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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
BACKGROUND
SUMMARY
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0023475, filed on Mar. 7, 2012 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a motor to generate rotational force and a washing machine having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A washing machine, which washes clothes using electricity, is provided with a tub to reserve wash water, a drum rotatably installed within the tub, and a motor to rotate the drum.
Operation of a washing machine is divided into washing, during which dirt on the laundry is removed, and dehydration, during which the cleaned laundry is dehydrated. The drum rotates at low speed in washing operation with water contained therein, and rotates at high speed with water not contained therein when performing dehydration.
The motor mounted to the washing machine should meet these two speed conditions for operation of the washing machine. That is, the motor needs to rotate the drum with high torque for washing operation and to rotate drum at high speed in dehydration operation.
However, with a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor mounted to a conventional washing machine, it may be difficult to meet these two rotation conditions for operation of the washing machine.
Therefore, it is an aspect of the present disclosure to provide a motor which has an improved structure ensuring that the motor operates with efficiency over a certain level in both washing and dehydration operations of a washing machine and a washing machine having the same.
Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned from practice of the invention.
In accordance with one aspect, a washing machine includes a body, a tub disposed within the body, a drum rotatably disposed within the tub, and a motor coupled to a rear surface of the tub to drive the drum, wherein the motor includes a stator including a plurality of stator cores and a plurality of magnets arranged between the stator cores, and a rotor rotatably disposed at an inner side or outer side of the stator.
Each of the stator cores may include a core body shaped in a circular arc, and a plurality of supports adapted to extend from the core body in a radial direction of the core body to support the magnets disposed on both sides of the core body.
The stator may include a first coil wound around the neighboring ones of the supports of a first one and a second one of the stator cores neighboring each other.
The stator may include a second coil wound around one of the magnets disposed between the neighboring ones of the supports.
The first coil may be positioned at an outer side of the second coil.
The magnets may have a shorter length than the stator cores in an axial direction of the stator.
The stator may include an insulator to cover the stator cores and the magnets to electrically insulate the stator cores and the magnets from the first coil and the second coil.
The rotor may include a rotor body formed in a circular shape, and a plurality of rotor cores adapted to extend from the rotor body in a radial direction of the rotor body, and arranged in a circumferential direction of the rotor body.
In accordance with one aspect, a motor includes a stator including a plurality of stator cores radially arranged separated from each other and a plurality of magnets inserted between the stator cores to form magnetic flux, and a rotor to electrically interact with the stator to rotate, the rotor including a rotor body and a plurality of rotor cores arranged in a circumferential direction of the rotor body.
Two neighboring ones of the stator cores may define a magnet accommodating portion therebetween to accommodate at least one of the magnets inserted thereinto.
Each of the stator cores may include a plurality of supports arranged parallel with the magnets to support the magnets, and a connector to connect the supports to each other.
The stator may include a first coil wound around neighboring ones of the supports of two different ones of the stator cores having at least one magnet of the magnets disposed therebetween to form magnetic flux in a first direction.
The stator may include a second coil wound around the at least one magnet to form magnetic flux in a direction different from the first direction.
The magnetic flux formed through the second coil according to electric current applied to the second coil may be superimposed on the magnetic flux formed by the magnet, or cancel out the magnetic flux formed by the magnet.
The first coil may be wound outside the second coil.
The at least one magnet may have a shorter length than the stator cores in an axial direction of the stator.
The stator may include a molding portion to connect the stator cores separated from each other.
Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Hereinafter, a description will be given of a washing machine with a motor, which is applicable to all kinds of apparatuses including an air conditioner, an electric vehicle, a light rail system, an electric bicycle and a small generator that employ a motor as a power source.
FIG. 1
is a view illustrating a washing machine in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.
FIG. 1
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As shown in , the washing machine includes a cabinet forming the outward appearance of the washing machine , a tub disposed within the cabinet , a drum rotatably disposed within the tub , and a motor to rotate the drum .
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The front portion of the cabinet is provided with an inlet through which laundry may be inserted into the drum . The inlet is opened and closed by a door installed at the front of the cabinet .
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A water supply pipe to supply wash water to the tub is installed at the upper portion of the tub . One end of the water supply pipe is connected to an external water supply source (not shown), and the other end of the water supply pipe is connected to a detergent supply unit . The detergent supply unit is connected to the tub through a connection pipe . Water flowing into the water supply pipe is supplied to the tub along with a detergent via the detergent supply unit .
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Installed at the bottom of the tub are a drain pump and drain pipe to discharge the water in the tub from the cabinet .
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A plurality of through holes is formed around the drum to allow flow of wash water therethrough, and a plurality of lifters is installed on the inner circumferential surface of the drum to allow the laundry to tumble during rotation of the drum .
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The drum and motor are connected to each other through a drive shaft . The drive shaft transmits the rotational force of the motor to the drum . One end of the drive shaft is connected to the drum , and the other end of the drive shaft extends outside a rear wall of the tub .
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Installed at the rear wall of the tub is a bearing housing by which the drive shaft is rotatably supported. The bearing housing may be formed of an aluminum alloy, and may be inserted the rear wall of the tub when the tub is manufactured through injection molding. Bearings are installed between a bearing housing and the drive shaft to ensure smooth rotation of the drive shaft .
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Hereinafter, a detailed description will be given of the structure and principles of the motor mounted at the rear wall of the tub of the washing machine .
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
FIG. 2
FIG. 4
FIG. 2
FIG. 5
FIG. 2
FIG. 6
FIG. 3
is a view illustrating a stator and rotor of a motor in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, is an exploded perspective view illustrating the stator of , is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I-I of , illustrating the magnetic flux flow among the coil, stator core and magnets, is a view illustrating the magnetic flux flow between the stator and rotor of , and is a graph illustrating the characteristics of the motor in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The coil is not shown in . The motor according to embodiments may be an inner rotor-type motor which has a rotor disposed inside the stator, or an outer rotor-type motor which has a rotor disposed outside the stator. For convenience of description, the motor will hereinafter be assumed to be of the outer rotor type.
FIGS. 1 to 5
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As shown in , the motor according to the illustrated embodiment is coupled to the outside of the tub to drive the drum to rotate in both directions. The motor includes a stator mounted at the rear wall of the tub , and a rotor disposed around the stator to electrically interact with the stator to rotate.
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The stator includes a plurality of stator cores radially arranged separated from each other and formed of a metal, a plurality of magnets coupled between the stator cores , a coil wound around the stator cores and magnets , and an insulator to cover the stator cores and magnets .
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Each of the stator cores includes a core body shaped in a circular arc, and a plurality of supports extending from the core body in a direction in which the radius of the core body increases. The core body and the plurality of supports of the stator cores forms, for example, a V-shape configuration. The supports are connected to both sides of the core body to support the magnets positioned on both sides of the stator core , in the circumferential direction of the stator core . The distance between the supports widens along the direction in which the supports extends. The core body may be seen as a connector since it connects the supports arranged on both sides thereof.
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The stator cores are arranged equally spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the stator to define a magnet accommodating portion therebetween to accommodate at least one magnet .
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Since the stator cores are completely separated from each other, leakage of magnetic flux of the magnet by flowing into the neighboring stator cores may be prevented.
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As the stator core forms a path of magnetic flux through which a magnetic field is formed, it may be fabricated by processing and stacking metallic plates through press working.
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The magnets , which are disposed between the stator cores , are arranged in the circumferential direction of the stator to be radially positioned around the stator . The magnet may contain a rare-earth element such as ferrite, neodymium and samarium which may semi-permanently maintain the magnetic property of high energy density.
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The magnetic fluxes created by the magnets are arranged in the circumferential direction of the stator , and the neighboring magnets are disposed such that the portions thereof facing each other have the same polarity. If a magnetic circuit is formed in this way, the concentration of magnetic fluxes generated by the magnets may be enhanced, and thus it may be possible to reduce the size of the motor while improving the performance thereof.
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The insulator includes an upper insulator and lower insulator to vertically cover the stator cores and magnets . The upper insulator and lower insulator are vertically coupled to each other to support and combine the stator cores and magnets and to electrically insulate the stator cores and magnets from the coil . Also, the upper insulator and lower insulator include a plurality of fixing holes and a plurality of fixing holes respectively to fix the stator to the rear wall of the tub . The upper insulator and lower insulator may be fabricated through injection molding of plastics having the property of electrical insulation, and the fixing holes and may be integrally formed respectively in the upper insulator and lower insulator during injection molding process. Although not shown, instead of providing the upper insulator and lower insulator separately for the insulator , the insulator may be integrated with the stator cores and magnets by inserting the stator cores and magnets into a mold used to fabricate the insulator in injection molding.
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The coil is wound around neighboring supports and of a first stator core and second stator core neighboring each other among other stator cores . When electric current is supplied to the coil , a magnetic field is formed in the radial direction of the stator in accordance with the principle of electromagnetic induction.
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The coil may be wound to form 3-phase windings. If 3-phase alternating current (AC) power is applied to the coil , a 3-phase rotating magnetic field is created at the stator . By the 3-phase rotating magnetic field formed at the stator , the rotor is rotated around the stator .
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The rotor includes a rotor body formed in a circular shape, a plurality of rotor cores extending inward from the rotor body in a radial direction of the rotor body and arranged spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the rotor body , a rotor frame to combine the rotor with the drive shaft . As the rotor body and rotor cores define, along with the stator , a path of magnetic flux allowing a magnetic field formed at the stator to pass therethrough, they may be formed by processing and stacking metallic plates through press working.
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Hereinafter, a description will be given of how the rotor is rotated by electromagnetic interaction between the stator and rotor of the motor according to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 4 and 5
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As shown in , the magnets disposed between the stator cores have alternately arranged polarities such that the portions of the magnets facing each other have the same polarity, thereby allowing concentrated magnetic flux to be created in the circumferential direction of the stator .
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The magnetic flux created by a first magnet disposed between the first stator core and the second stator core forms a closed loop path (I) along a support of the second stator core adjoining the first magnet , a second rotor core , a rotor body , a first rotor core , and a support of the first stator core adjoining the first magnet , while the magnetic flux created by a second magnet disposed between the second stator core and the third stator core forms a closed loop path (II) along a support of the second stator core adjoining the second magnet , a third rotor core , a rotor body , a fourth rotor core , and a support of the third stator core adjoining the second magnet . Other magnets arranged alternately with the first magnet or the second magnet also form the same closed loop path of magnetic flux as those of the first magnet and second magnet
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FIG. 5
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When AC power is applied to the coil wound around the stator , magnetic fluxes A and A are formed around the coil in a radial direction. The magnetic fluxes formed around the coil are superimposed on the magnetic fluxes formed by the magnets to increase the magnetic flux density or to cancel the magnetic fluxes formed by the magnets to decrease the magnetic flux density. As shown in , the magnetic flux A formed around the coil decreases the density of magnetic flux formed in and around the support of the first stator core , and increases the density of magnetic flux formed in and around the support of the second stator core . Likewise, the magnetic flux A formed around the coil decreases the density of magnetic flux formed in and around the support of the third stator core , and increases the density of magnetic flux formed in and around the support of the second stator core
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The directions and densities of magnetic fluxes formed, around the stator cores including the first stator core , second stator core and third stator core , by the magnets may be controlled by adjusting the AC power applied to the coil , and the speed and direction of rotation of the rotor controlled by adjusting the densities of the magnetic fluxes around the stator cores .
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FIG. 6
As such, by using both the magnetic flux created by the magnet inserted between the stator cores and the magnetic flux created by the coil wound around the magnet , the density of magnetic flux formed around the stator may be adjusted in a wide range. That is, as shown in , toque may be increased in a region of operation of the washing machine such as washing which requires high torque by adjusting the AC power applied to the coil to allow the magnetic flux created by the magnet to be superimposed on the magnetic flux created by the coil , and the rotational speed of the rotor may be increased in a region of operation of the washing machine such as dehydration which requires high rotational speed by adjusting the AC power applied to the coil to allow the magnetic flux created by the magnet and the magnetic flux created by the coil to cancel each other out.
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Hereinafter, a motor according to one embodiment will be described in detail. For convenience of description, description of the parts of the motor identical to those of the motor is omitted.
FIG. 7
FIG. 8
FIG. 7
FIG. 9
FIG. 7
FIG. 10
FIG. 7
FIG. 8
is a view illustrating a stator and rotor of a motor in accordance with one embodiment, is an exploded perspective view illustrating the stator of , is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of , illustrating magnetic flux flow through a coil, stator core, and magnet, and is a view illustrating magnetic flux flow through the stator and rotor of . The coil is omitted from .
FIGS. 7 to 10
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As shown in , the motor according to the illustrated embodiment of the preset invention includes a stator mounted at the rear wall of the tub , and a rotor disposed around the stator to electrically interact with the stator to rotate.
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The stator includes a plurality of stator cores radially arranged spaced apart from each other and formed of a metal, a plurality of magnets coupled between the stator cores , a first coil and a second coil wound around the stator cores and magnets , and an insulator to cover the stator cores and magnets .
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Each of the stator cores includes a core body shaped in a circular arc, and a plurality of supports extending from the core body in a direction in which the radius of the core body increases. The supports are connected to both sides of the core body to support, in the circumferential direction of the stator core , the magnets positioned at both sides of the stator core . The distance between the supports widens along the direction in which the supports extends. The core body and the plurality of supports of the stator cores forms, for example, a V-shape configuration. The core body may be seen as a connector since it connects the supports arranged on both sides thereof.
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The stator cores are arranged equally spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the stator to define a magnet accommodating portion therebetween to accommodate at least one magnet .
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Since the stator cores are completely separated from each other, leakage of magnetic flux of the magnet through flow into the neighboring stator cores may be prevented.
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As the stator core forms a path of magnetic flux through which a magnetic field is formed, it may be fabricated by processing metallic plates in press working and stacking the same.
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FIG. 8
FIG. 8
The magnets , which are disposed between the stator cores , are arranged in the circumferential direction of the stator to be radially positioned around the stator . To form windings of the second coil , the magnets may be adapted to have a shorter length than the stator cores in the axial direction of the stator . As shown in , the magnet may be formed in a rectangular shape. Although not shown in , each corner of the magnet may be rounded, or the magnet may be formed in various shapes such as circular and polygonal shapes. The magnet may contain a rare-earth element such as ferrite, neodymium and samarium which may semi-permanently maintain the magnetic property of high energy density.
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a
The magnetic fluxes created by the magnets are arranged in the circumferential direction of the stator , and the neighboring magnets are disposed such that the portions thereof facing each other have the same polarity. If a magnetic circuit is formed in this way, the concentration of magnetic flux generated by the magnets may be enhanced, and thus it may be possible to reduce the size of the motor while improving the performance thereof.
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The insulator includes an upper insulator and lower insulator to vertically cover the stator cores and magnets . The upper insulator and lower insulator are vertically coupled to each other to support and combine the stator cores and magnets and to electrically insulate the stator cores and magnets from the first coil and second coil . Also, the upper insulator and lower insulator include a plurality of fixing holes and a plurality of fixing holes to fix the stator to the rear wall of the tub . The upper insulator and lower insulator may be fabricated through injection molding of plastics having the property of electrical insulation, and the fixing holes and may be integrally formed respectively in the upper insulator and lower insulator during injection molding of the upper insulator and lower insulator . Although not shown, instead of providing the upper insulator and lower insulator separately for the insulator , the insulator may be integrated with the stator cores and magnets by inserting the stator cores and magnets into a mold used to injection mold the insulator .
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The insulator includes a first coil wound portion wound by the first coil , and a second coil wound portion wound by the second coil . The first coil wound portion and second coil wound portion are connected to each other, and are arranged in a stepped manner such that when the first coil and the second coil do not interfere with each other when windings thereof are formed around the first coil wound portion and second coil wound portion
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The first coil is wound around neighboring supports and of a first stator core and second stator core neighboring each other among other stator cores . When electric current is supplied to the first coil , a magnetic field is formed in the radial direction of the stator in accordance with the principle of electromagnetic induction.
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The first coil may be wound to form 3-phase windings. If 3-phase AC power is applied to the first coil , a 3-phase rotating magnetic field is created at the stator . By the 3-phase rotating magnetic field formed at the stator , the rotor is rotated about the stator .
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The second coil is wound, in a different direction than the first coil , around the magnet disposed between the first stator core and the second stator core neighboring each other among other stator cores . When electric current is supplied to the coil , a magnetic field is formed in the circumferential direction of the stator in accordance with the principle of electromagnetic induction.
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The rotor includes a rotor body formed in a circular shape, a plurality of rotor cores extending inward from the rotor body in a radial direction of the rotor body and arranged spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the rotor body , and a rotor frame to combine the rotor with the drive shaft . As the rotor body and rotor cores define, along with the stator , a path of magnetic flux allowing a magnetic field formed at the stator to pass therethrough, they may be formed by processing stacking metal plates through press working.
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Hereinafter, a description will be given of how the rotor is rotated by electromagnetic interaction between the stator and rotor of the motor according to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 9 and 10
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As shown in , the magnets arranged between the stator cores have alternately arranged polarities such that the portions of the magnets facing each other have the same polarity, thereby allowing concentrated magnetic flux to be created in the circumferential direction of the stator .
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The magnetic flux created by a first magnet disposed between the first stator core and the second stator core forms a closed loop path (III) along a support of the second stator core adjoining the first magnet , a second rotor core , a rotor body , a first rotor core , and a support of the first stator core adjoining the first magnet , while the magnetic flux created by a second magnet disposed between the second stator core and the third stator core forms a closed loop path (IV) along a support of the second stator core adjoining the second magnet , a third rotor core , a rotor body , a fourth rotor core , and a support of the third stator core adjoining the second magnet . Other magnets arranged alternately with the first magnet or the second magnet also form the same closed loop path of magnetic flux as those of the first magnet and second magnet
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FIG. 10
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When AC power is applied to the first coil , magnetic fluxes B and B are formed around the first coil in a radial direction. The magnetic fluxes B and B formed around the first coil are superimposed on magnetic fluxes formed by the magnets to increase the magnetic flux density or to cancel the magnetic fluxes formed by the magnets to decrease the magnetic flux density. As shown in , the magnetic flux B formed around the first coil decreases the density of magnetic flux formed in and around the support of the first stator core , and increases the density of magnetic flux formed in and around the support of the second stator core . Likewise, the magnetic flux B formed around the first coil decreases the density of magnetic flux formed in and around the support of the third stator core , and increases the density of magnetic flux formed in and around the support of the second stator core
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FIG. 10
When AC power is applied to the second coil , magnetic fluxes B and B are formed around the second coil in a circumferential direction. The magnetic fluxes B and B formed by the second coil in a circumferential direction are substantially in the same direction as or the opposite direction to that of the magnetic fluxes formed by the first magnet or second magnet . As shown in , the magnetic flux B formed by the second coil is superimposed on the magnetic flux formed by the first magnet , and the magnetic flux B formed by the second coil cancels out the magnetic flux formed by the second magnet . As such, the second coil substantially increases or decreases the densities of the magnetic fluxes formed by the magnets .
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The directions and densities of magnetic fluxes formed by the magnets around the stator cores including the first stator core , second stator core and third stator core may be controlled by adjusting AC power applied to the first coil and second coil , and the speed and direction of rotation of the rotor may be controlled by adjusting the densities of the magnetic fluxes around the stator cores . Wherein the AC power is applied independently to the first coil and the second coil allowing for greater control of the direction and densities of the magnetic fluxes.
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By using both the magnetic flux created by the magnet inserted between the stator cores and the magnetic fluxes created by the first coil and second coil wound around the stator cores and the magnet , the density of magnetic flux formed around the stator may be adjusted in a wide range as in the motor according to the previous embodiment.
As is apparent from the above description, magnets are included in a stator and the intensity of magnetic flux formed by the magnets included in the stator is varied, and thereby requirements for washing and dehydration operations of a washing machine may be efficiently met.
Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and/or other aspects will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
FIG. 1
is a view illustrating a washing machine in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 2
is a view illustrating a stator and rotor of a motor in accordance with the exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 3
FIG. 2
is an exploded perspective view illustrating the stator of ;
FIG. 4
FIG. 2
is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I-I of ;
FIG. 5
FIG. 2
is a view illustrating magnetic flux flow between the stator and rotor of ;
FIG. 6
is a graph illustrating the characteristics of the motor in accordance with the exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 7
is a view illustrating a stator and rotor of a motor in accordance with one embodiment;
FIG. 8
FIG. 7
is an exploded perspective view illustrating the stator of ;
FIG. 9
FIG. 7
is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of ; and
FIG. 10
FIG. 7
is a view illustrating magnetic flux flow through the stator and rotor of . | |
TECHNICAL FIELD
This disclosure relates to electrical power systems.
BACKGROUND
A bus bar in an electrical power system can deliver power from a power source to a load that is remote form the power source. A first power converter can supply power generated by the power source to the bus bar, and a second power converter can deliver power from the bus bar to the load. An energy storage device can act as a load or as a power source by supplying or consuming power, depending on the circumstances. One example is an electrical power system onboard an aircraft that includes a generator configured to convert mechanical energy of an engine into electrical energy for distribution on a bus bar to a remote propulsor. The aircraft can include a motor that drives the propulsor based on power received from the bus bar. In this way, the engine can drive the remote propulsor and provide power to other loads onboard the aircraft.
SUMMARY
This disclosure describes techniques for controlling energy resources that are connected to a bus in an electrical power system. The energy resources may include a power source, an energy storage device, and a load. A system controller may be configured to send commands to a first primary controller that is configured to control the power source, to a second primary controller that is configured to control the energy storage device, and/or to a third primary controller that is configured to control the load.
The techniques of this disclosure may allow for management of all of the energy resources connected to the bus. Each primary controller may be configured to implement a droop power curve based on locally sensed parameters, which may allow for the primary controllers to quickly respond to disturbances on the bus. The primary controllers may be able to effectively maintain the voltage magnitude on the bus with relatively small transients regardless of the operating modes of the power sources, energy storage devices, and loads.
In some examples, a system includes a bus and a first power converter connected to the bus. The system also includes a second power converter connected to the bus, the second power converter having a topology different from the topology of the first power converter. The system further includes a power source and an energy storage device connected to the bus via the first and second power converters, respectively. In addition, the system includes a source controller configured to control the first power converter and a storage controller configured to control the second power converter. The system also includes a system controller configured to determine a first set point for the first power converter, transmit an indication of the first set point to the source controller, determine a second set point for the second power converter, and transmit an indication of the second set point to the storage controller.
In some examples, a method includes determining, by a system controller, a first set point for a first power converter connected to a bus, wherein the first power converter has a first topology. The method also includes transmitting, by the system controller, an indication of the first set point to a source controller, wherein the source controller is configured to control the first power converter. The method further includes determining, by the system controller, a second set point for a second power converter connected to the bus, wherein the second power converter has a second topology, and the first topology being different from the second topology. The method includes transmitting, by the system controller, an indication of the second set point to a storage controller, wherein the storage controller is configured to control the second power converter.
In some examples, a device includes a computer-readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon, configured to be executable by processing circuitry for causing the processing circuitry to determine a first set point for a first power converter connected to a bus, wherein the first power converter has a first topology. The instructions are configured to be executable by the processing circuitry for also causing the processing circuitry to transmit an indication of the first set point to a source controller, wherein the source controller is configured to control the first power converter. The instructions are configured to be executable by the processing circuitry for further causing the processing circuitry to determine a second set point for a second power converter connected to the bus, wherein the second power converter has a second topology, and the first topology being different from the second topology. The instructions are configured to be executable by the processing circuitry for causing the processing circuitry to transmit an indication of the second set point to a storage controller, wherein the storage controller is configured to control the second power converter.
The details of one or more examples are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a conceptual block diagram illustrating a system including three different types of energy resources connected to a bus, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure.
FIG. 2
is a conceptual block diagram illustrating a controller for an energy resource, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure.
FIG. 3
is a conceptual block diagram illustrating a system controller, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure.
FIG. 4
is a timing diagram illustrating the charging and discharging of an energy storage device, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure.
FIG. 5
is a diagram illustrating a voltage deadband for an energy storage device, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure.
FIG. 6
is a conceptual block diagram illustrating voltage versus current droop implementation method, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure.
FIG. 7
is a conceptual block diagram illustrating high- and low-voltage energy storage devices, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure.
FIG. 8A
is a conceptual block diagram illustrating a system controller in the context of a storage fault, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure.
FIG. 8B
is a conceptual block diagram illustrating a system controller for generating a load set point, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure.
FIG. 9
is a conceptual block diagram illustrating a charging circuit for two energy storage devices, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure.
FIGS. 10A and 10B
are plots illustrating a change in a set point, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure.
FIG. 11
is a flowchart illustrating an example process for operating a system controller, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure.
FIG. 12
is a flowchart illustrating an example process for operating a storage controller, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure.
FIG. 13
is a flowchart illustrating an example process for operating a load controller, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure.
FIG. 14
is a flowchart illustrating an example process for operating a system controller based on user input, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
This disclosure describes techniques for controlling distributed energy resources (e.g., sources, loads, and storage devices) that are connected to an electrical bus for transferring power from one or more sources to one or more loads. In addition, one or more energy storage devices may be connected to the bus, where each energy storage device can act as a source or a load. Each energy resource in the system may be connected to the bus via a power converter, and the system may include a plurality of individual controllers, also referred to as primary controllers. Each individual controller is configured to control a respective power converter in a droop control mode, where the individual controller can control a respective power converter based on one or more parameters (e.g., a sensed signal and/or a set point) without direct control from the a centralized controller. A controller operating in droop control mode may operate on its own without communicating with any other controller, except for receiving commands from a system controller to set threshold levels.
In some examples, each of the energy resources are connected to the bus via a respective power converter, where each power converter has a particular topology. For example, a power source may be connected to the bus via a rectifier that converts alternating current (AC) electricity produced by the power source to direct current (DC) electricity for delivery to the bus. A load may be connected to the bus via an inverter that converts DC from the bus to AC for use by the load (e.g., to drive the load). An energy storage device may be connected to the bus via a DC/DC converter that converts the DC voltage across the terminals of the storage device to the DC voltage on the bus. A system controller may be configured to send a set point command to each of the converters, where converters may have a different topology (e.g., rectifier(s), inverter(s), and/or DC/DC converters). Each of the controllers and power converters are integrated into the system and operate together despite the differing topologies and types.
The distributed controllers may be capable of coordinated mode transitions, such as a transition to a high-propulsion mode where one or more of the propulsors consume more power than during normal operation. During a high-propulsion mode, the power sources generate power and the energy storage devices operate in discharge mode to deliver electricity to the loads. Another example transition is to a charging mode where the energy storage devices receive power generated by the power sources. These transitions can be performed by the primary controllers implementing droop curves, in some cases without coordination between the primary controllers and/or without direction from a system controller. The energy resource power flow transitions are maintained by the commands sent by the system controller to each of the primary controllers. The transitions between operating modes may be relatively easy because of the autonomy of the primary controllers.
The primary controllers may be designed to react quickly to mode transitions because of the autonomy of the primary controllers. The system may be able to smoothly transition from one mode to another mode without changing any of the control loops in any of the controllers or energy resources. Quick action by the local, autonomous controllers may result in a well-maintained bus voltage that is kept within certain limits, which may be especially useful for aerospace applications in which stable propulsion without substantial deviations is desirable. Thus, because of this stable, well-maintained bus voltage, the system may be designed with fewer and/or smaller capacitors, which can lower the size, weight, cost, and complexity of the system, as compared to an existing system.
Each energy storage device may be connected to the bus via a respective power converter that is controlled by a storage controller. The storage controller may be configured to operate the power converter with a voltage deadband, which may reduce the fatigue experienced by the energy storage device that can result from excessive charge and discharge cycles. The storage controller may be configured to set the thresholds for the voltage deadband based on commands received from a system controller.
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Each load may be connected to the bus via a respective power converter and a respective motor that are controlled by a load controller. The load controller may be configured to operate the power converter and load with a modified voltage deadband, whereby the controller may reduce the power drawn from the bus by the load when the bus voltage drops below a threshold level. The modified deadband may allow for reduction of the power drawn by the load when the voltage magnitude on bus deviates downward.
FIG. 1
FIG. 1
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is a conceptual block diagram illustrating a system including three different types of energy resources , , and connected to a bus , in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure. Although depicts three energy resources (e.g., a single power source , a single energy storage device , and a single load ), system may include one or more power sources , one or more energy storage devices , and/or one or more loads . Power source may be referred to as energy resource , energy storage device may be referred to as energy resource , and load may be referred to as energy resource . For example, power source may represent two or more generators, energy storage device may represent two or more batteries, load may represent two or more propulsors. In addition, system may also include different types of power sources, different types of energy storage devices, and/or different types of loads . In other words, there may be any number and any type of sources, storage devices, and loads in system . Two or more components can share a single power converter, or each component may have a dedicated power converter.
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In some examples, system is a hybrid electric propulsion system including multiple generation systems, energy storage devices, and loads in an aerospace application. The control coordination among all of the primary controllers , , and in various operating modes is an important concern for a successful and effective hybrid electric propulsion solution in aerospace applications. To accomplish this control coordination and maintain a desired bus voltage, system controller may be configured to establish and transmit set points to the primary controllers , , and , as described in further detail below.
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Bus may include a DC bus and/or an AC bus, such as a high-voltage DC bus. In some examples, bus includes a differential bus with a high-side rail and a low-side rail. Additionally or alternatively, bus may include a ground rail, which may be connected to a chassis, frame, or housing of system . Bus may carry a voltage potential of one hundred volts, 270 volts, 540 volts, 1080 volts, and/or any other voltage level. The voltage magnitude on bus may increase as power source generates more power, and the voltage magnitude on bus may decrease as load consumes more power.
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Power source may include a gas turbine engine driving, for example, two generators. The two generators may have a common central shaft with two different electromagnetic generators within the housing that are positioned around and coaxial with the shaft. In some examples, power source includes two generators with side-by-side stators that may be enclosed in the same housing. Each generator may be connected to common bus via an individual AC/DC converter. In addition, energy storage device is connected to the same common DC bus via DC/DC converter. Power source may include a wound field machine, a Halbach array generator with permanent magnets on a rotor that is driven by an engine shaft or a propulsor shaft, or any other type of generator.
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Energy storage device is connected to bus via power converter . Power converter may include a DC/DC converter for boosting the voltage across the terminals of energy storage device to the voltage magnitude on bus and/or stepping down the voltage magnitude on bus to the voltage across the terminals of energy storage device . For example, the desired voltage magnitude on bus may be 1,080 volts, and the voltage across the terminals of energy storage device may be approximately eight or nine hundred volts.
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Load may include any component that receives power from bus . Common bus delivers power to load , and load may represent two or more motors, each configured to drive a propulsor. Each motor may include a gearbox to interface with the propulsor. Each motor may be driven by AC electricity received from power converter , or each motor may be driven by AC electricity received from a separate, dedicated power converter. Load may be configured to operate at multiple different power levels, where load controller can control power converter to achieve a desired power level for load .
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Each of power converters , , and are controlled by a respective primary controller. Additional example details of power converters in an electrical power system are described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 10,693,367, entitled “Pre-Charging Circuit for Power Converters,” issued on Jun. 23, 2020; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/951,269, entitled “Fault Detection for a Solid State Power Converter,” filed on Nov. 18, 2020; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/100,225, entitled “Fault Detection for a Solid State Power Converter,” filed on Nov. 20, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
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Each of controllers , , and may be configured to receive a sensed signal indicating a voltage magnitude on bus . For example, each controller may have a nearby, dedicated respective sensor for sensing the bus voltage. In other words, system may include a first voltage sensor on bus near power converter , where source controller receives a signal from the first voltage sensor. System may also include a second voltage sensor on bus near power converter and a third voltage sensor on bus near power converter , where storage controller receives a signal from the second voltage sensor and load controller receives a signal from the third voltage sensor. The voltage magnitude may be relatively uniform across bus , such that each of the voltage sensor may sense approximately the same voltage level. The voltage sensors may include a magnetic sensor, a current mirror, a shunt resistor, and/or any other type of voltage sensor.
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In addition, each of controllers , , and may be configured to sense the current and voltage of/across the respective one of energy resources , , and . For example, source controller may be configured to receive signals indicating the voltage across the terminals of power source and the current on each line of power source (e.g., multiphase lines). Each of controllers , , and may be configured to determine the magnitude of power received or produced by the respective one of energy resources , , and based on the sensed voltage and current. Each of controllers , , and may be configured to sense local parameters, control the respective power converter based on the sensed parameters, and share power on bus .
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In some examples, controllers , , and may not have any mutual communication among the controllers. However, each of controllers , , and may be configured to individually receive commands from system controller via a slow communication line, where system controller may include a supervisory hybrid system controller (HSC). System controller may be configured to initiate various ranges of commands to all the downstream primary controllers (e.g., controllers , , and ) for various modes of operation. Controllers , , and are configured to decode the communications from system controller and execute the operating mode commanded by system controller .
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Each of controllers , , , and may include processing circuitry, which can include any suitable arrangement of hardware, software, instructions, firmware, or any combination thereof, to perform the techniques attributed to controllers , , and herein. Examples of processing circuitry include any one or more microprocessors (e.g., a central processing unit—CPU, a graphics processing unit—GPU, and the like), digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), full authority digital engine control (FADEC) units, engine control units (ECUs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or any other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuitry, as well as any combinations of such components. When the processing circuitry includes software or firmware, the processing circuitry further includes any hardware for storing and executing the software or firmware, such as one or more processors or processing units.
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In general, a processing unit may include one or more microprocessors, DSPs, ASICs, FPGAs, or any other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuitry, as well as any combinations of such components. Although not shown in , each of controllers , , , and may include a memory configured to store data. The memory may include any volatile or non-volatile media, such as a random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), non-volatile RAM (NVRAM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, and the like. In some examples, the memory may be external to controllers , , , and (e.g., may be external to a package in which one of controllers , , , and is housed). The processing circuitry of controllers , , , and may be configured to determine whether a sensed signal indicating the voltage magnitude on bus is greater than or less than a threshold level. For example, the processing circuitry may include circuitry (e.g., digital or analog) and/or instructions for performing thresholding operations. Where this disclosure describes a controller determining whether a sensed signal is greater than or less than a threshold level, the controller may also determine whether the sensed signal is greater than or equal to the threshold level or determine whether the sensed signal is less than or equal to the threshold level in some instances.
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It may be desirable to maintain the voltage magnitude on bus within a target range. For example, the target range may be a range of DC voltage magnitudes or one or more ranges of frequencies, phases, and amplitudes. Maintaining the target voltage on bus may allow for load to operate in a desirable manner. For example, load may be able to produce a desired amount of thrust when the voltage magnitude on bus is within the target range. When the voltage magnitude on bus deviates substantially downward, load may no longer be able to function as desired.
One design technique for maintaining a target voltage on a bus is for a system controller to directly command each primary controller to increase to decrease power generation or power draw. This requires extensive communication between the system controller and all of the primary controllers that receive commands from the system controller.
Another design technique is to have system-level controller(s) that only communicate with primary controllers for like-type power converters. For example, an existing system can use droop control may include like-type power converters, where each droop controller controls the same type of power converter connected to the same type of energy resource. For example, an array of generators in an existing system may each be connected to a bus via a rectifier, where each droop controller controls one of the rectifiers. As used herein, the term “like-type” may refer to a set of rectifiers, a set of DC/DC converters, or a set of inverters. An inverter may be a non-like-type converter with respect to a rectifier.
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In accordance with the techniques of this disclosure, system controller is configured to send commands to two or more of controllers , , and , where these droop controllers control non-like-type power converters, and where at least two of the power converters have a differing topologies. A first topology may be a rectifier, a second topology may be a DC/DC converter (e.g., a boost or buck converter), and a third topology may be an inverter. In some examples, a rectifier may be arranged using the same topology as an inverter, but operated in a reverse direction. For example, system controller can send a command to source controller , which may control a rectifier (e.g., power converter ) connected between power source and bus . System controller can also send a command to storage controller , which may control a DC/DC converter (e.g., power converter ) connected between energy storage device and bus . Thus, power converters and may be non-like-type power converters that are integrated under the system droop control scheme. In addition, system controller may be configured to also send a command to load controller , which may control an inverter (e.g., power converter ) connected between load and bus .
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Responsive to receiving a command from system controller , each of controllers , , and may be configured to set a threshold level for the voltage magnitude on bus . Each of controllers , , and may be configured to compare the sensed voltage magnitude on bus to the threshold level to determine how to control the respective one of power converters , , and . For example, responsive to determining that the voltage magnitude on bus is less than the threshold level, each of controllers , , and may be configured to increase the power delivered to bus and/or to decrease the power drawn from bus . Responsive to determining that the voltage magnitude on bus is greater than the threshold level, each of controllers , , and may be configured to decrease the power delivered to bus and/or to increase the power drawn from bus .
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During each mode of operation, the algorithms implemented by controllers , , and/or may not change. But controllers , , and may be configured to seamlessly carry out each mode in order to maintain a stable common DC bus voltage without any visible or damaging transient reflections during control mode switchovers. According to control certification requirements for aerospace standard demands, controllers , , and may have almost no change in control loops. Thus, a coordination control strategy named “Universal Autonomous Control” (UAC) has a single control algorithm framework for all of controllers , , and so that commands from system controller can be automatically decoded by controllers , , and . In some examples, each of controllers , , and can operate without any mutual communication, such as communication between controllers and or between controllers and . Controllers , , and may be configured to execute the specific mode indicated in the command from system controller without having to coordinate among the controllers , , and .
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Additionally, all different types of distributed energy resources can be connected to bus using a unified primary and secondary control strategy. As a primary control strategy, system controller establishes and transmits set points to controllers , , and . Thus, in the example of an aerospace application, power source generates a sufficient amount of power to maintain a stable bus voltage so that load can generate the desired amount of propulsion.
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From a secondary control point of view, all of the energy resources are identified as similar items, even though the actual energy resources differ by type. In addition, the switching frequencies of power converters , , and that connect energy resources , , and to bus may be widely different. For example, power converter may include a rectifier, and source controller may be configured to cause power converter to switch at thirty-five kilohertz. Power converter may include a DC/DC converter, and storage controller may be configured to cause power converter to switch at sixty-five kilohertz. Each of controllers , , and may be configured to interface with a respective one of power converters , , and by activating and deactivating the switches of the respective power converter. In other words, each of controllers , , and can cause the respective power converter to deliver, transfer, and/or draw a particular magnitude of power to or from bus .
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System may be configured to operate in various modes, where each mode is designed for a specific situation. In the context of aviation, the modes may be designed by in-flight, take-off, landing, cruise, and/or ground charging of energy storage device . System may be configured with various operating conditions where power source and energy storage device are able to balance the load demand. Using UAC principles, controllers , , and may be configured to establish set points and/or implement operating modes based on commands received from system controller . Controllers , , and may be configured to also control power converters , , and based on the set points and further based on locally sensed parameters. This control strategy may allow for quick responses to fluctuations in the voltage magnitude on bus because of the seamless and autonomous operation of the primary controllers.
FIG. 2
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is a conceptual block diagram illustrating a controller for an energy resource , in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure. Controller may represent one example of controller , , and/or shown in . Controller may be configured to implement an individual droop scheme in the primary control block as shown in . Controller may control an AC/DC converter for a turbo generator or a DC/DC converter for an energy storage device. Controller may be configured to implement an individual primary control strategy that includes a voltage-to-power droop section , outer voltage control loop , and inner current control loop .
FIG. 2
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In the example shown in , section receives a first value indicating the sensed power generated or drawn by energy resource and multiplies the first value by a droop gain for energy resource . Section also receives a second value from the system controller, where the second value indicates the voltage set point for energy resource and subtracts the product of the first value from the second value.
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Voltage loop receives the output of section and subtracts a third value indicating a sensed voltage magnitude on bus to generate a quadrature voltage reference. Controller may be configured to determine the voltage magnitude based on a sensed signal received from a voltage sensor on bus near power converter . Voltage loop includes a proportional-integral controller configured to generate a target quadrature current based on the quadrature voltage reference, and current loop subtracts an actual quadrature current from the target quadrature current. Voltage loop also generates a target direct current based on the direct current, and current loop subtracts an actual direct current from the target direct current. Controller processes the outputs of current loop and waveform to generate control signals for power converter , which may include a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal with a switching frequency and a duty cycle.
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A storage controller may include similar modules to controller , except that the storage controller may not include the direct and quadrature currents. Instead, the storage controller may include a voltage loop that generates a target current and a current loop that subtracts an actual current from the target current. The storage controller then processes the outputs of the current loop and a waveform to generate control signals for a DC/DC converter.
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Inner current loop may include a proportional integrator controller. The gains of inner current loop can be set in such a way that the bandwidth of current loop is less than the respective switching frequency, less than one-half of the switching frequency, less than one-fifth of the switching frequency, and/or less than one-tenth of the switching frequency. Control loops and may be fast enough so that controller is able to continuously react to disturbances in the voltage magnitude on bus . The switching frequency may depend on the type of energy resource and power converter , the switching signal (e.g., control signal) may be a PWM signal generated by comparing the output of current loop to waveform . Controller can use the switching signal(s) to activate and deactivate the switches of power converter . In some examples, the system may also include a gate driver circuit for amplifying the power of the control signals before delivering the amplified control signals to the switches of power converter .
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To make the control scheme work properly, the gains of voltage loop can be set so that the bandwidth of current loop is of the same order for an AC/DC converter connected to a power source and a DC/DC converter connected to an energy storage device, for example, one-tenth of the maximum electrical frequency of the AC power source. In some examples, the bandwidth of current loop is less than one-fifth of the operating frequency of an AC power source. The individual AC/DC and DC/DC voltage versus the gain of the power droop curve can be set based on the maximum power and power transfer capability of converter . The system controller may be configured to initiate a command to each converter via a slow communication bus only without any inter-converter communication.
In some examples, a control scheme for an electrical power system may include control of a DC/DC power converter for an energy storage device that is fully synchronized with control of an AC/DC converter for a power source. Operation modes for the electrical power system include charging of an energy storage device, discharging of the energy storage device, buck mode when a low-voltage energy storage device is faulty but an auxiliary load is still receiving power from the bus simultaneously, and a mode with no change in primary control in any of the converters. In charging, discharging, and buck modes, of the converters, energy storage devices, and controllers in the electrical power system may be operating in a universal autonomous control mode. The voltage magnitude on the bus can be maintained to a rated value in steady-state (e.g. 1,080 volts) in all modes. Each of the primary controllers may be configured to automatically decode the commands received from the system controller possibly without any direct communication among the primary controllers.
FIG. 3
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is a conceptual block diagram illustrating a system controller , in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure. System controller may represent one example of system controller shown in . System controller includes set point module for determining set points for a source controller and for a storage controller based on sensed parameters and based on user commands. The sensed parameters may include the voltage magnitude on the bus, the power generated by a source, the power drawn by a load, and the power discharged or drawn by an energy storage device. The user commands may include one or more power commands for an energy storage device and one or more loads and a voltage command for the voltage magnitude on the bus. Set point module may also determine the storage and source droop gains based on the sensed parameters.
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Equations (1)-(3) show the relationship between the voltage reference for an energy storage device (V) and the voltage references for two power sources (Vand V) and the droop gains (Dand D). Equations (4) and (5) show the output power of the DC/DC converter connected to the energy storage device (P) and the output power of the AC/DC converter connected to the power sources (Pand P) based on the total load power (P) and the number of generators (N) in operation. Equations (6) and (7) show the voltage magnitude of the bus due to activated power sources and energy storage device operation.
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><mtext></mtext><mrow><msub><mi>V</mi><mi>Bref</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>-</mo><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo>⁢</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mrow></mrow></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><mtext></mtext><mrow><msub><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>G</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>⁢</mo><mi>ref</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>G</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>-</mo><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>G</mi></msub><mo>⁢</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mrow><mi>G</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></mrow></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><mtext></mtext><mrow><msub><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>G</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>⁢</mo><mi>ref</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>G</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>-</mo><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>G</mi></msub><mo>⁢</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mrow><mi>G</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></mrow></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>3</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><mtext></mtext><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><mfrac><mn>1</mn><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mfrac><mo>[</mo><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>-</mo><mfrac><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mfrac><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mfrac><mo>+</mo><mfrac><mrow><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>G</mi></msub><mo>×</mo><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>G</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>G</mi></msub></mfrac></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>-</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>L</mi></msub></mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mfrac><mn>1</mn><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mfrac><mo>+</mo><mfrac><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>G</mi></msub><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>G</mi></msub></mfrac></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mfrac></mrow><mo>]</mo></mrow></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>4</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><mtext></mtext><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mrow><mi>G</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msub><mo>,</mo><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mrow><mi>G</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>G</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><mfrac><mn>1</mn><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>G</mi></msub></mfrac><mo>[</mo><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>G</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>-</mo><mfrac><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mfrac><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mfrac><mo>+</mo><mfrac><mrow><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>G</mi></msub><mo>×</mo><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>G</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>G</mi></msub></mfrac></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>-</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>L</mi></msub></mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mfrac><mn>1</mn><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mfrac><mo>+</mo><mfrac><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>G</mi></msub><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>G</mi></msub></mfrac></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mfrac></mrow><mo>]</mo></mrow></mrow></mrow></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>5</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><mtext></mtext><mrow><msub><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>H</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>V</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>D</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>-</mo><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo>×</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>6</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msub><mi>V</mi><mi>HVDC</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>-</mo><mrow><mfrac><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mfrac><mo>[</mo><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>-</mo><mfrac><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mfrac><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mfrac><mo>+</mo><mfrac><mrow><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>G</mi></msub><mo>×</mo><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>G</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>G</mi></msub></mfrac></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>-</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>L</mi></msub></mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mfrac><mn>1</mn><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mfrac><mo>+</mo><mfrac><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>G</mi></msub><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>G</mi></msub></mfrac></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mfrac></mrow><mo>]</mo></mrow></mrow><mo>=</mo><mfrac><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mfrac><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mfrac><mo>+</mo><mfrac><mrow><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>G</mi></msub><mo>×</mo><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>G</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>G</mi></msub></mfrac></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>-</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>L</mi></msub></mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mfrac><mn>1</mn><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mfrac><mo>+</mo><mfrac><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>G</mi></msub><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>G</mi></msub></mfrac></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mfrac></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>7</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
The system controller may be configured to iteratively determine the voltage set points using Equations (1)-(3) until the sensed power flow through each power converter is close enough to the power set points (e.g., within an acceptable range). The no-load droop settings of different AC/DC and DC/DC converters can be adjusted and initiated by the system controller to make sure the appropriate power flows from the distributed energy resources. In addition, the HVDC bus voltage magnitude can be set to the desired value. Equations (8) and (9) show two conditions: battery discharge or charge, and neither charge nor discharge.
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>G</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>-</mo><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></mrow><mo>=</mo><mrow><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>L</mi></msub><mo>⁢</mo><mfrac><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>G</mi></msub><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>G</mi></msub></mfrac></mrow><mo>-</mo><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo>⁢</mo><mfrac><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>G</mi></msub><mo>+</mo><mrow><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>G</mi></msub><mo>⁢</mo><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mrow></mrow><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>G</mi></msub></mfrac></mrow></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>8</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msub><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>H</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>V</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>D</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>-</mo><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo>⁢</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mrow></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>9</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
FIG. 4
FIG. 1
FIG. 4
FIG. 4
140
150
is a timing diagram illustrating the charging and discharging of an energy storage device, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure. Power source and energy storage device shown in may be configured to operate in the power generation, charging, and discharging modes depicted in . Using the system framework described herein, the mode transitions depicted in can occur without coordination by a central controller. Instead, the system controller can issue a command to one or more of the primary controllers, and the remaining primary controllers will react to changes in the voltage magnitude on the bus.
410
412
414
416
In phase , the energy storage device discharges to regulate the voltage magnitude on the bus, and the power sources start up at low load. In phase , the energy storage device and the power sources produce approximately equal amounts of power. In phase , the power sources produce all of the power for the system, while the energy storage device is not charging or discharging. In phase , the power sources ramp up the power generation, while the energy storage device is not charging or discharging.
418
418
420
422
418
420
In phase , the storage controller causes the energy storage device to charge using power received from the bus. In addition, in phase , the power sources further increase power generation to provide power for the energy storage device and loads within the system. In phase , the energy storage device returns to not charging or discharging, and the power sources produces all of the power consumed by the load. In phase , the energy storage device begins discharging to provide power, while the power sources continue producing power but at a lower rate than phases and .
FIG. 4
410
412
412
414
418
418
The mode transitions shown in can be made without coordination by a central controller. For example, to transition from phase to phase , the system controller can send a command to the source controller(s) to produce more power, which may increase the voltage magnitude on the bus. The storage controller senses the increased voltage magnitude on the bus and reduces the discharge rate of the energy storage device. A similar command from the system controller may cause the transition from phase to phase . As another example, the system controller may command the storage controller to enter a charging mode in phase . The source controller(s) may be configured to cause the power sources to produce more power in phase in response to sensing the voltage magnitude on the bus has dropped after the energy storage device begins charging.
In contrast, a centralized system could experience large spikes, troughs, and hard transients in the voltage magnitude on the bus. For example, a central controller would command an energy storage device to begin discharging and would also command a power source to produce less power. The commands would likely be implemented by the storage controller and source controller at different times, and there would be a considerable lag in the implementation by one of the controllers. The lag in implementation would result in too much power being delivered to or drawn from the bus. For even a small amount of time, this additional power would cause a substantial change in voltage that pushes the voltage magnitude on the bus outside of the acceptable range.
The capacitors in a system of this disclosure may be few and/or small, meaning that a small change in energy may cause a relatively large change in the voltage magnitude on the bus. Without large capacitors on the bus, the bus voltage may move quickly. It may be desirable to not add capacitors to the system because of the size, weight, cost, and manufacturing time and complexity involved with adding capacitors to a system. A decentralized control scheme may allow for quickly responding to undesirable changes in bus voltage.
B
G
Additional example details of determining a desired power set point for an energy storage device are described in commonly assigned U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/053,107, entitled “Hybrid Propulsion System Power Management,” filed on Jul. 17, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Equations (10) and (11) show the derivation of the set point voltages for an energy storage device (V*) and for a power source (V*) based on the power set points, which may be set by user commands. Equation (12) is general power balance relationship between the load, power sources, and energy storage device.
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>=</mo><mrow><mrow><msubsup><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>⁢</mo><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mrow><mo>+</mo><msub><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>H</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>V</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>D</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>10</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>G</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>=</mo><mrow><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>L</mi></msub><mo>-</mo><msubsup><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>⁢</mo><mfrac><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>G</mi></msub><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>G</mi></msub></mfrac></mrow><mo>+</mo><msub><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>H</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>V</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>D</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>11</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>L</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mrow><mi>G</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msub><mo>+</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mrow><mi>G</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><mo>+</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>12</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
L
The system controller may be configured to calculate load power (P,) using the sum of feedback values from all sources (e.g., power sources and energy storage devices), as reported by their local controllers over the slow communication line. The system controller may be configured to further iterate the determination of voltage set points until the power feedback from each energy resource is sufficiently close to the target power values (e.g., the power set points). This approach may make the system more robust to unmeasured parasitic loads and load tracking errors. However, the system controller may be configured to use feedback from the loads or feedforward from load demands as a feedforward control term, for fault detection, and/or as a backup in the event of signal loss (e.g., fault accommodation).
FIG. 5
FIG. 1
FIG. 5
154
580
582
580
582
570
572
570
572
570
572
570
572
is a diagram illustrating a voltage deadband for an energy storage device, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure. Storage controller shown in may be configured to operate the voltage deadband shown in . The control of the energy storage device includes droop slope for charging and droop slope for discharging. The thick line that includes droop slopes and is the typical operating line for the storage controller. The voltage deadband exists at the zero power point in the voltage span between maximum set point and minimum set point . Maximum set point is the charge-side threshold level, and minimum set point is the discharge-side threshold level. A storage controller may be configured to establish or adjust set points and based on command(s) received from a system controller. In some examples, the storage controller is configured to change set points and only in response to receiving a command received from the system controller.
Battery life diminishes as an energy storage device cycles between charging and discharging, which can occur when a storage controller operates the energy storage device near zero power without a voltage deadband. An existing controller would tend to cycle the energy storage device between charging and discharging in response to fluctuations in system voltage. While quick cycling may be desirable in some systems for immediately responding to power transients, the additional cycle life adds undue overdesign, and thus weight, for an aerospace application. To address this, a storage controller may be configured to implement a voltage deadband to control the power converter connected between the energy storage device and the bus. When the voltage magnitude on the bus is within the storage deadband, the storage controller may cause no power to be released or consumed by the energy storage device. The storage controller may be configured to override and/or disable the voltage loop within the voltage deadband by generating and delivering a constant zero command to the inner loop.
570
572
570
572
580
582
FIG. 5
The storage controller may be configured to determine whether the voltage magnitude on the bus is outside of the voltage deadband defined by set points and . The vertical axis of represents the bus voltage magnitude sensed by the storage controller. Responsive to sensing that the voltage magnitude on the bus is greater than or equal to maximum set point , the storage controller may be configured to cause the energy storage device to charge by receiving an amount of power from the bus. Responsive to sensing that the voltage magnitude on the bus is less than or equal to minimum set point , the storage controller may be configured to cause the energy storage device to discharge by delivering an amount of power to the bus. The storage controller may be configured to determine the amount of charging power based on droop slope and the amount of discharging power based on droop slope .
570
572
BHi
BLo
B
The system controller may be configured to independently adjust no-load voltages for charging and discharging, which are represented by maximum set point (V*) and minimum set point (V*), relative to the original no-load command, V*, as shown in Equations (14) and (15). The system controller can send indications of the no-load commands to the storage controller. Vmax and Vmin may be constant values defining the maximum extent of the voltage range of the deadband. The storage controller may be configured to use Equation (13) to implement a voltage deadband.
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msub><mi>V</mi><mi>Bref</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><mo>{</mo><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>H</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>i</mi></mrow><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>-</mo><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo>⁢</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mrow></mrow><mo>,</mo><mrow><msub><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo>></mo><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>H</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>i</mi></mrow><mo>*</mo></msubsup></mrow></mrow></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mrow><msub><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo>,</mo><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>L</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>o</mi></mrow><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo><</mo><msub><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo><</mo><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>H</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>i</mi></mrow><mo>*</mo></msubsup></mrow></mrow></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mrow><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>L</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>o</mi></mrow><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>-</mo><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo>⁢</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mrow></mrow><mo>,</mo><mrow><msub><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo><</mo><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>L</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>o</mi></mrow><mo>*</mo></msubsup></mrow></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>13</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>H</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>i</mi></mrow><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>=</mo><mrow><mo>{</mo><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>,</mo></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><msubsup><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>></mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mrow><mrow><mi>max</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>,</mo><mtext> </mtext><msub><mi>V</mi><mi>max</mi></msub></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow><mo>,</mo></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><msubsup><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>≤</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>14</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>L</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>o</mi></mrow><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>=</mo><mrow><mo>{</mo><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><mrow><mi>min</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>,</mo><mtext> </mtext><msub><mi>V</mi><mi>min</mi></msub></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow><mo>,</mo></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><msubsup><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>≥</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>,</mo></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><msubsup><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo><</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>15</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
B
B
BHi
BLo
B
FIG. 5
The system controller can send a command to the storage controller to discharge the energy storage device by increasing the lower threshold level. In response, the storage controller can increase the lower threshold of the deadband, which reduces the size of the deadband. This is indicated by the dotted lines for P*≥0 in . If the lower threshold is increased enough, the size of the deadband reaches zero. When the span of the deadband shrinks to zero, as indicated by V*=Vmax, the storage controller may be configured to operate the energy storage device in normal droop control with no deadband. In a situation with no deadband, the maximum and minimum set points are the same: V*=V*=V*. In other words, shrinking the deadband to zero may result in a standard, continuous droop curve where only one voltage magnitude is associated with zero power.
B
FIG. 5
The system controller can send a command to the storage controller to charge the energy storage device. In response, the storage controller can decrease the upper threshold of the deadband, which reduces the size of the deadband. This reduction is indicated by the dashed lines for P*≤0 in . If the upper threshold is lowered far enough, the size of the deadband reaches zero.
B
Bmax
B
B
Bmin
B
Bmin
B
B
Bmax
Compared to moving a deadband of fixed size, this approach does not increase the overall voltage range of the storage controller. This approach may improve stability when power is near zero by reducing the size of the voltage discontinuity. In contrast, moving a fixed-size deadband would increase the range from [−D×P<V<−D×P] to [Vmin+D×P<V<Vmax+D×P].
The storage controller may be configured to cause the energy storage device to release power to the bus in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is less than the lower end of the deadband. The storage controller may be configured to cause the energy storage device to receive power to the bus in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is greater than the upper end of the deadband. The storage controller can control the power converter and/or a switch network between the power converter and the energy storage device.
G
Gmax
B
G
Gmin
The maximum deadband voltage range may be approximately equal to the operating range of the power source(s), expressed by −D×P<V<−D×P. For example, the target bus voltage may be approximately 1,080 volts, and the span of the voltage deadband may be approximately ten, twenty, or thirty volts. Thus, the power source(s) may be configured to supply increased or decreased power within a range of bus voltages defined by the storage deadband (e.g., before the energy storage device feeds in). When the voltage magnitude of the bus strays from the target value, the power source(s) may first feed in, followed by the energy storage device(s) after the voltage magnitude crosses a deadband threshold.
Above this range, the deadband can introduce a voltage discontinuity where no power source or energy storage device responds to changes in load. However, at or below this range, the deadband just causes devices to operate sequentially such that the power sources respond to changes in power causing small voltage transients on the bus. In examples in which only the energy storage devices respond to changes in power, large voltage transients may be introduced on the bus. In examples in which both the power sources and energy storage devices respond to changes in power, medium voltage transients may result.
FIG. 6
FIG. 1
FIG. 1
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is a conceptual block diagram illustrating voltage versus current droop implementation method, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure. Energy resource may represent one example of resource , , and/or shown in , and controller may represent one example of controller , , and/or shown in . Each primary controller (e.g., source controller, storage controller, or load controller) may sense the bus voltage and the output power droop. These variables may feed into the outer most control loop of the respective controller. The outer most voltage and droop curve, the voltage loop, and the inner current or power loop operate based on the local measurement points (e.g., sensed current, voltage, and/or power).
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In addition, a cable may be connected between the local measurement point of energy resource and bus . In examples in which the cable length is too long, the power sharing may be slightly different than an amount determined using an ideal equation due to power dissipation in the transmission cable. Controller may be configured to address this issue by switching from a voltage versus output power droop curve to a voltage versus current droop curve.
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DERn
Distributed energy resource is connected to bus using positive and negative cables A and B. Each of cables A and B includes a built-in resistance A and B with value of Rn. The terminal voltage (e.g., local voltage measurement) of energy resource can be represented as V. Current A flows from energy resource to bus , and current B flows from bus to energy resource . The droop operation that is performed by controller is typically based on local voltage and current measurements. Equation (16) represents the local voltage versus current droop loop effect. Equation (17) is based on Kirchoff's Voltage Law. Equation (18) results from combining the previous two equations.
V
=V
*−D
×I
DERn
n
n
n
(19)
V
=V
×R
×I
DERn
HVDC
n
n
+2 (20)
V
=V
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I
=V
*−D
×I
HVDC
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n
n
n
neff
n
*−(+2) (21)
neff
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The variable Drelates the voltage magnitude on bus and currents A and B droop in steady-state. Controller may implement this loop based on local voltage measurements. Thus, the system controller may be configured to also implement the same equations without any other modification in the algorithms.
FIG. 7
FIG. 1
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is a conceptual block diagram illustrating high- and low-voltage energy storage devices H and L, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure. Energy storage device H may represent one example of energy storage device , power converter H may represent one example of power converter , and storage controller may represent one example of storage controller shown in . Energy storage device H may be connected to bus through conductors and power converter H, which may include a DC/DC converter. Energy storage device H may be configured to complement the main propulsive power generated by a power source (e.g., generator) during the hybrid electric propulsor operating mode. In addition, energy storage device L may be configured to complement the reliability and/or sustainability of the energy storage device H by providing a supplemental power supply to auxiliary load , which may include an engine controller (e.g., a full authority digital engine controller), other engine electronics, a fuel pump, a hydraulic pump, and/or an actuator. In examples in which auxiliary load is part of an aircraft engine, the connection to auxiliary load may be separate from the low-voltage power supply for the airframe of the aircraft. Storage controller , a load controller, and a source controller are other examples of auxiliary load that can receive power from energy storage device L and/or from power converter L.
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Energy storage device H may include a high-voltage battery, and energy storage device L may include a low-voltage battery. A no-load voltage of energy storage device H may be higher than a no-load voltage of energy storage device L. For example, the no-load voltage of energy storage device H may be several hundred volts, and the no-load voltage of energy storage device L may be less than one hundred volts. Energy storage device L may be configured to deliver power to bus through power converters H and L while discharging and to receive power from bus through power converters H and L while charging.
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In healthy condition, energy storage device H may be able to supply a sufficient amount of power to auxiliary load through power converter L. This protocol will also work even if energy storage device L is faulty and disconnected. In response to determining that energy storage device L is faulty, storage controller may be configured to control power converter L to deliver power from energy storage device H to auxiliary load . However, in examples in which both of energy storage devices H and L are faulty and disconnected, auxiliary load may still need power to maintain engine operations so that propulsive power control capability can be maintained. Even in examples in which both of energy storage devices H and L fail, power converters H and L may be configured to continue operating to deliver power from bus to auxiliary load . The same control strategy will work without any modification if energy storage device L is healthy and energy storage device H is faulty. This will add value since flight can be maintained longer after energy storage device H has failed and energy storage device L is live but not burdened alone.
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In examples in which power converter H loses the capability of participating in the system-wide control framework because the voltage across the terminals of energy storage device H may not be stable. If the voltage across the terminals of energy storage device H is kept within a certain voltage range (e.g., 700 to 850 volts), power converter L may be configured to supply stable output voltage (e.g. 24 volts) for auxiliary load without interruption. In addition, power converter L may be configured to operate as a buck converter by stepping down the voltage level across conductors and/or across the terminals of energy storage device H to a lower voltage level for use by energy storage device L and auxiliary load .
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In a fault condition, power converter H may be configured to supply only enough power for auxiliary load (e.g., two to four kilowatts), which pushes the operation to discontinuous mode of operation (DCM). In DCM, the efficiency of power converter may fall drastically, as compared to a normal mode of operation. The control strategy is to control the power passing through power converter H using a voltage control loop fast enough so that storage controller can adjust droop settings fast enough to regulate the voltage across the terminals of energy storage device H within regulated boundaries. The capacitance of an input capacitor of power converter H plays an important role in maintaining the voltage across the terminals of energy storage device H.
