Confirmatory factor analysis of an integrated model of psycopathology assessed with MMPI-2-RF and the MCMI-III

We presented an integrated hierarchical model of psychopathology that more accurately captures empirical patterns of comorbidity between clinical syndromes and personality disorders.In order to verify the structural validity of the model proposed, this study aimed to analyze the convergence between the Restructured Clinical (RC) scales and Personality scales (PSY-5) of the MMPI-2-RF and the Clinical Syndrome and Personality Disorder scales of the MCMI-III.The MMPI-2-RF and MCMI-III were administered to a clinical sample of 377 outpatients (167 men and 210 women).The structural hypothesiswas assessed by using a Confirmatory Factor Analytic design with four common superordinate factors. An independent-cluster-basis solution was proposed based on maximum likelihood estimation and the application of several fit indices.The fit of the proposed model can be considered as good and more so if we take into account its complexity.

Polymorphisms in DNA-repair genes in a cohort of prostate cancer patients from different areas in Spain: heterogeneity between populations as a confounding factor in association studies

Background: Differences in the distribution of genotypes between individuals of the same ethnicity are an important confounder factor commonly undervalued in typical association studies conducted in radiogenomics. Objective: To evaluate the genotypic distribution of SNPs in a wide set of Spanish prostate cancer patients for determine the homogeneity of the population and to disclose potential bias. Design, Setting, and Participants: A total of 601 prostate cancer patients from Andalusia, Basque Country, Canary and Catalonia were genotyped for 10 SNPs located in 6 different genes associated to DNA repair: XRCC1 (rs25487, rs25489, rs1799782), ERCC2 (rs13181), ERCC1 (rs11615), LIG4 (rs1805388, rs1805386), ATM (rs17503908, rs1800057) and P53 (rs1042522). The SNP genotyping was made in a Biotrove OpenArrayH NT Cycler. Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: Comparisons of genotypic and allelic frequencies among populations, as well as haplotype analyses were determined using the web-based environment SNPator. Principal component analysis was made using the SnpMatrix and XSnpMatrix classes and methods implemented as an R package. Non-supervised hierarchical cluster of SNP was made using MultiExperiment Viewer. Results and Limitations: We observed that genotype distribution of 4 out 10 SNPs was statistically different among the studied populations, showing the greatest differences between Andalusia and Catalonia. These observations were confirmed in cluster analysis, principal component analysis and in the differential distribution of haplotypes among the populations. Because tumor characteristics have not been taken into account, it is possible that some polymorphisms may influence tumor characteristics in the same way that it may pose a risk factor for other disease characteristics. Conclusion: Differences in distribution of genotypes within different populations of the same ethnicity could be an important confounding factor responsible for the lack of validation of SNPs associated with radiation-induced toxicity, especially when extensive meta-analysis with subjects from different countries are carried out.

Dynamics of Highway Bridges, Iowa Highway Research Board Bulletin 17, 1960

Joint Publications from Iowa Engineering Experiment Station - Bulletin No. 188 and Iowa Highway Research Board - Bulletin No. 17. In the design of highway bridges, the 'static live load is multiplied by a factor to compensate for the dynamic effect of moving vehicles. This factor, commonly referred to as an impact factor, is intended to provide for the dynamic response of the bridge to moving loads and suddenly applied forces. Many investigators have published research which contradicts the current impact formula 1,4,17. Some investigators feel that the problem of impact deals not only with the increase in over-all static live load but that it is an integral part of a dynamic load distribution problem. The current expanded highway program with the large number of bridge structures required emphasizes the need for investigating some of the dynamic behavior problems which have been generally ignored by highway engineers. These problems generally result from the inability of a designer to predict the dynamic response of a bridge structure. Many different investigations have been made of particular portions of the overall dynamic problem. The results of these varied investigations are inevitably followed by a number of unanswered questions. Ironically, many of the unanswered questions are those which are of immediate concern in the design of highway bridges, and this emphasizes the need for additional research on the problem of impact.

