Falling during walking leads to millions of emergency room visits every year for all age groups and is a significant medical concern. While gait training has shown some promise for fall prevention, we know relatively little about how humans maintain stability, how we can quantify it and how we can use this knowledge to increase the success of fall prevention training. In this dissertation, I studied how human stability responds to continuous, small magnitude perturbations and to voluntary changes in gait characteristics by examining movement variability and long-term and instantaneous dynamic stability. In the first set of experiments, participants were exposed to continuous, pseudo-random external perturbations of the visual field and support surface in a Computer Assisted Rehabilitation ENvironment (CAREN). Participants exhibited increased step widths, shorter step lengths and increased step variability, orbital and short-term local instability. Despite this, mean instantaneous lateral stability remained approximately constant. In the second set of experiments, participants voluntarily adopted changes in their step widths and step lengths. Wider steps were associated with increased step width variability, decreased nonlinear stability, decreased anterior-posterior margins of stability and increased instantaneous lateral stability. Shorter steps were associated with decreased short-term and orbital stability but did not affect mean instantaneous stability. When instantaneous stability was examined between steps, as opposed to as an average over many steps, results from both studies indicated a relationship between each step’s stability and the stability of the immediately preceding step. From these studies, we now know that unpredictable, continuous perturbations during human walking applied in a given direction can be used to elicit predictable responses in motion variability and stability in that same direction. We know that the type of stability examined can influence the conclusions drawn about an individual’s stability during perturbed walking. For example, an individual’s variability may indicate increased risk of falling while he or she simultaneously demonstrates increased orbital stability and instantaneous lateral stability. A challenge faced in this area of research will be to understand how quantitative measures of stability relate to how we perceive our stability. / text

Baigiamojo darbo tikslas - nustatyti Baltijos jūros kranto pokyčius, atsiradusius 2005–2009 metais. Tyrimo objektas – penkiolikos kilometrų ilgio Baltijos jūros kranto linijos ruoţas ties Palanga. Tyrimo metodas – empirinis. Kranto linjos pokyčiams nustatyti taikyta 2005 ir 2009 metų ortofotografiniuose ţemėlapiuose M 1: 10 000 išmatuotos koordinatės. Koordinatės išmatuotos kas dvidešimt metrų. Iš viso 751 koordinatė. Atlikta matematinė statistinė išmatuotų kranto linijos pokyčių analizė. Nustatyta, kad 2005–2009 m. kranto linijos padėtis pakito nuo -36 m. iki +27 m. Akumuliacijos arealų plotai apie 15 % didesni uţ eroduojamus plotus. Šiaurinėje tyrinėtos atkarpos pusėje vyrauja eroziniai procesai, o pietinėje – akumuliaciniai. Mokslinis naujumas – nustatyti Baltijos jūros kranto linijos ties Palanga kaitos bendrieji dėsningumai 2005 – 2009 metais. / The objective of the final thesis is to determine changes of the Baltic Sea shore during the period between 2005 and 2009. The research object - 15 kilometers long strip of the Baltic Sea shore beside Palanga. The research method - empirical. Coordinates measured in orthographic maps (scale 1: 10 000) of 2005 and 2009 were applied when determining the changes of the shore strip. The coordinates were measured every 20 meters. There is a 751 coordinate in total. Mathematical statistics analysis of the measured shore strip was performed. It was determined that during the period between 2005 and 2009 the position of the shore strip altered from -36 meters to +27 meters. Cumulative habitat areas are 15% larger than the erodated areas. Erosive processes dominate on the Northern side of the analyzed strip and cumulative processes on the Southern side. The novelty of the research - overall features of the Baltic Sea shore strip alteration beside Palanga during the period of 2005 and 2009 were determined.

