Full Alignment Research Articles

High scoring segment selection for pairwise whole genome sequence alignment with the maximum scoring subsequence and GPUs

Whole genome alignment programs use string matching with hash tables to identify high scoring fragments between a query and target sequence around which a full alignment is then built. A recent study comparing alignment programs showed that while evolutionary similar genomes were easy to align, divergent genomes still posed a challenge to existing methods. To fill this gap we explore the use of the maximum scoring subsequence to identify high scoring fragments. We split the query genome into several fragments and align them to the target with a previously published parallel algorithm for short read alignment. We then pass such high scoring fragments on to the LASTZ program to obtain a more complete alignment. On simulated data we obtain an average of at least 20% higher accuracy than the alignment given by LASTZ at the expense of few hours of additional runtime. Our source code is freely available at http://web.njit.edu/usman/MSGA

High scoring segment selection for pairwise whole genome sequence alignment with the maximum scoring subsequence and GPUs

Whole genome alignment programs use string matching with hash tables to identify high scoring fragments between a query and target sequence around which a full alignment is then built. A recent study comparing alignment programs showed that while evolutionary similar genomes were easy to align, divergent genomes still posed a challenge to existing methods. To fill this gap we explore the use of the maximum scoring subsequence to identify high scoring fragments. We split the query genome into several fragments and align them to the target with a previously published parallel algorithm for short read alignment. We then pass such high scoring fragments on to the LASTZ program to obtain a more complete alignment. On simulated data we obtain an average of at least 20% higher accuracy than the alignment given by LASTZ at the expense of few hours of additional runtime. Our source code is freely available at http://web.njit.edu/usman/MSGA

Combining Global and Local Similarity for Cross-Media Retrieval

This paper mainly studies the problem of image-text matching in order to make image and text better match. Existing cross-media retrieval methods only make use of the information of image and part of text, that is, matching the whole image with the whole sentence, or matching some image areas with some words. In order to better reveal the potential connection between image and text semantics, this paper proposes a fusion of two levels of similarity across media images-text retrieval method, constructed the cross-media two-level network to explore the better matching between images and texts, it contains two subnets for dealing with global features and local characteristics. Specifically, in this method, the image is divided into the whole picture and some image area, the text is divided into the whole sentences and words, to study respectively, to explore the full potential alignment of images and text, and then use a two-level alignment framework is used to promote each other, fusion of two kinds of similarity can learn to complete representation of cross-media retrieval. Through the experimental evaluation on Flickr30K and MS-COCO datasets, the results show that the method in this paper can make the semantic matching of image and text more accurate, and is superior to the international popular cross-media retrieval method in various evaluation indexes.

A collaborative scenario-based decision model for a disrupted dual-channel supply chain

Purpose Distribution systems usually utilize both traditional retailing channels in conjunction with e-channels. The purpose of this paper is to investigate a dual-channel supply chain, comprising a traditional retailing channel and an e-channel under disruption. By benchmarking against the centralized decision structure, the authors intend to propose a collaboration model to achieve channel coordination as well as more reliable decisions. Design/methodology/approach Four different channel disruption scenarios, with customers’ reaction toward disruptions, are examined, and then, optimal pricing decisions for both centralized and decentralized decision-making structures are extracted. Next, a collaboration mechanism based on the dominancy power of channel members is developed to entice all channel members to participate in channel coordination. By benchmarking the proposed collaboration model against both the decentralized/centralized structures a win–win solution is guaranteed for all channel members. In addition, the proposed model ensures more reliable decisions than the centralized structure, as it guarantees less fluctuated income levels. Findings This study shows, as the disruption probability grows, the channel profit decreases while the channel-retailing price increases. Furthermore, the exact alignment of the centralized decision-making approach and the proposed collaboration model is not achievable due to the problem infeasibility. Numerical experiments and sensitivity analyses benchmark the performance of the proposed collaboration mechanism against the centralized structure for the full alignment with centralized decision-making approach. Originality/value This study contributes to the channel conflict literature as jointly considers pricing decisions, disruptions and coordination. Further, consumers’ reaction toward disruption is analyzed through a transshipment agreement.

A Dashboard to Improve the Alignment of Healthcare Organization Decisionmaking to Core Values and Mission Statement.