Ultimate Load Behavior of Full-Scale Highway Truss Bridges: Phase I - Ultimate Load Tests of the Hubby Bridge - Boone County, Interim Report, HR-169, 1975

As a result of the construction of the Saylorville Dam and Reservoir on the Des Moines River, six highway bridges crossing the river were scheduled for removal. One of these, an old pinconnected high-truss single-lane bridge, was selected for a testing program which included ultimate load tests. The purpose of the ultimate load tests, which are summarized in this report, was to relate design and rating procedures presently used in bridge design to the field behavior of this type of truss bridge. The ultimate load tests consisted of ultimate load testing of one span of the bridge, of two I-shaped floorbeams, and of two panels of the timber deck. The theoretical capacity of each of these components is compared with the results from the field tests.

Design of new tools to improve the efficacy of DNA-damaging drugs used in cancer therapy

Résumé Les tumeurs sont diverses et hétérogènes, mais toutes partagent la capacité de proliférer sans contrôle. Une prolifération dérégulée de cellules couplée à une insensibilité à une réponse apoptotique constitue une condition minimale pour que l'évolution d'une tumeur se produise. Un des traitements les plus utilisés pour traité le cancer à l'heure actuelle sont les chimiothérapies, qui sont fréquemment des composés chimiques qui induisent des dommages dans l'ADN. Les agents anticancéreux sont efficaces seulement quand les cellules tumorales sont plus aisément tuées que le tissu normal environnant. L'efficacité de ces agents est en partie déterminée par leur capacité à induire l'apoptose. Nous avons récemment démontré que la protéine RasGAP est un substrat non conventionnel des caspases parce elle peut induire à la fois des signaux anti et pro-apoptotiques, selon l'ampleur de son clivage par les caspases. A un faible niveau d'activité des caspases, RasGAP est clivé, générant deux fragments (le fragment N et le fragment C). Le fragment N semble être un inhibiteur général de l'apoptose en aval de l'activation des caspases. À des niveaux plus élevés d'activité des caspases, la capacité du fragment N de contrecarrer l'apoptose est supprimée quand il est clivé à nouveau par les caspases. Ce dernier clivage produit deux nouveaux fragments, N 1 et N2, qui contrairement au fragment N sensibilisent efficacement des cellules cancéreuses envers des agents chimiothérapeutiques. Dans cette étude nous avons prouvé qu'un peptide, appelé par la suite TAT-RasGAP317-326, qui est dérivé du fragment N2 de RasGAP et est rendu perméable aux cellules, sensibilise spécifiquement des cellules cancéreuses à trois génotoxines différentes utilisées couramment dans des traitements anticancéreux, et cela dans des modèles in vitro et in vivo. Il est important de noté que ce peptide semble ne pas avoir d'effet sur des cellules non cancéreuses. Nous avons également commencé à caractériser les mécanismes moléculaires expliquant les fonctions de sensibilisation de TAT-RasGAP317-326. Nous avons démontré que le facteur de transcription p53 et une protéine sous son activité transcriptionelle, nommée Puma, sont indispensables pour l'activité de TAT-RasGAP317-326. Nous avons également prouvé que TAT-RasGAP317-326 exige la présence d'une protéine appelée G3BP1, une protéine se liant a RasGAP, pour potentialisé les effets d'agents anticancéreux. Les données obtenues dans cette étude montrent qu'il pourrait être possible d'augmenter l'efficacité des chimiothérapies à l'aide d'un composé capable d'augmenter la sensibilité des tumeurs aux génotoxines et ainsi pourrait permettre de traiter de manière plus efficace des patients sous traitement chimiothérapeutiques. Summary Tumors are diverse and heterogeneous, but all share the ability to proliferate without control. Deregulated cell proliferation coupled with suppressed apoptotic sensitivity constitutes a minimal requirement upon which tumor evolution occurs. One of the most commonly used treatments is chemotherapy, which frequently uses chemical compounds that induce DNA damages. Anticancer agents are effective only when tumors cells are more readily killed than the surrounding normal tissue. The efficacy of these agents is partly determined by their ability to induce apoptosis. We have recently demonstrated that the protein RasGAP is an unconventional caspase substrate because it can induce both anti- and pro-apoptotic signals, depending on the extent of its cleavage by caspases. At low levels of caspase activity, RasGAP is cleaved, generating an N-terminal fragment (fragment N) and a C-terminal fragment (fragment C). Fragment N appears to be a general Mocker of apoptosis downstream of caspase activation. At higher levels of caspase activity, the ability of fragment N to counteract apoptosis is suppressed when it is further cleaved. This latter cleavage event generates two fragments, N1 and N2, which in contrast to fragment N potently sensitizes cancer cells toward DNA-damaging agents induced apoptosis. In the present study we show that a cell permeable peptide derived from the N2 fragment of RasGAP, thereafter called TAT-RasGAP317-326, specifically sensitizes cancer cells to three different genotoxins commonly used in chemotherapy in vitro and in vivo models. Importantly this peptide seems not to have any effect on non cancer cells. We have also started to characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying the sensitizing functions of TAT-RasGAP317-326. We have demonstrated that the p53 transcription factor and a protein under its transcriptional activity, called Puma, are required for the activity of TATRasGAP317-326. We have also showed that TAT-RasGAP317-326 requires the presence of a protein called G3BP1, which have been shown to interact with RasGAP, to increase the effect of the DNA-damaging drug cisplatin. The data obtained in this study showed that it is possible to increase the efficacy of current used chemotherapies with a compound able to increase the efficacy of genotoxins which could be beneficial for patients subjected to chemotherapy.

