Performance Characteristics of an Axial-Flux Solid-Rotor-Core Induction Motor

The integration of electric motors and industrial appliances such as pumps, fans, and compressors is rapidly increasing. For instance, the integration of an electric motor and a centrifugal pump provides cost savings and improved performance characteristics. Material cost savings are achieved when an electric motor is integrated into the shaft of a centrifugal pump, and the motor utilizes the bearings of the pump. This arrangement leads to a smaller configuration that occupies less floor space. The performance characteristics of a pump drive can be improved by using the variable-speed technology. This enables the full speed control of the drive and the absence of a mechanical gearbox and couplers. When using rotational speeds higher than those that can be directly achieved by the network frequency the structure of the rotor has to be mechanically durable. In this thesis the performance characteristics of an axial-flux solid-rotor-core induction motor are determined. The motor studied is a one-rotor-one-stator axial-flux induction motor, and thus, there is only one air-gap between the rotor and the stator. The motor was designed for higher rotational speeds, and therefore a good mechanical strength of the solid-rotor-core rotor is required to withstand the mechanical stresses. The construction of the rotor and the high rotational speeds together produce a feature, which is not typical of traditional induction motors: the dominating loss component of the motor is the rotor eddy current loss. In the case of a typical industrial induction motor instead the dominating loss component is the stator copper loss. In this thesis, several methods to decrease the rotor eddy current losses in the case of axial-flux induction motors are presented. A prototype motor with 45 kW output power at 6000 min-1 was designed and constructed for ascertaining the results obtained from the numerical FEM calculations. In general, this thesis concentrates on the methods for improving the electromagnetic properties of an axial-flux solid-rotor-core induction motor and examines the methods for decreasing the harmonic eddy currents of the rotor. The target is to improve the efficiency of the motor and to reach the efficiency standard of the present-day industrial induction motors equipped with laminated rotors.

On the Condition Monitoring of Induction machines

The research of condition monitoring of electric motors has been wide for several decades. The research and development at universities and in industry has provided means for the predictive condition monitoring. Many different devices and systems are developed and are widely used in industry, transportation and in civil engineering. In addition, many methods are developed and reported in scientific arenas in order to improve existing methods for the automatic analysis of faults. The methods, however, are not widely used as a part of condition monitoring systems. The main reasons are, firstly, that many methods are presented in scientific papers but their performance in different conditions is not evaluated, secondly, the methods include parameters that are so case specific that the implementation of a systemusing such methods would be far from straightforward. In this thesis, some of these methods are evaluated theoretically and tested with simulations and with a drive in a laboratory. A new automatic analysis method for the bearing fault detection is introduced. In the first part of this work the generation of the bearing fault originating signal is explained and its influence into the stator current is concerned with qualitative and quantitative estimation. The verification of the feasibility of the stator current measurement as a bearing fault indicatoris experimentally tested with the running 15 kW induction motor. The second part of this work concentrates on the bearing fault analysis using the vibration measurement signal. The performance of the micromachined silicon accelerometer chip in conjunction with the envelope spectrum analysis of the cyclic bearing faultis experimentally tested. Furthermore, different methods for the creation of feature extractors for the bearing fault classification are researched and an automatic fault classifier using multivariate statistical discrimination and fuzzy logic is introduced. It is often important that the on-line condition monitoring system is integrated with the industrial communications infrastructure. Two types of a sensor solutions are tested in the thesis: the first one is a sensor withcalculation capacity for example for the production of the envelope spectra; the other one can collect the measurement data in memory and another device can read the data via field bus. The data communications requirements highly depend onthe type of the sensor solution selected. If the data is already analysed in the sensor the data communications are needed only for the results but in the other case, all measurement data need to be transferred. The complexity of the classification method can be great if the data is analysed at the management level computer, but if the analysis is made in sensor itself, the analyses must be simple due to the restricted calculation and memory capacity.

