Clinical outcome of stand-alone ALIF compared to posterior instrumentation for degenerative disc disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Udby, Peter M.; Bech-Azeddine, Rachid

2015-01-01

The objective of the article was to: a) present results from a case cohort pilot study comparing stand-alone ALIF and TLIF and, b) review the literature on studies comparing the clinical outcome of stand-alone ALIF with posterior instrumentation including TLIF or PLIF, in patients with disabling...... low back pain resulting from degenerative disc disease. ALIF surgery has previously been linked with certain high risk complications and unfavorable long term fusion results. Newer studies suggest that stand-alone ALIF can possibly be advantageous compared to other types of posterior instrumented...

Stand-alone solutions, computer networks and extern communications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarschisch, H.

1988-01-01

The advantages of local networks over stand-alone solutions are presented. Of the local networks (LAN), two are presently at the center of attention: the bus and the ring. ETHERNET and the IBM-Token-Ring are described as typical examples. Access to public networks, especially TELEPAC and ISDN, is discussed. 12 figs

Connecting embedded and stand-alone peer mentoring models to enhance student engagement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rhys Cooper

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This paper outlines the Trident Student Mentoring Program that runs in the College of Engineering at Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia. The program offers both embedded and stand-alone models of peer mentoring services to the same cohort of first-year students. It shows that by forming strong links between these two types of peer mentoring models, the inherent challenges of both, such as low attendance rates in stand-alone models and short periods of peer to peer time in embedded models, are mitigated.

The stand-alone test and decreasing serial cost sharing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hougaard, Jens Leth; Thorlund-Petersen, Lars

2000-01-01

The rule of decreasing serial cost sharing defined in de Frutos [1] over the class of concave cost functions may violate the important stand-alone test. Sufficient conditions for the test to be satisfied are given, in terms of individual rationality as well as coalitional stability...

Optimal sizing method for constituent elements of stand-alone photovoltaic power systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Otsuka, Hirotada; Oi, Yoichi [Hokuriku Electric Power Co., Inc. Toyama (Japan)

1988-12-25

The purpose of the report was to calculate the optimal volume of constituent elements of stand-alone photovoltaic power systems, based on the distribution of global radiation on an inclined surface (herein-after called flux of solar radiation), which had been previously measured, and the size of load to be supplied. The least power generation cost was calculated, supposing that setting load was 176kWh/month and the loss of load probability (LOLP) was 1%, by using actual amount of solar radiation in May 1985. The cost was divided into two components: one was proportionate to the size of solar cell, and the other was in proportion to the battery volume. And then, the cost of twenty-year operation(TLC) was calculated. The size of array and the battery volume, which minimize the cost, can be determined when TLC is differentiate. Since auxiliary power source is not attached to this system, it is necessary to restrict the load in order to meet the electric power shortage. In case of the cost at construction in 1984, a standard model indicating the least power generation cost is a photovoltaic system with the array size of A=49.0m{sup 2} and the battery volume of Q=568(Ah). 4 refs., 9 figs., 10 tabs.

Availability model of stand-alone photovoltaic system

Science.gov (United States)

Mazurek, G.

2017-08-01

In this paper we present a simple, empirical model of stand-alone photovoltaic power system availability. The model is a final result of five-year long studies and ground measurements of solar irradiation carried out in Central Europe. The obtained results facilitate sizing of PV modules that have to be installed with taking into account system's availability level in each month of a year. The model can be extended to different geographical locations, with help of local meteorological data or solar irradiation datasets derived from satellite measurements.

Input of biomass in stand-alone small-scale installations for power generation. Calculation of the financial gap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Tilburg, X.; De Vries, H.J.; Pfeiffer, A.E.; Beekes, M.; Cleijne, J.W.

2005-09-01

A number of new initiatives in which bio-oil is used in stand-alone plants for power generation has been reviewed. The question to be answered is whether the reference case for stand alone biomass projects based on burning of wood chips can still be considered representative for the costs and benefits in this category. ECN, in cooperation with KEMA, have determined the financial gap between the costs and benefits of projects in which bio-oil is used in stand alone plants for power generation. The ranges and reference case for bio-oil in stand alone applications show that these projects have a substantially lower financial gap than the current reference case based on wood chips [nl

Environmental/Climatic Effect on Stand-Alone Solar Energy Supply ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper investigates the climatic eects and environmental variations on the performance of a stand-alone photovoltaic system. The eects of partial shading with dierent climate conditions and load resistance variations were examined. A survey of some of the work done in this eld of environmental eect on solar panel was ...

Modelling of fluid-solid interaction using two stand-alone codes

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Grobler, Jan H

2010-01-01

Full Text Available A method is proposed for the modelling of fluid-solid interaction in applications where fluid forces dominate. Data are transferred between two stand-alone codes: a dedicated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code capable of free surface modelling...

Analysis and controller design for stand-alone VSIs in synchronous reference frame

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramezani, Malek; Li, Shuhui; Golestan, Saeed

2017-01-01

-by-step graphical analysis and design approach for a three-phase stand-alone VSI system in the dq reference frame, which provides a clear systematic decoupling process to design the inner- and outer-loop current and voltage controllers, respectively. The closed-loop d- and q-axis output impedances of the stand......-alone VSI system by considering the coupling effects between axes are also formulated, modelled, and evaluated. The study investigates how the decoupling and compensating terms added in the current and voltage controllers affect the dynamic performance and output dq impedances of the VSI system. Simulation...... and hardware results verify the effectiveness of the graphic design and analysis strategy....

Ampere hour method of sizing a stand alone photovoltaic system ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Stand-alone photovoltaic power systems are natural options for application in electrification of remote areas which are not served by the grid electricity supply system. An ampere-hour ... Sizing of the balance-of-system were carefully handled to avoid undersizing or oversizing and subsequent variation in supply reliability.

Hybrid Configuration of Darrieus and Savonius Rotors for Stand-alone Power Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Wakui, Tetsuya; Tanzawa, Yoshiaki; Hashizume, Takumi; Nagao, Toshio

The suitable hybrid configuration of Darrieus lift-type and Savonius drag-type rotors for stand-alone wind turbine-generator systems is discussed using our dynamic simulation model. Two types of hybrid configurations are taken up: Type-A installs the Savonius rotor inside the Darrieus rotor and Type-B installs the Savonius rotor outside the Darrieus rotor. The computed results of the output characteristics and the dynamic behaviors of the system operated at the maximum power coefficient points show that Type-A, which has fine operating behavior to wind speed changes and can be compactly designed because of a shorter rotational shaft, is an effective way for self-controlled stand-alone small-scale systems.

The Stand-alone Heliostat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia Navajas, G. I.; Egea Gea, A.

2000-01-01

The first Autonomous Heliostat has been developed by CIEMAT at PSA facilities in Almeria. This heliostat is an innovative approach to reducing the civil engineering work costs in heliostat fields of central tower plants. Channels, cables and other electric elements have been eliminated in the new heliostat. Thus, one 70-nr, classical T glass/metal heliostat has been adapted to include all the new stand-alone concept components. A PV system is able to drive two sun-tracking DC motors between 5 and 24Vdc, 0 and 15A. The heliostat communicates with the control room 400-m away by using a radio-modem working at 9600 baud. An anemometer, a wind switcher, light and ambient temperature sensors have been installed on the heliostat for self-protection decision-making. A PV panel integrated into the heliostat reflecting surface, eliminates cabling and other elements required for a conventional power supply. Communication lines between master control and local control have been replaced by radio-modem. Testing has validated the technical feasibility of the prototype and quantified the real consumption and efficiencies of new elements. The extra costs produced.by the autonomous concepts are compared with the cost of civil work in conventional heliostat field. (Author) 8 refs

Size-Prediction Analysis for Stand-Alone Photovoltaic System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erusiafe, N. E.; Chendo, M. A. C.

2002-01-01

The cost - effectiveness of photovoltaic (PV) generator depends, among others, on its ability to satisfy energy demand and the cost of achieving this. In this work a step - by - step procedure for predicting the size of the main components of a stand - alone PV system (array and storage) is presented. The results yield an expression which can he used lo determine the size of both components at optimum cost and desired reliability. The result from this work compare favourably with some earlier works in that, the system sizes shows some degree of agreement

Optimal sizing method for stand-alone photovoltaic power systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Groumpos, P P; Papageorgiou, G

1987-01-01

The total life-cycle cost of stand-alone photovoltaic (SAPV) power systems is mathematically formulated. A new optimal sizing algorithm for the solar array and battery capacity is developed. The optimum value of a balancing parameter, M, for the optimal sizing of SAPV system components is derived. The proposed optimal sizing algorithm is used in an illustrative example, where a more economical life-cycle cost has bene obtained. The question of cost versus reliability is briefly discussed.

A maximum power point tracking scheme for a 1kw stand-alone ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A maximum power point tracking scheme for a 1kw stand-alone solar energy based power supply. ... Nigerian Journal of Technology ... A method for efficiently maximizing the output power of a solar panel supplying a load or battery bus under ...

Minimum cost solution of wind–photovoltaic based stand-alone power systems for remote consumers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaldellis, J.K.; Zafirakis, D.; Kavadias, K.

2012-01-01

Renewable energy sources (RES) based stand-alone systems employing either wind or solar power and energy storage comprise a reliable energy alternative, on top of conventional diesel-electric generator sets, commonly used by remote consumers. However, such systems usually imply the need for oversizing and considerable energy storage requirements leading to relatively high costs. On the other hand, hybrid configurations that may exploit both wind and solar potential of a given area may considerably reduce energy storage capacity and improve the economic performance of the system. In this context, an integrated techno-economic methodology for the evaluation of hybrid wind–photovoltaic stand-alone power systems is currently developed, aiming at the designation of optimum configurations for a typical remote consumer, using economic performance criteria. For the problem investigation, the developed evaluation model is applied to four representative areas of the Greek territory with different wind potential characteristics in order to obtain optimum configurations on the basis of minimum initial investment, 10-year and 20-year total cost. According to the results obtained, the proposed solution is favorably compared with all other stand-alone energy alternatives, reflecting the ability of hybrid systems to adjust even in areas where the local RES potential is not necessarily of high quality. - Highlights: ► Wind- and PV-stand alone systems often imply use of extreme battery capacity. ► Hybrid wind–PV systems may reduce energy storage requirements and associated costs. ► An optimization methodology is developed, based on economic performance criteria. ► Methodology is applied to four Greek regions of different wind potential. ► Results obtained reflect the hybrid solution's advantages over other alternatives.

A Three-Port Topology Comparison for a Low Power Stand-Alone Photovoltaic System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mira Albert, Maria del Carmen; Knott, Arnold; Andersen, Michael A. E.

2014-01-01

Three-port converter (TPC) topologies for renewable energy systems aim to provide higher efficiency and power density than conventional cascaded structures. This work proposes an analytical comparison of different TPC topologies for a photovoltaic LED lamp stand-alone system. A comparison using c...... component stress factor (CSF) is performed, which gives a quantitative measure of the performance of the converter. The candidate topologies are compared to each other according to a defined LED lighting strategy and a solar irradiation profile.......Three-port converter (TPC) topologies for renewable energy systems aim to provide higher efficiency and power density than conventional cascaded structures. This work proposes an analytical comparison of different TPC topologies for a photovoltaic LED lamp stand-alone system. A comparison using...

Modeling, Design and Simulation of Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Power Systems with Battery Storage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abd Essalam BADOUD

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Stand alone renewable energy based on photovoltaic systems accompanied with battery storage system are beginning to play an important role over the world to supply power to remote areas. The objective of the study reported in this paper is to elaborate and design a bond graphs model for sizing stand-alone domestic solar photovoltaic electricity systems and simulating the performance of the systems in a tropical climate. The systems modelled consist of an array of PV modules, a lead-acid battery, and a number of direct current appliances. This paper proposes the combination of lead acid battery system with a typical stand alone photovoltaic energy system under variable loads. The main activities of this work purpose to establish library graphical models for each individual component of standalone photovoltaic system. Control strategy has been considered to achieve permanent power supply to the load via photovoltaic/battery based on the power available from the sun. The complete model was simulated under two testing including sunny and cloudy conditions. Simulation of the system using Symbols software was performed and the results of simulation show the superior stable control system and high efficiency. These results have been contrasted with real measured data from a measurement campaign plant carried on electrical engineering laboratory of Grenoble using various interconnection schemes are presented.

Magnetic field measurements near stand-alone transformer stations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kandel, Shaiela; Hareuveny, Ronen; Yitzhak, Nir-Mordechay; Ruppin, Raphael

2013-12-01

Extremely low-frequency (ELF) magnetic field (MF) measurements around and above three stand-alone 22/0.4-kV transformer stations have been performed. The low-voltage (LV) cables between the transformer and the LV switchgear were found to be the major source of strong ELF MFs of limited spatial extent. The strong fields measured above the transformer stations support the assessment method, to be used in future epidemiological studies, of classifying apartments located right above the transformer stations as highly exposed to MFs. The results of the MF measurements above the ground around the transformer stations provide a basis for the assessment of the option of implementing precautionary procedures.

Stand-Alone Microgrid Inverter Controller Design for Nonlinear, Unbalanced Load with Output Transformer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jae-Uk Lim

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a technique that compensates for unbalance and nonlinearity in microgrid inverters with power transformers operating in stand-alone mode. When a microgrid inverter is operating in stand-alone mode, providing high-quality power is very important. When an unbalanced, nonlinear load is connected, zero sequence current and negative sequence current occur, which leads to an unbalanced output voltage. This paper examines why the zero sequence component occurs differently depending on the structure of a three-phase transformer connected to the inverter output terminal, and it proposes a method for controlling the zero sequence component. It also uses a resonant controller to remove the harmonics that correspond to the negative sequence component and the nonlinear component. The proposed elements were verified by a Powersim (PSIM simulation.

Enhanced current and voltage regulators for stand-alone applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Federico, de Bosio; Pastorelli, Michele; Antonio DeSouza Ribeiro, Luiz

2016-01-01

State feedback decoupling permits to achieve a better dynamic response for Voltage Source in stand-alone applications. The design of current and voltage regulators is performed in the discrete-time domain since it provides better accuracy and allows direct pole placement. As the attainable...... bandwidth of the current loop is mainly limited by computational and PWM delays, a lead compensator structure is proposed to overcome this limitation. The design of the voltage regulator is based on the Nyquist criterion, verifying to guarantee a high sensitivity peak. Discrete-time domain implementation...

Secure stand alone positive personnel identity verification system (SSA-PPIV)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merillat, P.D.

1979-03-01

The properties of a secure stand-alone positive personnel identity verification system are detailed. The system is designed to operate without the aid of a central computing facility and the verification function is performed in the absence of security personnel. Security is primarily achieved by means of data encryption on a magnetic stripe badge. Several operational configurations are discussed. Advantages and disadvantages of this system compared to a central computer driven system are detailed

Study on Soft Phase Locked Method to Solving the Synchronization Problem of Active Power Filter in Stand-alone Power Grid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhuo, Fang; Wu, Longhui; Chen, Zhe

2009-01-01

on zero-cross detection can't work effectively in small rating stand-alone power grid. Then a soft phase locked loop with additional filter is proposed. It can lock the phase angle on to the positive sequence of fundamental voltage accurately and rapidly. It ensures the performance of APF applied...... in the small rating stand-alone power grid. Moreover, the soft phase locked loop is easy to be implemented in a Digital Signal Processor (DSP). Simulation and experimental results validate that the soft phase locked loop has satisfactory performance.......Traditional LC filters can't work stably in small rating stand-alone power grid. So active power filter (APF) is becoming an important tool to solve the power quality problem in small rating stand-alone power grid. In most current detection algorithm of APF, it needs a synchronizing signal. Firstly...

Stand-alone version of the 11kW Gaia wind turbine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bindner, H.; Rosas, P.A.C.; Teodorescu, R.

2004-01-01

This report describes the development of a stand-alone version of the 11kW Gaia wind turbine. Various possible configurations are investigated and a configuration using a back-to-back converter is chosen. A model is developed for controller design of thefast controllers of the unit. Controllers...... assessment and controller design a dynamic performance assessment model has been developed....

Structure Optimization of Stand-Alone Renewable Power Systems Based on Multi Object Function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jae-Hoon Cho

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a methodology for the size optimization of a stand-alone hybrid PV/wind/diesel/battery system while considering the following factors: total annual cost (TAC, loss of power supply probability (LPSP, and the fuel cost of the diesel generator required by the user. A new optimization algorithm and an object function (including a penalty method are also proposed; these assist with designing the best structure for a hybrid system satisfying the constraints. In hybrid energy system sources such as photovoltaic (PV, wind, diesel, and energy storage devices are connected as an electrical load supply. Because the power produced by PV and wind turbine sources is dependent on the variation of the resources (sun and wind and the load demand fluctuates, such a hybrid system must be able to satisfy the load requirements at any time and store the excess energy for use in deficit conditions. Therefore, reliability and cost are the two main criteria when designing a stand-alone hybrid system. Moreover, the operation of a diesel generator is important to achieve greater reliability. In this paper, TAC, LPSP, and the fuel cost of the diesel generator are considered as the objective variables and a hybrid teaching–learning-based optimization algorithm is proposed and used to choose the best structure of a stand-alone hybrid PV/wind/diesel/battery system. Simulation results from MATLAB support the effectiveness of the proposed method and confirm that it is more efficient than conventional methods.

