Truncation of CPC solar collectors and its effect on energy collection

Analytic expressions are derived for the angular acceptance function of two-dimensional compound parabolic concentrator solar collectors (CPC's) of arbitrary degree of truncation. Taking into account the effect of truncation on both optical and thermal losses in real collectors, we also evaluate the increase in monthly and yearly collectible energy. Prior analyses that have ignored the correct behavior of the angular acceptance function at large angles for truncated collectors are shown to be in error by 0–2% in calculations of yearly collectible energy for stationary collectors.     

A Methodology for the Evaluation of a GPS Receiver Performance in Telematics Applications

This paper presents a methodology to evaluate the position availability of automotive grade global positioning system (GPS) receivers intended for Telematics applications utilizing a multichannel GPS satellite signal simulator in a controlled laboratory environment. Initially, field testing of two distinct GPS receivers was conducted in an urban canyon environment and a foliage environment to assess each receiver's position availability performance. Test scenarios were then developed on a multichannel GPS satellite signal simulator in order to create controlled and repeatable stimuli to the GPS receivers. The scenarios take into account the actual satellite constellations at the same day, time, and locations of the field data collections. Furthermore, the number of visible satellites and power levels was adjusted in order to stimulate the hardware tracking sensitivity, hardware acquisition sensitivity, dynamic range, and navigation filter design, all of which impact position availability for GPS receivers. Quantitative results demonstrated good correlation between the results obtained using the developed test scenarios and the results from the field testing. The proposed methodology will result in reducing validation cost and time to market for automotive Telematics products     

Optimizing investment levels for energy conservation: Individual versus social perspective and the role of uncertainty

The decision to invest in energy conservation must be made in the face of uncertainty: future energy prices and the magnitude of energy savings are uncertain. Since once does not know the optimal investment level in advance, one will incur cost penalties due to misoptimization. To analyse the cost penalties it is convenient to focus on the ratio of the life cycle costs that one pays and the life cycle costs one would have paid with an optimal investment level. Two models are used to evaluate this ratio: a model for conductive heat flow through a layer of insulation, and an exponential curve fit to a large number of residential energy conservation cost data. Plotting the life cycle cost ratio versus the ration of actual and guessed energy expenditures shows the effect both of price uncertainties and of uncertainties in the performance of conservation measures. The graph can also be used to evaluate the cost to society due to the mismatch between individual and social perspectives. The curve turns out to have a broad optimum, and penalties due to misoptimization are fairly small in most cases. With these models one can also calculate the long-term price elasticity of energy demand for rational consumers. It turns out to be -0.5 in the insulation model and -1.0 in the exponential model.     

Quantum information processing in self-assembled crystals of cold polar molecules

We discuss the implementation of quantum gate operations in a self-assembled dipolar crystal of polar molecules. Here qubits are encoded in long-lived spin states of the molecular ground state and stabilized against collisions by repulsive dipole–dipole interactions. To overcome the single site addressability problem in this high density crystalline phase, we describe a new approach for implementing controlled single and two-qubit operations based on resonantly enhanced spin–spin interactions mediated by a localized phonon mode. This local mode is created at a specified lattice position with the help of an additional marker molecule such that individual qubits can be manipulated by using otherwise global static and microwave fields only. We present a general strategy for generating state and time dependent dipole moments to implement a universal set of gate operations for molecular qubits and we analyze the resulting gate fidelities under realistic conditions. Our analysis demonstrates the experimental feasibility of this approach for scalable quantum computing or digital quantum simulation schemes with polar molecules.     

Medial axis computation for planar free-form shapes

We present a simple, efficient, and stable method for computing—with any desired precision—the medial axis of simply connected planar domains. The domain boundaries are assumed to be given as polynomial spline curves. Our approach combines known results from the field of geometric approximation theory with a new algorithm from the field of computational geometry. Challenging steps are (1) the approximation of the boundary spline such that the medial axis is geometrically stable, and (2) the efficient decomposition of the domain into base cases where the medial axis can be computed directly and exactly. We solve these problems via spiral biarc approximation and a randomized divide & conquer algorithm.     

Epidural hematoma with atypical clinical course

The prognosis of epidural haematomas (EDH) is generally favourable if an operation is carried out in good time. Suspected EDH is mostly diagnosed as a result of a "typical" neurological manifestation (initial unconsciousness/asymptomatic interval/loss of consciousness), which then leads to an in-depth diagnosis (X-ray of the skull, CT, MRI). However, atypical clinical manifestations are frequent and can result in dangerous delays in diagnosis and treatment. A decisive factor in the early detection of EDH is close clinical-neurological monitoring by specially trained staff and their prompt reaction when changes occur, no matter how minor. Qualitative changes in the patient's state of consciousness and behaviour are just as important in this respect as quantitative ones.     