Treatment intensification and risk factor control: toward more clinically relevant quality measures.

BACKGROUND: Intensification of pharmacotherapy in persons with poorly controlled chronic conditions has been proposed as a clinically meaningful process measure of quality. OBJECTIVE: To validate measures of treatment intensification by evaluating their associations with subsequent control in hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus across 35 medical facility populations in Kaiser Permanente, Northern California. DESIGN: Hierarchical analyses of associations of improvements in facility-level treatment intensification rates from 2001 to 2003 with patient-level risk factor levels at the end of 2003. PATIENTS: Members (515,072 and 626,130; age >20 years) with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and/or diabetes mellitus in 2001 and 2003, respectively. MEASUREMENTS: Treatment intensification for each risk factor defined as an increase in number of drug classes prescribed, of dosage for at least 1 drug, or switching to a drug from another class within 3 months of observed poor risk factor control. RESULTS: Facility-level improvements in treatment intensification rates between 2001 and 2003 were strongly associated with greater likelihood of being in control at the end of 2003 (P < or = 0.05 for each risk factor) after adjustment for patient- and facility-level covariates. Compared with facility rankings based solely on control, addition of percentages of poorly controlled patients who received treatment intensification changed 2003 rankings substantially: 14%, 51%, and 29% of the facilities changed ranks by 5 or more positions for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment intensification is tightly linked to improved control. Thus, it deserves consideration as a process measure for motivating quality improvement and possibly for measuring clinical performance.