Free-breathing T2 mapping at 3T for the monitoring of cardiac allograft rejection: initial results

rejection can lead to loss of function. Histological reading of endomyocardial biopsy remains the "gold standard" for guiding immunosuppression, despite its methodological limitations (sampling error and interobserver variability). The measurement of the T2 relaxation time has been suggested for detection of allograft rejection, on the pathophysiological basis that the T2 relaxation time prolongs with local edema resulting from acute allograft rejection. Using breath-held cardiac magnetic resonance T2 mapping at 1.5 T, Usman et al. (CircCardiovascImaging2012) detected moderate allograft rejection (grade 2R, ISHLT 2004). With modern immunosuppression grade 2R rejection has become a rare event, but the need remains for a technique that permits the discrimination of absent (grade 0R) and mild rejection (grade 1R). We therefore investigated whether an increase of magnetic field strength to 3T and the use of real-time navigator-gated respiration compensation allow for an increase in the sensitivity of T2 relaxation time detection that is necessary to achieve this discrimination. Methods: Eighteen patients received EMB (Tan et al., ArchPatholLabMed2007) and cardiac T2 mapping on the same day. Reading of T2 maps was blinded to the histological results. For final analysis, 3 cases with known 2R rejection at the time of T2 mapping were added, yielding 21 T2 mapping sessions. A respiration-navigator-gated radial gradient-recalled-echo pulse sequence (resolution 1.17 mm2, matrix 2562, trigger time 3 heartbeats, T2 preparation duration TET2 Prep = 60/30/0 ms) was applied to obtain 3 short-axis T2 maps (van Heeswijk et al., JACCCardiovascImaging2012), which were segmented according to AHA guidelines (Cerqueira et al, Circulation2001). The highest segmental T2 values were grouped according to histological rejection grade and differences were analyzed by Student's t-test, except for the non-blinded cases with 2R rejection. The degree of discrimination was determined using the Spearman's ranked correlation test. Results: The high-quality T2 maps allowed for visual differentiation of the rejection degrees (Figure 1), and the correlation of T2 mapping with the histological grade of acute cellular rejection was significant (Spearman's r = 0.56, p = 0.007). The 0R (n = 15) and 1R (n = 3) degrees demonstrated significantly different T2 values (46.9 ± 5.0 and 54.3 ± 3.0 ms, p = 0.02, Figure 2). Cases with 2R rejection showed clear T2 elevation (T2 = 60.3 ± 16.2 ms). Conclusions: This pilot study demonstrates that non-invasive free-breathing cardiac T2 mapping at 3T discriminates between no and mild cardiac allograft rejection. Confirmation of these encouraging results in a larger cohort should consider a study able to show equivalency or superiority of T2 mapping.