FIG. 7
FIG. 7
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In the example shown in , power converter L is not directly connected to bus but is instead indirectly connected to bus through power converter H. Although depicts power converter L as connected to bus through conductors and power converter H, in some examples power converter L is directly to bus . In further examples, power converter L may be directly connected to bus and indirectly connected to bus through power converter H.
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For example, power converter L may be connected to bus and/or power converter H through a network of diodes and switches. These arrangements can allow for auxiliary load to receive power from bus , energy storage device H, and/or energy storage device L when there is a fault somewhere in the system. The fault may occur in one of the energy storage devices, in one of the power converters, and/or in the lines between one of the components in the system. In the event of a fault on one or both of energy storage devices H and L, storage controller can communicate an indication of the fault to the system controller, and the system controller may be configured to treat power converter H as an auxiliary load connected to bus . Power converter H may be configured to operate in buck mode to deliver power from bus to power converter L, which can deliver power to auxiliary load . The efficiency of power converters H and/or L may be lower and less consistent during fault operation, as compared to during normal operation.
FIG. 8A
FIG. 1
FIG. 8A
FIG. 8A
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is a conceptual block diagram illustrating a system controller in the context of a storage fault, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure. System controllers A and/or B may represent examples of system controller shown in . also illustrates the overall control strategy of system controller A, particularly in the context of a fault on the electrical lines connected to an energy storage device. This type of fault can be handled by changing the control firmware in the high-voltage power converter connected between the energy storage device and the bus. System controller A may include charging power update module A together with set point module A without modifying any control loops in the primary controllers of the energy resources. System controller A may be configured to generate set points based on sensed parameters (voltage, current, power etc. from the power circuit) and user commands (e.g., power and voltage commands from a pilot). The framework shown in may reduce the number of control algorithms that have to go through the qualification and certification process for an aerospace application.
FIG. 7
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loss
aux
in
in
in
Returning to , auxiliary load can be modeled as a constant current source. This is manifested as load power Paux in Equations (22)-(24). Due to DCM, the power dissipation caused by power converter H may be high and unpredictable and is represented as Pin Equations (22) and (23). Considering global stability, a pure voltage error square-based positive definite Lyapunov function gives rise to Equation (24). With a sufficiently high value of λ and a known value of P, storage controller can implement voltage control with Equation (24). Crepresents the capacitance connected across conductors , νrepresents the voltage across conductors , ν* represents the set point for vin, and λ is a converging constant.
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>aux</mi></msub><mo>+</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>loss</mi></msub><mo>+</mo><mrow><mfrac><mi>d</mi><mrow><mi>d</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>t</mi></mrow></mfrac><mo>⁢</mo><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mfrac><mn>1</mn><mn>2</mn></mfrac><mo>⁢</mo><msub><mi>C</mi><mi>in</mi></msub><mo>⁢</mo><msubsup><mi>v</mi><mi>in</mi><mn>2</mn></msubsup></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>22</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><mrow><mi>λ</mi><mo>⁢</mo><msub><mi>C</mi><mi>in</mi></msub><mo>⁢</mo><mrow><msub><mi>v</mi><mi>in</mi></msub><mo>(</mo><mrow><msubsup><mi>v</mi><mi>in</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>-</mo><msub><mi>v</mi><mi>in</mi></msub></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow><mo>+</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>aux</mi></msub><mo>+</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>loss</mi></msub></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>23</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><mrow><mi>λ</mi><mo>⁢</mo><msub><mi>C</mi><mi>in</mi></msub><mo>⁢</mo><mrow><msub><mi>v</mi><mi>in</mi></msub><mo>(</mo><mrow><msubsup><mi>v</mi><mi>in</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>-</mo><msub><mi>v</mi><mi>in</mi></msub></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow><mo>+</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>aux</mi></msub></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>24</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
FIG. 1
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Returning to , there are two possible modes of operation for system : default UAC and modified UAC. In the default UAC, system controller may be configured to control source controller and storage controller , while load controller may be independently controlled using, for example, torque control mode. In examples in which power source fails and system controller does not receive the information indicating the failure due to a slow update rate between controllers and , system controller may operate in a blinded operation mode.
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In this situation, the load power may not automatically adjust on its own causing the voltage magnitude on bus to crash down due to severe power imbalance. This can create a serious problem for emergency operations in a hybrid electric propulsion system in an aerospace application. In modified UAC mode of operation, system controller is configured to transmit set point commands to load controller , as well as to controllers and to make sure system remains stable. The voltage control for regulation of bus during faults is important, particularly in examples in which voltage magnitude of bus goes out of range of a certain value. The propulsors in load may start malfunctioning, and other controllers and may be configured to implement protection schemes in the event of an errant bus voltage.
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In the modified UAC mode, system controller may be configured to send commands to load controller . System may include two rectifiers, two propulsors, and an energy storage device may each implement the same type of primary control utilizing droop. As compared to the default UAC, there may not need to be no change in primary control. In addition, each of energy resources , , and may be configured to maintain the stability of the local voltage. One potential advantage is that, if one or both rectifiers fail and system controller is in blind mode, load controller may be configured to temporarily decide to autonomously and automatically perform a load shedding operation.
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Under the modified UAC, load controller may be configured to automatically perform a propulsor regenerative operation without changing control mode in power converter . Storage controller may be configured to autonomously control the charging and discharging of energy storage device . Each of controllers , , and may be configured to automatically decode commands from system controller even without any communication among energy resources , , and or controllers , , and .
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System may be designed to handle the power capacity of each of energy resources , , and , as well as the appropriate power flow from each of energy resources , , and . For example, controllers , , , and may be configured to manage the charging and discharging of energy storage device , the supply of power by power source , and load taking power or re-generating. Controllers , , , and may be configured to also control the voltage magnitude on bus to a desired value.
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G
B
P
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P
Equations (25)-(27) show the voltage set points for power source , energy storage device , and load , respectively (V*, V*, and V*). D, D, and Drepresent the droop gains of the power source , energy storage device , and load , respectively. Prepresents the power output of energy storage device , and Prepresents the power consumed by load . Nand Nrepresent the number of generators connected to bus (e.g., as power source ) and the number of propulsors connected to bus (e.g., as load ).
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>=</mo><mrow><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo>⁢</mo><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mrow><mo>+</mo><msub><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>H</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>V</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>D</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>25</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>P</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>=</mo><mrow><mrow><mfrac><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>L</mi></msub><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>P</mi></msub></mfrac><mo>⁢</mo><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>P</mi></msub></mrow><mo>+</mo><msub><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>H</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>V</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>D</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>26</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>G</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>=</mo><mrow><mrow><mfrac><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>L</mi></msub><mo>-</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>G</mi></msub></mfrac><mo>⁢</mo><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>G</mi></msub></mrow><mo>+</mo><msub><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>H</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>V</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>D</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>27</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
FIG. 8B
FIG. 3
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is a conceptual block diagram illustrating a system controller B for generating a load set point, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure. Set point module B is similar to set point module shown in , except that set point module B is configured to generate a voltage set point and a droop gain value for a load based on sensed parameters and user commands. In some examples, system controller B is configured to implement the modified UAC control scheme described herein.
FIG. 1
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Returning to , system may experience a failure in power generation, which may be caused by a fault in power source , power converter , and/or controller . In some examples, energy storage device is operating in no-charge/no-discharge mode, and one of power sources is faulty and disconnected. System controller may be configured to implement modified UAC using voltage versus current droop.
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In the event of a fault in power converter , which disconnects power sources from bus , load controller may be configured to reduce the power intake of power converter and load . Power converter may include a rectifier with one or more half-bridge circuits, where the fault may occur in a switch in a half-bridge circuit. Even in examples in which power source disconnects from bus , the voltage magnitude on bus may maintain a target value if other power sources and energy storage device increase power output and load decreases power consumption. Under the modified UAC, load controller may be configured to sense a temporary decrease in the voltage magnitude on bus . Responsive to sensing the reducing voltage magnitude on bus , load controller may be configured to control power converter to reduce the power consumed by load .
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Under the modified UAC, system controller can send commands to all of energy resources , , and . As an example, system controller may be configured to send power commands to load controller , and load controller may be configured to control power converter so that the power load is shared between multiple loads in a desired manner. However, in some examples, system controller may lose communication with load controller due to, for example, a fault in the communication line. In examples in which communication is lost, the load commands sent by system controller to load controller will not arrive at load controller , and load will either over satisfy or under-satisfy the load conditions (e.g., supply more or less power than selected or commanded by a user).
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Load controller may be configured to operate autonomously under modified UAC by automatically modifying the power consumed by load . In doing so, load controller can regulate the voltage magnitude on bus even if the communication between controllers and is down. This regulation will not only stabilize the voltage magnitude on bus , but load controller may be configured to also automatically adjust the power consumed by load to maintain the stability when communication is lost. In some examples, load controller may be configured to reduce a threshold level used for determining when to load shed in response to determining that a fault has occurred on the communication line between controllers and .
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During blinded operation, controllers and may be configured to set the operating voltages of energy resources and to a baseline level to enable power converter to operate autonomously. For example, controllers and may be operating with a voltage set point for bus that is between 1,020 and 1,140 volts with an enabled deadband for activation or deactivation of energy resources and . The baseline level used in situations of communication loss may be higher than the standard operating level to ensure that a sufficient amount of power is delivered to load or lower than the standard operating level to prevent load from producing an undesirably high level of thrust. In examples in which load controller determines that the communication is lost, load controller may be configured to operate power converter in a fully autonomous mode based on the voltage magnitude on bus . In the fully autonomous mode, load controller may operate as a cutback limit controller. Controllers and may be configured to operate energy resources and in normal operating modes with power references that are derived so that a remainder of the power is delivered to converter . The voltage magnitude on bus may balance automatically when sufficient power is delivered by power converters and .
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In examples in which communication is lost between controllers and , system controller may be configured to cause load to draw more power from bus by sending commands to controllers and to increase the voltage set points for bus . Load controller may be configured to implement an upper threshold level for increasing the power drawn by load in response to determining that communication with system controller has been lost. Thus, system controller can increase the propulsion generated by load by adjusting the set points used by controllers and , which will cause an increase in the voltage magnitude on bus . Load controller can determine whether the increased bus voltage is greater than the upper threshold level when communication has been lost and increase the power drawn by load in response to determining that the bus voltage is greater than the upper threshold level.
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Load controller may be configured to maintain the power drawn by power converter as the voltage magnitude on bus increases beyond an upper threshold level. However, in examples in which load is operating below a maximum rated power, load controller may be configured to increase the power drawn by power converter in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on bus is greater than a first upper threshold level. The first upper threshold level may be less than the power rating that represents a hard cap on the operation of load .
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System controller may be configured to also cause load to draw less power from bus by sending commands to controllers and to reduce the voltage set points for bus . Thus, system controller can decrease the propulsion generated by load by decreasing the voltage magnitude on bus . Responsive to determining that communication is lost between controllers and , load controller may be configured to reduce the threshold level for load shedding so that controllers , , and can more easily cause a reduction in thrust by load . For example, controllers and can reduce the power being supplied to bus to cause a reduction in bus voltage below the reduced threshold level being implemented by load controller .
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System controller may be configured to store the previous set points sent to load controller in response to determining that the communication between controllers and has been lost. System controller can use these previous set points to determine new set points for controllers and . System controller may be configured to iteratively determine the set points for controllers and based on newly sensed parameters until the actual power values for power converters , , and are within an acceptable range.
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Additionally or alternatively, there may be no change in load controller but controllers and may be configured to set base voltages below deadband. As one example, controllers and/or can change the deadband range to between 980 volts and 1,020 volts. Controller may be configured to operate a cutback limit controller to automatically adjust the power level consumed by load . System may have N+1 redundancy in source and loads, which makes autonomous operate feasible with this control strategy.
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In examples in which load controller is not under the UAC control framework (e.g., not configured to receive set point commands from system controller ), load controller may be configured to implement a separate reduction curve for the motor power reference versus the voltage magnitude on bus . Load controller may be configured to implement this control strategy only in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on bus is less than a threshold level. For example, the voltage magnitude on bus may suddenly fall due to an imbalance in power generation and power utilization. In examples in which storage controller is using a voltage deadband, storage controller may be configured to cause energy storage device to release power to bus only in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on bus is less than a threshold level.
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Using default UAC, power converters and are under the UAC control framework, but power converter is not under the UAC control framework. Load controller may be configured to implement a load shed algorithm. As an example, a fault and disconnection may occur in power converter , while a second power source remains connected to bus . Before the time that the fault occurs, both of the power sources were operating at full capacity. At the time that the fault occurs, energy storage device may operate in no-charge/no-discharge mode. In response to determining that the voltage magnitude on bus is less than a threshold level just after the fault occurs, load controller may be configured to reduce the power drawn to load by power converter . Load controller may be configured to operate a load reduction loop under the default UAC arrangement, where the load reduction loop includes a threshold level below the desired voltage magnitude on bus .
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Although load controller can properly implement this load shedding algorithm, the load shedding reduces the power drawn by load using an open loop control. This operation by load controller may stabilize the voltage magnitude on bus at a level lower than the originally rate value, but the voltage magnitude on bus may not achieve the originally rated value.
FIG. 9
FIG. 1
FIG. 9
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is a conceptual block diagram illustrating a charging circuit for two energy storage devices A and B, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure. Energy storage devices A and/or B may represent examples of energy storage device shown in . When an aircraft is grounded, energy storage devices A and B can be charged using charging circuit . As shown in , charging circuit can include a current source which can charge energy storage devices A and B at a certain voltage level across the terminals of energy storage devices A and B (e.g., one thousand volts). However, often when HVDC battery is fully discharged the voltage of the battery can vary over a range but much lower than battery charged voltage (e.g. 670V to 850V). Thus, the charging of energy storage devices A and B can be done using UAC.
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Charging circuit may be configured to charge energy storage devices A and B with a constant current. The voltage magnitude of bus can be maintained at a specific level to make sure that charging circuit works in order. The number of energy storage devices to be charged is represented by N, and the power flowing out of each of energy storage devices A and B can be represented as Equation (28). The no-load voltage of the droop curve is to be V* and droop gain of each of energy storage devices A and B can be represented by D. Equation (29) shows the droop formula for each energy storage device. Equation (30) shows the voltage set point for energy storage devices A and B to initiate the storage controllers.
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><mo>-</mo><mfrac><mrow><msub><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>H</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>V</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>D</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub><mo>×</mo><msub><mi>I</mi><mrow><mi>c</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>h</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>a</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>r</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>e</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>r</mi></mrow></msub></mrow><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mfrac></mrow></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>28</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msub><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>H</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>V</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>D</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>-</mo><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo>×</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mrow></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>29</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msubsup><mi>V</mi><mi>B</mi><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo>=</mo><mrow><msub><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>H</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>V</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>D</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub><mo>-</mo><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>B</mi></msub><mo>×</mo><mfrac><mrow><msub><mi>V</mi><mrow><mi>H</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>V</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>D</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>C</mi></mrow></msub><mo>×</mo><msub><mi>I</mi><mrow><mi>c</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>h</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>a</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>r</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>e</mi><mo>⁢</mo><mi>r</mi></mrow></msub></mrow><msub><mi>N</mi><mi>B</mi></msub></mfrac></mrow></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>30</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
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A storage controller implementing these control techniques may be configured to charge energy storage devices A and B of a hybrid electric propulsion system using charging circuit . In addition, the storage controller may be able to maintain a specific voltage magnitude on bus to make charging circuit function properly. Alternatively, if charging circuit can be operated in constant voltage mode, ground charging can be performed in a manner that is similar to normal operation in UAC. The storage controller(s) may be configured to independently set each DC/DC converter that is connected between bus and a respective one of energy storage devices A and B to a charge rate by setting the no-load voltage above a nominal voltage. In addition, charging circuit can automatically provide the total power required to maintain the voltage magnitude on bus .
FIGS. 10A and 10B
FIG. 10A
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are plots illustrating a change in a set point, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure. In the example shown in , the system controller sends a new set point command to the primary controller (e.g., a source controller). In response to receiving the new set point command from the system controller, the primary controller causes shift A from droop curve A to droop curve A. Shift A results in increase A of the reference point for the voltage magnitude on the bus. To increase the bus voltage, the primary controller increases the power generated by the power source and supplied to the bus, as shown by increase A. As the power generated by the power source increases, the voltage reference point decreases down droop curve B until the bus voltage and the power reach an equilibrium.
FIG. 10B
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In the example shown in , the bus voltage experiences decrease B due to an external event, such as an increase in power consumption by a load or a reduction in power supply by a source. The primary controller may be configured to seek the voltage reference point on droop curve B by increasing power, as shown by increase B. As the primary controller increases power along increase B, the voltage reference point decreases along line B until the voltage and power reach an equilibrium. The system controller then sends a new set point command to the primary controller. In response to receiving the new set point command from the system controller, the primary controller causes shift B from droop curve B to droop curve B. Shift B results in increase B of the reference set point for the voltage magnitude on the bus. To increase the bus voltage, the primary controller temporarily increases the power generated by the power source and supplied to the bus, which causes the voltage magnitude on the bus to increase, as shown by increase B. Eventually, power and voltage reach an equilibrium along droop curve B.
One technique for increasing the power generated by a power source is to increase the set point for the voltage magnitude on the bus. The source controller may be configured to increase the power generated and supplied to the bus in order to increase the voltage magnitude on the bus to the reference point. For each iteration, the source controller may be configured sense the current power generation by the power source, to update the voltage reference point based on the most recently sensed power generation, and to adjust the power generated by the power source to achieve the voltage reference point. For the next iteration, the source controller can update the voltage reference point based on a newly sensed power generation.
FIG. 11
FIG. 11
FIG. 1
FIG. 11
FIGS. 3, 8A, and 8B
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is a flowchart illustrating an example process for operating a system controller, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure. The techniques of are described with reference to system controller shown in , but the techniques of may be performed by either of system controllers , A, and B shown in .
FIG. 11
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In the example of , system controller determines a first set point for power converter that is connected between bus and power source (). System controller may receive a sensed signal indicating the voltage magnitude on bus , where the voltage magnitude may represent the difference in voltages on two differential rails of bus . System controller may determine the set point based on the voltage magnitude on bus , along with other parameters such as the desired propulsion to be produced by load and the power drawn or produced by each of energy resources , , and .
FIG. 11
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In the example of , system controller determines a second set point for power converter that is connected between bus and energy storage device (). For example, system controller may be configured to determine whether energy storage device should operate in charging mode, discharging mode, and/or a mode without charging or discharging. System controller may be configured to also determine whether energy storage device should have a deadband and if so, determine the lower and upper limits of the voltage deadband.
FIG. 11
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In the example of , system controller transmits an indication of the first set point to source controller (). Source controller may be configured to set or adjust a droop curve based on the set point received from system controller . For example, source controller may be configured to increase the power generated by power source in response to receiving a higher voltage set point for bus from system controller . Source controller may be configured to increase the power generated by power source to achieve the new set point by pushing the bus voltage higher.
FIG. 11
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In the example of , system controller transmits an indication of the second set point to storage controller (). Storage controller may be configured to set or adjust a droop curve based on the set point received from system controller . For example, storage controller may be configured to increase change the power discharge energy storage device in response to receiving a higher voltage set point for bus from system controller . Source controller may be configured to increase the power generated by power source to achieve the new set point by pushing the bus voltage higher.
FIG. 12
FIG. 12
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is a flowchart illustrating an example process for operating a storage controller, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure. In the example of , storage controller determines that a voltage magnitude on bus is less than a first threshold level in a first instance (). Storage controller may receive a sensed signal indicating the voltage magnitude on bus . The first threshold level may represent the lower limit of a deadband implemented by storage controller . Storage controller may be configured to set the first threshold level based on a command received by storage controller from system controller .
FIG. 12
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In the example of , storage controller causes energy storage device to deliver power through power converter to bus in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on bus is less than the first threshold level in the first instance (). Storage controller may be configured to determine the amount of power for energy storage device to deliver to bus based on the voltage magnitude on bus and further based on a droop curve that is stored to a memory coupled to storage controller . As the voltage magnitude on bus decreases below the first threshold level, storage controller may be configured to further increase the power delivered by energy storage device to bus .
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Storage controller may be configured to determine a first magnitude of power being delivered by energy storage device to bus in the first instance. Storage controller can determine the power being delivered by determining the current and voltage through power converter and multiplying the current and voltage. Storage controller may be configured to then determine a voltage reference point based on the first magnitude of power being delivered by energy storage device . The voltage reference point may be higher than the sensed voltage magnitude on bus . Storage controller may be configured to also cause energy storage device to deliver a second magnitude of power to bus in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on bus is less than the voltage reference point, wherein the second magnitude of power is greater than the first magnitude of power. Thus, storage controller may increase the power output of energy storage device to attain the voltage reference point for bus .
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Storage controller may be configured to determine a third magnitude of power being delivered by energy storage device to bus in a third instance after causing energy storage device to deliver the second magnitude of power. Storage controller may be configured to then determine a second voltage reference point based on the third magnitude of power being delivered by energy storage device . The second voltage reference point may be lower than the original reference point, especially if the third magnitude of power is greater than the first magnitude of power, because the droop curve may associate higher power magnitudes with lower reference points.
FIG. 12
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In the example of , storage controller determines that the voltage magnitude on bus is greater than the first threshold level in a second instance (). The second threshold level may represent the upper limit of a deadband implemented by storage controller . Storage controller may be configured to set the second threshold level based on a command received by storage controller from system controller .
FIG. 12
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In the example of , storage controller causes energy storage device to receive power through power converter from bus in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on bus is greater than the first threshold level in the second instance (). Storage controller may be configured to determine the amount of power for energy storage device to receive from bus based on the voltage magnitude on bus and further based on a droop curve that is stored to a memory coupled to storage controller . As the voltage magnitude on bus increases above the second threshold level, storage controller may be configured to further increase the power received by energy storage device from bus .
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In response to determining that the voltage magnitude on bus is between the first and second threshold levels, storage controller may be configured to cause energy storage device to refrain from discharging or charging. The voltage range between the first and second threshold levels is a voltage deadband, such that energy storage device neither charges nor discharges when the voltage magnitude on bus is in the voltage deadband. System controller may be configured to set the limits of the deadband by sending commands to storage controller .
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The extent of the storage deadband, which may be defined as the second threshold level minus the first threshold level, may be nearly as large as the operating range of power source . For example, the extent of the storage deadband may be at least fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, or ninety percent of the operating range of power source . The extent of the storage deadband may be less than or equal to the operating range of power source so that energy storage device kicks in before power source reaches the upper limit of an operating range. Having a storage deadband that is almost as large as the operating range of power source may reduce the cycling and fatigue experienced by energy storage device without any gaps where energy resources and cannot support the power draw of load .
FIG. 13
FIG. 13
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is a flowchart illustrating an example process for operating a load controller, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure. In the example of , load controller determines that a voltage magnitude on bus is not less than a threshold level in a first instance (). Load controller can determine the threshold level based on a command received from system controller . The threshold level may be a voltage magnitude below which load controller reduces the power drawn by load .
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Load controller then causes power converter to deliver a first magnitude of power to load in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on bus is not less than the threshold level in the first instance (). The first magnitude of power may be a default level of power based on user input or a command from system controller . The droop curve for bus voltages above the threshold level may be flat, such that load and power converter draw a constant amount of power for voltages greater than the threshold level.
FIG. 13
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In the example of , load controller determines that the voltage magnitude on bus is less than the threshold level in a second instance (). Load controller causes power converter to deliver a second magnitude of power to load in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on bus is less than the threshold level in the second instance (). The second magnitude of power is less than the first magnitude of power, which can serve to stabilize the voltage magnitude on bus in the second instance. As the voltage magnitude on bus decreases, load controller may be configured to reduce the power drawn by power converter . In examples in which the voltage magnitude on bus is below a lowest threshold level, load controller to reduce the power drawn by power converter to zero.
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Load controller may be configured to determine a voltage reference point based on the magnitude of power being drawn by load or by power converter . For example, load controller may use a droop curve to determine a voltage reference point associated with the magnitude of power being drawn by load . Load controller may then determine whether to increase or decrease the power delivered by power converter to load in response to determining whether the voltage reference point is greater than or less than the current voltage magnitude on bus . Responsive to determining that the current voltage magnitude on bus is less than the voltage reference point, load controller may be configured to cause power converter to reduce the power being delivered to load to raise the bus voltage to the voltage reference point. As used herein, a set point may refer to a threshold level at the edge of a deadband, and a reference point may refer to a point on a droop curve that is outside of the deadband.
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Load controller may be configured to perform load shedding by enabling a droop curve to reduce the power drawn by load as the voltage magnitude on bus decreases. Each reduction in bus voltage can result in a lowered power draw by power converter and load . In examples in which the voltage magnitude on bus drops below a threshold level, load controller may be configured to disconnect load from bus . Load controller may be configured to also receive an updated command from system controller to increase or reduce the threshold level for load shedding. Responsive to determining that the voltage magnitude on bus is less than the new threshold level, load controller may be configured to cause power converter to reduce the power being delivered to load from the magnitude of power that was being delivered to load before the arrival of the updated command from system controller .
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Load shedding (e.g., decreasing the power drawn by load ) may increase the voltage magnitude on bus . In examples in which system includes two propulsors, an operator may provide an input for reduced propulsion from a first propulsor. System controller may be configured to transmit an indication of an increased voltage reference point to load controller , which may cause load controller to reduce the power drawn by a motor driving the first propulsor.
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The reduced power draw may result in an increased voltage magnitude on bus . If a second load controller is configured to operate the second propulsor on a droop curve, the second load controller may be configured to increase the power drawn by the second propulsor in response to sensing the increased voltage magnitude on bus . This situation may result in an uncommanded increase in thrust from the second propulsor after the operator commands a reduction in thrust from the first propulsor. To avoid an uncommanded increase in thrust on the high end of bus voltages, load controller may be configured to implement a deadband.
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By implementing the deadband, load controller may not cause an increase in the power drawn by power converter and load when the voltage magnitude on bus increases above a certain voltage level. However, on the low end of voltage magnitudes for bus , load controller may be configured to reduce the power drawn by load to reduce the likelihood that the voltage magnitude on bus collapses.
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In normal operation, system controller may be configured to control the operation of load controller by transmitting set point commands to load controller . Responsive to receiving a set point command from system controller , load controller may be configured to enable droop control. Responsive to determining that a set point command has not been received from system controller for a particular time duration, load controller may be configured to disable droop control. Even in examples in which communication is lost between controllers and , system controller may be able to control the operation of load controller by controlling the voltage magnitude on bus through controllers and .
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Thus, responsive to determining that communication has been lost with system controller , load controller may be configured to enable droop control to allow for system controller to issue thrust commands via the voltage magnitude on bus . Responsive to determining that communication with system controller has been lost, load controller may be configured to implement an upper threshold level for the voltage magnitude on bus above which load controller will increase the power drawn by load . Between the upper and lower threshold levels, load controller may be configured to refrain from increasing or decreasing the power drawn by load in response to changes in the voltage magnitude on bus .
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Both of controllers and may store data indicating the droop curve(s) to be implemented by load controller , so even after communication loss, system controller can effectively cause an increase or reduction in thrust by increasing or decreasing the voltage magnitude on bus . For example, in response to determining a loss in communication, load controller may be configured to implement the last droop curve transmitted by system controller before the loss in communication and/or to implement a default droop curve stored in local memory.
FIG. 14
FIG. 14
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is a flowchart illustrating an example process for operating a system controller based on user input, in accordance with one or more techniques of this disclosure. In the example of , system controller receives user input from an operator of system (). For example, the operator can adjust the throttle setting in the cockpit of an aircraft, and the avionics system will then transmit an indication of this adjustment to system controller . The operator may also be able to adjust the share of power that comes from energy storage device . System controller can receive an indication of this request by the user for increased or reduced propulsion in system . Thus, the user input received by system controller may indicate that the user has changed a setting or parameter controlled by the user.
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FIG. 14
System controller then determines a new set point for one of energy resources , , and based on the user input (). The set point may include a target value for the voltage magnitude on bus , an upper deadband threshold level, and/or a low deadband threshold level. Additionally or alternatively, the set point be a torque set point for load . In the example of , system controller transmits an indication of the new set point to one of controllers , , and (). System may include a wired communication line and/or a wireless communication channel between system controller and each of controllers , , and for sending set point commands.
FIG. 14
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In the example of , system controller senses a change in a power level of an energy resource caused by the respective one of controllers , , and implementing the new set point (). System controller may be configured to determine that a change in power level has occurred by determining the power conducted by one of power converters , , and before and after implementing the new set point.
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A primary controller can cause a change in power level by increasing or decreasing the power received from bus or delivered to bus . System controller then determines a second set point for the respective energy resource based on the change in the power level of the energy resource and further based on the user input (). The second set point may essentially reset the droop slopes implemented by controllers , , and . In determining the second set point, system controller may be configured to account for the change in voltage magnitude on bus after the primary controller implemented the first set point. System controller may be configured to transmit the second set point to load controller in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on bus has not reached a steady state value. System controller may be configured to then wait for another input from the user after transmitting the second set point to load controller .
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One of controllers , , , and may be configured to determine whether the rate of change of a set point is greater than or equal to a threshold rate. In response to determining that the rate of change is greater than or equal to the threshold rate, the controller may be configured to shrink a deadband to zero and wait for the voltage magnitude on bus to achieve an equilibrium level. In response to determining that the voltage magnitude on bus has achieved an equilibrium level, the controller may add a deadband to the droop control.
The following numbered examples demonstrate one or more aspects of the disclosure.
Example 1. A method includes determining, by a system controller, a first set point for a first power converter connected to a bus, where the first power converter has a first topology. The method also includes transmitting, by the system controller, an indication of the first set point to a source controller, where the source controller is configured to control the first power converter. The method further includes determining, by the system controller, a second set point for a second power converter connected to the bus, where the second power converter has a second topology, and the first topology being different from the second topology. The method includes transmitting, by the system controller, an indication of the second set point to a storage controller, where the storage controller is configured to control the second power converter.
Example 2. The method of example 1, further including determining a third set point for a third power converter connected between a load and the bus.
Example 3. The method of example 2, where a topology of the third power converter is different from the second topology.
Example 4. The method of the preceding examples or any combination thereof, further including transmitting an indication of a third set point to a load controller.
Example 5. The method of the preceding examples or any combination thereof, further including receiving an indication that a user has requested a change in propulsion.
Example 6. The method of the preceding examples or any combination thereof, further including transmitting a set point to a load controller in response to receiving the indication that the user has requested the change in the propulsion.
Example 7. The method of the preceding examples or any combination thereof, further including transmitting a second voltage command to the load controller indicating a new value for the threshold level in response to determine that the voltage magnitude on the bus has not reached the steady state.
Example 8. A method includes determining, by a storage controller, that a voltage magnitude on a bus is less than a first threshold level in a first instance. The method also includes causing, by the storage controller, an energy storage device to deliver power to the bus in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is less than the first threshold level. The method further includes determining, by the storage controller, that the voltage magnitude on the bus is greater than a second threshold level in a second instance, where the second threshold level is greater than the first threshold level. The method includes causing, by the storage controller, the energy storage device to receive power from the bus in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is greater than the second threshold level.
Example 9. The method of example 8, further including causing the energy storage device to refrain from discharging or charging in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is within a voltage deadband defined between the first threshold level and the second threshold level.
Example 10. The method of example 9, where an extent of the voltage deadband is greater than fifty, sixty, seventy, or eighty percent of an operating range of the power source.
Example 11. The method of example 9 or example 10, where the extent of the voltage deadband is less than or equal to the operating range of the power source.
Example 12. The method of examples 8-11 or any combination thereof, further including receiving a voltage command from a system controller.
Example 13. The method of examples 8-12 or any combination thereof, set the first threshold level based on a voltage command received from a system controller.
Example 14. The method of examples 8-13 or any combination thereof, further including setting a droop curve for discharge of the energy storage device based on a voltage command received from a system controller.
Example 15. The method of examples 8-14 or any combination thereof, further including setting the second threshold level based on a voltage command received from a system controller.
Example 16. The method of examples 8-15 or any combination thereof, further including determining a first magnitude of power being delivered by the energy storage device to the bus in the first instance.
Example 17. The method of examples 8-16 or any combination thereof, further including determining a voltage reference point based on the first magnitude of power being delivered by the energy storage device.
Example 18. The method of examples 8-17 or any combination thereof, further including causing the energy storage device to deliver a second magnitude of power to the bus in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is less than a voltage reference point, where the second magnitude of power is greater than a first magnitude of power previously delivered by the energy storage device.
Example 19. The method of examples 8-18 or any combination thereof, further including determining a third magnitude of power being delivered by the energy storage device to the bus in a third instance after the first instance.
Example 20. The method of examples 8-19 or any combination thereof, further including determining a second voltage reference point based on the third magnitude of power being delivered by the energy storage device, where the second voltage reference point is different from the first voltage reference point.
Example 21. The method of examples 8-20 or any combination thereof, further including determining a fault on a low-voltage energy storage device.
Example 22. The method of examples 8-21 or any combination thereof, further including controlling the second power converter to deliver power from the first energy storage device to the storage controller in response to determining the fault on the second energy storage device.
Example 23. A method includes determining, by a load controller, that a voltage magnitude on a bus is not less than a threshold level in a first instance. The method also includes causing, by a load controller, a power converter to deliver a first magnitude of power to the load in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is not less than the threshold level in the first instance. The method further includes determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is less than the threshold level in a second instance. The method includes causing the power converter to deliver a second magnitude of power to the load in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is less than the threshold level in the second instance, the second magnitude of power being less than the first magnitude of power.
Example 24. The method of example 23, further including receiving a first voltage command from a system controller.
Example 25. The method of example 23 or example 24, further including setting the threshold level based on a first voltage command received from a system controller.
Example 26. The method of examples 23-25 or any combination thereof, further including determining a fault on a communication line between the load controller and a system controller.
Example 27. The method of examples 23-26 or any combination thereof, further including controlling the power converter to operate in an autonomous mode in response to determining a fault on a communication line between the load controller and a system controller.
Example 28. The method of examples 23-27 or any combination thereof, further including reducing a value of the threshold level in response to determining a fault on a communication line between the load controller and a system controller.
Example 29. The method of examples 23-28 or any combination thereof, further including implementing a second threshold level in response to determining a fault on a communication line between the load controller and a system controller, where the second threshold level is greater than the first threshold level.
Example 30. The method of examples 23-29 or any combination thereof, further including determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is greater than the second threshold level in a third instance.
Example 31. The method of examples 23-30 or any combination thereof, further including causing the power converter to deliver a third magnitude of power to the load in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is greater than the second threshold level in the third instance, where the third magnitude of power is greater than the first magnitude of power.
Example 32. The method of examples 23-31 or any combination thereof, further including setting the threshold level to a first value based on the first voltage command; receiving a second voltage command from the system controller; and setting the threshold level to a second value based on the second voltage command, where the second value is greater than the first value.
Example 33. The method of examples 23-32 or any combination thereof, further including causing the power converter to deliver a third magnitude of power to the load in response to setting the threshold level to the second value, where the third magnitude of power is less than the second magnitude of power.
Example 34. The method of examples 23-33 or any combination thereof, further including determining a voltage reference point based on the second magnitude of power being delivered to the load in the second instance; and causing the power converter to deliver a third magnitude of power to the load in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is less than the voltage reference point, where the third magnitude of power is less than the second magnitude of power.
Example 35. The method of examples 23-34 or any combination thereof, further including receiving at least one sensed signal indicating a current through the load or a voltage across the load.
Example 36. The method of examples 23-35 or any combination thereof, further including determining a magnitude of power being delivered to the load based on at least one sensed signal.
Example 37. The method of examples 23-36 or any combination thereof, further including operating a current loop to generate control signals for the power converter.
Example 38. The method of examples 23-37 or any combination thereof, where the power converter includes an inverter configured to convert direct-current electricity on the bus to alternating-current electricity to drive a motor.
Example 39. A device includes a computer-readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon, configured to be executable by processing circuitry for causing the processing circuitry to perform the method of examples 1-38 or any combination thereof.
Example 40. A system including means for performing each of the method steps of examples 1-38 or any combination thereof.
Example 41. A system including a bus and a first power converter connected to the bus. The system also includes a second power converter connected to the bus, the second power converter having a topology different from the topology of the first power converter. The system further includes a power source and an energy storage device connected to the bus via the first and second power converters, respectively. In addition, the system includes a source controller configured to control the first power converter and a storage controller configured to control the second power converter. The system also includes a system controller configured to determine a first set point for the first power converter, transmit an indication of the first set point to the source controller, determine a second set point for the second power converter, and transmit an indication of the second set point to the storage controller.
Example 42. The system of example 41, where the system controller is configured to perform each of the method steps of examples 1-7 or any combination thereof.
Example 43. The system of example 41 or example 42, further including a third power converter, a load configured to receive power from the bus via the third power converter, and a load controller configured to control the third power converter.
Example 44. The system of examples 41-43 or any combination thereof, where a third power converter connected between the bus and a load includes a third topology, the second topology being different from the third topology.
Example 45. The system of examples 41-44 or any combination thereof, where a load connected to the bus via a power converter includes a propulsor.
Example 46. The system of examples 41-45 or any combination thereof, further including a motor configured to drive a propulsor based on power received from the bus via a third power converter.
Example 47. The system of examples 41-46 or any combination thereof, further including an inverter configured to convert direct-current electricity on the bus to alternating-current electricity to drive a motor.
Example 48. The system of examples 41-47 or any combination thereof, where the power source includes a generator that is coaxial with an engine shaft.
Example 49. The system of examples 41-48 or any combination thereof, where the first power converter includes a rectifier.
Example 50. The system of examples 41-49 or any combination thereof, where the second power converter includes a direct current/direct current converter.
Example 51. The system of examples 41-50 or any combination thereof, further including a second energy storage device connected to the power converter, where the energy storage device is configured to provide power to the auxiliary load.
Example 52. A system includes an energy storage device configured to deliver power to a bus or receive power from a bus via a power converter. The system also includes a controller configured to determine that a voltage magnitude on the bus is less than a first threshold level in a first instance and cause the energy storage device to deliver power to the bus in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is less than the first threshold level. The controller is also configured to determine that the voltage magnitude on the bus is greater than a second threshold level in the second instance, where the second threshold level is greater than a first threshold level and cause the energy storage device to receive power from the bus in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is greater than the second threshold level.
Example 53. The system of examples 41-52 or any combination thereof, further including a load controller configured to perform each of the method steps of examples 23-38 or any combination thereof.
Example 54. The system of examples 41-53 or any combination thereof, where an extent of a voltage deadband of the energy storage device is greater than sixty percent of an operating range of a power source in the system.
Example 55. The system of examples 41-54 or any combination thereof, where the extent of a voltage deadband of the energy storage device is less than or equal to the operating range of a power source in the system.
Example 56. The system of examples 41-55 or any combination thereof, where the energy storage device includes a high-voltage energy storage device connected to the bus via a high-voltage power converter.
Example 57. The system of examples 41-56 or any combination thereof, further including a low-voltage power converter connected to the high-voltage energy storage device.
Example 58. The system of examples 41-57 or any combination thereof, further including a low-voltage energy storage device connected to the bus through a low-voltage power converter and a high-voltage power converter.
Example 59. The system of examples 41-58 or any combination thereof, further including one or more conductors connected between the high-voltage energy storage device and the high-voltage power converter, where the low-voltage power converter is connected to the one or more conductors.
Example 60. The system of examples 41-59 or any combination thereof, where the second power converter includes a buck converter configured to generate a stepped-down voltage signal based on electricity received from the one or more conductors.
Example 61. The system of examples 41-60 or any combination thereof, where the second energy storage device is configured to receive the stepped-down voltage signal from the second power converter.
Example 62. The system of examples 41-61 or any combination thereof, where the second power converter is not directly connected to the bus.
Example 63. The system of examples 41-62 or any combination thereof, where the low-voltage energy storage device is configured to deliver power to the bus via the second power converter and via the first power converter in a third instance.
Example 64. The system of examples 41-63 or any combination thereof, where the low-voltage energy storage device is configured to receive power from the bus via the first power converter and via the second power converter in a fourth instance.
Example 65. The system of examples 41-64 or any combination thereof, where a voltage across terminals of the second energy storage device is less than a no-load voltage level of the first energy storage device.
Example 66. The system of examples 41-65 or any combination thereof, where the second energy storage device is configured to supply power to the storage controller.
Example 67. The system of examples 41-66 or any combination thereof, where the storage controller is configured to control the low-voltage power converter to deliver power from the high-voltage energy storage device to the storage controller in response to determining the fault on the low-voltage energy storage device.
Example 68. The system of examples 41-67 or any combination thereof, further including a charging port connected to the bus, where the bus is configured to receive power from the charging port when a power source and a load are not operating.
Example 69. A system includes a load configured to generate propulsion based on power received from a bus via a power converter. The system also includes a controller configured to determine that a voltage magnitude on the bus is not less than a threshold level in a first instance and cause the power converter to deliver a first magnitude of power to the load in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is not less than the threshold level in the first instance. The controller is also configured to determine that the voltage magnitude on the bus is less than the threshold level in a second instance and cause the power converter to deliver a second magnitude of power to the load in response to determining that the voltage magnitude on the bus is less than the threshold level in the second instance, the second magnitude being less than the first magnitude.
Example 70. The system of examples 41-69 or any combination thereof, where the storage controller is configured to perform each of the method steps of examples 8-22 or any combination thereof.
Various examples have been described. Any combination of the described systems, operations, or functions is contemplated. These and other examples are within the scope of the following claims. | |
Squarely at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare professionals tasked with defending our well-being have been working relentlessly to take care us. But how has the healthcare industry been doing against targeted cyberattacks during this crucial time? Is cybersecurity in healthcare better, worse or the same as it was before 2020?
There were early indicators of security concerns as the pandemic escalated globally. Specific to the healthcare industry, the World Health Organization (WHO) in March reported a fivefold increase in phishing and ransomware attacks. The WHO also called attention to compromised external databases and user accounts that could unknowingly be used against healthcare workers.
To assess the situation, Vectra studied data collected from January-May 2020 from its opt-in healthcare customers to assess the situation. Upon examining the Cognito Network Detection and Response platform in healthcare network deployments, Vectra found that the attack landscape did not change much compared to 2019.
Nonetheless, the attack surface is pivoting and scaling to considerable proportions. Attackers go after data wherever it is stored. In healthcare, that data is migrating to the cloud at an accelerated rate due to the increase in telemedicine and new remote work requirements prompted by the spread of COVID-19.
Vectra investigated network behaviors that are consistent with threats across the entire cyberattack lifecycle—botnet monetization, command and control, internal reconnaissance, lateral movement, and data exfiltration. These behaviors were largely from cloud migration activities and not attackers.
In 2019, Vectra reported a spreading attack surface of medical IoT devices used for patient care and introduced by healthcare professionals without the knowledge of IT. In 2020, Vectra found that remote access behaviors persisted from medical IoT devices, which creates a new layer of risk as medical data leaves internal healthcare networks to improperly secured cloud services.
Healthcare’s shift to the cloud is not new. However, COVID-19 has accelerated the roadmap for cloud adoption faster than most organizations can ensure the secure transition data to cloud services. This leaves healthcare security teams in a reactive mode as they try to identify new vulnerabilities and stop new threats rather than staying proactive to head-off the spread of potential attacks.
The healthcare attack surface of unmanaged medical IoT devices is now compounded with an attack surface of unmanaged cloud services. This is incredibly risky and represents a future cyberpandemic just waiting to happen.
In the current climate, the need for immediate response outweighs the normal policy oversight to ensure secure data-handling processes. Healthcare operations involve never-ending challenges to balance security and policy enforcement with usability and efficiency.
Healthcare security organizations will very likely struggle with managing the need for availability of patient information with the policy and controls required for securing and protecting that data in the cloud.
To learn more and see the insights found through Vectra research, read the 2020 Vectra Spotlight Report on Healthcare. | https://www.vectra.ai/blogpost/sizable-risk-of-cyber-well-being-in-healthcare |
and, of course,
Synthesis
synonyms and on the right images related to the word
Synthesis
.
Definition of Synthesis
Synthesis
Synthesis Syn"the*sis, n.; pl.
Syntheses
. [L., a mixture, properly, a putting together, Gr. ?, fr. ? to place or put together; sy`n with + ? to place. See
Thesis
.] 1. Composition, or the putting of two or more things together, as in compounding medicines. 2. (Chem.) The art or process of making a compound by putting the ingredients together, as contrasted with analysis; thus, water is made by synthesis from hydrogen and oxygen; hence, specifically, the building up of complex compounds by special reactions, whereby their component radicals are so grouped that the resulting substances are identical in every respect with the natural articles when such occur; thus, artificial alcohol, urea, indigo blue, alizarin, etc., are made by synthesis. 3. (Logic) The combination of separate elements of thought into a whole, as of simple into complex conceptions, species into genera, individual propositions into systems; -- the opposite of
analysis
. Analysis and synthesis, though commonly treated as two different methods, are, if properly understood, only the two necessary parts of the same method. Each is the relative and correlative of the other. --Sir W. Hamilton.
Meaning of Synthesis from
wikipedia
-
chemical
precursors
Organic
synthesis
, the
chemical
synthesis
of
organic
compounds
Total
synthesis
, the
complete
organic
synthesis
of
complex
organic
compounds...
-
synthesis
techniques
are
subtractive
synthesis
,
additive
synthesis
,
wavetable
synthesis
,
frequency
modulation
synthesis
,
phase
distortion
synthesis
,...
-
Speech
synthesis
is the
artificial
production
of
human
speech. A
computer
system
used for this
purpose
is
called
a
speech
computer
or
speech
synthesizer...
- DNA
synthesis
is the
natural
or
artificial
creation
of
deoxyribonucleic
acid (DNA) molecules. The term DNA
synthesis
can
refer
to DNA
replication
- DNA...
- dioxide. The
liver
is the
major
organ
of de novo
synthesis
of all four nucleotides. De novo
synthesis
of
pyrimidines
and
purines
follows
two different...
-
Protein
synthesis
is the
process
whereby
biological
cells
generate
new proteins; it is
balanced
by the loss of
cellular
proteins
via
degradation
or export...
-
Synthesis
is the
fourth
studio
album
by
American
rock band Evanescence. It was
released
on
November
10, 2017, by BMG
Rights
Management. The
album
includes...
- RNA (mRNA); the mRNA, in turn,
serves
as a
template
for the protein's
synthesis
through
translation. Alternatively, the
transcribed
gene may
encode
for...
- red-hot iron-tube furnace. This was the
first
synthesis
of a
heteroaromatic
compound. The
first
major
synthesis
of
pyridine
derivatives
was
described
in 1881...
- itself, has not been
found
in nature, but it can be
produced
by
organic
synthesis
. They may also
function
directly
as neurotransmitters,
acting
upon purinergic...
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17 students enrolled
We now live in the information age. Every day we create 2.5 quintillion bytes of data. This would fill 10 million Blu-ray disks. We have access to a world of technological tools and information at our fingertips.
This module will provide an introduction to digital skills that young minds need to be aware of in order to succeed in the information age. How can you successfully find and access reliable information on the internet? How are messages in media being constructed and for what purposes? How can we use technology to be productive? We will identify strategies on how to answer these questions and much more.
minutes
certificate
pre-requisites
age
Our ability to learn is a contributing factor to human progress. Traditionally, learning is a process that we associate with what we do in schools. However, learning should not be perceived as something we do...
Invention, and more specifically technological invention, is the process of devising and producing by independent investigation, experimentation, and mental activity something that is useful and that was not previously known or existing. Art, imagination, and creativity...
Most of us associate creativity with painting a picture, writing a novel or other expressions of art. While these are are indeed examples of creative acts, creativity isn’t just a skill or trait only attributed...
Simply put, Computational Thinking is the thought processes involved in formulating a problem and generating a range of solutions in a way that that can be understood by humans or computers. Developing knowledge and dispositions...
More often than not, the first impression individuals will make of you are from you online profile or social media image. In other words, it is your personal brand and digital footprint. Branding has been...
There is enormous value in connecting with individuals who share our vision for the future. We now have powerful tools at our fingertips that can allow us to not only share our ideas to the...
We are all fortunate enough to live through the digital revolution. Thanks to the rise of exponential technologies and the internet, it is now easier than ever to connect, communicate and collaborate with individuals from...
In today’s world, expertise in isolated subjects such as math or chemistry is not enough. Young minds need to be able to make connections between ideas and concepts across different disciplines. Many breakthroughs in today’s...
The future of the workforce and our education system at large is evolving rapidly. New industries are constantly being born and old ones are dying out. This will have an impact on the kind of...
We live in a world of accelerating change. New industries are constantly being born and old ones are becoming obsolete. A report by the World Economic Forum reveals that almost 65 percent of the jobs...
More often than not, science is taught as a body of knowledge - a collection of facts and figures. That can be misleading - for science is actually a process and a way of thinking....
For a team, company or individual to accomplish something extraordinary, it is important to have a powerful unifying purpose. A Massive Transformative Purpose (MTP) is described as a highly “aspirational tagline”, with a clear “WHY”... | https://www.learn.awecademy.org/courses/information-media-technology-skills/ |
Q:
Pass 'y' to plink command's interactive prompt
I'm trying to use plink to establish a connection to a remote server and remove an entry in SIP user directory list using the following command:
plink root@<server-ip> -pw pwd serctl ul rm bob
which then asks the following:
The server's host key is not cached. You have no guarantee
that the server is the computer you think it is.
The server's rsa2 key fingerprint is:
ssh-rsa 1024 5d:ae:ae:ad:46:71:30:6d:0c:0e:30:e1:cd:f7:6b:90
If you trust this host, enter "y" to add the key to
PuTTY's cache and carry on connecting.
If you want to carry on connecting just once, without
adding the key to the cache, enter "n".
If you do not trust this host, press Return to abandon the
connection.
Store key in cache? (y/n)
This comes up if the command is executed for the very first time. If I'm executing this command in a script, it invariably asks the same in the interactive prompt, but since no response is given, asks the same a few more times and prints :
Store key in cache? (y/n) Connection abandoned.
From the man page of plink, I did get how to override the interactive prompt using -batch option, but I want to make sure that the response is positive i.e., a y. How can I make sure it is y explicitly? Is there a way I can add this to the command?
A:
You might try the yes command if that is available on your distribution, see e.g.
What is the point of the `yes` command?
What is the point of the "yes" command?
for examples (and yes, these are two different questions despite the almost-same title).
| |
The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), is the choice for those public health professionals seeking to advance to management levels in the design, implementation, and administration of public health agencies. Our MPH was developed to train individuals who can provide service and leadership in community and public health. The two year program is designed for professionals who wish to expand their skills, knowledge and expertise, and for students who wish to build a career in public health. The foundation for the curriculum is the five core areas of public health: health status and determinants of health, public health statistics, epidemiology, environmental and occupational health, and health systems organization and delivery.
The CEPH accreditation report for Public Health Education and Master of Public Health was written by the following team:
Monideepa B. Becerra, DrPH, MPH, CHES (Co-chair, Public Health Accreditation Committee), Amber Olney, MPH (Co-chair, Public Health Accreditation Committee), Autumn Jansen, BS, MPH (Student Coordinator, Public Health Accreditation Committee), Connie Marmolejo, BS, MPH (Student Coordinator, Public Health Accreditation Committee), Kaitlin Brehaut, BS, MPH (Student Coordinator, Public Health Accreditation Committee), Karina Corral, BS, MPH (Student Coordinator, Public Health Accreditation Committee), and Tamara Jreisat, BS, MPH (Student Coordinator, Public Health Accreditation Committee).
Program Director: Dr. Salome Mshigeni
Email: [email protected]
Application to the MPH Program
- Students are admitted for the Fall quarter.
- The application deadline for Fall 2019 is May 15, 2019 by 11:59pm PDT
For Fall 2019 application, please visit the Office of Graduate Studies for key University guidelines.
Applicants must first apply to the University through Cal State Apply.
Next, applicants must submit all Departmental requirements. Please contact program Director for all questions related to admissions.
Mission
We are committed to the broad mission of public health, defined by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) as “enhancing health in human populations through organized community effort.”
Our mission is to develop public health professionals who are prepared to assume leadership roles in population-based settings in order to promote, preserve, and restore health of local and global communities as a result of working to reduce health disparities and generate health equity. Preparation includes development of knowledge and skill to assess community resources and needs; to plan, implement, and evaluate health programs; and to organize and coordinate activities in diverse populations as they pursue improved health.
Vision and Values
Our vision is to serve as a community resource for promoting public health and to be recognized as a leader in creating health equity and social justice through health education and promotion programs and services in our diverse communities.
Our values serve as a guide in the work we do in the pursuit of effectiveness and excellence in the work of public health. We value:
Diversity
A respect for all people in global and local communities and to appreciate diverse cultures’ perspectives, and beliefs as we promote population health.
Equity
Fairness and social justice in addressing population health.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Using an ecological framework and reasoned debate in collaborative approaches across disciplines to advance scientific knowledge, and improve population health.
Student Centered Learning
A dynamic learning community that fosters engaged learning where students have a voice in the process of their education including practical opportunities for problem solving.
Advocacy
actions to achieve equitable access to public health, health resources, and public policies.
Innovation
innovative approaches to educate and inspire faculty and students in teaching, learning, and addressing public health matters.
Professionalism
Honesty and mutual respect in teaching, learning, and public service as we engage students in activities to advance a sense of profession as they assume duties and responsibilities in public health.
Scholarship
Engagement by faculty and students in methods that foster comprehension of the extent of current public health knowledge and the role of research to contribute to future public health knowledge and solutions.
Program Goals
Instructional Goals
- Goal 1: Design, implement, and evaluate a competency and practice-based academically rigorous program.
- Goal 2: Ensure all program students are prepared to assume public health related jobs.
- Goal 3: Sustain an environment of academic rigor through its faculty and student body.
Research Goals
- Goal 4: Prepare students to conduct ethically-based public health research.
- Goal 5: Foster an environment for faculty exploration of public health research.
Service Goals
- Goal 6: Strengthen relationships between the program faculty, students, and public health workforce in the service area.
- Goal 7: Promote active involvement of faculty and students in serving the Inland Empire and the community at-large.
Infrastructure Goals
- Goal 8: The program will have the fiscal and other resources needed to sustain itself.
- Goal 9: The program will promote and sustain diversity to reflect the service area population and needs.
Program reports
- The 2017-2018 report was not released due to new competencies. However, program course packets were created for 2018-2019 and onwards. | https://cns.csusb.edu/health-science-human-ecology/degrees-programs/graduate/master-public-health-mph |
The present disclosure relates to a wall on which a multimedia device, such as a TV and a loudspeaker, and a home appliance are mounted, and a unitized media wall.
Recently, as the infrastructure in which all media devices and home appliances at home beyond the smartphone are connected to the Internet is built, the smart home is emerging as a keyword of a new smart ecosystem. In particular, user experiences and values accumulated through smartphones, which are personal media devices, have begun to extend to other devices.
As various attempts such as building a home network system were made in order to make media devices and home appliances to interoperate with each other, the number of electronic devices at home has increased and there is a hassle of connecting the devices one by one.
In particular, it is a recent trend to minimize the number of pieces of furniture and electronics that are placed near the living room wall, around which the TV is usually placed, to keep a neat appearance of the living room wall, which represents the house. In addition, where there are children in a house, they may be pushed over or bumped and injured due to a TV table or a loudspeaker placed in the living room. Therefore, it is important to reduce the number of pieces of furniture and electronics protruding into the space of the living room.
In order to minimize the number of pieces of furniture exposed to the outside, a screen to cover the front of a device occupying a large area such as a TV may be used to cover the device when the device is not in use. The screen may be optionally formed of a flexible material so as to be placed on the front of the TV, but a structure to maintain the screen in a flat position may be needed to allow the screen to have an appearance similar to that of the art wall therearound to provide a unified appearance.
The present disclosure is directed to a wall on which multimedia devices, such as a TV and a loudspeaker, and/or home appliances are mounted, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a structure for supporting a screen located on the front of a unitized media wall.
Additional advantages, objects, and features of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the disclosure. The objectives and other advantages of the disclosure may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, a media wall may include a frame structure including a mounting cell, an electronic appliance disposed in the mounting cell, a drive roller arranged above the mounting cell, a screen wound around the drive roller by half a turn, the screen including a first region positioned in front of the electronic appliance and a second region positioned behind the electronic appliance, a motor configured to provide rotational force to the drive roller to vary an area of the first region of the screen, and a protruding frame introduced into and drawn out of the mounting cell in a back-and-forth direction, wherein, when the screen is in a first state, the first region is widened to cover the electronic appliance, and the protruding frame protrudes forward and contacts the first region of the screen, wherein, when the screen is in a second state, the first region may narrowed to expose the electronic appliance, and the protruding frame may retreat rearward and is spaced apart from the screen.
The frame structure may include a vertical frame positioned on left and right sides of the mounting cell, and the media wall may further include a frame motor positioned on the vertical frame, a pinion gear configured to be rotated by rotational force of the frame motor transmitted thereto, and a rack gear formed on the protruding frame and configured to rotate in engagement with the pinion gear.
The media wall may further include a first screen plate positioned at a lower end of the first region of the screen.
The media wall may further include a guide rail formed on the frame structure and extending in a vertical direction, and a movement guide extending from the first screen plate and configured to move along the guide rail.
The first screen plate may have a thickness corresponding to a distance between the frame structure and the screen.
When the screen is switched from the first state to the second state, the protruding frame may move rearward a distance greater than or equal to the thickness of the first screen plate.
The media wall may further include a second screen plate having a thickness corresponding to the distance between the frame structure and the screen and positioned at a lower end of the second region.
The protruding frame may include a first inclined surface facing the first screen plate and a second inclined surface facing the second screen plate, the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface being formed at a lower end of the protruding frame, wherein, when the first region is narrowed and an upper end of the first screen plate comes into contact with the first inclined surface, the protruding frame may be moved rearward, and wherein, when the second region is narrowed and an upper end of the second screen plate comes into contact with the second inclined surface, the protruding frame may be moved forward.
The media wall may further include a third inclined surface provided to an upper end of the first screen plate, the third inclined surface extending downward and rearward, and a fourth inclined surface provided to an upper end of the second screen plate, the fourth inclined surface extending downward and forward, wherein, when the first region is narrowed and a lower end of the protruding frame comes into contact with the third inclined surface, the protruding frame may be moved rearward, and wherein, when the second region is narrowed and the lower end of the protruding frame comes into contact with the fourth inclined surface, the protruding frame may be moved forward.
The protruding frame may further include an extension frame extending downward in the first state.
The protruding frame may have a width corresponding to a horizontal width of the screen.
A media wall according to the present disclosure may be installed on a wall at the same height as a multimedia device such as a TV or an audio device mounted thereon and may cover the electronic appliances with a screen when the electronic appliances are not in use. Thereby, the media wall may provide a tidy appearance.
As a screen to selectively expose a display device according to a usage status of the display device is used, a tidier appearance may be provided.
In particular, as a protruding frame is used, the screen may be maintained in a flat position, an appearance similar to that of the art wall may be implemented.
Further scope of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description below. Various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure may be clearly understood by those skilled in the art, and therefore, the detailed description and specific embodiments, such as preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, should be understood as given by way of example only.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a view illustrating an installation example of a media wall of the present disclosure;
FIG. 2
is an exploded perspective view of the media wall according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 3
is a block diagram of the media wall according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4
is a view illustrating a configuration of frames of the media wall according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 5
shows examples of various frame structures according to a combination of frame modules of the present disclosure;
FIG. 6
is a view illustrating a frame module of the media wall according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 7
is a view illustrating a method of installing a frame structure of the media wall according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 8
is a view illustrating a basket of the media wall according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 9
is a view illustrating change of a screen view according to the size of a display exposed through the front of the media wall according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10
is a view illustrating operation of a screen of the media wall;
FIG. 11
FIG. 10
is cross-sectional views taken along lines A-A and B-B of with the protruding frame omitted;
FIG. 12
FIG. 10
is a view illustrating the frame structure and the protruding frame, which are exposed by removing the screen in the state of ;
FIG. 13
FIG. 10
is cross-sectional views taken along lines A-A and B-B of ;
FIG. 14
is a view illustrating a frame driver;
FIG. 15
FIG. 13
is cross-sectional views taken along lines C-C and D-D of ; and
FIGS. 16 to 18
are views illustrating various embodiments of the protruding frame of the media wall.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the disclosure and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the disclosure. In the drawings:
Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments disclosed herein will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts, and redundant description thereof will be omitted. As used herein, the suffixes "module" and "unit" are added or used interchangeably to facilitate preparation of this specification and are not intended to suggest distinct meanings or functions. In the following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, a detailed description of known technology will be omitted to avoid obscuring the subject matter of the present disclosure. The accompanying drawings are intended to facilitate understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein, and should not be construed as limiting the technical idea disclosed in the present specification. The disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the embodiments.
Terms including ordinal numbers such as first, second, etc. may be used to explain various elements. However, it will be appreciated that the elements are not limited to such terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish one element from another.
Stating that one constituent is "connected" or "linked" to another should be understood as meaning that the one constituent may be directly connected or linked to another constituent or another constituent may be interposed between the constituents. On the other hand, stating that one constituent is "directly connected" or "directly linked" to another should be understood as meaning that no other constituent is interposed between the constituents.
As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless context clearly dictates otherwise.
In this specification, terms such as "includes" or "has" are intended to indicate existence of characteristics, figures, steps, operations, constituents, components, or combinations thereof disclosed in the specification. The terms "includes" or "has" should be understood as not precluding possibility of existence or addition of one or more other characteristics, figures, steps, operations, constituents, components, or combinations thereof.
FIG. 1
is a view showing a wall-type frame of a media wall 100 of the present disclosure. The present disclosure relates to a media wall 100 systemized by integrating electronic devices used at home, such as media devices and home appliances, with a wall so as not to be exposed through the exterior of the media wall. The present disclosure provides a total space solution that minimizes the exposure of electronic devices in a space by mounting various electronic devices such as a display, an interphone, a loudspeaker, an air purifier, a humidifier, a light, a digital clock, a router, and a set-top box on a wall.
Recently, the thickness of a display device 161 has become thin. Thus, the media wall 100 of the present disclosure may be formed to have a the thickness of 15 to 20 cm, thereby preventing the interior space from being narrowed during installation. Rather, the storage furniture and a home appliance 160 may be embedded in the media wall 100 to provide a neat appearance. When necessary, a part of the wall may be selectively drawn out to allow a necessary home appliance to protrude from the wall, and the space where the home appliances are not embedded may be used as a mounting cell 114 for an item such as a drawer.
Recently, it has become possible to design a thin TV, and thus a thin display is implementable. Accordingly, the TV itself may serve as a cover of a frame and may be coupled to the frame to define a front appearance. An opening 153 may be formed in an art wall 151 to expose the display of the display device 161. A cover to open and close the opening 153 may be further provided.