The mission and value statements of healthcare organizations serve as the foundational philosophy that informs all aspects of the organization. The ultimate goal is seamless alignment of values to mission in a way that colors the overall life and culture of the organization. However, full alignment between healthcare organizational values and mission in a fashion that influences the daily life and culture of healthcare organizations does not always occur. Grounded in the belief that a lack of organizational alignment to explicit organizational mission and value statements often stems from the failure to develop processes that enable realization of the leadership's good intentions, the authors propose an organizational ethics dashboard to empower leaders of healthcare organizations to assess the adequacy of systems in place to support alignment with the stated ethical mission.

Competency Alignment and Certification for Preservice Home Visitors

ObjectiveTo explore home visitor expanded competencies aligned with family life education (FLE) competencies to inform the knowledge, skills, and attitudes addressed in preservice home visitor training.BackgroundHome visitor preparation in higher education should be informed by widely accepted competencies.MethodWe aligned FLE competencies with the Collaborative for Understanding the Pedagogy of Infant/Toddler Development (CUPID) competencies into a framework of knowledge, skills, and attitudes to promote practices in the field while preparing to earn the Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) credential. This framework was developed through an iterative process with stakeholders.ResultsThe full alignment includes 10 competencies.ImplicationsThis comprehensive alignment may inform the scholarship of teaching and learning in home visiting coursework and FLE content area coursework. This alignment may also promote developing new courses on home visiting, enhancing existing courses to address home visiting competencies, or modifying existing pedagogy. In the future, National Council on Family Relations CFLE‐approved programs may want to incorporate the content of this alignment into their courses to promote the ability of preservice home visitors to apply for the CFLE credential.

Magnetotransport of SrIrO3 films on (110) DyScO3

Epitaxial perovskite (110) oriented SrIrO3 (SIO) thin films were grown by pulsed laser deposition on (110) oriented DyScO3 (DSO) substrates with various film thickness t (2 nm < t < 50 nm). All the films were produced with stoichiometric composition, orthorhombic phase, and with high crystallinity. The nearly perfect in-plane lattice matching of DSO with respect to SIO and same symmetry result in a full epitaxial in-plane alignment, i.e., the c-axis of DSO and SIO are parallel to each other with only slightly enlarged d110 out-of-plane lattice spacing (+0.38%) due to the small in-plane compressive strain caused by the DSO substrate. Measurements of the magnetoresistance MR were carried out for current flow along the [001] and [1-10] direction of SIO and magnetic field perpendicular to the film plane. MR appears to be distinctly different for both directions. The anisotropy MR001/MR1-10 > 1 increases with decreasing T and is especially pronounced for the thinnest films, which likewise display a hysteretic field dependence below T* ≈ 3 K. The coercive field Hc amounts to 2-5 T. Both, T* and Hc are very similar to the magnetic ordering temperature and coercivity of DSO which strongly suggests substrate-induced mechanism as a reason for the anisotropic magnetotransport in the SIO films.

Trichomonosis in Greenfinches (Chloris chloris) in the Netherlands 2009-2017: A Concealed Threat.

Finch trichomonosis in Europe is caused by a Trichomonas gallinae subtype A1 strain, considered to be clonal because lacking genetic heterogeneity in partial genotyping. The disease recently emerged and has been associated with a 66% reduction of the British breeding greenfinch (Chloris chloris) population. In contrast, in the Netherlands, where trichomonosis was detected in 2009, the breeding greenfinch population continued to grow in subsequent years. This study aimed to elucidate whether this discrepancy in population trends is because Trichomonas infection in Dutch greenfinches is associated with less severe disease, i.e., disease being less fatal. Therefore, it characterized and quantified trichomonosis in a convenience sample of greenfinches found dead and examined post-mortem between 2009 and 2017 and compared results to published data from Great Britain. Trichomonads were detected by cytology, histology, or culture in 95/101 greenfinches. The birds with trichomonads all had microscopic lesions in the upper digestive tract consistent with trichomonosis, indicating the trichomonads caused disease. The occurrence of significant lesions due to other causes was low. Some greenfinches with trichomonosis showed no macroscopic lesions. These birds showed significantly less ulceration of the mucosa and less extensive heterophil infiltration, but extent of macrophage infiltration and presence of bacteria was similar to that of birds with macroscopic lesions, and significant lesions due to other causes were equally rare. Therefore, trichomonosis was considered similarly fatal in both groups. The frequency of fatal trichomonosis in the Dutch greenfinches did not differ significantly from that reported from Great Britain. Partial genotyping of the ITS1-5,8S-ITS2 and Fe-hydrogenase regions of T. gallinae was performed to detect genetic heterogeneity, that could indicate the presence of other, possibly less virulent, strains. In 60/63 samples there was full alignment of sequences with the clonal strain of T. gallinae subtype A1. The remaining three samples had the same single synonymous nucleotide difference in the Fe-hydrogenase region; however, pathology is these three was identical to the others. Collectively, the results provide no clear evidence for less severe disease as explanation for the discrepancy in census data trends. We conclude that trichomonosis is a threat concealed in Dutch breeding greenfinch census data.

