Improved transient simulation of salient-pole synchronous generators with internal and ground faults in the stator winding

An improved model for simulating the transient behavior of salient-pole synchronous generators with internal and ground faults in the stator winding is established using the multi-loop circuit method. The model caters for faults under different ground conditions for the neutral, and accounts for the distributed capacitances of the windings to ground. Predictions from the model are validated by experiments, and it is shown that the model accurately predicts the voltage and current waveforms under fault conditions. Hence, it can be used to analyze important features of faults and to design appropriate protection schemes

Linear response conductance and magneto-resistance of ferromagnetic single-electron transistors

The current through ferromagnetic single-electron transistors (SET's) is considered. Using path integrals the linear response conductance is formulated as a function of the tunnel conductance vs. quantum conductance and the temperature vs. Coulomb charging energy. The magneto-resistance of ferromagnet-normal metal-ferromagnet (F-N-F) SET's is almost independent of the Coulomb charging energy and is only reduced when the transport dwell time is longer than the spin-flip relaxation time. In all-ferromagnetic (F-F-F) SET's with negligible spin-flip relaxation time the magneto-resistance is calculated analytically at high temperatures and numerically at low temperatures. The F-F-F magneto-resistance is enhanced by higher order tunneling processes at low temperatures in the 'off' state when the induced charges vanishes. In contrast, in the 'on' state near resonance the magneto-resistance ratio is a non-monotonic function of the inverse temperature.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures. accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

An anatomical study in a Chinese population of the position of the rib head for placing anterior vertebral body screws

The instrumentation of anterior vertebral body screws has become an important approach for the treatment of unstable fractures or curvature of the spine, but little attention has been paid to the starting point of placing the screws and the variability of the rib head position. We analysed the variability of rib head position in a Chinese population in terms of the spinal canal and vertebral body using computed tomography (CT). Images from transverse CT scans of the T4–T12 vertebral bodies of 30 normal individuals were 3-D reconstructed and analysed for measurement of parameters which included: 1) distance between the left (or right) anterior border of the rib head and the posterior (or anterior) margin of the vertebral body [L(R)ARHP(A)VB]; 2) left (or right) transverse dimension [L(R)TD]; 3) left (or right) posterior (or anterior) safe angle [L(R)P(A)SA]; and 4) distance between the inferior border of the left (or right) rib head and the superior (or inferior) end-plate in the sagittal plane [I L(R)RHS(I)EP]. The ARHPVB, PSA, and IRHIEP gradually decrease, but ARHAVB, TD, ASA, and IRHSEP gradually increase, from T4 to T12, indicating that the position of the rib head changes from a more anterior position to a more posterior position and from a more superior position to a more inferior position, as the number of the vertebra increases. Our study has provided a comprehensive reference guide for accurate and safe instrumentation of vertebral body screws in treating related spine diseases. (Folia Morphol 2010; 69, 4: 232-240

Birkhoff's theorem in the f(T) gravity

Generalized from the so-called teleparallel gravity which is exactly equivalent to general relativity, the $f(T)$ gravity has been proposed as an alternative gravity model to account for the dark energy phenomena. In this letter we prove that the external vacuum gravitational field for a spherically symmetric distribution of source matter in the $f(T)$ gravity framework must be static and the conclusion is independent of the radial distribution and spherically symmetric motion of the source matter that is, whether it is in motion or static. As a consequence, the Birkhoff's theorem is valid in the general $f(T)$ theory. We also discuss its application in the de Sitter space-time evolution phase as preferred to by the nowadays dark energy observations.Comment: 5p

Extended Birkhoff's Theorem in the f(T) Gravity

The f(T) theory, a generally modified teleparallel gravity, has been proposed as an alternative gravity model to account for the dark energy phenomena. Following our previous work [Xin-he Meng and Ying-bin Wang, EPJC(2011), arXiv:1107.0629v1], we prove that the Birkhoff's theorem holds in a more general context, specifically with the off diagonal tetrad case, in this communication letter. Then, we discuss respectively the results of the external vacuum and internal gravitational field in the f(T) gravity framework, as well as the extended meaning of this theorem. We also investigate the validity of the Birkhoff's theorem in the frame of f(T) gravity via conformal transformation by regarding the Brans-Dicke-like scalar as effective matter, and study the equivalence between both Einstein frame and Jordan frame.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, submitted to EPJ-C. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1107.062