A display employing organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) is bendable, and therefore it may be exposed to the outside only when used and may be rolled up and kept inside the wall when not in use, thereby providing a tidy screen by appearance.
Regarding projectors, a unifocal projector has recently been developed. This projector may be mounted on the wall and drawn out like a drawer to output images on a screen, thereby implementing a large screen. In this case, when the projector is in use, the display is unseeable from the outside of the media wall 100, and therefore may provide a tidier appearance.
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
is an exploded view of the media wall 100 of the present disclosure, and is a block diagram of the media wall 100 according to the present invention. A frame structure formed by a plurality of pieces of shape steel arranged in a grid form may be disposed inside the art wall 150, which is on the front. The frame structure 110 is a rigid member. The frame structure 110 may support the wall so as not to collapse even when an impact is applied to the wall. A panel may be attached to the front of the frame structure 110 to hide the electronic appliance 160 mounted on the frame structure 110, thereby looking like a wall. The front wall covered with such a panel is called an art wall 150.
The art wall 150 may be changed according to the preference of the consumer. The art wall 150 may be easily changed after being installed to change the mood of the home.
The shape steel 115 arranged in a grid form may partition the mounting cell 114, and seat the electronic appliance 160 in each of the partitioned mounting cells 114. The partitioned mounting cells 114 may have the same size or sizes which are multiples of a size. Thus, the electronic appliance 160 to be mounted may be modularized and disposed at any position in the frame structure 110.
In addition to the display device 161 described above, a sound device 162 such as a loudspeaker may be mounted in the mounting cell 114. Multiple sound devices 162 may be configured according to the number of channels. The art wall 152 covering the sound device 162 may be configured in a mesh form to allow sound to be output, or may selectively open and close the openings through which the sound is output, such that the openings exposed to the art wall 152 are minimized. A waterproof mesh or the like may be used to prevent water from being introduced through the openings.
A dehumidifier 163, a humidifier 165, an air cleaner 164, and an air conditioning/heating device 167, such as an air conditioner or a stove, which are seasonal household appliances, may be provided. Leaving the seasonal appliances exposed to the outside when not in use may cause dust to accumulate on the appliances and undermine the appearance. Thus, the seasonal appliances are usually kept in a storage area with a cover put thereon when they are not in use. When such appliances are embedded in the media wall 100 as in the present disclosure, they may be covered with the art wall 150 so as not to be exposed to the outside in a period for which the appliances are not used. In other words, the need for a separate storage space may be eliminated.
The dehumidifier 163 or the humidifier 165 may implement a drawer type space for collecting/storing water to remove collected water or supply water. Openings 154 through which air passes are needed to discharge water or to collect moisture in the surroundings.
The openings 154 may not be necessarily formed in the art wall 150, but a gap between the art wall 150 and the frame structure 110 may be used.
The air cleaner 164 may include an openable cover configured to periodically replace a filter.
Each electronic product may be individually controlled, but the media wall may further include a controller 180 configured to integrally control the electronic appliances mounted on the media wall. The controller may have a memory 185 and thus may store collected data therein.
The dehumidifier, the humidifier, and the air cleaner 164 may be installed at a lower end of the media wall 100 to allow a user to easily manipulate the dehumidifier, the humidifier, and the air cleaner. In addition, when a set-top box or a Wi-Fi router 175 is provided, a home network system may be implemented. Not only functional units mounted on the media wall 100 but also other electronic devices such as a computer or a mobile terminal located outside the media wall 100 may be connected via the Wi-Fi router 175 for interworking. The media wall may further include a controller 180 configured to control each electronic appliance 160.
An LED or a small display panel may be arranged on an upper portion of the media wall 100 to provide a user with simple information such as weather, time, event information, or may be used as lighting. A light may be provided to the media wall 100 to obtain an interior effect.
When different communication schemes or signals are used between the devices, the router 175 serves as an intermediate device to coordinate the schemes or signals and guide a path. In addition, a functional unit mounted on the media wall 100 may be connected and controlled via the WIFI router 175, rather than being connected by wire.
The router 175 also serves to connect an external network and the internal network to each other. Accordingly, the user staying outside may control, via the router 175 connected to the external network, not only the electronic appliance 160 mounted on the media wall 100 but also other home appliances and media devices connected to the home network.
In addition, the controller 180 may control the electronic devices of the media wall 100 in operative connection with a mobile device. That is, when the mobile device is mounted on the media wall 100, media images and music on the mobile device may be output. In addition, when a video call is received through the mobile device, the controller may receive information from the mobile device by Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and output the image of the other party through the display device 161 of the media wall 100.
In addition, a wall pad connected to a camera or security system of the front door may be provided in the mounting cell 114 of the media wall 100. The wall pad embedded in the existing bearing wall is difficult to repair and replace in case of failure, and there is a difficulty in changing the location thereof. However, when the wall pad is configured in a unit form and provided in the media wall 100, maintenance thereof is easy.
The media wall 100 may be installed in a room as well as the living room. The wall between the rooms may be configured as the media wall 100 to use the media wall 100 in both directions in neighboring rooms. For example, one air conditioner or air purifier may be used in both spaces when it is arranged to be reachable in both directions. Instead of the TV and loudspeaker 162 used in the living room, a monitor and a personal computer (PC) may be mounted and used based on the purpose of the room. Alternatively, another functional unit such as an electronic board may be mounted and used according to the age of a child.
When installed in an office, a media wall 100 equipped with functional units such as an electronic board, an air purifier, a video conference system, and a PC may be used. The electronic appliance 160 mounted on the media wall 100 is covered by the art wall 150 and thus do not require a separate exterior case.
When the media wall 100 is installed after being manufactured at a factory according to a user's installation location, large quantities of the same module may be manufactured and supplied to a hotel/resort or apartment under construction, thereby reducing defect rate and manufacturing costs.
However, it is difficult to transport the media wall 100 that has been assembled. Further, when construction of a building is completed, it is difficult to bring the media wall 100 into the building. Accordingly, when the media wall 100 is installed at the time of movement into an existing building or remodeling of the interior, the media wall 100 may be implemented by installing a frame in the building and inserting a unit module. In this case, for ease of installation and standardization, the frame structure 110 may be implemented using a plurality of module frames.
FIG. 4
is a view illustrating coupling of frame modules 111, 112, and 113 of the media wall 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In order to mount each component, bookcase-type frame modules 111, 112, and 113 including the mounting cell 114 may be used. In order to partition the mounting cell 114, the frame modules 111, 112, and 113 may be manufactured by arranging a plurality of pieces of beam-shaped shape steel 115 in a grid.
The frame modules 111, 112, and 113 may include a first frame module 111 having mounting cells 114 arranged side by side in a horizontal direction, a second frame module 112 provided to mount a large appliance 160 such as the display device 161, a third frame module 113 having mounting cells 114 arranged side by side in a vertical direction.
FIG. 4
The second frame module 112 includes a large space to allow the display device 161 of any size to be mounted therein. When necessary, as shown in , beams to partition the mounting cell 114 may be provided to fix the display device 161 and to enhance rigidity of the frame structure 110.
The first frame module 111 and the second frame module 112 may be stacked in a vertical direction. The horizontal length of the first frame module 111 may be the same as the horizontal length of the second frame module 112. Thus, when the modules are stacked in the vertical direction, they may be disposed so as not to be misaligned.
The first frame module 111 may be disposed both over and under the second frame module 112. The number of first frame modules 111 stacked in the vertical direction may be increased or decreased depending on the sizes of the first frame module 111 and the second frame module 112 or the size of the installation space.
FIG. 4
The third frame module 113, in which the mounting cells 114 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction, may have the same height as that of the first frame module 111 and the second frame module 112 stacked in the vertical direction. As shown in , the third frame module 113 may be located on the lateral sides of the first frame module 111 and the second frame module 112. The frame modules 111, 112, and 113 may be coupled with fasteners to form the frame structure 110 having a rectangular parallelepiped shape.
FIG. 5
is a view illustrating a method of manufacturing the frame modules 111, 112, and 113 of the present disclosure. The third frame module 113 in which the mounting cells 114 are arranged in the vertical direction will be described as an example. Each of the frame modules 111, 112, and 113 may be formed using the shape steel 115 extending in one direction. The shape steel is a structural member and represents all rod-shaped members having various cross-sectional shapes. Rod-shaped steel having the same cross section in the longitudinal direction may be formed by rolling or by bending a sheet material. The shape steel has a hollow space compared to a beam-shaped member having a circular or rectangular cross section. Thus, it is a lightweight member obtaining rigidity greater than or equal to a predetermined value with a little amount of material.
FIG. 5
As shown in , the present disclosure may employ C-shape steel 115 having a C-shaped cross section. The C-shape steel 115 may be formed by vertically bending both width ends of a metal plate. When both ends of the metal plate are vertically bent only once, the plate may have a square bracket-shaped cross section. When both ends of the metal plate are vertically bent twice, the plate may have a C-shaped cross section. A power line or signal line connected to the electronic appliance 160 may be disposed in the internal space of the steel, and an outlet module 140 to which a power cable or a data cable is fastened may be disposed.
The outlet module 140 may include a power terminal for supplying power, a data terminal for data transmission and reception such as an Internet line or a cable input, and a connector by which a functional unit inserted into the frame is connected to another functional unit. The connector has terminals on both sides of the frame. When data connection lines of electronic devices are inserted into the terminals, the devices may exchange data with each other. The outlet module 140 may include a rail structure that moves along the frame modules 111, 112, and 113.
FIG. 5
A vent hole 116 may be formed in the shape steel 115 as shown in . The vent hole 116 may reduce the weight of the shape steel 115 and discharge heat generated from the electronic appliance 160. A fan may also be used to discharge hot air to the outside to more actively discharge heat. When the heat of the electronic appliance 160 is discharged into an indoor space, a heating effect may be obtained in winter. However, in summer, discharging the heat into the indoor space may cause the indoor temperature to rise. Thus, the fan may be used to internally circulate heat, or a structure to discharge heat to the outside may be added to the wiring connected to the outdoor unit of the air conditioner.
Each of the frame modules 111, 112, and 113 may include outer steel defining a rectangular outer periphery and an inner steel arranged therein to partition the mounting cell 114. The outer steel may include vertical steel extending in the vertical direction and horizontal steel extending in the horizontal direction. The first frame module 111 to the third frame module 113 may be assembled by arranging the horizontal steel between a pair of vertical steels. In order to fasten the vertical steel with a fixing member 120, which is fixed to the ceiling and the floor, the upper and lower ends of the vertical steel may need to be exposed. Therefore, the vertical steel may be arranged outside the horizontal steel may be fastened by inserting vertical brackets 122 and 123 of the fixing member 120 to the end of the vertical steel.
The inner steel positioned inside the outer steel may define the mounting cell 114 by partitioning a space surrounded by the outer steel. The inner steel may be immovably connected to the outer steel by welding, and part of the inner steel may be bolted or hooked so as to be removed when necessary.
Thus, by fascinating the frame modules 111, 112, and 113 in the form of a semifinished appliance 160 in the above-described manner, the number of connection operations to be performed on the site may be reduced. The dimensions of the appliance 160 may be kept constant and the installation time may be reduced. In addition, the product may be modularized into a size that facilitates movement of the product, and therefore may be easily moved to the site.
FIG. 6
FIG. 6(a)
FIG. 4
shows examples of various frame structures 110 according to a combination of the frame modules 111, 112, 113 of the present disclosure. illustrates assembly of a frame structure 110 consisting of a pair of first frame modules 111a of , one second frame module 112a, and a pair of third frame modules 113. Since the first frame module 111a has four mounting cells 114, the width of the first frame module 111a may not fit to a narrow indoor space for installation.
FIG. 6(b)
Accordingly, as shown in , a first frame module 111b having three mounting cells 114 to have a short horizontal length may be used. The second frame module 112b may have a length corresponding to the horizontal length of the first frame module 111b.
In addition, the third frame modules 113 may be disposed on both sides of the vertical stack of the first frame module 111 and the second frame module 112. The ceiling height of a typical house is 220 cm to 230 cm, the third frame module 113 may be configured to have a height a little less than 220 cm. While a five-stage vertical frame is illustrated in the drawings, a six-stage vertical frame may be manufactured in case of a multilayer house or a house having a great ceiling height.
When installed in a narrower space, the frame structure 110 may be configured using only the first frame module 111a and the second frame module 112a without the third frame module 113. When a large display device 161 is not mounted, only the third frame modules may be arranged in a line to implement the frame structure 110. Each frame module 111, 112, 113 may be fastened by bolts, or may be fastened by welding.
FIG. 7
is a view illustrating a method of installing a frame structure 110 of the media wall 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The frame structure 110 formed by fastening the frame modules 111, 112, and 113 may be fixed to the ceiling and the floor so as to be installed in an indoor space.
The fixing bracket 125, which is installed on the ceiling or the floor, is a member bent in an L shape. One side 125b of the fixing bracket 125 is disposed on the ceiling or the floor, and the opposite side 125a thereof vertically extends from the ceiling or the floor. The frame structure may include a first vertical bracket 122 inserted into an internal space of the vertical steel thereof.
The first vertical bracket 122 may be formed to be longer than the vertical length of the first frame module 111 to fasten not only the first frame module 111 but also the second frame module 112. The frame structure may further include a second vertical bracket 123 disposed in parallel with the first vertical bracket 122 and inserted into the third frame module 113. Since the vertical steel of the third frame module 113 is one member, the vertical steel does not need to be as long as the first vertical bracket 122.
A coupling bracket 121 may be coupled to an end of each of the first vertical bracket 122 and the second vertical bracket 123 to form a T-shape together with the vertical brackets 122 and 123. The coupling bracket 121 may include a seating portion 121b coupled to the vertical brackets 122 and 123 and seated on the top surfaces of the first frame module 111 and the third frame module 113, and a fastening portion 121a vertically extending from the seating portion 121b and fastened to the fixing bracket 125. The coupling bracket 121 and the fixing bracket 125 may be fastened to each other using a screw, and may each have a fastening hole, which the screw is fastened. The fastening hole may be vertically elongated such that the brackets may be adjusted according to the ceiling height.
When the media wall 100 is installed on the existing wall, a fixing member 120 may be further provided to fasten the media wall to the existing wall.
A sound device such as the loudspeaker 162 is positioned on the media wall 100. Accordingly, when the media wall 100 is used as a temporary wall, spaces separated by the wall are formed. In this case, the media wall 100 may be fixed by adding a soundproof structure to prevent sound from leak to the two spaces through the ceiling, the floor, and the sidewalls which are in contact with the media wall 100.
FIG. 8
FIG. 7
is a view illustrating a basket 130 of the media wall 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The frame modules 111, 112, and 113 may be divided into a plurality of mounting cells 114 using the inner shape steel 115. As shown in , the basket 130 may be inserted into the mounting cells 114 to provide a space in which the electronic appliance 160 is seated. The second frame module 112 has a relatively large mounting cell 114 because the display device 161 is located therein. On the other hand, the mounting cells 114 of the first frame module 111 and the third frame module 113 may be formed to have standardized sizes. Using the mounting cells 114 of the standardized sizes, the basket 130 may also be standardized. Accordingly, there is no need to manufacture various different shapes of parts.
However, forming the mounting cells to have the same size may be favorable to standardization, but a larger cell may be needed depending on the electronic appliance 160 to be mounted. For example, since the size of the air conditioner is different from that of the air cleaner, the mounting cell 114 may be formed to have a size which is an integer multiple of a base size in consideration of the difference in size. For example, based on a first mounting cell 1141 having a horizontal dimension equal to a and a vertical dimension equal to b, a second mounting cell 1142 having a horizontal dimension equal to an integer multiple of a or a third mounting cell 1143 having a vertical dimension equal to an integer multiple of b may be provided.
The horizontal dimension of the first mounting cell 1141 corresponds to the horizontal dimension of the third frame module 113, and the vertical dimension thereof corresponds to the vertical dimension of the first frame module 111. Here, the mounting cell 114 refers to an internal space partitioned by the shape steel 115, and thus the difference in size between the first frame module 111 and the third frame module 113 caused by the thickness of the shape steel 115 is ignored.
Since the first frame module 111 has a short vertical length, the first frame module 111 may include only the first mounting cell 1141 and the second mounting cell 1142. Since the third frame module 113 has a short horizontal length, the third frame module 113 may include only the first mounting cell 1141 and the third mounting cell 1143.
FIG. 9
FIG. 9(a)
FIG. 9(b)
is a view illustrating change of a screen view according to the size of the display device 161 exposed through the front of the media wall 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Only half of the display device 161 may be exposed to provide necessary information to the user as shown in , or a small part of the display device may be exposed in normal times to obtain the interior effect as shown in .
The media wall 100 of the present disclosure may include a screen 200 configured to cover the front surface of the display device 161. The screen 200 may be formed of a material that may be wound around a roll, such as a fabric material. The screen 200 serves to cover the front surface of the display device 161 such that the display device 161 is not exposed to the outside when the display device 161 is not used.
The screen 200 may be wound around a drive roller 210 to adjust the area of a first region 200a of the screen 200 positioned on the front surface of the display device 161. When the screen 200 is wound around the drive roller 210 by a large number of turns, the area of the first region 200a is reduced and the front surface of the display device 161 is exposed.
The screen 200 may be wound around the drive roller 210 by half a turn, such that a part (the first region 200a) of the screen 200 is positioned on the front surface of the display device 161, and the other part (a second region 200b) of the screen 200 is positioned on the rear surface of the display device 161. Increasing the area of the second region positioned on the rear surface of the display device 161 reduces the area of the first region positioned on the front surface of the display device 161. Accordingly, the area of the display device 161 exposed through the front may be adjusted by adjusting the areas of the first region 200a and the second region 200b.
The controller 180 may adjust the rotation direction of the drive roller 210 to adjust the area of the screen 200 positioned on the front surface of the display device 161, and may stop rotating the drive roller 210 when the screen 200 reaches a preset position.
FIG. 9(a)
FIG. 9(b)
The controller 180 may control an image output to the display device 161 according to the position of the screen 200. For example, in a line view mode as shown in or a half view mode as shown in , an image is output only to a part of the display device 161 that is not covered by the screen. The media wall may further include a sensor 200 configured to sense the position of the screen 200 in order to more accurately specify the position of the screen 200 and the range of an output region of the display device 161.
FIG. 10
FIG. 11
FIG. 10
FIG. 10(a)
FIG. 10(b)
is a view illustrating operation of the screen 200 of the media wall, and is cross-sectional views taken along lines A-A and B-B of . The state in which the area of the first region 200a of the screen 200 is increased to cover the entire display screen of the display device 161 disposed in the mounting cell as shown in is referred to as a first state. A state in which the area of the first region 200a of the screen 200 is reduced to expose the entire display screen of the display device 161 disposed in the mounting cell as shown in is referred to as a second state.
FIGS. 10(a)
11(a)
FIGS. 10(b)
11(b)
The screen 200 is wound around the drive roller 210 located above the screen and is moved by rotation of the drive roller 210. The sum of the areas of the first region 200a and the second region 200b is constant as the area of the entire screen 200. As shown in and , when the area of the first region 200a is increased and set in the first state, the area of the second region 200b positioned opposite to the first region 200a is reduced. On the contrary, as shown in and , when the area of the first region 200a is reduced and set in the second state, the area of the second region 200b is increased.
FIG. 11(b)
The screen plates 209a and 209b coupled to lower ends of the first region 200a and the second region 200b may be provided to ensure stable movement of the screen 200. The screen plates 209a and 209b may have a predetermined weight like metal, and may thus apply pulling force to the screen 200 of a fabric material downward and keep the screen 200 flat. In addition, the screen plates may extend to a length corresponding to the size of the screen 200 to prevent the screen 200 from warping in the lateral direction. The screen plate 209a, 209b includes a member having rigidity. Accordingly, the screen plates are not wound on the drive roller 210, but are always positioned on the front side. As shown in , the vertical length of a first screen plate 209a is limited to a value less than or equal to the length of the upper portion of the display device 161 so as not to cover the display device 161 in the second state.
FIG. 11(a)
FIG. 11(b)
As shown in , in the first state, the portion of the screen positioned between the screen plates 209a and 209b and the drive roller 210 is spaced apart from the frame structure 110 or the display device 161, thereby defining an empty space A. Due to the empty space, the screen 200 may be shaken or twisted, and thus may look very different from the art wall therearound. When a display is disposed even on the other side of the media wall and the second region 200b is exposed to the outside, the second region 200b between the second screen plate 209b and the drive roller 210 is similarly spaced apart from the frame structure or the display device, thereby defining an empty space B, as shown in .
FIG. 12
FIG. 10
FIG. 13
FIG. 10
In order to address the above-mentioned issue, the media wall may further include a protruding frame 250 configured to fill the empty spaces A and B. is a view illustrating the frame structure 110 and the protruding frame 250, which are exposed by removing the screen in the state of , and is cross-sectional views taken along lines A-A and B-B of . The protruding frame 250 may fill the empty space while moving in the mounting cell in a thickness direction, that is, a back-and-forth direction.
FIG. 12(a)
As shown in , in the first state, the protruding frame may protrude forward to contact the inner surface of the first region 200a of the screen 200. In the second state, the protruding frame may overlap the first screen plate 209a, and thus may move backward to provide a space in which the first screen plate 209a may be positioned on an upper portion of the display device 161.
When the first screen plate 209a is moved while being spaced apart from the frame structure 110, the first screen plate 209a may be shaken in the back-and-forth direction. In addition, when the user pushes the screen 200, the screen 200 and the first screen plate 209a may be moved backward. When the first screen plate 209a and the second screen plate 209b are formed to have a thickness corresponding to the gap between the screen 200 and the frame structure 110, the first screen plate and the screen may vertically move without shaking.
In this case, the protruding frame 250 may protrude forward by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the first screen plate 209a. In the second state, when the protruding frame 250 moves backward, the protruding frame 250 may contact the inner surface of the second region 200b, thereby filling the empty space B between the second region 200b and the frame structure 110.
To allow the screen 200 to more stably move with a predetermined distance maintained between the first screen plate 209a and the frame structure 110, a guide rail along which the screen moves may be provided to the vertically extending frame. In addition, a movement guide extending from the first screen plate 209a and inserted into the guide rail may be provided. Thus, the screen 200 may be moved with a predetermined distance corresponding to the length of the movement guide maintained between the screen 200 and the frame structure 110.
FIG. 13
Alternatively, as shown in , a pair of rotating pulleys 221 may be disposed on upper and lower sides, and a timing belt 223 may be arranged to surround the rotating pulleys 221. A movement guide extending from the first screen plate 209a may be coupled to the timing belt 223. Thus, when the timing belt 223 moves in a vertical direction, the first screen 200 may also move in the vertical direction. In this operation, the motor may rotate the rotating pulley 221, rather than directly transmitting the rotational force to the drive roller 210. Then, the driving force may be transmitted via the timing belt 223, the movement guide, and the first screen plate 209a.
When the second screen plate 209b coupled to the second region 200b is also coupled to the timing belt via the movement guide, the first region 200a and the second region 200b are moved simultaneously in opposite directions in synchronization with each other, and therefore the screen 200 may be moved stably.
A contact surface of the protruding frame 250, which is arranged to contact the first region 200a, may be elongated in the horizontal direction so as to have a length corresponding to the horizontal length of the first region 200a. Thus, the protruding frame 250 may stably support the first region 200a.
FIG. 14
A frame driver configured to move the protruding frame 250 in the back-and-forth direction may be provided. The frame driver may include a frame motor 253 and rack and pinion gears 254 and 255. is a view illustrating a frame driver. The rack gear 255, which is formed on a bracket 252 fastened to the protruding frame 250, is arranged in the back-and-forth direction of the protruding frame 250, and the pinion gear 254, which is coupled to the frame structure 110, is rotated by the rotational force of the frame motor 253 transmitted thereto. The rack gear 255 may be engaged with the pinion gear 254. Thus, when the pinion gear 254 rotates, the rack gear 255 may linearly move, and the protruding frame 250 may move in the back-and-forth direction.
FIG. 15
FIG. 13
FIG. 15
FIG. 15(a)
FIG. 15(b)
is cross-sectional views taken along lines C-C and D-D of . The protruding frame 250 may be a hollow frame or may be a solid frame as shown . In the first state, the protruding frame 250 moves forward as shown in . In the second state, the protruding frame 250 moves backward as shown in .
FIGS. 16 to 18
FIGS. 16 to 18
FIG. 16
FIG. 16(a)
FIG. 16(a)
FIG. 16(b)
FIG. 16(c)
are views illustrating various embodiments of the protruding frame 250 of the media wall. In the example of , the protruding frame 250 is automatically moved in the back-and-forth direction according to movement of the screen 200 without a separate frame driver. As shown in , a first inclined surface 2521 and a second inclined surface 2522 may be formed at a lower end of the protruding frame 250. The screen plates 209a and 209b positioned at the lower ends of the first region 200a and the second region 200b of the screen 200 may have a predetermined thickness as shown in . In the process of switching to the first state, the second screen plate 209b is brought into contact with the protruding frame 250 protruding toward the region 200b as the first region 200a moves downward and the second region 200b moves upward, as shown in . When the second screen plate 209b is brought into contact with a second inclined surface 2522 at the lower end of the protruding frame 250, the force that moves the second screen plate 209b upward is converted into force to move the protruding frame 250 forward. Thus, the protruding frame 250 protrudes forward as shown in . On the contrary, when the screen is switched from the first state to the second state, the first screen plate 209a is moved upward and brought into contact with a first inclined surface 2521 at the lower end of the protruding frame 250, as shown in . As the first screen plate 209a is moved upward, the first screen plate 209a may push the protruding frame 250 backward. Then, the protruding frame 250 may come into contact with the second region 200b to support the empty space of the second region 200b.
The first inclined surface 2521 contacting the first screen plate 209a extends rearward as it extends downward, facing the first region 200a. The second inclined surface 2522 contacting the second screen plate 209b extends forward as it extends downward, facing the second region 200b.
FIG. 17
FIG. 17(a)
FIG. 17(b)
In the embodiment of , a third inclined surface 2523 and a fourth inclined surface 2524 facing the protruding frame 250 is formed on each of the top sides of the first screen plate 209a and the second screen plate 209b. In the process of switching to the first state, a fourth inclined surface 2524 positioned on the upper portion of the second screen plate 209b is brought into contact with the protruding frame 250 moved toward the second region 200b as the first region 200a moves downward and the second region 200b moves upward, as shown in . The protruding frame 250 contacting the third inclined surface 2523 may move forward to support the back of the first region 200a as shown in .
FIG. 17(c)
FIG. 17(d)
On the contrary, when the screen is switched to the second state, the first screen plate 209a may move upward, and the third inclined surface 2523 of the first screen plate 209a may come into contact with a lower portion of the protruding frame 250 and push the protruding frame 250 backward, as shown in . Then, as shown in , the protruding frame 250 may come into contact with the inner side of the second region 200b, thereby switching the screen to the second state.
In this way, the force to move the screen 200 in the vertical direction may be produced through the inclined surface, and therefore the frame driver may be omitted.
FIG. 18
The protruding frame 250 should be positioned above the display device 161 so as not to be exposed to the outside even when the screen 200 is in the first state. A gap may be formed between the protruding frame 250 and the first screen plate 209a because a structure to closely contact and support the first region 200a of the screen 200 is not present. In order to address this issue, as illustrated in , the protruding frame 250 may be extended downward to support a screen portion positioned in front of the display device 161.
FIGS. 18(a) and 18(b)
FIGS. 18(c) and 18(d)
As illustrated in , the protruding frame 250 may include an extension frame 253 extending downward. As shown in , the extension frame 253 may have a comb structure having teeth misaligned with each other so as to be positioned in the same place as the protruding frame 250 to support the first region 200a of the screen 200. The extension frame may increase the area to support the rear surface of the first region 200a, and therefore contribute to keeping the screen 200 flat.
As is apparent from the above, a media wall according to the present disclosure may be installed on a wall at the same height as a multimedia device such as a TV or an audio device mounted thereon and may cover the electronic appliances with the screen 200 when the electronic appliances are not in use. Thereby, the media wall may provide a tidy appearance.
As the screen 200 to selectively expose the display device 161 according to a usage status of the display device 161 is used, a tidier appearance may be provided.
The present invention may be implemented by other embodiments than the embodiments described above, and/or variations of the above-described embodiments.
For instance, the screen (200) may be configured to move up to cover the display device (161) and down to expose the device (161). In this embodiment, the driver roll (210) may be disposed at a lower side of the mounting cell.
In another embodiment, the screen (200) may be configured to move from left to right or in the other way around to cover and expose the device (161). In this embodiment, the driver roll (210) may be disposed at a left or right side of the mounting cell.
According to the illustrated and above-described embodiments, the second region (200b) of the screen (200) is positioned behind the display device (161). However, depending on available space within the media wall, the second region of the screen (200) may be positioned above or below the display device (161), or substantially on the same plane with the first region (200a) of the screen (200).
Further, the linear movement of the protruding frame (250) in the back-and-forth direction may be implemented in other mechanism than the pin-and-rack mechanism described above. For instance, a linkage mechanism or a cam mechanism may be applied. In case of using a linkage mechanism, the gears 254, 255 may be replaced with two links connected with and relatively movable to each other. One end of a first link may be fixed to the rotating axis of the motor 253, and thus rotatable by the motor 253. One end of a second link may be hinge-pivoted to the protruding frame (250).
Further, the back-and-forth movement of the protruding frame (250) may be synchronized with the up-and-down movement of the screen (200) in various methods, i.e. electrical and/or mechanical methods. One simple method for that is to synchronize signals inputted to two motors assigned for the respective linear movements of the screen (200) and the protruding frame (250). Another method is to use only one motor but two separate driving devices, each dedicated for making the respective linear movements of the screen (200) and the protruding frame (250). The two driving devices are operated by forces transferred from that one motor, and mechanical actuation distances of the two driving devices can be designed by a person skilled in the corresponding art in the manner that the linear movements of the screen (200) and the protruding frame (250) are synchronized.
The above embodiments should be construed in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the disclosure should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein. | |
Get the inside scoop on the metrics that matter.
Vendor management spans a wide variety of topics: from contracts, to metrics, to relationships, and beyond. But one of the most critical aspects of vendor management—particularly for a CISO—is how to manage the risk your vendors bring to the table.
We’ve outlined how to select your vendors, onboard them, and manage them continuously below—but before that, there are a few things you need to keep in mind:
You must be able to identify the risks you’re trying to mitigate.
There are risks associated with every vendor relationship—so the question becomes how important those potential risks are to you. In other words, what are the risks you’ll accept and which are just going to be too, well...risky?
You must have enough people in place to make the process work.
The CISO's Guide To Reporting To The Board
The CISO's Guide To Reporting To The Board
Most CISOs don’t have enough team members in place to facilitate a dream vendor management process, which makes selecting the risks that they’ll address more critical. But it is important that you have a team with enough bandwidth to assess your vendor relationships during the selection and onboarding process—and most of all, on a continuous basis. Maximizing your team’s efficiency and making the most of the resources you have available will play a critical role in your vendor management and security.
1. Vendor Selection
Often, an organization may narrow a list of potential vendors down to the top 3-5 and pass it along. As the CISO, you are then responsible for helping your team assess the information security risks your organization may be subjected to with particular vendors.
In order to have an effective vendor selection process, you need to have a clear understanding of the kind of information that will be exchanged between your organization and the vendor’s organization.
- What level of access will they have? This may be a tiered internal system, with level one being the least critical amount of access and level four being the most critical amount of access.
- Which systems will they have access to?
- What kind of data will be shared between our organizations? Will you share customers’ personally identifiable information (PII), health care records, intellectual property, etc.?
What amount of access they have and what type of data will be shared are extremely important to know ahead of time. With all of this information in mind, you should have a better idea of how deep you’ll need to go with your vendor risk assessment. Different organizations present different levels of risk; some require an on-site assessment and penetration test (among other things), and others might be conducted from your desk. Once you have these answers, you’ll have a pretty good idea of whether or not you’ll want to move forward to the onboarding of a particular vendor.
Once you’ve assessed the risk associated with a particular category of vendor, you’ll want to look at the vendors and see how they compare. If there are any risks you’re not comfortable with, you need to look to the vendor to address those risks before they’re onboarded.
Boards need information about cybersecurity more than ever before. Can you present it effectively?
2. Vendor Onboarding
Once you’ve selected a vendor, it’s time to manage the onboarding process. That will likely involve some of the following:
- Putting contracts in place. Contracts can also be used to address some of the risk presented by a particular vendor, as clauses can be added to touch on topics you may feel present too much risk.
- Giving the vendor access or credentials to the systems you use for exchanging information. Of course, they should only have access to the systems that are absolutely critical for them to have access to—which needs to be part of your diligence process.
- Input the vendor into your GRC tool—if applicable—so you can measure and monitor going forward.
- Input the vendor into your continuous monitoring tool, if applicable. During the onboarding process, it is imperative to communicate with your vendor and tell them you’ll be monitoring them, how you’ll be doing so, and why you’ll be doing so. Keeping lines of communication open—and being highly transparent about your dashboards, metrics, KPIs, and monitoring methods—is critical for a positive vendor relationship.
3. Ongoing Vendor Management
When your vendor is onboarded, they should be assigned to a vendor manager or someone on your staff who can manage the working relationship going forward. This includes monitoring important KPIs and metrics, as well as conducting annual reviews of the vendor.
But remember that cyber risks are evolving every day—so once-a year-assessments are simply inadequate in terms of managing vendor risk. You need to know what is going on with your vendors on a day-to-day, hour-to-hour, and minute-to-minute basis. This is where continuous vendor risk monitoring comes into play. You don’t just see a snapshot in time of your vendor’s performance—you see a real-time view. This helps you become aware of any new risks so you can manage them quickly and appropriately.
In Summary
You can’t manage every single risk that your vendors present. It’s simply not possible in today’s threat landscape. What’s more is every vendor is different, and they simply cannot all be lumped together as far as risk is concerned.
Therefore, being able to identify the risks that are most relevant to your business—and focus on those that can have the biggest impact to your organization if they’re not correctly managed—is a skill every CISO needs to have. | https://www.bitsight.com/blog/ciso-establish-vendor-management-process |
Undermathic is Maciej Paszkiewicz, native of Poland since 1981. In 1999, Maciej began creating electronic sounds influenced by the blistering noise of European metropolises, the alluring diversity of random urban machines, and the permanent contrast between human emotion and social chaos. Besides the range and diversity of influence in the musician’s composition there are a lot of permanent elements such as: ponderosity felt under the skin, industrial sounds of the surrounding, the noise of cities, machines and people. These things together with calm, delicate and even sometimes melancholic passages creates ideal harmony producing a mosaic of fleeting sonic sensations. Roughness combined with emotional saturation not for the first time makes music appeal to people’s minds and simultaneously makes them realize of things which are usually hidden and unobserved. It is a very personal experience.
Searching for the unique style led Undermathic to the world of experiments of sound matter, which has outwardly almost nothing in common with music. The especially recorded samples in the ultimate processing acquire musical character. What is more they form a cohesive whole, created in a logical and unannoying way. This music in not easy but overthought, multi-dimensional and full of taste which listeners discover step by step.
You cannot understand it fully after the first listening, but the longer you listen to it the more things you notice. Each time you listen to it you experience something new. Moreover, his interesting personality connected with his interesting outlook and view of the world, his sensitive side and his open-mindedness for new ideas and new collaborations. http://www.undermathic.com Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.. | http://jpop.com/Undermathic |
From 2017, a large part of the information from customer sites is reported in a digital format. This gives Securitas a unique opportunity to gather all possible data – from incident reports, camera feeds, sensors and access control – and to combine it with data from external sources, such as crime statistics and police reports.
The database permits us to analyze and utilize large volumes of information, thereby laying the foundation for predictive security. Advanced analytics creates the possibility to monitor ongoing threats, draw conclusions about future events and make real-time adjustments of actions and security levels, depending on the changing needs of our customers. | https://www.securitas.com/about-us/our-history/2017/ |
Leo Sher, Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, 2000, 25, 3, 239-40.
Summary:
Discusses recent neuroimaging studies that lend support to Julian Jaynes’s neurological model of the bicameral mind.
Article:
Just as we cannot step in the same river twice, we will never again see the world of neuroscience as we did before the recent advancements in neuroimaging techniques. For example, functional magnetic resonance imaging can suggest brain regions for cellular analyses, provide in vivo data regarding effective connectivity, provide a means to model the effects of various drug challenge paradigms, and characterize phenotypes in the search for the genes underlying mental illness.’ The data obtained from neuroimaging studies are used to study the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders, generate new hypotheses, and test and discuss old hypotheses.
In 1976 Julian Jaynes proposed in his book The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind that man had no consciousness until 1000 BC. According to the Jaynes’ hypothesis, between 10,000 and 1000 BC the bicameral mind operated in humans. The left hemisphere was the site for speech, and the right hemisphere was the site for hallucinations that expressed voices and commands of gods and demons. Hallucinations were a normal phenomenon. The end of the dominance of the bicameral mind and the beginning of modem consciousness were caused by “the weakening of the auditory by the advent of writing, the inherent fragility of hallucinating control, the unworkableness of gods in the chaos of historic upheaval, the positing of internal cause in the observation of differences in others … and a modicum of natural selection.” Contemporary regressions to the bicameral mind include schizophrenia, possession states, religious prophecy, hypnosis and some other phenomena. In other words, Jaynes proposed that there are forms of human awareness: the bicameral or god-run man; the modem or problem-solving man; and contemporary forms of throwbacks to bicamerality (e.g., hypnotism, and schizophrenia). Jaynes’ hypothesis was based on psychohistorical analysis, observations of schizophrenic patients and neurobiological knowledge available around 1970.
This hypothesis has been criticized. Asaad and Shapiro stated in 1987 that “the difficulty which we find with Jaynes’ hypothesis is that the conclusions he draws have a questionable basis in neuropsychiatric fact” and “if Jaynes’ hypothesis were to coincide more accurately with anatomic fact, the right temporal area in question would more likely coincide with Broca’s expressive area — a notion that does not conveniently fit Jaynes’ theoretical constructs.” They suggested that lesions of the right-sided areas corresponding to Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas seem more related to the negative symptoms of schizophrenia (such as restricted affect) than to the positive hallucinatory symptoms. Assad and Shapiro also suggested that Jaynes oversimplified the diverse and complex nature of hallucinatory phenomena. More recently, another author wrote, “After many years of psychophysiological studies, mainly carried out in the field of evoked neurocognitive bioelectrical events … I feel I can … safely state that the concepts of mind/brain and brain/behavior dualisms with their ancient, widespread and persistent philosophy are now all outdated, as are those of the bicameral mind or the double brain.”
However, a few months ago, Olin suggested that recent neuroimaging studies “have illuminated and confirmed the importance of Jaynes’ hypothesis.” Olin believes that recent reports by Lennox et al and Dierks et al support the bicameral mind. Lennox et al reported a case of a right-handed subject with schizophrenia who experienced a stable pattern of hallucinations. The authors obtained images of repeated episodes of hallucination and observed its functional anatomy and time course. The patient’s auditory hallucination occurred in his right hemisphere but not in his left hemisphere. Lennox et al suggested that their results demonstrated the strong association of the right middle temporal gyrus with the experience of auditory hallucination in this patient, supporting the hypothesis that auditory hallucinations reflect abnormal activation of auditory cortex. Dierks et al described experiments with 3 patients with paranoid schizophrenia in whom the onset and offset of auditory hallucinations could be monitored during a single session of functional magnetic resonance imaging. The authors found that the area in the transverse temporal gyrus that was activated during auditory hallucinations included the transverse gyrus of Heschl in the dominant hemisphere and matched the location of primary auditory cortex. Their results provided direct evidence of the involvement of primary auditory areas in auditory hallucinations.
I find it very interesting that contemporary neuroimaging data have been used to revive and support the old, controversial hypothesis. I believe that neuroimaging studies will lead to new, exciting findings and discussions regarding various scientific hypotheses and ideas. I would like to conclude this commentary with the words from the well-known book Mapping the Mind: “As we enter the twenty-first century functional brain scanning machines are opening up the territory of the mind just as the first ocean-going ships once opened up the globe.”
References
Asaad G, Shapiro B. What about the bicameral mind? Am J Psychiatry 1987;144:696.
Callicott JH, Weinberger DR. Neuropsychiatric dynamics: the study of mental illness using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Eur J Radiology 1999;30:95-104.
Carter R, Frith C. Mapping the mind. Berkeley (CA): University of California Press; 1998.
Dierks T, Linden DEJ, Jandl M, Formisano E, Goebel R, Lanfermann H, et al. Activation of Heschl’s gyrus during auditory hallucinations. Neuron 1999;22:615-21.
Jaynes J. The origin of consciousness in the breakdown of the bicameral mind. Boston; Houghton Mifflin; 1976.
Lennox BR, Bert S, Park G, Jones PB, Morris PG. Spatial and temporal mapping of neural activity associated with auditory hallucinations. Lancet 1999;353:644.
Letter; untitled. Int J Psychophysiol 1999;32:181-2.
Olin R. Auditory hallucinations and the bicameral mind. Lancet 1999;354:166. | https://www.julianjaynes.org/resources/articles/neuroimaging-auditory-hallucinations-and-the-bicameral-mind/ |
As an educator, Kevin sees his vocation as an opportunity to teach, lead, and learn. While this is often focused towards the students within his classroom, it is not limited. Kevin believes through consistent openness to learning that he may develop into a better educator, teammate, and person. As a result, his actions have potential to inspire other learners. Kevin learns constantly with his students as he interacts with them on multiple levels from within the classroom to mentoring and to serving with them. Kevin is an entrepreneurial educator as he continually enhances learning day in and day out. Creating workshops, attending conferences, and engaging in personal professional development opportunities is of high importance.
Kevin is an individual of strengths in executing and building relationships. He takes responsibility and ownership in creating well ordered plans in order to produce. Additionally, he works to understand how individuals make up the bigger community. Within a team, Kevin reflects on who he is, what he can offer, and how he can offer in an effort to improve each experience.
Contact Details
- [email protected]
- @@KevinMooreEDU
- Website
- kmoore71.wixsite.com/mysite
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Log in to post a comment. | http://2018.educon.org/people/Kmoore |
Norby is a presenter, trainer and coach with nearly 20 years of experience developing, implementing and leading programs and workshops. He works with universities, schools, businesses and individuals to create their vision and transform the vision into reality.
As a presenter and trainer, Norby creates and delivers transformational experiences, keynote speeches, workshops, trainings, courses, seminars/webinars and motivational presentations on personal, professional, team and leadership development. For more information and a list of recent workshops and trainings, please check out our workshops page.
As a business and career coach, Norby integrates mindfulness practices with over 20 years of experience to accomplish the following:
- Support individuals, entrepreneurs and organizations to create and expand businesses
- Coach and mentor individuals for career growth and changes
- Train teams, managers and leaders on professional development, communication and team dynamics
Norby has made it his life’s work to help people live more consciously, to do what they love and prosper from what they do.
Education & Training:
Norby earned a master’s degree in health administration, a PhD in health policy and management, and is trained as a mindfulness coach. He integrates mindfulness practices with nearly 20 years of leadership experience to help people, teams and leaders grow personally and professionally.
Academic Experience
Prior to starting Seva Learning, Norby spent over 16 years at an academic medical center. In addition to over 10 years of experience developing and teaching on-campus, hybrid and online curricula at the baccalaureate and graduate levels, he was the department chair and director from 2012 – 2018. As a department chair, he transformed an educational program at risk of being eliminated due to state-wide budget reductions into a thriving department. Here are some of his most notable accomplishments as department chair, all during a period of state-wide economic decline:
- Recruited and trained a nationally recognized team and created a departmental culture and innovative curriculum focused on social-emotional learning, applied experiences, interprofessional education, employer partnerships, and employable skills.
- Grew existing and newly created programs, increasing credit hours and number of students in the program by over 50%.
- Increased faculty salaries over 45%, by creating special faculty appointments and consulting roles.
- Exceeded departmental target goals and metrics, including increasing the number of applicants, maintaining 100% career placements for students, and increasing national certification exam pass rates.
- Implemented a campus-wide online minor (certificate) in healthcare management and met first year targeted number of student credit hours in the first semester.
- Developed numerous sustainable academic and employer partnerships and working relationships to expand applied student learning experiences and provide professional practice and career opportunities for students.
- Led the development and implementation of new student-centered on-campus and online curricula a year earlier than targeted. | https://sevalearning.com/about-our-founder |
In contrast, Neanderthals and other ancient hominins had their faces further to the front of their skulls. Under such conditions, feelings of resentment, self-righteousness, and aggression inevitably build, producing the desire for revenge against the self, other individuals, and the conditions of existence itself. Today, medical technology is rooted in science, designed using engineering, and applied interactively in a demanding environment. The feeling of presence is something that naturally arises when media is powerful enough to trick the mind into belief. Table 11.1. There are some clues that reveal why some of our forebears were more successful than others. In contrast, research since the 1980s has shown that moods play a central role in how information about the world is represented, and affect determines the cognitive representation of many of our social experiences (Forgas, 1979). In the past, humans have glimpsed at pieces of these ideas and perhaps experienced fleeting moments of presence. For instance, most Europeans only developed a tolerance to lactose when our ancestors started to eat more dairy produce. On this general anthropological level, history is the totality of the cultural practices through which human beings interpret their past in order to understand the present and anticipate the future. However, our heads were shaped differently to theirs, says Shea. "Faster innovation leads to better efficiency and exploitation in the environment and therefore a higher reproductive success," says Hublin. As a result, some anthropologists are uncomfortable with the idea that big brains were the solution. East Asian, Polynesian and Australian groups have DNA from Denisovans. Of the two major paradigms that dominated the brief history of our discipline (behaviorism and cognitivism), neither assigned much importance to the study of affective states or moods. This suggests that we were sharing information across cultural groups from different areas, rather than keeping knowledge to ourselves. DNA from another species, possibly Homo erectus, occurs in many Asian people.
Physical transcendence follows from that. Genetic studies in the late 20th century refuted the existence of biogenetically distinct races, and scholars now argue that ‘races’ are cultural interventions stemming from colonialism.
In the process industries, they have been applied to reactors, separation processes and power-generation systems. Follow BBC Earth on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, View image of Many hominins once walked the Earth (Credit: Javier Trueba/MSF/SPL), View image of The skull of an Australopithecus (Credit: Pascal Goetgheluck/SPL), View image of The skulls of a "hobbit" (left) and modern human (Credit: Equinox Graphics/SPL), View image of Gibraltar was home to some of the last Neanderthals (Credit: Natural History Museum/SPL), View image of Neanderthals (replica) lived in Europe long before us (Credit: Javier Trueba/MSF/SPL), View image of A Neanderthal axe made of shaped flint (Credit: Dirk Wiersma/SPL), View image of Neanderthals liked hunting in forests (Credit: Julie G. Woodhouse/Alamy), we had a greater range of innovative and deadly tools, View image of The Löwenmensch is over 30,000 years old (Credit: Heritage Image Partnership Ltd/Alamy), View image of There were many hominins (Credit: Natural History Museum/SPL), View image of From ape to human in a few easy steps (Credit: David Gifford/SPL), Our big brains may have played a role in our success, View image of Modern humans thrived on the African savannahs (Credit: Chris Fredriksson/Alamy), when we started developing symbolic artefacts, View image of Neanderthals were not as primitive as once believed (Credit: Ray Roberts/Alamy), Geneticists have identified several dozen points in our genome that are unique to us, and several of them are involved in brain development, it may have been the way our brains developed over our lifetimes that was key to our success, View image of Gorham's Cave in Gibraltar, once a Neanderthal colony (Credit: Javier Trueba, MSF/SPL). Library patrons have been playing online and proprietary games in 2D and 3D for over 15 years now, yet libraries still offer the majority of their resources in one dimension: text. Human beings are social animals. Though, perhaps in a sense, VR worlds are real enough and what we take to be natural reality is not as clearly bounded as it seems. They may have been wiped out by a large volcanic eruption, according to geological evidence from the area. Children and animals should always have humane treatment. But there is one other possibility, which we can't entirely ignore.
Number crunching data processing algorithms cannot match these knowledge-processing capabilities. If that's true, we might have our creativity to thank for our survival. Human beings are visual creatures, and the best way to initiate transformative change with one’s constituents is to visually represent how library space might look both currently and in the future. Johnathan Bown, ... Akshya Boopalan, in Boundaries of Self and Reality Online, 2017. This was partly because early Homo sapiens lacked the advantages of later conquering civilisations: large numbers, supported by farming, and epidemic diseases like smallpox, flu, and measles that devastated their opponents.
But were other humans the first casualties? Faster and faster, vehicles to the virtual realities are arriving and bringing with them new paradigms of experience as they carry us upwards and onwards to the Ultimate Display. Below the summaries is a chart showing the time span during which fossils of each species have been found. Humans are terrestrial animals, characterized by their erect posture and bipedal locomotion; high manual dexterity and heavy tool use compared to other animals; open-ended and complex language use compared to other animal communic… Maybe it was pure chance. The Neanderthals were displaced very soon after modern humans encroached on their habitat, which Hublin says can't be a coincidence. In stark contrast, Neanderthals didn't seem to need art or symbols. It is this ‘explanation through narration’ that defines the logic of historical thought in its academic form as well. Given how quickly we're discovering new species, more are likely waiting to be found.
Before we developed these abilities, modern humans and other hominins were fairly evenly matched.
Neanderthals were better adapted to hunting in woodland environments than modern humans. We met, and we mated. They are the only extant members of the subtribe Hominina and—together with chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans—are part of the family Hominidae (the great apes, or hominids). Elsewhere, DNA tells of other encounters with archaic humans. Are we evolving into a NEW type of human? However, we know a lot more about the Neanderthals, simply because we have known about them for much longer and have many fossils. By 40,000 years ago, humans in Europe were making things any of us would recognise as art. Human beings have used tools in their medical care from the beginning. This is something we do exclusively well. Cognitive ability may be defined as a “mental capability that … involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly and learn from experience” (Gottfredson, 1997, p. 13). All in all, "modern humans seemed to have a greater number of things they could do when put under stress," says Stewart.
The hobbits could have survived until as recently as 18,000 years ago. Now there is just one. Since the dawn of Western civilization, a long list of writers and philosophers have explored the role of moods in the way we think, remember, and interact with our environment.
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Asking questions is an inherently risky business that requires accepting one cannot control the responses one might receive. We took this risk in framing the content of our 8th Annual Conference around a core question – can ethical conduct be changed (for the better) in organisations? – without presupposing the answers.
“Ethical conduct can be changed for the better, but it requires a concerted effort to harness our positive social impulses for good. Leadership is essential, as is good governance.”
To understand why we did this, it is important to know that we set the agenda of each coming conference almost a year in advance; thus, the initial planning for the 2018 programme took place at the height of the #GuptaLeaks, and later refinements were made in the shadow of KPMG’s dramatic fall from grace. During interactions in the course of our public and private sector work at that time, we observed a growing resignation that bordered on cynicism. Fatigued by a barrage of bad news, many started to feel that there is no turning the tide, that unethical conduct, once begun in an organisation, is beyond correction.
Looking now at the main messages shared by our speakers at the conference, as well as interactions with delegates on various channels, it appears that some of the cynicism from 2017 has eased. In as far as it is possible to generalise in this way, the overall mood seemed to be one of grim optimism: that ethical conduct can be changed for the better, but that it is difficult to do so.
The opening speaker, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, delivered a challenge to delegates to do the right thing not just because it is required by law or regulation, but because it is morally required. We have seen far too little of this sort of behaviour over the last year or two, with many implicated individuals signalling their lack of a conviction in court as evidence of their moral innocence. We were reminded by Justice Zondo that some actions, while perfectly legal, are wrong. He suggested that one of the critical steps to embedding an ethical culture in an organisation is raising the bar beyond ticking mandatory compliance boxes, especially in the areas of diversity and transparency. A difficult, but achievable, task.
The advice from panellists later in the morning was no less demanding. Isaac Shongwe, of Letsema Holdings, described the ideal heroic leader, someone who knows their own values and demonstrates them consistently in practice. He suggested what was later confirmed by practising clinical psychologist Vuyo Temba, namely that humans are fallible creatures, to whom altruistic and ethical impulses do not necessarily come naturally. If we are to bring about positive change – in action, not just in words – we must therefore rise above ourselves, and harness the social forces that shape our interactions to do what is good, rather than what is easy. JSE CEO Nicky Newton-King painted a picture of a South Africa traumatised from the disastrous presidency of Jacob Zuma, where just the basics of decency have to be fought for. Recalibrating our collective moral compass will take more effort than ever before, but it can be achieved if our governance and oversight processes work as they should. She is confident that they can.
Between them during the afternoon panel, Prof Deon Rossouw (TEI), Mohamed Adam (ArcelorMittal) and Fay Hoosain (Sasol) honed in on the vital role social and ethics committees can play in ensuring organisations pay attention to the societal implications of their actions. A broader historical look at the King reports on governance – now in their fourth generation – reveals a growing awareness that good governance has an ethical core that must be foregrounded and prioritised. Headlining ethics in this way, it was suggested, surely increases its prominence in the minds of decision-makers who have the power to effect organisational change. Finally, Martin Butler of the University of Stellenbosch Business School reminded us that new technology, far from being morally neutral, has the power to drastically alter behaviour. Whether the changes will be for good or ill is up to us – but change is inevitable.
Thus, to answer our own question in summary: ethical conduct can be changed for the better, but it requires a concerted effort to harness our positive social impulses for good. Leadership is essential, as is good governance. These things may seem obvious, but committing to them is an almost revolutionary act against the backdrop of a recent history characterised by scandal and impunity. Let’s hope that this time next year we have clear examples that prove our grim optimism is not unfounded.
Grace Garland is the Editorial and Communications Manager at The Ethics Institute. She holds a Master of Business Administration from University of Stellenbosch Business School. She is currently studying towards a Master of Applied Ethics at University of the Witwatersrand. | https://www.tei.org.za/2018/05/24/conference-reflections-ethical-conduct-can-be-changed/ |
KARACHI: (APP) OICCI members have appreciated the improving law and order situation especially in Karachi and maintained a positive perception in the annual OICCI Members Security Survey conducted by the Chamber in June 2016.
This was a follow up of the survey conducted in Q2 2015 to gauge foreign investor perception on the security environment in the country since 2013, after the launch of the Karachi operations and `Zarb-e-Azb' initiative, says a statement here Monday.
It said that while the overall survey results were considerably positive for Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad especially on major security risk and threats to business, the foreign investors have concern on the growing number of street crime especially in Karachi.
Nearly 90% of the respondents were of the view that the general threats to business had reduced as compared to the situation prior to August 2013, with 97% stating that security concerns have reduced for own business, customer business, suppliers business and employees.
Compared to the last survey in 2015, 74% of the respondents experienced a reduction in security incidents including in serious crimes like abductions/hostage taking and `Bhatta' demands.
Most importantly, 87% of the survey respondents reported that their staff now feels more comfortable in their everyday commute to/from the workplace. Another significant feedback from the 2016 OICCI Security Survey is that more overseas/expat visitors are travelling to Pakistan and hardly any meeting is being held outside Pakistan because of security concerns, a common cause prior to August 2013.
Furthermore, confidence level of overseas/expat visitors has gone up according to 73% of respondents.
Commenting on the security survey results, Shahab Rizvi, OICCI President, complimented the relevant authorities throughout Pakistan, especially Sindh Rangers and Karachi Police, for improving security environment which is an appreciation by the foreign investors of the various initiatives of the government in tackling the serious security, law and order situation which had escalated to serious level by mid-2013.
However, despite the improvement, Shahab Rizvi added, the foreign investors still consider security, law and order as their top concern in doing business in Pakistan.
OICCI is confident that with continuing focused attention and commitment of the government and law enforcement agencies, Pakistan will soon be able to attract even large number of overseas visitors and Foreign investment (FDI) in addition to those coming under the CPEC projects, the statement added.
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As you have learned throughout your courses, adherence to ethical principles is paramount in the field of psychology. However, many psychological experiments of the past would not be allowed under today’s standards. Discuss the Stanford Prison Experiment that was performed in the field of psychology, which violated present-day ethical guidelines. Briefly describe the study.
Studybay is a freelance platform where you can order a Ethical Principles and Concerns About the Stanford Prison Experiment paper, written from scratch by professors and tutors. | https://studybay.com/latest-orders/688902/ |
Elementary algorithms and datastructures for solving problems in computer sciences applications. Basic principles and techniques to analyse the complexity of algorithms; time complexity (worst-case and average-case) and space complexity. Data structures: heaps, binary trees, graphs. Algorithm design dealing with: sorting, divide and conquer, greedy methods. | https://osiris.utwente.nl/student/OnderwijsCatalogusSelect.do?selectie=cursus&cursus=202001183&collegejaar=2020&taal=nl |
Learning from HOST: The challenges of trying to serve two generations
In March, I wrote about launching the Housing Opportunities and Services Together (HOST) Demonstration, an innovative project that is testing strategies that deliberately use housing as a platform to improve the life chances of both youth and adults as part of the same initiative. The four HOST sites are developing, implementing, and testing dual-generation service models that aim to address parents’ key barriers to self-sufficiency, while simultaneously integrating services and supports for children and youth.
One of the purposes of the HOST demonstration is to create a learning community that can inform other organizations trying to develop comprehensive community initiatives, such as Choice and Promise Neighborhoods, about the most effective service strategies. This month, we brought together the front-line staff from the four HOST sites—two of which are up and running and two of which are in the planning stages—for a cross-site meeting to talk about the real day-to-day challenges of trying to implement a true dual-generation approach to case management and supportive services.
The two-day meeting was as much a learning opportunity for the research team as it was for the staff from the four HOST sites. The dedication and passion of these front-line workers, who daily face difficult and frustrating challenges, was clearly evident. The meeting helped them see the value of their work and how the extra effort they are putting in enables others learn from their experiences. But for me, the biggest takeaway was that the hardest part of HOST is attempting to implement high-quality dual-generation service approaches. Most service approaches in public or assisted housing have focused primarily on adults—trying to help them move toward self-sufficiency with the hope that those improvements will benefit the whole family. However, it is increasingly clear that in distressed communities like the four HOST sites, it is critical to directly reach children and youth with the kinds of services that will help them fare better than their parents.
We learned from listening to the HOST service team that, in practice, implementing this kind of dual-generation approach requires a high level of creativity and initiative. Engaging children and youth means working with a range of ages and needs. It also means earning parents’ trust so that they will permit their children to participate—a challenge that can be even harder in sites with diverse immigrant populations with different norms and expectations. The sites are providing services like parenting support and girls and boys groups that offer clinical services and build leadership while offering fun and engaging activities. One site is using an innovative approach that rewards children (and parents) for setting and achieving goals. An issue facing all sites is how to address the critical needs of very young children and encourage parents to take advantage of opportunities for early childhood education. And, finally, implementing a true dual-generation approach requires constant coordination and cooperation among providers, both within the same agency and among different providers serving adults and children.
HOST is providing a true laboratory for learning about the most effective strategies for improving the life chances of vulnerable families. The project has already yielded lessons about the real challenges behind the current push for “housing as a platform” and “dual-generation service models”—lessons that will help inform larger efforts, such as Choice and Promise Neighborhoods, and help ensure that we know what it takes to help children succeed. | https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/learning-host-challenges-trying-serve-two-generations |
The purpose of this book is to survey the limited scientific knowledge about how sleep intersects with personality and social behavior. This edited volume establishes a new interdisciplinary field of inquiry about sleep that examines sleep processes in the context of social behavior and social-cognitive processes (e.g., liking, respecting, helping, hurting, achieving), as well as individual differences in personality (i.e., chronic patterns of emotion, thought, and behavior). Contributors identify key gaps in scientific knowledge about sleep and its import for personality-social processes, aiming to shape future research efforts by scholars in psychology, biology, sociology, and sleep medicine.
Among the topics discussed:
- How sleep shapes emotion regulation
- Sleep and temperament in early childhood
- Dynamics between sleep and self-control
- Implications for task performance
- Influence of sleep on social cognition and judgment
- About the authors
-
Dr. Križan’s is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. He received his PhD in personality and social psychology from the University of Iowa. His research examines how the human capacity for self-reflection intersects with emotion, motivation, and personality. The main focus of his ongoing research is the relation between sleep, personality, and social behavior. Specific questions include: Does our personality predict how we sleep? How does sleep disruption impact self-control? How does sleep impact social interaction with others? Dr. Krizan's research is funded by the National Science Foundation. | https://www.springer.com/us/book/9783030306274?utm_campaign=3_pier05_buy_print&utm_content=en_08082017&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=google_books |
1. Hypothermia:
The risk of hypothermia or an immediate loss of body temperature is normal during winter, even as we keep ourselves satisfied with woollens. Hypothermia puts the body in the state of shock. It might also occur when a person is not adequately protected or covered, which could be harmful to heart patients. The body quickly loses its capacity to provide warmth on opened to the chill. In fact, heart attacks that happen during winters can be associated with hypothermia over any other triggers. People with coronary heart disease also frequently suffer angina or chest pain when revealed to cold weather. Read on Foods That Prevent Heart Attack And Stroke
2. An overworked heart:
We do not recognise this but during winter, our heart works overtime as the cold weather constrains it to pump more blood to the external areas of the body. It is one of the many causes why blood pressure soars during the winter season, making one inclined to heart attacks & failures.
3. Constricted airways:
With the drop in body temperature, arteries & veins are believed to tighten or squeeze. It might limit the supply of oxygen to the heart, putting it at a risk.
4. Lack of Vitamin D:
Deficiency of vitamin D is the risk factor for heart attacks, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), congestive heart failure, strokes, & the conditions connected with the cardiovascular diseases, such as high blood pressure & diabetes. Lack of the same during winter just sets the stage for a heart to underperform. Read more 10 most common mistakes we all make in winter
Why Your Heart Attack Risk May Increase This Winter
5. Fluctuating cholesterol levels:
For heart patients, cholesterol would always be the villain. Cholesterol levels frequently fluctuate with the change in the season, which might leave people with problematic high cholesterol with elevated cardiovascular risk during the winter periods. And it is not unknown that high LDL cholesterol is one of the main risk factors for the heart diseases. Read on Early Warning Signs Of Stroke Heart attacks
What can you do?
It might seem clichéd but dress up in coats of clothing to visit safe & prevent body temperature from falling.
Avoid depleting yourself. Your heart is already under the stress, adjusting with the drop in temperature, & it might not be able to take another period of high-stress activity. Take rest for work & exercise.