Stand-Alone Personalized Normative Feedback for College Student Drinkers: A Meta-Analytic Review, 2004 to 2014.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keri B Dotson

Full Text Available Norms clarification has been identified as an effective component of college student drinking interventions, prompting research on norms clarification as a single-component intervention known as Personalized Normative Feedback (PNF. Previous reviews have examined PNF in combination with other components but not as a stand-alone intervention.To investigate the degree to which computer-delivered stand-alone personalized normative feedback interventions reduce alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harms among college students and to compare gender-neutral and gender-specific PNF.Electronic databases were searched systematically through November 2014. Reference lists were reviewed manually and forward and backward searches were conducted.Outcome studies that compared computer-delivered, stand-alone PNF intervention with an assessment only, attention-matched, or active treatment control and reported alcohol use and harms among college students.Between-group effect sizes were calculated as the standardized mean difference in change scores between treatment and control groups divided by pooled standard deviation. Within-group effect sizes were calculated as the raw mean difference between baseline and follow-up divided by pooled within-groups standard deviation.Eight studies (13 interventions with a total of 2,050 participants were included. Compared to control participants, students who received gender-neutral (dbetween = 0.291, 95% CI [0.159, 0.423] and gender-specific PNF (dbetween = 0.284, 95% CI [0.117, 0.451] reported greater reductions in drinking from baseline to follow-up. Students who received gender-neutral PNF reported 3.027 (95% CI [2.171, 3.882] fewer drinks per week at first follow-up and gender-specific PNF reported 3.089 (95% CI [0.992, 5.186] fewer drinks. Intervention effects were small for harms (dbetween = 0.157, 95% CI [0.037, 0.278].Computer-delivered PNF is an effective stand-alone approach for reducing college student

Stand-Alone Personalized Normative Feedback for College Student Drinkers: A Meta-Analytic Review, 2004 to 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Dotson, Keri B; Dunn, Michael E; Bowers, Clint A

2015-01-01

Norms clarification has been identified as an effective component of college student drinking interventions, prompting research on norms clarification as a single-component intervention known as Personalized Normative Feedback (PNF). Previous reviews have examined PNF in combination with other components but not as a stand-alone intervention. To investigate the degree to which computer-delivered stand-alone personalized normative feedback interventions reduce alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harms among college students and to compare gender-neutral and gender-specific PNF. Electronic databases were searched systematically through November 2014. Reference lists were reviewed manually and forward and backward searches were conducted. Outcome studies that compared computer-delivered, stand-alone PNF intervention with an assessment only, attention-matched, or active treatment control and reported alcohol use and harms among college students. Between-group effect sizes were calculated as the standardized mean difference in change scores between treatment and control groups divided by pooled standard deviation. Within-group effect sizes were calculated as the raw mean difference between baseline and follow-up divided by pooled within-groups standard deviation. Eight studies (13 interventions) with a total of 2,050 participants were included. Compared to control participants, students who received gender-neutral (dbetween = 0.291, 95% CI [0.159, 0.423]) and gender-specific PNF (dbetween = 0.284, 95% CI [0.117, 0.451]) reported greater reductions in drinking from baseline to follow-up. Students who received gender-neutral PNF reported 3.027 (95% CI [2.171, 3.882]) fewer drinks per week at first follow-up and gender-specific PNF reported 3.089 (95% CI [0.992, 5.186]) fewer drinks. Intervention effects were small for harms (dbetween = 0.157, 95% CI [0.037, 0.278]). Computer-delivered PNF is an effective stand-alone approach for reducing college student drinking and

11kW stand alone wind turbine based on proven wind turbine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bindner, H.; Wodstrup, J.; Andersen, J.

2004-01-01

and enable control of frequency and voltage independently on both the grid side and the generator side. The prototype has been installed at Risø. The paper will present results from test runs of the system both operating stand-alone supplying a single load and in parallel operation with a diesel genset....

Benchmarking the Collocation Stand-Alone Library and Toolkit (CSALT)

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Steven; Knittel, Jeremy; Shoan, Wendy; Kim, Youngkwang; Conway, Claire; Conway, Darrel J.

2017-01-01

This paper describes the processes and results of Verification and Validation (VV) efforts for the Collocation Stand Alone Library and Toolkit (CSALT). We describe the test program and environments, the tools used for independent test data, and comparison results. The VV effort employs classical problems with known analytic solutions, solutions from other available software tools, and comparisons to benchmarking data available in the public literature. Presenting all test results are beyond the scope of a single paper. Here we present high-level test results for a broad range of problems, and detailed comparisons for selected problems.

Leadership in Dental Hygiene Degree Completion Programs: A Pilot Study Comparing Stand-Alone Leadership Courses and Leadership-Infused Curricula.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Michelle L; Gurenlian, JoAnn R; Freudenthal, Jacqueline J; Farnsworth, Tracy J

2016-05-01

The aim of this study was to define the extent to which leadership and leadership skills are taught in dental hygiene degree completion programs by comparing stand-alone leadership courses/hybrid programs with programs that infuse leadership skills throughout the curricula. The study involved a mixed-methods approach using qualitative and quantitative data. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with program directors and faculty members who teach a stand-alone leadership course, a hybrid program, or leadership-infused courses in these programs. A quantitative comparison of course syllabi determined differences in the extent of leadership content and experiences between stand-alone leadership courses and leadership-infused curricula. Of the 53 U.S. dental hygiene programs that offer degree completion programs, 49 met the inclusion criteria, and 19 programs provided course syllabi. Of the program directors and faculty members who teach a stand-alone leadership course or leadership-infused curriculum, 16 participated in the interview portion of the study. The results suggested that competencies related to leadership were not clearly defined or measurable in current teaching. Reported barriers to incorporating a stand-alone leadership course included overcrowded curricula, limited qualified faculty, and lack of resources. The findings of this study provide a synopsis of leadership content and gaps in leadership education for degree completion programs. Suggested changes included defining a need for leadership competencies and providing additional resources to educators such as courses provided by the American Dental Education Association and the American Dental Hygienists' Association.

Eczema and ceramides: an update

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jungersted, Jakob Mutanu; Agner, Tove

2013-01-01

types of treatment. We also consider the genetic influence on stratum corneum lipids. The review is an update on research indexed in PubMed following the discovery of the filaggrin mutations in atopic dermatitis in 2006, but when newer publications cannot stand alone, we include publications from before...

Optimum autonomous stand-alone photovoltaic system design on the basis of energy pay-back analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaldellis, J.K.; Zafirakis, D.; Kondili, E.

2009-01-01

Stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) systems comprise one of the most promising electrification solutions for covering the demand of remote consumers. However, such systems are strongly questioned due to extreme life-cycle (LC) energy requirements. For similar installations to be considered as environmentally sustainable, their LC energy content must be compensated by the respective useful energy production, i.e. their energy pay-back period (EPBP) should be found less than their service period. In this context, an optimum sizing methodology is currently developed, based on the criterion of minimum embodied energy. Various energy autonomous stand-alone PV-lead-acid battery systems are examined and two different cases are investigated; a high solar potential area and a medium solar potential area. By considering that the PV-battery (PV-Bat) system's useful energy production is equal to the remote consumer's electricity consumption, optimum cadmium telluride (CdTe) based systems yield the minimum EPBP (15 years). If achieving to exploit the net PV energy production however, the EPBP is found less than 20 years for all PV types. Finally, the most interesting finding concerns the fact that in all cases examined the contribution of the battery component exceeds 27% of the system LC energy requirements, reflecting the difference between grid-connected and stand-alone configurations.

A new approach for sizing stand alone photovoltaic systems based in neural networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hontoria, L.; Aguilera, J. [Universidad de Jaen, Dept. de Electronica, Jaen (Spain); Zufiria, P. [UPM Ciudad Universitaria, Dept. de Matematica Aplicada a las Tecnologias de la Informacion, Madrid (Spain)

2005-02-01

Several methods for sizing stand alone photovoltaic (pv) systems has been developed. The more simplistic are called intuitive methods. They are a useful tool for a first approach in sizing stand alone photovoltaic systems. Nevertheless they are very inaccurate. Analytical methods use equations to describe the pv system size as a function of reliability. These ones are more accurate than the previous ones but they are also not accurate enough for sizing of high reliability. In a third group there are methods which use system simulations. These ones are called numerical methods. Many of the analytical methods employ the concept of reliability of the system or the complementary term: loss of load probability (LOLP). In this paper an improvement for obtaining LOLP curves based on the neural network called Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) is presented. A unique MLP for many locations of Spain has been trained and after the training, the MLP is able to generate LOLP curves for any value and location. (Author)

Fuzzy logic control of stand-alone photovoltaic system with battery storage

Science.gov (United States)

Lalouni, S.; Rekioua, D.; Rekioua, T.; Matagne, E.

Photovoltaic energy has nowadays an increased importance in electrical power applications, since it is considered as an essentially inexhaustible and broadly available energy resource. However, the output power provided via the photovoltaic conversion process depends on solar irradiation and temperature. Therefore, to maximize the efficiency of the photovoltaic energy system, it is necessary to track the maximum power point of the PV array. The present paper proposes a maximum power point tracker (MPPT) method, based on fuzzy logic controller (FLC), applied to a stand-alone photovoltaic system. It uses a sampling measure of the PV array power and voltage then determines an optimal increment required to have the optimal operating voltage which permits maximum power tracking. This method carries high accuracy around the optimum point when compared to the conventional one. The stand-alone photovoltaic system used in this paper includes two bi-directional DC/DC converters and a lead-acid battery bank to overcome the scare periods. One converter works as an MPP tracker, while the other regulates the batteries state of charge and compensates the power deficit to provide a continuous delivery of energy to the load. The Obtained simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed fuzzy logic controller.

Future UK markets for stand-alone renewable energy systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paish, O.

1999-01-01

A study to identify and quantify the market for stand-alone renewable energy supplies of power (photovoltaics, wind and micro-hydro electricity systems) was described. The study focused on small systems, generally less than a few kW installed capacity. It was suggested that in the UK, the emphasis on grid-connected renewable energy technologies (RETs) has blurred the fact that it is 'off-grid' renewable systems that can offer more immediate real commercial markets for the renewables business. With the likelihood of a significant increase in demand for renewables world wide over the next ten years, the UK needs to make a special effort to become involved

New control strategy of stand-alone brushless doubly-fed induction generator for supplying unbalanced loads in ship shaft power generation system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Yi; Xu, Wei; Xiong, Fei

2017-01-01

The ship shaft power generation system based on a stand-alone brushless doubly-fed induction generator (BDFIG) have demonstrated excellent saving-energy performance. This paper presents a new control scheme of the stand-alone BDFIG for supplying unbalanced loads in the ship shaft power generation...

A New Vector Control of Brushless Doubly-Fed Inductor Generator With Transient Current Compensation for Stand-Alone Power Generation Applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Yi; Xu, Wei; Yu, Kailiang

2018-01-01

The stand-alone brushless doubly-fed induction generator (BDFIG) with the conventional control strategies suffers heavily from poor dynamic performance especially under heavy load disturbance. This paper presents a new vector control strategy of BDFIG for stand-alone power generation applications...... control strategies, and the results verify the satisfactory dynamic performance of the proposed strategy....

Maintenance of Segmental Lordosis and Disk Height in Stand-alone and Instrumented Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion (XLIF).

Science.gov (United States)

Malham, Gregory M; Ellis, Ngaire J; Parker, Rhiannon M; Blecher, Carl M; White, Rohan; Goss, Ben; Seex, Kevin A

2017-03-01

A prospective single-surgeon nonrandomized clinical study. To evaluate the radiographic and clinical outcomes, by fixation type, in extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF) patients and provide an algorithm for determining patients suitable for stand-alone XLIF. XLIF may be supplemented with pedicle screw fixation, however, since stabilizing structures remain intact, it is suggested that stand-alone XLIF can be used for certain indications. This eliminates the associated morbidity, though subsidence rates may be elevated, potentially minimizing the clinical benefits. A fixation algorithm was developed after evaluation of patient outcomes from the surgeon's first 30 cases. This algorithm was used prospectively for 40 subsequent patients to determine the requirement for supplemental fixation. Preoperative, postoperative, and 12-month follow-up computed tomography scans were measured for segmental and global lumbar lordosis and posterior disk height. Clinical outcome measures included back and leg pain (visual analogue scale), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and SF-36 physical and mental component scores (PCS and MCS). Preoperatively to 12-month follow-up there were increases in segmental lordosis (7.9-9.4 degrees, P=0.0497), lumbar lordosis (48.8-55.2 degrees, P=0.0328), and disk height (3.7-5.5 mm, P=0.0018); there were also improvements in back (58.6%) and leg pain (60.0%), ODI (44.4%), PCS (56.7%), and MCS (16.1%) for stand-alone XLIF. For instrumented XLIF, segmental lordosis (7.6-10.5 degrees, P=0.0120) and disk height (3.5-5.6 mm, Plordosis decreased (51.1-45.8 degrees, P=0.2560). Back (49.8%) and leg pain (30.8%), ODI (32.3%), PCS (37.4%), and MCS (2.0%) were all improved. Subsidence occurred in 3 (7.5%) stand-alone patients. The XLIF treatment fixation algorithm provided a clinical pathway to select suitable patients for stand-alone XLIF. These patients achieved positive clinical outcomes, satisfactory fusion rates, with sustained correction of lordosis and

Developing a mobile stand alone photovoltaic generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soler-Bientz, R.; Ricalde-Cab, L.O.; Solis-Rodriguez, L.E.

2006-01-01

This paper describes a recent work developed to create a mobile stand alone photovoltaic generator that can be easily relocated in remote areas to evaluate the feasibility of photovoltaic energy applications. A set of sensors were installed to monitor the electric current and voltage of the energy generated, the energy stored and the energy used by the loads that may be connected to the system. Other parameters like solar radiations (both on the horizontal and on the photovoltaic generation planes) and temperatures (of both the environment and the photovoltaic module) were monitored. This was done while considering the important role of temperature in the photovoltaic module performance. Finally, a measurement and communication hardware was installed to interface the system developed with a conventional computer. In this way, the performance of the overall system in real rural conditions could be evaluated efficiently. Visual software that reads, visualizes and saves the data generated by the system was also developed by means of the LabVIEW programming environment

A Novel Method for Fast Configuration of Energy Storage Capacity in Stand-Alone and Grid-Connected Wind Energy Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haixiang Zang

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a novel method is proposed and applied to quickly calculate the capacity of energy storage for stand-alone and grid-connected wind energy systems, according to the discrete Fourier transform theory. Based on practical wind resource data and power data, which are derived from the American Wind Energy Technology Center and HOMER software separately, the energy storage capacity of a stand-alone wind energy system is investigated and calculated. Moreover, by applying the practical wind power data from a wind farm in Fujian Province, the energy storage capacity for a grid-connected wind system is discussed in this paper. This method can also be applied to determine the storage capacity of a stand-alone solar energy system with practical photovoltaic power data.

Use of Super-Capacitor to Enhance Charging Performance of Stand-Alone Solar PV System

KAUST Repository

Huang, B. J.; Hsu, P. C.; Ho, P. Y

2011-01-01

Introduction: The battery charging performance in a stand-alone solar PV system affects the PV system efficiency and the load operating time. The New Energy Center of National Taiwan University has been devoted to the development of a PWM charging

Sizing, techno-economic and generation management analysis of a stand alone photovoltaic power unit including storage devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jallouli, Rihab; Krichen, Lotfi

2012-01-01

Due to the mismatch between the load demand and the intermittent solar energy, a stand-alone photovoltaic-hydrogen system and an optimal control scheme are designed to maintain the high system efficiency. Based on meteorological and the load demand data, a system sizing technique is proposed to establish the minimum capacity of the system components, which are a photovoltaic (PV) panel, a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), a battery bank and an alkaline electrolyzer (Elz). An accurate energy management scheme that is utilized during power transfer is proposed to meet the economic requirements. Case studies are used to verify the efficiency of the energy management strategy and system sizing technique. Simulation results illustrate a simple solution to the design and processing of stand-alone PV-hydrogen (PV-H 2 ) systems. -- Highlights: ► We study a stand alone PV-hydrogen system comprising renewable devices. ► A PV generator, a battery bank, a fuel cell and an electrolyzer are modeled. ► Power management taking into account the economic arrangement and the operating conditions to ensure energy availability is proposed.

Simulation of stand alone PV systems; Dokuritsugata taiyoko hatsuden system no simulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsuda, I.; Sakuta, K. [Electrotechnical Laboratory, Tsukuba (Japan); Oshiro, T. [Japan Quality Assurance Organization, Tokyo (Japan); Kurokawa, K. [Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo (Japan)

1997-11-25

Studies are performed to develop a simulation program for a stand-alone photovoltaic power generation system equipped with a lead acid battery. In this stand-alone photovoltaic power generation system, the load is connected in shunt with the solar cell array output through the intermediary of a lead acid battery and inverter. The program is a model in which the solar cell model is built taking parallel resistance into account, and the temperature-dependence of the constants is described using approximations experimentally obtained by Solar Techno Center of JQA (Japan Quality Assurance Organization), Hamamatsu. Insolation data for the model is described using METPV compiled by Japan Weather Association, and load data is described using data actually measured at Shizuoka. This program is compared with the data of operation at Hamamatsu, and the result is almost satisfactory. Simulations are conducted at five typical locations in Japan using this program, and it is found that the array load matching correction factor is dependent on seasonal changes rather than locality, that the battery contribution rate does not change much throughout the year, and that it is not dependent on locality. 5 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs.

Coordination Control Strategy for AC/DC Hybrid Microgrids in Stand-Alone Mode

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dwi Riana Aryani

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Interest in DC microgrids is rapidly increasing along with the improvement of DC power technology because of its advantages. To support the integration process of DC microgrids with the existing AC utility grids, the form of hybrid AC/DC microgrids is considered for higher power conversion efficiency, lower component cost and better power quality. In the system, AC and DC portions are connected through interlink bidirectional AC/DC converters (IC with a proper control system and power management. In the stand-alone operation mode of AC/DC hybrid microgrids, the control of power injection through the IC is crucial in order to maintain the system security. This paper mainly deals with a coordination control strategy of IC and a battery energy storage system (BESS converter under stand-alone operation. A coordinated control strategy for the IC, which considers the state of charge (SOC level of BESS and the load shedding scheme as the last resort, is proposed to obtain better power sharing between AC and DC subgrids. The scheme will be tested with a hybrid AC/DC microgrid, using the tool of the PSCAD/EMTDC software.

