HEV to PHEV Conversion Compatibility

This paper includes some of the information gathered regarding the feasibility of converting a series-parallel configured electric vehicle to a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle versus using a series configured electric vehicle to a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. It will explain the theory behind how a series configured hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) might be a better option due to the power rating of the electric motor. Using ADVISOR (Advanced Vehicle Simulator) it will explain test results and form conclusions regarding the efficiency of a series-parallel configured HEV vs. a series configured HEV as it relates to their feasibility of conversion to a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV)

Trends in antibacterial resistance among Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated in the USA: update from PROTEKT US Years 1–4

© 2008 Jenkins et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

Evaluation of WRF-Sfire Performance with Field Observations from the FireFlux experiment

This study uses in-situ measurements collected during the FireFlux field experiment to evaluate and improve the performance of coupled atmosphere-fire model WRF-Sfire. The simulation by WRF-Sfire of the experimental burn shows that WRF-Sfire is capable of providing realistic head fire rate-of-spread and the vertical temperature structure of the fire plume, and, up to 10 m above ground level, fire-induced surface flow and vertical velocities within the plume. The model captured the changes in wind speed and direction before, during, and after fire front passage, along with arrival times of wind speed, temperature, and updraft maximae, at the two instrumented flux towers used in FireFlux. The model overestimated vertical velocities and underestimated horizontal wind speeds measured at tower heights above the 10 m, and it is hypothesized that the limited model resolution over estimated the fire front depth, leading to too high a heat release and, subsequently, too strong an updraft. However, on the whole, WRF-Sfire fire plume behavior is consistent with the interpretation of FireFlux observations. The study suggests optimal experimental pre-planning, design, and execution of future field campaigns that are needed for further coupled atmosphere-fire model development and evaluation

Independence or ownership? A comparison of the struggles and successes of the Bible College principalships of Howard Carter (1921-1948) and Donald Gee (1951-1964) with a special focus on both the risks and benefits of independence and denominational ownership during these eras.

The British Assemblies of God Bible College can trace its roots to the Pentecostal Missionary Union’s (PMU) Training Homes which were established in 1909 for men and in 1910 for women. In 1924 the PMU amalgamated into the newly-formed British Assemblies of God (AoG), with a full merger in 1925, and the PMU Training Homes/ Bible Schools continued as an independent enterprise under the leadership of Howard Carter, albeit with strong links to British AoG. In 1951, the independent Bible School at Hampstead and in Bristol were given to Assemblies of God and from this time, through to the present, have been denominationally owned and governed. The College’s first principal under denominational ownership and governance was Donald Gee. Although this dissertation seeks to reconstruct some of the important contextual narrative of the Bible School(s), from its inception in 1909 through to the end of Donald Gee’s principalship in 1964, this research endeavours to be an analysis and comparison of Carter’s 27 years as Principal of an independent, yet denominationallylinked college, with the 13-year tenure of Gee’s, when it was financially owned and governed by the Assemblies of God. There will be a special focus on the risks and benefits of independence/ownership during the respective eras, examined through criteria such as Finance, Curriculum, Personnel issues and the Student body. In addition to historical research, some contemporary analysis on the risks and benefits of independence/ownership in the 21st century will be elucidated in the Conclusion together with other areas of interest that will be assessed at various points of the dissertation, such as early attitudes to Pentecostal education and whether the focus of training had changed in AoG from overseas to the home field. In light of obvious and perceived risks and benefits, the Conclusion will seek to answer the question of whether denominational independence or denominational ownership was more beneficial for the College in the past and for the current Assemblies of God Bible College at Mattersey. In addition, other observations and lessons for Mattersey Hall will be made. This research seeks to recover the lost voice of this Pentecostal Bible College – to learn lessons from the past in order to help it survive and thrive in the future. This research will be predominantly based on information provided by primary sources

Utilization and Effect of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles in the United States Power Grid

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are uniquely capable of providing both transportation and battery storage interconnection to the electric power grid. This ability allows PHEVs the possibility of serving the power grid in the capacity of a mobile energy storage unit, providing the grid with additional stability, reliability, costeffectiveness, and efficiency. Additionally, with the higher fuel efficiency of PHEVs, the transportation and power generation sectors can collectively reduce their ecologically harmful emissions and increase their reliance on environmentally friendly energy sources. These concepts are still new and under development; in this paper, the viability of the PHEV as a mobile energy storage unit connected to the power grid is examined from a power system perspective, involving an examination of practicality, reliability, short- and long-term economics, and alternative energy storage units

Srs2 promotes synthesis-dependent strand annealing by disrupting DNA polymerase δ-extending D-loops.