All-optical measurement of high-order fractional molecular echoes by high-order harmonic generation.

An all-optical measurement of high-order fractional molecular echoes is demonstrated by using high-order harmonic generation (HHG). Excited by a pair of time-delayed short laser pulses, the signatures of full and high order fractional (1/2 and 1/3) alignment echoes are observed in the HHG signals measured from CO 2 molecules at various time delays of the probe pulse. By increasing the time delay of the pump pulses, much higher order fractional (1/4) alignment echo is also observed in N 2O molecules. With an analytic model based on the impulsive approximation, the spatiotemporal dynamics of the echo process are retrieved from the experiment. Compared to the typical molecular alignment revivals, high-order fractional molecular echoes are demonstrated to dephase more rapidly, which will open a new route towards the ultrashort-time measurement. The proposed HHG method paves an efficient way for accessing the high-order fractional echoes in molecules.

The Association Between a Hindfoot Deformity Assessed by Weightbearing CT and the Full Leg Alignment

Category:HindfootIntroduction/Purpose:The exact relationship between different types of hindfoot deformities and the full leg alignment is currently unclear. Therefore, our aim is to assess hindfoot alignment on a weight-bearing CT (WBCT) and its association with the full leg radiographic alignment.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on a study population of 109 patients (mean age of 53 years ± 14.49) with a varus or valgus hindfoot deformity and the presence or absence of ankle osteoarthritis (OA) based on the Takakura classification. The mechanical hindfoot - (mHA) and subtalar vertical angle (SVA) were determined on WBCT, while the mechanical tiba – (mTA) and mechanical tibiofemoral angle (mTFA) were measured on full leg radiographs.Results:In patients with ankle OA, a hindfoot valgus deformity was associated with a significantly higher mean varus alignment of the knee (mTFA = -1.8°±2.1; mTAx= -4.3°±1.9) compared to a valgus alignment of the knee (mTFA = 0.3°±2.6; mTAx= -1.4°±2.2; P <0.001) in patients with a varus hindfoot (Fig1A, B). The opposite relation was found in patients without ankle OA (P <0.001).The SVA was significantly more orientated in valgus (mean=106.9°±8.0) for patients with a hindfoot valgus compared to a higher varus orientation (mean=89.3°±13.9) in patients with a hindfoot varus deformity (P <0.001). The same pattern was found in patients without ankle OA, but not significant (P >0.05).Conclusion:A valgus hindfoot deformity demonstrated a higher varus alignment of the knee when compared to patients with a hindfoot varus deformity, if ankle OA was present. The subtalar joint did not attain an overall compensatory correction towards the hindfoot deformity as opposed to a compensatory orientation of the tibia alignment. In clinical practice, these findings could improve the current understanding of both joint preserving as well as joint replacing procedures of the hindfoot and the knee.

A scalable quantum computing platform using symmetric-top molecules

We propose a new scalable platform for quantum computing (QC)—an array of optically trapped symmetric-top molecules (STMs) of the alkaline earth monomethoxide (MOCH3) family. Individual STMs form qubits, and the system is readily scalable to 100–1000 qubits. STM qubits have desirable features for QC compared to atoms and diatomic molecules. The additional rotational degree of freedom about the symmetric-top axis gives rise to closely spaced opposite parity K-doublets that allow full alignment at low electric fields, and the hyperfine structure naturally provides magnetically insensitive states with switchable electric dipole moments. These features lead to much reduced requirements for electric field control, provide minimal sensitivity to environmental perturbations, and allow for 2-qubit interactions that can be switched on at will. We examine in detail the internal structure of STMs relevant to our proposed platform, taking into account the full effective molecular Hamiltonian including hyperfine interactions, and identify useable STM qubit states. We then examine the effects of the electric dipolar interaction in STMs, which not only guide the design of high-fidelity gates, but also elucidate the nature of dipolar exchange in STMs. Under realistic experimental parameters, we estimate that the proposed QC platform could yield gate errors at the 10−3 level, approaching that required for fault-tolerant QC.