Use of field measurements in fatigue analysis of forestry cranes

Tässä työssä on esitetty väsyttävän kuormituksen mittaamiseen ja mittausdatan jälkikäsittelyyn sekä väsymismitoitukseen liittyviä menetelmiä. Menetelmien sovelluskohteena oli metsäkoneen kuormain, joka on väsyttävästi kuormitettu hitsattu rakenne. Teoriaosassa on kuvattu väsymisilmiötä ja väsymismitoitusmenetelmiä sekä kuormitusten tunnistamiseen ja mittausten jälkikäsittelyyn liittyviä menetelmiä. Yleisimmin käytettyjen väsymismitoitusmenetelmien rinnalle on esitetty luotettavuuteen perustuvaa väsymismitoitusmenetelmää. Kuormainten suunnittelussa on keveys- j a kestoikävaatimusten takia erityisen suuri merkitys väsymisen huomioimisella. Rakenteille on ominaista tietyt toiminnan kannalta välttämättömät hitsatut yksityiskohdat, jotka usein määräävät koko rakenteen kestoiän. Koska nämä ongelmakohdat pystytään useimmiten tunnistamaan jo suunnitteluvaiheessa, voidaan yksityiskohtien muotoilulla usein parantaa huomattavasti koko rakenteen kestoikää. Näiden yksityiskohtien optimointi on osittain mahdollista toteuttaa ilman kuormituskertymätietoa, mutta useimmiten kuormitusten tunnistaminen on edellytys parhaan ratkaisun löytymiselle. Tällöin toistaiseksi paras keino todellisen väsyttävän kuormituksen tunnistamiseksi on pitkäaikaiset kenttämittaukset. Kenttämittauksilla selvitetään rakenteeseen kohdistuvat kuormitukset venymäliuskojen avulla. Kuormitusten tunnistamisella on erityisen suuri merkitys kun halutaan määrittää rakenteen kestoikä. Väsyminen ja väsyttävä kuormitus ovat kuitenkin tilastollisia muuttujia j a yksittäiselle rakenteelle ei ole mahdollista määrittää tarkkaa k estoikää. Tilastollisia menetelmiä käyttäen on kuitenkin mahdollista määrittää rakenteen vaurioitumisriski. Laskettaessa vaurioitumisriskiä suurelle määrälle yksittäisiä rakenteita voidaan muodostaa tarkkojakin ennusteita mahdollisten vaurioiden lukumäärästä. Tällöin kuormituskertymätiedosta voi olla tavanomaisen suunnittelun lisäksi laajempaa hyötyä esimerkiksi takuukäsittelyssä. Tässä työssä on sovellettu esitettyjä teorioita käytännössä metsäkoneen harvesterin puomiston väsymistarkasteluun. Kyseisen rakenteen kuormituksia mitattiin kahden viikon aikana yhteensä 35 tuntia, jonka perusteella laskettiin väsyttävän kuormituksen tilastollinen jakauma esimerkkitapaukselle. Mittauksen perusteella ei voitu tehdä kuitenkaan johtopäätöksiä tuotteen koko elinkaaren kuormituksista eikä muiden samanlaisten tuotteiden kuormituksista, koska mitattu otos oli suhteellisen lyhyt ja rajoittui vain yhteen käyttäjään ja muutamaan käyttökohteeseen. Menetelmien testaamiseksi kyseinen otos oli kuitenkin riittävä. Kuormituskertymätietoa käytettiin hyväksi myös laatumääritysten muodostamisessaesimerkkitapaukselle. Murtumismekaniikkaan perustuvalla menetelmällä arvioitiinharvesteripilarin valun mahdollisten valuvirheiden suurin sallittu koko. Luotettavuuteen pohjautuvan mitoitusmenettelyn tarve näyttää olevanlisääntymässä, joten pitkäaikaisten kenttämittausten tehokas hyödyntäminen tulee olemaan keskeinen osa väsymismitoitusta lähitulevaisuudessa. Menetelmiä olisi mahdollista tehostaa yhdistämällä kuormituskertymään erilaisia kuormitusten suhteen riippuvia tunnettuja suureita kuten käsiteltävän puun halkaisija. Todellisettuotekohtaiset tilastolliset jakaumat kuormituksista voitaisiin muodostaa mahdollisesti tehokkaammin, jos esimerkiksi kuormitusten riippuvuus metsätyypistä pystyttäisiin ensin määrittämään.

Should biomarkers be used to design personalized medicine for the treatment of glioblastoma?

Significant progress has been made in understanding the molecular pathogenesis of gliomas and in predicting general outcome depending on a limited set of clinical parameters and molecular markers. However, methylation of the O⁶-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene promoter is the only molecular marker linked to sensitivity of a specific treatment, that is, alkylating agent chemotherapy, and this predictive value may be limited to glioblastoma. Moreover, in the absence of potent alternative drugs, temozolomide chemotherapy should not be withheld from patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma without MGMT promoter methylation in general practice. In the context of clinical trials, however, irrespective of whether classical cytotoxic drugs, tyrosine kinase inhibitors or antiangiogenic agents are used, tissue should be centrally collected. Appropriate research programs should seek to define enriched patient populations for future trials and ultimately facilitate individualized cancer treatments.