Control strategy of wind turbine based on permanent magnet synchronous generator and energy storage for stand-alone systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Deng, Fujin; Liu, Dong; Chen, Zhe

2017-01-01

This paper investigates a variable speed wind turbine based on permanent magnet synchronous generator and a full-scale power converter in a stand-alone system. An energy storage system(ESS) including battery and fuel cell-electrolyzer combination is connected to the DC link of the full-scale power...... converter through the power electronics interface. Wind is the primary power source of the system, the battery and FC-electrolyzer combination is used as a backup and a long-term storage system to provide or absorb power in the stand-alone system, respectively. In this paper, a control strategy is proposed...... for the operation of this variable speed wind turbine in a stand-alone system, where the generator-side converter and the ESS operate together to meet the demand of the loads. This control strategy is competent for supporting the variation of the loads or wind speed and limiting the DC-link voltage of the full...

Loss-of-load probabilities for stand-alone photovoltaic systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, S.A.; Beckman, W.A.

1989-01-01

A general method is presented for estimating the loss-of-load probability of stand-alone photovoltaic systems. The method was developed by correlating simulation results. The simulations were driven with synthetic radiation sequences having the same statistical significance as available historical data. The methods assumes a constant nighttime load and accounts for the distribution and persistence in daily solar radiation data. It is shown that the 10 year average performance of systems having loss-of-load probabilities less than about 0.01 can vary greatly from one ten year period to the next and thereby cannot be considered realistic performance estimates of a system during its lifetime. (author). 26 refs, 15 figs, 4 tabs

Robust Power Management Control for Stand-Alone Hybrid Power Generation System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamal, Elkhatib; Adouane, Lounis; Aitouche, Abdel; Mohammed, Walaa

2017-01-01

This paper presents a new robust fuzzy control of energy management strategy for the stand-alone hybrid power systems. It consists of two levels named centralized fuzzy supervisory control which generates the power references for each decentralized robust fuzzy control. Hybrid power systems comprises: a photovoltaic panel and wind turbine as renewable sources, a micro turbine generator and a battery storage system. The proposed control strategy is able to satisfy the load requirements based on a fuzzy supervisor controller and manage power flows between the different energy sources and the storage unit by respecting the state of charge and the variation of wind speed and irradiance. Centralized controller is designed based on If-Then fuzzy rules to manage and optimize the hybrid power system production by generating the reference power for photovoltaic panel and wind turbine. Decentralized controller is based on the Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model and permits us to stabilize each photovoltaic panel and wind turbine in presence of disturbances and parametric uncertainties and to optimize the tracking reference which is given by the centralized controller level. The sufficient conditions stability are formulated in the format of linear matrix inequalities using the Lyapunov stability theory. The effectiveness of the proposed Strategy is finally demonstrated through a SAHPS (stand-alone hybrid power systems) to illustrate the effectiveness of the overall proposed method. (paper)

International market assessment of stand-alone photovoltaic power systems for cottage industry applications

Science.gov (United States)

Philippi, T. M.

1981-01-01

The final result of an international assessment of the market for stand-alone photovoltaic systems in cottage industry applications is reported. Nonindustrialized countries without centrally planned economies were considered. Cottage industries were defined as small rural manufacturers, employing less than 50 people, producing consumer and simple products. The data to support this analysis were obtained from secondary and expert sources in the U.S. and in-country field investigations of the Philippines and Mexico. The near-term market for photovoltaics for rural cottage industry applications appears to be limited to demonstration projects and pilot programs, based on an in-depth study of the nature of cottage industry, its role in the rural economy, the electric energy requirements of cottage industry, and a financial analysis of stand-alone photovoltaic systems as compared to their most viable competitor, diesel driven generators. Photovoltaics are shown to be a better long-term option only for very low power requirements. Some of these uses would include clay mixers, grinders, centrifuges, lathes, power saws and lighting of a workshop.

International market assessment of stand-alone photovoltaic power systems for cottage industry applications

Science.gov (United States)

Philippi, T. M.

1981-11-01

The final result of an international assessment of the market for stand-alone photovoltaic systems in cottage industry applications is reported. Nonindustrialized countries without centrally planned economies were considered. Cottage industries were defined as small rural manufacturers, employing less than 50 people, producing consumer and simple products. The data to support this analysis were obtained from secondary and expert sources in the U.S. and in-country field investigations of the Philippines and Mexico. The near-term market for photovoltaics for rural cottage industry applications appears to be limited to demonstration projects and pilot programs, based on an in-depth study of the nature of cottage industry, its role in the rural economy, the electric energy requirements of cottage industry, and a financial analysis of stand-alone photovoltaic systems as compared to their most viable competitor, diesel driven generators. Photovoltaics are shown to be a better long-term option only for very low power requirements. Some of these uses would include clay mixers, grinders, centrifuges, lathes, power saws and lighting of a workshop.

Methodology for the design of a stand-alone photovoltaic power supply

OpenAIRE

López Seguel, Julio; Seleme Junior, Seleme Isaac; Donoso-Garcia, Pedro F; Ferreira Morais, Lenin Martins; Cabaleiro Cortizo, Porfirio; Severo Mendes, Marcos A

2013-01-01

This paper presents a complete methodology for the design of an autonomous photovoltaic system to maximize the use of solar energy. It is a method that prioritizes the best cost-effective choice at every step of the project. In order to ensure the proper use and extended battery life time, a control strategy for charging the batteries is proposed. Experimental results are provided for a stand-alone photovoltaic system with low electrical power, intended primarily for the illumination and basi...

MOSFET Loss Evaluation for a Low-Power Stand-Alone Photovoltaic-LED System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mira Albert, Maria del Carmen; Knott, Arnold; Andersen, Michael A. E.

2015-01-01

This paper presents a performance evaluation and comparison of state-of-the-art low voltage Si MOSFETs for a stand-alone photovoltaic-LED Light to Light (LtL) system. The complete system is formed by two cascaded converters that will be optimized for a determined solar irradiation and LED...... illumination profiles. The comparison is performed based on dynamic characterization and evaluation of the devices energy loss at different current levels....

Assessment of Stand-Alone Displays for Time Management in a Creativity-Driven Learning Environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frimodt-Møller, Søren

2017-01-01

This paper considers the pros and cons of stand-alone displays, analog (e.g. billboards, blackboards, whiteboards, large pieces of paper etc.) as well as digital (e.g. large shared screens, digital whiteboards or similar), as tools for time management processes in a creativity-driven learning...

Predicted stand volume for Eucalyptus plantations by spatial analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Latifah, Siti; Teodoro, RV; Myrna, GC; Nathaniel, CB; Leonardo, M. F.

2018-03-01

The main objective of the present study was to assess nonlinear models generated by integrating the stand volume growth rate to estimate the growth and yield of Eucalyptus. The primary data was done for point of interest (POI) of permanent sample plots (PSPs) and inventory sample plots, in Aek Nauli sector, Simalungun regency,North Sumatera Province,Indonesia. from December 2008- March 2009. Today,the demand for forestry information has continued to grow over recent years. Because many forest managers and decision makers face complex decisions, reliable information has become the necessity. In the assessment of natural resources including plantation forests have been widely used geospatial technology.The yield of Eucalyptus plantations represented by merchantable volume as dependent variable while factors affecting yield namely stands variables and the geographic variables as independent variables. The majority of the areas in the study site has stand volume class 0 - 50 m3/ha with 16.59 ha or 65.85 % of the total study site.

Methanol production via pressurized entrained flow biomass gasification – Techno-economic comparison of integrated vs. stand-alone production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, Jim; Lundgren, Joakim; Marklund, Magnus

2014-01-01

The main objective with this work was to investigate techno-economically the opportunity for integrated gasification-based biomass-to-methanol production in an existing chemical pulp and paper mill. Three different system configurations using the pressurized entrained flow biomass gasification (PEBG) technology were studied, one stand-alone plant, one where the bark boiler in the mill was replaced by a PEBG unit and one with a co-integration of a black liquor gasifier operated in parallel with a PEBG unit. The cases were analysed in terms of overall energy efficiency (calculated as electricity-equivalents) and process economics. The economics was assessed under the current as well as possible future energy market conditions. An economic policy support was found to be necessary to make the methanol production competitive under all market scenarios. In a future energy market, integrating a PEBG unit to replace the bark boiler was the most beneficial case from an economic point of view. In this case the methanol production cost was reduced in the range of 11–18 Euro per MWh compared to the stand-alone case. The overall plant efficiency increased approximately 7%-units compared to the original operation of the mill and the non-integrated stand-alone case. In the case with co-integration of the two parallel gasifiers, an equal increase of the system efficiency was achieved, but the economic benefit was not as apparent. Under similar conditions as the current market and when methanol was sold to replace fossil gasoline, co-integration of the two parallel gasifiers was the best alternative based on received IRR. - Highlights: • Techno-economic results regarding integration of methanol synthesis processes in a pulp and paper mill are presented. • The overall energy efficiency increases in integrated methanol production systems compared to stand-alone production units. • The economics of the integrated system improves compared to stand-alone alternatives. • Tax

Stand-alone flat-plate photovoltaic power systems: System sizing and life-cycle costing methodology for Federal agencies

Science.gov (United States)

Borden, C. S.; Volkmer, K.; Cochrane, E. H.; Lawson, A. C.

1984-01-01

A simple methodology to estimate photovoltaic system size and life-cycle costs in stand-alone applications is presented. It is designed to assist engineers at Government agencies in determining the feasibility of using small stand-alone photovoltaic systems to supply ac or dc power to the load. Photovoltaic system design considerations are presented as well as the equations for sizing the flat-plate array and the battery storage to meet the required load. Cost effectiveness of a candidate photovoltaic system is based on comparison with the life-cycle cost of alternative systems. Examples of alternative systems addressed are batteries, diesel generators, the utility grid, and other renewable energy systems.

Linguistic and Structural Analyses of Stand-Alone Literature Reviews: Seventy-Five Years of Change

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Heidi Rachel

2016-01-01

The purpose of this dissertation is to offer a multifaceted overview of stand-alone literature reviews. These texts, literature reviews published unattached to research articles, have existed for centuries but remained largely unstudied by linguists. Thus, the goal of this project is to present these reviews' situational, grammatical, and…

Efficiency of hydrogen gas production in a stand-alone solar hydrogen system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, K.; Tamakloe, R.Y.

2003-01-01

Many photovoltaic systems operate in a decentralised electricity producing system, or stand-alone mode and the total energy demand is met by the output of the photovoltaic array. The output of the photovoltaic system fluctuates and is unpredictable for many applications making some forms of energy storage system necessary. The role of storage medium is to store the excess energy produced by the photovoltaic arry, to absorb momentary power peaks and to supply energy during sunless periods. One of the storage modes is the use of electrochemical techniques, with batteries and water electrolysis as the most important examples. The present study includes three main parts: the first one is the hydrogen production form the electrolysis of water depending on the DC output current of the photovoltaic (PV) energy source and the charging of the battery. The second part presents the influence of various parameters on the efficiency of hydrogen gas production. The final part includes simulation studies with focus on solar hydrogen efficiency under the influence of various physical and chemical parameters. For a 50W panel-battery-electrolyser system, the dependence of volume of hydrogen gas on voltage, current and power yielded a maximum efficiency of 13.6% (author)

A sizing method for stand-alone PV installations with variable demand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Posadillo, R. [Grupo de Investigacion en Energias y Recursos Renovables, Dpto. de Fisica Aplicada, E.P.S., Universidad de Cordoba, Avda. Menendez Pidal s/n, 14004 Cordoba (Spain); Lopez Luque, R. [Grupo de Investigacion de Fisica Para las Energias y Recursos Renovables, Dpto. de Fisica Aplicada, Edificio C2 Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Cordoba (Spain)

2008-05-15

The practical applicability of the considerations made in a previous paper to characterize energy balances in stand-alone photovoltaic systems (SAPV) is presented. Given that energy balances were characterized based on monthly estimations, the method is appropriate for sizing installations with variable monthly demands and variable monthly panel tilt (for seasonal estimations). The method presented is original in that it is the only method proposed for this type of demand. The method is based on the rational utilization of daily solar radiation distribution functions. When exact mathematical expressions are not available, approximate empirical expressions can be used. The more precise the statistical characterization of the solar radiation on the receiver module, the more precise the sizing method given that the characterization will solely depend on the distribution function of the daily global irradiation on the tilted surface H{sub g{beta}}{sub i}. This method, like previous ones, uses the concept of loss of load probability (LLP) as a parameter to characterize system design and includes information on the standard deviation of this parameter ({sigma}{sub LLP}) as well as two new parameters: annual number of system failures (f) and the standard deviation of annual number of system failures ({sigma}{sub f}). This paper therefore provides an analytical method for evaluating and sizing stand-alone PV systems with variable monthly demand and panel inclination. The sizing method has also been applied in a practical manner. (author)

Design and Operation Studies of A Stand-Alone PV Generation System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Yanting; Chen, Zhe; Zhang, Donglai

2013-01-01

This paper discusses the modeling, design and operation of a PV powered stand-alone system, which includes a PV array, a battery bank, power electronic converters and the associated control system. The design considerations are analyzed and a design platform is presented. Furthermore the operation...... modes of the system are described. A power electronic system with the associated control scheme has been proposed and simulation models have been developed. Simulation studies have been conducted on an example system; the results have demonstrated the effectiveness of the presented methods....

Analyzing grid extension and stand-alone photovoltaic systems for the cost-effective electrification of Kenya

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zeyringer, Marianne; Pachauri, Shonali; Schmid, Erwin; Schmidt, Johannes; Worrell, Ernst|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/106856715; Morawetz, Ulrich B.

2015-01-01

The declaration of 2014-2024 as the Decade of Sustainable Energy for All has catalyzed actions towards achieving universal electricity access. The high costs of building electric infrastructure are a major impediment to improved access, making stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) systems an attractive

Design of a Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Model for Home Lightings and Clean Environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ani, Vincent Anayochukwu, E-mail: vincent_ani@yahoo.com [Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Nigeria)

2016-01-11

This paper gives a well-documented health risk of fuel-based lighting (kerosene lamps and fuel-powered generators) and proposed a design of a stand-alone solar PV system for sustainable home lightings in rural Nigerian area. The design was done in three different patterns of electricity consumptions with energy efficient lightings (EELs) using two different battery types (Rolls Surrette 6CS25PS and Hoppecke 10 OpzS 1000) on; (i) judicious power consumption, (ii) normal power consumption, and (iii) excess power consumption; and compared them with the incandescent light bulb consumption. The stand-alone photovoltaic energy systems were designed to match the rural Nigerian sunlight and weather conditions to meet the required lightings of the household. The objective function and constraints for the design models were formulated and optimization procedures were used to demonstrate the best solution (reliability at the lowest lifecycle cost). Initial capital costs as well as annualized costs over 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years were quantified and documented. The design identified the most cost-effective and reliable solar and battery array among the patterns of electricity consumption with EEL options (judicious power consumption, normal power consumption, and excess power consumption).

Design of a Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Model for Home Lightings and Clean Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ani, Vincent Anayochukwu

2016-01-01

This paper gives a well-documented health risk of fuel-based lighting (kerosene lamps and fuel-powered generators) and proposed a design of a stand-alone solar PV system for sustainable home lightings in rural Nigerian area. The design was done in three different patterns of electricity consumptions with energy efficient lightings (EELs) using two different battery types (Rolls Surrette 6CS25PS and Hoppecke 10 OpzS 1000) on; (i) judicious power consumption, (ii) normal power consumption, and (iii) excess power consumption; and compared them with the incandescent light bulb consumption. The stand-alone photovoltaic energy systems were designed to match the rural Nigerian sunlight and weather conditions to meet the required lightings of the household. The objective function and constraints for the design models were formulated and optimization procedures were used to demonstrate the best solution (reliability at the lowest lifecycle cost). Initial capital costs as well as annualized costs over 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years were quantified and documented. The design identified the most cost-effective and reliable solar and battery array among the patterns of electricity consumption with EEL options (judicious power consumption, normal power consumption, and excess power consumption).

Modeling, design and analysis of a stand-alone hybrid power generation system using solar/urine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Wei; Zhou, Ya-Yan; Lin, Mu-Hsuan; Hwang, Jenn-Jiang

2013-01-01

Highlights: • The stand-alone hybrid power system is presented. • The urine-to-hydrogen processor is proposed. • Scenario analysis of the hybrid power dispatching and the urine/solar demands is investigated. • The design, modeling and optimization of the hybrid power system is addressed by Aspen Plus and Matlab. - Abstract: The urine turned to hydrogen as an energy conversion process is integrated into a stand-alone hybrid (PV/FC/battery) power generation system. The optimization and simulation of a new urine-to-hydrogen processor is evaluated in Aspen Plus environment. In our approach, the PV generator aims to reduce urine consumption and the lithium-ion battery can compensate the power gap due to the fuel processing delay. Based on prescribed patterns of solar irradiation and the daily load demand of a 30-persons classroom, scenario analyses of the hybrid power dispatching and operational feasibility is addressed

prfectBLAST: a platform-independent portable front end for the command terminal BLAST+ stand-alone suite.

Science.gov (United States)

Santiago-Sotelo, Perfecto; Ramirez-Prado, Jorge Humberto

2012-11-01

prfectBLAST is a multiplatform graphical user interface (GUI) for the stand-alone BLAST+ suite of applications. It allows researchers to do nucleotide or amino acid sequence similarity searches against public (or user-customized) databases that are locally stored. It does not require any dependencies or installation and can be used from a portable flash drive. prfectBLAST is implemented in Java version 6 (SUN) and runs on all platforms that support Java and for which National Center for Biotechnology Information has made available stand-alone BLAST executables, including MS Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. It is free and open source software, made available under the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPLv3) and can be downloaded at www.cicy.mx/sitios/jramirez or http://code.google.com/p/prfectblast/.