Identification of three site mutations in nonstructural protein 1β, glycoprotein 3 and glycoprotein 5 that correlate with increased interferon α resistance of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is an economically significant pathogen that has been recognized for its genetic variation, rapid evolution, and immune suppression. Type I interferons (IFNs) play an important role in host defense against viral infection by inducing many antiviral effectors, which might be a selective pressure driving viral evolution towards IFN resistance. To investigate the IFN resistance-related variation of PRRSV genome under IFN selective pressure and explore the molecular mechanism of IFN sensitivity changes, PRRSV strain JXwn06 was serially propagated in porcine pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAMs) with IFNα treatment for 45 passages and 3 rounds of purification. Four mutant strains named JX-αP51n (n = 1, 2, 3 and 4) with reduced IFNα sensitivity were selected; the strains showed a 100-fold higher titer than the passaging-control strain JX-P51 in IFNα-treated PAMs. IFNα-resistant strains were found to antagonize the IFNα-activated JAK-STAT signaling pathway to a greater extent than the nonresistant strain by down-regulating the expression level of IFNα-activated pJAK1 through interfering with phosphatase. Furthermore, the PRRSV genetic variations interacting with IFNα were identified by full genomic sequencing and alignment. Among these mutations, amino acid substitutions in nsp1β (E87 G), GP3 (F143 L) and GP5 (Y136 H) were found to correlate with increased IFNα resistance by enhancing the suppression effect on pJAK1, which could be further increased if these three substitution sites were combined. These findings provide some novel evidence for understanding PRRSV genetic variation under host selective pressure and viral evolution strategies to evade the host innate immune response.

Scaling Relation of Oxygen Reduction Reaction Intermediates at Defective TiO2 Surfaces

Enhancing the oxygen reduction reaction is a major topic of electrocatalysis research. The maximal enhancement is achieved, within the thermodynamic argument, by aligning the adsorption free energies of reaction intermediates so that energy barriers along the reaction path are minimized. Full alignment is, however, difficult to realize. This is due to the linear scaling relation between the adsorption energies of intermediates along the reaction path, which has been observed almost universally in electrocatalyst materials including Pt. Thus, finding a way to deviate from this universal relation is an important issue in the catalyst design. Here, we investigate such possibility by studying TiO2 surfaces modified with substitutional dopants or oxygen vacancies. Our density functional calculations suggest that universal scaling is violated on TiO2, particularly when the adsorbent forms bonds not only with a metal atom but also with a lattice oxygen atom. This fact suggests that TiO2 has the potential to surpass conventional catalysts such as Pt in terms of oxygen reduction reaction activity.

Chimney Endovascular Aneurysm Repair is now Officially Recommended as an Alternative Treatment Option Based on the New European Society for Vascular Surgery Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Guidelines of 2019: Do We Want to Keep Looking at the Tree and Not the Forest?