An island based hybrid evolutionary algorithm for optimization

This is a post-print version of the article - Copyright @ 2008 Springer-VerlagEvolutionary computation has become an important problem solving methodology among the set of search and optimization techniques. Recently, more and more different evolutionary techniques have been developed, especially hybrid evolutionary algorithms. This paper proposes an island based hybrid evolutionary algorithm (IHEA) for optimization, which is based on Particle swarm optimization (PSO), Fast Evolutionary Programming (FEP), and Estimation of Distribution Algorithm (EDA). Within IHEA, an island model is designed to cooperatively search for the global optima in search space. By combining the strengths of the three component algorithms, IHEA greatly improves the optimization performance of the three basic algorithms. Experimental results demonstrate that IHEA outperforms all the three component algorithms on the test problems.This work was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) of UK under Grant EP/E060722/1

Birkhoff's Theorem in f(T) Gravity up to the Perturbative Order

f(T) gravity, a generally modified teleparallel gravity, has become very popular in recent times as it is able to reproduce the unification of inflation and late-time acceleration without the need of a dark energy component or an inflation field. In this present work, we investigate specifically the range of validity of Birkhoff's theorem with the general tetrad field via perturbative approach. At zero order, Birkhoff's theorem is valid and the solution is the well known Schwarzschild-(A)dS metric. Then considering the special case of the diagonal tetrad field, we present a new spherically symmetric solution in the frame of f(T) gravity up to the perturbative order. The results with the diagonal tetrad field satisfy the physical equivalence between the Jordan and the so-called Einstein frames, which are realized via conformal transformation, at least up to the first perturbative order.Comment: 8 pages, no figure. Final version, accepted for publication in EPJ

Inhibitory effect of rhubarb on intestinal α-glucosidase activity in type 1 diabetic rats

Purpose: To investigate the inhibitory effect of rhubarb on α-glucosidase activity in the small intestine of rats with type 1 diabetes.Methods: Type 1 diabetic rat model was established by intraperitoneally injecting 30 male SD rats with 1 % streptozocin (STZ). Rats with fasting blood glucose > 11 mmol/L (24) were used for the study. The rats were randomly divided into three equal groups including control, acarbose and rhubarb groups. Arcabose® (20 mg/kg /day) and rhubarb (100 mg/kg /day) were given by intra-gastric route via insertion of the cannula through the esophagus. Daily fasting blood glucose and daily postprandial glucose levels were assayed for all groups. On day 6, postprandial blood glucose, blood levels of C-peptide and insulin, and intestinal α-glucosidase were also determined.Results: There were no significant differences in levels of C-peptide, insulin and fasting blood glucose between control, Acarbose® and rhubarb groups (p > 0.05). However, α-glucosidase activity at 0, 30, 60 and 120 min in the rhubarb group was 1759.2, 1812.8, 1379.8 and 772.1 U, respectively,) while in the Acarbose® group it was 178.6, 1260.1, 1126.5, 599.2 U, respectively. α-Glucosidase activity in both groups initially showed an increase (p < 0.05), followed by a decline from 60 to 120 min (p ˂ 0.05). After 120 min, α-glucosidase activity in each of the two groups was significantly decreased compared with untreated control (1200 U) (p ˂ 0.05).Conclusion: The inhibitory effect of rhubarb on intestinal α-glucosidase activity of Type 1 diabetic rats is comparable to that of Arcabose®.This suggests that this plant may have clinically potent anti-diabetic properties.Keywords: Type 1 diabetes, α-Glucosidase activity, Acarbose®, Rhubarb, Postprandial glucose leve

Analysis of the dynamic changes in the soft palate and uvula in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea using ultrafast magnetic resonance imaging

Apnea and the respiratory cycle are dynamic processes in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea (OSAH), which occur only during sleep. Our study aimed to observe the dynamic changes in the soft palate and the uvula during wakefulness and sleep using ultrafast magnetic resonance imaging (UMRI) to provide reference data for the pathogenesis and treatment of OSAH. The dynamic changes in the soft palate and uvular tip of 15 male patients (average age: 50.43 ± 9.82 years) with OSAH were evaluated using UMRI of the upper airway while asleep and awake after 1 night of sleep deprivation. A series of midline sagittal images of the upper airway were obtained. The distance from the center of the soft palate to the x-axis (an extended line from the anterior nasal spine to the posterior nasal spine), from the uvular tip to the x-axis, from the center of the soft palate to the y-axis (a perpendicular line from the center of the pituitary to the x-axis), and from the uvular tip to the y-axis (designated as PX, UX, PY, and UY, respectively) were measured during sleep and wakefulness. The minimum PX, PY, UX, and UY were shorter during sleep than during wakefulness, whereas the maxima were longer during sleep (P < 0.01), the differences between the maximum and minimum PX, PY, UX, and UY were larger during sleep (P < 0.01). The upward, downward, forward, and backward ranges of movement of the soft palate and the uvular tip were larger during sleep in OSAH patients. This increased compliance may trigger each airway obstructive event