In this thesis, a new approach for single-stage power factor correction converters is proposed to increase their power ratings to be in the multiple kilowatts levels. The proposed techniques are based on the utilization of modified three-level resonant converter topologies. These topologies provide low component stresses, high frequency operation, zero voltage switching, applicability under a wide range of input and output conditions as well as added control flexibility. The proposed control algorithms are based on a combination of variable frequency and asymmetrical pulse width modulation control or variable frequency and phase shift modulation control. In either case, the variable frequency control is used to tightly regulate the output voltage, whereas, pulse width or phase shift modulation is used to regulate the dc-bus voltage as well as the input power factor. New converter topologies, their operation and steady state and dynamic analyses are presented in details. A modelling approach based on average multiple frequency methods is also proposed. This approach leads to the development of a full order state space model with the two control variables explicitly separated allowing a better controller design. The model can be used either at high level of detail expressing the non-linearities of the system or it can readily be simplified to a linear decoupled model for approximate solutions. Finally, a discrete time controller for the proposed converters, which is suitable for FPGA implementation, is presented. Analytical, simulation and experimental results are provided to verify the proposed concepts. / Thesis (Ph.D, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2008-01-30 14:28:15.725

No description available.

Power electronic systems have been widely used in the electrical power processing for applications with power levels ranging from less than one watt in battery-operated portable devices to more than megawatts in the converters, inverters and rectifiers of the utility power systems. These systems typically involve the passive elements such as inductors, capacitors, and resistors, the switching electronic components such as IGBTs, MOSFETS, and diodes, and other electronic circuits. Multifrequency averaging is one of the widely used modeling and simulation techniques today for the analysis and design of power electronic systems. This technique is capable of providing the average behavior as well as the ripple behavior of power electronic systems. This work begins with the extension of multifrequency averaging to represent uniformly sampled PWM converters. A new multifrequency averaging method of solving an observed issue with model stability is proposed and validated. Multifrequency averaging can also be applied to study the instability phenomenon in power electronic systems. In particular, a reduced-order multifrequency averaging method, along with a genetic algorithm based procedure, is proposed in this work to estimate the regions of attraction of power electronic converters. The performance of this method is shown by comparing the accuracy and efficiency with the existing methods. Finally, a new continuous-time multifrequency averaging method of representing discrete-time systems is proposed. The proposed method is applied to model digitally controlled PWM converters. Simulation and hardware results show that the proposed method is capable of predicting the average behavior as well as the ripple behavior of the closed-loop systems. Future research in the area of multifrequency averaging is proposed.

This thesis deals with the design and implementation of a feedback control scheme for a DC Hybrid Active Power Filter used to filter harmonics from a Switched Reluctance Motor (SRM) Drive load. Power electronic systems are non-linear & dynamic [1,3,5]. Power electronic systems employ switching circuits to maximize their efficiency at the penalty that switching circuits generate electrical noise called ripple current and voltage or conducted electromagnetic interference (EMI). The ripple current drawn by the power electronic systems needs to be attenuated to an acceptable level. Filters attenuate this to an acceptable level. Traditionally filters with passive inductors and capacitors are used. Active filters contain switching elements in addition to passive inductors and capacitors which reduce overall size of passive components used. Two control approaches, full-state state space, and plain proportional feedback, are evaluated for this filter. Circuit models are simulated in SPICE and mathematical models are simulated in Matlab/Simulink for evaluating these control approaches. Proportional feedback control was chosen for implementation and the reason for this is provided in the thesis. The active filter was tested with chosen feedback control and experimental results were compared with simulation results. Inferences and scope for further work are finally presented.

Coral reefs are highly complex and also highly threatened ecosystems. Population growth and the unsustainable use of coral reefs have resulted in 55% of the world’s reefs being considered degraded. Fishing, the primary ‘local’ threat on most reefs, has altered the composition of most reef communities. As a result, very few pristine coral reefs remain. Typically, coral reef research is done via underwater visual censuses, providing abundance estimates but no indication of trophic interactions, therefore we know relatively little about the structure of intact reef food webs. Understanding how human activities affect trophic structure and feeding interactions among resident reef species may be important for coral reef conservation. Here, I apply stable isotope analysis to coral reef piscivorous fishes from Kiritimati (Republic of Kiribati), the world’s largest atoll. I examine dietary niche metrics of five focal species (Cephalopholis argus, Cephalopholis urodeta, Aphareus furca, Lutjanus bohar, and Lutjanus fulvus) and of the piscivore functional group as a whole, across an anthropogenic disturbance gradient that results from the atoll’s heavily skewed geographic population distribution. Using bootstrapped stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope values, controlled for body size effects and analysed with Bayesian methods using the SIAR (Stable Isotope Analysis in R) program, I provide evidence of isotopic niche differentiation in C. argus and L. fulvus relative to other sampled species in terms of niche width metrics and mean δ13C and δ15N values. I also analyse the effect of fishing pressure at an individual level (controlling for body size effects on stable isotope signatures for each species), population level (accounting for observed differences in body size distributions across the fishing pressure gradient for each species), and the ‘community’ level (accounting for body size and relative abundance differences of the five piscivores across the fishing pressure gradient). These metrics reveal species-specific changes in niche metrics of three of the focal species at the individual level: C. urodeta, showed regionally distinct niche width metrics but no apparent correlation with fishing pressure, while A. furca and L. bohar, both had broader niche width metrics in heavily fished areas. No significant effect of fishing pressure was found at population or community levels. This study provides the first evidence using stable isotopes that fishing can alter the diets of coral reef fishes. The mechanism by which it can do so, while not entirely clear, would most likely be by expanding a given species’ dietary diversity by either forcing it to switch to non-preferred prey items or changing the diet and/or body size of its prey items, both of which would reflect significant ecological changes within a community. This thesis provides evidence of the utility of stable isotope analyses in answering important ecological questions in coral reef food webs, and reveals that fishing can affect reef communities at the most fundamental level of trophic interactions. / Graduate / 0329 / burrilladrian@gmail.com