Optimization of the photovoltaic-hydrogen supply system of a stand-alone remote-telecom application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomez, Guillermo; Martinez, Graciano; Galvez, Jose L.; Cuevas, Raquel; Maellas, Jesus [National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Renewable Energy Department, Ctra. Ajalvir km 4, E-28850 Torrejon de Ardoz, Madrid (Spain); Gila, Raul; Bueno, Emilio [Polytechnical School - Alcala de Henares University, Electronics Department, Campus Universitario, Ctra. De Madrid-Barcelona Km 33.600, Alcala de Henares, Madrid (Spain)

2009-07-15

Hydrogen is considered as the optimal carrier for the surplus energy storage from renewable resources. Although hydrogen and its application in fuel cell is considered as a high-cost energy system, some cost-efficient solutions have been found for their use in stand-alone applications, which usually depend on the variability of renewable sources that have to be oversized in order to reduce their dependence on external energy sources. This paper shows the results from the simulation of several alternatives of introducing hydrogen technologies to increase the independence of a remote-telecom application fed by photovoltaic panels. Hydrogen is obtained by electrolysis and it is used in a fuel cell when the renewable energy source is not enough to maintain the stand-alone application. TRNSYS simulation environment has been used for evaluating the proposed alternatives. The results show that the best configuration option is that considering the use of hydrogen as a way to storage the surplus of radiation and the management system can vary the number of photovoltaic panels assigned to feed the hydrogen generation, the batteries or the telecom application. (author)

Optimal expansion planning of stand-alone systems with stochastic simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoese, Alejandro [Instituto de Energia Electrica (IEE), Universidad Nacional de San Juan, (Argentina)

1997-12-31

Stand-alone systems in the range of 1 kW - 10 MW are taking relevance in the new (global) liberal concept of energy market. State and private investors are becoming increasingly attention on the use of renewable for these systems, but it must be shown that these non-conventional solutions are competitive with the established conventional ones. The high investment costs and the technical and economic uncertainties coupled with the use of time-dependent energy sources are the mainly inhibiting factors for the decision agents to choose these systems instead of conventional ones. In the paper a new model for optimal expansion planning of hybrid stand-alone generating systems under consideration of uncertainties is presented. This model is at present in {sup d}evelopment state{sup .} Results already obtained in the first steps of this research are promising and some of them are here presented. [Espanol] Los sistemas autocontenidos en el rango de 1 Kw a 10 MW estan tomando importancia en el nuevo (global) concepto liberal del mercado de la energia. Inversionistas privados y del Estado estan poniendo mayor atencion en el uso de energias renovables para estos sistemas, pero debe mostrarse que estas soluciones no-convencionales son competitivas con las convencionales establecidas. Los altos costos de inversion y las incertidumbres tecnicas y economicas aunadamente con el uso de fuentes de energia dependientes del tiempo son los principales factores inhibidores de los factores de decision para escoger estos sistemas en lugar de los convencionales. En este articulo se presenta un nuevo modelo de planeacion de expansion optima de sistemas hibridos autocontenidos de generacion electrica bajo la consideracion de incertidumbres. Este modelo esta actualmente en {sup e}stado de desarrollo{sup .} Los resultados ya obtenidos en las primeras etapas de esta investigacion son prometedores y se presentan algunos de ellos.

Optimal expansion planning of stand-alone systems with stochastic simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoese, Alejandro [Instituto de Energia Electrica (IEE), Universidad Nacional de San Juan, (Argentina)

1998-12-31

Stand-alone systems in the range of 1 kW - 10 MW are taking relevance in the new (global) liberal concept of energy market. State and private investors are becoming increasingly attention on the use of renewable for these systems, but it must be shown that these non-conventional solutions are competitive with the established conventional ones. The high investment costs and the technical and economic uncertainties coupled with the use of time-dependent energy sources are the mainly inhibiting factors for the decision agents to choose these systems instead of conventional ones. In the paper a new model for optimal expansion planning of hybrid stand-alone generating systems under consideration of uncertainties is presented. This model is at present in {sup d}evelopment state{sup .} Results already obtained in the first steps of this research are promising and some of them are here presented. [Espanol] Los sistemas autocontenidos en el rango de 1 Kw a 10 MW estan tomando importancia en el nuevo (global) concepto liberal del mercado de la energia. Inversionistas privados y del Estado estan poniendo mayor atencion en el uso de energias renovables para estos sistemas, pero debe mostrarse que estas soluciones no-convencionales son competitivas con las convencionales establecidas. Los altos costos de inversion y las incertidumbres tecnicas y economicas aunadamente con el uso de fuentes de energia dependientes del tiempo son los principales factores inhibidores de los factores de decision para escoger estos sistemas en lugar de los convencionales. En este articulo se presenta un nuevo modelo de planeacion de expansion optima de sistemas hibridos autocontenidos de generacion electrica bajo la consideracion de incertidumbres. Este modelo esta actualmente en {sup e}stado de desarrollo{sup .} Los resultados ya obtenidos en las primeras etapas de esta investigacion son prometedores y se presentan algunos de ellos.

Size optimization of stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) room air conditioners

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Chien-Wei; Zahedi, A.

2006-01-01

Sizing of a stand-alone PV system determines the main cost of the system. PV electricity cost is determined by the amount of solar energy received, hence the actual climate and weather conditions such as solar irradiance and ambient temperature affect the size required and cost of the system. Air conditioning demand also depends on the weather conditions. Therefore, sizing a PV powered air conditioner must consider the characteristics of local climate and temperature. In this paper, sizing procedures and special considerations for air conditioning under Melbourne's climatic conditions is presented. The reliability of various PV-battery size combinations is simulated by MATLAB. As a result, excellent system performance can be predicated.(Author)

Enhancement of a stand-alone photovoltaic system's performance: Reduction of soft and hard shading

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lamont, Lisa A.; El Chaar, Lana [Petroleum Institute, Electrical Engineering Department, P.O. Box 2533, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)

2011-04-15

A stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) system is the most promising solution to supply electric power to meet energy demand in isolated locations. This technology can offer an interesting alternative to other currently existing sources of energy. Due to space constraint in the remote offshore oil and gas industry, a stand-alone system is used for cathodic protection, telemetry and valve control. However in such an environment, dust accumulation and bird droppings have been critical issues to the operation of off-grid solar devices. These factors do not only reduce the available power of the modules but also makes the cost of solar devices ineffective since cleaning, especially on well-head towers, is very expensive due to the location. Hence this paper presents two technical solutions that have shown promising results in reducing the impact of these factors. (author)

Design of Stand-Alone Hybrid Power Generation System at Brumbun Beach Tulungagung East Java

Science.gov (United States)

Rahmat, A. N.; Hidayat, M. N.; Ronilaya, F.; Setiawan, A.

2018-04-01

Indonesian government insists to optimize the use of renewable energy resources in electricity generation. One of the efforts is launching Independent Energy Village plan. This program aims to fulfill the need of electricity for isolated or remote villages in Indonesia. In order to support the penetration of renewable energy resources in electricity generation, a hybrid power generation system is developed. The simulation in this research is based on the availability of renewable energy resources in Brumbun beach, Tulungagung, East Java. Initially, the electricity was supplied through stand-alone electricity generations which are installed at each house. Hence, the use of electricity between 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. requires high operational costs. Based on the problem above, this research is conducted to design a stand-alone hybrid electricity generation system, which may consist of diesel, wind, and photovoltaic. The design is done by using HOMER software to optimize the use of electricity from renewable resources and to reduce the operation of diesel generation. The combination of renewable energy resources in electricity generation resulted in NPC of 44.680, COE of 0,268, and CO2 emissions of 0,038 % much lower than the use of diesel generator only.

Feasibility and Optimal Design of a Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Energy System for the Orphanage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincent Anayochukwu Ani

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Access to electricity can have a positive psychological impact through a lessening of the sense of exclusion, and vulnerability often felt by the orphanages. This paper presented the simulation and optimization study of a stand-alone photovoltaic power system that produced the desired power needs of an orphanage. Solar resources for the design of the system were obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA Surface Meteorology and Solar Energy website at a location of 6°51′N latitude and 7°35′E longitude, with annual average solar radiation of 4.92 kWh/m2/d. This study is based on modeling, simulation, and optimization of energy system in the orphanage. The patterns of load consumption within the orphanage were studied and suitably modeled for optimization. Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables (HOMER software was used to analyze and design the proposed stand-alone photovoltaic power system model. The model was designed to provide an optimal system configuration based on an hour-by-hour data for energy availability and demands. A detailed design, description, and expected performance of the system were presented in this paper.

A control strategy for PV stand-alone applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slouma, S; Baccar, H

2015-01-01

This paper proposes a stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) system study in domestic applications. Because of the decrease in power of photovoltaic module as a consequence of changes in solar radiation and temperature which affect the photovoltaic module performance, the design and control of DC-DC buck converter was proposed for providing power to the load from a photovoltaic source.In fact, the control of this converter is carried out with integrated MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) algorithm which ensures a maximum energy generated by the PV arrays. Moreover, the output stage is composed by a battery energy storage system, dc-ac inverter, LCL filter which enables higher efficiency, low distortion ac waveforms and low leakage currents. The control strategy adopted is cascade control composed by two regulation loops.Simulations performed with PSIM software were able to validate the control system.The realization and testing of the photovoltaic system were achieved in the Photovoltaic laboratory of the Centre for Research and Energy Technologies at the Technopark Borj Cedria. Experimental results verify the effeciency of the proposed system

A control strategy for PV stand-alone applications

Science.gov (United States)

Slouma, S.; Baccar, H.

2015-04-01

This paper proposes a stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) system study in domestic applications. Because of the decrease in power of photovoltaic module as a consequence of changes in solar radiation and temperature which affect the photovoltaic module performance, the design and control of DC-DC buck converter was proposed for providing power to the load from a photovoltaic source.In fact, the control of this converter is carried out with integrated MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) algorithm which ensures a maximum energy generated by the PV arrays. Moreover, the output stage is composed by a battery energy storage system, dc-ac inverter, LCL filter which enables higher efficiency, low distortion ac waveforms and low leakage currents. The control strategy adopted is cascade control composed by two regulation loops.Simulations performed with PSIM software were able to validate the control system.The realization and testing of the photovoltaic system were achieved in the Photovoltaic laboratory of the Centre for Research and Energy Technologies at the Technopark Borj Cedria. Experimental results verify the effeciency of the proposed system.

Lossy Data Aggregation with Network Coding in Stand-Alone Wireless Sensor Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Tatiana Kozlova

2011-01-01

in chemical plants, etc. Given resource constrained operation of a sensor network where the nodes are battery powered and buffer sizes are limited, efficient methods for in-network data storage abd it subsequent fast and reliable transmission to a gateway is desirable. To save scarse resources and to prolong......This work focuses on a special type of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) that we refer to as a stand alone network. These netwoks operate in harsh and extreme environments where data collection is done only occasionally. Typical examples include habitat monitoring systems, monitoring systems...

State Feedback Decoupling with In-Loop Lead Compensator in Stand-Alone VSIs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Federico, de Bosio; Pastorelli, Michele; de Sousa Ribeiro, Luiz Antonio

2016-01-01

The performance of current and voltage regulators during transients and steady-state is of primary concern for power converters intended for stand-alone applications. Dynamics performance and command tracking capability are enhanced by actively decoupling the controlled states variables. To further...... widen the current loop bandwidth while still preserving a well-damped system a lead compensator structure on the forward loop is proposed. A 3 kHz bandwidth with 0.707 damping factor is achieved for the inner current controller. Accordingly, also the voltage regulator bandwidth can be widen, thus...

The Stand-alone Heliostat; El Heliostato Autonomo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia Navajas, G.; Egea Gea, A. [Ciemat. Madrid (Spain)

2000-07-01

The first Autonomous Heliostat has been developed by CIEMAT at PSA facilities in Almeria. This heliostat is an innovative approach to reducing the civil engineering work costs in heliostat fields of central tower plants. Channels, cables and other electric elements have been eliminated in the new heliostat. Thus, one 70-m''2, classical T glass/metal heliostat has been adapted to include all the new stand-alone concept components. A PV system is able to drive two sun-tracking DC motors between 5 and 24 Vdc, 0 and 15A. The heliostat communicates with the control room 400-m away by using a radio-modern working at 9600 baud. An anemometer, a wind switcher, light and ambient temperature sensors have been installed on the heliostat for self-protection decision-making. A PV panel integrated into the heliostat reflecting surface, eliminates cabling and other elements required for a conventional power supply. Communication lines between master control and local control have been replaced by radio-modern. Testing has validated the technical feasibility of the prototype and quantified the real consumption and efficiencies of new elements. The extra costs produced by the autonomous concepts are compared with the cost of civil work in conventional heliostat field. (Author) 8 refs.

The Stand-alone Heliostat; El Heliostato Autonomo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia Navajas, G; Egea Gea, A [Ciemat. Madrid (Spain)

2000-07-01

The first Autonomous Heliostat has been developed by CIEMAT at PSA facilities in Almeria. This heliostat is an innovative approach to reducing the civil engineering work costs in heliostat fields of central tower plants. Channels, cables and other electric elements have been eliminated in the new heliostat. Thus, one 70-m''2, classical T glass/metal heliostat has been adapted to include all the new stand-alone concept components. A PV system is able to drive two sun-tracking DC motors between 5 and 24 Vdc, 0 and 15A. The heliostat communicates with the control room 400-m away by using a radio-modern working at 9600 baud. An anemometer, a wind switcher, light and ambient temperature sensors have been installed on the heliostat for self-protection decision-making. A PV panel integrated into the heliostat reflecting surface, eliminates cabling and other elements required for a conventional power supply. Communication lines between master control and local control have been replaced by radio-modern. Testing has validated the technical feasibility of the prototype and quantified the real consumption and efficiencies of new elements. The extra costs produced by the autonomous concepts are compared with the cost of civil work in conventional heliostat field. (Author) 8 refs.

Development of a microprocessor controller for stand-alone photovoltaic power systems

Science.gov (United States)

Millner, A. R.; Kaufman, D. L.

1984-01-01

A controller for stand-alone photovoltaic systems has been developed using a low power CMOS microprocessor. It performs battery state of charge estimation, array control, load management, instrumentation, automatic testing, and communications functions. Array control options are sequential subarray switching and maximum power control. A calculator keypad and LCD display provides manual control, fault diagnosis and digital multimeter functions. An RS-232 port provides data logging or remote control capability. A prototype 5 kW unit has been built and tested successfully. The controller is expected to be useful in village photovoltaic power systems, large solar water pumping installations, and other battery management applications.

User's guide for PRISM (Plant Risk Status Information Management System) Arkansas Nuclear One-Unit 1: Volume 1, Program for inspectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, D.J.; Guthrie, V.H.; Kirchner, J.R.; Kirkman, J.Q.; Paula, H.M.; Ellison, B.C.; Dycus, F.M.; Farquharson, J.A.; Flanagan, G.F.

1988-03-01

This user's guide is a two-volume document designed to teach NRC inspectors and NRC regulators how to access probabilistic risk assessment information from the two Plant Risk Status Information Management System (PRISIM) programs developed for Arkansas Nuclear One -- Unit One (ANO-1). This document, Volume 1, describes how the PRA information available in Version 1.0 of PRISIM is useful for planning inspections. Using PRISIM, inspectors can quickly access PRA information and use that information to update risk analysis results, reflecting a plant's status at any particular time. Both volumes are stand-alone documents, and each volume presents several sample computer sessions designed to lead the user through a variety of PRISIM applications used to obtain PRA-related information for monitoring and controlling plant risk

Estimating Stand Volume and Above-Ground Biomass of Urban Forests Using LiDAR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincenzo Giannico

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Assessing forest stand conditions in urban and peri-urban areas is essential to support ecosystem service planning and management, as most of the ecosystem services provided are a consequence of forest stand characteristics. However, collecting data for assessing forest stand conditions is time consuming and labor intensive. A plausible approach for addressing this issue is to establish a relationship between in situ measurements of stand characteristics and data from airborne laser scanning (LiDAR. In this study we assessed forest stand volume and above-ground biomass (AGB in a broadleaved urban forest, using a combination of LiDAR-derived metrics, which takes the form of a forest allometric model. We tested various methods for extracting proxies of basal area (BA and mean stand height (H from the LiDAR point-cloud distribution and evaluated the performance of different models in estimating forest stand volume and AGB. The best predictors for both models were the scale parameters of the Weibull distribution of all returns (except the first (proxy of BA and the 95th percentile of the distribution of all first returns (proxy of H. The R2 were 0.81 (p < 0.01 for the stand volume model and 0.77 (p < 0.01 for the AGB model with a RMSE of 23.66 m3·ha−1 (23.3% and 19.59 Mg·ha−1 (23.9%, respectively. We found that a combination of two LiDAR-derived variables (i.e., proxy of BA and proxy of H, which take the form of a forest allometric model, can be used to estimate stand volume and above-ground biomass in broadleaved urban forest areas. Our results can be compared to other studies conducted using LiDAR in broadleaved forests with similar methods.

Hydrogen Gas Production in a Stand-Alone Wind Farm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Naziry Kordkandy

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This paper is analyzing the operation of a stand-alone wind farm with variable speed turbines, permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSG and a system for converting wind energy during wind speed variations. On this paper, the design and modeling of a wind system which uses PMSG’s to provide the required power of a hydrogen gas electrolyzer system, is discussed. This wind farm consists of three wind turbines, boost DC-DC converters, diode full bridge rectifiers, permanent magnet synchronous generators, MPPT control and a hydrogen gas electrolyzer system. The MPPT controller based on fuzzy logic is designed to adjust the duty ratio of the boost DC-DC converters to absorb maximum power. The proposed fuzzy logic controller assimilates, with (PSF MPPT algorithm which generally used to absorb maximum power from paralleled wind turbines and stores it in form of hydrogen gas. The system is modeled and its behavior is studied using the MATLAB software.

Stand-alone version of the 11kW Gaia wind turbine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bindner, H.; Rosas, P.A.C.; Teodorescu, R.; Blaabjerg, F.

2004-09-15

This report describes the development of a stand-alone version of the 11kW Gaia wind turbine. Various possible configurations are investigated and a configuration using a back-to-back converter is chosen. A model is developed for controller design of the fast controllers of the unit. Controllers are designed and a prototype is built for testing. The report documents the performance of the prototype through measurements done on the full scale prototype installed in a test facility where it has been tested both as a standalone unit and in parallel with a diesel genset. For system wide power quality assessment and controller design a dynamic performance assessment model has been developed. (au)

A Simple Sizing Algorithm for Stand-Alone PV/Wind/Battery Hybrid Microgrids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Li

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we develop a simple algorithm to determine the required number of generating units of wind-turbine generator and photovoltaic array, and the associated storage capacity for stand-alone hybrid microgrid. The algorithm is based on the observation that the state of charge of battery should be periodically invariant. The optimal sizing of hybrid microgrid is given in the sense that the life cycle cost of system is minimized while the given load power demand can be satisfied without load rejection. We also report a case study to show the efficacy of the developed algorithm.