High-resolution capillary zone and gel electrophoresis of structurally similar amphipathic glutathione conjugates based on interaction with beta-cyclodextrins

The tripeptide glutathione is a prominent intracellular constituent that provides protection against genotoxic and carcinogenic electrophiles and is also a component of several biological signal substances. Glutathione conjugates, free glutathione, and glutathione disulfide contain charged amino acid residues, which contribute to solubility in aqueous media. However, the amphipathic nature of glutathione conjugates and the small differences that may distinguish the S substituents, pose analytical problems in their resolution. The present study demonstrates how homologous S-alkyl and S-benzyl conjugates of high structural similarity can be efficiently resolved by capillary electrophoresis. Inclusion of beta-cyclodextrins in the buffer or in a polyacrylamide gel affords baseline separation of the analytes. The separation methods described are applicable to enzyme assays in vitro and to the identification and quantification of glutathione conjugates of importance in toxicology and physiology. The contribution of beta-cyclodextrin to the separation is primarily based on interactions between its hydrophobic cavity and the S-alkyl and S-benzyl groups of the analytes.     

Time-Resolved and Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Complex Cognitive Processes and their Role in Disorders like Developmental Dyscalculia

The aim of this article is to report on the importance and challenges of a time-resolved and spatio-temporal analysis of fMRI data from complex cognitive processes and associated disorders using a study on developmental dyscalculia (DD). Participants underwent fMRI while judging the incorrectness of multiplication results, and the data were analyzed using a sequence of methods, each of which progressively provided more a detailed picture of the spatio-temporal aspect of this disease. Healthy subjects and subjects with DD performed alike behaviorally though they exhibited parietal disparities using traditional voxel-based group analyses. Further and more detailed differences, however, surfaced with a time-resolved examination of the neural responses during the experiment. While performing inter-group comparisons, a third group of subjects with dyslexia (DL) but with no arithmetic difficulties was included to test the specificity of the analysis and strengthen the statistical base with overall fifty-eight subjects. Surprisingly, the analysis showed a functional dissimilarity during an initial reading phase for the group of dyslexic but otherwise normal subjects, with respect to controls, even though only numerical digits and no alphabetic characters were presented. Thus our results suggest that time-resolved multi-variate analysis of complex experimental paradigms has the ability to yield powerful new clinical insights about abnormal brain function. Similarly, a detailed compilation of aberrations in the functional cascade may have much greater potential to delineate the core processing problems in mental disorders.     

Synthesis and photocatalytic performance of titanium dioxide nanofibers and the fabrication of flexible composite films from nanofibers

Titanium dioxide nanofibers were synthesized and applied in flexible composite films that are easy to handle and recycle after use. The nanofibers were obtained in a multi-step procedure. First, sodium titanate nanofibers were prepared from TiO2 nanoparticles through the alkali hydrothermal method. In the next step, sodium hydrogen titanate nanofibers were made by washing the sodium titanate nanofibers in HCl solution. Finally, the sodium hydrogen titanate nanofibers were transformed to TiO2 anatase nanofibers by calcination in air. The photocatalytic activity of TiO2 anatase nanofibers were evaluated and compared to a TiO2 nanoparticle catalyst by decomposing methyl orange dye in aqueous solutions. The achieved reaction rate constant of TiO2 anatase nanofibers was comparable to that of Degussa P25. Paper-like flexible composite films were prepared by co-filtrating aqueous dispersions of TiO2 catalyst materials and cellulose. The composite films made from the nanofibers exhibit better mechanical integrity than those of the nanoparticle-cellulose composites.     

Optical and thermal properties of compound parabolic concentrators

Compound Parabolic Concentrators (CPC) are relevant for solar energy collection because they achieve the highest possible concentration for any acceptance angle (tracking requirement). The convective and radiative heat transfer through a CPC are calculated, and formulas for evaluating the performance of solar collectors based on the CPC principle are presented. A simple analytic technique for calculating the average number of reflections for radiation passing through a CPC is developed; this is useful for computing optical losses. In most practical applications, a CPC will be truncated because a large portion of the reflector area can be eliminated without seriously reducing the concentration. The effects of this truncation are described explicitly. The paper includes many numerical examples, displayed in tables and graphs, which should be helpful in designing CPC solar collectors.