We read the commentary from Alric and Canaud1Alric P. Canaud L. Is chimney EVAR an acceptable endovascular technique?.EJVES Short Rep. 2019; 42: 43https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejvssr.2019.01.001Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (2) Google Scholar regarding our case of a symptomatic patient unfit for open repair symptomatic with persistent gutter related type Ia endoleak after chimney endovascular aneurysm repair (ch-EVAR).2Ballesteros-Pomar M. Taneva G.T. Austermann M. Fernández-Samos R. Torsello G. Donas K.P. Successful management of a type B gutter related endoleak after chimney EVAR by coil assisted onyx embolisation.EJVES Short Rep. 2019; 42: 38-42https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejvssr.2018.12.002Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (4) Google Scholar The goal of our case presentation was to provide information about possible solutions for suboptimal performance, as a lesson learned after 10 years of clinical experience and treatment of more than 250 cases by ch-EVAR.3Donas K.P. Lee J.T. Lachat M. Torsello G. Veith F.J. Dalman R.L. et al.Collected world experience about the performance of the snorkel/chimney endovascular technique in the treatment of complex aortic pathologies: the PERICLES registry.Ann Surg. 2015; 262: 546-552https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000001405Crossref PubMed Scopus (221) Google Scholar, 4Donas K.P. Torsello G.B. Piccoli G. Pitoulias G.A. Torsello G.F. Bisdas T. et al.The PROTAGORAS study to evaluate the performance of the Endurant stent graft for patients with pararenal pathologic processes treated by the chimney/snorkel endovascular technique.J Vasc Surg. 2016; 63: 1-7https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvs.2015.07.080Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (115) Google Scholar As the authors published when they reported on the role of physician modified endografts “to break the rules you must first master them.”5Canaud L. Gandet T. Ozdemir B.A. Sfeir J. Alric P. Commentary: physician-modified thoracic stent-graft: to break the rules you must first master them.J Endovasc Ther. 2018; 25: 464-465https://doi.org/10.1177/1526602818779394Crossref PubMed Scopus (1) Google Scholar And, in this context, we believe that presentation of successful management of challenging cases with persistent post-operative flow to the aneurysm sack is of particular importance, having as a sustained goal of optimising the outcome in favour of the patient. The authors are wondering whether ch-EVAR is in general, an alternative option. The answer could be very easily given from recommendation 97 of the European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS)'s newest guidelines regarding juxtarenal aneurysms.6Wanhainen A. Verzini F. Herzeele I Van Allaire E. Bown M. Cohnert T. et al.European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) 2019 clinical practice guidelines on the management of abdominal aorto-iliac artery aneurysms.Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 2019. 2018; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejvs.2018.09.020Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (1165) Google Scholar It is stated that ch-EVAR can be considered as an alternative option when fenestrated endografting (f-EVAR) is not indicated or not available. The level of evidence (C) is the same as for f-EVAR,6Wanhainen A. Verzini F. Herzeele I Van Allaire E. Bown M. Cohnert T. et al.European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) 2019 clinical practice guidelines on the management of abdominal aorto-iliac artery aneurysms.Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 2019. 2018; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejvs.2018.09.020Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (1165) Google Scholar and our case is in full alignment with this recommendation. There is no evidence in the new guidelines supporting other alternative therapies rather than chimney grafts as the authors of the commentary suggested. In summary, the use of chimney grafts is no longer a matter of faith but a fact. The evidence in the literature supports its complementary role for the treatment of juxtarenal aneurysms and in agreement with that the ongoing ENCHANT Study as a fully prospective multicentre trial of ch-EVAR (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT03320252) will provide further evidence bringing the technique to a higher level of evidence (B) than f-EVAR (C). Do we want to keep looking at the tree and not the forest?

Phenomena preceding major earthquakes interconnected through a physical model

Abstract. The analysis of earthquake time series in a new time domain termed natural time enables the uncovering of hidden properties in time series of complex systems and has been recently employed as the basis of a method to estimate seismic risk. Natural time also enables the determination of the order parameter of seismicity, which is a quantity by means of which one can identify when the system approaches the critical point (the mainshock occurrence is considered the new phase). Applying this analysis, as an example, to the Japanese seismic data from 1 January 1984 until the super-giant M 9 Tōhoku earthquake on 11 March 2011, we find that almost 3 months before its occurrence the entropy change of seismicity under time reversal is minimized on 22 December 2010, which signals an impending major earthquake. On this date the order parameter fluctuations of seismicity exhibit an abrupt increase. This increase is accompanied by various phenomena; e.g., from this date the horizontal GPS azimuths start to become gradually oriented toward the southern direction, while they had random orientation during the preceding period. Two weeks later, a minimum of the order parameter fluctuations of seismicity appears accompanied by anomalous Earth magnetic field variations and by full alignment of the orientations of GPS azimuths southwards leading to the most intense crust uplift. These phenomena are discussed and found to be in accordance with a physical model which seems to explain on a unified basis anomalous precursory changes observed either in ground-based measurements or in satellite data.

Investigation on Secondary Structure Alterations of Protein Drugs as an Indicator of Their Biological Activity Upon Thermal Exposure.

Protein drugs are important therapeutic agents however; they may degrade during formulation processing. The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between secondary structure alterations and the retentions of biological activity of protein upon the application of thermal stress. Catalase, horseradish peroxidase and α- chymotrypsin were employed as model proteins. Each protein was heated in a solid and solution state at a temperature of 70°C for 1h. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, size-exclusion chromatography and biological activity assay were performed. Results showed that heat-exposure of protein solids at 70°C caused minimum changes in secondary structure and biological activity was almost retained. However, thermal exposure of protein aqueous solution induced significant changes in the secondary structure indicated by area overlap values and caused considerable reduction in the biological activity. The changes in secondary structures were found to be in full alignment with the loss of biological activity for both protein solids as well as aqueous solutions. Catalase lost entire biological activity upon heating in the solution state. In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicate a direct correlation between protein secondary structure alterations and the retention of biological activity which can be taken into account during the development and delivery of protein drugs formulations.