Never neglect any symptoms of a heart problem, at least during winter season – chest pain, tiredness, breathing problems, as these could symbolise danger. | https://www.yabibo.com/5-weird-ways-winter-is-hurting-your-heart/ |
The results of a major new survey show that the British public has a very low awareness of the issue of ocean acidification, with around only one-in-five participants stating they had even heard of the issue. The survey involved interviewing over 2500 people across the UK. It was funded by the UK Ocean Acidification Programme (UKOA) and carried out by researchers from the Tyndall Centre and the Climate Change Consortium of Wales based in Cardiff University's Schools of Psychology andEarth and Environmental Sciences. Although many other aspects of global climate change are readily recognised by the general public, far less was known about how ocean acidification is perceived.
The oceans are currently absorbing large quantities of the carbon dioxide which has been emitted into the atmosphere from human activities. This absorption of CO2 is leading to a reduction in the pH of seawater – termed 'ocean acidification'. According to the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, ocean acidification is the hidden face of increasing global carbon emissions and poses a future threat to a range of marine ecosystems and the societies which depend upon them. The survey therefore concludes that it is therefore vital to engage the public in innovative ways, by changing the narrative about climate change and to emphasise this most important environmental risk issue. | https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/73284-low-awareness-of-ocean-acidification |
Scroll down for the #custserv conversation report for September 21st, 2018 EST.
When it comes to participants, we ranked 8th among 477 conversations.
In terms of the number of posts, we ranked 8th out of 477 conversations that took place.
There were 56 reshares, 28% of posts, during the course of the conversation.
76% of participants in this conversation shared a total of 24 unique pieces of content.
@RDTMetrics @B2Community Glad to have contributed. Great #custserv and #custexp article.
In order to deliver an improved customer journey in today’s fast-paced, technological environment, organisations have to digitally transform – whether that means modernising existing IT systems or deploying latest technologies. | http://iconohash.com/CustServ/2018-09-21 |
We very nearly missed the river crossings we had come to the Serengeti to witness.
Rains arrived early this year. And the wildebeest herds, following some primal genetic coding that propels them on an arduous trek across the Savannah in search of fresh new grass, had already moved to the Northern plains. Perhaps even crossed over to the Masai Mara. The worry was that they would be well on their return journey into Southern Serengeti by the time we reached the North.
Some people mistakenly assume – or are led to believe – that the cross border migration of wildebeest is a seasonal occurence exclusive to the Masai Mara in Kenya between July to September. In actual fact the great migration is a year round phenomenon in which over two million herbivores – around one and a half million wildebeest, along with zebra and gazelles numbering nearly six hundred thousand – follow the rain collectively, in an 1800 mile long clockwise loop. And the bulk of this ‘greatest mammalian movement on earth’ takes place in the Serengeti in Tanzania.
It is therefore technically possible to catch the migrating herds at any time of the year at a corresponding location. Roughly based on their movements in preceding years: Jan – Feb in the Southern plains for synchronised calving, Mar – May heading North along the Western corridor, June to early July along the Grumeti river, July – August around the Mara river and plains, Aug to Oct in Kogatende in the North as well as across the border in Masai Mara. Then back again to the South along Seronera in Central Serengeti to repeat the sequence all over again, like they have been doing for God knows how long!
One million year old fossil finds prove their seasonal presence in the Olduvai Gorge (where the Leakey’s researched the origin of man). Scientific mapping of herds only began in the late fifties, thanks to the efforts of Bernhard Grzimek (whose book; “the Serengeti shall not die”, was instrumental in the creation of the Serengeti National Park) and his young son Michael Grzimek. The latter died in a plane crash during the process and is buried in Ngorongoro.
An accurate pattern of movement is naturally impossible to predict, and is hugely dependent on the rain Gods playing by the rules.When they don’t, well, you keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best.
We did just that. And managed to catch one tail end crossing across the Kogatende river on our first day in the North, and three in a row on the second!
If we had only arrived a couple of weeks earlier we would have witnessed giant herds crossing incessantly for hours. We were told we could have gone back to our lodge for lunch and returned to find them still crossing! That would have been some spectacle! But as it was, what we did get to see was pretty special.
Our most dramatic encounter however – a National Geographic experience, George (our guide/driver) called it – was a wildebeest road crossing earlier in the safari in Central Serengeti.
Rain in the distance and a few stalking lions behind, triggered the massing (herding) of a large splinter group that George figured was headed in our direction. So we retreated further back allowing them space. Not all drivers were as sensitive however, and we were dumbfounded by a couple of vehicles that drove right into the midst of the agitated group.
After several false starts it took one plucky gnu to set hundreds of hooves thundering straight past us in a humongous cloud of dust, and galloping off into the promisingly dark horizon. It was George’s foresight and sensitivity that afforded us this ringside view of one of the most exciting spectacles we have ever witnessed. Thank you George!
As the last of the wildebeest rushed across, George turned around and let out a cry.
Peering through the haze right behind us, with a comical “What just happened?” expression on his face was this bewildered lion…….part of the same pride that was foiled by another ungulate herd the day before.
An aside for the word lovers and etymology nerds amongst you: It is assumed (among other interpretations) that the call of the wildebeest (‘wild cattle’ in Dutch for lack of a better name for this strange animal at the time.) is the source of the name Gnu. But were you aware that the collective noun is “an implausibility of Gnus“?
More from Africa: | https://theurgetowander.com/2014/12/29/wildebeest-migration/?replytocom=45121 |
IFM and Première Vision launch a professorship in the economics of fashion and creative subjects
The Institut Français de la Mode (French Fashion Institute) and the textile trade show organiser Première Vision announced the joint creation of a professorship, lasting a minimum of 3 years, on the economics of fashion and creative subjects.
The professorship will be launched on 1st January 2016, with the mission of gathering international economic data on the textile and leather industry, as well as setting up new tools aimed at improving the information available to industry players.
The activity will focus on specific studies, on the promotion of research on creative subjects and on reinforcing Première Vision's initiatives targeted to young designers and future managers.
Première Vision stated that "the objective of this collaboration is to foster the skills represented in its shows, thanks to improved access to economic and industry data, and also through ad hoc research carried out jointly with IFM, allowing a better understanding of the industry's challenges and its evolution."
"It's also an important communication tool, and a means for Première Vision to establish its position as forum of reference for the entire fashion industry", the show organiser has stated.
Première Vision organises textile trade shows in Paris, New York and Istanbul, as well as in Shanghai and Seoul, and also a specific Denim event in Barcelona. The latest major edition of Première Vision Paris attracted 61,700 professionals, 74% of whom came from 174 countries outside France, and a total of 1,900 exhibiting companies.
Copyright © 2022 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved. | https://in.fashionnetwork.com/news/ifm-and-premiere-vision-launch-a-professorship-in-the-economics-of-fashion-and-creative-subjects,653680.html |
- Author(s): Dodge, Kimberly A.
- et al.
Abstract
This thesis discusses popular Peruvian musical hybrids. It presents an overview of the major conceptual tools used to evaluate cultural mixing, including hybridization, transculturation, and mestizaje, and important theories in Latin American musical and cultural analysis, particularly with regards to national identity. Next, it identifies and analyzes Peruvian musical history within the past century, focusing on the hybridization of national genres with international forms. It describes the vals criollo, highlands genres including the huayno, the Afro-Peruvian revival, música chicha, fusion styles from the 1980s and 1990s, and techno-cumbia, and discusses their connection with local, regional, and national identity projects. Finally, this thesis focuses on contemporary musical fusions, analyzing the musical hybrids produced by Miki González, Novalima, Jaime Cuadra, Ángel Lobatón, and Jean Pierre Magnet. It evaluates how these projects modernize Peruvian musical heritage, educate later generations on these traditions, represent elite visions of society, and are relevant to the development of an inclusive Peruvian identity
Main Content
Enter the password to open this PDF file: | https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0gz7q64j |
Today, work happens in different locations and in less traditional ways. More of us than ever spend time working from home.
On this course, you’ll explore the challenges and benefits of remote working. You’ll consider different technologies for collaboration and get introduced to project management tools that can help to ease the difficulties of working remotely.
You’ll also develop practical planning skills as you learn to produce an action plan for successful remote working and get advice for starting to work remotely in the real world.
Who will you learn with?
Sophie has worked with digital media for over 30 years both as an artist, producer and educator. She now works remotely from her home beside the sea.
Who developed the course?
As one of the UK’s largest research-based universities, the University of Leeds is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and a centre of excellence for teaching.
What Will I Learn?
- Discuss the challenges and opportunities of remote working
- Explore the main requirements for successful remote working
- Develop an action plan for successful remote working
- Discuss strategies for effective collaborative working
- Experiment with time and project management tools
- Explore tools and resources to help you work remotely
- Produce a detailed plan for successful remote working
Topics for this course
What is remote working?
Welcome to the course00:1:50
Introduce yourself
How have work practices changed?
Challenges, opportunities and wellness of remote working
Introducing Lillian
Getting started with remote working
The benefits of remote working
The importance of wellness when working remotely00:05:05
Getting to know how you work
Getting ready to work remotely
Draft Lesson
What technology do I need to work remotely?00:02:32
Setting up a dedicated workspace
Developing your remote working plan
Reflection: Your action plan
Summary
Preparing for next week
I learned a few matters I didn't know before about how to work better from home, especially in this time of the year where it's becoming basically mandatory.
The information presented was very useful and covered all the challenge areas of WFH. I learned some great tips I plan to incorporate into my own tasks and home office environment.
Great and easy-to-listen-to set of videos, I have also been thinking of and hearing back from my colleagues over the past few months when starting to work from home completely. In addition I heard quite a lot of recognizable situations, questions to think about and also some very helpful tips and tricks!
Thank you so much for this course! I enjoyed the interactive exercises, and think doing some of them with my team will greatly impact our team culture. | https://www.soholearninghub.com/courses/collaborative-working-in-a-remote-team/ |
Premised on the idea that not all salesperson behaviors can be pre-scripted and that, increasingly, salespersons must find ways to respond to unexpected but urgent market conditions, this study theorizes the drivers, outcomes and boundary conditions of salesperson improvisation. Using primary data from industrial salespersons, the study examines how perceptions of resource availability and customer demandingness drive salesperson improvisation and condition its sales performance effects. Findings show that higher levels of salesperson improvisation are associated with increased sales performance. Additionally, a heightened perception of resource availability and greater customer demandingness are associated with increases in salesperson improvisation. Furthermore, findings indicate that the salesperson improvisation–sales performance relationship is strengthened when resource availability is greater and when customer demandingness is lower.
Description
The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link. | https://dora.dmu.ac.uk/handle/2086/13094 |
When Paul Bert, a French physiologist, started to stitch mice together in 1864 he probably wasn’t thinking about the fountain of youth. His main interest was in animal grafting; the way tissue transplants could survive away from the body and affect a biological system (1).
Bert’s successful attempts in parabiosis, the surgical joining of two entire living animals, should establish whether tissue grafts from one animal could also be used on the joined animal and what the immunological implications were. Besides, this experiment also proved that blood from one mouse circulated freely into the other mouse and an “extended physiological and pathological connection result[ed] from the vascular connection”.
About 150 years later, these experiments are once again picked up by scientists. But this time they inspire a whole new scientific discipline: the understanding of aging.
Rejuvenating blood – What is aging? – What changes in a cell? – Can we reverse the aging process? – Deleting a cell’s memory – Where are we now
Rejuvenating blood donations
Professor Amy Wagers learned the technique of creating parabiotic mice during her time as a post-doc in Irving Weissman’s lab in Stanford. Her work and that of Stanford colleagues, working in Thomas Rando’s lab at the time, indicated intriguing effects that parabiotic mice could have on each other.
When old mice (19-26 months) were joined with young mice (2-3 months), sustained muscle injuries healed much faster than in old mice alone. While it is reasonable to believe this could have been due to the migration of “young” muscle stem cells from the shared circulation into tissues of old mice, Conboy et al. could show that another mechanism was at work.
The improved regeneration in old mice was in fact due to increased activation of so-called satellite cells within their muscle tissue. These cells are progenitor cells found in mature muscle which can give rise to other satellite cells or more differentiated cells. Local progenitor cells from old mice obviously still had the ability to divide and regenerate the tissue, but “old” blood alone could not stimulate them sufficiently enough to do this. They needed the rejuvenating influence from young blood to kick-start their molecular pathways back into youthful capacity.
Influence to scientists usually means factors. Is there a combination of factors – proteins, molecules, hormones…? – in a young mouse’s blood that could be used as a power cocktail for old mice and heal them from diseases? And, more importantly, will it work in humans?
Water from the fountain of youth is currently being analysed – and publications are piling up at a rapid pace with several highly interesting findings just last year.
Following the initial report in 2004, many factors in young blood have been identified that can, also in vitro, boost the regenerative capacity of aged tissue and reverse symptoms of aging. An influence of Wnt and TGFβ pathways has been confirmed in muscle aging and regeneration. Cytokines and chemokines have been found to have an impact on neurogenesis and aging brain function. Oxytocin, a hormone well known for its role in lactation and social behaviours (also frequently hyped as “love hormone”), has been suggested to play a role in age-dependent muscle degradation. And most recently another factor, GDF11, initially reported to improve performance and size of failing hearts, was found to recover cerebral vasculature and enhance neurogenesis as well, all aspects that are highly affected by age-dependent deterioration.
Considering this wealth of findings within just a few years, humankind certainly owes the parabiotic mice a few favours (and by that I don’t mean the alleviation of their old age-symptoms). Older reports from the 1970s also hint at a longer lifespan achieved by old mice that were attached to young mice. However, a concluding remark on this is still outstanding.
But how is this astonishing effect even possible? To answer this, it helps to understand why humans age.
What is aging?
From the molecular perspective aging is a progressive decline in a cell’s ability to maintain homeostasis and regenerate. It is a process that uniformly affects all cells in the body – and as whole tissues begin to degrade organs lose their efficiency, deteriorate or are afflicted by diseases; with all the known physical, psychological and social consequences for the respective person.
Some organs or cell types might keep their regenerative capacity longer than others, but they all eventually age and degrade. As the smallest contributors within the organism lose their integrity, the entire human being is destined to suffer the consequences.
The current view is that aging is caused by degenerative changes in tissue stem cells, their niches and systemic factors that regulate stem cell activity. As stem cells age, many processes can influence or undermine their function. Because stem cells persist for life and give rise to all other cells in the human body, degeneration can have dire consequences. To function properly they need to adhere to an exact balance between active and inactive (senescent) phases, and whatever DNA damage they accumulate during their long life-span will be passed on to all daughter generations.
What does an old stem cell do differently?
Indeed, stem cells in tissues have been found to acquire many changes with age. They might
- respond differently or not at all to tissue injury,
- proliferate less/ might not divide as they should or produce the “wrong kind” of daughter cells,
- be unable to keep up with their regular cellular functions,
- die (apoptosis) or stay permanently in an inactive state.
Changes that affect stem cell function can be caused by the accumulation of toxic metabolites in cells. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) build up (one theory for this is that mitochondria integrity regresses over time which increases ROS production) and can profoundly change a cell’s function and fate control. DNA damage is accumulated over time within the cell’s genome. Telomeres, which should protect the chromosomes and prevent DNA loss, are becoming shorter. However, the real extent of DNA damage in an aging cell is difficult to judge. Some genomic alterations might just represent age-related strategies to deal with a changed physiological situation. There are many repair mechanisms that can potentially fix DNA damage. However, studies have shown that the efficiency of these mechanisms declines with age. Interestingly, naturally occurring mutations in important repair pathways can result in diseases which mimic the process of aging (progeroid syndromes).
Can (and should) we reverse the aging process?
So if aging just represents an overall exhaustion of the cells and their capabilities – is there anything we can do about it?
Fact is that for many of the “symptoms” of aging there are – at least theoretical – approaches that could improve or even fix each issue on a molecular basis. DNA damage repair pathways can be activated, protein degradation prevented, mitochondrial function restored and to replenish the pool of healthy stem cells, transplantations might be possible in the near future (e.g. haematopoietic stem cells have been routinely transplanted in the clinic for decades). Find a more in-depth review about this here.
But are there strategies that would tackle these problems all at once and in a controlled manner to maintain a healthy balance? All of the above mentioned factors have one thing in common: they are pushing the aged stem cell back into a more active, youthful state. Activation of stem cells indeed seems to be the most common mechanism in rejuvenation of old mice after parabiosis.
The factor I mentioned earlier, GDF11, can trigger all sorts of miraculous changes, from reducing cardiac hypertrophy to enhancing neural stem cell function with as far reaching consequences as improved physical and mental activity. It’s quite fascinating to see how much youthfulness can be restored this way.
Erasing a cell’s memory
But accumulated DNA damage might still remain and limit the extent to which a cell can be rejuvenated. There is also the question whether stem cells have an epigenetic memory for aging.
Stem cells accumulate epigenetic changes during their life-time in response to external stimuli (e.g. stressful situations), and studies have shown that these changes can even be passed on to offspring. Some epigenetic variations have been linked specifically to aging. The cell might downregulate certain enzyme levels as it adjusts to a different metabolism and so on.
However, these epigenetic changes can be reversed. Pharmacological modulation already allows the altering of histone modifications and could therefore be able to erase some of the memory. A more extreme approach is used in induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs – look here for more details) where the entire previous “memory” of a cell is erased and the cell reverts back to a “blank canvas” pluripotent state. Given there’s not too much hardware damage in a cell’s DNA and all the necessary instructions for the building blocks are intact, it should be possible to repair everything else and reset to status quo. Would that make a cell immortal? Could we just keep erasing the age-memory and rejuvenate them every few years? How long would a cell like this last? Would we even want to amend cell functions that we have gained (or lost) over the years and are all changes that come with age necessarily bad?
Where are we now?
Even though it is technically possible to reprogram cells in a dish, the approach might not be feasible for an entire organism. Prof Wagers’ rejuvenating factor is certainly a step closer to home and together with Prof Lee Rubin she is currently working on getting it into human clinical trials.
Another trial with human blood plasma, donated by people under the age of 30 to patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease, has already been initiated by a different research group and results are awaited eagerly.
Professor Wagers clarifies that her experiments are not aimed at “de-aging” animals. They are just designed to restore function to tissues and repair damage.
Whether this can be reliably sustained over a long period is unknown. To push aging stem cells beyond their limits might damage them additionally with drastic consequences later on. Besides, the oldest and best-known associate of the fountain of youth is also still looming. The only kind of cell that has actually achieved true immortality and boundless replicative power: cancer. Anyone attempting to force cells into improved regeneration and growth will undoubtedly have to consider the possibility of tumour development.
Prof Wagers will give a talk at the KCL Centre for Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine in April. More details can be found here in due time.
Other Sources:
Ageing research: Blood to blood
Reference 1: A History of Organ Transplantation: Ancient Legends to Modern Practice. David Hamilton. | http://curiousaboutscience.net/blood-can-turn-back-aging-clock/ |
Alexander Ivanov, deputy director of the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics shows open quasi-stationary magnetic trap. Picture: Yuri Pozdnyakov
Scientists in Siberia are developing a pioneering new type of nuclear reactor using temperatures twice as hot as the sun that could create an energy of the future.
Costing approximately 500 million roubles ($9.8 million), it is being built near Novosibirsk by the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics and will allow the study of high energy plasma heated to to an incredible 30 million degrees Celsius to make power.
It is an experimental form of thermonuclear fusion, and it is initially hoped it could be harnessed to incinerate radioactive waste.
But if successful, it could eventually pave the way for a new way of generating electricity.
And since it uses hydrogen isotope deuterium - rather than the radioactive tritium - it is considered far less dangerous and gives out a lower output of energy.
Alexander Ivanov, the deputy director of the institute, said a working prototype of the new reactor will be constructed over the next few years.
He told the Siberian Times: 'This will be a full-scale model of the reactor, which can be used for research or, for example, for the processing of radioactive waste.
'There are a lot of technologies to create such a complex. They are new and it takes some time to master them. All the problems with plasma physics that we will address are relevant to the global scientific community.'
Scientists at the Budker Institute have been experimenting with plasma physics for decades and last December managed a world record temperature of 4.5million degrees Celsius when heating hot plasma in an open quasi-stationary magnetic trap.
Open quasi-stationary magnetic trap (top) and generators of GOL-3 - Open corrugated trap (bottom). Pictures: Vadim Makhorov
Heated by a powerful source of microwave radiation, the plasma was confined for about ten milliseconds, enough time for it to create a neutron source for hybrid reactors.
It is this process that the experts hope to develop further to create power.
The idea of using plasma in controlled thermonuclear reactors actually dates back to the 1950s, when the institute's founder Gersh Budker proposed such a method. Since then the facility, in the scenic town of Akademgorodok, has become one of the world experts in studying its properties and its potential use in fusion reactors.
They key problem in achieving thermonuclear fusion, however, is how to confine this extra hot plasma. Due to its high temperature it cannot be in direct contact with any solid material and has to be held in a vacuum. Using a mirrored gas dynamic trap, the scientists hope to control the plasma.
The new reactor - which has financial support from the Russian Science Foundation and the Ministry of Education - will have powerful radiation protection and allow the experts to study the properties of the substance in safe conditions.
Deputy Director Yuri Tikhonov said: 'We will carry out only modelling experiments with the generation of electrons, but the reactions will match reality.
'We won't be generating electricity either but we just need to probe the reaction can occur and that the demanded plasma parameters can be achieved.'
His colleague, Dr Ivanov, said these parameters will be set at an incredible 10 million degrees Celsius, more than twice what was reached last December, with the hope of eventually reaching 30 million degrees. At its core the temperature of the sun is 15 million degrees Celsius, or about 27 million degrees Fahrenheit.
He added: 'We hope to increase this temperature [of 10 million degrees] to double or triple that, so we will create a virtually pure reactor.'
Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics in Novosibirsk. Picture: Slava Stepanov
The development comes at a time in which Russia is participating in a separate global project aimed at the creation of a new thermonuclear reactor.
Known as ITER - the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor - aims to build the world's largest tokamak fusion facility in the south of France.
Costing at least 607 billion roubles ($12.8 billion) it hopes to make the long-awaited transition to allow the use of plasma in the full-scale production of electricity.
Following a series of delays and budget problems, completion of the reactor is expected in 2027 with funding from the United States, South Korea, China, Japan, India and the European Union as well as Russia.
The Budker facility is based in Akademgorodok, a satellite town south of Novosibirsk and home to some of the greatest scientific minds anywhere in Russia.
The town was created in Soviet times to allow forward-thinking scientists from Moscow and St Petersburg to have a pleasant lifestyle, enabling them to work successfully.
Set amid enchanting woodland, and close to the Ob Sea, it is now home to 32 institutes and researching centres, the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Novosibirsk State University.
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We endeavour to achieve maximum inclusion of all children (including vulnerable learners) whilst meeting their individual needs.All teachers provide differentiated learning opportunities for all the children within the school and provide materials appropriate to children’s interests and abilities. This ensures that all children have a full access to the school curriculum.
Special Educational Needs might be an explanation for delayed or slower progress but is not an excuse; we make every effort to narrow the gap in attainment between vulnerable groups of learners and their peers.
English as an Additional Language (EAL) is not considered a Special Education Need. Differentiated work and individual learning opportunities are provided for children who are learning EAL as part of our provision for vulnerable learners.
It is our responsibility to ensure that pupils with special educational needs have the maximum opportunity to attain and make progress in line with their peers. Accurate assessment of need and carefully planned programmes, which address the root causes of any learning difficulty, are essential ingredients of success for these pupils.
These will be provided, initially, through additional support funded from the devolved schools budget. | https://hunsburypark.northants.sch.uk/index.php/inclusion/inclusion-statement |
One of the defining features of the human condition is our awareness of our own mortality. How do we cope with this awareness? How does it influence our social institutions? We will begin by exploring how social theorists such as Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, Ernest Becker, and Peter Berger grappled with mortality and its significance for human social life. We will then turn to the social institutions that structure our confrontation with mortality today. How, why, and with what consequences has death been ¿sequestered¿ in modern Western societies and set aside from the social world of the living? What rites and rituals remain for coping with death and dying, and how do our cultural assumptions influence the experiences of grief, loss, and mourning? How does modern medicine¿which is oriented toward cure but must ultimately confront the inescapable realities of aging and death¿deal with mortality? How have hospice, palliative care, and debates over physician-assisted suicide changed the landscape in recent years? How do societies cope with collective losses in the aftermath of wars, disasters, and atrocities? Our focus will be on the United States, but we will also consider cross-cultural comparisons. | https://catalog.williams.edu/SOC/detail/?strm=1203&cn=326&sctn=01&crsid=020699 |
Dendritic cell interactions with Gram negative bacteria
Abstract: The interaction between murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DC) and the Gram negative bacteria Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli have been characterised. These studies showed that DC phagocytosed and processed S. typhimurium and E. coli expressing defined epitopes for peptide presentation on major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) and class II (MHC-II) molecules. Processing of bacterial antigens for MHC-I presentation occurred by the classical MHC-I pathway as demonstrated by the requirement for the transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP), the proteasome and newly synthesised MHC-I molecules. Pulsing DC with S. typhimurium or E. coli also resulted in DC maturation as assessed by the reduced capacity to present antigens from a subsequent encounter with bacteria, and by upregulating surface expression of MHC and costimulatory molecules. Finally, transfer of Salmonella-pulsed DC into naive mice activated interferon-g-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and cytotoxic CD8+ T cells specific for Salmonella antigens. Together these data demonstrate that DC can phagocytose and process S. typhimurium and E. coli into peptides for MHC presentation an may have a role in induction of Salmonella specific T cells in vivo.
This dissertation MIGHT be available in PDF-format. Check this page to see if it is available for download. | https://www.dissertations.se/dissertation/706e2a5261/ |
Summary:
All major crypto assets ended January with larger month-over-month returns than gold and the S&P 500, with returns as high as 222.54% (BSV).
The SFOX Multi-Factor Market Index remains at neutral as of the start of February, though it is trending slightly away from the bullish direction and towards the bearish direction.
Watch for more regulatory clarity / national adoption of crypto, geopolitical conflicts, and further news or analyses of the Bitcoin block reward halving to potentially impact the crypto market in the coming months.
In the February 2020 edition of the SFOX crypto market report, the SFOX Research Team reviews the crypto market’s volatility, correlations, and other performance metrics throughout the past month. We’ve aggregated price, volume, correlations, and volatility data from eight major exchanges and liquidity providers to analyze the global performance of the 6 leading cryptoassets — BTC, ETH, BCH, LTC, BSV, and ETC — all of which are available for algorithmic trading on our trading platform.
The following is a report and analysis of their volatility, price correlations, and further development in the month of January. (For more information on data sources and methodology, please consult the appendix at the end of the report.)
SFOX’s Current Crypto Market Outlook: Neutral
Based on our calculations and analyses, the SFOX Multi-Factor Market Index, which was set at neutral a month ago, remains at neutral as of February 4th — though, within the confines of that rating, it has moved away from the bullish direction of the index (+1) towards the bearish direction of the index (-1).
We determine the monthly value of this index by using proprietary, quantifiable indicators to analyze four market factors: price momentum, market sentiment, volatility, and continued advancement of the sector. It is calculated using a proprietary formula that combines quantified data on search traffic, blockchain transactions, and moving averages. The index ranges from highly bearish to highly bullish.
All major crypto assets tracked by this report finished January with month-over-month gains — some gains greater than 100%:
While prices appear to be increasing and substantial growth is happening in terms of institutional product offerings and regulatory clarity, there are still significant unknowns hovering over the market at large. To name a few which we’ll consider below: it’s not clear whether Bitcoin will function as a safe haven in coming geopolitical turmoil; it’s not clear how much institutional appetite is actually there for all the institutional crypto offerings being launched; and it’s not clear what impact the upcoming Bitcoin block reward halving, just four months away, will have on the price of BTC.
Get the SFOX edge in volatile times through our proprietary algorithms directly from your SFOX account.
What’s Happened in January and What to Watch in February
Markets
U.S.-Iran tensions reignited the question of bitcoin as a safe-haven asset (January 3rd — 9th). Bitcoin appeared to be responsive to the geopolitical tension that flared between the U.S. and Iran at the beginning of the year. In the hours after a U.S. strike killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani on the night of January 2nd, the price of BTC rose 5%, compared with a 3% increase in oil’s price and a 2% increase in gold’s price. After the subsequent Iranian missile strike on January 8th, the price of BTC increased 5% again; after President Trump commented the next day that Iran appeared to be “standing down,” the price of BTC fell 4%.
While these events alone don’t constitute a trend, they prompted some to revisit the question of whether BTC may be poised to become a safe-haven asset, like gold, in times of geopolitical turmoil. Traders may want to consider keeping an eye on the movements of BTC during any similarly geopolitically tumultuous times in the future to see if there are similar price increases, which would theoretically provide further evidence of BTC becoming a safe-haven asset.
Products
Burger King Venezuela started accepting crypto (January 4th). In partnership with Cryptobuyer, a Caracas-based Burger King branch started accepting bitcoin, ethereum, litecoin, and other cryptocurrencies at the end of last year; according to Dash leadership, the partnership aims to expand to all 40 Venezuelan Burger King branches throughout 2020. As CoinTelegraph noted, Burger King has tried similar crypto-based payment experiments in Russia and Europe previously with minimal success; however, the economic turmoil from which Venezuela continues to suffer could provide a unique look into whether mainstream businesses can better serve the economically handicapped through crypto.
OKEx and the CME’s Bitcoin options products went live (January 9th; January 13th). The crypto derivatives market continued its rollout of new products with BTC options going live on OKEx and the CME. While many expect institutional stakes in BTC and crypto to increase in this second decade of the sector, it remains to be seen whether that institutional appetite for crypto derivatives is already here: some, such as JP Morgan managing director Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou, claim that institutional interest in BTC options was markedly high around the CME’s options launch; yet others, like Marie Huillet for CoinTelegraph, point to lackluster volume in the first month of Bakkt’s options offering as a sign that institutional demand may not be there yet.
Regulatory
The South Korean Presidential Committee recommends BTC derivatives products as a way of institutionalizing cryptocurrencies (January 6th). South Korea appears to be acknowledging the importance of building infrastructure to support and lead in digital assets going into the new decade. The South Korean Presidential Committee on the Fourth Industrial Revolution recommended this month that the government should allow financial institutions to offer crypto derivative products; they also recommended that the Korean financial sector should invest in a local digital asset custody solution in order to avoid relying on international custody solutions. This apparent support of decentralized cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin provides a salient counterpoint to China’s development of a state-controlled, centralized digital asset; traders may want to keep an eye on which of these approaches proves more successful in the coming months and years.
Greyscale announced itself to be the first Bitcoin trust to start regularly reporting to the SEC (January 21st). The Greyscale Investment Trust, which manages $2B in Bitcoin exposure, announced last month that it has become “the first digital currency investment vehicle to attain the status of an SEC reporting company.” This marks not only continued development in regulatory acceptance of crypto investment vehicles, but also another step towards some kind of publicly-traded BTC fund.
Zermatt became the second Swiss location to accept taxes in BTC, in partnership with Bitcoin Suisse (January 28th). Following Zug’s example, Zermatt became the second Swiss location to allow taxpayers to pay their taxes in bitcoin. This marks another example of a governmental body effectively legitimizing Bitcoin as a form of legal tender, a crucial step as Bitcoin and crypto evolve into a fully-fledged, global asset class. As relatively small as a couple of Swiss towns may be, market participants may want to watch for similar, seemingly small examples of towns and cities recognizing Bitcoin throughout the rest of 2020 — they could potentially mark the start of a broader trend towards global recognition of Bitcoin as a medium of payment.
Technical Developments
Analysts continue to debate how the upcoming Bitcoin mining reward halving will impact BTC’s price and whether or not it has already been priced in. As SFOX considered in the year-end 2019 crypto market report, debate over the impact of the upcoming havling of the BTC block reward (due to happen this May) on BTC’s price continues to be a prominent point of debate among analysts, and may remain so up through May. Market research firm Fundstrat made news on January 11th claiming that the halving was not yet priced in and that this factor, among others, made it likely in their view that BTC could show >100% returns in 2020; in contrasts, Morgan Creek Digital co-founder Jason Williams claimed just a month earlier that the halving would be a “non-event” with respect to BTC’s price. With BTC still so young and only a few historical halvings of BTC to look to, it seems to be anyone’s guess whether and how BTC’s price could move around the time of the upcoming halving — and, indeed, there seem to be as many different guesses as there are market analysts.
The Details: January 2020 Crypto Price, Volatility, and Correlation Data
Price Performance: Gradual Increase
Bitcoin opened 2020 at the price of $7,195.49; over the course of the month, it gradually climbed to a price of $9,048.59 — an increase of almost 26% in one month.
Bitcoin SV showed the greatest fluctuations in terms of daily returns, showing 81.64% return in a single day (January 13th) and losses as great as 12.64% in a single day (January 17th).
For greater graphical clarity, see this additional chart tracking only the daily returns of BTC, ETH, gold, and the S&P 500:
All leading cryptoassets showed month-over-month gains. Bitcoin SV showed the largest gains at an increase of 222.54%, while Bitcoin showed the smallest gains at 23.93%; all leading cryptoassets showed greater MoM gains than those of gold and the S&P 500 (3.83% and 1.06%, respectively).
For greater graphical clarity, see this additional chart tracking only the month-over-month changes in the prices of BTC, ETH, gold, and the S&P 500:
Volatility: The Comeback Kid
By looking at the 30-day historical volatilities of BTC, ETH, BCH, LTC, BSV, and ETC, we see that crypto volatility made a comeback in January of 2020: all major cryptoassets were more volatile at the end of the month than they were at the beginning of the month. BTC started the month with 30-day HV of 31.94% and ended the month with 30-day HV of 43.27%; meanwhile, BSV was again a standout, climbed from 30-day HV of 48.68% at the start of the month to 30-day HV of 247.03% at the end of the month.
By looking at the 30-day historical volatilities of ETH, BCH, LTC, BSV, and ETC as a percentage of BTC’s 30-day historical volatility, we can see that BSV and ETC specifically experienced substantial increases in volatility independent of BTC’s volatility — consistent with the patterns in their volatility that we previously observed throughout 2019.
Price Correlations: BSV and ETC Break Away From BTC
The most recent crypto correlations data show that BTC has maintained a relatively low correlation (~0.5) with BSV and ETC, in contrast to higher correlations with ETH, BCH, and LTC. This observation is consistent with the high volatility that BSV and ETC observed independent of BTC throughout January. All cryptoassets remain largely uncorrelated with gold and the S&P 500.
See the full SFOX crypto correlations matrix below:
For a more complete look at BTC’s correlations with other assets throughout the past year, see the following graph:
Appendix: Data Sources, Definitions, and Methodology
Note that, as of the start of 2020, the naming conventions of SFOX’s monthly report have changed: the report is now called a “crypto market report” rather than a “volatility report” so as to better reflective the full scope of the data and analysis involved. Each monthly report is also now named after the month in which it is released, rather than the month which it is analyzing (i.e. this report, which analyzes the month of January, is the February report).
All cryptocurrency prices are denominated in USD unless otherwise noted.
Note that data collection for ETC began on January 16th, 2019, and data collection for BSV began on March 11th, 2019; therefore, this report does not reflect a full year of data for these two cryptoassets.
We use two different in-house volatility indices in creating these reports:
1. 30-day historical volatility (HV) indices are calculated from daily snapshots over the relevant 30-day period using the formula:
30-Day HV Index = σ(Ln(P1/P0), Ln(P2/P1), …, Ln(P30/P29)) * √(365)
2. Daily historical volatility (HV) indices are calculated from 1440 snapshots over the relevant 24-hour period using the formula:
Daily HV Index = σ(Ln(P1/P0), Ln(P2/P1), …, Ln(P1440/P1439))* √(1440)
S&P 500 performance data are collected from Yahoo! Finance using GSPC (S&P 500 Index) data. Gold performance data are collected from Yahoo! Finance using XAU (Philadelphia Gold and Silver Index) data.
30-day asset correlations are calculated using the Pearson method, in accordance with the following formula:
In our calculations, x = 30-day returns for BTC/USD, y = 30-day returns for the other asset in consideration, and r = the correlation coefficient between BTC and the other asset in consideration.
The cryptoasset data sources aggregated for crypto prices, correlations, and volatility indices presented and analyzed in this report are the following eight exchanges, the order-book data of which we collect and store in real time:
bitFlyer
Binance
Bitstamp
Bittrex
Coinbase
Gemini
itBit
Kraken
Our indices’ integration of data from multiple top liquidity providers offers a more holistic view of the crypto market’s minute-to-minute movement. There are two problems with looking to any single liquidity provider for marketwide data:
Different liquidity providers experience widely varying trade volumes. For example: according to CoinMarketCap, Binance saw over $20 billion USD in trading volume in November 2018, whereas Bitstamp saw $2 billion USD in trading volume in that same time — an order-of-magnitude difference. Therefore, treating any single liquidity provider’s data as representative of the overall market is myopic. Liquidity providers routinely experience interruptions in data collection. For instance, virtually every exchange undergoes regularly scheduled maintenance at one point or another, at which point their order books are unavailable and they therefore have no market data to collect or report. At best, this can prevent analysts from getting a full picture of market performance; at worst, it can make it virtually impossible to build metrics such as historical volatility indices.
Building volatility indices that collect real-time data from many distinct liquidity providers mitigates both of these problems: collecting and averaging data from different sources prevents any single source from having an outsized impact on our view of the market, and it also allows us to still have data for analysis even if one or two of those sources experience interruptions. We use five redundant data collection mechanisms for each exchange in order to ensure that our data collection will remain uninterrupted even in the event of multiple failures.
The above references an opinion and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended as and does not constitute investment advice, and is not an offer to buy or sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any cryptocurrency, security, product, service or investment. Seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice. The information provided here or in any communication containing a link to this site is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person or entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use would be contrary to law or regulation or which would subject SFOX, Inc. or its affiliates to any registration requirement within such jurisdiction or country. Neither the information, nor any opinion contained in this site constitutes a solicitation or offer by SFOX, Inc. or its affiliates to buy or sell any cryptocurrencies, securities, futures, options or other financial instruments or provide any investment advice or service.
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More volunteers needed for Australian study on genetics of depression
The aim of the study is to crack the code of what genetic signals predict the best response to alternate treatment options so that effective individualised plans can be designed for sufferers of depression.
Researchers are calling for 10,000 more volunteers over the age of 18 who have been treated for clinical depression to participate in the study. Participants need to be willing to disclose their experiences of treatment and also provide a saliva sample, to enable researchers to test their genetics. With sufficient information, researchers will be able to start making predictions about accurate responses to treatment and avoiding intolerable side effects.
To find out more or to participate in the study, see here for more information: www.geneticsofdepression.org.au.
Does working in Mental Health interest you? Are you looking to gain further knowledge? Check out our Certificate or Diploma courses in Mental Health. Our courses give you the qualification you need to become a mental health support worker, helping people affected by mental health problems, mental illness and psychiatric disability.
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Our team are here to help you choose the right course, offer career advice, help you enrol and answer any other questions you may have. | https://www.nationalcollege.edu.au/course/mental-health-courses/study-on-genetics-of-depression/ |
Looking similar to your spouse might be more than skin deep.
If a husband and wife look similar to each other, it might not be simple coincidence or just a preference for particular traits.
A recent study demonstrates that spouses might often look alike because we are naturally predisposed to marry someone of a similar ancestry.
The findings have important implications for researchers investigating the genetics of specific populations.
For the majority of humanity's history, people picked their spouse from the local area. This is referred to as endogamy. People who lived in close proximity would, more than likely, have similar ancestry.
Because of this, over generations, the affinity for genetically similar mates has created a genetic structure within the population.
Ancestry-related assortative mating
Being attracted to people of similar ancestry is different from so-called phenotype based assortative mating, in which individuals tend to choose partners based on various phenotypic characteristics, such as height, hair color, or skin pigmentation.
Phenotype based assortative mating changes the frequency of alleles in the population for the specific trait that is being selected for - skin color, for instance. However, with ancestry-related assortative mating - that is, picking a mate of similar ancestry - the genetic imprint throughout a population is slightly different. Although certain phenotypic alleles are still favored - those coding for eye color or height, for instance - other genes that are not related to the phenotype are also amplified.
So, if a population particularly favors green eyes, the rate of green eye-coding alleles will increase in the population, but most other genes will remain untouched. Conversely, if a population favors marrying people with a similar ancestry, a large number of genes related to that lineage will be boosted.
It is possible to observe the differences in a population created by these two similar but separate forms of mate choice.
Researcher Ronnie Sebro, from the University of Pennsylvania, along with senior authors Josée Dupuis from the Boston University School of Public Health in Massachusetts and Neil Risch from the University of California in San Francisco, set out to study this effect.
For the first time, they examined mating patterns across multiple generations of an American population.
The investigators used data from the Framingham Heart Study, a long-term project that began in 1948 following the heart health of the residents of Framingham, MA. In all, they characterized the ancestry of 879 of these participants using genomic data.
People of Northern European, Southern European, and Ashkenazi ancestry were found to preferentially choose spouses of the same background. However, with every generation, individuals became less likely to marry someone with a similar ancestry.
This pattern meant that husbands and wives were found to be more genetically similar than would be expected. They also noted that the genetic structure created by choosing genetically similar mates has decreased over time - in other words, the population's propensity to choose mates of similar ancestry appears to be reducing through the generations.
The importance of understanding genetic structure
Understanding the genetic structure of a population is important when approaching genomic studies. Genetic similarities in a population can lead to false positives when pinpointing gene regions associated with disease. It has the potential to influence estimates of the degree to which a disease is passed on genetically. As the authors write:
"Characterizing the genetic structure of a study population is important because ignoring it can lead to undetected biases, including false positive findings in genetic association studies and inaccurate estimation of kinship and heritability."
Although the results are intriguing, the authors are keen to extend their findings. They would like to understand "the degree to which our observations in Framingham generalize to other populations, both within the U.S. and elsewhere." | http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/316798.php |
By Suresh Mohan, M4l, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
After digesting for a few days, I’ve realized our experience at Telluride will stay with me. Discussing my week with peers back home, I was shocked to realize how little they knew (and, thus, cared) about the topic of safety. I received responses of- “well, I guess every field has its downsides” to “Whoa, I didn’t know you were, like, super into that primary care stuff”. It reaffirmed my decision to have attended, and the value of what we learned.
In my view, a lot of issues in patient safety could be solved through two simple things our parents taught us: honesty and humility. Honesty encompasses the obvious actions we ought to take when we’ve committed a mistake- apologize, and tell the truth. It builds trust in place of suspicion, and can potentially prevent “afterharm”. As we’ve been told, research shows that honesty can not only maintain communication, but saves hospitals money in lawsuits. An honest admission, though potentially painful at first, will always incite some level of trust in a listener due to its divulgent nature. Transparency implies respect for the receiver, a rightful expectation of all patients. | https://telluridesummercamp.com/just-plain-truth-and-humility-go-a-long-way/ |
Gary David Cohn once said,
“If you don’t invest in risk management, it doesn’t matter what business you’re in, it’s a risky business.”
Project manager or not – professionals on all levels have to interact with researching, identifying, and resolving risks. Organizations are struggling with risks on so many fronts including cybersecurity, underwriting, credit, asset and liability, investment, liquidity and more.
Although there is a threat that there might be a shortage of risk management experts and professionals in the coming years, the number of risk management tools designed and developed for helping teams and organizations manage risks efficiently are rising in popularity and number.
The same goes for techniques and frameworks. The foremost stage in managing risks is identifying them.
Some of the common techniques used for risk identification include historical data, brainstorming, workshops, Root Cause analysis, checklists, nominal group technique, Delphi technique, Monte Carlo analysis, decision trees, affinity diagrams, and cause-effect diagrams.
However, there is another technique that is mostly used for developing strategies, which has also proven equally useful in risk identification. This technique is called the SWOT analysis.
Before deep-diving into how you can use SWOT analysis for risk identification, let’s have a look at what exactly risk identification entails, the significance of risk identification and how often to implement it.
By definition, risk identification is the process of determining risks that could potentially prevent the program, enterprise, or investment from achieving its objectives. It includes documenting and communicating the concern. According to Harry Hall, you can attempt to identify risks in your project development cycle as follows:
According to Dr. James Brown, a seasoned project management professional, if a risk is poorly identified, it means that the project manager will struggle with or fail to communicate the corresponding risk to team members or other high-level stakeholders.
It will be difficult for the parties involved to understand the dimension or magnitude of the risk. Due to this, in lieu of the risk materializing, the project manager and the team will be rendered ill-prepared.
This is because, despite the risk identification, it was not understood or communicated well in the first place.
SWOT analysis, also known as the SWOT matrix, is one of the techniques project managers and organizations have implemented in their risk management practices. SWOT stands for Strengths Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
It is a framework through which organizations and teams assess the pending internal and external influences that can affect a project, product or institution positively or negatively.
Let’s take a deeper look at how you can employ the SWOT technique to forecast, identify, resolve and guard against pending seen and unforeseen risks for a better project completion and success rate.
Risk identification and management is a complex field that is carried out with different methods and strategies by professionals. There is no one way to go about it. Instead, project managers need to devise methods according to the situation.
Here are a few examples of professionals that have implemented SWOT analysis for risk identification and management in their corresponding fields of work.
Harry Hall is a project management blogger and professional having experience with leading projects and implementing PMOs for an array of organizations including General Electric, IKON Office Solutions, and the Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company.
In a recent blog, Harry sheds light risk management and the use of SWOT analysis. Harry states some of the possible scenarios in which his organization uses SWOT analysis for risk identification and management.
These include the evaluation of business processes, technology interfaces, existing software, proposed solutions, and customer service centers.
In the same blog, Harry recommends the following procedure for efficiently carrying out SWOT analysis for risk identification and management.
Harry suggests the following ways for strategy definition:
He further recommends documenting and storing the risk related information after the SWOT analysis is completed.
Matt Johnson is the Founder and President of OmniStrat. With about three decades of professional experience, Matt Johnson has had a fair share of strategy generation and risk identification. In a recent discussion on a forum, Matt explains his method of using SWOT analysis.
Matt explains that contrary to the norm, he does not use SWOT analysis for assessing initiatives. Instead, he adopts the SWOT analysis method for generating possible strategic initiatives and then connecting risks to those initiatives.
According to Matt, risks should be viewed as weaknesses and threats and implement mitigating strategic initiatives to overcome these weaknesses and strengths.
He goes on to elaborate on the possible scenario in this regard. He presents the following example for performing SWOT analysis for a product, clock radios:
Here is how he will go about it:
Catherine Smith is an IT Project Manager at LaserShip. In a post discussing risk management with reference to SWOT analysis, Catherine claims SWOT analysis as a favorite tool. Catherine lists down a number of uses for SWOT analysis including strategic planning, problem-solving, options analysis, and appraisal, as well as vendor and/or tool selection.
According to Catherine, SWOT analysis can be done by individuals or in groups through brainstorming or planned sessions.
Other than the uses mentioned, she further elaborates usage of SWOT analysis for risk identification. Instead of taking the regular route of listing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the matrix, you can list the strengths and weaknesses as an opportunity or a threat.
This can be achieved by setting the opportunities column as the positive risks you can use to your advantage and setting the threats column as negative risks i.e. those you may want to avoid, mitigate, transfer or accept.
After these entities have been transformed into the matrix, proceed with the risk planning cycle as usual, identifying and prioritizing the actions and action triggers that can be applied.
These examples depict that SWOT analysis can be an effective tool for identifying risks on time. Instead of using the SWOT matrix for other purposes, it can prove to be quite useful in highlighting the potential and existing risks for any project or organization.
Have you or your team adopted SWOT analysis for risk identification and management in your projects? How effective was the experience for you? Share your story with us in the comments below.
Manage your team, tasks, projects and more on a single platform. Sign up today, it's free. | https://www.ntaskmanager.com/blog/how-to-do-a-swot-analysis-for-risk-identification/ |
Rachael Ashe is a Vancouver based artist working in paper cut, sculpture, and installation work. In this four hour hands-on workshop she will introduce students to the joys of creating intricate art through paper cutting. During the class participants will work on small projects incorporating traditional techniques with a modern twist, and a focus on abstraction and pattern. The goal is to help students develop knife skills, discuss tools and materials, as well as inspire ideas for how to integrate paper cut elements into their own work.
A selection of papers, self-healing cutting mats, and extra blades will be provided, but participants must bring their own xacto or Olfa knives to use. | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creative-paper-cutting-techniques-workshop-january-18-2020-tickets-70526481605?aff=ebdssbeac |
Posted by Tanuja Harad
The recent Oxfam report ‘Time to Care’ states that the top 10% of India’s population hold 77% of the country’s total wealth. The report also says that the richest have cornered a huge part of the wealth through crony capitalism and inheritance.
We are aware that historically privileged social groups, i. e. Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas, inherit the ancestral property (access to land was denied to shudra and untouchables) and means of production. These groups of people occupy higher positions in all sectors and exploit the remaining majority of the population. Exploitation of this population is largely connected with the regressive social structure of caste system that exists in our country.
The caste system is 2000 years old, imposing social hierarchy in Indian subcontinent. Caste system categorises society into four varnas i. e. Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. A fifth category falls outside the varna system known as ‘untouchables’ or ‘Dalits’. Shudra and untouchables were denied education and upward mobility. In 1948, the caste system was abolished by law. However, it continues to prevail, and rampantly so, in our everyday lives.
Also read: Understanding How The COVID-19 Crisis Impacted Girls’ Education In India
Affirmative action policies, such as reservations in schools, colleges, and the legislature helped many overcome centuries of economic deprivation and social oppression. Affirmative action minimised social inequality but it did not abolish the caste system and also did not help in shifting the economic resources. The means of production continue to remain in the hands of upper caste groups. Social inequalities can often determine everything from social interactions to economic opportunities. Today, in the time of the coronavirus pandemic, social inequality has only become more visible.
The coronavirus pandemic is a global crisis, which had destroyed livelihoods across the world. Many big countries failed to handle the critical situation created by the virus. India was also one of the worst affected countries. Health infrastructure in India is very weak as the country spends only 1.2 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on healthcare. Indian public health care service ranks among the lowest in the world. Naturally, this mainly affects Dalit, Adivasi, women and other minority groups which are socially oppressed.
Coronavirus pandemic revealed a highly unequal distribution of resources. Availability and affordability of various services during this time such as healthcare, education, technology, leisure, etc. are based on income level, employment status, gender, caste and religion.
Also read: Migrant Women Workers On The Road: Largely Invisible And Already Forgotten
Migrant Crisis
On March 24, 2020 the central government announced a three week nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus in the country. We witnessed the migrant workers’ crisis immediately after the lockdown. Millions of workers were sent home, forced to work remotely by lockdown and social distancing rules. Nearly 200 migrant labourers and their family members died while walking back to their homes due to accidents, violence and starvation. The workers who died were those working in the informal sector without social and employment security.
According to the Oxfam study, in India, Dalits, tribal groups and Muslims are highly underrepresented in better paid and higher status jobs. They are mostly engaged in lower paid jobs in the informal sector. The total workforce of India working in the informal sector is around 90-92% (about 450 million).
The migrant crisis also exposed social evils such as the level of starvation and extreme poverty existing amongst these groups. Poverty has increased in India post the coronavirus pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that about 400 million people will slip into poverty due to the impact of the pandemic. These will mostly be workers in the informal sector.
Education
We saw how school education switched to online learning post lockdown. In India, about 50% of the population does not have access to the internet. Students from rural and marginalised backgrounds face difficulties in attending online classes conducted by schools and colleges because of the lack of social facilities. Twenty-seven crore students have been affected since the lockdown was imposed, according to the Oxfam India report. The impact of the pandemic on students was in terms of access to education, modes of education delivery and education entitlement in private and government schools.
Girls are more likely to lose out as boys are more likely to have access to the Internet than girls. Students have died by suicide out of the pressure to attend online lectures when they didn’t have access to mobile phones.
Children from Adivasi and Dalit communities are at high risk of malnutrition due to their dependence on the mid-day meals. The Oxfam India survey estimates that many students will not return to school once they reopen. This can increase the risk of child labour and child marriage amongst the underprivileged communities.
Gender Gap
Women suffer from a wide gender gap in employment, wages and education. The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index 2020 ranks India 112th of 153 countries in offering equal opportunities to women and men. The burden of domestic responsibilities keeps many women away from work.
Care work in the family has increased in the pandemic. Women in the labour force is mostly engaged in the informal work such as domestic work, sex work, and agriculture. Lockdown has exacerbated the marginalisation of women, especially the poor women. Lack of digital access also makes them more vulnerable in the job market. In the pandemic, more jobs are shifting online, and the digital divide might worsen the job market inequality.
The surge in violence post pandemic affected millions of women. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in every three women across the globe experiences physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime. There was a twofold rise in complaints of domestic violence since the lockdown began in India. Men either don’t go to work or have lost jobs during this time leading to increased poverty, frustration and violence.
Sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, atrocity against Dalits, Muslims and minority groups rose in the pandemic. Government’s decisions about dilution of labour laws, privatisation of public sector units, Environment Impact Assessment Act, National Education Policy, Farmers’ bills, etc are evidently affecting various groups badly, especially the poor and the marginalised, clearly indicating the incumbent leaders’ lack of concern towards Dalits, Muslims, Adivasi and other marginalised groups.
Tanuja Harad is pursuing her MA in Gender, Culture and Development studies from Savitribai Phule Pune University. She can be found on Facebook and Twitter. | https://test.feminisminindia.in/2021/02/23/social-inequality-covid-19-india/ |
A positioning strategy is often a winning strategy.
It consists of providing the brand or the product with a significant advantage that cannot be found anywhere else.
The consumer attaches to the “more” and becomes loyal to the brand.
The more the market is crowded with neighboring products, the more this strategy is effective because it makes it stand out from competitors.
The objective of this positioning study is to identify the characteristics of products or services that will clearly differentiate our offering from the competition.
The positioning is used to send signals to the consumer that will filter, decode and store in its memory in the form of beliefs that will comprise the brand image of the product.
causes of fidelity and infidelity, etc. | https://www.efficience-marketing.com/en/positioning-study-2/ |
Col. Nicole Malachowski, USAF (Ret.) defies stereotypes.
Yes, she was a jet fighter pilot, but if you think you know her based on that, you’d be wrong.
A leader, a combat veteran, the first woman pilot on the Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron, a White House Fellow, and an inductee into both the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame – she even has a Star Trek Federation starship named after her, the USS Malachowski (NCC-1619).
Nicole’s distinguished 21-year Air Force career exceeded her wildest dreams.
But the dream came to an end when a devastating tick-borne illness left her struggling greatly to speak or walk for almost nine months.
An indomitable spirit, Nicole fought back against overwhelming odds and prevailed.
Drawing on stories from her career and personal life, Nicole inspires audiences to rethink the challenges they face every day.
She urges them to go beyond resilience and become resurgent.
Nicole’s empowers people with three key beliefs: failure and risk is the price of entry for achieving something great; sometimes you need to yield to overcome; and her personal mantra – “Nobody wants to lead a scripted life.”
Nicole brings her experience to the stage and holds audiences spellbound with an easy-going authenticity of someone who’s achieved greatness. She’s been a member and leader of exceptional teams.
She has faced overwhelming challenges and adversity and has come out on top.
While other high school students were practicing for their driver’s license, Nicole was accumulating flight time.
She was sixteen years old when she took her first solo flight and from that point on there was no stopping her.
While in high school, she joined the Civil Air Patrol and participated in Air Force Junior ROTC. Nicole’s professional story began when she earned her commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 1996.
Following graduation, she attended Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) at Columbus AFB, MS and began her career as a pilot.
Competitively selected to fly combat aircraft, she was among the first group of women to fly modern fighter aircraft.
As a career pilot, she served in combat as an F-15E Flight Commander, Evaluator, Instructor Pilot and Flight Lead.
Over her 21-year career, Nicole achieved the rating of Command Pilot with over 2,300 flight hours in six different Air Force aircraft.
She was also selected to fly as Thunderbird #3 with the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron – the first woman to fly on any Department of Defense military jet demonstration squadron.
Colonel Malachowski has served as a mission ready fighter pilot in three operational F-15E fighter squadrons and has flown over 188 combat hours, including her proudest moment as a fighter pilot: leading the first fighter formation to provide security for Iraq’s historic democratic elections in 2005.
On the ground, Nicole was a White House Fellow, class of 2008-2009, where she served on the Presidential Transition Support Team (PTST) while assigned to the U.S. General Services Administration.
The White House Fellows Foundation and Association awarded Nicole the 2019 IMPACT Award for demonstrating both remarkable achievement and transformational contributions in her field, as well as a sustained commitment to the White House Fellows program.
TALKS, THEMES & TOPICS
HARNESSING HEADWINDS – SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATING CHANGE & ADVERSITY
Leaders across every industry and experience level share one thing in common: To be successful they need to effectively navigate failure, organizational change, and the unknown.
Like headwinds to a pilot, these perceived barriers can force you to change direction, cost you momentum, and even take away options.
These headwinds can feel confusing, disorienting, and downright uncomfortable.
In this talk, Nicole Malachowski uses the aviation-based idea of headwinds as a metaphor to show how with the right mindset, individuals and teams can learn to harness the energy of these headwinds in their advantage.
Nicole inspires individuals and organizations and bolsters their ability to:
- Overcome personal and professional failures
- Effectively navigate organizational and cultural change
- Endure the discomfort of the unknown• Increase resilience, reinvention, regroup, and adaptability
- Have courage to rise above self-doubt and cultural paradigms
- Support and mentor others on the team
PUSHING THE ENVELOPE – BEING THE BEST WHEN IT COUNTS
To be successful, leaders from every industry and experience level need to effectively navigate moments of self-doubt, master the role of a trustworthy team player, and embrace moments of personal and professional vulnerability.
Using the idea of an aircraft performance envelope as a metaphor, this elite fighter pilot and military leader will share inspiring personal stories and practical tools to ignite individuals and teams to reach beyond commonly-assumed limitations to achieve their maximum capabilities and impact.
Nicole Malachowski’s presentation will bolster the ability of individuals and teams to:
- Overcome self-doubt that often inhibits personal and professional growth
- Model the selfless trust needed to be an effective teammate• Practice vulnerability and transparency to build trust and galvanize teamwork
- Build accountability, dependability and reliability that drive performance
- Break down silos to unleash creativity and adaptability
BREAKING BARRIERS – CONQUERING SELF-DOUBT AND CULTURAL PARADIGMS
Everyone faces barriers, both personal and professional, that may appear to place limits on what’s possible.
When people pursue only what is expected, accept cultural norms that hold them back, and view barriers that appear unsurmountable, their personal and professional lives become limited—scripted.
A powerful trailblazer herself, Nicole Malachowski reminds audiences to not let others draw their boundaries, and to break tradition with grace and purpose.
She inspires people to see obstacles and challenges as opportunities to grow—a chance to reach new levels of personal and professional excellence.
Nicole delivers actionable insights for pursuing dreams, making choices, and living an unscripted life.
- Define your own possibilities and overcome self-doubt
- Reevaluate traditions, paradigms, and overcome limitations
- Welcome challenges to the status quo
- Why having the courage to ask for help is key to, reaching your potential
- Acknowledge the work-life balance myth
CONQUERING FOG AND FRICTION – LEADING THROUGH TIMES OF CRISIS
“No war plan survives first contact with the enemy” is a truism. In the military, leaders must acknowledge and address the fog (things we can’t see, know, or predict) and friction (the forces which impede progress) of war.
In such times, effective leadership is more crucial than ever.
Using the challenges and uncertainties of combat as a metaphor for organizational challenges, Nicole Malachowski stresses perspective, priorities and positive leadership as she provides tools for leaders to use in times of crisis—or anytime—to keep their organizations successfully moving forward. Nicole offers leaders a framework to lead through fog and friction in times of crisis. | https://coveredspeakers.com/inspirational-keynote-speaker/col-nicole-malachowski-usaf/ |
Leaks, spills, and inclement weather frequently cause puddles and slippery conditions in warehouse stores that ultimately lead to slip and fall accidents. While some people who suffer falls walk away unharmed, many sustain significant injuries like fractures, torn ligaments and tendons, and brain injuries that cause not only physical pain but also substantial financial harm. As such, they will often seek compensation from store owners.
Typically, warehouse slip and fall accidents happen because the store owner or operator failed to address the dangerous condition that led to the fall. In most lawsuits arising out of such accidents, then, the plaintiff will set forth negligence claims against the store owner.
Under Maryland law, negligence is made up of four components, and a plaintiff must prove each component to recover damages. The first, duty, is an obligation imposed on the defendant. In the context of premises liability claims, store owners have a duty to maintain their property in a safe condition. The second element, breach, is the defendant’s departure from the duty owed. The third and fourth elements, causation and damages, are connected in that the plaintiff has to establish that the defendant’s breach proximately caused the plaintiff to suffer actual harm. In other words, that the accident would not have occurred had the defendant upheld its duty.
Maryland law dictates that in order to prove a defendant breached the duty owed in a slip and fall case, the plaintiff needs to demonstrate that the defendant had actual or constructive notice of the dangerous condition and a chance to remedy the condition prior to the plaintiff’s fall but failed to do so. Usually, plaintiffs will employ evidence such as eyewitness reports, surveillance video, photographs, and inspection and cleaning schedules to demonstrate notice.Damages Recoverable Following a Warehouse Slip and Fall Accident
A plaintiff that proves a defendant’s liability for a warehouse slip and fall accident may be awarded the cost of any medical treatment they needed, including surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, and assistive devices. If they could not work following the accident, they may be able to recover lost wages as well. Additionally, they may be granted damages for the suffering, pain, and emotional trauma they endured due to the fall. If they were married at the time of the incident, their spouse may also be awarded compensation for the loss of their companionship and services.Speak to an Experienced Maryland Attorney About Your Accident
People should be able to shop in warehouse stores without incident, but all too often, shoppers suffer injuries in preventable warehouse slip and fall accidents. If you sustained harm in a fall in a warehouse store, you might be owed damages, and you should speak to an attorney as soon as possible. The experienced Maryland premises liability attorneys of Foran & Foran, P.A. can assess the circumstances surrounding your harm and aid you in pursuing the maximum damages recoverable under the law. We have an office in Greenbelt, and we regularly represent injured parties in premises liability cases in Bowie and other cities in Prince George's County and Montgomery County. You can reach us to set up a confidential and free meeting by using our online form or calling us at (301) 441-2022. | https://www.foranlaw.com/warehouse-slip-and-fall-accidents.html |
In his sometimes irreverent guide to some of Shakespeare’s tragedies, Fintan O’Toole sums up Hamlet, our noble tragic hero, by asserting that:
Hamlet is a slob, a shirker. He has a job to do and won’t do it. He keeps persuading himself that there is a good reason for not getting on with the job in hand. He is certainly unwell and possibly evil. The problem of Hamlet is Hamlet. Hamlet is there to teach us a lesson: when faced with a difficult and unpalatable task, we must stiffen our upper lips, put our consciences in the deep freeze, and get on with it. Otherwise, we will come to a bad end.