Design, building and testing of a stand alone fuel cell hybrid system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Segura, F.; Duran, E.; Andujar, J.M. [Department of Electronic, Computer Science and Automatic Engineering, University of Huelva (Spain)

2009-08-01

This paper designs, sizes, builds and tests a stand alone fuel cell hybrid system made up of a fuel cell stack and a battery bank. This system has been sized to supply a typical telecommunication load profile, but moreover, the system can supply other profiles. For this purpose, a modular low cost electronic load bank has been designed and built. This load bank allows the power demand to be chosen by selecting different solid state relays. Moreover, a virtual instrument based on NI Labview {sup registered} has been designed to select the load power demand from the computer. (author)

Stand-Alone Ethics, Social Responsibility, and Sustainability Course Requirements: A Snapshot from Australia and New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Rundle-Thiele, Sharyn R.; Wymer, Walter

2010-01-01

This article analyzes the extent to which Australian and New Zealand marketing educators use dedicated or stand-alone courses to equip students with alternative views of business. A census of marketing programs in degree-granting universities was conducted. Program brochures were obtained via the Internet and were content analyzed. This study…

Modified Chaos Particle Swarm Optimization-Based Optimized Operation Model for Stand-Alone CCHP Microgrid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fei Wang

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The optimized dispatch of different distributed generations (DGs in stand-alone microgrid (MG is of great significance to the operation’s reliability and economy, especially for energy crisis and environmental pollution. Based on controllable load (CL and combined cooling-heating-power (CCHP model of micro-gas turbine (MT, a multi-objective optimization model with relevant constraints to optimize the generation cost, load cut compensation and environmental benefit is proposed in this paper. The MG studied in this paper consists of photovoltaic (PV, wind turbine (WT, fuel cell (FC, diesel engine (DE, MT and energy storage (ES. Four typical scenarios were designed according to different day types (work day or weekend and weather conditions (sunny or rainy in view of the uncertainty of renewable energy in variable situations and load fluctuation. A modified dispatch strategy for CCHP is presented to further improve the operation economy without reducing the consumers’ comfort feeling. Chaotic optimization and elite retention strategy are introduced into basic particle swarm optimization (PSO to propose modified chaos particle swarm optimization (MCPSO whose search capability and convergence speed are improved greatly. Simulation results validate the correctness of the proposed model and the effectiveness of MCPSO algorithm in the optimized operation application of stand-alone MG.

Design of a Stand-Alone Photovoltaic (PV Models for Home Lightings and Clean Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincent Anayochukwu Ani

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper gives a well-documented health risks of fuel-based lighting (kerosene lamps and fuel-powered generators and proposed a design of a stand-alone solar PV system for sustainable home lightings in rural Nigerian area. The design was done in three different patterns of electricity consumptions with energy efficient lightings (EELs using two different battery types (Rolls Surrette 6CS25PS and hoppecke 10 OpzS 1000 on; i judicious power consumption, ii normal power consumption, iii excess power consumption; and compared them with the incandescent light bulb consumption. The stand-alone photovoltaic energy systems were designed to match the rural Nigerian sunlight and weather conditions to meet the required lightings of the household. The objective function and constraints for the design models were formulated and optimization procedure were used to demonstrate the best solution (reliability at the lowest lifecycle cost. Initial capital costs as well as annualized costs over 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years were quantified and documented. The design identified the most cost-effective and reliable solar and battery array among the patterns of electricity consumption with energy efficient lighting options (judicious power consumption, normal power consumption, and excess power consumption.

Hierarchical energy management system for stand-alone hybrid system based on generation costs and cascade control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torreglosa, J.P.; García, P.; Fernández, L.M.; Jurado, F.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We present an energy management system for a stand-alone WT/PV/hydrogen/battery hybrid system. • Hierarchical control composed by master and slave control strategies. • Control assures reliable electricity support for stand-alone applications subject to technical and economic criteria. - Abstract: This paper presents an energy management system (EMS) for stand-alone hybrid systems composed by photovoltaic (PV) solar panels and a wind turbine (WT) as primary energy sources and two energy storage systems, which are a hydrogen system and a battery. The hydrogen system is composed of fuel cell (FC), electrolyzer and hydrogen storage tank. The EMS is a hierarchical control composed by a master control strategy and a slave control strategy. On the one hand, the master control generates the reference powers to meet several premises (such as to satisfy the load power demand, and to maintain the hydrogen tank level and the state of charge (SOC) of the battery between their target margins), taking also into account economic aspects to discriminate between using the battery or hydrogen system. On the other hand, the slave control modifies the reference powers generated by the master control according to the energy sources dynamic limitations, and maintains the DC bus voltage at its reference value. The models, implemented in MATLAB-Simulink environment, have been developed from commercially available components. To check the viability of the proposed EMS, two kinds of simulations were carried out: (1) A long-term simulation of 25 years (expected lifetime of the system) with a sample time of one hour to validate the master control of the EMS; and (2) A short-term simulation with sudden net power variations to validate the slave control of the EMS

SoC-Based Output Voltage Control for BESS with a Lithium-Ion Battery in a Stand-Alone DC Microgrid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seung-Yeong Yu

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a new DC output voltage control for a battery energy storage system (BESS with a lithium-ion battery based on the state of charge (SoC. The proposed control scheme was verified through computer simulations for a typical stand-alone DC microgrid, which consists of a BESS, photovoltaic (PV panel, engine generator (EG, and DC load. A scaled hardware prototype for a stand-alone DC microgrid was set up in the lab, in which the proposed control scheme was loaded in a DSP controller. The experimental results were compared with the simulation results for performance verification. The proposed control scheme provides relatively lower variation of the DC grid voltage than the conventional droop control.

Improved double integral sliding mode MPPT controller based parameter estimation for a stand-alone photovoltaic system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chatrenour, Nasrin; Razmi, Hadi; Doagou-Mojarrad, Hasan

2017-01-01

Highlights: • IDISMC based MPPT algorithm is introduced. • Hurwitz stability theorem is used for switching surface coefficients computation. • GA approach is presented for parameter estimation of the stand-alone PV system. - Abstract: In this paper, an Improved Double Integral Sliding Mode MPPT Controller (IDISMC) for a stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) system is proposed. Performance of a sliding mode controller (SMC) is greatly influenced by the choice of the sliding surface. Switching surface coefficients were selected by the use of Hurwitz stability theorem. The IDISMC not only is robust against parametric and non-parametric uncertainties, but also has a very small steady-state error, thanks to the use of double integral of tracking voltage error in the definition of its sliding surface. For realistic simulation, Genetic Algorithm (GA) method was used to estimate parameters of solar panels model. The validity of the proposed double integral SMC in maximum power point tracking was approved by comparing the simulation results obtained for a sample PV system with the results of other methods.

A Meta-Analytic Review of Stand-Alone Interventions to Improve Body Image.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica M Alleva

Full Text Available Numerous stand-alone interventions to improve body image have been developed. The present review used meta-analysis to estimate the effectiveness of such interventions, and to identify the specific change techniques that lead to improvement in body image.The inclusion criteria were that (a the intervention was stand-alone (i.e., solely focused on improving body image, (b a control group was used, (c participants were randomly assigned to conditions, and (d at least one pretest and one posttest measure of body image was taken. Effect sizes were meta-analysed and moderator analyses were conducted. A taxonomy of 48 change techniques used in interventions targeted at body image was developed; all interventions were coded using this taxonomy.The literature search identified 62 tests of interventions (N = 3,846. Interventions produced a small-to-medium improvement in body image (d+ = 0.38, a small-to-medium reduction in beauty ideal internalisation (d+ = -0.37, and a large reduction in social comparison tendencies (d+ = -0.72. However, the effect size for body image was inflated by bias both within and across studies, and was reliable but of small magnitude once corrections for bias were applied. Effect sizes for the other outcomes were no longer reliable once corrections for bias were applied. Several features of the sample, intervention, and methodology moderated intervention effects. Twelve change techniques were associated with improvements in body image, and three techniques were contra-indicated.The findings show that interventions engender only small improvements in body image, and underline the need for large-scale, high-quality trials in this area. The review identifies effective techniques that could be deployed in future interventions.

Update on capecitabine alone and in combination regimens in colorectal cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Silvestris, N; Maiello, E; De Vita, F; Cinieri, S; Santini, D; Russo, A; Tommasi, S; Azzariti, A; Numico, G; Pisconti, S; Petriella, D; Lorusso, V; Millaku, A; Colucci, G

2010-11-01

Capecitabine is an orally administered fluoropyrimidine carbamate which has been developed as a prodrug of 5-FU with the goal to improve its tolerability and intratumoral drug concentration. The review aims to provide an evidence-based update of clinical trials investigating the clinical efficacy, adverse-event profile, dosage and administration of this drug, alone or in combination with conventional chemotherapeutics and/or new target-oriented drugs, in the management of colorectal cancer patients. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ESTIMATION OF STAND HEIGHT AND FOREST VOLUME USING HIGH RESOLUTION STEREO PHOTOGRAPHY AND FOREST TYPE MAP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. M. Kim

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Traditional field methods for measuring tree heights are often too costly and time consuming. An alternative remote sensing approach is to measure tree heights from digital stereo photographs which is more practical for forest managers and less expensive than LiDAR or synthetic aperture radar. This work proposes an estimation of stand height and forest volume(m3/ha using normalized digital surface model (nDSM from high resolution stereo photography (25cm resolution and forest type map. The study area was located in Mt. Maehwa model forest in Hong Chun-Gun, South Korea. The forest type map has four attributes such as major species, age class, DBH class and crown density class by stand. Overlapping aerial photos were taken in September 2013 and digital surface model (DSM was created by photogrammetric methods(aerial triangulation, digital image matching. Then, digital terrain model (DTM was created by filtering DSM and subtracted DTM from DSM pixel by pixel, resulting in nDSM which represents object heights (buildings, trees, etc.. Two independent variables from nDSM were used to estimate forest stand volume: crown density (% and stand height (m. First, crown density was calculated using canopy segmentation method considering live crown ratio. Next, stand height was produced by averaging individual tree heights in a stand using Esri’s ArcGIS and the USDA Forest Service’s FUSION software. Finally, stand volume was estimated and mapped using aerial photo stand volume equations by species which have two independent variables, crown density and stand height. South Korea has a historical imagery archive which can show forest change in 40 years of successful forest rehabilitation. For a future study, forest volume change map (1970s–present will be produced using this stand volume estimation method and a historical imagery archive.

Updating stand-level forest inventories using airborne laser scanning and Landsat time series data

Science.gov (United States)

Bolton, Douglas K.; White, Joanne C.; Wulder, Michael A.; Coops, Nicholas C.; Hermosilla, Txomin; Yuan, Xiaoping

2018-04-01

Vertical forest structure can be mapped over large areas by combining samples of airborne laser scanning (ALS) data with wall-to-wall spatial data, such as Landsat imagery. Here, we use samples of ALS data and Landsat time-series metrics to produce estimates of top height, basal area, and net stem volume for two timber supply areas near Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, using an imputation approach. Both single-year and time series metrics were calculated from annual, gap-free Landsat reflectance composites representing 1984-2014. Metrics included long-term means of vegetation indices, as well as measures of the variance and slope of the indices through time. Terrain metrics, generated from a 30 m digital elevation model, were also included as predictors. We found that imputation models improved with the inclusion of Landsat time series metrics when compared to single-year Landsat metrics (relative RMSE decreased from 22.8% to 16.5% for top height, from 32.1% to 23.3% for basal area, and from 45.6% to 34.1% for net stem volume). Landsat metrics that characterized 30-years of stand history resulted in more accurate models (for all three structural attributes) than Landsat metrics that characterized only the most recent 10 or 20 years of stand history. To test model transferability, we compared imputed attributes against ALS-based estimates in nearby forest blocks (>150,000 ha) that were not included in model training or testing. Landsat-imputed attributes correlated strongly to ALS-based estimates in these blocks (R2 = 0.62 and relative RMSE = 13.1% for top height, R2 = 0.75 and relative RMSE = 17.8% for basal area, and R2 = 0.67 and relative RMSE = 26.5% for net stem volume), indicating model transferability. These findings suggest that in areas containing spatially-limited ALS data acquisitions, imputation models, and Landsat time series and terrain metrics can be effectively used to produce wall-to-wall estimates of key inventory attributes, providing an

Diagnostic value of the stand-alone synthetic image in digital breast tomosynthesis examinations.

Science.gov (United States)

Garayoa, Julia; Chevalier, Margarita; Castillo, Maria; Mahillo-Fernández, Ignacio; Amallal El Ouahabi, Najim; Estrada, Carmen; Tejerina, Alejandro; Benitez, Olivia; Valverde, Julio

2018-02-01

To demonstrate the non-inferiority of synthetic image (SI) mammography versus full-field digital mammography (FFDM) in breast tomosynthesis (DBT) examinations. An observational, retrospective, single-centre, multireader blinded study was performed, using 2384 images to directly compare SI and FFDM based on Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BIRADS) categorisation and visibility of radiological findings. Readers had no access to digital breast tomosynthesis slices. Multiple reader, multiple case (MRMC) receiver operating characteristic (ROC) methodology was used to compare the diagnostic performance of SI and FFDM images. The kappa statistic was used to estimate the inter-reader and intra-reader reliability. The area under the ROC curves (AUC) reveals the non-inferiority of SI versus FFDM based on BIRADS categorisation [difference between AUC (ΔAUC), -0.014] and lesion visibility (ΔAUC, -0.001) but the differences were not statistically significant (p=0.282 for BIRADS; p=0.961 for lesion visibility). On average, 77.4% of malignant lesions were detected with SI versus 76.5% with FFDM. Sensitivity and specificity of SI are superior to FFDM for malignant lesions scored as BIRADS 5 and breasts categorised as BIRADS 1. SI is not inferior to FFDM when DBT slices are not available during image reading. SI can replace FFDM, reducing the dose by 45%. • Stand-alone SI demonstrated performance not inferior for lesion visibility as compared to FFDM. • Stand-alone SI demonstrated performance not inferior for lesion BIRADS categorisation as compared to FFDM. • Synthetic images provide important dose savings in breast tomosynthesis examinations.

Stand-Alone Photovoltaic System Operation with Energy Management and Fault Tolerant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jmashidpour, Ehsan; Poure, Philippe; Gholipour, E.; Saadate, Shahrokh

2017-01-01

This paper presents a stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) system with a fault tolerant operation capability. An energy management method is provided to keep the balance between produced and consumed energy instantaneously. As the storage element, an Ultra-Capacitor (UC) pack is used for facing high frequency variation of the load/source, and batteries are in charge of slow load /source variations. A Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm is applied to control the boost converter of the PV source to achieve the maximum power. In order to improve the micro-grid service continuity and reliability, a fast fault diagnosis method based on the converter current shape for PV source is applied. Finally, the validity of the proposed energy management and the fault diagnosis method is confirmed by the simulation and experimental results. (author)

Epicardial, Biatrial Ablation With Integrated Uni-bipolar Radiofrequency Technology in Stand-alone Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosati, Fabrizio; Muneretto, Claudio; Merati, Elisa; Polvani, Gianluca; Moltrasio, Massimo; Tondo, Claudio; Curnis, Antonio; Cerini, Manuel; Metras, Alexandre; Bisleri, Gianluigi

Although minimally invasive approaches for surgical treatment of stand-alone atrial fibrillation have gained popularity for the past decade, ablation technology and extensive lesion sets play a major role in the achievement of a successful procedure, especially in presence of persistent and long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation. We evaluated clinical outcomes after totally endoscopic biatrial epicardial ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation with a novel integrated uni-bipolar radiofrequency device. Forty-nine (49) consecutive patients with stand-alone atrial fibrillation underwent right-sided monolateral thoracoscopic surgical ablation with a novel integrated uni-bipolar radiofrequency energy delivery and temperature-controlled technology. Atrial fibrillation was persistent in 13 (26.5%) of 49 and long-standing persistent in 36 (73.5%) of 49 patients. Mean ± SD age was 60.6 ± 10.3 years. Median duration of atrial fibrillation was 74 months. Mean ± SD left atrial diameter was 44.7 ± 4.0 mm. Epicardial en bloc isolation of all pulmonary veins (box lesion) and additional ablation of the right atrial free wall was successfully performed via minimally invasive approach without any intraoperative and postoperative major complications. Intraoperative entrance and exit block was achieved in 77.5% (38/49) and 91.8% (45/49) of patients, respectively. Mean ± SD ablation time was 16.3 ± 4.8 minutes. No intensive care unit stay was required. Postoperative sinus rhythm was achieved in 93.8% (30/32) patients, and no pacemaker implantation was required. At 13 months, 87.7% (43/49) of patients were in sinus rhythm; 71.4% (35/49) were free from antiarrhythmic drugs and 75.5% (37/49) from oral anticoagulation. Integrated uni-bipolar radiofrequency ablation technology showed to be effective for the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation with a total endoscopic approach. A versapolar suction device with extensive right-left atrial lesion set may further improve

Charactrization of a Li-ion battery based stand-alone a-Si photovoltaic system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamid Vishkasougheh, Mehdi; Tunaboylu, Bahadir

2014-01-01

Highlights: • An Li-ion battery based stand-alone a-Si PV was designed. The system composed of three a-Si panels with an efficiency of 7% and 40 cells of LFP batteries. • Effects of solar radiation and environmental temperature for three cities, Istanbul, Ankara, and Adana, have been investigated on a-Si panels. • Using transition formulas BSPV outputs are predictable for any location out of standard test condition. - Abstract: The number of photovoltaic (PV) system installations is increasing rapidly. As more people learn about this versatile and often cost-effective power option, this trend will accelerate. This document presents a recommended design for a battery based stand-alone photovoltaic system (BSPV). BSPV system has the ability to be applied in different areas, including warning signals, lighting, refrigeration, communication, residential water pumping, remote sensing, and cathodic protection. The presented calculation method gives a proper idea for a system sizing technique. Based on application load, different scenarios are possible for designing a BSPV system. In this study, a battery based stand-alone system was designed. The electricity generation part is three a-Si panels, which are connected in parallel, and for the storage part LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery was used. The high power LFP battery packs are 40 cells each 8S5P (configured 8 series 5 parallel). Each individual pack weighs 0.5 kg and is 25.6 V. In order to evaluate the efficiency of a-Si panels with respect to the temperature and the solar irradiation, cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Adana in Turkey were selected. Temperature and solar irradiation were gathered from reliable sources and by using translation equations, current and voltage output of panels were calculated. As a result of these calculations, current and energy outputs were computed by considering an average efficient solar irradiation time value per day in Turkey. The calculated power values were inserted to a