Market potentialfor free-cutting steels in Europe

Työn tavoitteena oli selvittää tilannetta Euroopan automaattiteräsmarkkinoilla ja sen perusteella arvioida Imatra Steelin mahdollisuuksia kilpailla kyseessä olevilla markkinoilla. Tärkein tavoite oli kokonaismarkkinapotentiaalin arvioiminen Saksan, Ruotsin, Englannin ja Suomen markkinoilla. Lisäksi selvitettiin käytetyt automaattiteräslajit ja mitta-alue, hintataso sekä koneistukseenliittyviä teknisiä yksityiskohtia.Tavoitteena oli myös kartoittaa asenteita ja mielipiteitä mahdollisesta lyijyn käytön kieltämisestä teräksen seosaineena tulevaisuudessa. Paremman kokonaiskuvan saamiseksi analysoitiin myös kilpailutilannetta Euroopassa. Työn teoriakehyksessä tutkittiin teollisuustuotteiden markkinatutkimuksen suorittamisen erityispiirteitä, markkinapotentiaalin määrittämiseen liittyviä käsitteitä ja kilpailija-analyysin suorittamista. Empiirinen tutkimus suoritettiin pääasiassa asiantuntijoiden haastattelujen ja kyselyjen avulla. Haastateltavina oli tukkureita ja loppukäyttäjiä. Kilpailutilanteen kartoittaminen perustuu lähinnä sekundääriseen tietoon, Internet-sivuihin ja myyntikonttoreiden aikaisemmin keräämään tietoon.Automaattiterästen kokonaispotentiaaliksi Euroopassa arvioitiin miljoona tonnia ja suurin osa kaupasta käydään tutkituilla markkina-alueilla. Suurimmat volyymit sijoittuvat pienemmille mitta-alueille, Æ 12 - 50 mm. Markkinoita hallitsee muutama suuri teräksen valmistaja. Imatra Steel kohtuullisen pienenä toimittajana ei pysty kilpailemaan volyymilla ja tuotevalikoimallaan suurten teräsjättien kanssa. Imatra Steelin mahdollinen strategiavaihtoehto olisi yrittää löytää ne kapeat segmentit ja markkinaraot, joilla sen tuotteet jatietotaito tuovat asiakkaalle suurimman mahdollisen hyödyn verrattuna kilpailijoihin.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 increases beta-cell glucose competence and proliferation by translational induction of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor expression.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) protects beta-cells against apoptosis, increases their glucose competence, and induces their proliferation. We previously demonstrated that the anti-apoptotic effect was mediated by an increase in insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) expression and signaling, which was dependent on autocrine secretion of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2). Here, we further investigated how GLP-1 induces IGF-1R expression and whether the IGF-2/IGF-1R autocrine loop is also involved in mediating GLP-1-increase in glucose competence and proliferation. We show that GLP-1 up-regulated IGF-1R expression by a protein kinase A-dependent translational control mechanism, whereas isobutylmethylxanthine, which led to higher intracellular accumulation of cAMP than GLP-1, increased both IGF-1R transcription and translation. We then demonstrated, using MIN6 cells and primary islets, that the glucose competence of these cells was dependent on the level of IGF-1R expression and on IGF-2 secretion. We showed that GLP-1-induced primary beta-cell proliferation was suppressed by Igf-1r gene inactivation and by IGF-2 immunoneutralization or knockdown. Together our data show that regulation of beta-cell number and function by GLP-1 depends on the cAMP/protein kinase A mediated-induction of IGF-1R expression and the increased activity of an IGF-2/IGF-1R autocrine loop.

Symmetries of the free Schrödinger equation in the non-commutative plane

We study all the symmetries of the free Schr odinger equation in the non-commu- tative plane. These symmetry transformations form an infinite-dimensional Weyl algebra that appears naturally from a two-dimensional Heisenberg algebra generated by Galilean boosts and momenta. These infinite high symmetries could be useful for constructing non-relativistic interacting higher spin theories. A finite-dimensional subalgebra is given by the Schröodinger algebra which, besides the Galilei generators, contains also the dilatation and the expansion. We consider the quantization of the symmetry generators in both the reduced and extended phase spaces, and discuss the relation between both approaches.

Symmetries of the free Schrödinger equation in the non-commutative plane

We study all the symmetries of the free Schrödinger equation in the non-commu- tative plane. These symmetry transformations form an infinite-dimensional Weyl algebra that appears naturally from a two-dimensional Heisenberg algebra generated by Galilean boosts and momenta. These infinite high symmetries could be useful for constructing non-relativistic interacting higher spin theories. A finite-dimensional subalgebra is given by the Schröodinger algebra which, besides the Galilei generators, contains also the dilatation and the expansion. We consider the quantization of the symmetry generators in both the reduced and extended phase spaces, and discuss the relation between both approaches.