Electromagnetic Design of a Solid Steel Rotor Motor for Demanding Operation Environments

The solid-rotor induction motor provides a mechanically and thermally reliable solution for demanding environments where other rotor solutions are prohibited or questionable. Solid rotors, which are manufactured of single pieces of ferromagnetic material, are commonly used in motors in which the rotationspeeds exceed substantially the conventional speeds of laminated rotors with squirrel-cage. During the operation of a solid-rotor electrical machine, the rotor core forms a conductor for both the magnetic flux and the electrical current. This causes an increase in the rotor resistance and rotor leakage inductance, which essentially decreases the power factor and the efficiency of the machine. The electromagnetic problems related to the solid-rotor induction motor are mostly associated with the low performance of the rotor. Therefore, the main emphasis in this thesis is put on the solid steel rotor designs. The rotor designs studied in thisthesis are based on the fact that the rotor construction should be extremely robust and reliable to withstand the high mechanical stresses caused by the rotational velocity of the rotor. In addition, the demanding operation environment sets requirements for the applied materials because of the high temperatures and oxidizing acids, which may be present in the cooling fluid. Therefore, the solid rotors analyzed in this thesis are made of a single piece of ferromagnetic material without any additional parts, such as copper end-rings or a squirrel-cage. A pure solid rotor construction is rigid and able to keep its balance over a large speed range. It also may tolerate other environmental stresses such as corroding substances or abrasive particles. In this thesis, the main target is to improve the performance of an induction motor equipped with a solid steel rotor by traditional methods: by axial slitting of the rotor, by selecting a proper rotor core material and by coating the rotor with a high-resistive stainless ferromagnetic material. In the solid steel rotor calculation, the rotor end-effects have a significant effect on the rotor characteristics. Thus, the emphasis is also put on the comparison of different rotor endfactors. In addition, a corrective slip-dependent end-factor is proposed. The rotor designs covered in this thesis are the smooth solid rotor, the axially slitted solid rotor and the slitted rotor having a uniform ferromagnetic coating cylinder. The thesis aims at design rules for multi-megawatt machines. Typically, mega-watt-size solidrotor machines find their applications mainly in the field of electric-motor-gas-compression systems, in steam-turbine applications, and in various types of largepower pump applications, where high operational speeds are required. In this thesis, a 120 kW, 10 000 rpm solid-rotor induction motor is usedas a small-scale model for such megawatt-range solid-rotor machines. The performance of the 120 kW solid-rotor induction motors is determined by experimental measurements and finite element calculations.

Fractional slot permanent magnet synchronous motors for low speed applications

This study compares different rotor structures of permanent magnet motors with fractional slot windings. The surface mounted magnet and the embedded magnet rotor structures are studied. This thesis analyses the characteristics of a concentrated two-layer winding, each coil of which is wound around one tooth and which has a number of slots per pole and per phase less than one (q < 1). Compared to the integer slot winding, the fractional winding (q < 1) has shorter end windings and this, thereby, makes space as well as manufacturing cost saving possible. Several possible ways of winding a fractional slot machine with slots per pole and per phase lessthan one are examined. The winding factor and the winding harmonic components are calculated. The benefits attainable from a machine with concentrated windingsare considered. Rotor structures with surface magnets, radially embedded magnets and embedded magnets in V-position are discussed. The finite element method isused to solve the main values of the motors. The waveform of the induced electro motive force, the no-load and rated load torque ripple as well as the dynamic behavior of the current driven and voltage driven motor are solved. The results obtained from different finite element analyses are given. A simple analytic method to calculate fractional slot machines is introduced and the values are compared to the values obtained with the finite element analysis. Several different fractional slot machines are first designed by using the simple analytical methodand then computed by using the finite element method. All the motors are of thesame 225-frame size, and have an approximately same amount of magnet material, a same rated torque demand and a 400 - 420 rpm speed. An analysis of the computation results gives new information on the character of fractional slot machines.A fractional slot prototype machine with number 0.4 for the slots per pole and per phase, 45 kW output power and 420 rpm speed is constructed to verify the calculations. The measurement and the finite element method results are found to beequal.