Synthesis-dependent strand annealing (SDSA) is the preferred mode of homologous recombination in somatic cells leading to an obligatory non-crossover outcome, thus avoiding the potential for chromosomal rearrangements and loss of heterozygosity. Genetic analysis identified the Srs2 helicase as a prime candidate to promote SDSA. Here, we demonstrate that Srs2 disrupts D-loops in an ATP-dependent fashion and with a distinct polarity. Specifically, we partly reconstitute the SDSA pathway using Rad51, Rad54, RPA, RFC, DNA Polymerase δ with different forms of PCNA. Consistent with genetic data showing the requirement for SUMO and PCNA binding for the SDSA role of Srs2, Srs2 displays a slight but significant preference to disrupt extending D-loops over unextended D-loops when SUMOylated PCNA is present, compared to unmodified PCNA or monoubiquitinated PCNA. Our data establish a biochemical mechanism for the role of Srs2 in crossover suppression by promoting SDSA through disruption of extended D-loops

Individual pulmonary vein size and survival in infants with totally anomalous pulmonary venous connection

AbstractObjectives. We investigated whether mortality in totally anomalous pulmonary venous connection could be predicted from preoperative individual pulmonary vein size.Background. Some infants with this anomaly die with or without surgical repair because of stenosis of individual pulmonary veins.Methods. Individual pulmonary vein, vertical vein and pulmonary venous confluence diameters were retrospectively measured from preoperative echocardiograms in 32 infants with totally anomalous pulmonary venous connection presenting to Children's Hospital, Boston over a 1/2-year period. Data on body surface area, other cardiac anomalies, presence of initial pulmonary venous obstruction and early surgery and outcome were also recorded.Results. Of 32 patients, 6 (18.8%) died before hospital discharge, and 8 (25.0%) died subsequently. Six (75.0%) of the eight patients who died late had individual pulmonary vein stenosis at sites remote from the surgical anastomosis to the left atrium. The remaining 18 patients (56.3%) are alive at a mean follow-up period of 9.7 months. A Cox proportional hazard model revealed that small sum of individual pulmonary vein diameters (p = 0.0004), small confluence size (p = 0.02) and presence of heterotaxy syndrome (p = 0.008) were each significant univariate predictors of survival. Multivariate analysis showed that small pulmonary vein sum was a strong predictor of survival (p = 0.008), independent of the presence of heterotaxy syndrome. An analysis stratified by the presence of heterotaxy syndrome showed that the predictive effect of small pulmonary vein sum on survival was strongest in patients without heterotaxy syndrome.Conclusions. These data show that individual pulmonary vein size at diagnosis is a strong, independent predictor of survival in patients with totally anomalous pulmonary venous connection. In patients with this anomaly and small individual pulmonary veins, the anomaly may not be correctable by surgical creation of an anastomosis between the pulmonary venous confluence and the left atrium

The test case of HD26965: difficulties disentangling weak Doppler signals from stellar activity

We report the discovery of a radial velocity signal that can be interpreted as a planetary-mass candidate orbiting the K dwarf HD26965, with an orbital period of 42.364$\pm$0.015 days, or alternatively, as the presence of residual, uncorrected rotational activity in the data. Observations include data from HIRES, PFS, CHIRON, and HARPS, where 1,111 measurements were made over 16 years. Our best solution for HD26965 $b$ is consistent with a super-Earth that has a minimum mass of 6.92$\pm$0.79 M$_{\oplus}$ orbiting at a distance of 0.215$\pm$0.008 AU from its host star. We have analyzed the correlation between spectral activity indicators and the radial velocities from each instrument, showing moderate correlations that we include in our model. From this analysis, we recover a $\sim$38 day signal, which matches some literature values of the stellar rotation period. However, from independent Mt. Wilson HK data for this star, we find evidence for a significant 42 day signal after subtraction of longer period magnetic cycles, casting doubt on the planetary hypothesis for this period. Although our statistical model strongly suggests that the 42-day signal is Doppler in origin, we conclude that the residual effects of stellar rotation are difficult to fully model and remove from this dataset, highlighting the difficulties to disentangle small planetary signals and photospheric noise, particularly when the orbital periods are close to the rotation period of the star. This study serves as an excellent test case for future works that aim to detect small planets orbiting `Sun-like' stars using radial velocity measurements.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, 13 tables, accepted for publication in A