The DNA damage response to adeno-associated virus : centrosome overduplication and induction of cell death independently of the spindle checkpoint

Summary: Adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) is a small virus containing single-stranded DNA of approximately 4.7kb in size. Both ends of the viral genome are flanked with inverted terminal repeat sequences (ITRs), which serve as primers for viral replication. Previous work in our laboratory has shown that AAV2 DNA with ultraviolet radiation-generated crosslinks (UV-AAV2) provokes a DNA damage response in the host cell by mimicking a stalled replication fork. Infection of cells with UV-AAV2 leads to a p53-and Chk1-mediated cell cycle arrest at the G2/M border of the cell cycle. However, tumour cells lacking the tumour suppressor protein p53 cannot sustain this arrest and enter a prolonged impaired mitosis, the outcome of which is cell death. The aim of my thesis was to investigate how UV-inactivated AAV2 kilts p53-deficient cancer cells. I found that the UV-AAV2-induced DNA damage signalling induces centriole overduplication in infected cells. The virus is able to uncouple the centriole duplication cycle from the cell cycle, leading to amplified centrosome numbers. Chk1 colocalises with centrosomes in the infected cells and the centrosome overduplication is dependent on the presence of Chk1, as well as on the activities of ATR and Cdk kinases and on the G2 arrest. The UV-AAV2-induced DNA damage signalling inhibits the degradation of cyclin B 1 and securin by the anaphase promoting complex, suggesting that the spindle checkpoint is activated in these mitotic cells. Interference with the spindle checkpoint components Mad2 and BubR1 revealed that the UV-AAV2-provoked mitotic catastrophe occurs independently of spindle checkpoint function, This work shows that, in the p53 deficient cells, UV-AAV2 triggers mitotic catastrophe associated with a dramatic Chk1-dependent overduplication of centrioles and the consequent formation of multiple spindle poles in mitosis. Résumé Le virus associé à l'adénovirus type 2 (AAV2) est un petit virus contenant un simple brin d'ADN d'environ 4.7kb. Des expériences antérieures dans notre laboratoire ont montré que les liens intramoléculaires sur l'ADN de AAV2 provoqués paz l'irradiation aux ultraviolets (UV) ressemblent à une fourche de réplication bloquée, ce qui provoque une réponse aux dommages à l'ADN dans la cellule hôte. L'infection des cellules avec UV-AAV2 résulte en un arrêt du cycle cellulaire à la transition G2/M entraîné par les protéines ATR et Chk1. Cependant, les cellules tumorales auxquelles il manque le suppresseur de tumeur p53 ne peuvent pas tenir cet arrêt et entrent dans une mitose anormale et prolongée qui se terminera par la mort cellulaire. Le but de ma thèse était d'étudier comment l'AAV2 inactivé par l'irradiation UV tue les cellules cancéreuses n'ayant pas p53. Je montre ici que le signal de dommages à l'ADN induit par UV-AAV2 génère une surduplication des centrioles dans les cellules infectées. Le virus est capable de dissocier le cycle de duplication du centriole du cycle cellulaire ce qui crée un nombre amplifié de centrosomes. Chk1 est co-localisé avec le centrosome dans les cellules infectées et la swduplication du centrosome est dépendante de la présence de Chk1, de l'activité des kinases ATR et Cdk et de l'arrêt en G2 de la cellule. Le signal d'ADN endommagé induit par UV-AAV2 réprime la dégradation des protéines cycline B1 et securine par le complexe promoteur de l'anaphase (APC), ce qui suggère que le point de contrôle du fuseau mitotique est activé dans ces cellules en mitose. L'étude d'interférence avec des éléments du point de contrôle du fuseau mitotique, Mad2 et BubR1, a révélé que la catastrophe mitotique provoquée paz UV-AAV2 survient indépendamment du point de contrôle du fuseau mitotique. Ce travail montre que dans les cellules déficientes en p53, UV-AAV2 induit une catastrophe mitotique associée à une surduplication des centrioles dépendant de Chk1 et ayant pour conséquence dramatique la formation de multiples fuseaux mitotiques dans la cellule en mitose.

Transcriptional regulation by triiodothyronine of the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase family 1 gene complex in rat liver. Comparison with induction by 3-methylcholanthrene.