Long-duration records are necessary to understand and assess the long-term dynamics of natural systems. The purpose of this research was to use dendrochronologic modelling to construct proxy histories of hydroclimatic conditions and Pacific salmon abundance in west central British Columbia. A multi-species regional network of tree ring-width and ring-density measurements was established from new and archived tree-ring chronologies. These chronologies were then used in multivariate linear regression models to construct proxy records of nival river discharge, summer temperature, end-of-winter snow-water equivalent (SWE), the winter Pacific North America pattern (PNA) and Pacific salmon abundance. All proxy hydroclimate records provide information back to 1660 AD. Reconstructions of July-August mean runoff for the Skeena and Atnarko rivers describe below average conditions during the early- to mid-1700s and parts of the early-, mid- and late-1900s. Models describe intervals of above average river discharge during the late-1600s, the early-1700s and 1800s, and parts of the early- and mid-1900s. Fluctuations in proxy reconstructions of July-August mean temperature for Wistaria and Tatlayoko Lake, May 1 SWE at Mount Cronin and Tatlayoko Lake and October-February PNA occurred in near synchrony with the shifts described in runoff records. Episodes of above average runoff were typically associated with periods of enhanced end-of-winter SWE, below average summer temperature and positive winter PNA. A history of Pacific salmon abundance was reconstructed for four species of salmon (chinook, sockeye, chum and pink) that migrate to coastal watersheds of west central British Columbia. Proxy records vary in length and extend from 1400 AD, 1536 AD and 1638 AD to present. Salmon abundance reconstructions varied throughout the past six centuries and described significant collapse in population levels during the early-1400s, the late-1500s, the mid-1600s, the early-1700s, the early-1800s and parts of the 1900s. Wavelet analyses of reconstructed hydroclimate and salmon population records revealed low- and high-frequency cycles in the data. Correlation analyses related reconstructions to atmospheric teleconnection indices describing variability in North Pacific sea surface temperatures and the Aleutian Low pressure centre. To a lesser degree, relationships were also established between reconstructions and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. Results thus confirm the long-term influence of large-scale ocean and atmospheric circulation patterns on hydroclimate and Pacific salmon abundance in west central British Columbia. The reconstructions introduced in this thesis provide insights about the long-term dynamics of the west central British Columbia environment. Several reconstructions presented in this thesis provide novel contributions to dendrohydroclimatic and paleoecologic research in Pacific North America. Proxy runoff records for the Skeena and Atnarko rivers are the first to be constructed for nival-regime basins in British Columbia. The models of Skeena River runoff and Mount Cronin SWE are additionally the first reconstructions of runoff and snowpack in Pacific North America based on a ring-density chronology, demonstrating the significant contribution that wood density measurements can make to dendrohydroclimate research. The models of Pacific salmon stocks are the first to utilize climate-sensitive tree-ring records to construct a history of regional salmon abundance and thus represent a significant advancement to paleoecological modelling. / Graduate