On Modelling, System Identification and Control of Servo-Systems with a Flexible Load

The present study was done with two different servo-systems. In the first system, a servo-hydraulic system was identified and then controlled by a fuzzy gainscheduling controller. The second servo-system, an electro-magnetic linear motor in suppressing the mechanical vibration and position tracking of a reference model are studied by using a neural network and an adaptive backstepping controller respectively. Followings are some descriptions of research methods. Electro Hydraulic Servo Systems (EHSS) are commonly used in industry. These kinds of systems are nonlinearin nature and their dynamic equations have several unknown parameters.System identification is a prerequisite to analysis of a dynamic system. One of the most promising novel evolutionary algorithms is the Differential Evolution (DE) for solving global optimization problems. In the study, the DE algorithm is proposed for handling nonlinear constraint functionswith boundary limits of variables to find the best parameters of a servo-hydraulic system with flexible load. The DE guarantees fast speed convergence and accurate solutions regardless the initial conditions of parameters. The control of hydraulic servo-systems has been the focus ofintense research over the past decades. These kinds of systems are nonlinear in nature and generally difficult to control. Since changing system parameters using the same gains will cause overshoot or even loss of system stability. The highly non-linear behaviour of these devices makes them ideal subjects for applying different types of sophisticated controllers. The study is concerned with a second order model reference to positioning control of a flexible load servo-hydraulic system using fuzzy gainscheduling. In the present research, to compensate the lack of dampingin a hydraulic system, an acceleration feedback was used. To compare the results, a pcontroller with feed-forward acceleration and different gains in extension and retraction is used. The design procedure for the controller and experimental results are discussed. The results suggest that using the fuzzy gain-scheduling controller decrease the error of position reference tracking. The second part of research was done on a PermanentMagnet Linear Synchronous Motor (PMLSM). In this study, a recurrent neural network compensator for suppressing mechanical vibration in PMLSM with a flexible load is studied. The linear motor is controlled by a conventional PI velocity controller, and the vibration of the flexible mechanism is suppressed by using a hybrid recurrent neural network. The differential evolution strategy and Kalman filter method are used to avoid the local minimum problem, and estimate the states of system respectively. The proposed control method is firstly designed by using non-linear simulation model built in Matlab Simulink and then implemented in practical test rig. The proposed method works satisfactorily and suppresses the vibration successfully. In the last part of research, a nonlinear load control method is developed and implemented for a PMLSM with a flexible load. The purpose of the controller is to track a flexible load to the desired position reference as fast as possible and without awkward oscillation. The control method is based on an adaptive backstepping algorithm whose stability is ensured by the Lyapunov stability theorem. The states of the system needed in the controller are estimated by using the Kalman filter. The proposed controller is implemented and tested in a linear motor test drive and responses are presented.

Permanent magnet synchronous motor for industrial inverter applications - analysis and design

During the latest few years the need for new motor types has grown, since both high efficiency and an accurate dynamic performance are demanded in industrial applications. For this reason, new effective control systems such as direct torque control (DTC) have been developed. Permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) are well suitable for new adjustable speed AC inverter drives, because their efficiency and power factor are not depending on the pole pair number and speed to the same extent as it is the case in induction motors. Therefore, an induction motor (IM) with a mechanical gearbox can often be replaced with a direct PM motor drive. Space as well as costs will be saved, because the efficiency increases and the cost of maintenance decreases as well. This thesis deals with design criterion, analytical calculation and analysis of the permanent magnet synchronous motor for both sinusoidal air-gap flux density and rectangular air-gapflux density. It is examined how the air-gap flux, flux densities, inductances and torque can be estimated analytically for salient pole and non-salient pole motors. It has been sought by means of analytical calculations for the ultimate construction for machines rotating at relative low 300 rpm to 600 rpm speeds, which are suitable speeds e.g. in Pulp&Paper industry. The calculations are verified by using Finite Element calculations and by measuring of prototype motor. The prototype motor is a 45 kW, 600 rpm PMSM with buried V-magnets, which is a very appropriate construction for high torque motors with a high performance. With the purposebuilt prototype machine it is possible not only to verify the analytical calculations but also to show whether the 600 rpm PMSM can replace the 1500 rpm IM with a gear. It can also be tested if the outer dimensions of the PMSM may be the same as for the IM and if the PMSM in this case can produce a 2.5 fold torque, in consequence of which it may be possible to achieve the same power. The thesis also considers the question how to design a permanent magnet synchronous motor for relatively low speed applications that require a high motor torqueand efficiency as well as bearable costs of permanent magnet materials. It is shown how a selection of different parameters affects the motor properties. Key words: Permanent magnet synchronous motor, PMSM, surface magnets, buried magnets