This study demonstrates that the expression of the phenol UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1 gene (UGT1A1) is regulated at the transcriptional level by thyroid hormone in rat liver. Following 3,5, 3'-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) stimulation in vivo, there is a gradual increase in the amount of UGT1A1 mRNA with maximum levels reached 24 h after treatment. In comparison, induction with the specific inducer, 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC), results in maximal levels of UGT1A1 mRNA after 8 h of treatment. In primary hepatocyte cultures, the stimulatory effect of both T3 and 3-MC is also observed. This induction is suppressed by the RNA synthesis inhibitor actinomycin D, indicating that neither inducer acts at the level of mRNA stabilization. Indeed, nuclear run-on assays show a 3-fold increase in UGT1A1 transcription after T3 treatment and a 6-fold increase after 3-MC stimulation. This transcriptional induction by T3 is prevented by cycloheximide in primary hepatocyte cultures, while 3-MC stimulation is only partially affected after prolonged treatment with the protein synthesis inhibitor. Together, these data provide evidence for a transcriptional control of UGT1A1 synthesis and indicate that T3 and 3-MC use different activation mechanisms. Stimulation of the UGT1A1 gene by T3 requires de novo protein synthesis, while 3-MC-dependent activation is the result of a direct action of the compound, most likely via the aromatic hydrocarbon receptor complex.

Early high-dose treatment: SCT results from the European High Risk Neuroblastoma Study

Aims: The HR-NBL1 Study of the European SIOP Neuroblastoma Group (SIOPEN) randomised two high dose regimens to learn about potential superiority and toxicity profiles.Patients and Methods: At interim analysis 1483 high risk neuroblastoma patients (893 males) were included since 2002 with either INSS stage 4 disease (1383 pts) above 1 year, or as infants (59 pts) and stage 2&3 of any age (145 pts) with MYCN amplification. The median age at diagnosis was 2.9 years (1 month-19.9 years) with a median follow up of 3 years. Response eligibility criteria prior randomisation after Rapid Cojec Induction (J Clin Oncol, 2010) ± 2 courses of TVD (Cancer, 2003) included complete bone marrow remission and at least partial response at skeletal sites with no more than 3, but improved mIBG positive spots and a PBSC harvest of at least 3x10E6 CD34/kgBW. The randomised regimens were BuMel [busulfan oral till 2006, 4x150mg/m² in 4 ED; or intravenous use according to body weight as licenced thereafter; melphalan 140mg/m²/day) and CEM [carboplatinum ctn. infusion (4x AUC 4.1mg/ml.min/day, etoposid ctn. infusion (4x 338mg/m²/day or [4x 200mg/m²/day]*, melphalan (3x70mg/m²/day; 3x60mg/m²/day*;*reduced dosis if GFR< 100ml/min/1.73m²). Supportive care followed institutional guidelines. VOD prophylaxis included ursadiol, but randomised patients were not eligible for the prophylactic defibrotide trial. Local control included surgery and radiotherapy of 21Gy.Results: Of 1483 patients, 584 were being randomised for the high dose question at data lock. A significant difference in event free survival (3-year EFS 49% vs. 33%, p<0.001) and overall survival (3-year OS 61% vs. 48%, p=0.003) favouring the BuMel regimen over the CEM regimen was demonstrated. The relapse/progression rate was significantly higher after CEM (0.60±0.03) than after BuMel (0.48±0.03)(p<0.001). Toxicity data had reached 80% completeness at last analysis. The severe toxicity rate up to day 100 (ICU and toxic deaths) was below 10%, but was significantly higher for CEM (p= 0.014). The acute toxic death rate was 3% for BuMel and 5% for CEM (NS). The acute HDT toxicity profile favours the BuMel regimen in spite of a total VOD incidence of 18% (grade 3:5%).Conclusions: The Peto rule of P<0.001 at interim analysis on the primary endpoint, EFS was met. Hence randomization was stopped with BuMel as recommended standard treatment in the HR-NBl1/SIOPEN trial which is still accruing for the randomised immunotherapy question.