No Shakespeare play gives rise to so many difficulties of interpretation as Hamlet, and none has provoked so many conflicting responses. O’Toole goes on to give the alternative view saying that while Hamlet is guilty of delay and indecision, this is merely a flaw in his essentially noble nature. So, students beware! The one certain lesson that the unwary student can, perhaps, learn is that very few confident assertions can be made about several fundamental aspects of the play, that even the most plausible interpretations tend to run into awkward objections. Hamlet’s ‘antic disposition’, his delay, his treatment of Ophelia, his attitude to the revenger’s role: these vital matters have stimulated conflicting and incompatible responses and ‘explanations’ for centuries!
The situation is reminiscent of the one described in the poem by John Godfrey Saxe about the six blind men from Hindustan who went to investigate an elephant,
‘that each by observation
Might satisfy his mind’.
They concluded in turn that the elephant most resembled a wall, a spear, a snake, a tree, a fan and a rope. Like Hamlet’s critics, each was reporting on a part rather than the whole, which they had no means of conceiving, and each report, like the Hamlet ones, had something to recommend it. Hamlet, we learn from its critical investigators, is about death, about melancholy, about the ethics of vengeance; the delay is due to Hamlet’s skepticism, his moral scruples, his laziness and procrastination; it is simply a relic from an older play, or he doesn’t really delay at all. Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s noblest conceptions, or he is a flawed, sinister figure. The poet’s final pronouncement will serve us well as we investigate further:
‘Though each was partly in the right
They all were in the wrong’.
Hamlet is a complex, multi-dimensional character as befits arguably Shakespeare’s greatest tragic hero creation. He feels loyalty towards his murdered father; shows great bravery in confronting the supernatural on the battlements and in accepting the fencing challenge; he is a moral purist; he is an idealist; he has pursued refinements through scholarly study; he destroys the sanity of his former girlfriend; he suffers the ‘melancholy of deep grief’ according to his step-father; he exercises a rapier-like wit; despises showiness and yet treats those lower in rank with courtesy and respect; values true friendship such as Horatio’s; despises flattery, hypocrisy, lust and excessive drinking; accepts a mission to purge Denmark of corruption; impulsively murders Polonius; chillingly plots the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern; violates the sanctity of Ophelia’s grave; lectures his mother about her sex life; forgives his rival Laertes; brutally executes the usurper Claudius; delays action and indirectly causes a bloodbath in the Court. Surely, this ‘noble’ hero, as Horatio describes him, is worthy of our close attention?
On the positive side of the argument, Fortinbras finally asserts that Hamlet would have proven ‘most royally’ as the next king but this sounds very like the victorious captain of a Knockaderry team commiserating with the losers on their brave but fruitless performance or is it merely a gracious compliment, such as we often hear at funerals? When Horatio speaks his final tribute to Hamlet’s nobility though, it commands respect because of the speaker’s record. Horatio is honest and upright throughout the play, unlike Fortinbras or Laertes. In Hamlet’s words, Horatio is not ‘passion’s slave’. His praise of Hamlet therefore deserves some scrutiny.
The issue of whether Hamlet is noble is, however, not always clear-cut. He accepts an assignment and delays carrying it out, with fatal consequences. During the course of the play he feigns madness by assuming ‘an antic disposition’ or temporarily becomes mentally ill, or both: ‘I am but mad north-northwest’. Insanity and nobility would seem opposites. However, Hamlet eventually achieves clarity and defines his purpose:
He that hath killed my king, and whor’d my mother;
Popp’d in between the election and my hopes;
Thrown out his angle for my proper life, and with such cozenage –
Is’t not perfect conscience to quit him with this arm?
Here he outlines four transgressions by Claudius. Isn’t he noble in character here? He is clear minded and on the moral high ground and recognises his moral duty.
Initially, when the Ghost orders his son Hamlet to avenge him, ‘nobility’ is a question of obedience and loyalty. However, Hamlet needs to find his own proof in order to be able to kill Claudius with a clear conscience – as a true avenger would. To kill, even an evil man, is a ‘cursed spite’. Hamlet struggles to find a clear path whereby his conscience will allow him to kill Claudius. He experiences confusion and suffers psychologically. He wants to justify becoming the avenger. Hamlet’s inner struggle makes his character seem noble. Hamlet may be considered noble in wanting to seek evidence of Claudius’ guilt.
Hamlet eventually achieves ‘perfect conscience’ but this clarity of purpose arrives too late to avert:
Carnal, bloody and unnatural acts;
Of accidental judgements, casual slaughters;
Of deaths put on by cunning and forc’d cause;
And in this upshot, purposes mistook
Fall’n on the inventors’ heads.
Horatio’s summary of the plot in these words shows the catastrophe that marked the end of the play. The phrase ‘Cunning and forc’d cause’ points to the evil of those around Hamlet. Are we meant to assume then that Hamlet is the opposite of these evil and selfish characters? But if, on the other hand, he had held to the Ghost’s initial word and killed the ‘villain’ Claudius and saved all that carnage, would he still be ‘noble’?
What is meant by this term, ‘noble’ anyway? We have come to consider decency and integrity as essential elements of a ‘noble’ character. What do we find in the course of the play? The Ghost, Polonius, Laertes, Hamlet and Humankind in general are all depicted as ‘noble’ by some character or another throughout the play. The variety of characters, to which the word ‘noble’ is applied, gives rise to confusion about its true significance. Claudius claims there is ‘nobility’ in the affection he bears Hamlet. This is a piece of hollow rhetoric, used to persuade the court and Gertrude of Claudius’ commitment to family values. Therefore, if ‘noble’ is a mutual trait of Hamlet and Claudius it is hardly flattering to Hamlet in the context it is used in this scene (Act I, Scene ii).
We have come to see Polonius as a deceitful, self-serving courtier who is morally redundant and a hypocrite. After all he is a ‘wretch’d, rash, intruding fool’ who would violate the privacy of his own son, daughter and even that of the Queen for political ends. And yet, Claudius and Laertes refer to Polonius as a ‘noble father’ in Act IV. The word ‘noble’ here again seems empty and hypocritical.
Hamlet refers to Laertes as ‘a very noble youth’. But at that very moment the ‘noble’ Laertes is about to murder him with the dreaded ‘unction’ that he purchased from a ‘mountebank’. Laertes, then, is the third character in the play to discredit the concept of nobility.
What then of Hamlet? Does he deserve Horatio’s eulogy at the end of the play? Well, he doesn’t act nobly all the time. Ophelia is distraught at his behaviour and he inflicts severe damage on her frail psyche in the Nunnery Scene:
Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners?
He behaves cruelly towards his mother:
These words like daggers enter in mine ears.
He impulsively slays Polonius in headstrong over-reaction and then bizarrely hides the corpse – to the Court’s dismay. Later he callously arranges for the execution of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, taking it upon himself to dispense summary justice. For all his hatred of pretense, he plays many deceptive roles, not least his famed ‘antic disposition’. He also uses deception to trap the king into revealing his guilt in The Mousetrap. Thus he fights great evil with lesser evil. He also abuses Polonius, ‘These tedious old fools!’ He has a morbid sense of humour throughout the play, delighting in such ghoulish pranks such as hiding Polonius’ corpse and depicting a beggar digesting the king. He hurts Ophelia by talking suggestively about ‘country matters’ and he also interferes in his mother’s private life with such crude images as:
To live in the rank sweat of an unseamed bed,
Stew’d in corruption, honeying and making love over the nasty sty!
In Act V he explodes in furious rivalry against Laertes and leaps into Ophelia’s grave. His surrender to endless brooding, ‘thinking too precisely on the event’, multiplies the carnage at the end of the play. Knowing ‘the time is out of joint’ he could have set ‘it right’ by killing Claudius earlier in the Prayer Scene. Then many lives would have been spared. All of these actions, inactions and utterances of Hamlet surely argue the case against his having ‘a noble heart’.
There is, like Fintan O’Toole’s alternative perspective earlier, a counter argument. Horatio’s praise of Hamlet’s nobility is also well founded. Hamlet lacks pomp and arrogance: ‘I am very glad to see you’ he announces to Marcellus. We know that his political clout is due to his great popularity. Though he is a Prince he greets Horatio as ‘my good friend’. He feels intense loyalty to his father and to Horatio. Perhaps his desire to check the veracity of the ghost’s story is far more responsible than believing the ghost who could after all have been the devil in disguise. He despises false shows of grief: ‘Seems madam? Nay it is. I know not ‘seems’. He is sincere and experiences profound and genuine grief and his revulsion of falsehood is put to good and humorous use against such people as Polonius and Osric. He sees the corruption around him and refuses to compromise his own position: ‘Tis an unweeded garden’. His complaint about human dishonesty evokes a cynical echo in our modern hearts:
To be honest, as this world goes,
is to be one man picked out of ten thousand.
Hamlet is an intelligent scholar:
There are more things in heaven and on earth, Horatio,
than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
It can be said, therefore, that he has a refined and poetic understanding:
What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculties! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an angel! In apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals!
In this speech he shows profound empathy for his fellow humans. He mainly shows intolerance towards deceiving schemers and those who seek self-advancement.
In short, he is a radical thinker who despises the inequality of his day. Above all he is a man of conscience: ‘Thus conscience does make cowards of us all.’ He seeks to know himself better than any man and he examines every facet of himself. He despises his own flaw, inaction: ‘I must (like a whore) unpack my heart with words’. We would agree with Horatio’s final verdict if we believe the praise of Ophelia when she calls Hamlet: ‘The courtier’s, scholar’s, soldier’s, eye, tongue, sword, the expectancy and rose of the fair state.’
Overall then, Hamlet is a mixture of admirable traits and thoughts and less than admirable impulses such as his maltreatment of women and old men. He struggles for certainty and suffers greatly because certainty is so elusive. He is fatally flawed by a tendency to procrastinate. Eventually he achieves spiritual insight: ’There’s a divinity that shapes our ends’. He matures as the play develops, learning wisdom from his suffering journey towards self-realisation. But self-knowledge comes too late to avert tragedy. If he is noble, he also has to overcome some imperfections. He is only human after all!
But clearly his sense of morality is enormous. For much of the play even he couldn’t decide what was ‘nobler in the mind’ to endure or take action. But we must remember that he was ‘loved of the distracted multitude’ and ‘the observ’d of all observers’. Does Hamlet possess nobility within his heart? The answer is yes, but we must qualify this statement with the rider that he is not always a paragon of nobility. Ultimately it defies us to ‘pluck out the heart of’ his ‘mystery’, to re-use his memorable comment to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. But we are ultimately bound to accept Horatio’s tribute to his noble heart as a fitting epitaph for so complicated a tragic hero.
Differences over such matters, great and small, continue to make Hamlet the most challenging of plays, and the most controversial tragedy of them all. | https://vinhanley.com/2016/03/13/hamlet-an-introduction/?shared=email&msg=fail |
1.
In a wide mouthed non-stick pan, take the whole milk.
2.
Boil the milk in medium flame.’
3.
Once it comes to boil, keep the flame low and cook slowly.
4.
Stir frequently and let the malai ( cream ) thicken at the edge of the pan.
5.
Now continue boiling the milk.
6.
Keep stirring the milk once in a while, so that it does not stick to the bottom and collect malai / cream on one side.
7.
Continue this cooking, until the milk turns thick and the consistency reduces to 1/4 its original volume.
8.
Meanwhile blanch the almonds and pistachios and slice them thinly and keep ready.
9.
Soak the saffron threads in 2 tbsp of warm milk.
10.
Now add sugar, elaichi pwd and stir it in well. ( adjust the sweetness according to your taste )
11.
Cook till the sugar is fully absorbed.
12.
Add the soaked saffron threads and slivered almonds and pistachios. ( save some garnishing )
13.
Mix well.
14.
Remove from fire and cool. ( Remember it will thicken when cooled )
15.
When cold, add the Rose Essence and blend it in.
16.
Our yummy sweet Rabadi is ready.
17.
Chill it in fridge for few hours.
18.
Ladle Rabri into serving bowls, garnish with chopped nuts and serve. | https://tastyappetite.net/2013/08/how-to-make-rabri-rabdi-rakhi-special/amp/ |
MATLAB is a complete programming platform that includes a language, integrated development environment, and libraries. MATLAB stands for Matrix Laboratory and is aptly named for its facility in dealing with the matrix operations that form the foundation of much of scientific computing. In MATLAB terminology, libraries are known as toolboxes, and many different toolboxes are available to fit specific user requirements. We’re going to take a look at this valuable scientific programming tool and see who is using it and why they find it an attractive solution.
A Condensed History of MATLAB
The origins of MATLAB grew out of mathematical research done in the late 1960s through 1970 by J.H Wilkinson and his colleagues. Their work culminated in algorithms for the programming language Algol 60 that revolved around solving eigenvalue problems and matrix linear equations. Initiatives building on this work led to the development of high-quality mathematical software backed by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), which. made its debut in 1971 as EISPACK (Matrix Eigensystem Package). This was followed in 1975 by the creation of the Linear Equation package known as LINPACK.
The first MATLAB was an interactive matrix calculator that was developed as a programming exercise by Cleve Moler. It was designed to provide easier access to the LINPACK and EISPACK tools than that furnished by batch programming on a mainframe computer. From these humble beginnings, the concept was picked up by Jack Little and Steve Bangert leading to PC-MATLAB, which was introduced in 1984. It was designed to run on the new personal computers produced by IBM and was followed in 1985 by Pro-MATLAB, which ran on Unix workstations.
MATLAB has continued to evolve to satisfy the requirements of scientists and engineers. Here are some of the core components of the modern incarnation of the product.
Providing numerical solutions to ordinary differential equations (ODEs) is central to the functionality of MATLAB and its companion simulation product, Simulink. The original application only offered a single data type. All numbers were represented in the IEEE standard 754 double-precision floating-point format, stored in 64-bits of memory. Different data types aimed at providing more flexibility for MATLAB’s users have been added to the product over the years, resulting in a robust environment for mathematical computation.
- Single precision floating point numbers and integers were added in the early 2000s and enable the storage requirements of large arrays to be cut in half by using 32 bits of storage.
- Sparse matrices that represent matrices in a memory-efficient way were added in 1992. They only store nonzero values with pointers to rows and columns.
- Cell arrays and structures were implemented in 1996 and added increased functionality to the tool.
- Object-oriented capabilities were enhanced to MATLAB in 2008 to simplify programming tasks related to specialized data structures or functions that interact with specific types of data. It is the basis for the MATLAB graphics system.
MATLAB has progressed from a simple terminal application to a desktop solution in 2000. More recently, 2016 saw the Live Editor added. This feature lets users export MATLAB input, output, and graphics as an interactive document.
Toolboxes, which are known as libraries in other programming languages, are continually being developed and now number over 60 selections that address many aspects of mathematical computing. You can obtain toolboxes for such specialized applications as parallel computing, computational finance, and code generation.
The result of this innovation and continuous refinement is a full-featured mathematical programming platform that is widely used in universities, industry, and the scientific community.
How is MATLAB used?
So now that you have an overview of what MATLAB is, you may be wondering how it is used. The simple answer is that it has many applications in academia and a wide range of industries. Here are some of the most common ways you will find MATLAB being used today.
Over 6,500 universities worldwide make use of MATLAB and Simulink as teaching tools. The company offers campus-wide licenses, as well as product suites designed specifically for students. They also provide courseware and curriculum materials that facilitate its use. Students learn computational skills that prepare them for careers in diverse computing disciplines, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI). The widespread use of the tool in education produces thousands of new graduates every year who are well-versed in its application and can step right into jobs that demand its use on a professional level.
There is an incredible diversity in the way MATLAB is used in science and industry. What follows is just a small sampling of the ways the tool is being used by scientists and engineers across the globe.
Real-time simulation and rapid prototyping are techniques that provide a fast and inexpensive method of verifying and evaluating designs for control and signal processing engineers. New designs can be tested in hardware in real-time and modifications can be made in minutes rather than days.
The mathematical modeling of complex systems is another area where MATLAB supplies enhanced capabilities to its users. It supports numeric and symbolic modeling, and paired with Simulink, creates a platform for the efficient development of embedded systems.
Physical modeling with the complementary Simscape product by Mathworks allows you to perform physical modeling that can be used throughout the development process. Combining the capabilities of MATLAB and Simulink enables deep learning and predictive maintenance to be incorporated into your models.
Taking advantage of the parallel computing capabilities of MATLAB speeds up data-intensive simulations and processing tasks. Make full use of multicore processors, GPUs, and cloud resources without making major changes to your workflows.
This is just a sampling of the ways MATLAB can be used to solve problems that require processing complex mathematical equations.
Examples of MATLAB in Action
A few concrete examples of MATLAB in action provide more insight into how the tool can benefit businesses in many different market sectors.
The utility and energy industry makes extensive use of modeling to ensure reliable power delivery to its customers. MATLAB and Simulink have been used to create a model of European power supply and demand to minimize costs and maintain optimal capacity across countries. Code can be directly implemented from its development platform to embedded systems for impressive gains in productivity.
Aerospace giant Airbus used Simulink to develop the fuel-management system on its Airbus A380. The complex system defines modes of operation on the ground and in flight and incorporates multiple thousands of states and transitions. The company saved months of development time and was able to handle additional complexity without the need to increase its staff.
The automotive industry is another area where MATLAB is accelerating the development of new technologies, such as Automated Driving and Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS). Functions such as control, planning, and perception can be simulated for testing, tuning, and integration purposes without the need for expensive prototype vehicles.
Why Should You Use MATLAB?
As can be seen from the collection of business and scientific disciplines making use of MATLAB, it provides extensive benefits that extend far beyond the classroom. So why should you consider MATLAB as a tool for your mathematical modeling and programming needs? Here are a few reasons to add MATLAB to your computing environment.
A large user base and extensive documentation make it easy to get up and running with MATLAB. Its almost universal use in education results in graduates who are well-versed in using the features of the tools to solve real-world problems. Companies are advised to employ young engineers with this skill set to take advantage of MATLAB’s capabilities for their business.
Code development is streamlined by the toolboxes made available to MATLAB users. The functionality provided by the toolboxes eliminates the need to write routines from scratch and lets developers try out ideas quickly and easily.
MATLAB code is concise with two lines of code being the equivalent of about 20 lines written in C++. This makes it much easier to understand the logic of code written by other programmers and facilitates sharing code among team members.
MATLAB is a mature programming platform that continues to add features and increase its functionality across the industrial, academic, and scientific worlds. It just might be the right time for you to see how it can be used to solve complex mathematical problems plaguing your company. | https://www.plcnext-community.net/news/why-you-should-use-matlab-in-your-next-automation-project/ |
Where Things Stand
Released on November 5 of last year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) regulations required all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their employees are fully vaccinated (all shots taken), although an employer may allow employees to submit weekly test results as an alternative, with an original compliance date of January 4.
Since the release of the ETS, a number of lawsuits were filed challenging its constitutionality, which saw disparate rulings by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth and Sixth Circuits regarding staying the regulation’s implementation. This resulted in the case being accepted by the U.S. Supreme Court, which has scheduled special oral arguments for Friday, January 7, on whether the ETS regulations should be stayed pending further consideration on the merits of the challenges.
While legally the ETS is in effect as of January 4, OSHA released the following policy statement: “To account for any uncertainty created by the stay, OSHA is exercising enforcement discretion with respect to the compliance dates of the ETS. To provide employers with sufficient time to come into compliance, OSHA will not issue citations for noncompliance with any requirements of the ETS before January 10 and will not issue citations for noncompliance with the standard’s testing requirements before February 9, so long as an employer is exercising reasonable, good faith efforts to come into compliance with the standard.”
Given the pending legal decisions and the potential for U.S. Supreme Court action, many Capital Region businesses – if ultimately implemented and enforced, the ETS would impact over 550 area businesses and affect approximately 140,000 employees – are uncertain about how to proceed or what, if anything, they should be doing to prepare at this time.
While BRAC has consistently and strongly encouraged adoption of COVID mitigation measures like face-coverings and vaccinations, BRAC has also had deep concerns about the appropriateness and enforceability of the mandate, along with the burden placed on employers to be responsible for following OSHA’s confusing and potentially costly implementation procedures.
Be that as it may, and although it’s possible the U.S. Supreme Court may reimpose a stay or ultimately strike down the regulations, the fact is that the ETS is now in effect. And given the stakes involved – a maximum penalty of $13,653 for any single serious violation, and a further penalty of not more than $13,563 per day for a failure to abate the violation, as well as a total penalty of $136,532 for repeated and willful violations of OSHA rules – there are steps that the region’s larger employers should reasonably begin taking.
Next Steps and Resources
According to a summary of OSHA’s recent policy statement by the National Law Review, the timeline for important dates that employers should be aware of is as follows:
- Immediately, employers must start taking good faith steps to come into compliance with the standard.
- January 10, 2022, is the new deadline to have a written policy, require masking for unvaccinated employees and provide PTO for employees to get vaccinated.
- February 9, 2022, is the new deadline to require unvaccinated employees to begin testing weekly for COVID-19.
What this means in practical terms is that employers, by as early as next Monday, should attempt to have in place a mandatory vaccine policy, a sample template of which can be found here, and a vaccine, face-covering and testing policy, a sample template of which can be found here. To begin implementing the testing policy for unvaccinated employees by the February 9 deadline, employers would be prudent to also begin, if they haven’t already, asking for proof of employee vaccination status and conducting an assessment of which employees must undergo testing.
Which brings us to the thorny issue of testing, and the questions area employers are most seeking answers for prior to February 9. For a guidance, BRAC recommends that employers refer to OSHA’s 3-page overview on testing, found here, which explains, in addition to implementation information, that “OSHA intends to preempt any State or local requirements that ban or limit an employer from requiring vaccination, face covering, or testing,” and that the “ETS does not require employers to pay for any costs associated with testing.”
Another common question employers have centers on the prevalence of workers who work from home or offsite. While these employees must be counted toward the 100-employee threshold, according to the OSHA overview: “The ETS does not apply to employees who do not report to a workplace where other individuals such as coworkers or customers are present, employees while they are working from home, or employees who work exclusively outdoors.”
A complete Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page can be found here.
The OSHA overview and FAQ, however, do not address one of the country’s and Capital Region’s most pressing challenges: the availability of COVID tests. To assist, employers are encouraged to share the following resources with their employees:
- To find a COVID testing site near you, dial 211;
- Visit https://ldh.la.gov/page/3934 for the Louisiana Department of Health’s testing information page, which provides testing sites by parish;
- Visit https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/covid19/testing?ban=covid_vanity_testing, the LDH-Walgreens page with information about locations providing drive through tests at no cost to the patient. | https://brac.org/update-on-federal-vaccination-mandate-what-capital-area-businesses-with-100-or-more-employees-need-to-know/ |
Most people sum up their short-term mission trip with “It was a great experience!” And this is something that Envision loves to hear as participants return home after a trip! What can happen, however, is that we end up preparing for a trip hoping for that response. We want our participants to have a great experience, which can lead us to plan trips losing sight of the long-term discipling component, turning the posture of STM into one that is purely experiential.
STM with an experiential posture is centered around “me.” What can this experience do for me? Will I enjoy it? What food will I eat and will I like it? What could happen that could ruin my experience? This event, place, people, trip is happening around and for me. The short-term trip becomes an isolate experience that the participant will either love or hate, enjoy or discard, remember or try to forget.
A discipleship posture for STM becomes a posture that seeks to empty oneself for the sake of the gospel in someone else’s life. This posture leads to an embrace of moments during a STM trip that purge any self- promoting, self-seeking or self-glorifying motives or actions. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24) What can I lay down? What do I need to deny? What is taking priority over following Jesus in this mission in front of me?
As trip leaders and those who receive teams, we must be intentional to move our participants from an experiential posture to a discipleship posture. Since an experiential posture towards STM is easy and comes naturally, as leaders, our job is to help create the atmosphere and approach that brings about a discipling posture. Engage your team in asking these types of questions -- How can I be the best version of myself in this place? How can this place change me? What can I learn here? How do I leave this place and be further along in my journey towards reflecting the fullness of Christ? What is God saying in this moment? How does this trip influence the long-term journey as a disciple of Jesus?
One of the key ways we are able to move participants from experiential to a discipling posture, happens through relationships and mentoring. “It’s our job, as leaders of these trips, to develop the relationships it takes to sustain the growth that happens in the greenhouse of a missions trip when these individuals come back home (previous blog entry).” STM is unique in that it is usually centralized on being a collective experience. Whether it is an intern partnering with a long-term worker on the field or a group of classmates taking a week-long group trip, STM is not meant to be done alone. This trip needs to be connected to a participants’ overall spiritual formation, and the participant needs to have a healthy connection to the corporate body of Christ to continue to fuel the sparks once they return. STM offers the Church an opportunity for an environment, outside the four walls, to cultivate deep mentoring relationships that can have long-term impact on the longevity and growth of the participant as well as the life of the church.
As a trip leader or as one receiving teams, the misperception is that a STM experience is for the participants that you are leading. On the contrary, life on life discipleship is how Jesus modeled how to lead discipleship. When shifting from an experiential posture to a discipleship posture, the trip now becomes an opportunity for you to model and share the ways God is speaking and working in your life. Jesus heard the voice of the Father and modeled how to obey it. Share openly with your team what God is speaking to you. As you prepare for the trip and while on the trip, God will be speaking and shaping you. Lead your team by being the first to take on a discipling posture. True mentorship engages authentically in the discipleship that is taking place in your own heart, as you engage with what God is doing in the hearts of those your leading.
Set clear expectations of priority. It is not about individual’s comfort or expectations, but rather about God’s mission. Some of the most soul shaping moments a participant may have on a short-term trip may be experiences that are uncomfortable, awkward, and not enjoyable. Setting clear expectations that participants’ comfort and enjoyment are not the priority can help lower the automatic defenses that may arise when a participant faces these types of moments on a trip. Setting clear expectations allows participants to remain open to how God may be on mission, even if it’s not personally a great experience. I personally have reflected back on many experiences on short term trips that were not my personal preference and have later been filled with gratitude in seeing how God used those moments to further his mission. When we seek the “best experience” we often exclude the very experiences God wants us to have to shape us as his disciples.
Value the mentoring relationship with the participants more than cultivating an experience for them. Have courage to ask the deeper, harder questions. Connect the trip to the longer journey of discipleship.
Sign up to get our free e-book resource at the end of this series!
Jen Schepens serves as the operations specialist for Envision, focusing on the operational and administrative processes, as well as organizing and planning Envision gatherings. She’s excited to have the brain space and time to explore Colorado, having just recently completed her MDiv. Jen is a Mets fan and loves baking, antique shopping, treats and snoozin', snoozin' and treats. | https://www.weareenvision.com/blog/reimagine-part-4 |
Movie theaters will be among those allowed to reopen on Friday
Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell announced that local movie theaters will be among those allowed to reopen on Friday, after Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s lifted restrictions in most of the state.
“Restaurants, gyms and other businesses that cater to the public are open, so it didn’t make sense to keep movie theaters closed,” County Executive Odell said. “We need to help businesses come back, not stand in their way. Plus, people are feeling Covid fatigue. We have to give them options and trust they will make the right decisions to stay safe.”
Over the weekend, Gov. Cuomo lifted the lockdown order on movie theaters in counties outside of New York City with no cluster zones and where the 14-day average infection rate is lower than 2%, which leaves out Rockland and Orange counties.
Putnam County Legislature Chairwoman Toni Addonizio, whose district includes the Carmel Cinema 8 on Route 52, said she was relieved that the governor had finally allowed movie theaters to reopen.
“This is good news for the theater owners and their employees, who have had to wait too long for their jobs to return,” Chairwoman Addonizio said. “It’s also good for our community. People have adjusted to wearing masks and washing their hands often to protect themselves from Covid-19, but they haven’t adjusted to the isolation and disruption of normal life. This is another step on the road back to normal.”
To reopen, movie theaters must follow certain restrictions: the theaters must limit capacity to 25 percent with no more than 50 people per screen; patrons must wear masks except when seated and eating or drinking; theaters must assign seating and even groups of friends will have to socially distance; air filtration systems and ventilation will have to meet state standards; and additional staff will be required to ensure rules are followed.
Putnam County is continuing to support its entire business community throughout the reopening process, Deputy County Executive Thomas Feighery said.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic we have utilized all the resources of Putnam County to partner with all businesses to navigate through each of the state’s phases for reopening,” Feighery said. “Some industries, like movie theaters, seem to have been unfairly left behind, and we have been advocating for their chance to safely reopen. We continue to partner with county businesses to ensure they have every tool they need to survive in this uncharted year.”
Kathleen Abels, president of the Putnam County Economic Development Corporation called the cinema’s reopening an important step forward.
“I am hopeful that with movie theaters reopening outside of red zones, live theater performances will soon be allowed,” Abels said. “Limited capacity, assigned seating and additional cleaning are really just common-sense approaches that mimic the guidelines for other sectors. | http://www.putnamcountyny.com/category/county-executive/ |
Description & Features
This fun, thought provoking 48-page book of puzzles, develops mathematical reasoning and critical thinking skills that are vital to achieving academic and lifelong success. They're great for introducing students to encryption, algebraic thinking, and basic computer programming operations.
Each puzzle requires students to break a secret code so they can identify a hidden quotation. To break the code, students must apply logic and mathematical reasoning to 3-sets of clues. The challenge is getting all the information out of each clue! Once students break the code, they can solve the cryptogram by substituting the numbers with their corresponding code letters. This book familiarizes students with classic quotations from famous thinkers such as Albert Einstein, Voltaire, Socrates, and more! | https://www.criticalthinking.com/crypto-mind-benders-famous-quotations.html |
INTRODUCTION {#sec1-1}
============
Terminal transverse amputations are characterized by the absence of distal portions of the extremities extending across the width of the limb/autopod.[@ref1], [@ref2] Hand amputation most often has traumatic etiology and its congenital presentation is very rare. In most of the reported cases it had unilateral, isolated and sporadic occurrence.[@ref3], [@ref4]
Data on congenital transverse amputation (CTA) in Pakistani patients are scarce and there is no systematic documentation of such cases. In this communication, we present six individuals with variable degrees of CTA through hand/palm.
SUBJECTS {#sec1-2}
========
Six individuals (4M,2F) with CTA were ascertained during 2011-2015 from different regions across Pakistan ([Table-I](#T1){ref-type="table"}). Clinical evaluations were performed with the help of local physicians and the cases were classified according to the scheme proposed by Blauth and Gekeler.[@ref5] An informed consent was obtained from each individual or his/her parents. The study was approved by the Ethical Review Committee of the Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.
######
Demographic attributes and phenotypic manifestation in individuals with hand/palm amputation.
Variable Individual
----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------- ------------------- ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
*Demographics*
Gender/age(yrs) M/7 M/20 F/8 F/16 M/12 M/8
Geographic origin Southern-Punjab Interior-Sindh Upper-Punjab South-KPK North-KPK North-KPK
Caste/language Arain/Punjabi Lashari/Saraiki Laang/Saraiki Pathan/Pushto Khowar/Shauteye Swati/Pushto
Parental consanguinity Distantly related First cousin Distantly related Non-related Non-related Non-related
Paternal and maternal age at patient's birth (year) 40/38 20/18 29/22 27/23 29/28 37/30
Patient's parity 4 of 4 1 of 5 1 of 3 1 of 7 3 of 4 7 of 9
No. of normal sibs (B:S) 0:1 1:3 1:1 4:2 1:2 3:5
*Phenotype*
Affected hand Left Right Right Left Left Left
Amputation axis Palm, median Palm, proximal Palm, median Palm, median Palm, proximal Phalanges, proximal
Fingers Bead like remnants of fingers 2-5 Digits 2-5 absent Bead like remnants of fingers 2-5; Digits 2-5 absent Digits 1-4 absent, 5^th^ digit present All fingers affected
Thumb Terminal hypoplasia, short nail Short, distal symphlangism Terminal hypoplasia Unaffected Absent Terminal hypoplasia, short nail
Affected arm, reduced/short \+ + \+ ++ \+ ++ No
Contralateral arm Mild shortening of zeugopod and stylopod Medial inclination of index finger; crowding of carpals Left thumb with extra palmer creases Unaffected Unaffected Unaffected
Others Carpals absent; hypoplastic metacarpals Fused carpals; metacarpals 2-4 not visible; reduced metacarpal 5 Swelling on left throat
+=mild; ++=moderate.
The CTA of hand was essentially unilateral in all the cases and there was no family history of limb or any other congenital malformation. There were amputations of variable degrees which resulted in loss of four fingers, mostly postaxial ([Table-I](#T1){ref-type="table"}). The individuals also exhibited affected limb-length discrepancy compared to the contralateral arm. Palmer creases were distorted. In five of the six cases the feet were unremarkable. All individuals had normal IQ and no associated anomaly was evident in gross physical examination. The patients had functional restrictions in their daily/occupational lives. The snapshot of CTA phenotype is given below:
Case I {#sec2-1}
------
The individual was fourth in the sibship of four. Reportedly, the first pregnancy of his mother was delayed for three years and the first two sibs (females) died in postpartum. The individual was observed to have CTA through his left palm. Fingers 2-5 were represented by bead-like remnants and there was distortion of palmer dermatoglyphics ([Fig.1A](#F1){ref-type="fig"}). Roentgenographs revealed aplastic/hypoplastic carpals, absent metacarpals, terminal hypoplasia of first digital ray, and mild shortening of radius/ulna ([Fig.1B](#F1){ref-type="fig"}-[C](#F1){ref-type="fig"}).
{#F1}
Case II {#sec2-2}
-------
This male patient was observed to have CTA of right hand through the palm. A short thumb was evident in the affected hand ([Fig.1D](#F1){ref-type="fig"}). Roentgenographs depicted absence of several carpals and metacarpals; metacarpal 5 was represented by a small peg-like osseous element, and there was terminal symphalangism of first digital ray ([Fig.1E](#F1){ref-type="fig"}). In the left hand, there was medial inclination of index finger and crowding of carpals. In the feet, there was bilateral hypertrophy of first digital ray with hallux valgus ([Fig.1F](#F1){ref-type="fig"}).
Case III {#sec2-3}
--------
There was CTA of right hand which culminated in four nubbin-like digits and a relatively normal thumb ([Fig.2A](#F2){ref-type="fig"}). Characteristic dermatoglyphics were evident.
{#F2}
Case IV {#sec2-4}
-------
The individual had CTA through the medial axis of left palm and digits 2-5 were completely omitted. The thumb appeared unaffected ([Fig.2B](#F2){ref-type="fig"}).
Case V {#sec2-5}
------
The left hand exhibited CTA through the proximal plan of palm ([Fig.2C](#F2){ref-type="fig"}). Fingers 1-4 were completely omitted and only the 5^th^ finger was present. The affected arm was markedly reduced in size.
Case VI {#sec2-6}
-------
The individual had CTA through the left hand ([Fig.2D](#F2){ref-type="fig"}). Fingers 2-5 were amputated at their bases while the thumb showed terminal deficiency.
DISCUSSION {#sec1-3}
==========
The CTA is generally reported as symbrachydactyly. In a retrospective study on patients with terminal amputations, Kallemeier et al.[@ref3] concluded that transverse deficiency through the forearm represents a proximal continuum of symbrachydactyly. The six cases presented here show remarkable similarities with each other and were concordant with symbrachydactyly type III or monodactylous type;[@ref5] the hallmark of this type is the absence of all fingers other than the thumb, including parts of the metacarpals. Interestingly, in one of our cases the amputated fingers were preaxial including the thumb and only the 5^th^ finger was present.
Nubbin-like digits appear to be an occasional feature of symbrachydactyly. Two of our patients also exhibited soft nubbin-like finger remnants at the distal border of affected hand. Kallemeier et al.[@ref3] observed that 71% of the 291 patients with upper-extremity transverse deficiency had soft tissue nubbins at the end of their amputations. We also observed that left hand was more commonly affected than the right. De Smet et al.[@ref4] recruited patients with symbrachydactyly and observed that the involvement of left hand was twice as common as right. The authors also witnessed that unilateral cases were customary.
The unilateral and isolated nature in most of the cases of symbrachydactyly supports the nongenetic etiology. However, involvement of this anomaly with other syndromes likes Adams-Oliver syndrome (OMIM-100300) and ADAM complex (OMIM-217100) may suggest genetic factors in certain types. Other hypothesis than the vascular disruption explaining symbrachydactyly and associated syndromes have been proposed.[@ref6] The mesenchymal failure of the arm bud may cause terminal aplasia or intercalated deficiency.
Hand amputations have devastating effect on the lives of the individuals. CTA have not gained much attention in Pakistan.[@ref7], [@ref8] CTA not only affect the functioning of hand but also put great social and psychological burden on the patients.[@ref8], [@ref9] Such individuals remain highly disadvantaged in daily and occupational lives. There is a dire need to launch further studies for a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence, determinants and etiology of these anomalies in Pakistan.
We highly acknowledge the participation of the patients in this study. The cooperation of doctors at various medical institutes of Pakistan is also appreciated.
***Declaration of interest:*** None declared.
***Financial Disclosures:*** None.
***Grant support:*** HEC-Pakistan and PSF-Islamabad.
{#sec1-4}
Authors' Contribution {#sec2-7}
---------------------
**SM** conceived and designed the study.
**HFR, KL, SU, NAB and WU** did the field work and collected data.
**SM** drafted the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.
| |
Sorry, there is no description.
- Product No.: FH7555
Size: S
- A Bust 50 cm
- B Back length 43 cm
- C Sleeve measurement 63 cm
Our model is wearing size S in this picture and has the following measurements:
- (1) Chest measurement: 84 cm
- (2) Waist measurement: 68 cm
- (3) Hip measurement: 93 cm
- (4) Height: 1,68 m
Important: Chest-, waist-, hip measurements and inside leg always depend on the relevant manufacturer and their size charts. Therefore, a universal indication will never correspond 100% with the actual sizes! | https://us.def-shop.com/adidas-originals-cropped-sweater-black.html |
Yaniv Masjedi is chief marketing officer at Nextiva, a business cloud-communications company based in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he manages the company's marketing and branding efforts.
Growing up in LA, Yaniv went to UCLA for political science, fully intending on going to law school afterwards, but that changed when he took a job at IPOWER, a web hosting company in Santa Monica. The company was growing rapidly, and he found it exciting to be part of a team on the cutting edge of technology. He worked in sales at first, and a few months in, a marketing role opened up.
Even though Yaniv never took a marketing class, he jumped at the opportunity and immediately fell in love with marketing. IPOWER merged with Endurance International Group, and in 2006 its founder, Tomas Gorny, came up with the idea for Nextiva. Tomas wanted to transform business communication, starting with phone service. He was tired of the lack of innovation and poor care for customers and employees. Nextiva was the answer for an entire industry. Inspired by this, Yaniv joined him at Nextiva and was part of the founding team. Nextiva welcomed its first customer in 2008.
From the beginning, Nextiva’s leadership team has always been focused on growing the business for the longterm, not having an exit strategy and doing right by their employees and customers. Today the company has expanded beyond VoIP, employing 1,000 team members all over the world, serving more than 150,000 business customers, and is growing more every day.
In his role as CMO, Yaniv initiates programs related to brand management, demand generation, advertising, marketing communications and thought leadership. In addition to his work at Nextiva, he also writes on various business topics for leading publications. | https://thecrowdfundingformula.com/ask-me-anything/Ama-With-Alo-Aloyan |
A reputable Restaurant and Bar is looking for a talented prep cook to join our team. We are looking to grow rapidly by opening up multiple restaurants in the region. We are looking for someone who is reliable and dependable with a passion for food and cooking.
*Under new management!*
Job Requirements:
- Follow the prep list created by chefs to plan duties
- Label and stock all ingredients on shelves so they can be organized and easily accessible
- Measure ingredients and seasonings to be used in cooking
- Prepare cooking ingredients by washing and chopping vegetables, cutting meat etc.
- Undertake basic cooking duties such as reducing sauces, parboiling food etc.
- Prepare simple dishes such as salads, entrees, etc.
- Maintain a clean and orderly kitchen by washing dishes, sanitizing surfaces, taking out trash etc.
- Ensure all food and other items are stored properly
- Comply with nutrition and sanitation guidelines
- Perform other kitchen duties as assigned
Qualifications:
- Minimum of 2 years experience as a Prep Cook
- Culinary degree preferred
- Knife skills
- Flexible schedule is mandatory
- Basic math skills
Personal Requirements: | https://local.job-applications.com/job-details/?jobid=8783770325 |
BACKGROUND
SUMMARY
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Underlying Knowledge Forming Basis of the Present Disclosure
EMBODIMENT 1
MODIFICATION OF EMBODIMENT 1
EMBODIMENT 2
EMBODIMENT 3
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a hydrogen generator and a fuel cell system both incorporating a hydro-desulfurizer that removes sulfur from raw material gas through reaction with a portion of a hydrogen-containing gas.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fuel cell system that uses hydrocarbon as raw material gas (raw fuel gas) involves reforming the raw material gas by, for example, using steam in the presence of a reforming catalyst. The raw material gas contains a sulfur compound, which may have been added as an odorant or originate from the starting material from which the gas has been made. The sulfur compound, damaging to the reforming catalyst, needs to be removed from the raw material gas.
An example of a desulfurizer, a piece of equipment that removes sulfur from something, is a hydro-desulfurizer. The operation of a hydro-desulfurizer involves hydrodesulfurization, a process of allowing sulfur to react with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst (Ni—Mo or Co—Mo) and then making the produced hydrogen sulfide adsorbed onto zinc oxide. To meet this need for hydrogen in hydrodesulfurization, a hydro-desulfurizer has a reformer that produces a fuel gas part of which is supplied to the desulfurizer (e.g., see Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-356308).
The technology described in this patent application, however, has room for improvement in terms of maintaining the efficiency of the hydrogen generator.
One non-limiting and exemplary embodiment provides a hydrogen generator and a fuel cell system with little decrease in the efficiency of the hydrogen generator.
In one general aspect, the techniques disclosed here feature a fuel cell system. The fuel cell system has a reformer, a temperature detector, a hydro-desulfurizer, a recycle gas passage, a raw material gas flow detector, and a controller. The reformer produces hydrogen-containing gas from raw material gas through reforming. The temperature detector detects the temperature of the reformer. The hydro-desulfurizer removes sulfur from the raw material gas through hydrodesulfurization. The recycle flow passage is a passage through which recycle gas as a portion of the hydrogen-containing gas is supplied to the hydro-desulfurizer. The raw material gas flow detector is located somewhere in a flow passage for the raw material gas upstream of a junction of the recycle gas and the raw material gas and detects the flow rate of the raw material gas. The controller controls the flow rate of the recycle gas in accordance with the temperature of the reformer, the flow rate of the raw material gas, and the flow rate of the recycle gas.
The present disclosure advantageously makes hydrogen generators and fuel cell systems with less decrease in efficiency.
It should be noted that general or specific embodiments may be implemented as a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, a storage medium, or any selective combination thereof.
Additional benefits and advantages of the disclosed embodiments will become apparent from the specification and drawings. The benefits and/or advantages may be individually obtained by the various embodiments and features of the specification and drawings, which need not all be provided in order to obtain one or more of such benefits and/or advantages.
The inventors conducted studies on maintaining the efficiency of a hydrogen generator and a fuel cell system. The fuel-reforming system according to the above patent application involves controlling the flow rate of recycle gas to keep the ratio of the flow rate of the raw fuel to that of the recycle gas constant. The hydrogen content of the fuel gas, however, varies with the temperature of the reforming section. This may cause the hydrogen supply to the desulfurizing section to be smaller than required for hydrodesulfurization, resulting in incomplete hydrodesulfurization. The residual sulfur in the raw fuel gas damages the reforming catalyst and affects the efficiency of the hydrogen generator.
In search of a solution to this, the inventors found that it is possible to keep the operation of the hydrogen generator, and therefore a fuel cell system incorporating it, efficient by controlling the flow rate of the recycle gas in accordance with the temperature of the reformer, the flow rate of the raw material gas, and the flow rate of the recycle gas. The present disclosure is based on these findings.
A hydrogen generator according to a first aspect of the present disclosure has a reformer, a temperature detector, a hydro-desulfurizer, a recycle gas passage, a raw material gas flow detector, and a controller. The reformer produces hydrogen-containing gas from raw material gas through reforming. The temperature detector detects the temperature of the reformer. The hydro-desulfurizer removes sulfur from the raw material gas through hydrodesulfurization. The recycle flow passage is a passage through which recycle gas as a portion of the hydrogen-containing gas is supplied to the hydro-desulfurizer. The raw material gas flow detector is located somewhere in a flow passage for the raw material gas upstream of a junction of the recycle gas and the raw material gas and detects the flow rate of the raw material gas. The controller controls the flow rate of the recycle gas in accordance with the temperature of the reformer, the flow rate of the raw material gas, and the flow rate of the recycle gas.
This ensures that even if the hydrogen content of the recycle gas varies due to changes in, for example, the temperature of the reformer, the flow rate of the recycle gas is accordingly controlled, making more reliable the process of removing sulfur from the raw material gas through hydrodesulfurization to keep the hydrogen content of the recycle gas high enough for hydrodesulfurization. This reduces sulfur-related damage to the catalyst and other components, thereby keeping the hydrogen generator efficient.
A hydrogen generator according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is based on the first aspect, and the controller of this hydrogen generator controls the flow rate of the recycle gas to keep the hydrogen content of a raw material after return constant. This makes the process of removing sulfur from the raw material gas through hydrodesulfurization even more reliable, further protecting the efficiency of the hydrogen generator.
A hydrogen generator according to a third aspect of the present disclosure is based on the second aspect, and the controller controls the flow rate of the recycle gas to make the hydrogen content of the recycle gas equal to or lower than a predetermined limit. For example, if a predetermined limit based on the capacity of a flow regulator for the raw material gas is used, the flow rate of the recycle gas is controlled to make the hydrogen content of the recycle gas equal to or lower than this limit. This prevents the flow rate of the raw material gas from exceeding the capacity of the flow regulator for the raw material gas with increasing flow rate of the recycle gas.
A hydrogen generator according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure is based on any one of the first to third aspects, and this hydrogen generator further has a recycle gas flow detector that detects the flow rate of the recycle gas.
A fuel cell system according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure has a hydrogen generator and a fuel cell. The hydrogen generator is according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, and the fuel cell produces electricity using hydrogen-containing gas supplied from the hydrogen generator. The reliable removal of sulfur from the raw material gas through hydrodesulfurization reduces sulfur-related damage to the electrodes and other components of the fuel cell, thereby keeping the entire fuel cell system efficient.
A fuel cell system according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure is based on the fifth aspect, and the fuel cell of this fuel cell system is a solid oxide fuel cell. The reliable removal of sulfur from the raw material gas through hydrodesulfurization keeps a fuel cell system efficient even when the system incorporates a solid oxide fuel cell, which is used with a hydrogen generator having no shift converter.
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FIG. 1
FIG. 1
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This section describes the structure of a hydrogen generator according to Embodiment 1 with reference to . is a block diagram that schematically illustrates an example of a structure of the hydrogen generator according to Embodiment 1. The hydrogen generator has a hydro-desulfurizer , a reformer , a temperature detector a raw material gas flow detector , a raw material gas flow regulator , a recycle gas flow regulator , a raw material gas flow passage a hydrogen-containing gas flow passage a recycle flow passage , and a controller .
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The raw material gas flow passage is a passage through which raw material gas is supplied to the reformer . The raw material gas flow passage connects a raw material gas source (not illustrated) and the reformer . Examples of the raw material gas source include a cylinder containing the raw material gas or an infrastructure that provides the raw material gas. The raw material gas is supplied from the raw material gas source at a predetermined pressure.
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The raw material gas is a gas that contains an organic compound composed of at least carbon and hydrogen, such as methane-based manufactured or natural gases and LPG. The raw material gas contains a sulfur compound, which may have been added as an odorant or originate in the starting material from which the gas has been made. For example, a kind of town gas contains dimethyl sulfide (CHS, DMS) as an odorant. Examples of odorants other than DMS include TBM (CHS) and THT (CHS).
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The raw material gas flow detector is a sensor that detects the flow rate of the raw material (volume or mass per unit time of the raw material gas) supplied from the raw material gas source. The raw material gas flow detector is located somewhere in the raw material gas flow passage upstream of the junction of recycle gas and the raw material gas.
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The raw material gas flow regulator is a piece of equipment that regulates the flow rate of the raw material gas flowing in the raw material gas passage The raw material gas flow regulator is located somewhere in the raw material gas flow passage downstream of the raw material gas flow detector . The raw material gas flow regulator is composed of, for example, a booster and a flow control valve. It is also possible that one of these two is the only component of the raw material gas flow regulator . A non-limiting example of the booster is a constant-delivery pump.
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The hydro-desulfurizer is a reactor that removes sulfur from the raw material gas through hydrodesulfurization. The hydro-desulfurizer is located somewhere in the raw material gas flow passage downstream of the raw material gas flow regulator . The hydro-desulfurizer has a container (not illustrated) loaded with a desulfurizing agent for hydrodesulfurization.
The desulfurizing agent for hydrodesulfurization is composed of, for example, a reaction catalyst and an adsorption catalyst. The reaction catalyst catalyzes hydrodesulfurization, i.e., reaction of the sulfur compound in the raw material gas with hydrogen. Examples include Ni—Mo and Co—Mo catalysts. The adsorption catalyst is somewhere in the flow of the raw material gas downstream of the reaction catalyst. The adsorption catalyst is a sulfur adsorbent that adsorbs hydrogen sulfide resulting from hydrodesulfurization. Examples include ZnO and CuZn catalysts. These types of desulfurizing agents, in which a Ni—Mo or Co—Mo catalyst and a ZnO or CuZn catalyst is used, remove a large amount of sulfur per unit area. Even a small amount of such a desulfurizing agent therefore allows the removal of sulfur to an intended sulfur level.
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The temperature suitable for a process of hydrodesulfurization using a CuZn catalyst is in the range of, for example, 10° C. to 40° C., desirably 150° C. to 300° C. CuZn catalysts adsorb sulfur mainly through a physical mechanism at low temperatures, and through a chemical mechanism (HS+ZnO→HO+ZnS) at high temperatures. This adsorption process reduces the sulfur content of the raw material gas to, for example, 1 vol. ppb (parts per billion) or less, usually 0.1 vol. ppb or less.
For example, DMS is removed from the raw material gas through a process of hydrodesulfurization represented by the following reaction formulae (1) and (2):
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CHS+2H→2CH+HS (1)
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HS+ZnO→HO+ZnS (2)
The desulfurizing agent for hydrodesulfurization does not always have to be a combination of a reaction catalyst and an adsorption catalyst. For example, it is possible that a CuZn catalyst is the only component of the desulfurizing agent. CuZn catalysts act in two ways, bringing sulfur compounds into hydrodesulfurization with hydrogen and adsorbing hydrogen sulfide.
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The reformer is a reactor that produces hydrogen-containing gas from the raw material gas through reforming. The reformer is connected to the raw material gas flow passage downstream of the hydro-desulfurizer and is also connected to the hydrogen-containing gas flow passage The reformer has been loaded with a catalyst for reforming (reforming catalyst). Examples of the reforming catalyst include spheres of AlO(alumina) having their surface impregnated with Ni and spheres of AlOhaving their surface attached with ruthenium.
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The reforming process can be of any form, such as steam reforming, autothermal reforming, and partial oxidation. Steam reforming is more efficient than the other forms. The reformer has equipment essential for the selected form of reforming. For example, if steam reforming is used, the reformer has a burner (not illustrated) that heats it, an evaporator (not illustrated) that produces steam, and a water supply system (not illustrated) that supplies water to the evaporator. If autothermal reforming is used, the reformer has an air supply system (not illustrated) that supplies air to it.
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The temperature detector is a sensor that detects the temperature of the reformer . In this embodiment, the reformer is fit with a temperature detector The structure of the temperature detector is not critical as long as the temperature of the reforming catalyst in the reformer can be directly or indirectly detected. The temperature detector may therefore be located in contact with the reforming catalyst to detect the temperature of the reforming catalyst directly, and it is also possible to place the temperature detector somewhere the temperature correlates with that of the reforming catalyst (e.g., on the surface of or around the reactor of the reformer ) to detect the temperature of the reforming catalyst indirectly. Examples of the temperature detector include a thermocouple and a thermistor.
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The recycle flow passage is a flow passage for mixing a portion of the hydrogen-containing gas (recycle gas) with the raw material gas upstream of the hydro-desulfurizer . The upstream end of the recycle flow passage is connected to the hydrogen-containing gas flow passage The downstream end of the recycle flow passage is connected to the raw material gas flow passage between the raw material gas flow detector and the raw material gas flow regulator .
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The recycle gas flow regulator is a piece of equipment that regulates the flow rate of the recycle gas flowing in the recycle flow passage . The recycle gas flow regulator is located somewhere in the recycle flow passage . The structure of the recycle gas flow regulator is not critical as long as the flow rate of the recycle gas can be regulated. Examples of the recycle gas flow regulator include a flow control valve and a pressure control valve.
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Besides regulating the flow rate of the recycle gas, the recycle gas flow regulator may serve as a recycle gas flow detector, a piece of equipment that detects the flow rate of the recycle gas. It is also possible that the recycle gas flow regulator is a combination of a regulator and a detector for the flow rate of the recycle gas.
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The controller is capable of controlling the flow rate of the recycle gas in accordance with the temperature of the reformer , the flow rate of the raw material gas, and the flow rate of the recycle gas. The controller has a processor (not illustrated) and an information storage section (not illustrated). Examples of the processor include an MPU and a CPU. The information storage section stores a control program, examples including a memory. The controller may be a single control section responsible for centralized control or a group of multiple controlling sections that work in concert for decentralized control.
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FIG. 2
FIG. 2
The following describes an example of how the hydrogen generator operates (the control of the hydrogen generator ) with reference to . The hydrogen generator operates under control of the controller . is a flow diagram that illustrates an example of an operation of the hydrogen generator .
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The controller first communicates with the raw material gas flow detector and acquires the flow rate of the raw material gas supplied from the raw material gas source (step S). The sulfur compound in the raw material gas has been identified and quantified beforehand. The relationship between the flow rate of the raw material gas and the quantity of hydrogen required for hydrodesulfurization (hereinafter referred to as “required hydrogen content A”) has therefore already been established in the form of a data table or similar through the use of the quantity and identity of the sulfur compound in the raw material gas and reaction formula (1) above. This relationship is applied to derive the required hydrogen content A from the acquired flow rate of the raw material gas (step S).
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The controller then acquires the temperature of the reformer from the temperature detector (step S). The conversion of the raw material gas through reforming at the reformer depends on the temperature of the reformer . The conversion of the raw material gas is defined as the proportion of the flow rate of the raw material gas used for reforming to that of the raw material gas supplied to the reformer (i.e., the flow rate of the raw material gas detected by the raw material gas flow detector ). The relationship between the conversion of the raw material gas and the temperature of the reformer has been determined beforehand in the form of, for example, a data table through experiments or similar. This relationship between conversion and temperature is applied to derive the conversion of the raw material gas at the reformer from the temperature of the reformer (step S).
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The controller then acquires the flow rate of the recycle gas from the recycle gas flow regulator (step S). The recycle gas contains hydrogen resulting from reforming and residual raw material gas after reforming. The conversion of the raw material gas in the reforming process and the flow rate of the recycle gas have already been determined. Likewise, the composition of the raw material gas (e.g., methane (CH)) and the form of reforming have already been determined. The composition of the raw material gas and the form of reforming decide the proportion of the quantity of hydrogen resulting from reforming to that of the raw material gas used for reforming. These three parameters, i.e., the proportion of the quantity of hydrogen to the quantity of the raw material gas, the conversion of the raw material gas, and the flow rate of the recycle gas, are used to compute the hydrogen content of the recycle gas (hereinafter referred to as “hydrogen content B”) (step S). The relationship among the conversion of the raw material gas, the flow rate of the recycle gas, and the hydrogen content B has been established beforehand.
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The controller then compares the required hydrogen content A and the hydrogen content B (step S). The unit of measurement of the required hydrogen content A and the hydrogen content B is, for example, the mole (mol).
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If the hydrogen content B is less than the required hydrogen content A (NO in step S), then the hydrogen content of the recycle gas is lower than required for hydrodesulfurization. In this case, therefore, the recycle gas flow regulator is controlled to increase the flow rate of the recycle gas. The hydrogen content of the recycle gas rises with increasing flow rate of the recycle gas. As a result, the quantity of hydrogen supplied to the hydro-desulfurizer increases to the level required for hydrodesulfurization.
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If the hydrogen content B is equal to or more than the required hydrogen content A (YES in step S), then the hydrogen content of the recycle gas is high enough for hydrodesulfurization. The process therefore returns to step S and repeats steps S to S.
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This embodiment involves controlling the flow rate of the recycle gas in accordance with the flow rate of the raw material gas, the temperature of the reformer , and the flow rate of the recycle gas and thereby making the hydrogen content of the recycle gas more than required for hydrodesulfurization. As a result, the hydrogen supply to the hydro-desulfurizer is large enough for hydrodesulfurization even if the hydrogen content of the recycle gas varies with changing temperature of the reformer . This prevents the sulfur compound from remaining in the raw material gas because of a lack of hydrogen. The damage to the reforming catalyst in the reformer caused by the sulfur compound in the raw material gas is therefore reduced, limiting the decrease in the efficiency of the hydrogen generator associated with damage to the reforming catalyst.
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After step S, the hydrogen content B may be compared with a predetermined limit. This limit is set to be greater than the required hydrogen content A. If the hydrogen content B is more than the predetermined limit, then the hydrogen content of the recycle gas is too much higher than required for hydrodesulfurization. The recycle gas flow regulator is therefore controlled to reduce the flow rate of the recycle gas. This prevents excessive flow of hydrogen into the recycle flow passage in cases such as decreased required hydrogen content A due to a drop in the flow rate of the raw material gas or any other cause. As a result, the hydrogen generator is kept efficient. In this way, the hydrogen content of a raw material after return is kept constant.
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FIG. 3
FIG. 3
A hydrogen generator according to a modification of Embodiment 1 has a condenser as illustrated in . is a block diagram that schematically illustrates an example of a structure of the hydrogen generator according to a modification of Embodiment 1.
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The condenser is a piece of equipment that removes steam from the recycle gas by making it condense. The condenser is located somewhere in the recycle flow passage upstream of the recycle gas flow regulator . The condenser may have a container to collect and store water condensed from steam (condensate). The structure of the condenser may be such that the collected condensate is used for reforming at the reformer .
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In place of the condenser , a container to collect condensate may be installed in the recycle flow passage . In this case, the container collects a condensate that forms when steam in the hydrogen-containing gas is cooled while flowing in the recycle flow passage . The structure of the container may be such that the collected condensate is used for reforming at the reformer .
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This modification involves removing steam from the recycle gas using a condenser . This keeps the recycle flow passage from being blocked with condensate, thereby preventing a decrease in the hydrogen supply from the recycle gas to the hydro-desulfurizer that would occur upon the blockage of the recycle flow passage . Any such decrease in hydrogen supply would cause incomplete removal of the sulfur compound from the raw material gas, and the residual sulfur compound would damage the reforming catalyst in the reformer . By preventing this sort of damage, this modification keeps the hydrogen generator efficient.
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FIG. 4
FIG. 4
A hydrogen generator according to Embodiment 2 executes steps S and S after step S as illustrated in . is a flow diagram that illustrates an example of an operation of the hydrogen generator according to Embodiment 2.
FIG. 4
FIG. 2
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To be more specific, the process flow in also follows steps S to S in . If the hydrogen content B is equal to or more than the required hydrogen content A (YES in step S), the controller compares the hydrogen content B and a predetermined limit X (step S). The predetermined limit X can be any value determined on the basis of factors such as the capacity and power consumption of the raw material gas flow regulator .
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For example, an increase in the flow rate of the recycle gas due to a change in the supply pressure of the raw material gas or any other cause leads to an increase in the flow rate of the gas that the raw material gas flow regulator delivers. This makes the hydrogen content B greater than the predetermined limit X (NO in step S). In such a case, the raw material gas flow regulator delivers the raw material gas improperly because the quantity of the gas the raw material gas flow regulator needs to deliver is beyond the capacity of the raw material gas flow regulator . Furthermore, increasing the flow rate of the recycle gas more than needed will lead to increasing the power consumption of the raw material gas flow regulator . The controller therefore controls the recycle gas flow regulator to reduce the flow rate of the recycle gas (step S).
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If the hydrogen content B is equal to or lower than the predetermined limit X (YES in step S), then the flow rate of the recycle gas is not too much higher than the flow rate based on factors such as the capacity of the raw material gas flow regulator . The process therefore returns to step S and repeats steps S to S.
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This embodiment involves controlling the flow rate of the recycle gas to make the hydrogen content B of the recycle gas equal to or lower than the predetermined limit X. This prevents improper delivery of the raw material gas from the raw material gas flow regulator that would occur if the flow rate of recycle gas increased. An adequate supply of the recycle gas is thus ensured, making more reliable the process of removing sulfur from the raw material gas. The damage to the reforming catalyst in the reformer caused by sulfur in the raw material gas is therefore reduced, limiting the decrease in the efficiency of the hydrogen generator associated with damage to the reforming catalyst. This embodiment also prevents an increase in the power consumption of the raw material gas flow regulator that would occur if the flow rate of the recycle gas increased, further protecting the efficiency of the hydrogen generator .
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FIG. 1
FIG. 3
In common with the hydrogen generator in , the hydrogen generator according to Embodiment 2 may be without a condenser . Alternatively, the hydrogen generator according to Embodiment 2 may have a condenser , like the hydrogen generator in .
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FIG. 5
FIG. 5
FIG. 5
FIG. 1
FIG. 2 or 4
A fuel cell system according to Embodiment 3 has a hydrogen generator and a fuel cell as illustrated in . is a block diagram that schematically illustrates an example of a structure of the fuel cell system according to Embodiment 3. Although having a condenser in , the hydrogen generator may be without a condenser , like the hydrogen generator in . The hydrogen generator operates as illustrated in .
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The fuel cell is a power-generating section that produces electricity using hydrogen-containing gas supplied from the hydrogen generator . The fuel cell is connected with the reformer of the hydrogen generator via the hydrogen-containing gas flow passage The fuel cell can be of any kind, desirably a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC).
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The reason for this is as follows. A fuel cell of any other kind, such as a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) or a phosphoric acid fuel cell, has its electrodes damaged by carbon monoxide contained in the hydrogen-containing gas. In this case the hydrogen generator is equipped with a shift converter, a piece of equipment that removes carbon monoxide through shift reaction. The shift reaction produces hydrogen, and the hydro-desulfurizer receives hydrogen produced by the shift converter in addition to hydrogen resulting from reforming. As a result, changes in hydrogen supply due to changes in the temperature of the reformer have little influence on hydrodesulfurization. In contract, a solid oxide fuel cell can use not only hydrogen but also carbon monoxide to produce electricity. In this case the hydrogen generator has no shift converter, and changes in hydrogen supply due to changes in the temperature of the reformer have influence on hydrodesulfurization. Thus, the flow rate of the recycle gas is controlled in accordance with the temperature of the reformer so that the hydrogen supply remains large enough for hydrodesulfurization even when the temperature of the reformer varies. This reduces the damage to the electrodes of the fuel cell and the reforming catalyst in the reformer caused by the sulfur compound in the raw material gas, thereby keeping the fuel cell system efficient.
