators on mosquito responses that reduce human-vector contact and to propose scientific consensus on terminologies and methodologies used for evaluation of product formats that could contain spatial chemical actives, including indoor residual spraying (IRS), long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) and insecticide treated materials (ITMs). PubMed, (National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), U.S. National Library of Medicine, NIH), MEDLINE, LILAC, Cochrane library, IBECS and Armed Forces Pest Management Board Literature Retrieval System search engines were used to identify studies of pyrethroid based coils and emanators with key-words "Mosquito coils" "Mosquito emanators" and "Spatial repellents". It was concluded that there is need to improve statistical reporting of studies, and reach consensus in the methodologies and terminologies used through standardized testing guidelines. Despite differing evaluation methodologies, data showed that coils and emanators induce mortality, deterrence, repellency as well as reduce the ability of mosquitoes to feed on humans. Available data on efficacy outdoors, dose-response relationships and effective distance of coils and emanators is inadequate for developing a target product profile (TPP), which will be required for such chemicals before optimized implementation can occur for maximum benefits in disease control

Does a SLAP lesion affect shoulder muscle recruitment as measured by EMG activity during a rugby tackle?

Background: The study objective was to assess the influence of a SLAP lesion on onset of EMG activity in shoulder muscles during a front on rugby football tackle within professional rugby players. Methods: Mixed cross-sectional study evaluating between and within group differences in EMG onset times. Testing was carried out within the physiotherapy department of a university sports medicine clinic. The test group consisted of 7 players with clinically diagnosed SLAP lesions, later verified on arthroscopy. The reference group consisted of 15 uninjured and full time professional rugby players from within the same playing squad. Controlled tackles were performed against a tackle dummy. Onset of EMG activity was assessed from surface EMG of Pectorialis Major, Biceps Brachii, Latissimus Dorsi, Serratus Anterior and Infraspinatus muscles relative to time of impact. Analysis of differences in activation timing between muscles and limbs (injured versus non-injured side and non injured side versus matched reference group). Results: Serratus Anterior was activated prior to all other muscles in all (P = 0.001-0.03) subjects. In the SLAP injured shoulder Biceps was activated later than in the non-injured side. Onset times of all muscles of the noninjured shoulder in the injured player were consistently earlier compared with the reference group. Whereas, within the injured shoulder, all muscle activation timings were later than in the reference group. Conclusions: This study shows that in shoulders with a SLAP lesion there is a trend towards delay in activation time of Biceps and other muscles with the exception of an associated earlier onset of activation of Serratus anterior, possibly due to a coping strategy to protect glenohumeral stability and thoraco-scapular stability. This trend was not statistically significant in all cases