Κατά τη διάρκεια των τελευταίων δεκαετιών, το διεθνές ενδιαφέρον για την φωτοβολταϊκή μετατροπή της ηλιακής ακτινοβολίας αυξάνει συνεχώς. Έχει δοθεί ιδιαίτερη σημασία στην ανάπτυξη φωτοβολταϊκών συστημάτων για την σύνδεσή τους με το δίκτυο, έτσι ώστε να αξιοποιείται η ηλιακή ακτινοβολία για παραγωγή ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας με τον καλύτερο δυνατό τρόπο. Στην παρούσα εργασία γίνεται μελέτη των φωτοβολταϊκών συστημάτων παραγωγής ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας και σκοπός αυτής είναι η κατασκευή ενός συστήματος μετατροπής συνεχούς τάσης σε εναλλασσόμενη για τη διασύνδεση μιας πηγής συνεχούς τάσης με το μονοφασικό δίκτυο. Το σύστημα αυτό αποτελείται από ένα ηλεκτρονικό μετατροπέα ισχύος διπλής βαθμίδας. Το πρώτο τμήμα είναι ένας μετατροπέας συνεχούς τάσης σε συνεχή τάση υψηλότερης τιμής. Συγκεκριμένα, ο μετατροπέας αυτός ανυψώνει την τάση του φωτοβολταϊκού συστήματος του Εργαστηρίου στα 400V. Στη συνέχεια υπάρχει το δεύτερο τμήμα, αποτελούμενο από το σύστημα μετατροπής συνεχούς τάσης σε εναλλασσόμενη, το οποίο μετατρέπει την εισερχόμενη συνεχή τάση των 400V σε εναλλασσόμενη τάση συχνότητας 50 Hz και ενεργού τιμής 220V. Η διπλωματική αυτή εργασία πραγματοποιήθηκε στο Εργαστήριο Ηλεκτρομηχανικής Μετατροπής Ενέργειας του Τμήματος Ηλεκτρολόγων Μηχανικών και Τεχνολογίας Υπολογιστών της Πολυτεχνικής Σχολής του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών, υπό την επίβλεψη του Ομότιμου Καθηγητή Δρ.-Μηχ. Αθανασίου Σαφάκα. Αρχικά, αναλύεται η αρχή λειτουργίας των ηλιακών κυττάρων και περιγράφονται οι υπάρχουσες τεχνολογίες τους. Έπειτα γίνεται αναφορά στα φωτοβολταϊκά συστήματα και τους τρόπους που μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθούν, δηλαδή συνδεδεμένα με το δίκτυο ή αυτόνομα. Στη συνέχεια, αναφέρονται και αναλύονται διάφορες τεχνικές συγχρονισμού μετατροπέων με το μονοφασικό δίκτυο και τρόποι ρύθμισης της ενεργού και αέργου ισχύoς που παρέχεται από τις πηγές ενέργειας στο δίκτυο. Παρατίθενται στοιχεία του μετατροπέα συνεχούς τάσης σε συνεχή και γίνεται η μελέτη του μονοφασικού αντιστροφέα που πρόκειται να κατασκευαστεί. Επιπρόσθετα γίνεται προσομοίωση του συστήματός στο λογισμικό MATLAB/Simulink. Συγκρίνεται η λειτουργία του αντιστροφέα με τη μέθοδο παλμοδότησης SPWM (Ημιτονοειδής Διαμόρφωση του Εύρους Παλμών) με διπολική και μονοπολική τάση εξόδου και παρουσιάζονται αποτελέσματα της προσομοίωσης για παραλληλισμό του συστήματος με το δίκτυο και προσφορά ισχύος από πηγή συνεχούς τάσης προς το δίκτυο. Αναλύονται τα τεχνικά χαρακτηριστικά του αντιστροφέα που κατασκευάστηκε, καθώς και ο τρόπος κατασκευής των απαραίτητων κυκλωμάτων για την οδήγηση του. Τέλος, παρατίθενται πειραματικά αποτελέσματα από τη λειτουργία του συστήματος. / During the last decades, the international interest in the photovoltaic conversion of solar radiation is increasing. Special attention has been given to the development of photovoltaic systems for their connection to the utility grid, in order to use solar radiation for electricity generation in the best possible way. In this diploma thesis, the photovoltaic power generation is studied and the purpose of this work is to construct a single phase grid connected dc/ac converter system in order to connect a dc voltage source to the grid. This system consists of a dual-stage electronic power converter. The first part is a dc-dc converter, which converts a source of direct current (dc) from one voltage level to another, with an output voltage greater than its input voltage. Specifically, the dc/dc converter increases the voltage of the photovoltaic system, which is installed on the laboratory, to 400V DC. The second part consists of a dc/ac inverter, which converts the incoming voltage of 400V DC to 220V AC at 50Hz. The work presented on this diploma thesis was carried out at the Laboratory of Electromechanical Energy Conversion, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Patras, under the supervision of Emeritus Professor Dr.-Ing. Athanasios Safacas. Initially, the working principle of solar cells is analysed and its current technologies are described. Then, reference is given to the photovoltaic systems and their applications, i.e. stand-alone PV systems and grid-connected PV systems. Next, reference and analysis are given to the various grid synchronization techniques for single phase inverter systems and control methods to regulate the active and reactive power supplied from sources of energy into the grid. Data are presented about the dc/dc converter and the study of the single-phase inverter to be constructed. Additionally, the system is simulated with MATLAB/Simulink software and the simulation results of the specific system are presented. A comparison of the operation of the inverter is made using sinusoidal pulse width modulation technique (“SPWM”) with bipolar and unipolar output voltage and simulation results of the grid connected converter system are presented. The technical characteristics of the constructed inverter and the design of its necessary integrated circuits are analysed. Finally, experimental results from the operation of the grid connected dc/ac inverter are presented.