All of the above embodiments may be combined with each other unless one excludes another.
Numerous modifications and alternative embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, the foregoing description is to be construed as illustrative only, and is provided for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the disclosure. The details of the structure and/or function may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the disclosure.
Hydrogen generators and fuel cell systems according to the present disclosure are useful as, for example, a hydrogen generator and a fuel cell system with little decrease in the efficiency of the hydrogen generator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a block diagram that schematically illustrates an example of a structure of a hydrogen generator according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure;
FIG. 2
FIG. 1
is a flow diagram that illustrates an example of an operation of the hydrogen generator in ;
FIG. 3
is a block diagram that schematically illustrates an example of a structure of a hydrogen generator according to a modification of Embodiment 1;
FIG. 4
is a flow diagram that illustrates an example of an operation of a hydrogen generator according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure; and
FIG. 5
is a block diagram that schematically illustrates an example of a structure of a fuel cell system according to Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure. | |
Q:
Include Highcharts in open-source project
I would like to include the Highcharts library in an open-source project, scala-notebook, and I'm not sure, whether it's allowed according to the Highcharts licence.
scala-notebook is a web-repl (read-eval-print-loop) or web-console (similar to IPython). One can create new notebooks and write code there that will be executed on the server side, and results would be rendered on the page (in the output section). I would like to give the user the ability to define chart data in the code and then it would be rendered as a chart using the Highcharts library. It's distributed under the Modified BSD License
(also known as New or Revised BSD).
So my questions are:
Am I allowed to add the Highcharts library in the project distribution?
If yes, then what should I include in order to correctly cite Highcharts licencing information in my project (for example I can add it to the help section of the page and/or add the license to the root of the project's file tree, etc.)?
My project is open-source, so I can imagine, that someone will download it and will deploy it internally at his/her company. I also want to make sure this use-case is permitted (according to the license).
A:
IF you are using it non-commercially, THEN you are allowed to use it according to the CC BY-NC.
As far as I can tell you should be allowed (since it doesn't have the share-alike clause) to redistribute under any license you please; if this is morally justified is another question.
Note that the Creative Commons licenses are not aimed for software, so the waters with regards to linking, combining with other licenses etc. are a bit murky.
It might be best to ask the people from Highchart your question (or even send them a link to this Stack Overflow question).
A:
You can use it with some open source projects, however you can not use it with Free Software.
Unfortunately it is a copyright violation to use Highcharts with GPL code as the commercial restriction violates the GPL.
This is a problem unfortunately, as even the Highcharts website potentially violates the GPL by including Highcharts with the Joomla code, although there is an argument that as long as Highchart does not distribute the code from its website it might be in the clear.
Theres no concievable way to use Highcharts with an AGPL website.
The problems with combining "not for commercial" and GPL code are explained here.
https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/questions/214904/is-free-for-non-commercial-use-license-compatible-with-gnu-gplv3-license
| |
FIAT/IFTA represented at EBU cultural heritage event
2018 is the European year of Cultural Heritage. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) will participate in the celebrations by bringing together public broadcasting archives specialists and European policy makers at an event on September 25th at the Brussels Cinematek. As an important player in the worldwide audiovisual heritage landscape, FIAT/IFTA will take a prominent place in the programme.
As EBU states, the audiovisual and radio archives are vivid testimonies of history and cultural identities. Therefore preserving and facilitating access to this heritage takes a crucial role in building the future of Europe. These stories in the broadcaster’s archives deserve to be seen and heard to inspire future generations and nurture our creative industries across Europe.
The event will bring together media and archive specialists, policy makers and entrepreneurs to discuss how Europe’s audiovisual memory can best be protected, developed and open up. The conference will feature discussions on how to leverage digital technologies to promote and re-use our collections of radio and TV broadcasting history and point to new partnerships in making this possible.
Participants will be invited to exchange best practices and define new avenues for media organisations and institutions to drive engagement with archive materials for educational and entertaining purposes.
The programme of the event will be published soon. More information can be found on the EBU website. | https://fiatifta.org/index.php/2018/07/18/fiatifta-represented-at-ebu-cultural-heritage-event/ |
Sometimes being a lawyer is like being an airline pilot – hundreds of hours of tedium, interrupted by moments of sheer panic.
In the case of lawyers, the panic can hit from a number of sources: a missed court filing date or statute of limitations, the discovery during trial that your client has failed to produce key documents during discovery, the failure to discover a controlling legal precedent, the realization that a client has lied to you, or “inadvertant disclosure.”
To lawyers, the term “inadvertant disclosure” means that during discovery documents protected by attorney-client privilege or work-product immunity have been produced to the other side, by mistake. You (the disclosing attorney) usually learn of this when the opposing lawyer calls you up to gloat (under the guise of politely informing you of the incident, which is required under the ethical rules). It’s enough to ruin any lawyers day: you demand (or beg for) the return of the documents; the opposing lawyer refuses; you file a motion with the court asking for an order that the documents be returned to you (after that embarrassing call to your client); the other side opposes your motion; and finally, the judge writes a decision ruling one way or the other on your request for return, but in either case informing the world of what a sloppy or incompetent lawyer you were to have produced the documents in the first place.
Of course, a whole body of case law has emerged establishing legal tests for whether documents should be returned in these situations. To make things worse, different courts around the nation have created different tests. To make matter much worse ESI (electronically stored information) has made the whole process far more complicated than in the “old days,” when lawyers or paralegals could simply look through hard copy before production, and be reasonably confident they had caught any privileged documents.
The risks and technical issues associated with privilege review of ESI are illustrated by a May 29, 2008 decision by a judge in the Federal District Court for the District of Maryland. In this case, Victor Stanley, Inc. v. Creative Pipe, Inc., a large quantity of ESI was produced by the defendant. The defendant tried to weed out privileged documents by using a “key word” search. For example, the names of the defendant’s attorneys were searched, in the hope that all communications with defendant’s counsel would be located and the items removed.
In this case the keyword search method failed, and the judge ruled that keyword searching for privileged and work-product documents was not
sufficient to avoid a “waiver.” The decision (linked below via scribd.com) is quite detailed, and provides a good analysis of the risks associated with inadvertent production of ESI based on a keyword search failure.
Of course, there is a potential solution to this problem that ESI savvy lawyers tend to use: in the protective order filed with the Court early in the case (or separately if there is no protective order), include a “clawback” provision that provides that if either side engages in inadvertent production, the waiver doctrine will not apply and the documents will be returned. Especially at the beginning of a case, when the risk of inadvertent production may be viewed as equal by both sides, the lawyers on each side may conclude that it’s in their best interests to agree to clawback.
Here is a sample “clawback” provision:
1. Inadvertent or Unintentional Production
(a) The inadvertent or unintentional production of Discovery Materials without a confidentiality designation shall not be deemed a waiver in whole or in part of a party’s claim of confidential treatment under the terms of this Order. Any document that initially is produced without bearing a confidentiality designation may later be so designated, with respect to future disclosure by the Producing Party, and the receiving party shall make all reasonable efforts to retrieve all copies, if any, of such document disclosed to persons other than those authorized in Sections 6 through 8 hereof and to prevent further use or disclosure of confidential information contained therein by such persons.
(b) If information subject to a claim of attorney-client privilege, attorney work product or any other legal privilege protecting information from discovery is inadvertently produced to a party or parties, such production shall in no way prejudice or otherwise constitute a waiver of, or estoppel as to, any claim of privilege, work product or other ground for withholding production to which the producing party or other person otherwise would be entitled. If a claim of inadvertent production is made pursuant to this Section, with respect to information then in the custody of another party, such party promptly shall return to the claiming party or person that material and all copies or reproductions thereof as to which the claim of inadvertent production has been made, shall destroy all notes or other work product reflecting the contents of such material, and shall delete such material from any litigation-support or other database. The provisions of this Section shall not be deemed to prevent any party from seeking an order compelling production of any document or information, including documents or information contained in documents that are returned as a result of a claim of inadvertent production.
Link to the case: Victor Stanley, Inc. v. Creative Pipe, Inc. | https://www.masslawblog.com/procedure/the-agony-of-inadvertant-disclosure/ |
Raritan Headwaters analyzing microplastics in Raritan River waters
BEDMINSTER – We all know that discarded plastic bottles, cups, shopping bags, drinking straws, soda can rings and other items are harmful to the environment and marine ecosystems. That’s why thousands of New Jerseyans volunteer each year to clean up trash — much of it plastic — from river and stream banks and beaches.
But it’s not just the plastics you can see and pick up that are harmful. Microplastics — particles so small they’re nearly invisible — are emerging as a new contaminant of concern to marine wildlife and even human health.
Local watershed watchdog Raritan Headwaters is currently investigating sources of microplastics in the upper Raritan River watershed as part of a larger network of organizations studying microplastics in the region including NY/NJ Baykeeper, Clean Ocean Action, 5 Gyres, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Raritan Valley Community College and Rutgers University.
During a pilot program last summer, Raritan Headwaters staff and interns sampled river water at 10 locations upstream and downstream of wastewater treatment plants along the South Branch of the Raritan River to measure the concentrations of microplastics. Fine mesh nets were left in the river for an hour at a time to collect solids in the water.
After the solids were sorted, organic materials like leaf and twig pieces removed, and the samples dried, Headwaters staff could count and categorize the plastics that remained. By calculating the volume of water flowing through the nets, they can determine the concentrations of microplastics in water at each location.
What are microplastics?
Some microplastics come in the form of tiny beads found in personal care and cleaning products, such as face and body scrubs, some of which have been banned in New Jersey.
Others come from larger plastic items like bags and packaging breaking down into smaller pieces. And some are “micro-fibers,” or tiny strands of plastic, released by certain synthetic fabrics as they’re laundered. They range in size from 5 millimeters (the diameter of a pencil eraser) to microscopic scales not visible to the naked eye.
“Most of the really small particles of plastic don’t get filtered out by treatment plants,” said Dr. Kristi MacDonald, director of science for Raritan Headwaters. A recent study reports that 8 million tons of plastic enter the world’s ocean each year, the majority of it in the form of microplastics.
Contaminants in the water like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides and flame retardants can stick to microplastics, which are then ingested by fish and other aquatic creatures.
“When contaminated microplastics are mistaken for food resources by the species living within this habitat, they get incorporated into the food webs,” according to a NY/NJ Baykeeper study. “In fact, several studies have shown that microplastic contamination is found in the tissues of finfish and shellfish, which then has the potential to move up the food chain and pose harm to human populations.”
READ:Half-mile of trout stream, 10 acres preserved in Lebanon Township
Dr. MacDonald and RHA Intern Kate Arnao are now in the process of analyzing the microplastics found last summer to determine their size and origin — whether they’re microbeads, microfibers or parts of plastic bags or cups. McDonald also wants to find out which sites in the Upper Raritan watershed have the highest concentrations of microplastics.
“We expect to see that the density of plastic particles goes up in the areas downstream from treatment plants,” she said. “By focusing our microplastic study on sites where RHA collects data, we are expanding our understanding of the health of our water both for people and for the creatures that live there. In addition, we hope to work with different stakeholders to address microplastic pollution at its sources.”
READ:Raritan River's headwaters in good health
The sites where Raritan Headwaters collected microplastic samples last summer coincided with sites where Rutgers University professor Dr. Nicole Fahrenfeld and her students collected sediment samples as part of a study funded by a Sustainable Raritan Mini-grant.
How you can help
Residents in the North Branch and South Branch Raritan River watershed can help prevent microplastic pollution by:
- Participating in river and stream cleanups like the 28th Annual Raritan Headwaters Stream Cleanup on Saturday, April 14. For more information on the RHA Stream Cleanup and to register for your local cleanup site, go to https://www.raritanheadwaters.org/streamcleanup. Register by March 1 to receive a free T-shirt.
- Using personal care and household cleaning products that do not include plastic microbeads, many but not all of which are now banned at the state and federal level.
- Saying “no” to plastic bags, bottles, cups, drinking straws, eating utensils and other single use items.
- Choosing reusable items, like grocery bags, lunch bags, water bottles and utensils.
- Recycling plastic bottles and food containers properly.
- Buying clothing made of natural fibers.
- Taking action and staying informed by visiting www.5gyres.org, www.oceanconservancy.org/trash-free-seas and www.epa.gov/trash-free-waters.
About Raritan Headwaters
The largest watershed organization in New Jersey, Raritan Headwaters has been working since 1959 to protect, preserve and improve water quality and other natural resources of the Raritan River headwaters region through efforts in science, education, advocacy, land preservation and stewardship. The organization is a recipient of the 2015 and 2016 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award. Visit www.raritanheadwaters.org or call 908-234-1852. | https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/how-we-live/2018/02/26/raritan-headwaters-analyzing-microplastics-water/369851002/ |
This digital photo format was created by Sony. It is stored with a RAW-file structure. It contains a wider range of data than a compressed photo. It records the maximum amount of information obtained from the camera's optics and sensors. This gives the photographer more freedom to process and edit photos without loss of detail and image quality.
MTV Converter
mtv
MTV Raytracing image format
This file format is used to transmit image data. It contains a set of images that can be linked to form an animation. It is used to store non-compressed bitmap images in 24-bit color created using MTV ray tracer.
How to convert SR2 to MTV
Step 1
Upload sr2-file(s)
Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.
Step 2
Choose "to mtv" | https://convertio.co/sr2-mtv/ |
Phosphorus-bearing molecules in the Galactic Center
Phosphorus (P) is one of the essential elements for life due to its central role in bio-chemical processes. Recent searches have shown that P-bearing molecules (in particular PN and PO) are present in star-forming regions, although their formation routes remain poorly understood. A group of researchers of the Arcetri Observatory, led by Victor Rivilla and including Francesco Fontani and Maria Teresa Beltran, has reported observations of PN and PO towards seven molecular clouds located in the Galactic Center, which are characterizedby different types of chemistry. PN is detected in five out of seven sources, whose chemistry is thought to be shock-dominated. The two sources with PN non-detectionscorrespond to clouds exposed to intense UV/X-rays/cosmic-ray radiation. PO is detected only towards the cloud G+0.693-0.03, with a PO/PN abundance ratio of 1.5. They conclude that P-bearing molecules likely form in shocked gas as a result of dustgrain sputtering, while are destroyed by intense UV/X-ray/cosmic ray radiation.
Phosphorus (P) is essential for life because it plays a centralrole in the formation ofmacromolecules such as phospholipids (the structural components of cellular membranes)and the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA, Macia et al. 1997). For decades PN remained as the only P-bearingspecies observed in these regions (Turner & Bally 1987; Ziurys1987; Yamaguchi et al. 2011; Fontani et al. 2016), whilePO has been discovered just recently in the surroundingsof both high- and low-mass protostars (with PO/PN abundanceratios of 1-3; Rivilla et al. 2016; Lefloch et al. 2016).
Figure 1: Sample of Galactic Center clouds we have observed, overplotted on an Spitzer-IRAC 4 image.
The formation of P-bearing molecules is still poorly understood. Three routes have been proposed: (i) shock-induced desorptionof P-bearing species (e.g. PH3) from dust grainsand subsequent gasphase formation (Aota & Aikawa 2012;Lefloch et al. 2016); (ii) high-temperature gas-phase chemistryafter the thermal desorption of PH3 from ices (Charnley& Millar 1994); and (iii) gas-phase formation of PN andPO during the cold collapse phase andsubsequent thermaldesorption (at temperatures 35 K) by protostellar heating (Rivilla et al. 2016). Due to the limited number of observationsavailable, and the limited range of physical conditionsof the observed regions with detected P-bearing molecules,the formation routes for PN and PO are strongly debated.
Figure 2:PN (2-1) and 29SiO (2-1) lines measured towards the Galactic Center clouds. The Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium best fits are shown with red lines. The PN molecule is only detected towards the sources dominated by shocks.
Victor Rivilla and collaborators have presented new observations of PN and POtowards seven regions spread across the Central MolecularZone (CMZ) in the Galactic Center (GC) (see Figure 1). These sourcesare excellent laboratories to test the chemistry of P-bearingmolecules since they show different physical properties (highkinetic temperatures, low dust temperatures and moderatedensities) and chemistries dominated by either UV photons,cosmic-rays (CR), X-rays or shock waves. The selected sample includes two different types of sources:(i) Shock-dominated regions; and (ii) Radiation dominated regions.
They have carried out observations at 3mm and 2mm using the radiotelescope IRAM 30m located at Pico Veleta (Granada, Spain). PN is detected towards five of the seven sources (see Figure 2). PO is detected only towardsone of the sources, G+0.693-0.03 (see Figure 3), which is thought to be therichest source of O-bearing molecules in the Galactic Center.The derived PO/PN abundance ratio is 1.5, similar to valuespreviously found in star-forming regions.
Figure 3: PO detection towards G+0.693-0.03 (lower panel) compared with the detection towards the hot molecular core W51 e1/e2from Rivilla et al. (2016) (upper panel). The PO quadruplet is shown with vertical blue lines. Other molecular species are labeled in theupper panel. TheLocal Thermodynamic Equilibrium synthetic spectrum of PO in both sources is shown with red lines.
The regions whereP-bearing species have been detected are clouds thought tobe affected by shock waves, and rich in the well-knownshock tracer 29SiO (see Figure 4). The two sources where no P-bearingmolecules were detected are regions exposed to intense radiation,and exhibit lower abundances of 29SiO. Wethus conclude that P-bearing species are formed in thegas phase after the shock-induced sputtering of the grainmantles,and that they are efficiently destroyed by thehigh cosmic-rays/X-rays/UV-photon radiation expected inthe Galactic Center.
Figure 4:Column density ratios of PN and 29SiO with respectto C34S. The different type of sources are Shock-dominated GCclouds (red dots) and Radiation-dominated regions (greenstars). The L1157-B1 shock(magenta open star) and the L1544 pre-stellar core (opendiamond) havealso been added. Arrows indicate 3 upper limits.
More info: | http://www.arcetri.inaf.it/home-italiano/204-scientific-news/1782-phosphorus |
Xamarin is a wonderful company that produces tools to build multiplatform app written in C# and .NET. Recently Xamarin introduced Xamarin.Forms, allowing for even more code reuse in the UI (User Interface) without sacrificing the ability to produce native code (and UI and UX) on each specific platform. Xamarin.Forms is based on the XAML and data binding concepts that we (as Windows and Windows Phone developers) already know and love to use.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, please look at the great Xamarin intro by James Montemagno on Channel 9.
While using Xamarin Forms for my actual project, I’ve found some differences of Xamarin XAML language implementations from Microsoft one that I think is worth noting. I hope this post can be helpful to avoid some pitfalls and to be proficient on developing with it.
Let’s see them one by one.
The problem is that Microsoft XAML implement the Margin and not the Padding, while Xamarin XAML implement the Padding and not the Margin.
I think this is the most disruptive change that prevent using almost the same XAML on Microsoft and Xamarin, because it’s not a “change name” game, is about a functionality that needs to be migrated from children to container.
Moreover, because the padding property is defined in the “Layout” object level and in the “Page” object but not in the View object, many objects (i.e. Label, Button, etc.) do not inherit it.
Apart from the architectural point of view (maybe better choice would have been to define it as a property of the “VisualElement” object), there is a more practical consequence of this implementation detail. Each time you need to define a margin to separate two adjacent elements, you need to wrap each of them inside a ContentView (the simplest layout descendant) to set the padding property.
On some specific scenario (like the above one) Xamarin XAML came to rescue supporting the spacing concept of CSS Box Model: on “StackLayout”, we have the “Spacing” property while on “Grid” we have the “RowSpacing” and “ColumnSpacing” properties.
Apart from this special case, in general the lack of Margin property is something that I hope Xamarin will solve implementing it in a future release of Xamarin Forms.
This is simple to describe and use, once you know it: when using StackLayout or Grid bear in mind that their respective spacing properties (Spacing for StackLayout and both RowSpacing and ColumnSpacing for Grid) have a default value of six. If you don’t want spacing, you need to define those properties explicitly setting the respective values to zero.
When using a Grid, each time we do not define a set of rows and/or columns, the system presume we need a single row and/or column and implicitly define just one row and/or one column. While on Microsoft XAML the length property (“Height” for the row, “Width” for the column) default to “*” (i.e. take all the available space given by the container and offer it to his children), I learned (the hard way) that the default length of an implicit definition of “Row” and/or “Column” in Xamarin Forms is “Auto”.
Note that the two row’s backgrounds (purple and blue) cover the red background of the Grid container.
Note that this time the two row’s backgrounds (purple and blue) do not extend horizontally to the full available space. This is a strange behavior, because the containing grid do extend to the full available horizontal length (we know it because the red background of the grid fill all the space), but the two inner grids do not.
The reason, as explained before, is due to the Xamarin Forms default length value of the implicitly defined single column, set to “Auto”. In this case, the containing grid do take the entire available place but set the horizontal width of the column to the width of his largest children.
The good news are that this will change on Xamarin Forms 1.2.3 release. Until then beware of the details!
That’s all folks, happy coding!
Xamarin for Visual Studio 2015 Preview – Ready, Set, Go!
Thanks for the overview. Just started with Xamarin forms yesterday and this is just the jumpstart tutorial I needed to get the conversion going. And you were right, the layout does drive the unknowing developer mad.
Great article! This saved me a lot of time figuring out what I was doing wrong. It’s scary how different “Xamarin XAML” is. I’m a bit disappointed that it feels like I’m re-learning XAML.
In Windows XAML, all controls have margin and some have padding too.
In Xamarin, margin doesn’t exist.
As you mentioned, this forces you to wrap controls in ContentView, and this happens a lot in practice.
Xamarin has spacing property, but it doesn’t help much in practice.
Very nice post! Correct me if I am wrong. Is Padding property works in Xamarin XAML as Margin property works in CSS?
Someone with time needs to write a Blend XAML to Xamarin XAML converter. I would even be happy with a Blend XAML to C#. This would save a lot of time during mockups and prototyping and the task can be handed down to inexperienced devs. | http://blog.tpcware.com/2014/09/xamarin-xaml-vs-microsoft-xaml-the-devil-is-in-the-details/ |
The exercise of applying space between elements is to identify where elements are related. Elements with a closer relation have tigher space while elements with less relation are farther apart. This is the concept popularly known as The Gestalt Law of Proximity.
A way to visualize this is by social degrees of separation. People living in the same house are 1 degree of separation while neighbors could be 2 degrees of separation. In other words, parent-child and child-child relationships are commonly closer than any other.
Padding and gap
Using the above concept we have idenitifed that only two spacing properties are needed.
- Padding: The space around content.
- Gap: The space between content.
We can think of the padding as the space between neighbors and the gap as the space between parent-child or child-child relationships.
Density contexts
In order to maintain the minimalistic spacing properties but allow for several values to be resolved, the concept of a density context is introduced. The page starts with a density context where the padding and gap values are at their largest, as we expect the items at this level to be the least related. As the layout is composed, items become more related and therefore require the spacing to decrease as the content becomes more specific. This is where a new density context would be added. The system delivers 3 density contexts. By the third context, additional contexts are inert.
With each new context, padding and gap values will reduce. This allows for only those two values to be recalled in any given area to describe the necessary space resolving to a total of 6 spacing values. It could be argued that this is limiting however, designing within constaints forges new solutions. This is not the first time the idea of a limited exponental set has been considered. Reducing the values limits the decisions required. The only question to ask is if the items are related or not.
Calculating density values
Two variables are used to control the overall density system.
- Base grid: A unit value which describes the grid where elements should align. Adjusting this value will change space uniformly.
- Spacing scale: Similar to a type scale, a multiplier to adjust the amount of space in a logistic curve. Adjusting this value will change space exponentially.
To calculate the values at a given context the following formula is used where each step is a new context:
- base grid × spacing scalestep
Use the control below to affect the base grid value. This page will update with the new value.
engineer Info
Adding a new density context can be done by adding the
data-density-shift attribute to an element. The name implies we are shifting the density context to the next step within this element. It is not possible to explicitly set the preferred density context; it is implied by relation to the other contexts defined in each page. | https://system.damato.design/foundations/density/ |
This paper contains the first description of impersonal reference in Russian Sign Language (RSL). Impersonal reference has been investigated using a variety of elicitation techniques. It has been found that RSL uses a variety of strategies, namely pro-drop, an indefinite pronoun someone, a plural pronoun ixpl, and probably a second-person pronoun ix2 in impersonal contexts. The impersonal strategies in RSL follow the general typological tendencies previously identified for spoken languages (Gast & Van der Auwera 2013), and do not show obvious modality effects (such as described by Barberà & Quer 2013). Some impersonal strategies show evidence of influence of spoken/written Russian in the form of borrowing and/or code-switching.
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R-impersonal interpretation in Italian Sign Language (LIS)Author(s): Lara Mantovan and Carlo GeraciAbstract
In this paper, we examine agent backgrounding in Italian Sign Language (LIS). Specifically, we are interested in identifying and describing the strategies used by LIS signers to reduce referentiality. On the basis of low-referential contexts (cf. questionnaire in the Introduction chapter), we recorded target sentences containing potential markers of agent backgrounding and asked three LIS native signers to provide felicity judgments on them using a 7-point scale. We discuss agent-backgrounding strategies of different types: (i) manual, (ii) non-manual, and (iii) syntactic. Overall, our study shows that the combination of raised eyebrows and mouth-corners down associated with the existential quantifier someone and the sign person makes the agent-backgrounding reading more prominent. Other strategies that can be used in LIS to reduce referentiality are free relatives, perspective shift, and null subject. We also investigate in more detail the semantic status of someone, person, and the null subject through well-established tests from the literature.
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Agent-backgrounding in Turkish Sign Language (TİD)Author(s): Meltem Kelepir, Aslı Özkul and Elvan Tamyürek ÖzparlakAbstract
This paper investigates agent-backgrounding constructions in Turkish Sign Language (TİD). TİD displays many of the agent-backgrounding strategies reported in the literature that signed (and spoken) languages employ (Barberà & Cabredo Hofherr, this volume). Use of non-specific indefinite pronominals is a major strategy, and this paper is the first study that identifies these forms in TİD. Moreover, we show that TİD has ways of marking clusivity distinctions of indefinite arguments, and has a special sign that derives exclusive indefinite pronominals, other. We argue that (i) whereas lateral-high R-locus is unambiguously associated with non-specificity, non-high (lateral and central) loci are underspecified in terms of specificity; (ii) the R-locus of indefinite arguments observed in agent-backgrounding contexts in TİD consists of two spatial features [+high] and [+lateral] which express non-specificity and exclusivity. This study further shows that clusivity, usually associated with personal pronouns, must be extended to indefinite pronouns.
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R-impersonals in Hong Kong Sign LanguageAuthor(s): Felix Sze and Gladys TangAbstract
This paper discusses R-impersonals in Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL). As evidenced in our questionnaire and conversation data, R-impersonals in HKSL typically make use of null forms, the non-specific indefinite determiner (i.e., onedet-path (someone)/onedet-path (anyone)), distinguished by non-manual markers), and, occasionally, the Chinese character sign human/person. HKSL does not show impersonal uses of personal pronouns (e.g., they, you) which are commonly found in spoken languages. The nominal strategies are determined by the contexts and the referential properties of the impersonal referents, and they differ in the use of space in representing the impersonal referents in subsequent discourse. R-impersonal referents encoded by onedet-path (someone)/onedet-path (anyone) are associated with an area of the upper part of the ipsilateral side of the signing space, but they can still be assigned to a specific locus if the subsequent discourse requires locative information. Impersonal referents introduced by null forms or the Chinese character sign human/person are typically not spatially anchored.
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Impersonal human reference in French Sign Language (LSF)Author(s): Brigitte Garcia, Marie-Anne Sallandre and Marie-Thérèse L’HuillierAbstract
The present paper offers a first systematic approach to the expression of impersonal human reference in French Sign Language (LSF). It extends and deepens a prior study carried out by the authors on the basis of a large scale discourse corpus. The description proposed here is based primarily on data elicited through a specialised questionnaire on impersonal human reference (Barberà & Cabredo Hofherr, this volume), initially developed for spoken languages and adapted for sign languages. The strategies revealed are compared with those discussed in our prior study. We begin with a brief review of the literature on impersonal human reference in spoken and sign languages, and a presentation of our theoretical framework for the analysis of LSF. We then elaborate on our methodology and the issues raised by the elicitation protocol adopted, from initial stages of its preparation to the representation of our data. We finally present and discuss the main strategies we highlighted for the expression of impersonal reference in LSF.
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Agent-backgrounding in Catalan Sign Language (LSC)Author(s): Gemma Barberà, Patricia Cabredo Hofherr and Josep QuerAbstract
This paper examines backgrounding strategies for human agents in Catalan Sign Language, that is, constructions featuring human agents that are non-referential. We identify and analyze four types of agent-backgrounding strategies: subjectless constructions, indefinite pronouns, the impersonal axis, and general nouns. Extending on previous work, we offer a description and a semantico-pragmatic analysis of each construction.
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Cross-linguistic variation in space-based distance for size depiction in the lexicons of six sign languagesAuthor(s): Victoria NystAbstract
This paper presents a semiotic study of the distribution of a type of size depiction in lexical signs in six sign languages. Recently, a growing number of studies are focusing on the distribution of two representation techniques, i.e. the use of entity handshapes and handling handshapes for the depiction of hand-held tools (e.g. Ortega et al. 2014). Padden et al. (2013) find that there is cross-linguistic variation in the use of this pair of representation techniques. This study looks at variation in a representation technique that has not been systematically studied before, i.e. the delimitation of a stretch of space to depict the size of a referent, or space-based distance for size depiction. It considers the question whether the cross-linguistic variation in the use of this representation technique is governed by language-specific patterning as well (cf. Padden et al. 2013).
This study quantifies and compares the occurrence of space-based distance for size depiction in the lexicons of six sign languages, three of Western European origin, and three of West African origin. It finds that sign languages differ significantly from each other in their frequency of use of this depiction type. This result thus corroborates that the selection and distribution of representation techniques does not solely depend on features of the depicted image, but also on language-specific patterning in the distribution of representation techniques, and it adds another dimension of iconic depiction in which sign languages may vary from each other (in addition to the entity/handling handshape distinction). Moreover, the results appear to be areally defined, with the three European languages using this representation technique significantly more often than the three African languages.
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Strong pronominals in ASL and LSF?Author(s): Philippe SchlenkerAbstract
Theories of pronominal strength (e.g., Cardinaletti & Starke 1999) lead one to expect that sign language, just like spoken language, can have morphologically distinct strong pronominals. We suggest that American Sign Language (ASL) and French Sign Language (LSF) might have such pronominals, characterized here by the fact that they may associate with only even in the absence of prosodically marked focus. | https://www.jbe-platform.com/content/journals/1569996x/21/2 |
Additional resources for week 1
A selection of additional resources for teaching about enzymes.
Using enzymes to make creme eggs
This video demonstrates how to make soft-centred chocolates, using enzymes. Students could carry out this practical and if undertaken in a food safe environment, using food materials and following a scrupulous hygiene regime, produce chocolates that could be eaten.
This practical provides a real-world application of the use of enzymes, which will be of interest to many students (chocolate!).
Fruit Juice Production
Fruit juice can be extracted from a wide variety of fruits. This can be done by simply squeezing the fruits but it is more common to use enzymes to increase the volume of juice produced and the speed of extraction. Enzymes are expensive products and clearly juice manufacturers want to minimise their costs by using the enzymes at their optimum conditions and therefore maximising their effectiveness and re-using the enzymes where possible.
In this practical students practice making immobilised enzymes and using a colorimeter to compare the effective of different enzymes. They can also compare different methods of extracting the enzymes from waste apple and re-using them.
Microscale investigations of catalase activity in plant extracts
This is a relatively straightforward practical activity that allows students to compare catalase activity across a range of different fruits and vegetables. The protocol uses a deceptively simple, yet very accurate, method to measure the rate of reaction by collecting the oxygen evolved as a product of the reaction.
The whole reaction can be carried out on a very small scale, in a centrifuge tube.
An enzyme extract is adsorbed to filter paper discs. These discs initially sink in a hydrogen peroxide solution, but then float to the surface as the oxygen produced gets trapped in the paper fibres. The time taken for the discs to rise is measured. | https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/community/collection/419597/additional-resources-week-1 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to multiplayer online games.
2. Description of the Related Art
A virtual world is a computer-based simulated environment in which users interact. There currently is a need for improved systems for implementing game play in these simulated environments.
The system, method, and devices of the invention each have several aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of this invention as expressed by the claims which follow, its more prominent features will now be discussed briefly. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the section entitled “Detailed Description of Certain Embodiments” one will understand how the features of this invention provide advantages that include a one or more object controllers and a game play controller.
One aspect of the disclosure is a method comprising defining, in a non-player object controller object, at least one game play rule of a virtual multiplayer game, maintaining, in the non-player object controller object, at least one state of the non-player object, maintaining, in a first player object controller object, at least one state of a first player object in a virtual multiplayer game environment, wherein the first player object is a first player object type, maintaining, in a second player object controller object, at least one state of a second player object in the virtual multiplayer game environment, wherein the second player object is second player object type different from the first player object type, receiving, over a network, first user commands regarding the first player object, executing the game play rule based on the first user commands, the state of the first player object, and the state of the non-player object, wherein execution of the game player rule modifies the state of the non-player object, receiving, over the network, second user commands regarding the second player object, and executing the game play rule based on the second user commands, the state of the second player object, and the state of the non-player object, wherein execution of the game play rule modifies the state of the non-player object.
Another aspect of the disclosure is a system comprising one or more virtual object controllers, each virtual object controller configured to maintain at least one state of a virtual object in a virtual multiplayer game environment, wherein each of the virtual objects is one of a plurality of virtual object types, and wherein at least a portion of the virtual objects are controlled by different players of the virtual multiplayer game, and a game play controller configured to maintain at least one game play state and to define at least one game play rule of the virtual multiplayer game, wherein the game play controller is configured to update the game play state based on information provided by the virtual object controllers, and wherein the game play controller is configured to implement a game play rule based on the virtual object types of virtual object controllers that have a defined relationship with the game play controller.
Another aspect of the disclosure is a method comprising defining, in a game play controller object, at least one game play rule of a virtual multiplayer game, maintaining, in the game play controller object, at least one game play state, maintaining, in a virtual object controller object, at least one state of a virtual object in a virtual multiplayer game environment, wherein the virtual object is one of a plurality of virtual object types, receiving, over a network, user commands regarding the virtual object, and executing the game play rule based on the received commands and the virtual object type of the virtual object, wherein the execution of the game play rule modifies the game play state.
The following detailed description is directed to certain specific aspects of the invention. However, the invention can be embodied in a multitude of different ways, for example, as defined and covered by the claims. It should be apparent that the aspects herein may be embodied in a wide variety of forms and that any specific structure, function, or both being disclosed herein is merely representative. Based on the teachings herein one skilled in the art should appreciate that an aspect disclosed herein may be implemented independently of any other aspects and that two or more of these aspects may be combined in various ways. For example, an apparatus may be implemented or a method may be practiced using any number of the aspects set forth herein. In addition, such an apparatus may be implemented or such a method may be practiced using other structure, functionality, or structure and functionality in addition to or other than one or more of the aspects set forth herein. Similarly, methods disclosed herein may be performed by one or more computer processors configured to execute instructions retrieved from a computer-readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium stores information, such as data or instructions, for some interval of time, such that the information can be read by a computer during that interval of time. Examples of computer-readable storage media are memory, such as random access memory (RAM), and storage, such as hard drives, optical discs, flash memory, floppy disks, magnetic tape, paper tape, punch cards, and Zip drives.
FIG. 1
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is an illustration of an exemplary computer system. The system includes a number of system units connected via a network , to a server . Users of the system units can connect to the server via the network to interact with other users in a virtual world or with other objects of the virtual world. The interactions are defined by a plurality of game play rules stored on the server .
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Each of the system units can include a computer processor, memory and/or storage, one or more input devices, one or more output devices, and a network controller. The processor can be a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any suitable combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor such as an ARM, Pentium®, Pentium II®, Pentium III®, Pentium IV®, Pentium® Pro, an 8051, a MIPS®, a Power PC®, an ALPHA®, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.
The processor can be coupled, via one or more buses, to read information from or write information to memory and/or storage. The processor may additionally, or in the alternative, contain memory, such as processor registers. The memory can include processor cache, including a multi-level hierarchical cache in which different levels have different capacities and access speeds. The memory can also include random access memory (RAM), other volatile storage devices, or non-volatile storage devices. The storage can include hard drives, optical discs, such as compact discs (CDs) or digital video discs (DVDs), flash memory, floppy discs, magnetic tape, and Zip drives.
Each system unit can also include one or more input devices and one or more output devices for, respectively, receiving input from and providing output to, a user of the system unit. Suitable input devices include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, buttons, keys, switches, a pointing device, a mouse, a joystick, a remote control, an infrared detector, a video camera (possibly coupled with video processing software to, e.g., detect hand gestures or facial gestures), a motion detector, or a microphone (possibly coupled to audio processing software to, e.g., detect voice commands). Suitable output devices include, but are not limited to, visual output devices, including displays and printers, audio output devices, including speakers, headphones, earphones, and alarms, and haptic output devices, including force-feedback game controllers and vibrating devices.
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Each system unit can also receive and transmit information over the network via a network controller, or network card. The network card can be an Ethernet card with a unique 48-bit serial number called a MAC address stored in ROM (read-only memory) carried on the card. The network card can be an expansion card which plugs into a network bus or be a network interface built into a motherboard of the system unit.
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As disclosed above, each system unit of the system is connected, via a network , to a server , and also to other system units . The network can include various forms of hardware and software technology including optical fiber, Ethernet, Wireless LAN, HomePNA, or power line communication. The network can be public access network, such as the Internet, or a private network. The network can communicate using a number of protocols known to those skilled in the art, including IPv4 or IPv6.
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The server , like the system units , can include a processor, memory and/or storage, and a network interface. In some embodiments, the server can include an application server, a database server, a file server, a standalone server, a client-server, or a Web server. Although the server may have one or more input or output devices in some embodiments, in other embodiments, the server lacks input or output devices.
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As mentioned above, the server may be an application server. An application server is a server that hosts an API (application programming interface) to expose logic and processes for use by third-party applications. The application server can be a Java application server or use the Microsoft .NET framework. The application server hosts an API containing a set of routines, data structures, object classes, and/or protocols provided by libraries and/or operating system services in order to provide an application to users accessing the application server via the network .
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is an exemplary screenshot of a virtual world. The screenshot contains a number of different windows, including a representation of the virtual world , an information window , a map window , and a number of clickable buttons . The representation of the virtual world shows the location of a number of virtual objects in a simulated environment. The virtual objects can include player objects and non-player objects. The player objects, such as Bob and Frank , are virtual objects that are controlled by users of the system. The non-player objects include non-player character objects, such as Zippy and Speedy , as well as other virtual objects, such as tree and building .
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The users of the system, by controlling their respective player objects, interact with each other and the non-player objects. A user of the system can receive information regarding the virtual world which is displayed in the information window . The information regarding the virtual world can include information transmitted by other users to enable a chat feature. The information can also include events which have occurred at locations near the player object associated with the user. Information can also be displayed to the user graphically via the map window , which displays information regarding the location of various virtual objects in the virtual world.
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In one embodiment, a first user associated with a first player object of a first player object type can interact with a non-player object so as to enable game play for a second user associated with a second player object of a second player object type. For example, in one implementation, the non-player character objects Zippy and Speedy are configured by default to move along a path in the virtual world. The non-player character objects , can be immobilized via interaction from player objects of the first player object type. After being immobilized, the non-player character objects , can be moved to building via interaction from player objects of the second player object type.
This type of game play, called baton style game play or open quest style game play, allows players to implicitly join quests and participate in game play that affects other players and create game play for each other. As mentioned above, a player associated with a player object of a first player object type can perform an action on a non-player character object which will result in the non-player character object providing game play for a player having associated with a player object of a second player object type. Described below is a system for implementing such game play.
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is an illustration of a number of connected data objects. The data objects can be stored on the server or the system units of . In its simplest form, a data object is an allocated region of storage. In some embodiments, a data object includes data members that represent the data associated with the object and method members that represent processes for reading and modifying the data in predefined ways. A data object may also be characterized by an identifier which distinguishes it from other data objects.
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In the illustrated embodiment of , the data objects include a game play controller object operatively connected to a plurality of virtual object controller objects and a map controller object . In other embodiments, there is more than one game play controller object .
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Each virtual object controller object is associated with a virtual object in the virtual world and includes one or more virtual object states and one or more virtual object behaviors . The virtual object controller objects can include player object controller objects associated with particular users of system units connected to the server via the network of . Each player object controller object includes player state information. The player state information can include information regarding the player object, including an avatar selected by the user for interaction in the virtual world and information regarding items acquired by the user within the virtual world. The information regarding the player object can include a player object type, predetermined statistics regarding the player object type, or dynamic attributes of the player object which change via the game play mechanics and defined game play rules. The player state information can also include a location of the player object in the virtual world and an action being performed by the player object. The player state information can be altered by the user of a system unit by transmitting commands via the network . The player state information can also be altered by other virtual object controller objects , the game play controller object , or via other mechanisms.
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The virtual object controller objects can also include non-player character (NPC) object controller objects generated at the system of or by the game play controller object . Each NPC object controller object includes NPC state information and NPC behavior, which can be written as a script. The NPC state information can include a location of an NPC object in the virtual world and an action being performed by the NPC object. The NPC state information can be altered by the NPC behavior, by the game play controller object , or by interaction with other object controller objects .
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The game play controller object defines one or more game play rules and stores game play state information . The game play rules can be written as scripts and can generate additional virtual object controller objects, such as NPC object controller objects. The game play rules can include specific scripts for execution when an interaction with a player object controller object having specific player state information is detected. For example, different scripts can be executed when interaction with player controller objects having different player object types is detected. As another example, a specific script can be executed when interaction with a player object controller object having state information indicating that a specific item has been acquired by the user within the virtual world.
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The map controller object contains information accessible by the game play controller relating the state of the virtual world. The map controller object can include world state information and a clock . By accessing this information, the game play controller object can execute scripts incorporating information relating to the state of the virtual world, or the time.
As mentioned above, each data object contains members that represent processes for reading and modifying the data of the data object in predefined ways. This feature can be used to implement specific types of game play, including the baton style game play described above. For example, a first player object controller object can store information indicative of a first player object type as a player object state. Similarly, a second player object controller object can store information indicative of a second play object type as a player object state. A game play controller object having game play rules defined therein can generate an NPC object controller object for the first and second player controller objects to interact with.
The generated NPC object controller object includes a NPC object state which is originally set to a default state in which the NPC object changes its location on a predefined path. When a first user associated with the first player object transmits commands via the network to move the player object, the player object controller object interprets these commands by altering the player object state within the player object controller object. When the location of the player object (as stored in the player object state of the player object controller object) is near to the location of the NPC object (as stored in the NPC object state of the NPC object controller object), the first user transmits commands to immobilize the NPC object. These commands are interpreted by the player object controller object to call a method member of the NPC object controller to change the NPC state from its default state to an immobilized state. The particular method member may check that certain criteria are met, including that the location of the first player object is near the NPC object, that the first player object is of a particular object type, and that the NPC object is in the default state. The particular method member can also call method members from the game play object controller to reward the user for accomplishing the task, which may include calling a method member of the player object controller object to change the player object state.
A second user associated with a second player object transmits commands via network to move the player object to the immobilized NPC object. When the location of the player object is near to the location of the NPC object, the second user transmits commands to move the NPC object. These commands are interpreted by the player object controller to call a method member of the NPC object controller to change the NPC state from its immobilized state to a move state. As mentioned above, the particular method member may check that certain criteria are met, including that the location of the second player object is near the NPC object, that the second player object is of a particular object type, and that the NPC object is in the immobilized state. The particular method member can also call method members from the game play object controller to reward the user for accomplishing the task, which may include calling a method member of the player object to change the player object state.
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is an exemplary screenshot of a virtual world editor. The screenshot illustrates a data object editing portion and a location grid . In the illustrated embodiment, an editable representation of a game play controller object is shown in the data object editing portion . The representation can be dragged to the location grid to define a location for the game play controller object, which can be stored in the game play state of the game play controller object of . This location can be displayed to an editor by the presence of a proxy of the representation displayed on the location grid . The representation can also be manipulated so as to edit the underlying data object so as to define game play rules stored in the game controller object of .
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As described above, the game play rules can generate additional virtual object controller objects, such as NPC object controller objects. A representation of generated virtual object controller objects is also displayed associated with the representation of the game play controller object in the data object editing portion . The representation can be manipulated so as to define object state and object behavior of the object controller object of represented by the representation. The object state can be edited, at least in part, by dragging the representation to a location on the location grid . This location can be displayed to an editor by the presence of one or more proxies of the representation displayed on the location grid . The object behavior can similarly be edited by defining a path on the location grid .
FIG. 5
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is a flowchart illustrating a method of implementing game play rules. By performing this process, one or more times, the user experiences game play. The process begins, in block , by defining a game play rule of a virtual multiplayer game in a game play controller object. The game play rule can be defined by storing a script in the game play controller object, such as game play controller object of . Non-limiting examples of usable scripting languages include Java and Python. The process continues to block , where a game play state of the virtual multiplayer game is maintained in the game play controller object. The game play state can also be stored in the game play controller object of .
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Next, in block , a virtual object state is maintained in a virtual object controller object, wherein the virtual object is one of plurality of virtual object types. The virtual object state can be stored in the object controller object of and can include player object state information and NPC object state information. Player object state information can include, as described above, information regarding an avatar selected by the user for interaction in the virtual world and information regarding items acquired by the user within the virtual world. The information regarding the player object can include a player object type, predetermined statistics regarding the player object type, or dynamic attributes of the player object that changes via the game play mechanics and defined game play rules. The player object state information can also include a location of the player object in the virtual world and an action being performed by the player object. The NPC object state information can include a location of an NPC object in the virtual world and an action being performed by the NPC object.
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Each of the virtual objects is one of plurality of virtual object types. The specific type of each virtual object can be stored as an object state in the object controller object of . The plurality of virtual object types can include a plurality of different avatar types selected by the user.
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Proceeding to block , user commands are received over a network regarding the virtual object. The user commands can be transmitted over the network of by a system unit associated with the user transmitting the commands. The user commands can be received by the server of . In one embodiment, the user commands alter the virtual object state maintained in the virtual object controller object. For example, the user commands can alter a location of the virtual object stored in the virtual object controller object. In another embodiment, the user commands initiate an interaction between the virtual object controller object and a game play controller object.
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Finally, in block , the game play rule is executed based on the object type of the virtual object. In one embodiment, the game play rule includes different scripts to be executed based on the object type of the virtual object. In another embodiment, the execution of the game play rule is further based on at least one of the virtual object states maintained in the virtual object controller object or the game play state maintained in the game play controller object.
While the above detailed description has shown, described, and pointed out novel features of the invention as applied to various aspects, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the device or process illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this disclosure. As will be recognized, the invention may be embodied within a form that does not provide all of the features and benefits set forth herein, as some features may be used or practiced separately from others. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims, the foregoing description, or both. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an illustration of a computer system.
FIG. 2
is an exemplary screenshot of a virtual world.
FIG. 3
is an illustration of a number of connected objects.
FIG. 4
is an exemplary screenshot of a virtual world editor.
FIG. 5
is a flowchart illustrating a method of implementing game play rules. | |
Abstract: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) represents the most common type of heart surgery in the world. One key issue which affects the long-term results of CABG and leads to repeat symptoms and re-interventions is graft failure which occurs in up to 20% of patients within 5 years of surgery and in approximately 50% of patients within 10 years. Despite all the advances in medical images and healthcare technologies, when performing CABG, surgeons currently have no information on the haemodynamic efficiency of different patient-specific ‘revascularisation scenarios’.
This PhD project aims to use the state-of-the-art CFD techniques combined with advanced medical image processing techniques to develop a ‘clinical-based optimisation criteria’ to be implemented in a software platform, developed by the supervisory team at the University of Manchester and their clinical collaborators. The successful applicant will join a newly-established spin-out from the University of Manchester (www.theCASP.com). This project will have both scientific and commercial potentials and the successful applicant will join the ManchesterCFD research team and will benefit from world-class research facilities at the University of Manchester. This project also benefits with direct collaboration with industrial partners.
Requirements: EU/UK nationals only. An undergraduate or Master’s degree in mathematics, physics or engineering background. Previous experience CFD and/or biomedical engineering are highly desirable.
Application: Apply via a link to www.findaPhD.com
Deadline: 13 Sep 2019
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Self-Funded PhD Projects
Computational and Experimental Study of A Novel Endovascular Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysms [Self-Funded]
Abstract: In this project, using advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics and experimental techniques, we propose to investigate the feasibility of a new endovascular treatment procedure based on applying an internal coating to the intracranial aneurysm using a polyurethane-based resin derived from natural resources. The proposed coating material will be delivered using a novel endovascular technique which uses an extra compliant flexible balloon microcatheter with coaxial lumens. Unlike any other aneurysm treatment techniques, this procedure will be based on sealing the orifice neck before applying the coating material. Sealing the orifice neck during the proposed procedure has two main advantages: 1) it stops the blood flow from the parent artery to the aneurysm, and 2) it reduces the risk of haemorrhage in an unlikely event of aneurysm rupture during the procedure. Given the mechanical and biochemical properties of the proposed coating material, following the application to the inner layer of the aneurysm, it will significantly strengthen the aneurysm wall (through reducing von Mises aneurysm wall stress) and consequently, would avoid its further growth and/or rupture.
Skills Required: Essential: Strong background in experimental or numerical fluid mechanics. Desirable: Experience in Biomedical Engineering or Computational Fluid Dynamics.
Development of A Novel Biomedical Engineering Kit to Fight Obesity [Self-Funded]
Abstract: The aim of this research project is for the first time to design, develop and test a novel engineering kit which would play an important tool in fighting obesity in the general public, particularly in children and adolescents. This portable experimental kit would replicate the pulsatile blood flow in an accurate human cardiovascular system, simulating one of the three underlying health issues associated with obesity namely high blood pressure, high blood sugar and lack of physical activity. The novelty and creative aspects of this project is the development of a method to visualise the above features in an in vitro setup. This requires original research in both measurement techniques and also fluid flow. Using the expertise available in the School of MACE at the University of Manchester, the Computed Tomography (CT) scan from the chest of a healthy individual (using an existing database available to the supervisory team) will be used to manufacture sets of state-of-the-art transparent, accurate and flexible silicon models. Some additional equipment used in this project include: a pulsatile pump; a high definition camera; an iPad for monitoring the output; a set of accessory kit with extra tubing; and a fluid with properties similar to the blood. This is an exciting project with engineering design and innovation at the heart of research. It also has potential for significant impact on the lives of many people through raising awareness about the consequences of obesity and poor diet.
Skills Required: Essential: Strong background in Fluid Mechanics. Desirable: Background in Biomedical Engineering or Experimental Fluid Mechanics.
Biomechanical Investigation of Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot and Coarctation of Aorta [Self-Funded]
Abstract: Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) is a heart condition resulting from an abnormality in heart structure or function that is present at birth. In the UK alone, there are about 4,600 babies born with congenital heart disease each year. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has had a profound impact on cardiovascular medicine in the past decade and will be used in this PhD project to assess its potential as an assistive tool in diagnosis and treatment of two CHD conditions, namely Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) and Coarctation of Aorta (CoA). This interdisciplinary project will also identify haemodynamic features that correlate with need for re-operation in the case of ToF and as a tool to predict hypertension in CoA.
The overall aim of this interdisciplinary PhD project is to explore the potential of novel Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) approaches in modelling two CHD lesions including Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) and Coarctation of Aorta (CoA) and to accelerate the development of innovative nonsurgical (catheter/transcutaneous) solutions. This is achieved through the following main objectives: 1) Data collection from 8-10 child patients; 2) Conduct CFD simulations to evaluate key hemodynamic conditions for both ToF and CoA; 3) Perform morphological characterisation of the image sets and compare with CFD to identify post-repair evolution in the patient-specific models; 4) Incorporate additional data from the registry such as genetic characterisation and modifiable/non-modifiable risk factors into a data-mining framework.
Skills Required: Essential: Strong background in Fluid Mechanics. Desirable: Background in Biomedical Engineering or Experimental Fluid Mechanics.
Haemodynamic Performance of Spiral Grafts Using Eulerian and Lagrangian Frameworks [Self-Funded]
Abstract: The identification of the natural blood motion as a swirling flow in the whole arterial system has resulted in new promising lines of research of cardiovascular devices. This PhD project is focused on the design of a novel spiral-inducing prosthetic graft, the performance of which is based on the induction of the swirling flow by means of a helical ridge in the internal wall of the graft. Traditional haemodynamics tends to consider the blood as a continuous fluid, neglecting the physiological rheology of the blood. However, particle transport models, with support of the traditional approaches using Eulerian methods, allow the computational characterisation of particles motion and particle-wall interaction modelling that, together with experimental analyses, can potentially lead to bridge the gap between the pathology of vascular diseases and fluid dynamic metrics and the potential that particle tracking could provide to directly study regions of depositions without the need of intermediary hypothesis. The proposed PhD project therefore will investigate the above methods for biomedical applications including the bypass graft and will compare the Eulerian and Lagrangian haemodynamic metrics for different cardiovascular applications.
Skills Required: Essential: Strong background in Fluid Mechanics. Desirable: Background in Biomedical Engineering or Experimental Fluid Mechanics.
Development of a Novel Hybrid Image Processing Technique for Patient-Specific Coronary Arteries [Self-Funded]
Abstract: Endothelial erosion is responsible for nearly 31% of heart attacks and represents a massively understudied contributor to the 200,000 heart attacks that occur each year in the UK. It occurs when the inner lining of the artery (endothelium) detaches, triggering a blood clot that stops sufficient blood supplying the heart, causing a heart attack. Endothelial cell behaviour is fundamentally controlled by the blood flow pattern to which they are exposed, however, the flow environment that erosions occur in has not yet been determined. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a near infrared imaging technique that allows clinicians to view the artery from the inside and look deep into the artery wall. OCT allows endothelial erosion to be distinguished from plaque rupture and give high definition reconstruction of the luminal surface. In this project, we will combine OCT with angiography using a novel/semi-automated algorithm, which allows a very accurate 3D reconstruction of the artery to be created. In this project the student will be using state-of-the-art Computational Fluid Dynamics simulation codes and computational facilities to simulate the blood flow for patient-specific coronary arteries using the hybrid OCT/angiography images.
Skills Required: Essential: Strong background in Fluid Mechanics. Desirable: Background in Biomedical Engineering or Experimental Fluid Mechanics.
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Expired Jobs
PDRA in Cardiovascular Biomechanics
Description: A Post-Doctoral Research Associate (PDRA) position is available for 12 months for an outstanding and ambitious research engineer in the area of biomedical engineering and cardiovascular biomechanics. The main focus of this post is to work on a research project funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) to run Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations on several patient-specific geometries with an aim of optimising the surgical configurations for patients who have undergone Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) surgery.
You will work as part of a dynamic research team (www.ManchesterCFD.co.uk) in the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering which has world-class research facilities.
You will be expected to have a PhD in CFD with experience in biomedical engineering. You will be working closely with engineers, biologists and clinicians; therefore excellent communication skills both written and oral are critical for the success of this research. You will also be expected to provide a leading role in writing technical reports and grant applications and providing supervision for the research students, if required. In addition you will be expected to arrange regular meetings/provide reports for the research/industrial partners. | https://www.manchestercfd.co.uk/vacancies |
Janusphere Dance Company Artistic Director Darion Smith is hard at work in the studio developing a new work, tentatively titled AMP. In AMP, Darion explores the nature of voice and the relationship between voice and dance to communicate with and experience the world around us.
We sat down with Darion to talk about the new work, its purpose and the process of bringing it to life.
What inspired you to work with the human voice in a dance piece?
I’ve been working with the voice including both my own voice, man-made sound effects and voice-overs, as well as the voices of Janusphere Dance Company dancers in various works. And recently, I have been working with students from the University of Oregon Dance Department.
I first worked with the voice in dance during my days as a student with Kay Fulton at the Santa Barbara City College in California and then shortly after that at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany. During my time with Ms. Fulton she used the voice in class to help us become more aware of the movement, become less self-conscious, and develop our own unique artistic voices. At the Folkwang, my professors and visiting guest artists would use the voice in their teaching, exercises, workshops, and choreography. The Folkwang is known for its tradition in Tanztheater, in which the voice is commonly used in live performance.
In some of my more recent choreography, I have used the human voice in A Dancer’s Life and I have wanted to explore the human voice further. This is spurring me to create my newest work.
How do you feel voice and movement connect? By exploring one, what more can we learn about the other?
Whenever I've watched strangers, friends, or family members converse I’ve noticed their use of gestures to help communicate with each other.
The human voice and movement are ways of amplifying what we express or experience. Tennis players often make loud whaling sounds as they strike the ball, in a way that appears to catalyze the force they exert on the ball. The same goes for some martial artists, vocalization appears to give their actions more force and focus.
I believe combining dance with the human voice teaches us another way of experiencing movement. At the same time, movement helps color what we are trying communicate through the human voice. There is a ton of research that can be done and more to be learned when these two actions are used in combination.
Do you feel this new piece comments on the interdisciplinary nature of art? If so, in what way, and why is that important?
By juxtaposing movement and gesture with spoken text, AMP is another example of how art uses different ways of experiencing life simultaneously through multiple lenses. We are all looking for powerful experiences and new ways to look at the world. I certainly am.
It’s important to me to have different viewpoints in my work as I try to find out what are the dimensions of the human experience. I’m less interested in one singular view of what life is. I want to see and experience many perspectives.
In talking about dialogue on stage, and dialogue through choreography, what role do you feel the audience plays in the overall experience of a dance piece and in its development?
The relationship and dialogue between choreographers, directors, performing artists and audience members is a fascinating topic that could be discussed at great length. I believe that society plays a large role in the work artists create and choose to develop because that’s the dialogue. It is mostly about the human experience because that’s our world.
I believe every audience member comes to the theater or wherever a performance is happening with some kind of idea of what they are going to experience based on their previous experiences with dance. This expectation also shapes the dialogue between audience and performance.
Does AMP explore everyday lives? What does exploring the daily activities of individuals teach us about each other and about our shared experiences?
Choreography and workshopping AMP is a fun and revealing experience that includes finding new ways to experience dance and the human voice, and it pulls back the weil on what the expectations and perceptions I have about someone else's role and experiences in society is.
What are you working on in the studio now to help bring AMP to life?
With the overarching structure in mind, my assistant Jimee Banks and I have created phrases of movement and spoken text. Now we will be busy distilling and organizing what we have into a unified dance work.
This process involves discussion about what we want to focus on in each section of the piece. Each time we go through the sequences of the piece we check what felt real, what needs work, and what needs to be scrapped.
The essential piece of the process is defining what we want to feel physically and emotionally. AMP is becoming more real and I am excited to let go of myself as I know it and to embody this new idea entirely.
Follow more of AMP's development here on the blog and on Facebook and Instagram. | https://janusphere.squarespace.com/blog/2016/9/21/what-were-working-on-wednesday-combining-dance-with-the-human-voice |
the desirability of maintaining the availability to the public of any facility for visiting or inspecting any building, site or object of archaeological, architectural or historic interest.
The PLA must comply with these requirements when considering an application for River Works or Dredging under the Port of London Act 1968 and also in its own activities and functions. Further details on the PLA’s regulatory functions can be found in the Port of London Act 1968.
The PLA is also a competent authority under the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994 and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. It is therefore a requirement for the PLA to ensure continuing compliance with environmental legislation (including the relevant EC Directives) and to take the environment into account in its actions and decisions.
The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 consolidate all the amendments made to the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc) Regulations 1994 for England and Wales.
These regulations implement the Habitats Directive (92/43/EC – on conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora) and Birds Directive (79/409/EC).
The PLA, as a competent authority, has to have regard to the Regulations under Regulation 3(3). The Habitats Directive established a network of conservation sites known as Natura 2000 to protect important habitats and species. The Regulations (which encompass effects on Birds Directive sites) require an Appropriate Assessment of any plan or project that is considered likely to have a significant effect upon a Natura 2000 site (for example the Thames Estuary and Marshes SPA). In addition, the PLA, as a landowner, must comply with Regulation 19 before carrying out or permitting to be carried out potentially damaging operations (see below).
New provisions implement aspects of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, providing for the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) to take on certain licensing functions from Natural England, and for Marine Enforcement Officers to be able to enforce certain offences under the Habitats Regulations.
The PLA is a section 28G authority under this Act which requires consultation with English Nature before any activities are carried out which are likely to damage a SSSI. As a regulator the PLA must comply with section 28I, and as landowner, with section 28E. In addition, there is a duty to conserve and enhance SSSIs.
The EIA Directive requires an Environmental Impact Assessment of certain projects.
This Directive was established in 1979 but has apparently not been widely applied in member states. The Directive establishes a list of parameters and standards for water quality and Shellfish Waters have been designated in coastal/estuarial areas of the North Sea. A large section of the PLA’s port area has been designated as Shellfish Waters (see below).
In December 2003, the EC Water Framework Directive was transposed into national law by means of the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations, 2003. These Regulations provide for the implementation process of the WFD from designation of all surface waters as water bodies to achieving good ecological status by 2015. A River Basin Management Plan will be prepared for each water body and regulators (including the PLA) will have to comply with the RBMP when consenting activities.
The Marine Act established the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) to manage the marine area around England, to undertake certain nature conservation licensing functions and to provide enforcement powers for Marine Enforcement Officers to investigate certain nature conservation offences in the marine area.
Regulation 56 gives the MMO responsibility for granting species licenses (as per Regulation 53(2)(a) to (d)) in England seaward of mean low water (Natural England continues landward of mean low water).
In addition to the Directives outlined above the Environmental Liability Directive is soon to be implemented.
Click on image to view figure of PLA Port Limits and Environment Designations in the Outer Thames Estuary.