Charactrization of a Li-ion battery based stand-alone a-Si photovoltaic system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamid Vishkasougheh, Mehdi, E-mail: mehdi.hamid2@gmail.com [Istanbul Sehir University, Kubakisi Caddesi, No: 27, Altunizade, Uskudar, Istanbul 34662 (Turkey); Tunaboylu, Bahadir [Istanbul Sehir University, Kubakisi Caddesi, No: 27, Altunizade, Uskudar, Istanbul 34662 (Turkey); Marmara Research Center, Materials Institute, PO Box 21, Gebze, Kocaeli 41470 (Turkey)

2014-11-01

Highlights: • An Li-ion battery based stand-alone a-Si PV was designed. The system composed of three a-Si panels with an efficiency of 7% and 40 cells of LFP batteries. • Effects of solar radiation and environmental temperature for three cities, Istanbul, Ankara, and Adana, have been investigated on a-Si panels. • Using transition formulas BSPV outputs are predictable for any location out of standard test condition. - Abstract: The number of photovoltaic (PV) system installations is increasing rapidly. As more people learn about this versatile and often cost-effective power option, this trend will accelerate. This document presents a recommended design for a battery based stand-alone photovoltaic system (BSPV). BSPV system has the ability to be applied in different areas, including warning signals, lighting, refrigeration, communication, residential water pumping, remote sensing, and cathodic protection. The presented calculation method gives a proper idea for a system sizing technique. Based on application load, different scenarios are possible for designing a BSPV system. In this study, a battery based stand-alone system was designed. The electricity generation part is three a-Si panels, which are connected in parallel, and for the storage part LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery was used. The high power LFP battery packs are 40 cells each 8S5P (configured 8 series 5 parallel). Each individual pack weighs 0.5 kg and is 25.6 V. In order to evaluate the efficiency of a-Si panels with respect to the temperature and the solar irradiation, cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Adana in Turkey were selected. Temperature and solar irradiation were gathered from reliable sources and by using translation equations, current and voltage output of panels were calculated. As a result of these calculations, current and energy outputs were computed by considering an average efficient solar irradiation time value per day in Turkey. The calculated power values were inserted to a

User's guide for PRISM (Plant Risk Status Information Management System) Arkansas Nuclear One-Unit 1: Volume 1, Program for inspectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Campbell, D.J.; Guthrie, V.H.; Kirchner, J.R.; Kirkman, J.Q.; Paula, H.M.; Ellison, B.C.; Dycus, F.M.; Farquharson, J.A.; Flanagan, G.F.

1988-03-01

This user's guide is a two-volume document designed to teach NRC inspectors and NRC regulators how to access probabilistic risk assessment information from the two Plant Risk Status Information Management System (PRISIM) programs developed for Arkansas Nuclear One -- Unit One (ANO-1). This document, Volume 1, describes how the PRA information available in Version 1.0 of PRISIM is useful for planning inspections. Using PRISIM, inspectors can quickly access PRA information and use that information to update risk analysis results, reflecting a plant's status at any particular time. Both volumes are stand-alone documents, and each volume presents several sample computer sessions designed to lead the user through a variety of PRISIM applications used to obtain PRA-related information for monitoring and controlling plant risk.

An improved synchronous reference frame phase-locked loop for stand-alone variable speed constant frequency power generation systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Yi; Xu, Wei; Ke, Longzhang

2017-01-01

The phase-locked loop (PLL) based on conventional synchronous reference frame, i.e. dqPLL, is usually employed in grid-connected variable speed constant frequency (VSCF) power generation systems (PGSs). However, the voltage amplitude drop of stand-alone PGSs is often greater than that of the grid...

Imagery rescripting as a stand-alone treatment for patients with social phobia: a case series.

Science.gov (United States)

Frets, Petra G; Kevenaar, Ciska; van der Heiden, Colin

2014-03-01

The majority of patients with social phobia reports experiencing negative images, usually linked to memories of earlier aversive social experiences. Several studies have indicated that such negative self-imagery appears to have a causal role in maintaining social phobia, which suggests that interventions aimed at dealing with these images could be beneficial in the treatment of social phobia. One potentially powerful approach is imagery rescripting (IR), a clinical intervention that focuses on changing the meaning and impact of unpleasant memories. In the treatment of social phobia IR was only used as part of a broader cognitive-behavioral treatment package. However, we propose that IR alone might also be an effective treatment for this anxiety disorder. The present study reports an initial evaluation of the application of IR as a stand-alone treatment for six adult outpatients presenting with social phobia. A single case series using an A-B replication across patients design was employed. Following a no-treatment baseline period, IR was delivered weekly and patients were followed up for 3 and 6 months. For all patients, substantial reductions were obtained on all outcome measures at post-treatment, and gains were largely maintained at 6-months follow-up. The generalizability of the effects of IR for social phobia is limited by the small number of patients treated by only one therapist. The results of this preliminary case series suggest that IR as a stand alone treatment is an apparently effective intervention in the treatment of patients with social phobia, and indicate that controlled evaluation of its efficacy might be worthwhile. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stand-Alone Solar Organic Rankine Cycle Water Pumping System and Its Economic Viability in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Suresh Baral; Kyung Chun Kim

2015-01-01

The current study presents the concept of a stand-alone solar organic Rankine cycle (ORC) water pumping system for rural Nepalese areas. Experimental results for this technology are presented based on a prototype. The economic viability of the system was assessed based on solar radiation data of different Nepalese geographic locations. The mechanical power produced by the solar ORC is coupled with a water pumping system for various applications, such as drinking and irrigation. The thermal ef...

Boost converter with combined control loop for a stand-alone photovoltaic battery charge system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mira Albert, Maria del Carmen; Knott, Arnold; Thomsen, Ole Cornelius

2013-01-01

frequency avoids perturbations in the load being propagated to the photovoltaic panel and thus deviating the operating point. Linearization of the photovoltaic panel and converter state-space modeling is performed. In order to achieve stable operation under all operating conditions, the photovoltaic panel......The converter control scheme plays an important role in the performance of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms. In this paper, an input voltage control with double loop for a stand-alone photovoltaic system is designed and tested. The inner current control loop with high crossover...

System design optimization for stand-alone photovoltaic systems sizing by using superstructure model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azau, M A M; Jaafar, S; Samsudin, K

2013-01-01

Although the photovoltaic (PV) systems have been increasingly installed as an alternative and renewable green power generation, the initial set up cost, maintenance cost and equipment mismatch are some of the key issues that slows down the installation in small household. This paper presents the design optimization of stand-alone photovoltaic systems using superstructure model where all possible types of technology of the equipment are captured and life cycle cost analysis is formulated as a mixed integer programming (MIP). A model for investment planning of power generation and long-term decision model are developed in order to help the system engineer to build a cost effective system.

Study of Stand-Alone Microgrid under Condition of Faults on Distribution Line

Science.gov (United States)

Malla, S. G.; Bhende, C. N.

2014-10-01

The behavior of stand-alone microgrid is analyzed under the condition of faults on distribution feeders. During fault since battery is not able to maintain dc-link voltage within limit, the resistive dump load control is presented to do so. An inverter control is proposed to maintain balanced voltages at PCC under the unbalanced load condition and to reduce voltage unbalance factor (VUF) at load points. The proposed inverter control also has facility to protect itself from high fault current. Existing maximum power point tracker (MPPT) algorithm is modified to limit the speed of generator during fault. Extensive simulation results using MATLAB/SIMULINK established that the performance of the controllers is quite satisfactory under different fault conditions as well as unbalanced load conditions.

Multi-objective optimal planning of the stand-alone microgrid system based on different benefit subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Li; Wang, Nan; Lu, Hai; Li, Xialin; Wang, Chengshan

2016-01-01

As an important means to realize the energetic complementarity and improve the efficiency of renewable resources, the stand-alone microgrid (SAMG) system gains attention increasingly, especially in islands and remote areas. In this paper, considering the interest conflict of the distribution company and the distributed generation owner, a new multi-objective optimal planning model is formulated for medium voltage SAMG. Besides, to avoid the power constraint of distributed generation (DG) once the over-limit voltage occurs, a novel two-step power dispatch control method including the voltage regulation strategy is proposed, in which the absorption of distributed power by energy storage system (ESS) and the reactive power adjustment though its power control system are used to regulate voltage. The goal of this paper is to search the Pareto-optimal front of the site and capacity of DG as well as the contract price between both parties, and thus can provide effective references for practical planning of SAMG. Considering the high cost of ESS, the investment analysis of ESS is also discussed in the paper. - Highlights: • A multi-objective planning model based on different benefit subjects is proposed. • A two-step power dispatch method including the voltage regulation is proposed. • The economical efficiency of the proposed model is analyzed. • The effective reference for the stand-alone microgrid planning is provided.

Efficiency of the hybrid solar-wind systems for electricity supply to the stand-alone sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdullaev, D.A.; Isaev, R.I.

2000-01-01

The features of stand-alone sites and principles of their electricity supply is described there is going observation of the works about conditions of production and efficiency of using autonomy wind turbines and photovoltaics. Their unsufficiency is estimated. The advantages of hybrid systems and their realization schemes is described. The advantage of hybrid solar-wind Battery system (HSWBS) on the basis of own researches and the facts of other authors are given. The conception overall discounting cost is developed on HSWBS case. (Author)

A Control Approach and Supplementary Controllers for a Stand-Alone System with Predominance of Wind Generation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tiago Lukasievicz

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a control approach and supplementary controllers for the operation of a hybrid stand-alone system composed of a wind generation unit and a conventional generation unit based on synchronous generator (CGU. The proposed controllers allow the islanded or isolated operation of small power systems with predominance of wind generation. As an advantage and a paradigm shift, the DC-link voltage of the wind unit is controlled by means of a conventional synchronous generator connected to the AC grid of the system. Two supplementary controllers, added to a diesel generator (DIG and to a DC dump load (DL, are proposed to control the DC-link voltage. The wind generation unit operates in V-f control mode and the DIG operates in PQ control mode, which allows the stand-alone system to operate either in wind-diesel (WD mode or in wind-only (WO mode. The strong influence of the wind turbine speed variations in the DC-link voltage is mitigated by a low-pass filter added to the speed control loop of the wind turbine. The proposed control approach does not require the use battery bank and ultra-capacitor to control the DC-link voltage in wind generation units based on fully rated converter.

Energy management system for stand-alone diesel-wind-biomass microgrid with energy storage system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Chengshan; Liu, Yixin; Li, Xialin; Guo, Li; Qiao, Lei; Lu, Hai

2016-01-01

An energy management system for stand-alone microgrid composed of diesel generators, wind turbine generator, biomass generator and an ESS (energy storage system) is proposed in this paper. Different operation objectives are achieved by a hierarchical control structure with different time scales. Firstly, the optimal schedules of the diesel generators, wind turbine generator, biomass generator and ESS are determined fifteen minutes ahead according to the super short-term forecast of load and wind speed in the optimal scheduling layer. Comprehensive analysis which takes the uncertainty of load and wind speed into account is conducted in this layer to minimize the operation cost of the system and ensure a desirable range of the state of charge of the ESS. Secondly, the operation points of each unit are regulated dynamically to guarantee real-time power balance and safety range of diesel generation in the real-time control layer, based on which the response capability when suffering significant forecast deviation and other emergency issues, e.g. sudden load-up can be improved. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed energy management strategy is verified on an RT-Lab based real-time simulation platform, and the economic performances with different types of ESS are analyzed as well. - Highlights: • A hierarchical control strategy is proposed for a stand-alone microgrid. • The uncertainties of load and wind speed have been considered. • Better economic performance and high reliability of the system can be achieved. • The influences of different energy storage systems have been analyzed.

Use of appliances in stand-alone PV power supply systems: problems and solutions. Task 3 use of photovoltaic power systems in stand-alone and island applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vallve, X.; Gafas, G. [IEA PVPS, Task 3 (Spain); Villoz, M. [IEA PVPS, Task 3 (Switzerland); Wilshaw, A. [IEA PVPS, Task 3 (United Kingdom); Jacquin, P. [IEA PVPS, Task 3 (France)

2002-09-15

In Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Systems (SAPV systems), special attention must be paid to the used appliances and loads. Inappropriate loads are very often the origin of PV system malfunction or failure. Start-up power peaks, or reactive power and harmonic distortion can cause system signal instability and protective devices will close the system down. A well-matched load together with a carefully selected choice of appliances can lead to significant savings in terms of reduced need for PV and electricity storage capacity. Conversely, inefficient appliances and processes, standby loads and inappropriate loads will increase the requirement for expensive PV and storage capacity. This paper presents a survey of real cases with load related problems in worldwide applications, their effect on quality and cost of the service and the solutions that were adopted and suggested alternative solutions. One of the main conclusions of the work is the importance to integrate the choice of the appliance while designing the SAPV system. (author)

49 CFR 1109.4 - Mandatory mediation in rate cases to be considered under the stand-alone cost methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Mandatory mediation in rate cases to be considered... § 1109.4 Mandatory mediation in rate cases to be considered under the stand-alone cost methodology. (a) A... methodology must engage in non-binding mediation of its dispute with the railroad upon filing a formal...

Optimization of stand-alone photovoltaic systems with hydrogen storage for total energy self-sufficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lund, P D [Helsinki Univ. of Technology, Espoo (Finland). Dept. of Technical Physics

1991-01-01

A new method for optimization of stand-alone photovoltaic-hydrogen energy systems is presented. The methodology gives the optimum values for the solar array and hydrogen storage size for any given system configuration and geographical site. Sensitivity analyses have been performed to study the effect of subsystem efficiencies on the total system performance and sizing, and also to identify possibilities for further improvements. Optimum system configurations have also been derived. The results indicate that a solar-hydrogen energy system is a very promising potential alternative for low power applications requiring a total electricity self-sufficiency. (Author).

GOssTo: a stand-alone application and a web tool for calculating semantic similarities on the Gene Ontology.

Science.gov (United States)

Caniza, Horacio; Romero, Alfonso E; Heron, Samuel; Yang, Haixuan; Devoto, Alessandra; Frasca, Marco; Mesiti, Marco; Valentini, Giorgio; Paccanaro, Alberto

2014-08-01

We present GOssTo, the Gene Ontology semantic similarity Tool, a user-friendly software system for calculating semantic similarities between gene products according to the Gene Ontology. GOssTo is bundled with six semantic similarity measures, including both term- and graph-based measures, and has extension capabilities to allow the user to add new similarities. Importantly, for any measure, GOssTo can also calculate the Random Walk Contribution that has been shown to greatly improve the accuracy of similarity measures. GOssTo is very fast, easy to use, and it allows the calculation of similarities on a genomic scale in a few minutes on a regular desktop machine. alberto@cs.rhul.ac.uk GOssTo is available both as a stand-alone application running on GNU/Linux, Windows and MacOS from www.paccanarolab.org/gossto and as a web application from www.paccanarolab.org/gosstoweb. The stand-alone application features a simple and concise command line interface for easy integration into high-throughput data processing pipelines. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

Biomechanical comparison of a new stand-alone anterior lumbar interbody fusion cage with established fixation techniques – a three-dimensional finite element analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsieh Pang-Hsing

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Initial promise of a stand-alone interbody fusion cage to treat chronic back pain and restore disc height has not been realized. In some instances, a posterior spinal fixation has been used to enhance stability and increase fusion rate. In this manuscript, a new stand-alone cage is compared with conventional fixation methods based on the finite element analysis, with a focus on investigating cage-bone interface mechanics and stress distribution on the adjacent tissues. Methods Three trapezoid 8° interbody fusion cage models (dual paralleled cages, a single large cage, or a two-part cage consisting of a trapezoid box and threaded cylinder were created with or without pedicle screws fixation to investigate the relative importance of the screws on the spinal segmental response. The contact stress on the facet joint, slip displacement of the cage on the endplate, and rotational angle of the upper vertebra were measured under different loading conditions. Results Simulation results demonstrated less facet stress and slip displacement with the maximal contact on the cage-bone interface. A stand-alone two-part cage had good slip behavior under compression, flexion, extension, lateral bending and torsion, as compared with the other two interbody cages, even with the additional posterior fixation. However, the two-part cage had the lowest rotational angles under flexion and torsion, but had no differences under extension and lateral bending. Conclusion The biomechanical benefit of a stand-alone two-part fusion cage can be justified. This device provided the stability required for interbody fusion, which supports clinical trials of the cage as an alternative to circumferential fixations.

Use of small stand-alone Internet nodes as a distributed control system

Science.gov (United States)

Goodwin, Robert W.; Kucera, Michael J.; Shea, Michael F.

1994-12-01

For several years, the standard model for accelerator control systems has been workstation consoles connected to VME local stations by a Local Area Network with analog and digital data being accessed via a field bus to custom I/O interface electronics. Commercially available hardware has now made it possible to implement a small stand-alone data acquisition station that combines the LAN connection, the computer, and the analog and digital I/O interface on a single board. This eliminates the complexity of a field bus and the associated proprietary I/O hardware. A minimum control system is one data acquisition station and a Macintosh or workstation console, both connected to the network; larger systems have more consoles and nodes. An implementation of this architecture is described along with performance and operational experience.

Human microRNA target analysis and gene ontology clustering by GOmir, a novel stand-alone application.

