Ford Motor Company

About: Ford Motor Company is a company organization based out in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Internal combustion engine & Clutch. The organization has 36123 authors who have published 51450 publications receiving 855200 citations. The organization is also known as: Ford Motor & Ford Motor Corporation.

Dynamic modeling and control of hybrid electric vehicle powertrain systems

Abstract: This paper describes the mathematical modeling, analysis, and simulation of a dynamic automatic manual layshaft transmission and dry clutch combination powertrain model, and corresponding coordinated control laws synthesized using a conventional SI ICE powerplant-alternator combination, a dry clutch and manual transmission/differential, variable field alternator, brakes, and complete vehicle longitudinal dynamics with tire-road interface characterization. The conventional power train model is validated using experimental test data confirming accurate emulation of dynamic components of the pre-hybridized vehicle. In addition, the development of dynamic series and parallel hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) powertrain models and corresponding coordinated control laws are described. A discussion of the key issues associated with coordinated control law development is provided. Simulations of the dynamic behavior of two types of series HEVs are shown.

Induction of DNA Fragmentation After 10 to 120 Minutes of Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Rats

Abstract: Background and Purpose The induction of neuronal necrosis has been studied after various durations of transient middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion in the rat. The objective of the present study was to measure the numbers and anatomic distribution of cells exhibiting apoptotic bodies as an indication of DNA fragmentation and apoptotic cell death as a function of duration of transient MCA occlusion in the rat. Methods The MCA of male Wistar rats (n=24) was occluded for 10, 20, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes (n=4 per group) with the use of an intraluminal monofilament, and reperfusion was instituted for 48 hours. DNA fragmentation was measured in paraffin sections with the use of a terminal deoxynucleotidyl- transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) method. Adjacent sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for analysis of ischemic cell damage, and immunohistochemical double staining methods were used for cell identification. Sham-operated rats (n=4) and normal rats not subjected to any surgical procedure (n=4) were used as controls for apoptosis detection. Results Within 5-μm-thick coronal sections, DNA fragmentation was present in 0 to 3 apoptotic cells in each hemisphere of normal, sham-operated rats as well as in the contralateral hemisphere of ischemic rats. After 10 to 20 minutes of MCA occlusion, apoptotic cells exhibiting DNA fragmentation (10 to 20) increased in the regions of selective neuronal necrosis in the preoptic area and in the striatum. After 30 to 60 minutes of ischemia, scattered apoptotic cells (30 to 60) exhibited DNA fragmentation and expanded into areas of selective neuronal necrosis in the cortex. After 90 to 120 minutes of occlusion, groups of apoptotic cells (70 to 200, >95% neurons) were primarily localized to the inner boundary zone of the infarct. Conclusions A range of mild to severe ischemia-reperfusion stimuli induce internucleosomal DNA cleavage. The presence and anatomic location of apoptotic cells exhibiting DNA fragmentation after transient cerebral occlusion indicate that apoptosis accompanies neuronal necrosis.

A nitric oxide donor induces neurogenesis and reduces functional deficits after stroke in rats.

Abstract: The adult rodent brain is capable of generating neuronal progenitor cells in the subventricular zone, and in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, throughout the life of the animal. Signals that regulate progenitor cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration are not well known. We report that administration of a nitric oxide donor, (Z)-1-[N-(2-aminoethyl)-N-(2-ammonioethyl) aminio]diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate (DETA/NONOate), to young adult rats significantly increases cell proliferation and migration in the subventricular zone and the dentate gyrus. Treatment with DETA/ NONOate also increases neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. Furthermore, administration of DETA/NONOate to rats subjected to embolic middle cerebral artery occlusion significantly increases cell proliferation and migration in the subventricular zone and the dentate gyrus, and these rats exhibit significant improvements of neurological outcome during recovery from ischemic stroke. Administration of DETA/NONOate significantly increases cortical levels of guanosine monophosphate both in ischemic and nonischemic rats, supporting the role of nitric oxide in promoting cell proliferation and neurogenesis. Thus, our data indicate that nitric oxide is involved in the regulation of progenitor cells and neurogenesis in the adult brain. This suggests that nitric oxide delivered to the brain well after stroke may have therapeutic benefits.

Fast reference governors for systems with state and control constraints and disturbance inputs

Abstract: Reference governors are applied to closed-loop tracking systems that are linear and discrete time and have constraints on state and control variables. Earlier results are extended in signi\"cant ways. Disturbance inputs, whose values belong to a speci\"ed set, are allowed and a general class of reference governors is introduced. Each governor in the class guarantees constraint satisfaction for all reference and disturbance inputs. Moreover, if the reference input is ultimately con\"ned to a neighbourhood of a constraint-admissible constant input, the eventual action of the reference governor reduces to a unit delay. By appropriately selecting reference governors from the allowed class it is possible to simplify signi\"cantly their implementation. The increase in on-line speed of operation overcomes prior limits on the practical application of reference governors. Algorithmic procedures are described which facilitate design of the reference governors. Several examples are presented. They illustrate the design process and the excellence of response to large inputs. Copyright ( 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.