Specific activities, such as oil spill response, are also controlled by legislation and other bodies also regulate environmental legislation, for example the Environment Agency regulates the Water Resources Act 1991. A full list of the environmental legislation relevant to the PLA’s operations and activities will be released shortly. Other relevant legislation to the PLA’s activities can be found on the Safety Management Systems page. | http://server1.pla.co.uk/Environment/Environmental-Legislative-Context |
From the start of 2011 it was decided to develop greater understanding of the outcomes of the work of our two 2gether Foundation National Health Service (NHS) Trust recovery in-patient units, by evaluating outcomes assessed by staff and patients at admission, mid-point and discharge from the units. These services have in the past decade adopted a strong recovery-based model of practice, in line with the UK government policy *No Health Without Mental Health*.^[@R1]^ A major strategic aim in this policy is for more people with mental health problems to recover, defined as: 'a greater ability to manage their own lives, stronger social relationships, a greater sense of purpose, the skills they need for living and working, improved chances in education, better employment rates and a suitable and stable place to live'.^[@R1]^ The literature on personal recovery emphasises the individual journey in recovery, in which regaining hope, taking back control and finding new opportunities are key processes.^[@R2]^ It has been argued that a transformation of mental health services is required for this to occur;^[@R3]^ mental health professionals recognising patients\' strengths and expertise as experts in their own health and acknowledging the importance of personal narratives, alongside other forms of evidence. The increasing focus in UK and international healthcare policy on recovery has occurred at a time of generally increasing personal autonomy in wider society while health services have shifted their focus towards helping every individual to make the most of their health, rather than relating mainly to those with illness.^[@R4]^
The recovery units studied provide active rehabilitation for 10 and 13 residents respectively. The units are remote from the main psychiatric hospital services but provide full in-patient support and are registered to take detained patients. The focus of the work in the units is with patients who have complex, severe mental illness, predominantly psychosis, characterised by treatment resistance and other complications. Treatment is provided through a full multi-disciplinary team and includes approaches to optimise health through use of medication, talking therapies including family work, guidance on healthy living, and treatment and support for substance use problems. A wide range of social approaches include help with daily living skills including budgeting, self-care, shopping and cooking, help with finances, benefits and accommodation, and support to develop interests and activity such as sport, leisure activities and work. The work in these units differs from acute in-patient work in focusing more on treating long-term, disabling mental health problems and impaired social functioning over longer time periods, rather than dealing with brief, episodic illness. Typical admissions last approximately 9 months, rather than just over 1 month in acute units (based on November 2016 2gether Foundation NHS Trust data).
The original model of the recovery units described was developed to help patients in their rehabilitation from long-stay hospitals,^[@R5]^ aiming to support patients with complex illness to reintegrate into the community. They have subsequently evolved to work mainly with patients who need longer-term rehabilitation after acute psychiatric admission or any patients who have developed disability due to severe mental illness. Over the past 20 years in the UK, in association with NHS and local authority funding changes, there has been a disinvestment in these services,^[@R6]^ despite recognition in recent commissioning guidance^[@R7]^ that this form of treatment is needed as part of a spectrum of care provision in each district.
The evidence from research in this field has previously been reviewed,^[@R8]^ showing that in-patient recovery units can effectively support most patients accepted by them, the majority of whom can be resettled to less dependent community placements over a period of months or years. The research indicates that treatment in recovery units is associated with improvement in social functioning and social networks and reduced levels of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Placements are associated with relatively few long-term readmissions. These findings have been replicated in other countries such as Australia, the USA Northern Ireland, Norway and Italy.^[@R9]^ The quality of the research evidence is however variable and there has been very little formal research carried out in this area.^[@R5]^ A recent study of outcomes 5 years after in-patient rehabilitation^[@R10]^ found that around 40% of patients had remained in stable accommodation or moved to independent placement and sustained this.
Although UK commissioning frameworks have consistently argued the need for services of this type to help patients with complex needs in their pathway from acute or secure hospital to the community, there still seems to be a shortage of appropriate residential places in some areas, particularly for those with the most severe and enduring mental health problems. A study of hospital services in Birmingham, UK,^[@R11]^ showed that long-stay (more than 6 months) patients were consistently found to occupy 20% of acute beds. The authors noted that where staff made recommendations for community placements, 'by far the majority' required 24-hour residential care, suggesting a need to improve access to this sort of provision. A recent paper^[@R12]^ noted that problems may arise from the fragmentation due to use of private sector psychiatry and made a strong case for local, well-organised, NHS rehabilitation services. A survey^[@R13]^ of English rehabilitation services showed that despite closures of nearly all NHS long-stay hospital beds, most areas still had active rehabilitation units available to help people with complex, treatment-resistant illness. In 93 local authority regions, most (77%) had short-term (up to 12 months) rehabilitation units, with an average of 13 beds. It appears that although services are available in most areas, the level of provision is variable and patchy. Hospital services in the UK continue to be under pressure and there are often suggestions of a need for more beds. However, it has been argued^[@R14]^ that alternatives to acute in-patient admission could reduce this pressure and that around one in four cases in acute units could be managed in a unit run by nurses or care workers.
Aims of the evaluation {#S1}
======================
This service evaluation aimed to describe, prospectively, aggregated outcomes for new residents over the duration of their admission or in the first year of treatment. The evaluation considered changes in health and social circumstances from admission to the units, to discharge or 1 year after admission. Utilisation of acute hospital treatment was monitored before and during treatment in the recovery units.
Method {#S2}
======
This project was carried out as a service evaluation with a formal protocol and a project steering group which met regularly during the project\'s work. The County Research and Development Support Unit assessed and gave written agreement for the project, prior to commencement. The use of aggregated data was preferred to other methods, such as the use of within-participant findings. This was a pragmatic decision, as the introduction of routine outcome monitoring was hoped to improve and make more systematic individual care planning, as well as to enable individual and service-level evaluation of outcome. The measures used in the project were selected to support the new way of working.
Participants {#S3}
------------
At the point of admission to the unit, demographic and health-related data were collected for all patients, on a specially designed form. The patient\'s key worker rated the Camberwell Assessment of Need Short Appraisal Schedule (CANSAS)^[@R15]^ and Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS)^[@R16]^ scores at the time of admission. CANSAS forms were given by key workers to patients for self-completion, with an explanation about how to complete them. Key workers were instructed to ensure that patient rating of need was independent of their own rating and access to support from local advocacy services was offered if this was considered helpful. Where a carer had a significant role with the patient, this individual was also approached to assess the needs of the patient (with consent, following the usual clinical permissions pathway).
To be included in the evaluation, patients were required to have continuous treatment for a minimum of 3 months in one of the units. This was to ensure that patients who were occasionally admitted briefly from the acute ward, due largely to problems such as homelessness leading to delays in discharge, but were not assessed to require the therapeutic approach of the recovery unit, did not bias the sample. It was also felt that patients discharged before 3 months would not have had time to engage meaningfully with the therapeutic work of these services.
The same ratings were repeated 6 months after admission and at discharge, or at the end of the first year of treatment. Demographic and health-related data were collected at the point of discharge from the unit or at the end of the first year of admission.
Measures {#S4}
--------
The CANSAS^[@R15]^ rates need as 'absent' (no problem), 'met' (problem addressed by services) or 'unmet' (significant, ongoing problem) across 22 social and healthcare domains. The HoNOS^[@R16]^ is a 12-item scale that rates various aspects of health and social functioning on a 5-point Likert scale to measure levels of problem severity.
Data management {#S5}
---------------
At admission, patients were allocated a number for identification purposes and from this time all data were held anonymously, with the identification number only used on forms, held securely by the unit administration lead, who managed the data collection processes. Data sheets were held in a locked office in secure filing cabinets or on a password-protected Trust PC.
Statistical analysis {#S6}
--------------------
C.F. advised on the use of descriptive, demographic and illness-related information and the analysis of change scores from admission to discharge using aggregated HoNOS scores and CANSAS total, met and unmet need total scores. Data were entered into SPSS for analysis (SPSS version 18 for Windows). Non-parametric Wilcoxon matched pairs signed ranks tests were used to assess changes in mean HoNOS and CANSAS ratings.
Ethical consideration {#S7}
---------------------
This work was an attempt to evaluate whether the recovery units were effective in their intended work. It was a service evaluation and did not have a randomised controlled design. Information was collected as part of the work of the units and it was used at an individual level to more systematically understand patient need and plan treatment. There was no intention to use experimental tools or to compare units or employ a control group. As a result of the design it was noted that results would not be generalisable, although it was hoped that they may be of value at a time of greater attention to treatment outcomes and considering issues of service quality and innovation. Patient consent was not formally taken but was considered to be given by participation, where patients gave individual ratings of need and this was always explained to be optional and unrelated to the rest of the patient\'s treatment. Prior to starting the project, the need for formal ethics committee submission was considered by our County Research Support Unit, which advised that this was not required and gave written approval for the project.
Results {#S8}
=======
Data collection was carried out in the two units from April 2011 to June 2014. During that time a total of 43 patients were admitted for a period of at least 3 months. Data were collected on the patients over this period, the gaps in data being largely due to the challenges of managing data collection within a standard clinical setting, rather than (with the infrastructure permitted by research funding) as a research project. Gaps in the data-set are reported within the results presented below. These related often to patient choice and willingness to participate in routine data collection. Although access to advocacy was freely available and advocates were working regularly in both units through the project, we do not know how often they provided specific support to patients in completing outcome measures. We believe this was rare and in the great majority of cases patients completed forms independently or with minor support from staff.
The study group of 43 patients included 28 (65%) male patients, aged 18--62 years (mean 36.5, s.d. = 10.3); 39 (91%) were single, 2 (5%) married and 2 (5%) divorced. Most patients (*n* = 23, 53%) were admitted from an acute psychiatric ward, the remainder (*n* = 20, 47%) direct from the community. In the year prior to the recovery unit admission, patients had spent a mean of 20.7 weeks (range 0--52, s.d. = 24.5) in a psychiatric hospital. Patients had experienced a mean of 1.0 admissions in the year before entering the recovery unit (range 0--4, s.d. = 0.55).
At the time of admission all patients were unemployed, and 23 (53%) lived in supported accommodation, 19 (44%) in their own tenancy and 1 (2%) with family. Overall, 27 (63%) were under an assertive outreach team, 11 (26%) under a community recovery team (community mental health team) and 5 (12%) under early intervention services.
Patients spent a mean of 380 days (s.d. = 177) in the recovery units; there were no recorded episodes of acute psychiatric readmission during this time. In total, 38 of discharges (74%) were planned and 5 patients (12%) were discharged for other reasons.
At the time of discharge, 42 (98%) were unemployed, 1 patient being a part-time student. Overall, 32 (74%) had their own tenancy, 4 (9%) were living in supported accommodation and 2 (5%) were living with family. In total, 29 (67%) were under an assertive outreach team, 11 (26%) under a community recovery team and 3 (7%) were under early intervention services.
The main changes over the course of this evaluation were: there was a small increase in employment following treatment in the units; there was a 30% increase in patients living in their own tenancy; and some patients were taken over by assertive outreach teams during their admission, mostly moving from early intervention teams.
No individuals were readmitted to acute in-patient care during their recovery in-patient admission.
Baseline and final mean HoNOS and CANSAS met/unmet need scores are presented in [Table 1](#T1){ref-type="table"}.
######
Mean HoNOS and CANSAS ratings at baseline and discharge/12-month follow-up
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Baseline rating\ Discharge/12-month rating\ Wilcoxon signed ranks\
Mean (s.d.) Mean (s.d.) 2-tailed test
--------------------------------- ------------------ ---------------------------- ------------------------
HoNOS 19.9 (8.2) 18.5 (9.0) *Z*= −1.46, *P*\>0.05
Staff-rated CANSAS met need 7.2 (4.3) 7.3 (3.9) *Z*= −0.41, *P*\>0.05
Staff-rated CANSAS unmet need 3.7 (3.6) 3.4 3.0) *Z*= −0.76, *P*\>0.05
Patient-rated CANSAS met need 3.9 (4.5) 4.8 (4.4) *Z*= −1.39, *P*\>0.05
Patient-rated CANSAS unmet need 2.8 (3.3) 2.2 (2.5) *Z*= −1.32, *P*\>0.05
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HoNOS, Health of the Nation Outcome Scales; CANSAS, Camberwell Assessment of Need Short Appraisal Schedule.
CANSAS scores by domain at baseline and discharge/12 months are represented in [Table 2](#T2){ref-type="table"} for patient ratings and [Table 3](#T3){ref-type="table"} for staff ratings.
######
Patient CANSAS ratings of met, unmet and no needs by domain at baseline and discharge/12 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Met need Unmet need No need Total\
completed\
CANSAS\
ratings
------------------------- ---------- ------------ ----------- ------------ ---- ---------- ---- ---- ---------- ----
Social life 5 13 8 (28) 13 10 −3 (10) 11 6 −5 (17) 29
Psychological distress 7 12 5 (17) 10 6 −4 (13) 13 12 −1 (3) 30
Physical health 10 12 2 (7) 6 5 −1 (3) 15 14 −1 (3) 31
Intimate relationships 5 3 −2 (7) 9 14 5 (17) 16 13 −3 (10) 30
Daytime activities 10 16 6 (21) 10 4 −6 (21) 9 9 0 (0) 29
Sexual expression 3 4 1 (3) 10 10 0 (0) 16 15 −1 (3) 29
Accommodation 9 19 10 (33) 8 1 −7 (23) 13 11 −2 (7) 30
Psychotic symptoms 11 14 3 (10) 11 7 −4 (13) 9 7 −2 (7) 31
Safety to self 9 6 −3 (10) 4 2 −2 (7) 18 23 5 (16) 31
Information\ 18 23 5 (16) 2 2 0 (0) 11 6 −5 (16) 31
on treatment
Enough food 14 18 4 (13) 2 3 1 (3) 15 10 −5 (16) 31
Use of public transport 7 3 −4 (13) 4 7 3 (10) 19 20 1 (3) 30
Basic education 2 8 6 (19) 2 0 −2 (7) 27 23 −4 (13) 31
Budgeting 8 8 0 (0) 5 10 5 (16) 18 13 −5 (16) 31
Safety to others 3 1 −2 (7) 0 1 1 (3) 27 28 1 (3) 30
Care of home 8 15 7 (23) 3 3 0 (0) 12 12 0 (0) 30
Self-care 11 10 −1 (3) 3 2 −1 (3) 17 19 2 (7) 31
Non-prescribed drugs 4 2 −2 (7) 2 1 −1 (3) 25 28 3 (10) 31
Benefits taken up 9 10 1 (4) 1 4 3 (12) 16 12 −4 (15) 26
Use of telephone 4 5 1 (3) 0 0 0 (0) 27 26 −1 (3) 31
Alcohol problems 2 4 2 (7) 4 1 −3 (10) 25 26 1 (3) 31
Childcare 2 1 −1 (3) 1 0 −1 (3) 27 29 2 (7) 30
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CANSAS, Camberwell Assessment of Need Short Appraisal Schedule.
######
Staff CANSAS ratings of met, unmet and no needs by domain at baseline and discharge/12 months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------- ---------- ------------ ---------- ------------ ---- ---------- ---- ---- ----------- ----
Social life 12 18 6 (15) 18 16 −2 (5) 10 6 −4 (10) 40
Psychological distress 19 21 2 (5) 11 8 −3 (8) 8 9 1 (3) 38
Physical health 18 20 2 (5) 7 7 0 (0) 14 12 −2 (5) 39
Intimate relationships 7 3 −4 (13) 13 16 3 (9) 12 13 1 (3) 32
Daytime activities 22 23 1 (3) 16 13 −3 (8) 2 4 2 (5) 40
Sexual expression 8 3 −5 (18) 10 13 3 (11) 10 12 2 (7) 28
Accommodation 12 21 9 (23) 13 9 −4 (10) 15 10 −5 (13) 40
Psychotic symptoms 20 23 3 (8) 18 14 −4 (10) 1 2 1 (3) 39
Safety to self 19 10 −9 (23) 4 4 0 (0) 16 25 9 (23) 39
Information\ 27 33 6 (15) 2 0 −2 (5) 12 8 −4 (10) 41
on treatment
Enough food 20 22 2 (5) 3 2 −1 (3) 17 16 −1 (3) 40
Use of public transport 7 4 −3 (8) 6 7 1 (3) 24 26 2 (5) 37
Basic education 7 11 4 (10) 1 0 −1 (2) 33 30 −3 (7) 41
Budgeting 17 13 −4 (10) 9 13 4 (10) 13 13 0 (0) 39
Safety to others 17 7 −10 (25) 2 2 0 (0) 21 31 10 (25) 40
Care of home 11 15 4 (11) 12 10 −2 (6) 13 11 −2 (6) 36
Self-care 19 17 −2 (5) 6 7 1 (2) 16 17 1 (2) 41
Non-prescribed drugs 14 5 −9 (23) 2 3 1 (3) 24 32 8 (20) 40
Benefits taken up 20 22 2 (6) 1 0 −1 (3) 13 12 −1 (3) 34
Use of telephone 5 7 2 (5) 0 0 0 (0) 36 34 −2 (5) 41
Alcohol problems 15 13 −2 (5) 6 4 −2 (5) 20 24 4 (10) 41
Childcare 3 4 1 (3) 1 1 0 (0) 35 34 −1 (3) 39
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CANSAS, Camberwell Assessment of Need Short Appraisal Schedule.
There were improvements in patient-rated met needs in domains relating to accommodation, social life, care of the home and daytime activity, most other domains showing no change or minor increases and decreases. There were reductions in patient-rated unmet needs in accommodation, daytime activity budgeting and intimate relationships, with about half the domains showing minimal change. It can be seen that the main changes in patient-rated need were in domains relating to social functioning.
There were increases in staff-rated met needs in domains relating to accommodation, social life and information about treatment. Apparent reductions in staff-rated met need in the domains safety to others, safety to self and use of non-prescribed drugs appeared to be explained by comparable increases in levels of 'no need' in these domains. Staff-rated unmet needs showed smaller levels of change, the domains which reduced most being accommodation, daytime activities and psychotic symptoms.
Discussion {#S9}
==========
We have shown that it is possible as part of routine clinical outcome measurement to assess longitudinal outcomes in a standard recovery in-patient setting, using staff- and patient-rated measures. The results included some gaps in data which were due largely to patients declining to complete CANSAS ratings of need or incomplete participation by staff members. However, the results seem likely to be reasonably representative of the patients admitted to the units over this time, other than those patients who were admitted and then discharged or readmitted to the acute ward within a short time (these patients were excluded from the study population).
Results and limitations of research {#S10}
-----------------------------------
We found minimal change in HoNOS scores in the course of the recovery unit admission but overall staff and patient assessed unmet needs tended to reduce and met needs tended to increase, although not at a statistically significant level. This may have related to the relatively small sample size. The main changes in need found over the study period rated by staff and patients related to improved social functioning, a finding which accords with the primary clinical aims of these services; to help individuals to regain life skills lost through periods of severe illness and ideally to try to achieve the most independent living situation possible. Our evaluation included patient and staff evaluations of need, both being included as the research indicates that they differ, and that the patient\'s perspective may be particularly important.^[@R17]^ The reduction in staff-assessed risk to self and others was encouraging and may have linked to reduced substance misuse, as these units have a strict drug-free policy and during admission patients are supported to remain drug free. A recent survey^[@R18]^ of in-patient rehabilitation units in Birmingham, UK, found chronically high levels of problematic and socially inappropriate behaviours and suggested that new approaches, focusing on engagement and the management of challenging behaviour, may be helpful.
A number of limitations result from the method of this service evaluation. There was no control group and, as a result, the findings cannot be generalised. We are only aware of the existence of one, small, randomised controlled trial in this area,^[@R19]^ and arguably this type of research is not really feasible in this setting,^[@R5]^ although it remains vital to learn more about outcomes in these important and relatively expensive services. The numbers in our study group were small and it would be helpful to compare our results with studies using similar outcome measures in other settings, ideally with larger patient groups. Further limitations arise from the lack of data relating to progress at different time points during the treatment in the recovery units: it is possible that greater benefits occur early or later in the treatment process, which we were unable to evaluate. The scales used allow limited understanding of the patient experience, which could be more fully accessed through the use of qualitative studies and a number of tools assessing aspects of patient-rated recovery are now available.^[@R20]^ Qualitative studies in this area have emphasised the importance of choice and autonomy for many patients^[@R21]^ and have shown the potential for personal recovery to be facilitated through appropriate supported living accommodation.^[@R22]^
Of interest, poorer outcomes were associated with non-adherence to medication and our finding that most patients were discharged to assertive outreach teams suggests that many patients will continue to need a high level of support following treatment in recovery units. A recent study using retrospective care records^[@R9]^ found significantly reduced hospital admission 2 years after in-patient rehabilitation and that a substantial proportion of the sample went into more independent living. We found a large increase (30%) in the number of patients discharged to their own tenancies, rather than supported accommodation.
Consideration of findings against previous research {#S11}
---------------------------------------------------
At a time of increasing pressure on in-patient services, our findings accord with previous research^[@R23]^ suggesting that alternatives to acute in-patient care could reduce this pressure and that many cases could be managed in facilities such as recovery units. More than half the admissions to our in-patient recovery units were from acute wards and their ability to manage cases effectively without return to hospital and, most importantly, achieve clinical improvements, emphasises the importance of having these services available in each region/district where acute units operate. Our findings were in line with previous research^[@R14]^ showing improved outcomes in terms of accommodation and stable social functioning following treatment in recovery units. It is important to have a long-term perspective due to the ongoing, high levels of chronic morbidity in this population.^[@R10]^ There is a continuing need for different types of supported accommodation, although in our study a substantial number progressed to fully independent living.
Research in supported accommodation has been classified^[@R5]^ into three domains: quality of care; external evaluation and quality of life; and subjective satisfaction by the resident. In terms of quality of care, the most important factors appear to be the effectiveness of an individually centred, targeted programme of care and the quality of the physical environment. A systematic review of the quality of care in longer-term mental healthcare settings^[@R23]^ found eight domains of institutional care that were key to recovery: living conditions, interventions for schizophrenia, physical health, restraint and seclusion, staff training and support, therapeutic relationship, autonomy and patient involvement. The two units investigated have both embraced the recovery approach, working alongside patients in pursuit of their goals and promoting autonomy and empowerment of the individual. Previous research^[@R24]^ has shown that quality of care is heavily determined by the personality and orientation of project leaders and staff working in these units drew on extensive experience of local rehabilitation/recovery work, which has resulted in three major reviews and redevelopment of services and extensive staff training in recovery methods. The units were both accredited as 'excellent' in 2016 within the rehab-AIMS national benchmarking of rehabilitation units.^[@R25]^ However, the results in our study show that the patient population is highly disabled with high levels of need and high usage of hospital care. Our results, showing clinical stability alongside progress in personal and social domains, was encouraging and hopeful. These units support many patients who due to their illness have difficulty creating their own structure, with consequent loss of internal security and often associated fears of losing control. The provision of support, treatment and therapeutic approaches available 24 hours provides an important support^[@R26]^ which enables patients to feel stable, secure and then able to progress with rebuilding their lives. It is however important to consider differences between professional and patient preferences. When asked their view, patients have tended to prefer the option of their own, independent accommodation^[@R27]^ over rehabilitation or supported accommodation. Family members tend to align with the professional view and prefer their relatives being cared for in staffed environments.^[@R28]^ An important criticism of staffed settings is the potential for institutional regimes and a poor rehabilitative culture, which could impede independence and autonomy.^[@R29]^ Conversely, some patients and family members have reported that independent tenancies can be socially isolating^[@R27]^ and it seems that many patients benefit from treatment in these units, particularly if they maintain a collaborative approach and provide a wide range of therapeutic options.
**Declaration of interest** R.M., C.C., K.H., D.L., C.G., H.S. and H.E. work, or have worked, in the services described.
We would like to thank the recovery units\' staff and patients for their support with this project and for completing the necessary rating scales required. We thank Natasha Wallace for her administration and support more widely for the project.
[^1]: **Dr Rob Macpherson**, 2Gether Foundation NHS Trust. **Dr Claudia Calciu**, 2Gether Foundation NHS Trust. **Mr Chris Foy**, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. **Dr Kim Humby**, 2Gether NHS Foundation Trust. **Mr Dave Lozynskyj**, 2Gether NHS Foundation Trust. **Mr Charles Garton**, 2Gether NHS Foundation Trust. **Dr Hannah Steer**, 2Gether NHS Foundation Trust. **Mrs Helen Elliott**, 2Gether NHS Foundation Trust.
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The study led by Professor Daniel Tenen, Director of the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at NUS, was done jointly with the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, the National University Health System, Queen Mary Hospital Hong Kong, Queen’s University Belfast and Harvard Stem Cell Institute.
CSI Director Prof Tenen led the study on SALL4, a stem cell gene
The scientists found that SALL4 – a potent stem cell gene present in human foetuses for early development but inactive in healthy adult livers – can be used as a prognostic marker as well as a therapeutic target for HCC. They also proposed an approach that inactivates the gene to destroy HCC cells and prevent tumour formation.
The findings were published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine on 13 June 2013. Two patent applications have been filed on the breakthrough work.
Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. According to the Singapore Cancer Registry, it is the fourth most common cancer in the country. The current diagnosis of HCC includes ultrasound, liver biopsy, computerised tomography, magnetic resonance imaging as well as blood tests to detect the presence of alpha-fetoprotein, a cancer marker.
In terms of treatment, surgical resection is the most viable treatment option for liver cancer, said Prof Tenen. However, this is only possible for early-stage liver tumours. “What urgently needs to be addressed is the development of more effective targeted therapies, and this is where our research comes in,” he pointed out.
The investigators analysed 171 and 228 liver cancer samples from National University Hospital in Singapore and Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong respectively. They noted that 10 to 20 per cent of the liver cancer patients expressed high levels of SALL4, while 20 to 30 per cent expressed low to moderate levels of the gene. The expression of SALL4 is linked to a more aggressive subgroup of HCC, thus patients with higher expression should be considered for more aggressive treatment regimen where feasible as their condition will be more critical.
The researchers also determined SALL4’s role in liver tumour formation. By suppressing the gene, the liver cancer cells can be killed or their tumour-forming capability blocked.
The findings may contribute towards targeted therapy for HCC. It could also help in the treatment of other types of cancers associated with SALL4 such as ovarian, endometrial, gastric, breast and lung cancers, as well as leukaemia.
PhD student and first author of the research paper, Ms Yong Kol Jia
National University of Singapore. | https://www.healthcanal.com/cancers/40007-discovery-could-enable-targeted-liver-cancer-therapy.html |
JCC Brooklyn Preschools are OPEN for the 2020-2021 year! We are implementing modifications according to DOH guidelines and taking all precautions in order to keep our children, families and staff healthy and safe.
Preschool (Ages 2-4)
At JCC Brooklyn Clinton Hill, our classrooms are loving and thoughtfully designed spaces for children. Our children are encouraged to try new activities, meet new friends and satisfy their curiosity by learning about the world around them. We believe that our work is to support children to be the best that they can be and foster a love of learning. Preschool lays the foundation for lifelong learning and that is why we create curriculum based on the children’s interests all while helping them reach key developmental milestones. We use play, song, books and activities to introduce children to early academic concepts such as counting, patterning, rhyming and reading.
JCC Brooklyn Clinton Hill offers:
- Full and Half-Day Programs (including early bird and extended stay)
- Progressive, play-based approach
- Experienced and nurturing staff
- Jewish cultural framework
- Music, art, and movement integrated into daily schedule
- Introduction to science, math and early literacy skills
- Daily snacks
- Daily walks and playground visits
- Rest time in our full day program
Twos’ & Threes’ Room:
When you walk into our Twos’ and Threes’ classrooms, you will see children actively engaged in various centers, including painting, playing in the sensory table, engaging in dramatic play, building with blocks, reading in our library, or singing songs at circle time. The main work of a Two-Year-Old is to become comfortable with school routines, make friends, learn about sharing, become part of the classroom community and try new activities. For our Three-Year-Olds, additional emphasis is placed on a math curriculum consisting of patterning, counting and sorting. They also engage in science activities where children are encouraged to ask questions and have an opportunity to explore cause and effect through hands on learning. Through story-time we aim to foster children’s love of reading and introduce them to early literacy skills such as rhyming and reading comprehension through group discussion. Our play based curriculum introduces children to early academic studies through art, song, movement and stories.
Physical Education:
At JCC Brooklyn Clinton Hill, we have an indoor gym where the children engage in cooperative games. They also play basketball, ride scooters, walk on balance beams, climb through tunnels, practice yoga and dancing and play hopscotch. It is very important that children at our school have physical activity every day. When the weather permits, we walk to the playground, where the children play on climbers, swings, blow bubbles, draw with chalk and play outdoor tag games. | https://www.jcc-brooklyn.org/clinton-hill/preschool/ |
That wisdom could be “romantic” would strike many as odd. This is because, generally speaking, neither romance nor wisdom is properly considered. The former is mistaken for lust, while the latter is lost in a sea of empty esotericism, or consigned to simple disregard. Since the theme of our upcoming conference is “The Romance of Wisdom,” I feel bound to explain how these two nouns, seemingly so distant, can possibly be conjoined.
Wisdom will be considered in our next Ad Rem. For now, I will say that wisdom is at least four things for us: a virtue of the speculative intellect, a gift of the Holy Ghost, the study and discipline of sacred doctrine (theology), and, finally, wisdom is a Person. Again, I will come back to these next time; so now I proceed to the other half of our odd couple.
“Romance” is commonly associated with erotic love and its pursuit. As a literary genre, it has been reduced to the smutty novel mass-consumed in cheap pulp editions by idle housewives. But that is not what a romance is at all. Coming from the Latin word for “the Romans,” romance first of all is a group of languages whose common origin is a low Latin that was diversely Germanized, Celtified, Vandalized, Gothified, and otherwise Barbarized by the foreigners who divided the carcass of the Western Roman Empire among themselves. From low Latin emerged the antecedents of today’s “Romance Languages”: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Romanian, etc. These languages developed their own songs, epic ballads, and verse that related important events of history and passed on the culture of the emerging European nations. By the High Middle Ages, these forms had evolved into a rich and diverse literature that became more cultivated as European civilization moved from the chaotic feudalism of the “Dark Ages” to the more orderly era of organized kingdoms. An important part of the developed literature of the day was the verse or prose narrative called “the romance.” 1
Unlike their precursors, the early heroic songs called chansons de geste, romances were not just warrior songs, though, as in the case of The Song of Roland, warcraft often figures prominently in the genre. It is primarily to chivalry that we owe the romance, for these works extolled the virtues of the knight. They often mixed history with folklore and fantasy (magic swords, elves, etc.), giving us tales of struggle and quest where the successes and failures of the characters were meant to edify and instruct, as well as to entertain their readership. And who constituted that readership? The knightly class themselves, for this was an aristocratic literature. True, “courtly love,” was integral to many of these romances — especially the later French ones — but this element is only a part of the larger whole.
Courtly love was an important development in Western man’s conception of the relation between the sexes. It gave us the traditions of “courtesy” that men are still, to some extent, expected to show to ladies. Even the word “courtesy” comes from the “court” of love. Courtly love itself was a byproduct of chivalry, being an integral part of the social life of the aristocrat. No doubt, it is this element, found mainly in French works like The Romance of the Rose, that makes moderns associate the word “romance” with erotic love. But even though courtly love had its own ironic decadence, as a perusal of the lyrics of troubadour songs will prove, it did idealize discipline, manners, and self-control. Besides, if we understand nothing of courtly love, St. Francis of Assisi’s burning devotion to “Lady Poverty” will be lost on us, as will St. Ignatius of Loyola’s all-night vigil before the statue of Our Lady of Montserrat, to whom he gave his sword and armor as a votive offering. (To learn more about “courtly love,”consult Gary Potter’s article, Chivalry and Our Lady, and scroll down to the heading, “Eleanor’s ‘Courtly Love’.”)
Romances, then, were tales of combat, quest, adventure, virtue, manliness, bravery, and yes, of love, that exemplified the Code of Chivalry. As they thrilled readers, they also encouraged imitation and therefore upheld the high ideals of the times. It is this ennobling allure, this attraction combined with edification that allows us to speak of “The Romance of Wisdom.”
The idealizing of a life of virtue — the romanticizing of moral perfection — is of great value for the would-be saint. Boys, for instance, need to be challenged with lofty goals, rights of passage, standards applied to them by their masters into whose company they hope to graduate. If it may be said, they need to be passionate about something, as in directing to a high ideal all the energy of their spiritual faculties, the affections of their souls, and even the muscles, bones, and sinews of their bodies. Failing that, they will languish in spiritual mediocrity or moral torpor. Give a boy a cause, impress upon his mind its ideals, direct him to fight for the good, and a man will be formed.
What better cause to give a young man than that of God, of His Mother, and of His Church? No better liege-Lord can be found, no better “Lady” whose honor to uphold, and no better city to defend than these.
Our Lord Jesus Christ the King, the eternal and incarnate Wisdom, is the terminus of all the noble aspirations that constitute true romance. | https://catholicism.org/ad-rem-no-142.html |
Herbs are very easy to grow with a little sunshine, soil that drains well, some watering, and a little fertilizer or compost. Herbs can be grown in pots; however, the plants always prefer to be in the ground where they can spread out. Some plants grow quite large (4-6 feet), and when placed in pots they can become stunted and can get stressed, which causes them to be very unhappy.
Main Thing Necessary To Grow Herbs is to Put Them in The Right Place
The main requirement for growing Herbs is growing them in the proper location. Most prefer full sun as long as regular summer temperatures don’t rise above 90 degrees. If you have very warm summers, then consider planting in and area that gets morning sun and afternoon shade in the summertime, or a place that receives filtered light (such as under a tree that allows some light to pass through). Check the area several times during the day to make sure that there are at least four hours of sun. (e.g., 8 to 12, 12 to 4, or from 9 to 11 and 2 to 4).
Planting Herbs
For planting Herbs, you need approximately 1 to 4 feet in diameter for each plant, depending on the plant. Here are some general guidelines for plant sizes:
- 3-4 feet – Rosemary, Sage, Mints, Oregano, Marjoram
- 2 feet – Basils, Thyme, Tarragon, Savory
- 1 foot – Cilantro, Chives, Dill, Parsley
Prepare The Soil
Next, you need to prepare the soil. Digging with a large garden fork loosens soil that has become compacted over the years. This allows water to drain and creates space for plant roots to reach down into the soil. This is the most important step–shortcuts here are disastrous for your plants. Adding compost to your soil, about an inch or so on top and then mixing it into the soil, helps prevent drainage problems and adds fertilizer to the garden.
The Final Step is to Plant Healthy, Strong Plants and Water Them As They Get Dry
The final step is to plant healthy, strong plants and water them when they become dry. Most Herbs like to be watered as soon as the soil located a couple of inches below the surface is dry to the touch. Since temperatures and humidity cause drying times to vary every week, you must check the soil often. Do not over-water. More water is not better and can lead to diseases or just poor growing conditions for your Herbs, which will result in reduced growth.
Harvesting
For harvesting, you simply cut off about 1/3 of the branches when the plant reaches at least 6-8″ tall. By cutting close to a leaf intersection, your plants will regrow very quickly. Some plants, such as parsley, grow new leaves from their center. In this case the oldest branches need to be completely removed, leaving the new tiny branches growing from the center. This becomes clearer as you watch your plants grow and mature.
Herb Gardening in Containers
Herbs are much easier to grow than many houseplants. All you need is a sunny, warm place and containers large enough for your plants to grow. Sunny decks, patios, and other such areas are great for container gardening. By growing Herbs in containers, you save yourself the difficulty of digging that starting a garden plot requires.
However, if you are lucky enough to have a great location for a garden, and you like to work outdoors, remember that your plants always prefer to be in the ground. Some plants grow quite large and do much better in the ground for that reason alone. Container gardening requires diligent watering and regular feeding, but it can be easy and fun.
The Main Things You Will Need Are:
- Large Pots (clay or plastic) 8″ to 18″ in diameter (It is a good idea to combine several herbs that have the same watering requirements into a single container)
- Good Potting Soil (enough to fill your pots)
- Plant fertilizer (Organic herb or vegetable fertilizer is recommended)
- Watering Can or Hose
For planting Herbs, you need to allow for at least 8″ in diameter for each plant. Later you may want to transplant to larger pots because the Herbs will outgrow their pots over time. (Basils can grow to over 2 1/2 feet high.)
First, prepare your container by filling it with good potting soil and add fertilizer according to the directions on the package for herbs or for most vegetables. Moisten the potting soil by mixing in water until the soil feels damp all the way through. Place the pot on a saucer, if you need to protect your deck or table, and you are ready to plant.
Next, dig holes large enough for each plant. Release the plants from their starter containers by turning them upside down, tapping the bottom, and gently pulling on the base of the stems until the plant comes out of the container.
Place the plant in the hole and gently press soil around the edges to fill. Water the plant immediately after planting; afterward, water them only when the soil gets dry to the touch. Over-watering can be just as bad for Herbs as under-watering.
Plants should get at least four hours of sunshine per day (certain plants appreciate a bit of shade in the hot summer months during the afternoon hours). They can grow with less sunshine, but they will not grow as well. For harvesting, you simply cut off about 1/3 of the branches when the plant reaches at least 6-8″ tall. By cutting close to a leaf intersection your plants will regrow very quickly. | https://www.icanhasgif.com/herb-garden/ |
Sequencing the genomes of the human, the mouse and a wide variety of other organisms - from yeast to chimpanzees - is driving the development of an exciting new field of biological research called comparative genomics.
By comparing the human genome with the genomes of different organisms, researchers can better understand the structure and function of human genes and thereby develop new strategies in the battle against human disease. In addition, comparative genomics provides a powerful new tool for studying evolutionary changes among organisms, helping to identify the genes that are conserved among species along with the genes that give each organism its own unique characteristics.
Using computer-based analysis to zero in on the genomic features that have been preserved in multiple organisms over millions of years, researchers will be able to pinpoint the signals that control gene function, which in turn should translate into innovative approaches for treating human disease and improving human health. In addition, the evolutionary perspective may prove extremely helpful in understanding disease susceptibility. For example, chimpanzees do not suffer from some of the diseases that strike humans, such as malaria and AIDS. A comparison of the sequence of genes involved in disease susceptibility may reveal the reasons for this species barrier, thereby suggesting new pathways for prevention of human disease.
Although living creatures look and behave in many different ways, all of their genomes consist of DNA, the chemical chain that makes up the genes that code for thousands of different kinds of proteins. Precisely which protein is produced by a given gene is determined by the sequence in which four chemical building blocks - adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C) and guanine (G) - are laid out along DNA's double-helix structure.
In order for researchers to most efficiently use an organism's genome in comparative studies, data about its DNA must be in large, contiguous segments, anchored to chromosomes and, ideally, fully sequenced. Furthermore, the data needs to be organized for easy access and high-speed analysis by sophisticated computer software. The successful sequencing of the human genome, which is scheduled to be finished in April 2003, and the recent draft assemblies of the mouse and rat genomes have demonstrated that large-scale sequencing projects can generate high-quality data at a reasonable cost. As a result, the interest in sequencing the genomes of many other organisms has risen dramatically.
In addition to mouse (Mus musculus) and human (Homo sapiens), organisms that have been sequenced include: fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster); roundworm (Caenorhabditis elegans); yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae); a malaria-carrying mosquito (Anopheles gambiae) along with the malaria-causing parasite (Plasmodium falciparum); a long list of microbes; and a couple of plants, including rice (Oryza sativa). While not yet complete, the draft sequence of the rat (Rattus norvegicus) is also of sufficiently high quality to conduct many valuable comparative analysis studies.
The fledgling field of comparative genomics has already yielded some dramatic results. For example, a March 2000 study comparing the fruit fly genome with the human genome discovered that about 60 percent of genes are conserved between fly and human. Or, to put it more simply, the two organisms appear to share a core set of genes. Researchers have found that two-thirds of human cancer genes have counterparts in the fruit fly. Even more surprisingly, when scientists inserted a human gene associated with early-onset Parkinson's disease into fruit flies, they displayed symptoms similar to those seen in humans with the disorder, raising the possibility that the tiny insects could serve as a new model for testing therapies aimed at Parkinson's.
In September 2002, the cow (Bos taurus), the dog (Canis familiaris) and the ciliate Oxytricha (Oxytricha trifallax) joined the "high priority" list of organisms that the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) decided to consider for genome sequencing as capacity becomes available. Other high-priority animals include the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), the chicken (Gallus gallus), the honey bee (Apis mellifera) and even a sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus). With sequencing projects on the human, mouse and rat genomes progressing rapidly and nearing completion, NHGRI-supported sequencing capability is expected to be available soon for work on other organisms.
NHGRI created a priority-setting process in 2001 to make rational decisions about the many requests being brought forward by various communities of scientists, each championing the animals used in its own research. The priority-setting process, which does not result in new grants for sequencing the organisms, is based on the medical, agricultural and biological opportunities expected to be created by sequencing a given organism.
In addition to its implications for human health and well being, comparative genomics may benefit the animal world as well. As sequencing technology grows easier and less expensive, it will likely find wide applications in zoology as a tool to tease apart the often-subtle differences among animal species. Such efforts might possibly lead to the rearrangement of some branches on the evolutionary tree, as well as point to new strategies for conserving or expanding rare and endangered species. | https://www.genome.gov/10005835/background-on-comparative-genomic-analysis |
Five VUMC faculty members on list of most frequently cited researchersOct. 8, 2015, 10:06 AM
Five current faculty members at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have made this year’s list of scientists whose papers have been cited most frequently by others.
The metric, developed by the global information giant Thomson Reuters, has become a prominent measure of a scientist’s influence on his or her field of endeavor.
This year 3,125 scientists made the “highly cited” list, earning them the mark of “exceptional impact,” according to Thomson Reuters. Their papers ranked among the top 1 percent most cited for their subject field and year of publication.
The researchers are
• P. Jeffrey Conn, Ph.D., the Lee E. Limbird Professor of Pharmacology and director of the Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery (VCNDD);
• Craig Lindsley, Ph.D., the William K. Warren Jr. Professor of Medicine, professor of Pharmacology, director of Medicinal Chemistry and co-director of the VCNDD;
• Xiao-Ou Shu, M.D., Ph.D., MPH, professor of Medicine;
• Thomas Wang, M.D., the Gottlieb C. Friesinger II Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Medicine, and director of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine;
• Wei Zheng, M.D., Ph.D., MPH, the Anne Potter Wilson Professor of Medicine, director of the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center and chief of the Division of Epidemiology.
Conn, Lindsley and their colleagues are pioneering development of compounds called allosteric modulators that can adjust the activity of receptors in the brain, and which could lead to new treatments for disorders as diverse as schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease.
Shu and Zheng are internationally recognized for their large cohort studies in Shanghai, China, which have helped determine how genetic and dietary factors influence the risk of colorectal and other cancers, as well as heart disease.
Wang has made significant contributions to understanding the role of the natriuretic peptides in cardiovascular health, mechanisms of obesity-related cardiac dysfunction and the effects of vitamin D on the heart. | https://news.vumc.org/2015/10/08/five-vumc-faculty-members-on-list-of-most-frequently-cited-researchers/ |
(Boston)--Emelia J. Benjamin, MD, ScM, FACC, FAHA, professor of medicine in the section of cardiovascular medicine at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and professor of epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health, has received two prestigious awards from the American Heart Association (AHA): the 2019 Laennec Clinician/Educator Lecture, sponsored by the Council on Clinical Cardiology, which recognizes her contributions and achievements in the field of clinical cardiology and the 2019 Distinguished Achievement award from the Council on Genomic and Precision Medicine (GPM) for her substantial professional contributions to the field represented by the council.
Benjamin, who also is an investigator at the Framingham Heart Study and a cardiologist at Boston Medical Center, is one of the most highly cited researchers in clinical medicine with more than 600 publications and a continuous record of substantial National Institutes of Health grant support. Her expertise in the genetic epidemiology of atrial fibrillation has helped elucidate the risk factors and mechanisms that underlie the development of the abnormal heart rhythm.
In addition to her research, Benjamin is known for an exemplary devotion to teaching and mentoring. Cultivating the next generation, she has guided numerous young investigators and faculty members on research projects and has been a mentor for more than 50 individuals, most of whom have been highly successful in academic health sciences. She serves as assistant provost of Faculty Development at
Boston University Medical Campus and has designed and implemented five longitudinal faculty development programs.
She has been recognized with the AHA's 2016 Gold Heart Award and the AHA's 2015 Paul Dudley White Award, the AHA's Functional Genomics and Translational Biology Council Mentoring Award in 2013, the 2012 AHA's Women in Cardiology Mentoring Award and the Boston University Department of Medicine's Excellence in Research Mentoring Award in 2011.
The Laennec/Clinician/Educator lecture was established in 1970 by the Laennec Society, a section of the Council on Clinical Cardiology, but was not presented consistently until 1978. The major aim of the Society was to promote the importance of bedside cardiology and the application of clinical research to the bedside.
The GPM Distinguished Achievement Award is presented every three years. It recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the affairs of the Council over a continuing period of time. | https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-11/buso-bdh112019.php |
The exhibition presents various works differentiated by theme, but all expressing the artist’s unique language, including “Prayer Rugs” with designs, “Remembrance” in texts, and a new painting that is being exhibited here for the first time, “A Picture of Apostasy and Winter Faith.” The title of this most recent painting testifies to the artist’s thought process. Apostasy and faith are diametric opposites and juxtaposing them stimulates a discussion and even polemics. Another feature repeated in Kestenbaum Ben-Dov’s works, which lends its name to the exhibition, is the revealed and concealed in the painting. At times, the paintings commence in a clear realistic style and then conclude as abstract paintings, whose colors and interrelationship becomes the theme.
Prayer Rugs II, III, V, VI, 2003-2004, oil on canvas
The paintings in this series were created following the artist’s encounter with an ancient Torah ark curtain (parochet) originating either in Turkey or Egypt. Similar to other ritual objects that were influenced by the artistic styles prevalent during their period, the decorative elements of the parochet preserve Moslem design and imagery. In this case, the parochet was influenced by Moslem prayer rugs: the Arabic text that ornamented the original was replaced with one in Hebrew that included biblical verses and the names of God. A dedication from the donor commemorating his deceased daughter is inscribed on the parochet.
In ”Prayer Rug,” Kestenbaum Ben-Dov replaced the text from Psalms 42 on the parochet with verses from the Aleinu and other prayers. The substitution of prayers connected to prostration hints at the Moslem origin of the original rug, thereby visually connecting the two works. The artist also replaced the ineffable name of God, which appeared in the center of the parochet, with the name of Allah, thereby demonstrating that there is one God who is different only in the eyes of each religion’s devotees. The design on “Prayer Rug” portrays someone kneeling, leaving an impression of a person praying. One can also discern a small grave, which suggests the dedicatory inscription of the original parochet as well as the victims of the Israeli-Arab conflict.
Remembrance 2005-2007, oil on canvas
This series was also created following the artist’s surprise encounter with an unfamiliar object: a ceramic tile with a painting of the Dome of the Rock that adorns many Moslem homes. The artist juxtaposes it with the parallel Jewish object – part of a wall left unpainted in memory of the destruction of the Temple according to ancient Jewish custom. By taking these two objects out of their natural habitat and placing them, side by side, within the medium of painting, the artist creates a Jewish-Moslem dialogue based upon the understanding that loss and incompleteness are integral parts of life.
The Remembrance paintings follow an individual flow of consciousness, attain a familial angle, and suggest the theme of abstract art with its geometric figures and interrelated colors.
In this complex work, there is a meeting of Jewish and Greek texts (Midrash Kohelet Rabbah and Pliny, Natural History, from the first century CE). The work contrasts the Jewish mourning custom of covering all mirrors and pictures with that of a covered picture, which suggests illusion. The work focuses upon death and attempts to imitate reality to capture and preserve moments of life. This can be seen in the picture of a canvas covered with an actual black cloth, and next to it a painting of a black curtain; in a photograph of the artist’s late mother covered with cloth, and next to it a painting of the same covered image, closer, in a blank white canvas; and next to it the canvas is transformed into a shroud covering a face. All these continue the conflict or the cultural dialogue between the two texts.
A raw canvas with a screen-printed text from the Talmudic tractate Yoma is gradually covered, primed white in preparation for painting, as the text disappears. In the left-hand canvas a faint image of a woman’s body appears. On her belly traces of the text reappear, in flesh and canvas tones. The text describes the staves or poles that bore the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple, on which stood the sculptures of the Cherubim: “[The staves] probed and protruded outside the curtain like a woman’s breasts…When Israel made pilgrimage to the Temple they would roll up the curtain and show them the Cherubim that were intertwined with one another, and they would say to them: ‘Look at the love of God for you, like the love of man and woman.’” The painted image of the woman’s body seems to open up the possibility of reconciliation and union between the text and the painting.
A Picture of Apostasy and Winter Faith, 2016, oil on canvas
In this picture the artist continues to interweave figures from different sources. This creates chaos, hinting at the role of chance in the world. The figures include Fortuna, the Roman goddess of Luck, who also appears in Christian texts. The hand of God appears above the figures, rolling dice. The artist places her iconic picture, created in 1997, in the center of the picture: it portrays her head with her hand covering her eyes as when reading the Shema prayer. Does the artist wish to convey faith in God despite the surrounding chaos or does she refuse to see it?
Meeting? (After the Miraj Nameh), 2007, oil on canvas, Ruth Kestenbaum Ben-Dov
In this large closing painting of the series on the second floor, personal, historic and religious imagery intertwine, with the artist’s childhood public and private heroes looking on at the meeting of Mohammed and Moses in heavenly Jerusalem. | https://schechter.edu/news/revealed-and-concealed/ |
The American Mathematical Society serves the mathematical community through its publications, meetings, advocacy, and other programs that support professionals in the mathematical sciences.
Here are some AMS programs, products, and activities of special interest to new faculty.
These AMS resources facilitate getting published, connecting with collaborators, traveling to meetings and conferences, and finding relevant mathematics publications.
Here you'll find undergraduate and graduate level textbooks, free posters and materials to inform and inspire students, a blog on mathematics education, and fellowships for those involved in teaching.
AMS is committed to helping you succeed in your career in academia. Find employment services, survey reports on the profession, a blog by early career mathematicians and fellowships.
The American Mathematical Society (AMS) connects mathematician and student members to the national and international community through its publications, meetings, advocacy and other programs. Our members work to further the interests and reach of mathematical research, scholarship and education. Information can be found here about AMS Services and Benefits, such as free shipping on all purchases and discounts on publications and meeting registration fees. Join the AMS today and receive access to exclusive content, publication and meeting registration discounts, and access to the vast community of mathematician members!
For more information about these and other AMS programs contact Kim Kuda. | http://www.ams.org/profession/new-faculty |
One needs to draw a clear distinction between test and temptation. Job in the Old Testament is perhaps a very appropriate circumstance that can be used to differentiate what test means as distinct from temptation. In the Book of Job 1: 6-22 the bible made it clear that HE (God)knew Job as a perfect man who would never abandon HIM, the God of all creation. The basis for allowing Satan to test Job was that He was very sure who Job was, it was a means of proving Satan wrong that Satan has not conquered all the children of God; more so that not all his children had allowed pride to ruin their relationship with God. Whereas, Satan’s idea of temptation is seeking to destroy those who stood in complete obedience to God. In Job 1: 6-22 Job was blessed richly and would always make sacrifices to cleanse his children in case they have committed sin against God. The following scenario proves the point. When God called His children, Satan followed them. At a point Satan referred to Job as being reverent to God because of his riches and went ahead to take excuse to tempt Job. God trusted the faith of Job that he would not fail; and therefore allowed Satan to tempt Job whose excellent relationship with God would prove Satan wrong. As far as Satan was concerned he was to tempt or coax or persuade Job to do wrong, or simply put to coax Job into denying God. In this, he troubled Jobs’ life with a series of losses or calamities including loss of all his children and complete destruction of his wealth. Within twenty-four hours all he stood for in life was ruined. His health was afflicted, three friends provoked him so as to denounce God, even his wife asked him to curse God and die as the pain and anguish got to a breaking point. In all, the faith of Job stood unshakened
In another circumstance, the serpent’s deceptive method to cause Eve to sin was by carefully leading Eve to take an action forbidden by God. The popular quote verse from Genesis 1: 1 “Yea, has God said, Yea shall not eat of the tree of the garden?” was the misleading question with Satan’s answer “Ye shall not surely die”, which led to the fall of Adam and Eve. Genesis 3: 1-4 (KJV) Joseph was also tempted with amorous relationship with Potiphar’s wife, but he being guided by God refused the overture Genesis 39:7-23. It landed him in jail and the wisdom of God led him from “From prison to the Palace” of King Pharaoh as the Prime Minister in a foreign land. To Potiphar’s wife, it was an enjoyable offer but to Joseph, it was an abominable breach of trust and heinous crime against God.
It is crucial to know and watch out for the ways in which Satan has always tempted we humans. He attacks that most vulnerable part of any person in order to make human species sin. According to 2Corinthians 2: 11 (KJV). It says “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are ignorant of his devices”. Briefly, temptation has the nature of “carrot and stick” whereas testing a person has the nature of who is on the defensive mode and cannot be moved? The barrenness of Sarah did not cause Abraham to stumble in faith. The need for him to sacrifice Isaac to God was the most daunting test of faith. Abraham obeyed and God showed forth at the point of slaughtering the promised child. Testing is thus for evaluating known faith, or standard of living, but more so, faith in God. Is there anyone that is above temptation? Of course, no one is above temptation. Our Lord Jesus was even tempted by the devil. In Matthew 4: 1-11 Jesus used the word of God known to be the sword of the spirit to defeat the devil. Jesus always countered the devil by saying. “It is written: Man shall not leave by bread alone, but by every word that procedeth out of the mouth of God”. To be able to overcome temptation it is still the precept of Christ we are supposed to follow, because that was how Jesus Christ overcame the devil. The way to corner and defeat the devil using THE WORD OF GOD can be traced to 1 Peter 5: 8-9 where Jesus declared “Be sober, be vigilant because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking who he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world”.
Let us realize that Satan always shows itself as Angel of light 2 Corinthians 11: 14-15 “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” What can we do to overcome the temptation always posed by Satan? Jesus has told us to watch and pray or else we would yield to temptation as in Matthew6: 13 “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and power, and the glory for ever Amen”. It is reechoed in Matthew 26: 41 that says: “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”. In 1 Corinthians 10: 12, we are admonished to take heed: “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves, but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise. Also in James 4: 7, we are enjoined to; “Submit yourself therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”. We should be praying without ceasing.
The bottom line in Ephesians 6: 10-13 (KJV) “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand”. Praise the Lord. | https://socioculturalangle.com/tag/potiphars-wife/ |
The North American Datum of 1927
A long time ago, surveyors inserted brass monuments in the Earth known as survey benchmarks.
Using a technique called triangulation, monuments were mathematically connected into a horizontal datum.
But the old North American Datum 27 (NAD27) was centered at Meade’s Ranch, the heart of the United States.
…And well now, what can you say but we’re not in Kansas anymore.
A Massive Collection of Survey Benchmarks
Over the past two centuries, surveyors measured extremely precise latitude and longitude locations on the Earth’s surface.
Like this:
…And station #109 in Yukon, Canada:
These locations are called survey benchmarks. Each one has a unique ID and are identified with a brass or aluminum disk in the ground.
NAD27 Centered at Meade’s Ranch, Kansas
All coordinates on Earth are referenced to a horizontal datum. Thanks to our frame of reference, specify points on Earth like the one you are on now. A horizontal datum (like NAD27) is the model that is used to translate a spheroid/ellipsoid into locations on Earth with latitude and longitude lines.
The North American Datum of 1927 put a fixed latitude and longitude position at Meade’s Ranch, Kansas (39° 13’26.686″ north latitude, 98° 32’30.506″ west longitude) because it was near the center of the contiguous United States.
After that, all points in North America used the Meade’s Ranch survey monument as a reference measuring direction and distance away from it. Even today, most historical USGS topographic maps and projects by the US Army Corps of Engineers are based on this reference system.
First-Order Triangulation
The North American Datum of 1927 is the adjustment of long-baseline surveys to establish a network of standardized horizontal positions in North America. First-order triangulation was used to connect horizontal monuments into a unified network. All latitudes and longitudes could be measured on the Clarke Ellipsoid of 1866.
Approximately 26,000 survey stations were gathered in the United States and Canada. NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey used these survey stations and triangulation to form the NAD27 datum.
But the network of points in 1927 was sparse in comparison.
As time went on, surveyors benchmarked approximately 250,000 stations. This set of horizontal positions formed the basis for the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). In 1983, the NAD27 datum was eventually replaced with NAD83.
Geodetic Datums: NAD83 versus NAD27
In 1983, NAD83 replaced NAD27 because of its inaccuracies. NAD83 corrects some of the distortions from NAD27 over distance by using a more dense set of positions from terrestrial and Doppler satellite data. Approximately 250,000 stations were used to develop the NAD83 datum. This compares to only 26,000 used in the NAD27 datum.
According to NOAA, the geographic coordinates given relative to the NAD27 datum might represent a position hundreds of meters different than those same coordinates given relative to the NAD83 datum. The average correction between NAD27 and NAD84 is an average of 0.349″ northward and 1.822″ eastward.
One of the main differences is that NAD83 uses an Earth-centered reference, rather than a fixed station in NAD27. All coordinates were referenced to Kansas Meade’s Ranch (39°13’26.686″ north latitude, 98°32’30.506″ west longitude) for NAD27 datum. The National Geodetic Survey relied heavily on the use of the Doppler satellite to locate the Earth’s center of mass.
NAD83 is close to being a geocentric datum (referenced to the center of Earth’s mass). It is offset by only about 2 meters.
The North American Datum of 1983 is based on the reference ellipsoid GRS80 which is physically larger than NAD27’s Clarke ellipsoid. The GRS80 reference ellipsoid has a semi-major axis of 6,378,137.0 meters and a semi-minor axis of 6,356,752.3 meters. This compares to the Clarke ellipsoid with a semi-major axis of 6,378,206.4 m and a semi-minor axis of 6,356,583.8 meters.
More Changes to Come
The North American Datum of 1927 was a way to standardize positions in North America into a coordinate reference system.
Meade’s Ranch was the focal point of the North American Datum of 1927. All positions are relative to this point, and first-order triangulation was used with approximately 26,000 survey monuments.
A lot of old maps are based on this datum and that is why it’s still important today.
…And even today, the shape of our Earth is still being perfected. The National Geodetic Survey has already indicated that it will be replacing NAVD88 and NAD83 in 2022 – because it is non-geocentric by about 2.2 meters. | https://gisgeography.com/nad27-north-american-datum-meades-ranch/ |
For centuries, the hospital (or clinic) was the meeting place where patient and physician came together. Today, the expectation for where, how and when these two parties converge is shifting at a rapid pace due in large part to the accelerated adoption of telehealth and other digital technologies.
While COVID-19 may have necessitated the initial surge in virtual visits, technology promises to have a lasting and meaningful role in the transformation of healthcare moving forward.
This dynamic panel discussion will explore the initial considerations and far-reaching implications of telehealth’s emergence with a focus on the built environment. Leaders in healthcare design, real estate and technology will share important insight from their work within health and wellness as well as ideas and inspiration that can be drawn from other industries.
Learning Objectives
- Gain understanding of current telehealth trends and anticipated future evolution of telehealth services.
- Strengthen perspective of current impacts of telehealth in the planning and design of healthcare spaces.
- Build knowledge of fundamental shifts in healthcare real estate and facility management strategy.
- Obtain a glimpse into the tech-enabled care being considered in healthcare and the imagined scenarios that could influence future healthcare design solutions.
This webinar is approved for 1 LU credit for continuing education with AIA and 1 Health, Safety, Welfare credit with IDCEC.
A leading health planner in our healthcare practice, Todd has over 18 years’ experience working on a variety of domestic and international projects. Skilled at guiding multidisciplinary stakeholders, Todd responds to patient, staff and organizational aspirations by combining functionality, technology and experience within healthcare environments. A respected thought leader, Todd frequently presents at leading industry conferences and is a surgical and interventional platform subject-matter expert at CannonDesign.
Norm is a proven thought-leader and proponent of building DEI into culture, operations and space design. His contributions help foster inclusive frameworks and programs around -outcomes-based initiatives and goals. His successes in guiding institutional leaders through strategic transformations equip him to drive measurable impact within the diverse communities that organizations strive to serve.
Norm has more than 20 years of executive experience in healthcare advisory services and operations management, and most recently was the Chief Operating Officer for a regional health plan.
As an experience designer, Kimberly facilitates conversations to identify the extraordinary physical and digital elements to achieve ideal experiences. Kimberly’s background is in interior design and storytelling, pushing the boundaries of possibility. She seeks to form friendships between human and technology in ways that reimagine experience and optimize operations.
Lorie Damon leads Cushman & Wakefield’s Healthcare Advisory Group, working with team members and clients across the country to promote Cushman & Wakefield’s leadership and best practices in healthcare real estate leasing, management, and transactions across the continuum of healthcare assets. Lorie has 16 years of experience in healthcare real estate. She served as Vice President, Healthcare Finance with Raymond James, where she advised healthcare systems regarding their real estate strategies, including acquisition, disposition, and monetization; developer selection; joint venture formation; and strategic alignment of real estate assets with their clinical goals and directions.
She also served as Vice President of Education and Research for BOMA International, leading the organization’s efforts to provide best-in-class professional development and research to the commercial real estate industry.
Sol Rogers is the Global Director of Innovation for Magnopus. Founded in 2013 by Oscar winners Ben Grossmann and Alex Henning, Magnopus creates extraordinary experiences and technologies that unite the physical and digital worlds. The company is known for its continuous innovation in the entertainment industry; its Emmy-nominated VR projects; its role as a leader in virtual production through its groundbreaking work on Disney’s The Lion King (2019); and its pioneering work in building the next internet...the Metaverse. | https://iands.design/course/45298/telehealth-future-healthcare-design |
Performance evaluation of government agencies.
Abstract- Certified public accountants (CPAs) are increasingly called upon to evaluate the performance of government agencies, using criteria that goes beyond the traditional analysis of numbers. In the case of mass transit, a CPA can be called on to make a performance evaluation which will assess the reliability, safety, environment, information, and cost of the system. Accountants can develop more creative definitions and more meaningful reporting mechanisms to replace the inadequate standards currently advocated by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration.
It is increasingly obvious that accounting has outgrown the bounds of debits and credits, and its focus has expanded to nonfinancial information. The Attestation Standards issued in 1986 clearly signaled that CPAs are information specialists who can assist in evaluating diverse criteria related to any assertion capable of reasonably consistent estimation or measurement. Accountants have a potential role in developing, reviewing and attesting to a wide range of information including performance measures of public services. The types of problems which accountants can help address to close the gap between information producers and users are legion. Efforts toward the phenomenon called privatization--which many see as a vehicle for enhancing competition and hence performance--imply a key role for the accountant.
The final consideration is likely to be cost of service. What is the fare? What fare reductions are provided for frequent travelers or users at other than peak hours? How does this cost relate to the cost of a "demand response vehicle," i.e., your car? Traffic, parking, and related costs of driving, as well as environmental implications, would be among the factors weighed against the farebox demands.