Science.gov (United States)

Roubelakis, Maria G; Zotos, Pantelis; Papachristoudis, Georgios; Michalopoulos, Ioannis; Pappa, Kalliopi I; Anagnou, Nicholas P; Kossida, Sophia

2009-06-16

microRNAs (miRNAs) are single-stranded RNA molecules of about 20-23 nucleotides length found in a wide variety of organisms. miRNAs regulate gene expression, by interacting with target mRNAs at specific sites in order to induce cleavage of the message or inhibit translation. Predicting or verifying mRNA targets of specific miRNAs is a difficult process of great importance. GOmir is a novel stand-alone application consisting of two separate tools: JTarget and TAGGO. JTarget integrates miRNA target prediction and functional analysis by combining the predicted target genes from TargetScan, miRanda, RNAhybrid and PicTar computational tools as well as the experimentally supported targets from TarBase and also providing a full gene description and functional analysis for each target gene. On the other hand, TAGGO application is designed to automatically group gene ontology annotations, taking advantage of the Gene Ontology (GO), in order to extract the main attributes of sets of proteins. GOmir represents a new tool incorporating two separate Java applications integrated into one stand-alone Java application. GOmir (by using up to five different databases) introduces miRNA predicted targets accompanied by (a) full gene description, (b) functional analysis and (c) detailed gene ontology clustering. Additionally, a reverse search initiated by a potential target can also be conducted. GOmir can freely be downloaded BRFAA.

Information systems for the materials management department: stand-alone and enterprise resource planning systems.

Science.gov (United States)

2005-03-01

Materials management information systems (MMISs) incorporate information tools that hospitals can use to automate certain business processes, increase staff compliance with these processes, and identify opportunities for cost savings. Recently, there has been a push by hospital administration to purchase enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, information systems that promise to integrate many more facets of healthcare business. We offer this article to help materials managers, administrators, and others involved with information system selection understand the changes that have taken place in materials management information systems, decide whether they need a new system and, if so, whether a stand-alone MMIS or an ERP system will be the best choice.

Influence of unstable footwear on lower leg muscle activity, volume change and subjective discomfort during prolonged standing.

Science.gov (United States)

Karimi, Zanyar; Allahyari, Teimour; Azghani, Mahmood Reza; Khalkhali, Hamidreza

2016-03-01

The present study was an attempt to investigate the effect of unstable footwear on lower leg muscle activity, volume change and subjective discomfort during prolonged standing. Ten healthy subjects were recruited to stand for 2 h in three footwear conditions: barefoot, flat-bottomed shoe and unstable shoe. During standing, lower leg discomfort and EMG activity of medial gastrocnemius (MG) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles were continuously monitored. Changes in lower leg volume over standing time also were measured. Lower leg discomfort rating reduced significantly while subjects standing on unstable shoe compared to the flat-bottomed shoe and barefoot condition. For lower leg volume, less changes also were observed with unstable shoe. The activity level and variation of right MG muscle was greater with unstable shoe compared to the other footwear conditions; however regarding the left MG muscle, significant difference was found between unstable shoe and flat-bottomed shoe only for activity level. Furthermore no significant differences were observed for the activity level and variation of TA muscles (right/left) among all footwear conditions. The findings suggested that prolonged standing with unstable footwear produces changes in lower leg muscles activity and leads to less volume changes. Perceived discomfort also was lower for this type of footwear and this might mean that unstable footwear can be used as ergonomic solution for employees whose work requires prolonged standing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Read-only high accuracy volume holographic optical correlator

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Tian; Li, Jingming; Cao, Liangcai; He, Qingsheng; Jin, Guofan

2011-10-01

A read-only volume holographic correlator (VHC) is proposed. After the recording of all of the correlation database pages by angular multiplexing, a stand-alone read-only high accuracy VHC will be separated from the VHC recording facilities which include the high-power laser and the angular multiplexing system. The stand-alone VHC has its own low power readout laser and very compact and simple structure. Since there are two lasers that are employed for recording and readout, respectively, the optical alignment tolerance of the laser illumination on the SLM is very sensitive. The twodimensional angular tolerance is analyzed based on the theoretical model of the volume holographic correlator. The experimental demonstration of the proposed read-only VHC is introduced and discussed.

An optimized Fuzzy Logic Controller by Water Cycle Algorithm for power management of Stand-alone Hybrid Green Power generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarvi, Mohammad; Avanaki, Isa Nasiri

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A new method to improve the performance of renewable power management is proposed. • The proposed method is based on Fuzzy Logic optimized by the Water Cycle Algorithm. • The proposed method characteristics are compared with two other methods. • The comparisons confirm that the proposed method is robust and effectiveness one. - Abstract: This paper aims to improve the power management system of a Stand-alone Hybrid Green Power generation based on the Fuzzy Logic Controller optimized by the Water Cycle Algorithm. The proposed Stand-alone Hybrid Green Power consists of wind energy conversion and photovoltaic systems as primary power sources and a battery, fuel cell, and Electrolyzer as energy storage systems. Hydrogen is produced from surplus power generated by the wind energy conversion and photovoltaic systems of Stand-alone Hybrid Green Power and stored in the hydrogen storage tank for fuel cell later using when the power generated by primary sources is lower than load demand. The proposed optimized Fuzzy Logic Controller based power management system determines the power that is generated by fuel cell or use by Electrolyzer. In a hybrid system, operation and maintenance cost and reliability of the system are the important issues that should be considered in studies. In this regard, Water Cycle Algorithm is used to optimize membership functions in order to simultaneously minimize the Loss of Power Supply Probability and operation and maintenance. The results are compared with the particle swarm optimization and the un-optimized Fuzzy Logic Controller power management system to prove that the proposed method is robust and effective. Reduction in Loss of Power Supply Probability and operation and maintenance, are the most advantages of the proposed method. Moreover the level of the State of Charge of the battery in the proposed method is higher than other mentioned methods which leads to increase battery lifetime.

Improving efficiency of a regional stand alone bone bank.

Science.gov (United States)

Warnock, Jonathan M; Rowan, Clare H; Davidson, Helen; Millar, Ciara; McAlinden, M Gavan

2016-03-01

The introduction of a stand-alone Bone Bank in our Regional Orthopaedic Hospital has improved the availability of femoral head allograft. Benninger et al. (Bone Joint J 96-B:1307-1311, 2014), demonstrated their institutions bank to be cost effective despite a 30 % discard rate for harvested allograft. We sought to audit our own discard rates and subsequent cost-effectiveness of our bone bank. Donor recruitment. Before approaching a potential donor, our establishment's nurse specialists review their clinical notes and biochemical laboratory results, available on a regional Electronic Care Records. They view femoral head architecture on radiographs against set criteria, Patient Archive and Communication system (SECTRA, Sweden). In total 1383 femoral heads were harvested, 247 were discarded giving an overall rate of 17.9 %. The most common reasons for discard of harvested graft was a positive microbiology/bacteriology result, n = 96 (38.9 %). After a rise in discard rates in 2007, we have steadily reduced our discard rates since 2006/2007 (28.2 %), 2008/2009 (17 %), 2010/2011 (14.8 %), and finally to 10.3 % in 2012/2013. In the current financial year, our cost to harvest, test, store and release a femoral head is £ 610. With a structured donor recruitment process and unique pre-operative radiographic analysis we have successfully reduced our discard rates bi-annually making our bone bank increasingly cost-effective.

Clinical and radiological outcome after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with stand-alone empty polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiban, Ehab; Gapon, Karina; Wostrack, Maria; Meyer, Bernhard; Lehmberg, Jens

2016-02-01

To evaluate long-term results after one-, two-, and three-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with stand-alone empty polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages. We performed a retrospective review of a consecutive patient cohort that underwent ACDF with stand-alone empty PEEK cages between 2007 and 2010 with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Radiographic follow-up included static and flexion/extension radiographs. Changes in the operated segments were measured and compared to radiographs directly after surgery. Clinical outcome was evaluated by a physical examination, pain visual analog scale (VAS), and health-related quality of life (HRQL) using the EuroQOL questionnaire (EQ-5D). Analysis of associations between fusion, subsidence, cervical alignment, and clinical outcome parameters were performed. Of 407 consecutive cases, 318 met all inclusion criteria. Follow-up data were obtained from 265 (83 %) cases. The mean age at presentation was 55 years and 139 patients were male (52 %). In the sample, 127, 125, and 13 patients had one-, two-, and three-level surgeries, respectively; 132 (49 %) presented with spondylotic cervical myelopathy and 133 (50 %) with cervical radiculopathy. Fusion was achieved in 85, 95, and 94 % of segments in one-, two-, and three-level surgeries, respectively. Non-fusion was associated with higher VAS pain levels. Radiographic adjacent segment disease (ASD) was observed in 20, 29, and 15 % in one-, two-, and three-level surgeries, respectively. ASD was associated with lower HRQL. Subsidence was observed in 25, 27, and 15 % of segments in one-, two-, and three-level surgeries, respectively. However, this had no influence on clinical outcome. Follow-up operations for symptomatic adjacent disc disease and implant failure at index level were needed in 16 (6 %) and four (1.5 %) cases, respectively. Younger age was associated with better clinical outcome. Multilevel surgery favored better myelopathy outcomes and fusion reduced overall

Economic and Environmental Assessment of a Renewable Stand-Alone Energy Supply System Using Multi-objective Optimization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Dohyun; Han, Seulki; Kim, Jiyong Kim [Incheon National University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-06-15

This study aims to propose a new optimization-based approach for design and analysis of the stand-alone hybrid energy supply system using renewable energy sources (RES). In the energy supply system, we include multiple energy production technologies such as Photovoltaics (PV), Wind turbine, and fossil-fuel-based AC generator along with different types of energy storage and conversion technologies such as battery and inverter. We then select six different regions of Korea to represent various characteristics of different RES potentials and demand profiles. We finally designed and analyzed the optimal RES stand-alone energy supply system in the selected regions using multiobjective optimization (MOOP) technique, which includes two objective functions: the minimum cost and the minimum CO{sub 2} emission. In addition, we discussed the feasibility and expecting benefits of the systems by comparing to conventional systems of Korea. As a result, the region of the highest RES potential showed the possibility to remarkably reduce CO{sub 2} emissions compared to the conventional system. Besides, the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of the RES-based energy system is identified to be slightly higher than conventional energy system: 0.35 and 0.46 $/kWh, respectively. However, the total life-cycle emission of CO{sub 2} (LCECO{sub 2}) can be reduced up to 470 gCO{sub 2}/kWh from 490 gCO{sub 2}/kWh of the conventional systems.

Clinician's perspectives of the relocation of a regional child and adolescent mental health service from co-located to stand alone premises.

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, K J; Boyd, C P; Sewell, J; Nurse, S

2008-01-01

Australia's National Mental Health Strategy's statement of rights and responsibilities states that children and adolescents admitted to a mental health facility or community program have the right to be separated from adult patients and provided with programs suited to their developmental needs. However, in rural Australia, where a lack of healthcare services, financial constraints, greater service delivery areas and fewer mental healthcare specialists represent the norm, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are sometimes co-located with adult mental health services. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of a recent relocation of a regional CAMHS in Victoria from co-located to stand alone premises. Six CAMHS clinicians who had experienced service delivery at a co-located setting and the current stand-alone CAMHS setting were interviewed about their perceptions of the impact of the relocation on service delivery. An exploratory interviewing methodology was utilized due to the lack of previous research in this area. Interview data were transcribed and analysed according to interpretative phenomenological analysis techniques. Findings indicated a perception that the relocation was positive for clients due to the family-friendly environment at the new setting and separation of CAMHS from adult psychiatric services. However, the impact of the relocation on clinicians was marked by a perceived loss of social capital from adult psychiatric service clinicians. These results provide increased understanding of the effects of service relocation and the influence of co-located versus stand-alone settings on mental health service delivery - an area where little prior research exists.

A compact seven switches topology and reduced DC-link capacitor size for single-phase stand-alone PV system with hybrid energy storages

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Xiong; Wang, Peng; Loh, Poh Chiang

2011-01-01

Single-phase stand-alone PV system is suitable for household applications in remote area. Hybrid battery/ultra-capacitor energy storage can reduce charge and discharge cycles and avoid deep discharges of battery. This paper proposes a compact seven switches structure for stand-alone PV system......, which otherwise needs nine switches configuration, inclusive of one switch for boost converter, four switches for single-phase inverter and four switches for two DC/DC converters of battery and ultra-capacitor. It is well-known that a bulky DC-link capacitor is always required to absorb second......-order harmonic current caused by single-phase inverter. In the proposed compact topology, a small size DC-link capacitor can achieve the same function through charging/discharging control of ultra-capacitor to mitigate second-order ripple current. Simulation results are provided to validate the effectiveness...

Comparison of pulp-mill-integrated hydrogen production from gasified black liquor with stand-alone production from gasified biomass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, E.; Harvey, S.

2007-01-01

When gasified black liquor is used for hydrogen production, significant amounts of biomass must be imported. This paper compares two alternative options for producing hydrogen from biomass: (A) pulp-mill-integrated hydrogen production from gasified back liquor; and (B) stand-alone production of hydrogen from gasified biomass. The comparison assumes that the same amount of biomass that is imported in Alternative A is supplied to a stand-alone hydrogen production plant and that the gasified black liquor in Alternative B is used in a black liquor gasification combined cycle (BLGCC) CHP unit. The comparison is based upon equal amounts of black liquor fed to the gasifier, and identical steam and power requirements for the pulp mill. The two systems are compared on the basis of total CO 2 emission consequences, based upon different assumptions for the reference energy system that reflect different societal CO 2 emissions reduction target levels. Ambitions targets are expected to lead to a more CO 2 -lean reference energy system, in which case hydrogen production from gasified black liquor (Alternative A) is best from a CO 2 emissions' perspective, whereas with high CO 2 emissions associated with electricity production, hydrogen from gasified biomass and electricity from gasified black liquor (Alternative B) is preferable. (author)

Can aqueous hydrogen peroxide be used as a stand-alone energy source?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Disselkamp, Robert S.

2010-01-01

A novel electrochemical scheme to convert a stand-alone supply of aqueous hydrogen peroxide into a fuel cell-ready stream of hydrogen gas plus aqueous hydrogen peroxide is described. The electrochemical cell, consisting of a solid base and solid acid electrocatalyst, together with a proton exchange membrane, comprise the system that converts aqueous hydrogen peroxide into separate gas streams of oxygen and hydrogen. Aqueous hydrogen peroxide is contained in the anode compartment only and exists in the region where oxygen gas is formed, whereas the cathode compartment is where hydrogen gas is generated and therefore exists in a reduced state. A near zero theoretical over-potential can be achieved by the choice of basicity and acidity of the electrode materials. The primary cost of the electrochemical cell is electrode construction and the aqueous hydrogen peroxide energy storage compound. Additional research effort is required to experimentally validate the concept and explore the full economic impact should initial studies, based on the design presented here, prove promising. (author)

Segmental kyphosis after cervical interbody fusion with stand-alone polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages: a comparative study on 2 different PEEK cages.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Chi Heon; Chung, Chun Kee; Jahng, Tae-Ahn; Park, Sung Bae; Sohn, Seil; Lee, Sungjoon

2015-02-01

Retrospective comparative study. Two polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages of different designs were compared in terms of the postoperative segmental kyphosis after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Segmental kyphosis occasionally occurs after the use of a stand-alone cage for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Although PEEK material seems to have less risk of segmental kyphosis compared with other materials, the occurrence of segmental kyphosis for PEEK cages has been reported to be from 0% to 29%. There have been a few reports that addressed the issue of PEEK cage design. A total of 41 consecutive patients who underwent single-level anterior discectomy and fusion with a stand-alone cage were included. Either a round tube-type (Solis; 18 patients, S-group) or a trapezoidal tube-type (MC+; 23 patients, M-group) cage was used. The contact area between the cage and the vertebral body is larger in MC+ than in Solis, and anchoring pins were present in the Solis cage. The effect of the cage type on the segmental angle (SA) (lordosis vs. kyphosis) at postoperative month 24 was analyzed. Preoperatively, segmental lordosis was present in 12/18 S-group and 16/23 M-group patients (P=0.84). The SA was more lordotic than the preoperative angle in both groups just after surgery, with no difference between groups (P=0.39). At 24 months, segmental lordosis was observed in 9/18 S-group and 20/23 M-group patients (P=0.01). The patients in M-group were 7.83 times more likely than patients in S-group (P=0.04; odds ratio, 7.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-56.28) not to develop segmental kyphosis. The design of the PEEK cage used may influence the SA, and this association needs to be considered when using stand-alone PEEK cages.

Key factors for the implementation of successful, stand-alone village electrification schemes in Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez-Campos, Teodoro

The hypothesis of this work is that there are social, financial, technical, managerial institutional and political key factors that may either support or prevent the success of small stand alone energy systems in rural areas. This research work aims at contributing to the identification of such factors and study their relevance to the performance and sustainability of stand alone energy systems in rural areas; to meet its purpose, a wide range of literature was reviewed including rural electrification programmes and projects, research and development projects on access to electricity in rural areas, impact studies and others, and a field research survey was done the Andes and Upper Jungle regions in Peru. Nineteen possible critical factors were identified, thirteen with relevance at the local context (the community or village), and six with relevance at the national (or wider) context. From literature review it was found that the possible local critical factors were relevant only to four categories of factors instead of the six considered initially (i.e. social, financial, technological and managerial): the other two categories, political and institutional were found to be more relevant to the national context, therefore those were included in the group of possible critical factors of wider context. A series of questionnaires were designed to collect field data information, which was later used to analyse and establish the relation of each identified factor with the success of the systems studied. The survey research was implemented in 14 villages, 7 with small diesel sets and 7 with small hydropower schemes, all spread in the Andes and Upper Jungle of Peru, which were carefully selected to be representative of regions with isolated stand alone systems and with different socioeconomic background. Out of the 13 possible critical factors of local context, it was found that only 3 are really critical, the others are important but not critical; one of them (technical

Accuracy of Standing-Tree Volume Estimates Based on McClure Mirror Caliper Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Noel D. Cost

1971-01-01

The accuracy of standing-tree volume estimates, calculated from diameter measurements taken by a mirror caliper and with sectional aluminum poles for height control, was compared with volume estimates calculated from felled-tree measurements. Twenty-five trees which varied in species, size, and form were used in the test. The results showed that two estimates of total...