A comparative performance study of four-pole induction motors and synchronous reluctance motors in variable speed drives

Design aspects of the Transversally Laminated Anisotropic (TLA) Synchronous Reluctance Motor (SynRM) are studied and the machine performance analysis compared to the Induction Motor (IM) is done. The SynRM rotor structure is designed and manufactured for a30 kW, four-pole, three-phase squirrel cage induction motor stator. Both the IMand SynRM were supplied by a sensorless Direct Torque Controlled (DTC) variablespeed drive. Attention is also paid to the estimation of the power range where the SynRM may compete successfully with a same size induction motor. A technicalloss reduction comparison between the IM and SynRM in variable speed drives is done. The Finite Element Method (FEM) is used to analyse the number, location and width of flux barriers used in a multiple segment rotor. It is sought for a high saliency ratio and a high torque of the motor. It is given a comparison between different FEM calculations to analyse SynRM performance. The possibility to take into account the effect of iron losses with FEM is studied. Comparison between the calculated and measured values shows that the design methods are reliable. A new application of the IEEE 112 measurement method is developed and used especially for determination of stray load losses in laboratory measurements. The study shows that, with some special measures, the efficiency of the TLA SynRM is equivalent to that of a high efficiency IM. The power factor of the SynRM at rated load is smaller than that of the IM. However, at lower partial load this difference decreases and this, probably, brings that the SynRM gets a better power factor in comparison with the IM. The big rotor inductance ratio of the SynRM allows a good estimating of the rotor position. This appears to be very advantageous for the designing of the rotor position sensor-less motor drive. In using the FEM designed multi-layer transversally laminated rotor with damper windings it is possible to design a directly network driven motor without degrading the motorefficiency or power factor compared to the performance of the IM.

Territorio en mutación: la industria textil-confección como factor de desarrollo local en Galicia

La industria textil y de la confección ha experimentado en Galicia un muy notable proceso de expansión en las últimas décadas. Esta actividad se localiza de modo específico en determinadas localidades y espacios, donde se configuran sistemas productivos locales, mientras en el resto su presencia es más débil. Otra de las características del sector es el contraste existente entre dos modelos empresariales: el vinculado al grupo multinacional Inditex y aquel asociado a un grupo de empresas de menor entidad, pero de gran capacidad competitiva en los segmentos de calidad asociados al diseño. El presente análisis presenta como objetivos: presentar las estrategias empresariales de los dos mode los productivos existentes, individualizar aquellos factores de carácter socioeconómico y territorial que han favorecido el desarrollo de la actividad e identificar las principales implicaciones territoriales que el sector ha generado en aquellas localidades donde su presencia es más significativa.

Role of rhinovirus load in the upper respiratory tract and severity of symptoms in lung transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Rhinovirus is the most common cause of respiratory viral infections and leads to frequent respiratory symptoms in lung transplant recipients. However, it remains unknown whether the rhinovirus load correlates with the severity of symptoms. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to better characterize the pathogenesis of rhinoviral infection and the way in which viral load correlates with symptoms. STUDY DESIGN: We assessed rhinovirus load in positive upper respiratory specimens of patients enrolled prospectively in a cohort of 116 lung transplant recipients. Rhinovirus load was quantified according to a validated in-house, real-time, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in pooled nasopharyngeal and pharyngeal swabs. Symptoms were recorded in a standardised case report form completed at each screening/routine follow-up visit, or during any emergency visit occurring during the 3-year study. RESULTS: Rhinovirus infections were very frequent, including in asymptomatic patients not seeking a specific medical consultation. Rhinovirus load ranged between 4.1 and 8.3 log copies/ml according to the type of visit and clinical presentation. Patients with highest symptom scores tended to have higher viral loads, particularly those presenting systemic symptoms. When considering symptoms individually, rhinovirus load was significantly higher in the presence of symptoms such as sore throat, fever, sputum production, cough, and fatigue. There was no association between tacrolimus levels and rhinovirus load. CONCLUSIONS: Rhinovirus infections are very frequent in lung transplant recipients and rhinoviral load in the upper respiratory tract is relatively high even in asymptomatic patients. Patients with the highest symptom scores tend to have a higher rhinovirus load.