Forensic intelligence framework-Part I: induction of a transversal model by comparing illicit drugs and false identity documents monitoring

Forensic intelligence is a distinct dimension of forensic science. Forensic intelligence processes have mostly been developed to address either a specific type of trace or a specific problem. Even though these empirical developments have led to successes, they are trace-specific in nature and contribute to the generation of silos which hamper the establishment of a more general and transversal model. Forensic intelligence has shown some important perspectives but more general developments are required to address persistent challenges. This will ensure the progress of the discipline as well as its widespread implementation in the future. This paper demonstrates that the description of forensic intelligence processes, their architectures, and the methods for building them can, at a certain level, be abstracted from the type of traces considered. A comparative analysis is made between two forensic intelligence approaches developed independently in Australia and in Europe regarding the monitoring of apparently very different kind of problems: illicit drugs and false identity documents. An inductive effort is pursued to identify similarities and to outline a general model. Besides breaking barriers between apparently separate fields of study in forensic science and intelligence, this transversal model would assist in defining forensic intelligence, its role and place in policing, and in identifying its contributions and limitations. The model will facilitate the paradigm shift from the current case-by-case reactive attitude towards a proactive approach by serving as a guideline for the use of forensic case data in an intelligence-led perspective. A follow-up article will specifically address issues related to comparison processes, decision points and organisational issues regarding forensic intelligence (part II).

Reexamination of the relationship of resting metabolic rate to fat-free mass and to the metabolically active components of fat-free mass in humans.

The ratio of resting metabolic rate (RMR) to fat-free mass (FFM) is often used to compare individuals of different body sizes. Because RMR has not been well described over the full range of FFM, a literature review was conducted among groups with a wide range of FFM. It included 31 data sets comprising a total of 1111 subjects: 118 infants and preschoolers, 323 adolescents, and 670 adults; FFM ranged from 2.8 to 106 kg. The relationship of RMR to FFM was found to be nonlinear and average slopes of the regression equations of the three groups differed significantly (P less than 0.0001). For only the youngest group did the intercept approach zero. The lower slopes of RMR on FFM, at higher measures of FFM, corresponded to relatively greater proportions of less metabolically active muscle mass and to lesser proportions of more metabolically active nonmuscle organ mass. Because the contribution of FFM to RMR is not constant, an arithmetic error is introduced when the ratio of RMR to FFM is used. Hence, alternative methods should be used to compare individuals with markedly different FFM.

Definition of key variables for the induction of optimal NY-ESO-1-specific T cells in HLA transgene mice.

An attractive treatment of cancer consists in inducing tumor-eradicating CD8(+) CTL specific for tumor-associated Ags, such as NY-ESO-1 (ESO), a strongly immunogenic cancer germ line gene-encoded tumor-associated Ag, widely expressed on diverse tumors. To establish optimal priming of ESO-specific CTL and to define critical vaccine variables and mechanisms, we used HLA-A2/DR1 H-2(-/-) transgenic mice and sequential immunization with immunodominant DR1- and A2-restricted ESO peptides. Immunization of mice first with the DR1-restricted ESO(123-137) peptide and subsequently with mature dendritic cells (DCs) presenting this and the A2-restriced ESO(157-165) epitope generated abundant, circulating, high-avidity primary and memory CD8(+) T cells that efficiently killed A2/ESO(157-165)(+) tumor cells. This prime boost regimen was superior to other vaccine regimes and required strong Th1 cell responses, copresentation of MHC class I and MHC class II peptides by the same DC, and resulted in upregulation of sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1, and thus egress of freshly primed CD8(+) T cells from the draining lymph nodes into circulation. This well-defined system allowed detailed mechanistic analysis, which revealed that 1) the Th1 cytokines IFN-gamma and IL-2 played key roles in CTL priming, namely by upregulating on naive CD8(+) T cells the chemokine receptor CCR5; 2) the inflammatory chemokines CCL4 (MIP-1beta) and CCL3 (MIP-1alpha) chemoattracted primed CD4(+) T cells to mature DCs and activated, naive CD8(+) T cells to DC-CD4 conjugates, respectively; and 3) blockade of these chemokines or their common receptor CCR5 ablated priming of CD8(+) T cells and upregulation of sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1. These findings provide new opportunities for improving T cell cancer vaccines.