A Accelerating tooth movement with modified surgical and dentoalveolar distraction technique- a case report

The duration of treatment is the most concern among orthodontic patients. It is of a challenge for an orthodontist to shorten the treatment time. A new surgical technique was introduced to accelerate tooth movement during orthodontic treatment. This new technique is the surgical reduction of bone mass in the pathway of desired tooth movement before orthodontic treatment. This case report explained the treatment of a 21-year-old male patient with severe-to-moderate crowded dentition and he requested to get the treatment done in a short period of time. Upper right first premolar and lower left second premolar were extracted, the bone in the desired pathway of all teeth movement was reduced and the dentoalveolar distraction procedure performed using nickel-titanium closing coil spring and rubber power chain. Full teeth alignment was achieved in 3 months period and the anchorage teeth were able to withstand the retraction forces with minimal anchorage loss.

Wide nutation: binary black-hole spins repeatedly oscillating from full alignment to full anti-alignment

Within the framework of 2PN black-hole binary spin precession, we explore configurations where one of the two spins oscillates from being completely aligned with the orbital angular momentum to being completely anti-aligned with it during a single precession cycle. This wide nutation is the extreme limit of the generic phenomenon of spin nutation in black-hole binaries. Crucially, wide nutation happens on the short precession time scale and it is not a secular effect due to gravitational-wave radiation reaction. The spins of these binaries, therefore, flip repeatedly as one of these special configurations is entered. Binaries with total mass M, mass ratio q, and dimensionless spin () of the more (less) massive black hole are allowed to undergo wide nutation at binary separations . Sources that are more likely to nutate widely have similar masses and effective spins close to zero.

Development of flexible procedures for co-optimizing design and control of fuel cell hybrid vehicles

Developing successful fuel cell hybrid vehicles (FCHVs), to be destined to the widest deployment within the entire transport sector, is nowadays considered as a highly strategic target to fully meet well known environmental and regulatory constraints at international level. This happens thanks to the intrinsic overall superior features of fuel cell propulsion when compared to both electric and hybrid vehicles, such as high fuel-economy, reduced tank-to-wheel environmental impact and good ranges. Successful achievement of the above-introduced challenging goal motivates the research activity presented and discussed in this paper, namely the development of an advanced mathematical tool featuring co-optimization capabilities. The reason for such a requirement lies in the well-known strong interactions and mutual influence between selected design criteria and adopted control strategies. Therefore, a comprehensive model of a generic FCHV architecture and a specification independent control strategy, thus adaptable to different fuel cell system and battery sizes, were preliminary developed. Then, they were integrated and embedded within a modular constrained optimization algorithm, which was conceived in such a way as to simultaneously find the optimal FCHV powertrain design, as well as real-time applicable control strategies. Suitable design and energy management criteria were investigated on a selected driving cycle, in such a way to explore several powertrain configurations (i.e. more hybrid, as well as more plugin and range-extender like FCHV). This allowed verifying the suitability of the proposed procedure to yield solutions ensuring low hydrogen consumption (i.e. fuel economy as high as 135 km/kg) and full alignment with targeted energy management policies. Discussion of results, together with the physical meaning of main design and control variables provided as outcomes, underline the effectiveness of the proposed tool in providing a solid support in the preliminary design of cost-effective fuel cell powertrains destined to a variety of applications and driving habits.

Effect of Wake Alignment on Turbine Blade Loading Distribution and Power Coefficient

This paper describes the use of a lifting line model in order to determine the optimum loading on a marine turbine's blades. The influence of the wake and its geometry is represented though the use of a full wake alignment model. The effects of viscous drag are included through a drag-to-lift ratio. Results for different number of blades and tip speed ratios are presented. Various types of constraints are imposed in the optimization method in order to avoid abrupt changes in the designed blade shape. The effect of the constraints on the power coefficients of the turbines is studied. Once the optimum loading has been determined, the blade geometry is generated for a given chord and camber distributions. Finally, a vortex-lattice method is used to verify the power coefficient of the designed turbines.