Introdução: O Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) é um preditor de mortalidade em pacientes criticamente enfermos. A associação do RDW na alta da UTI com o risco de readmissão à UTI não é conhecida. Nós fizemos este estudo com o objetivo de investigar a associação entre a presença de anisocitose na alta da UTI e o risco de readmissão à UTI ou óbito inesperado na enfermaria. Métodos: Estudo de coorte retrospectivo que incluiu 813 pacientes com alta da UTI para a enfermaria em um hospital terciário de Porto Alegre, Brasil. A variável de interesse foi o RDW coletado no momento da alta da UTI. Anisocitose foi definida como RDW > 16%. Desfechos de interesse foram readmissão à UTI, óbito inesperado na enfermaria e óbito hospitalar. Hazard ratios (HR) foram estimadas usando o Modelo de Riscos proporcionais de Cox. Variáveis com P < 0.1 na análise univariada foram incluídas na análise multivariada para ajuste. Resultados: Anisocitose na alta da UTI está independentemente associada com readmissão à UTI ou óbito inesperado na enfermaria (HR: 1,682; IC 95% 1,219 – 2,322; P = 0,002). Outras variáveis associadas com este desfecho foram: idade, escore Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) na alta da UTI e traqueostomia. Resultados significativos semelhantes foram obtidos após exclusão dos óbitos inesperados na enfermaria (HR: 2,031; IC 95% 1,428 – 2,889; P< 0,001) e para óbito hospitalar (HR: 1,716; IC 95% 1,141 – 2,580; P = 0,01). Conclusões: Anisocitose no momento da alta da UTI está independentemente associada com readmissão à UTI e óbito hospitalar. / Introduction: Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a predictor of mortality in critically ill patients. The relationship between the RDW at ICU discharge and the risk of ICU readmission is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the presence of anisocytosis at ICU discharge and the risk of ICU readmission or unexpected death in the ward. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 813 patients discharged alive from the ICU to the ward in a tertiary hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The target variable was the RDW collected at the time of ICU discharge. Anisocytosis was defined as an RDW > 16%. Outcomes of interest included readmission to the ICU, unexpected death in the ward and in-hospital death. Hazard ratios (HR) were estimated using the Cox proportional hazards model. Variables with a value of P < 0.1 in the univariate analysis were included in the multivariate analysis for adjustment. Results: Anisocytosis at ICU discharge was independently associated with readmission to the ICU or unexpected death in the ward (HR: 1.682; 95% CI 1.219-2.322; P = 0.002). Other variables associated with this outcome included age, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score at ICU discharge and tracheostomy. Similar significant results were obtained after the exclusion of unexpected deaths in the ward (HR 2.031; CI 1.428 – 2.889; P < 0.001) and for in-hospital deaths (HR 1.716; 95% CI 1.141-2.580; P = 0.01). Conclusions: Anisocytosis at ICU discharge is independently associated with ICU readmission and in-hospital death.