It seems to make sense that a passenger would be interested in this information about mass transit and should be able to access answers to questions about service and price. A study supported by GASB is devoted to performance evaluation, measures of interest to users and how they can be communicated to users. Mass transit is only one element of a host of services under consideration by the GASB's Service Efforts and Accomplishments Task Force. Mass transit operations illustrate both the types of controversies involved and the challenges posed to accounting practitioners and researchers.
You may not be surprised to discover that answers to these inquiries from a typical mass transit rider are not commonly available. Instead, only about 20% of communities operating mass transit systems include any statistics in their annual public reports, and then the disclosures are usually included in budget statistics aggregated for the total system and focusing on output measures such as number of miles driven. Certain systems do not even maintain the database necessary to generate answers to questions concerning customer service described herein; those maintaining such statistics are reluctant to share them with consumers. Questions of understandability are raised, as well as small number problems arising from disaggregation by route.
Why does this situation exist? Contentions are made that reports based on technical terms would not be understandable to consumers. Transit operators lack consensus on the definition of such terms as road call; industry participants disagree as to what on-schedule means. What is the relative importance of equipment reliability versus service reliability? What constitutes a cancellation? When is the climate sufficiently comfortable? What constitutes crowded conditions? Is it not better to be late on several lightly traveled trains than on a primary peak-period, heavily traveled line? Yet, some transit operators contend, performance measures cannot effectively reflect the propriety of their decisions which weigh factors such as the number of customers inconvenienced.
The small number problem ties to concerns that percentage calculations involving small numbers will result in nonsensical conclusions. As an example of how certain small numbers would be distortive, as well as the sentiments of information producers, Table 1 presents an excerpt from correspondence between the president of the New York City Transit Authority, and a New York Assemblywoman. The high cost of data collection is implicit in the reference to sampling procedures.
Interviews with consumer-oriented interest groups, such as the Straphangers Campaign in New York City, have identified users' suspicions as to why the current state of the art is so woefully lacking. The pervasive suspicion relates to the inability of managers to control the requested performance measures. Users understand that if a system is allowed to aggregate statistics across routes or lines, some of which have old equipment and a number of problems (perhaps tied to the nature of the neighborhood serviced), while others have brand new equipment, then on average, the system's performance is likely to look fairly effective. However, as soon as averaging is not permitted, the real picture, somewhat uncontrollable on the short term due to the time involved in capital replacement decisions, begins to emerge.
In New York City, recent subway reports on by-line on-schedule performance result in a substantial range within the disaggregated statistics: 46.5% for the R line on weekdays to 98.4% for the Franklin Shuttle. The annual average across all routes was 87.9%, which clearly is at variance from the riders' experiences on the R line. While this detail was applauded by user groups, it is the only by-line detail provided. There is no doubt that other details are available internally for management use, but resistance to third-party access is strong.
The president of the New York Transit Authority has claimed problems arise with interpretability of small numbers, allocation issues of assigning failures to specific routes, and the unwieldy lengths of reports necessary to provide by-line details. Politicians and user groups have challenged the substance of these remarks; lengthy reports currently produced are cited as useless due to their overall system focus.
The suspicions of users are borne out, in part, by findings of the auditors. The Inspector General's Office for the New York Transit Authority (MTA), in describing findings related to bus service, cites that the waiting time of passengers at bus stops is a critical dimension of passenger service, yet is not tracked by the information system. Similarly, in describing subway performance, reports note that disaggregated data are relevant to riders but rarely provided.
The accuracy of the data produced by this transit system is challenged by auditors, with comparisons made between auditors' reported statistics from direct observation of subway performance and those generated by the management information system. As one example, observation of 442 scheduled train trips led to the auditors' calculation of 61.89% on-time performance in contrast to the MTA's information system quantifying an 80.1% on-time performance for these same trains. A second test resulted in a 66% to 84% comparison. These are statistically significant differences.
The source of error is cited to be a combination of factors: . Too many other duties assigned to observers of pull-outs, leading to error at the point of initial data entry; . Illegibility of written figures leading to errors in data entry; . Unwritten procedures and definitions and undocumented changes therein, leading to inconsistency among observers and lack of comparability over time; and . Intentional misstatement to make performance appear superior to actual results.
The last is attributed to a lack of understanding by employees and the absence of training of employees responsible for information input. An incentive problem is also apparent in unauthorized changes to records by individuals not directly involved at the data entry stage.
The relevance to transit riders of certain performance measures is questioned by the Office of the Inspector General. For example, the concept of mean distance between failures is seen as a car reliability measure, whereas service reliability is the primary consideration of riders, regardless of the source of the problem. Moreover, even the car reliability measures are subject to extensive measurement error due to common practices of attributing problems to a major reason for service breakdowns, regardless of a concurrent maintenance problem (a secondary effect). As an example, if service is late or cut back due to construction on a bridge, then even if a car also happens to require a road call, it will tend to be tracked as late due to the construction. As a result, performance in the controllable realm appears better than it actually is.
Where Do the Accountants Fit In?
An obvious question is how can accountants help in enhancing performance measurement and meeting users' information needs? The answer lies in the definition of accounting as an art of measurement and the role of the CPA as an objective third party that pursues means of capturing the substance of performance, rather than viewpoints of those with vested interests. The nature of disclosure in terms of understandability, consistency, comparability, usefulness, and reliability can be considered by accountants who are accustomed to giving attention to important dimensions of reporting.
The apprehensions of information preparers in the public sector are no different from those in the corporate sector. Measurement of nonfinancial information and reporting of disaggregated information have both been controversial issues in the corporate sector. In particular, information preparers have argued that financial statement footnotes are too complex, reserve information too inexact, and line-of-business reporting too subjective due to arbitrary allocation practices. These are the same arguments posed in the mass transit area. Yet, they can be grappled with by accountants in a manner analogous to approaches that are common in the private sector.
A recent development in the corporate sector is the evolution of condensed financial reporting. There is no doubt that the related concern for clarity of presentation is particularly relevant to approaching performance evaluation in the public sector. While the concept of a sophisticated or knowledgeable user may well be reasonable in the corporate sector, the disclosures to users of public services must be directed to the typical citizen, perhaps lacking education beyond high school. This suggests that jargon such as through put, road calls, and route spacing be avoided and clear descriptions of what is being measured should be used.
To facilitate meaningful reporting, mass transit information systems need to be designed and monitored to deter misstatement and uncover material inaccuracies. This need can be addressed by implementation of control systems, including education of employees, sanctions for noncompliance, and clear benefits to honest reporting practices. This, of course, ties to the establishment of an effective control environment. Reviews by CPAs are one means of monitoring the information system to ensure against material misstatements to the public.
The involvement of an objective third party who is responsible to the public may be critical to the evolution of performance measurement because of the current gaming environment which exists in public databases now assembled in the mass transit industry. Specifically, the Sec. 15 filing of financial information and performance measures to the federal Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) is criticized because many systems believe that certain Mass Transit systems are cheating in how they report their performances, thereby penalizing truthful reporters.
A few examples of the games which have been described in the current Sec. 15 database on mass transit operations will clarify the obstacles to obtaining desirable disclosure practices. Currently, an output measure of transit systems is passenger miles. There is evidence that some systems adjust out service and deadhead miles, i.e., miles necessary to get to the original bus stop of the route, while others do not. This particular measure leads to higher dollar allocations by UMTA to poor reporters, since this is one criterion on which Sec. 9 resource allocations of federal funds are based. Similarly, the number of passengers is calculated using a statistical sampling approach which UMTA defines as requiring a 10% precision at 95% confidence. Although the intent is to sample an entire year of operations, some reporters sample from the month of filings since they don't have the option of going back in time to sample passengers. Some transit operations have been permitted to use this basis to quantify the number of passengers serviced. The result is again a potential advantage to those not following the rules.
Then we get into creative definitions. Perhaps the most telling example concerns the reporting of collisions. One system reportedly attributed a collision to the breaking off of a rearview mirror, and used this causal link to justify reporting the event as an equipment failure rather than a collision. Similarly, some only record a road call if it delays a bus or train by more than 10 minutes, while others track all road calls regardless of the time required for servicing.
Recognition of these problems has led to a clarification of the procedures the CPA is expected to apply when involved with Sec. 9 and Sec. 15 filings. A total of 24 procedures have been specified as agreed upon procedures. The required procedures are directed at controls as well as the approach to data collection. Practitioners believe the recently specified procedures are considerably more stringent than those applied in the past.
77% of trains arriving on time or within five minutes.
90% of trains to arrive on time or within ten minutes."
One can speculate with some confidence that the on-time performance across years will improve if such easing of standards is permitted. Disclosures on performance measures need to highlight clearly changes in definitions. Moreover, consensus on a reasonable "on-time" definition for comparison across systems is essential for meaningful reporting. Currently 3-minute, 5-minute, and 10-minute benchmarks are among those used.
The American Public Transit Association (APTA), an industry trade association for mass transit, set out several years ago to track a customer satisfaction measure. Specifically, the measure selected was the number of complaints. The Association soon deduced that those who had superior information systems and tracking devices were being penalized in relation to those with ineffective management systems. The association terminated the reporting of the number of complaints and has not as yet sought an alternative measure to evaluate riders' satisfaction.
The irony of debates on measurement and information production is that redundant resources are being used to generate surrogate measures of performance and are widely disseminated and debated in the press. The predictable result is suspicion among information providers and users, and assertions that you cannot believe anything that you read. From the vantage point of the producers, information for management purposes would be dangerous to share with the public, since one must understand the context in which the information is produced and a host of caveats to interpret the outcome measures.
From the vantage point of the users, they have to fill the need for information as best they can. That means culling information from the mass transit authorities, using volunteer reporters and observers to assimilate their own database, and using catchy titles on resulting reports, such as "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" ranking of various lines, and the similarly telling disaggregated report of "A Tale of Two Subways," both issued by the Straphangers Campaign.
A Lack of Perfection: Should that Preclude Information Flow?
Although theories speak of perfect information, little doubt exists that we live in a world of imperfect information. We joke about weather reports, yet we value forecasts as useful information. Similarly, we chastise companies for accounting procedure selections when distortions of financial positions appear to result, yet we find annual reports relevant to security valuations. It would seem that passengers would find performance statistics on mass transit useful despite some obvious limitations of any service measure. The grassroots attempt to produce the information by groups such as the Straphangers in New York is clear evidence of a demand for performance measures.
Trouble in reconciling information systems', auditors', and user groups' statistics calls for an information measurement arbitrator role in a classic agency/monitoring sense. That arbitrator seems to be the accountant.
In light of the current problems in performance evaluation disclosures, what have riders done to encourage better service? An interesting trend is toward considering privatization as an option and, at times, forcing the use of the private sector or at least its comparison on a competitive bidding basis. A recent survey by Touche Ross reported that 17% of respondents had privatized some aspect of mass transit. It is commonplace for systems to privatize service for handicapped and elderly using car services or vans.
It is interesting to note that the private sector controlled mass transit well into the 1950s and 1960s and Cleveland had private sector operations into the 1970s. Many point out that the failure to generate a profit led to public sector operations, and others cite failure of service when in the private hands. Yet, today many recognize that the real distinction is not public versus private but rather, competition versus the lack thereof as a source of incentives for controlling cost and for improving service.
One result has been legislation recently passed in Colorado. The legislation provides that 20% of bus service vehicle hours must be privatized within a year, using competitive bidding. The intent is to see the results of such privatized services and how they compare to public services. If the private services perform better than the public sector, presumably a larger percentage will be privatized. Yet, participants in the bill's sponsorship predict that the public sector will improve and maintain a fair share of the service. The means of ensuring long-term positive effects on service quality and cost control will be to mandate periodic competitive bidding.
Of course, for such an approach to work, measurement and monitoring practices are necessary. Mass transit experts note that games used to enhance the appearance of public sector performance include imposing the less desirable routes on private sector providers, such as those with a disproportionate number of higher cost bus drivers and restrictions on terminating drivers, making costs less controllable. Similarly, to lower their own competitive bids, some public sector participants have reportedly played allocation games having intercity routes cross- subsidize suburban services. The concern of the Colorado legislators is documented by their inclusion of a performance audit requirement. Table 2 presents this requirement and its intended use by decision makers. * Wendell Cox, "Public Transit, Competitive Contracting and the Public Ethic" (November 7, 187) and related interview.
Many have expressed the view that GASB was needed foremost in the area of exploring service efforts and accomplishments in the public sector. This viewpoint echoes grassroots organizations' contention that information is demanded, but not presently provided. The GASB has to be careful, just as FASB must, to avoid placing undue weight on information providers' claims of an inability to produce certain information or of excessive costs being related thereto. Loopholes must also be monitored carefully, as standards are set.
While GASB has taken a critical first step of investigating performance evaluation across a spectrum of government services and having researchers propose a set of useful measures, a number of years will pass before standards are set which require systematic reporting. In the interim, progress will largely depend on both researchers and practitioners addressing the problems and encouraging experimentation among mass transit and similar public sector service providers.
Legislators are interested in whether the treatment of costs, allocation issues, and monitoring mechanisms within new laws is adequate. Those operating mass transit systems are curious as to how to ensure the availability of reasonably accurate information on operating performance. User groups wish to sort fiction from fact as to what can be reasonably measured or estimated to facilitate disaggregated comparisons of transportation options. Auditors recognize the sources of measurement error shortcomings in current measures, and problems with inducing useful reporting practices. Questions arise as to whether detailed procedures now required for Sec. 15 information will effectively improve information quality. Moreover, should other information be subject to similar review procedures? The research and practice communities, in tandem, could begin to close the schism in the demands for and supply of performance-related information on mass transit, as well as other public services. | http://archives.cpajournal.com/old/07298246.htm |
The Effects of Practicing Psychotherapy on Therapists’ Personal Lives
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Are Emotional Disorders Really Disorders of Love?
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Victim Blaming: Childhood Trauma, Mental Illness & Diagnostic Distractions?
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Philosophers Challenge Psychiatry and its Search for Mechanisms of Disorder
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Researchers Argue that ‘ADHD’ Doesn’t Meet DSM Definition of a Disorder
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Living in One of R. D. Laing’s Post-Kingsley Hall Households
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The Role of Intergenerational Trauma in the Perpetuation of Childhood Maltreatment
A new study examines the role parent borderline pathology plays in the perpetuation of childhood maltreatment.
Western ‘Depression’ is Not Universal
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What Does Social Justice Really Mean for Psychologists?
Without clarity and consensus around what social justice means, psychologists risk perpetuating injustices that undermine their stated mission.
The ACE Survey is Unusable Data
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Why Social Isolation Leads to Inflammation
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The Soteria Project.
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Deadly Serious: Talking Openly About Suicide
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An Alternative Perspective on Psychotherapy: It is Not a ‘Cure’
Kev Harding argues against conceptualizations of therapy as a ‘cure’ to an ‘illness’ and instead offers alternative approaches.
Does Psychotherapy Reproduce or Disrupt Neoliberal Capitalism?
Researchers explore neoliberal influences on interactions in psychotherapy and question whether the radical potential of psychotherapy can counter prevailing social systems.
United Nations Statement Criticizes Medicalization of Depression on World Health Day
"There is a need of a shift in investments in mental health, from focusing on 'chemical imbalances' to focusing on 'power imbalances' and inequalities"
Study Finds Improved Functioning for ‘Schizophrenia’ Without Antipsychotics
Long-term treatment with antipsychotic drugs is currently considered the standard treatment for patients diagnosed with ‘schizophrenia.’ A new study challenges this practice, however. The... | https://www.madinamerica.com/category/non-drug-approaches/community-non-drug-approaches/?filter_by=popular |
Do we have to wear boots in the mountains?
We all know the mantra that you should wear good boots with ankle support when walking in the mountains but where does this belief come from and is it valid? Is there any hard evidence to support the advice?
My honest answer: No. I have found none or very little documented evidence to support the notion that to protect our ankles from injury, we must wear boots.
There has been lots of research done into lower leg injury prevention - much of it by militaries and lots to do with running and other sports. Not so much is hiking specific. Most of the outcomes offer very little hard evidence to support the received wisdom that ankle support actually makes any real difference.
One study by the Israeli Army found that around 17% of recruits in basic training suffered some form of lower leg injury during training, regardless of footwear type.
Another suggested that high tops might offer a marginal amount of protection.
I read another study that suggested that high top shoes might actually impair the natural response of the ankle to respond to a roll.
An interesting study of non fatal falls in the Austrain Alps over a long period of time suggested the most common cause of injury in this setting might be poor vision with age with weight also playing a factor, though these were only recorded accidents that required assistance. The majority of these incidents were during the descent.
After struggling to find any solid answers, I went nuclear. I asked Facebook… I directed my curiosity towards some outdoor friends, Mountain Rescue team members, Outdoor Instructors and Forces personnel, so there was value in hearing their thoughts on footwear.
It's important to acknowledge that these are still just thoughts, albeit backed up by experience and judgement.
Some anecdotal insight from Elfyn Jones of Llanberis MRT and the BMC.
"Around 75% of all injuries treated by Mountain Rescue are lower leg related (i.e. ankles) and 65% of them are sustained in the dominant leg when descending - usually at the end of the day when tired. There is a strong suspicion that the 'cause' of the slip/trip could actually be low blood sugar levels, causing a lack of concentration by the injured person and not necessarily the type of footwear worn. Of course, suitable tread might help mitigate/prevent the slip when it happens. In my time with MR, I've probably dealt with literally hundreds of ankle injuries and haven't spotted any pattern of injury or correlation associated between the type of footwear the casualty was wearing at the time of the incident and injury. Of course, that's very different in winter/snowy conditions unsuitable footwear does lead to a slip. (And usually a long fall!)”
So, what can we take from the information so far? I think some key points are this:
There is very little or no hard evidence to suggest that boots alone prevent injury in most situations.
There might be other more significant factors that increase the risk of injury.
So where does this idea come from, that to prevent injury, we should wear boots?
Says Steve Long, author of ‘Hillwalking: The Mountain Training handbook’:
"I think the mantra has not kept up with development. When the choice was between plimsolls and mountain boots, it made sense to insist that boots were better for hiking/trekking. Nowadays, I think it depends on the type of hike…"
Maybe this golden rule of the mountains has simply been passed down the early days of hill walking - and that's a really important point - because the choice and quality of footwear hasn't always been as varied and as technical as it is now. In the days before social media popularised the mountains, people learned from people with experience. Someone usually took you out and taught you how to look after yourself and one of the first things you were told was 'get yourself a pair of boots'... It's just the way it is.
My view is that boots are definitely not the only footwear suitable for the mountains and boots in themselves do not necessarily prevent injuries. In fact, I’ve seen plenty of people hobble off the mountain with agonising blisters due to poorly fitted, often cheap boots that they have either borrowed or bought to use once.
What footwear is available and suitable for walking/scrambling in the mountains?
Approach shoes.
Designed for wearing on approach to a climb. They are made for rock.
Great for the mountains and perfect for scrambling, with 'sticky' soles.
Low ankle cover.
Not always waterproof.
Not always the best for long distances.
Can wear out quickly.
Not suitable for winter.
Trail Shoes.
Similar to Approach shoes but designed for walking.
Good for long distance routes.
Lightweight.
Comfortable.
Usually waterproof.
Durable.
Low ankle cover.
Can be poor in wet/boggy ground.
Soles not designed for scrambling.
Not suitable for winter.
Trail Running Shoes.
Lightweight.
Flexible.
Comfortable.
Very grippy on most terrains - designed for off road/mountain environments.
Low ankle cover.
Not always waterproof.
Wear out very fast.
Soft soles.
Not suitable for winter.
Road running shoes are not in this bracket. They are pretty rubbish for the mountains, with softer soles that have less grip and protection underfoot.
Walking/Hiking Boots (B0 & B1 rated)
Flexible, which means comfortable.
High ankle cover, offering some protection from knocks on rock.
Good on wet/ boggy ground
Usually have some degree of waterproof.
Durable
Can be really lightweight
Leather ones can last for years and years and also be environmentally friendly when compared to plastic. Maybe not as appealing if you're vegan.
Not the best option for scrambling due to flexibility
Not suitable for winter. (B1's can be used for light winter days, with C1 crampons, but are still not ideal)
B2 rated Mountaineering Boots.
Semi stiffened soles are great for rock.
Excellent for scrambling.
Should be your default boots for whenever there is snow/ice on the ground.
Highly waterproof and warmer than shoes and B1 rated boots.
Solid ankle protection from knocks and scrapes
Durable.
Can be worn year round and are compatible with C1 & C2 crampons.
Very heavy when compared to other options.
Can be too warm for summer, leading to sweaty feet and blisters
Can be painful/tiring on long or multi day routes (potentially causing injuries!)
An important note with all these types of shoes is that they have soles designed for the environment. Grip design is important, as is sole density/type of rubber. This will provide protection from slipping and importantly, from sharp, awkward rocks underfoot. Something that really does make a massive difference to general safety.
So now we have an idea of what is available, the knack is choosing the right footwear for the occasion. Some of this will come down to personal choice and that comes with time. Some will be necessity. Not everyone can afford different footwear for every occasion. We have to find the right balance.
Boots are always going to beat low tops for wet, rainy days and boggy terrain unless you like wet feet.
A good pair of approach shoes will be more secure on a scrambly route than flexible walking boots.
Trail running shoes might be better for a hot summer's day than leather walking boots, especially when moving light and fast.
Flexible walking boots will be better for long, multi day walks with a big pack than stiff mountaineering boots or flimsy running shoes.
B2 mountaineering boots are always going to be the best choice for winter conditions where snow and ice will be encountered, but they might not feel as good on a blistering hot summer day. | https://www.ukmountaindays.co.uk/post/do-we-have-to-wear-boots-in-the-mountains |
I live in Minneapolis, where there have been many cruel acts since George Floyd was murdered at the knee of a policeman. This tragic event caused a ripple effect that my city is reeling over. Violence, carjacking, and much more have taken place since that event.
Is it directly related to the incident with George Floyd? I’m unsure. What I do see is that acts of cruelty have spread and continue to spread throughout Minneapolis and the world. Every night we hear more on the news. It seems to be getting out of hand.
After listening to discouraging newscasts, I wonder, what can I do? I’m a retired little lady who has a limited amount of money and resources to make change. What I can do is focus on the ripple effect of meanness. This helps me be a little curt and disrespectful to the delivery guy, or the grocery store clerk.
It surfaces in a lack of caring for my neighbor or friend. I can be less friendly and outgoing and worry about my safety. It’s a ripple effect on me that flows over to the next person I meet. I’m on edge when I surround myself with thoughts of cruelty.
In the same way, a ripple effect of acts of kindness can be my focus. USA Today reported an act of kindness at a Starbucks drive-thru in Florida. This inexpensive and selfless act inspired an 11-hour chain of paying-it-forward.
It started with one person who paid for the drink of the next person in line. She didn’t wait for a thank you or recognition in any way. It was a selfless act of kindness. It’s possible that she never knew the ripple effect she had on the next 378 people!
In the same way, we may never know the effect a small act of kindness does in the world. I guarantee you – it has a ripple effect.
Wikipedia describes a random act of kindness as a non-premeditated, inconsistent action designed to offer kindness towards the outside world.Kindness here means a type of behavior marked by acts of generosity, consideration, or concern for others, without expecting praise or reward.
I think the part about not expecting praise or reward is one of the most significant part of this concept. It takes on a whole different meaning when we want something back from being kind.
Anne Herbert wrote her book Random Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty, published in February 1993, speaking about true stories of acts of kindness. This is not a new idea. Organizations and initiatives have popped up about paying it forward and performing random kind acts. This has given people hope and desire to do better toward each other. We can use this right now.
What random act of kindness have you given to the world? Have you received any? It can be as little as a smile to someone, holding a door open, changing a tire, or paying the bill for someone. This happened once in a grocery store where someone gave me the pennies I lacked to pay the entire bill.
When my son was small, I had trouble coming up with the bill for his day care one month. We had a particularly difficult month with car trouble, and other expenses of a young family. I met with the owner of the day care, who listened to my story, then told me for that month only, she would waive the bill. I was astounded that she would give me this opportunity.
She did not want me to pay it back next month or over time, but to start over fresh as the bill was now considered paid. Her only requirement was that I paid it forward someday when finances allowed me to do so. This act of kindness resulted in changing the way I treat others for my entire life.
Please take a few minutes to watch this video about the ripple effect of an act of kindness. This uplifts me and gives me courage to be kind. There are so many stories of how kindness has affected people. We hear the opposite on the news, but kindness exists. It could originate with you.
Sometimes as retired women, we limit ourselves or feel limited in what we have to offer. Where is that feeling coming from? Is it fear? Or feeling that we don’t matter?
Oh, we matter.
There’s someone in your world right now that could benefit from a kind act. As in the video, it’s small considerate steps taken that cause a ripple effect. I’m not saying we should be risky and offer a hitchhiker a ride or give our entire savings to a homeless person.
At all times we need to be aware of our safety. What I am saying is that our small friendly acts to others will begin a ripple of kind acts that we will not conceive of or know about. There is a continuous and spreading result of our actions, good or bad.
Do you believe that your acts of kindness could change the entire world? I believe this. Today, and every day, be alert to ways you can spread kindness even in the smallest of ways. Today, change the world.
Please share how you were the recipient of a kind act. What have you done to share kindness to the world? Do you feel your acts of kindness matter? Can you change the world in some small way? Let’s share and inspire each other to bring out the very best in everyone. | https://sixtyandme.com/kindness-ripple-effect/ |
This article reports findings from a two-year independent evaluation of the Little Scientists program; a program providing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professional development for early childhood educators across Australia. This article reports on the qualitative data gathered with educators to illustrate early childhood STEM education in practice. Data are analysed using an established framework for effective STEM education in order to demonstrate how the Little Scientists program is supporting best-practice in early childhood STEM education. Findings suggest that educators’ confidence in teaching STEM has increased, and participants are more aware of children’s skills and knowledge in STEM. Educators are fostering communities of STEM inquiry where children and educators learn and research together, with space for children’s self-directed and play-based explorations. It appears that participation in Little Scientists has afforded a range of benefits for participants and, by extension through their practices, for the children with whom they work.
KeywordsEarly childhood STEM education Science education Educators Professional development Evaluation
Notes
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by an external competitive grant provided by FROEBEL Australia Limited.
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An international research team lead by Aalto University has found a new and simple route to break the reciprocity law in the electromagnetic world, by changing a material’s property periodically in time. The breakthrough could help to create efficient nonreciprocal devices, such as compact isolators and circulators, that are needed for the next generation of microwave and optical communications systems.
When we look through a window and see our neighbor on the street, the neighbor can also see us. This is called reciprocity, and it is the most common physical phenomenon in nature. Electromagnetic signals propagating between two sources is always governed by reciprocity law: if the signal from source A can be received by source B, then the signal from source B can also be received by source A with equal efficiency.
Researchers from Aalto University, Stanford University, and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) have successfully demonstrated that the reciprocity law can be broken if the property of the propagation medium periodically changes in time. Propagation medium refers to a material in which light and electromagnetic waves survive and propagate from one point to another. | https://lifeboat.com/blog/2020/12/researchers-develop-new-way-to-break-reciprocity-law |
Z's English Classes. Part 1: Language in Cultural Context. In Part 1: Language in cultural context , we focus on how language develops in specific contexts, how meaning is determined by context, and how people express their identities through language. In this part of the course, you will be introduced to a range of text types, centered around various themes and topics. Topics covered will include: language and identity, language and community, language and translation, language and power, language and gender. Throughout this part of the course, you will learn how to: Analyse how audience and purpose affect the structure and content of texts.
The Group 1: Studies in language and literature previously First Language subjects of the IB Diploma Programme refer to the student's first language native language or otherwise best language. Students who complete two group 1 subjects instead of a group 1 and group 2 subject , or complete a group 3 or 4 subject that is of a different language of the group 1 subject taken by the candidate, are eligible to be awarded a bilingual IB Diploma on the condition that the candidate obtains a level 3 or greater in both subjects. Language A: literature previously known as Language A1 is a recently updated literature course, for first examinations The course is officially available in over 50 languages, and there is a special request service available only for May sessions for languages that are not officially supported. SL school-supported self-taught candidates undertake the alternative oral examination instead of the internal assessment components. They are essentially the same as the internal assessment components, except that they are externally assessed and some administration procedures are different. As of the exam session, courses in the following languages are automatically available in May examination sessions, while those denoted with N are also automatically available in November i.
MYP Language A and DP Language and Literature
The aims of all subjects in studies in language and literature are to enable students to:. Each area has related texts and assessment tasks, which are outlined in more detail below. This involves the comparative study of literary texts to make connections and gain a deeper understanding of the texts.
The course can be studied at either standard or higher level. Higher level involves the study of additional texts; a comparative rather than individual study in the exam; and a critical essay. The study of the texts produced in a language is central to an active engagement with language and culture and, by extension, to how we see and understand the world in which we live. A key aim of the course is to encourage students to explore and question the meaning generated by language and texts. In addition, students will develop skills of textual analysis and the understanding that texts, both literary and non-literary, can be seen as autonomous yet as products of the culture, society and historical period from which they originate. The course comprises four parts—two relate to the study of language and two to the study of literature:. Texts are chosen from a variety of sources, genres and media.
Assessment Criteria. Vertical Divider. It must show a critical engagement with an aspect of a text or a topic. Students complete at least four written tasks, two of which are submitted for external assessment. The maximum mark for each written task is A Note on Supervision and Teacher Assistance : As part of the learning process, teachers can give advice to students on a first draft of the task.
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Outcomes 30 August Below are the three learning outcomes that one should aim to meet while studying Part 1 of the English Language and Literature. | https://labelhqs.org/and/2026-ib-english-language-and-literature-part-1-706-78.php |
An instant whirl of clashing colours and a cacophony of noises and smells, your senses may be overwhelmed when you first encounter Istanbul. It's an incredibly vibrant city, as noted for its energetic modern day merchants as it is for its amazing historical sights.
Turkey is a Muslim country, but also secular. This is a happy situation, as it means you can sample local beer and raki on a foray into the hectic and hedonistic Istanbul nightlife. Don't plan to begin your day Istanbul tours too early!
No other city in the world can claim to span two continents like Istanbul does, so whilst you can choose from the benefits of high-class Istanbul hotels and restaurants you can also experience the history and culture of this country which helped to shape both Europe and Asia.
Istanbul 's old city has one of the most recognisable skylines in the world, set against the hills which surround the city and with the Bosphorus in the foreground, the huge domes and tall minarets of Aya Sofya and the Blue Mosque dominate the skyline and appear almost fairy-tale like and mystical at sunset in particular.
Evidence has been found of a significant human settlement on the site of Istanbul dating back as early as 6500BC, the Copper Age, though other findings show that there were inhabitants here as early as the Paleolithic Age.
The Greeks first arrived here in 685BC, colonising the Anatolian side in the area now known as Kadiköy, and by 667BC they had also colonised the European side of the Bosphorus, which they called Byzantium. The city was besieged by the Romans in 196AD, and was significantly damaged, though was quickly rebuilt again to the wealthy city it was before. Then in 324, Emperor Constantine became interested in the city and six years later it was proclaimed the new capital of the Roman Empire and renamed Constantinople in his honour.
When the Roman Empire was split in two following the death of Theodosius I in 395, Constantinople became the capital of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire which was predominantly Greek speaking and Greek Orthodox Christianity, whilst Rome was the centre of the Latin-speaking Western Empire. It was during this following period in which many of the city's churches, including Aya Sofya, were built.
After 800 years of prosperity the Byzantine Empire began to collapse in the centuries leading up to the 1200's, and in the 1300's the Ottoman Turks took advantage of the weakened empire, eventually capturing Constantinople in 1453, proclaiming it the capital of the Ottoman Empire.
The Ottoman Sultan encouraged all of the citizens back who had fled the city, and also invited people of all the three major religions, Muslim, Christians and Jews in an attempt to create a very cosmopolitan society. He also ordered the building of many lavish buildings and monuments around the city, including Topkapi Palace.
Constantinople remained the capital of the Ottoman Empire right into the 1900's when the Ottoman Empire fell. In 1923 the Republic of Turkey was founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and the capital city was moved to Ankara. Constantinople was renamed Istanbul in 1453, though it wasn't until 1923 that this name was adopted by the rest of the world too.
Despite missing out on being the new Turkish capital city, Istanbul still thrived, helped by a major period of rejuvenation in the 1950's and a huge population influx which started in the 1970's and continues to this day.
Experiencing the holidays in Turkey are unlike any other in the world, rich in culture and fun. | http://www.istanbuleguide.com/ |
Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant, Paul Guyer (Editor), Allen W. Wood
Kritik der reinen Vernunft (Riga: J. F. Hartknoch, 1781), 856 pp. 2nd (B) ed: 1787. [A-edition (Ak. 4:5-252); B-edition (Ak. 3:2-552)]. “Critique of Pure Reason.” Translated by Norman Kemp Smith (Macmillan 1929). Translated by Werner Pluhar (Indianapolis: Hackett 1996). Translated by Paul Guyer and Allen W. Wood in Immanuel Kant, Critique of Pure Reason, edited by Paul Guyer and Allen W. Wood (Cambridge University Press, 1997).
“In the current Easter book fair there will appear a book of mine, entitled Critique of Pure Reason […] This book contains the result of all the varied investigations that start from the concepts we debated together under the heading mundi sensibilis and mundi intelligibilis.” — thus begins Kant’s letter to Marcus Herz from 1 May 1781 (Ak. 10:266).
Kant’s own copy of this book was housed at the Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Königsberg, before being lost in 1945. Fortunately Kant’s marginalia had already been printed at Ak. 23:17-50, as well as in Erdmann ; they are also included in the Guyer/Wood translation. | https://promosaik.org/critique-of-pure-reason/ |
Try to choose something relevant to your audience. Every body paragraph presents an argument and backs it up with sources. Your main idea must be based on the opinion of the society. Your persuasive essay could be based on anything about which you have an opinion or that you can make a clear argument about. A persuasive, argumentative essay will use credible sources to find facts, information, and statistics that help support that specific stance.
A good introduction will tell the reader just enough about your essay to draw them in and make them want to continue reading. Receiving a task to compose study work people face a problem? For example: You want to convince your reader that the forces of industry did not shape American foreign policy from the late 19th century through 1914, and you plan to do this by showing that there were other factors which were much more influential in shaping American foreign policy. What are the known facts? This day marks the end of a unit of study focused on argument reading and writing. Following this persuasive essay rubric will help you win the praise of your professors. We have an excellent reputation, and pride ourselves on making it steadily better, with more and more satisfied customers every year. In order to help children learn English yet value their native languages, bilingual education should be implemented in schools across the United States.
This is how many writers have attempted to actually register with us, but we only work with the best, allowing only the professionals to be a part of our team. Just one page is required to show how you see things and why you think so. My students perennially struggle with properly supporting their main points. So what are you waiting for? Write a paragraph about it. An introduction paragraph content may vary according to the assignment the assignment could be a persuasive essay, general research paper, a thesis or dissertation paper , but the student writing the persuasive essay — which argues a point that is defended with evidence — usually follows a basic set of guidelines.
This sentence shows the position you will argue and also sets up the organizational pattern of your paper's body. Write your conclusion at the very end of your essay. When you expect your persuasive essay to be well-taken and you have to get the highest grades, all the above-mentioned requirements are to be followed. Here are ways you could support an argument in a persuasive essay body paragraph. Since 21st-century technology is developing at a rapid pace, more and more technological innovations have to be implemented almost every year. Whatever the case, your mission here is to get creative and leave an impact.
The writer will easily select relevant information or fact based on the outline. Topic sentences announce the boundaries and context of the subject, the issue or overall topic being examined, analyzed or evaluated, explaining why it is important, relevant and pertinent in an academic setting and worth discussing at length. Many business owners argue that raising the would only cause hardship and cause them to raise their prices. Get a second pair of eyes by giving your essay to a friend for reading! Check the universal model to do your job well: a subject to reflect the theme, introduction 2—3 sentences to cover the theme , the main part 2—3 paragraphs to describe the essence , and conclusion 2—3 sentences to summarize the body. The introductory paragraph is perhaps the most important paragraph in the essay because it is the first and possibly last chance to make an impact on the reader. If you pass the paper you buy from us as your own - use at your own risk.
While a student does restate his thesis, he does not highlight any findings info analyzed in body paragraphs. The topic sentence also helps the writer organize the introductory paragraph, building up to the thesis; ultimately the topic sentence serves as a signpost for the argument. There is nothing in this assignment or on this rubric that you have not seen before. The issue is that there are so many people who are still smoking. Very few, if any, species have developed mutually symbiotic relationships with humans.
Then, proceed to move from general ideas to specific ideas until you have built up to your thesis statement. Research includes searching for relevant literature or conducting an interview to gather data from experts. State the thesis of the persuasive essay — the statement or theory that will be put forward as a premise for the rest of the paper; the issue being argued. Each paragraph should cover a single main point that relates back to a part of your argument. Counter Argument Another final component is being able to draw out the pros and cons of the opposition and disprove their argument. I wanted to research a topic that no one would have, and something that I had a strong desire to write about.
There are many people who clearly need the additional assistance welfare services provide. This way, you can convince the audience of the benefits of creating a moon base, and giving them a small idea of what can be achieved from space exploration on a larger scale. Persuasive Essay Outline After getting well-versed in your topic, it is essential to The outline will assist you in organizing your argument. The issue is that taking pictures and videos require special permission from your professor. You can find cigarettes online, and also buy them through designated cigarette shops. Express an Opinion When you sit down to write a thesis statement, make sure that you have a clear opinion about your topic.
Any type of essays needs to have an introduction. One of the toughest tasks people manage to fail is called a persuasive essay. In the feedback section you may notice other customers mentioning writer numbers. But others feel there is no true way to offer a free college education as colleges would still need to be funded likely through tax dollars. However, if you want your own writing to be edited, we do offer this service, and our rates are competitive. This will leave them inspired with plenty of thoughts to feast on, allowing them to dive further into the world of space. | http://roundtaiwanround.com/persuasive-essay-topic-sentence.html |
This invention relates to an improved process for the production of maleic acid anhydride-diisobutylene copolymers suitable for use as anionic sizing agents.
It is known from German Offenlegungsschrifts Nos. 2,361,544 and 2, 501, 123 that substantially alternate copolymers of maleic acid anhydride and diisobutylene can be used for the production of extremely effective sizing agents in the manufacture of paper. Thus, according to German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,361,544 for example, these monomers are radically copolymerised in solvents for example, aromatic hydrocarbons, halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, esters of lower fatty acids, chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons or strongly polar solvents. Also, it is disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,501,123 that the monomers may be copolymerised in suspension using excess diisobutylene as dispersion medium in the presence of from 0.5 to 10% by weight, based on the maleic acid anhydride used, of a special dispersant which is soluble in the dispersion medium.
Despite the use of a large molar excess of diisobutylene, the copolymerisation of these two monomers by the process described in the two above-mentioned German Offenlegungsschrifts does not result in complete incorporation of the maleic acid anhydride. When the maleic acid anhydride/diisobutylene copolymers are isolated in the form of water- moist powders having a solids content of more than 80% by weight, the unreacted maleic acid anhydride, as water-soluble maleic acid, pollutes the filtrate which enters the effluent system during filtration or centrifuging. On account of the high COD and BOD values (COD=chemical oxygen demand, BOD=biological oxygen demand) of this effluent due to the maleic acid dissolved therein, the outlay and hence costs involved in its purification increase.
The object of the present invention is to modify the copolymerisation of maleic acid anhydride and diisobutylene in solution and suspension in such a way that the maleic acid anhydride present in the monomer mixture is almost completely copolymerised.
According to the present invention, this object is achieved in that, initially, copolymerisation of the monomers, maleic acid anhydride and diisobutylene, is carried out radically in the usual way and then, shortly before or after the end of the polymerisation reaction, between 1 and 12 mole %, based on the maleic acid anhydride used, of a monomer corresponding to the general formula: ##STR3## in which R=H, CH.sub.3, C. sub.2 H.sub.5, --OR.sub.2,--O--CO--CH.sub.3, ##STR4## --CH.sub.2 --OH, -- CH.sub.2 O--CO--CH.sub.3, R.sub.1 =H, CH.sub.3 and,
R.sub.2 =a linear or branched chain alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or mixtures of two or more of these monomers are added to the polymerisation mixture.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved process for the production of a substantially equimolecular solution or suspension copolymer of maleic acid anhydride and diisobutylene, in which from 10 to 100 mole % of the anhydride groups are esterified with linear or branched aliphatic monoalcohols containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms or with cycloaliphatic monoalcohols containing from 5 to 6 carbon atoms to form the corresponding semiesters, wherein, shortly before or after the end of the solution or suspension copolymerisation of maleic acid anhydride and diisobutylene, a monomer corresponding to the general formula: ##STR5## in which R=H, CH.sub.3, C.sub.2 H.sub.5, --OR.sub.2, -- O--CO--CH.sub.3, ##STR6## CH.sub.3, --CH.sub.2 OH, --CH.sub.2 O--CO--CH. sub.3 R.sub.1 =H, CH.sub.3 and
R.sub.2 =a linear or branched chain alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms,
or mixtures of these monomers with one another are added to the polymerisation mixture in quantities of from 1 to 12 mole %, based on the maleic acid anhydride used.
The process according to the invention yields copolymers in which the maleic acid anhydride is incorporated in a quantity of from 94. 0 to 99.4 mole % and, in many cases, in quantities of more than 96.0 mole %, based on the maleic acid anhydride used. In addition, the paper sizing agents produced from these copolymers unexpectedly show a 10 to 25% better sizing effect than the paper sizing agents obtained in accordance with German Offenlegungsschrifts Nos. 2,361,544 and 2,501,123 both on weakly presized paper and also on unsized paper.
The third monomer or the monomeric mixtures are added at a point in time at which the polymerisation conversion, based on maleic acid anhydride, has reached a constant level. Shortly after the addition, the conversion of maleic acid anhydride increases again until it reaches a value of from 94 to 99.4 mole%, depending upon the polymerisation conditions and the monomer or monomeric mixture used. This monomer or the monomeric mixture may be added either individually or together with radical-forming substances at temperatures of from 30° C. to 200. degree. C. The duration of the reaction of the polymerisation mixtures with the third monomer or the monomer mixtures amounts to between 1 and 10 hours.
Monomers suitable for reaction with the remaining maleic acid anhydride are monomers corresponding to the general formula: ##STR7## in which R=H, CH.sub.3, C.sub.2 H.sub.5, --OR.sub.2, --O--CO--CH.sub.3, ##STR8## --CH.sub.2 OH, --CH.sub.2 O--CO--CH.sub.3, R.sub.1 =H, CH.sub.3 and
R.sub.2 =a linear or branched chain alkyl group with 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
Examples of such monomers are ethylene, propylene, isobutylene, styrene, &agr;-methyl styrene, p-methyl styrene, vinylacetate, allyl acetate, isobutyl vinyl ether, allyl alcohol and methallyl alcohol.
It is preferred to use the &agr;-olefins corresponding to the above formula, especially styrene, &agr;-methyl styrene and isobutylene.
If the third monomer or the monomeric mixtures are not added just before or after the end of the copolymerisation reaction, but instead at the beginning thereof, very little, if any, reduction is obtained in the content of unreacted maleic acid anhydride.
These monomers are used either individually or in admixtures with one another in quantities of from 1 to 12 mole %, based on maleic acid anhydride, but preferably in quantities of from 5 to 10 mole %.
The copolymerisation process is carried out in known manner up to addition of the other monomer or monomer mixture, as described for example in German Offenlegungsschrifts No. 2,361,544 and 2,501,123.
Non-copolymerised maleic acid anhydride may be determined in various ways according to the particular copolymerisation process used. Thus, where copolymerisation is carried out in solvents, such as toluene for example, the polymer solution is subjected to stripping with hot water under reduced pressure. By azeotropically distilling off the solvent, the copolymer is obtained in the form of a fine white powder suspended in water. After this powder has been filtered off and the filtrate concentrated by evaporation to dryness, hydrolysed maleic acid anhydride is left behind as residue in the form of free maleic acid. The quantity of maleic acid is determined gravimetrically after it has been identified by spectroscopy. The maleic acid present in the filtrate may also be determined by titration with 0.1 n NaOH-solution using phenolphthalein as indicator. If the copolymerisation reaction is carried out in suspension using excess diisobutylene as the dispersion medium, conversion is determined by weighing out the non-copolymerised maleic acid anhydride. The maleic acid anhydride insoluble in diisobutylene is isolated from the copolymer powder freed by filtration from diisobutylene in vacuo (0.2 mm Hg) at temperatures of from 80. degree. C. to 120° C. The maleic acid anhydride sublimes out of the copolymer powder and is deposited as a solid product in a cold trap connected to the evacuation apparatus.
After they have been reacted with alcohols to form semiesters, the polymeric products obtained by the improved copolymerisation processes described above may be used with advantage in the form of their alkali, ammonium or amine salts as anionic paper-sizing agents. Linear or branched aliphatic monoalcohols having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and cycloaliphatic alcohols containing from 5 to 6 carbon atoms are suitable for preparing the semiesters. From 10 to 100 mole % of the anhydride groups present in the copolymers may be esterified to form the corresponding semiesters.
EXAMPLES 1-4
3.675 kg of maleic acid anhydride, 5.625 kg of diisobutylene and 5.100 kg of toluene were introduced into a 40 liter capacity steel autoclave. After the autoclave had been purged with nitrogen and closed, the temperature was increased while stirring to 75° C., followed by the rapid addition of 20% by weight of an initiator solution consisting of 0.0785 kg of azoisobutyrodinitrile in 1.350 kg of toluene. The rest of the initiator solution was added over a period of 2 hours. The mixture was stirred for 6 hours at 75° C., after which 0.039 kg of azoisobutyrodinitrile dissolved in 0.675 kg of toluene were added over a period of 30 minutes. The temperature was then increased to 85. degree. C. , the mixture was stirred for 6 hours, the temperature was then increased to 95° C. and the mixture stirred for another 6 hours. The following quantities of styrene were then quickly added together with 0. 039 kg of azoisobutyrodinitrile dissolved in 0.675 kg of toluene: ##TBL1##
The mixture was then stirred for 2 hours at 95° C., after which the temperature was increased to 105° C. and the polymerisation mixtures kept at that temperature for 2 hours.
After the polymer solutions had cooled to 80° C., 0.5625 kg of isopropanol in 0.469 kg of toluene were added to them for conversion into the semiesters and the resulting solutions were stirred for 2 hours at 80. degree. C. Thereafter the partially esterified copolymers were precipitated in the form of fine white powders by introducing the solutions into water heated to approximately 70° C. with simultaneous removal of the toluene and diisobutylene by azeotropic distillation. The polymer suspensions formed were stirred for 2 hours at 90° C./350-370 mm Hg.
They were then filtered off, the filtrates were concentrated by evaporation and the residues consisting of maleic acid were weighed out.
Results: ##TBL2##
COMPARISON EXAMPLES 1A-4A
The following four Comparison Examples show that an immediate addition of the third monomer (in these Examples styrene) to the polymerisation mixture by comparison with Examples 1 to 4 results only in a slight reduction in the content of non-copolymerised maleic acid anhydride. The polymerisation reactions were carried out in the same way as described in Examples 1 to 4 with the sole difference that the styrene was present in the monomeric mixture before addition of the initiators. ##TBL3##
EXAMPLES 5-8
The following mixture was introduced into a 100 liter capacity steel autoclave:
12.250 kg of maleic acid anhydride;
41.000 kg of diisobutylene;
2.130 kg of dispersant (copolymer of diisobutylene and maleic acid dodecyl semiester (produced in accordance with German Offenlegungschrift No. 2,501,133).
The autoclave was purged with nitrogen, the temperature was increased to 75° C. and the mixture stirred at 110 to 120 rpm. After the autoclave had been closed, a slight nitrogen excess pressure was applied and 25% by weight of a solution of 0.325 kg of t-butyl peroctoate in 2. 500 kg of diisobutylene were added all at once. The internal temperature of the reaction vessel is then increased over a period of 1 hour to a level of 90° C., after which the remaining 75% by weight of the initiator solution were added over a period of 1 hour. On completion of the addition, the mixture was stirred for 6 hours at 90° C., after which the following quantities of styrene were introduced over a period of 1 hour together with a solution of 0.05 kg of t-butyl peroctoate dissolved in 0.460 kg of diisobutylene: ##TBL4##
The mixture was then stirred for 2 hours at 90° C., cooled to room temperature and filtered off.
The filtered polymer powders were subjected to a vacuum treatment for 28 hours at temperatures of from 30° C. to 120° C. and under pressures of from 12 mm Hg to 0.2 mm Hg. The maleic acid anhydride which sublimed out of the polymer powder during this treatment was deposited in the form of a solid crystalline substance (m.p. 55° C. ) on the cooled surfaces of the sublimation apparatus. The maleic acid anhydride was collected, weighed and its quantity based on the maleic acid anhydride used for copolymerisation: ##TBL5##
The copolymers were converted into the semiesters by reaction with isopropanol by the same method as described in Examples 1 to 4.
COMPARISON EXAMPLES 5A to 8A
The following four Comparison Examples show that, by immediately adding the third monomer (in these Examples styrene) to the polymerisation mixture, only a slight reduction in the non-copolymerised maleic acid anhydride content by comparison with Examples 5 to 8 is also obtained in the suspension polymerisation process.
The polymerisation reactions were carried out in the same way as described in Examples 5 to 8 with the difference that the particular quantities of styrene added were present in the starting monomeric mixture before addition of the initiator. ##TBL6##
EXAMPLES 9 to 20
The following twelve Examples were carried out by the suspension process in accordance with Examples 5 to 8 using allyl alcohol, methallyl alcohol and isobutylene instead of styrene.
In this case, too, distinct reductions in the quantities of non- copolymerised maleic acid anhydride were obtained with increasing inputs of the monomers methallyl alcohol, allyl alcohol and isobutylene added at the end of the copolymerisations of maleic acid anhydride and diisobutylene by comparison with the copolymerisation reaction carried out in the absence of the third monomers. ##TBL7##
In order to produce the sizing agents, the copolymers may be converted into the semiesters by reaction with isopropanol in accordance with Examples 1 to 4.
PRACTICAL EXAMPLES
The following four Practical Examples demonstrate the suitability of the partially esterified copolymers described in Examples 1 to 8 for use as sizing agents for paper by comparison with a copolymer produced without the addition of a third monomer.
To this end, various raw papers were treated with the aqueous- ammoniacal solutions of these products in a type HF laboratory sizing press of the type manufactured by the Mathis Company of Zurich, Switzerland.
The sizing bath used for surface sizing consisted of a solution of 5% by weight of starch (Perfectamyl A 4692 (Trade Mark) a product of the AVEBE company) and 0.04 to 0.13% by weight of the sizing agent to be tested (expressed as 100% active substance) in 94.96 to 94.87% by weight of water.
The surface-sized papers were dried for 1 minute at about 100. degree. C. on a drying cylinder. Before the sizing test, the papers were conditioned for 2 hours at room temperature.
The degree of sizing of the treated papers against ink was measured with a Hercules sizing tester in accordance with the operating instructions of the manufacturers, Hercules Inc., Wilmington, Delaware, USA. It is measured by recording the period of time in seconds which elapses before the remission value falls to 75% or 65% of the remission value of paper when the test ink is applied to the paper and breaks through the paper. The test ink used is the green test ink manufactured by the Hercules company. In order to determine water absorption, pieces of the treated papers were preweighed, immersed for 1 minute in water at 20° C., pressed once between filter paper under a 10 kg rolling weight and reweighed. The value for the water absorption on both sides was calculated in g/cm.sup.2 from the weight difference. The lower the water absorption, the better the effect of the tested sizing agent.
The percentages quoted in the Tables relate to the proportion of sizing agent contained in the bath, expressed as 100% active substance.
PRACTICAL EXAMPLE 1
The sizing agent used in this case was produced from a copolymer according to Examples 1 to 8 with an addition of 4.60 mole% of styrene, based on maleic acid anhydride. This product was tested on a presized paper and on an unsized paper.
The unsized paper used, which contained 12% of talcum ash, was produced from bleached pulp to which alum had been added.
The presized paper used, which contained 7% of China clay ash, was produced from bleached pulp with an addition of approximately 0.1% of conventional rosin size (based on abietate) and alum.
The degree of sizing was measured with the Hercules sizing tester at a reduction in the remission values to 75%. ##TBL8##
The Examples show that the sizing agent according to the present invention containing 4.60 mole % of styrene, based on maleic acid anhydride, provides the tested papers with a distinctly higher degree of sizing than the comparison product.
PRACTICAL EXAMPLE 2
The sizing agent used in this case was produced from a copolymer according to Example 7 (6.52 moles of styrene). The degree of sizing was measured with the Hercules sizing tester at a reduction in the remission values to 65%.
An unsized paper of the type described in Practical Example 1a was used as the test paper: ##TBL9##
This Example also reveals a distinct improvement in the sizing effect of the sizing agent according to the invention over the comparison product.
PRACTICAL EXAMPLE 3
The sizing agent used in this Example was produced from a copolymer according to Example 8 (9.80 mole % of styrene). This product was tested on an unsized alum-containing paper (Practical Example 3a) and on a paper weakly presized with resin size (Practical Example 3b).
In these Examples, the water absorption of the papers for different inputs was determined as a measure of the sizing effect of the tested products. ##TBL10##
The water-absorption values of the papers treated with the sizing agent according to the invention are also considerably better than those of the papers treated with the comparison product. | |
Hong Kong Dragon Airlines was established in Hong Kong on 24 May 1985, operating brand as Cathay Dragon (Dragonair) and previously as Dragonair, is a Hong Kong-based international regional airline, with its corporate headquarters, Cathay Dragon (Dragonair) House, and main hub at Hong Kong International Airport. As of 30 October 2013, the airline operates a scheduled passenger network to 44 destinations in 13 countries and territories across Asia.
Cathay Dragon (Dragonair) Baggage Allowance
Queries handled by Cathay Dragon (Dragonair) Customer care:
Flight Ticket Booking, Ticket Cancellation, Flight Ticket Rescheduling, Ok to Board, Visa Services, Online Check-in, Baggage Allowance, Duty Free Allowance, Flight Information, Airport Lounges, Visa Information, In-Flight Meals, Airport Transfers, Missing Luggage, Immigration Services, Valet Parking, Meet and Greet, Flight Wifi, Airport Wifi, In-Flight Entertainment, Airport Facilities, Delayed Flights, Visa on Arrival, First Class, Business Class, Economy Class, Asia Miles
List of Cathay Dragon (Dragonair) Offices: | https://airlines-airports.com/cathay-dragon-dragonair-offices/ |
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Astronomy 1021
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Class 1
Introduction to Astronomy
!
Midterm in November and February, no exam in December but there is a final exam in April.
NEED ABOVE 50% IN THE CLASS AND AT LEAST 50% ON EXAM
No make ups for assignments
!
In class Participation www.learningcatalytics.com
Read textbook before class
!
Constellation of the week: Cygnus
Cygnus= Swan (Latin)
Flies across the milky way
Beta Cygni: Albireo
Alpha Cygni: Deneb
Cygnus X-1
Kepler Space Telescope
Flying across the band of the Milky Way
!
Terms
Star- A spherical object that generates energy though nuclear fusion (ex. H -> He)
Sun is the closest star
Next closet is Proxima Centauri
1000s stars visible in the sky
Lots of varieties (Chapters 11-14)
Stars twinkle
Planet- A spherical object that orbits a star: dominates its orbit; reflects light; rock; ice; gas
Eight in our Solar System
Three Definitions (must orbit the sun, must be sphere, must clear its own orbit; 2006)
1000s exoplanets
Moon (aka satellite)- An object that orbits a planet
Moon vs moon (capitalized means our moon)
Moons also know as satellites
Natural vs Artificial
Find out when you can see the ISS: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/
Solar System- The region around a star that includes planets, moons
Solar System vs solar system
May contain multiple stars
Most likely will contain multiple planets
Other small bodies
Galaxy- Very big collections of stars (and solar systems), gas, dust, and dark matter (chapter 18)
Galaxy vs. galaxy
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Unlock to view full version
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Our Galaxy is the Milky Way Galaxy (chapter 19)
Andromeda Galaxy (M31)
View of our MW from within
Different types (chapter 20)
Nebula (Cloud)- The interstellar clouds of gas and dust; four main views
Nebula
Four main types of nebulae (chapter 14)
Universe- The entirely of everything we know of; time pace and all its contents
Hubble Deep field Image
Most of the ‘blobs’ are distant galaxies
!
Do order-of-magnitude estimates using scientific notation; define
Million
Billion
Trillion
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Order of Magnitude Estimates
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Earths Average distance from the sun= 1.5 x 10^8 defined to be 1 AU
Class 2
Astronomy Chapter 1&2
!
Lyra
-Latin for Lyre
-Alpha Lyrae: Vega
Part of the summer triangle, with Denab and Altair
-M57: Ring Nebula
-Cronyn project
-Betaa Lyrae variables
-clase binaries
-“Contact” movie
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Questions
Arrange planets in order of size
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Earth, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Moon, Pluto
!
Pluto is not considered a planet because they found other planets around it with similar
characteristics and determined it was part of an astroid belt rather then a planet. If they
considered Pluto a planet they would have consider several other planets as well.
! | https://oneclass.com/study-guides/ca/western/ast/ast-1021/2257861-astronomy-1021-study-guide-fall-2018-comprehensive-final.en.html |
Nandankanan Zoological Park, 20km from the capital Bhubaneswar, is a 400-hectare zoo and botanical garden in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. Established in 1960, it was opened to the public in 1979 and considered to be the first zoo in India to join World Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 2009. The name that literally means the “Garden of Pleasure” is the most picturesque park where you can get an opportunity to discover unique flora and fauna flourishing in their most natural habitat.
Nandankanan wildlife sanctuary is stretched across the area of 4.37 sq km where the protected area is of 3.62 sq km. The zoo boasts of more than 32 white tigers in its vicinity. Besides, the park is also the home to 65 varieties of mammals, 17 varieties of reptiles and 82 species of birds. The animals that are frequently seen in the park are Asiatic lion, lion-tailed macaque, Indian crocodiles, nilgiri langur, Indian pangolin, Himalayan black bear, mouse deer, rhesus macaque, black buck and more. By spreading over a sprawling area of 4.5 Sq kms, the park also noticed as the first breeding place for black panthers.
The Nandankanan is also known as Nandankanan National Park where you can get lot of enthralling facility like boating, white tiger and lion safaris (safari in a sense to encounter these royal animals) reptile park, aerial ropeway and cable car ( under renovation ) at the zoological park. Also a nocturnal animal house is established for the wildlife lovers who will get a penchant for wildlife.
Due to its rare offerings and serene setting, the park has been now emerged as a much sought after picnic destination of Odisha Tour and an important tourist places of Odisha (Orissa)?for both locals as well as tourists. | https://www.travelholidaysindia.com/odisha/nandankanan-zoo/ |
|The Department of Economics at Cornell seeks to hire a postdoctoral scholar for a two-year position starting July 1, 2020. The postdoc will help us implement a teaching initiative in the department that will infuse our introductory and intermediate macroeconomics courses with active learning activities in both lectures and discussion sections. The postdoc will attend training on active teaching methods (provided by Cornell’s Center for Teaching Innovation), collect baseline data on the two courses that will be treated as part of the initiative, and together with the course instructor and program coordinator, develop the active learning exercises that will be implemented in the lectures and discussion sections. The postdoc will be responsible for infusing one course and related discussion sections per year with active learning strategies. The postdoc will also develop a searchable, tagged, database of active learning exercises with detailed notes so that other instructors in the department can use and contribute to these strategies.
Assessment and evaluation is critical to our initiative. We will collect baseline data on student learning and outcomes in our existing classes before they are infused with active learning strategies and then collect comparable data after a class is infused with these activities to assess the success of our initiative. Our activities will be aimed at improving learning outcomes, increasing student engagement in class, and narrowing existing inequalities in outcomes by socioeconomic characteristics. The postdoc will help to collect and analyze these data, and disseminate the results in an economics teaching journal such as The Journal of Economic Education.
In order to facilitate the postdoc’s own professional development, the postdoc may co-teach two courses during their two years in residence. We will also provide opportunities for advising undergraduate research when possible. We will provide a research budget for attending conferences and other research-related activities. We anticipate that the postdoc will spend about 65% of his or her time on teaching-related work and 35% on his or her own research.
Our ideal postdoc candidate is a recent PhD graduate from a top-ranked Economics department who has a passion for teaching and has a demonstrated record of teaching excellence. Given the nature of the initiative, we require a two-year commitment and have structured our design to enable the candidate to go on the job market in the fall of the second year of the appointment.
A PhD is required. Annual salary will be commensurate with experience. Interested applicants may apply by posting their materials at AcademicJobsOnline.org as soon as possible. Committee evaluation will begin March 9, 2020.
Questions may be directed to Amy Moesch, [email protected], 607-255-5617.
Diversity and inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities.|
Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. The College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will create a climate that attracts students and faculty of all races, nationalities, and genders. We strongly encourage women and underrepresented minorities to apply. Cornell University is a recognized EEO/AA employer and educator, valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities. | http://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/16013 |
Given all the hype surrounding big data, Elizabeth Churchill’s admission that organizations compulsively and even carelessly gather data is refreshing. Churchill, a director of user experience at Google, addresses the most pressing issues about data gathering and surveillance, and she implores her audience to question data-collection processes. Though Churchill’s shrewd talk raises more questions than it answers, getAbstract believes her insights may prompt fruitful discourse among consumers and data scientists alike.
How the field of data science can evolve to engender trust.
Psychologist Elizabeth Churchill is a director of user experience at Google.
Why do corporations and governments collect consumer data – that is, information people reveal through their use of devices and services? In truth, even companies often don’t know the answer. For their part, consumers certainly don’t know why businesses collect personal data, and this makes users anxious. | https://www.getabstract.com/en/summary/monitoring-surveillance-sousveillance/31041 |
The basic foundation of the game of poker is reading your opponents. You want your opponents to fold when they have better cards, and you want them to call when they do. Learning to read your opponents takes guesswork and psychology, but it’s not difficult. The first thing to do is to observe their general tendencies. Once you’ve learned to read other people’s cards, you can start building your own winning hand. In the end, there are many different strategies you can try out.
The lowest possible hand in standard poker is called a One Pair, and the highest pair is known as a Two Pair. Then, you can try to get rid of the unrelated card to win the hand. In the event of a tie, you will break the tie by playing the highest-valued pair in your hand. You will then look for ties by using the ace high straight flush as a reference. You can also check out how to play a high-hand hand in poker.
The goal of the game of Poker is to create the best possible hand by combining two of the same pairs of cards. If you are the only player who has two of the same kind of cards, then your hand will be called a full house. If you make five of a kind with more than one card, then you’ll win the game. However, you can never win more than one five-of-a-kind hand. This is because you’ll have to use the ace to make it all five-of-a-kind hands. | http://bathroomremodelingminneapolis.com/learning-to-read-your-opponents-cards/ |
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