Study on the optimization of stand-alone type photovoltaic systems. 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Man Geun; Song, Jin Soo; Kim, Boo ho; Park, I June; Jung, Meung Woong; Yoo, Kyun Joung; Kim, Hong Woo [Korea Inst. of Energy Research, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1995-12-01

The objectives of this study are to make a maximization of the operating efficiency of photovoltaic power systems, to improve stand- align PV systems design, technical operation and system analysis, and to promote technical cooperation of mutual interest in the area of IEA/PVPS program. This study aims to investigating the problems of applied photovoltaic power systems currently in operation to improve a system design, seeking remedies of individual PVPS applications to improve the system efficiency and reliability and to raise the system economics, and reporting the international movements of PV system dissemination and technical cooperation for developing countries. For the purpose of this works 1) Investigations of applications of existing photovoltaic power systems: - Photovoltaic electric sources used for expressway lamps - Optimum design of solar light with low pressure sodium lamps under 8 hours lighting a day at night by program-able electronic timer. 2) Comparative analyses of Marado PV system and propose a new reliable PV-diesel hybrid system and high efficiency operations. 3) Overall review of Hahwado 60 KWp PV system extending from 25 KWp and the remote monitoring systems for measurement of its operating results. 4) Introduction of IEA/PVPS international cooperating program, especially in task III for stand- alone PV systems and isolated islands and Exco meeting. As results, investigative findings of PVPS currently in operation and the work for improvement - Propose a prescription of Marado PV systems being blocked up by explosion of electrical demands from residence, parallel operational dual inverter with a big capacity. - There are shortage of solar generated power due to shortage of solar cell capacity that results in an increased operating time of diesel generator. Hence the insolation capacity of solar cell per household is continuously increased from the 0.5 KWp to 2 KWp in Hanwado island electrification.

Energetic and financial investigation of a stand-alone solar-thermal Organic Rankine Cycle power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tzivanidis, Christos; Bellos, Evangelos; Antonopoulos, Kimon A.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A stand-alone solar driven Organic Rankine Cycle is optimized parametrically. • The system is optimized energetically and financially. • Nine working fluids are tested with cyclohexane to be the most suitable. • A collecting area of 25,000 m"2 parabolic trough collectors is the optimum solution. • The maximum IRR is 13.46% and the payback period is about 9 years. - Abstract: The use of solar thermal energy for electricity production is a clean and sustainable way to cover the increasing energy needs of our society. The most mature technology for capturing solar energy in high temperature levels is the parabolic trough collectors (PTC). In this study, an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) coupled with PTC is analyzed parametrically in order to be optimized financially and energetically. The first step is the thermodynamic investigation of the ORC by using various working fluids. The second step is the energetic and financial investigation of the total system which includes the solar field, the storage tank and the ORC module. By testing many combinations of collecting areas and storage tank volumes, finally cyclohexane proved to be the most suitable working fluid for producing 1 MW_e_l with PTC. Specifically, in the optimum situation a solar field of 25,000 m"2 with storage tank of about 300 m"3 leads to a payback period of 9 years and to an internal rate of return (IRR) equal to 13.46%. Moreover, an economic comparison for different commercial collectors is presented, with Eurotrough ET-150 being the financially optimum solution for this case study.

Stand-Alone Solar Organic Rankine Cycle Water Pumping System and Its Economic Viability in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suresh Baral

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The current study presents the concept of a stand-alone solar organic Rankine cycle (ORC water pumping system for rural Nepalese areas. Experimental results for this technology are presented based on a prototype. The economic viability of the system was assessed based on solar radiation data of different Nepalese geographic locations. The mechanical power produced by the solar ORC is coupled with a water pumping system for various applications, such as drinking and irrigation. The thermal efficiency of the system was found to be 8% with an operating temperature of 120 °C. The hot water produced by the unit has a temperature of 40 °C. Economic assessment was done for 1-kW and 5-kW solar ORC water pumping systems. These systems use different types of solar collectors: a parabolic trough collector (PTC and an evacuated tube collector (ETC. The economic analysis showed that the costs of water are $2.47/m3 (highest and $1.86/m3 (lowest for the 1-kW system and a 150-m pumping head. In addition, the cost of water is reduced when the size of the system is increased and the pumping head is reduced. The minimum volumes of water pumped are 2190 m3 and 11,100 m3 yearly for 1 kW and 5 kW, respectively. The payback period is eight years with a profitability index of 1.6. The system is highly feasible and promising in the context of Nepal.

Stand-Alone Containment Analysis of the Phébus FPT Tests with the ASTEC and the MELCOR Codes: The FPT-0 Test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruno Gonfiotti

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The integral Phébus tests were probably one of the most important experimental campaigns performed to investigate the progression of severe accidents in light water reactors. In these tests, the degradation of a PWR fuel bundle was investigated employing different control rod materials and burn-up levels in strongly or weakly oxidizing conditions. From the results of such tests, numerical codes such as ASTEC and MELCOR have been developed to describe the evolution of a severe accident. After the termination of the experimental Phébus campaign, these two codes were furthermore expanded. Therefore, the aim of the present work is to reanalyze the first Phébus test (FPT-0 employing the updated ASTEC and MELCOR versions to ensure that the new improvements introduced in such codes allow also a better prediction of these Phébus tests. The analysis focuses on the stand-alone containment aspects of this test, and the paper summarizes the main thermal-hydraulic results and presents different sensitivity analyses carried out on the aerosols and fission products behavior. This paper is part of a series of publications covering the four executed Phébus tests employing a solid PWR fuel bundle: FPT-0, FPT-1, FPT-2, and FPT-3.

SedInConnect: a stand-alone, free and open source tool for the assessment of sediment connectivity

Science.gov (United States)

Crema, Stefano; Cavalli, Marco

2018-02-01

There is a growing call, within the scientific community, for solid theoretic frameworks and usable indices/models to assess sediment connectivity. Connectivity plays a significant role in characterizing structural properties of the landscape and, when considered in combination with forcing processes (e.g., rainfall-runoff modelling), can represent a valuable analysis for an improved landscape management. In this work, the authors present the development and application of SedInConnect: a free, open source and stand-alone application for the computation of the Index of Connectivity (IC), as expressed in Cavalli et al. (2013) with the addition of specific innovative features. The tool is intended to have a wide variety of users, both from the scientific community and from the authorities involved in the environmental planning. Thanks to its open source nature, the tool can be adapted and/or integrated according to the users' requirements. Furthermore, presenting an easy-to-use interface and being a stand-alone application, the tool can help management experts in the quantitative assessment of sediment connectivity in the context of hazard and risk assessment. An application to a sample dataset and an overview on up-to-date applications of the approach and of the tool shows the development potential of such analyses. The modelled connectivity, in fact, appears suitable not only to characterize sediment dynamics at the catchment scale but also to integrate prediction models and as a tool for helping geomorphological interpretation.

Introducing GEOPHIRES v2.0: Updated Geothermal Techno-Economic Simulation Tool

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beckers, Koenraad J [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); McCabe, Kevin [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2018-02-14

This paper presents an updated version of the geothermal techno-economic simulation tool GEOPHIRES (GEOthermal energy for Production of Heat and electricity ('IR') Economically Simulated). GEOPHIRES combines engineering models of the reservoir, wellbores, and surface plant facilities of a geothermal plant with an economic model to estimate the capital and operation and maintenance costs, lifetime energy production, and overall levelized cost of energy. The available end-use options are electricity, direct-use heat, and cogeneration. The main updates in the new version include conversion of the source code from FORTRAN to Python, the option to import temperature data (e.g., measured or from stand-alone reservoir simulator), updated cost correlations, and more flexibility in selecting the time step and number of injection and production wells. In this paper, we provide an overview of all the updates and two case studies to illustrate the tool's new capabilities.

Five-year durability of stand-alone interspinous process decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nunley PD

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Pierce D Nunley,1 Vikas V Patel,2 Douglas G Orndorff,3 William F Lavelle,4 Jon E Block,5 Fred H Geisler6 1Spine Institute of Louisiana, Shreveport, LA, 2The Spine Center, University of Colorado Hospital, Denver, CO, 3Spine Colorado, Mercy Regional Hospital, Durango, CO, 4Upstate Bone and Joint Center, East Syracuse, NY, 5Independent Consultant, San Francisco, CA, 6Independent Consultant, Chicago, IL, USA Background: Lumbar spinal stenosis is the most common indication for spine surgery in older adults. Interspinous process decompression (IPD using a stand-alone spacer that functions as an extension blocker offers a minimally invasive treatment option for intermittent neurogenic claudication associated with spinal stenosis.Methods: This study evaluated the 5-year clinical outcomes for IPD (Superion® from a randomized controlled US Food and Drug Administration (FDA noninferiority trial. Outcomes included Zurich Claudication Questionnaire (ZCQ symptom severity (ss, physical function (pf, and patient satisfaction (ps subdomains, leg and back pain visual analog scale (VAS, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI.Results: At 5 years, 84% of patients (74 of 88 demonstrated clinical success on at least two of three ZCQ domains. Individual ZCQ domain success rates were 75% (66 of 88, 81% (71 of 88, and 90% (79 of 88 for ZCQss, ZCQpf, and ZCQps, respectively. Leg and back pain success rates were 80% (68 of 85 and 65% (55 of 85, respectively, and the success rate for ODI was 65% (57 of 88. Percentage improvements over baseline were 42%, 39%, 75%, 66%, and 58% for ZCQss, ZCQpf, leg and back pain VAS, and ODI, respectively (all P<0.001. Within-group effect sizes were classified as very large for four of five clinical outcomes (ie, >1.0; all P<0.0001. Seventy-five percent of IPD patients were free from reoperation, revision, or supplemental fixation at their index level at 5 years.Conclusion: After 5 years of follow-up, IPD with a stand-alone spacer provides

Multi-objective analytical model for optimal sizing of stand-alone photovoltaic water pumping systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olcan, Ceyda

2015-01-01

Highlights: • An analytical optimal sizing model is proposed for PV water pumping systems. • The objectives are chosen as deficiency of power supply and life-cycle costs. • The crop water requirements are estimated for a citrus tree yard in Antalya. • The optimal tilt angles are calculated for fixed, seasonal and monthly changes. • The sizing results showed the validity of the proposed analytical model. - Abstract: Stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) water pumping systems effectively use solar energy for irrigation purposes in remote areas. However the random variability and unpredictability of solar energy makes difficult the penetration of PV implementations and complicate the system design. An optimal sizing of these systems proves to be essential. This paper recommends a techno-economic optimization model to determine optimally the capacity of the components of PV water pumping system using a water storage tank. The proposed model is developed regarding the reliability and cost indicators, which are the deficiency of power supply probability and life-cycle costs, respectively. The novelty is that the proposed optimization model is analytically defined for two-objectives and it is able to find a compromise solution. The sizing of a stand-alone PV water pumping system comprises a detailed analysis of crop water requirements and optimal tilt angles. Besides the necessity of long solar radiation and temperature time series, the accurate forecasts of water supply needs have to be determined. The calculation of the optimal tilt angle for yearly, seasonally and monthly frequencies results in higher system efficiency. It is, therefore, suggested to change regularly the tilt angle in order to maximize solar energy output. The proposed optimal sizing model incorporates all these improvements and can accomplish a comprehensive optimization of PV water pumping systems. A case study is conducted considering the irrigation of citrus trees yard located in Antalya, Turkey

Integrated Three-Port DC-DC Converter for Photovoltaic (PV) Battery Stand-alone Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ouyang, Ziwei; Andersen, Michael A. E.

2016-01-01

of solar energy. Moreover, a novel transformer configuration enables variable turns ratio controlled by the phase between the two current excitations subjected to the primary windings, allowing a wider input/output range. 1 kW experimental prototype has been built to demonstrate a wellmanaged power flow......Several power sources such as PV solar arrays and battery are often used to manage the power flow for a photovoltaic (PV) based stand-alone power system due to the fluctuation nature of solar energy resource, and deliver a continuous power to the users in an appropriate form. Traditionally, three...... different single-input single-output (SISO) dc/dc converters would have been used. To reduce the cost and improve the power density of the system, an integrated three-port isolated dc/dc converter is proposed in this paper. It can realize all functions of the energy delivery due to the fluctuation nature...

JAERI Fuel Cleanup System (J-FCU) stand-alone tritium test at the TSTA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konishi, Satoshi; Hayashi, Takumi; Inoue, Masahiko

1993-03-01

JAERI designed, fabricated, and installed the JAERI Fuel Cleanup System (J-FCU) as a subsystem of simulated fusion fuel loop at the TSTA. The main function of the J-FCU is to purify and to recover hydrogen isotopes from simulated plasma exhaust while exhausting tritium free impurities. After a lot of deuterium tests, a first tritium test of the J-FCU was performed with one gram of tritium at the TSTA on June 1991. Main purpose of this test was to evaluate the total integrity and function of the J-FCU system with a DT mixture. Through this test, the J-FCU was operated well and its function with tritium was demonstrated. This report describes the detail test results of the J-FCU first tritium test and discuss its functions by stand-alone mode. Residual tritium inventory of the J-FCU system was also discussed. (author)

System Simulation by Recursive Feedback: Coupling a Set of Stand-Alone Subsystem Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Nixon, D. D.

2001-01-01

Conventional construction of digital dynamic system simulations often involves collecting differential equations that model each subsystem, arran g them to a standard form, and obtaining their numerical gin solution as a single coupled, total-system simultaneous set. Simulation by numerical coupling of independent stand-alone subsimulations is a fundamentally different approach that is attractive because, among other things, the architecture naturally facilitates high fidelity, broad scope, and discipline independence. Recursive feedback is defined and discussed as a candidate approach to multidiscipline dynamic system simulation by numerical coupling of self-contained, single-discipline subsystem simulations. A satellite motion example containing three subsystems (orbit dynamics, attitude dynamics, and aerodynamics) has been defined and constructed using this approach. Conventional solution methods are used in the subsystem simulations. Distributed and centralized implementations of coupling have been considered. Numerical results are evaluated by direct comparison with a standard total-system, simultaneous-solution approach.

DCE-MRI of the breast in a stand-alone setting outside a complementary strategy - results of the TK-study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaiser, Clemens G.; Krammer, J.; Wasser, K.; Schoenberg, S.O. [University Medical Centre Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim-University of Heidelberg, Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Mannheim (Germany); Reich, C.; Kaiser, W.A. [Friedrich-Schiller-University Hospital Jena, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology I, Jena (Germany); Dietzel, M. [Friedrich-Alexander-University Hospital Erlangen-Nuernberg, Department of Neuroradiology, Erlangen (Germany); Baltzer, P.A.T. [Medical University Vienna, Institute of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Vienna (Austria)

2015-06-01

To evaluate the accuracy of MRI of the breast (DCE-MRI) in a stand-alone setting with extended indications. According to the inclusion criteria, breast specialists were invited to refer patients to our institution for DCE-MRI. Depending on the MR findings, patients received either a follow-up or biopsy. Between 04/2006 and 12/2011 a consecutive total of 1,488 women were prospectively examined. Of 1,488 included patients, 393 patients were lost to follow-up, 1,095 patients were evaluated. 124 patients were diagnosed with malignancy by DCE-MRI (76 TP, 48 FP, 971 TN, 0 FN cases). Positive cases were confirmed by histology, negative cases by MR follow-ups or patient questionnaires over the next 5 years in 1,737 cases (sensitivity 100 %; specificity 95.2 %; PPV 61.3 %; NPV 100 %; accuracy 95.5 %). For invasive cancers only (DCIS excluded), the results were 63 TP; 27 FP; 971 TP and 0 FN (sensitivity 100 %; specificity 97.2 %; PPV 70 %; NPV 100 %; accuracy 97.5 %). The DCE-MRI indications tested imply that negative results in DCE-MRI reliably exclude cancer. The results were achieved in a stand-alone setting (single modality diagnosis). However, these results are strongly dependent on reader experience and adequate technical standards as prerequisites for optimal diagnoses. (orig.)

DCE-MRI of the breast in a stand-alone setting outside a complementary strategy - results of the TK-study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaiser, Clemens G.; Krammer, J.; Wasser, K.; Schoenberg, S.O.; Reich, C.; Kaiser, W.A.; Dietzel, M.; Baltzer, P.A.T.

2015-01-01

To evaluate the accuracy of MRI of the breast (DCE-MRI) in a stand-alone setting with extended indications. According to the inclusion criteria, breast specialists were invited to refer patients to our institution for DCE-MRI. Depending on the MR findings, patients received either a follow-up or biopsy. Between 04/2006 and 12/2011 a consecutive total of 1,488 women were prospectively examined. Of 1,488 included patients, 393 patients were lost to follow-up, 1,095 patients were evaluated. 124 patients were diagnosed with malignancy by DCE-MRI (76 TP, 48 FP, 971 TN, 0 FN cases). Positive cases were confirmed by histology, negative cases by MR follow-ups or patient questionnaires over the next 5 years in 1,737 cases (sensitivity 100 %; specificity 95.2 %; PPV 61.3 %; NPV 100 %; accuracy 95.5 %). For invasive cancers only (DCIS excluded), the results were 63 TP; 27 FP; 971 TP and 0 FN (sensitivity 100 %; specificity 97.2 %; PPV 70 %; NPV 100 %; accuracy 97.5 %). The DCE-MRI indications tested imply that negative results in DCE-MRI reliably exclude cancer. The results were achieved in a stand-alone setting (single modality diagnosis). However, these results are strongly dependent on reader experience and adequate technical standards as prerequisites for optimal diagnoses. (orig.)

A Low-Power Wearable Stand-Alone Tongue Drive System for People With Severe Disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Jafari, Ali; Buswell, Nathanael; Ghovanloo, Maysam; Mohsenin, Tinoosh

2018-02-01

This paper presents a low-power stand-alone tongue drive system (sTDS) used for individuals with severe disabilities to potentially control their environment such as computer, smartphone, and wheelchair using their voluntary tongue movements. A low-power local processor is proposed, which can perform signal processing to convert raw magnetic sensor signals to user-defined commands, on the sTDS wearable headset, rather than sending all raw data out to a PC or smartphone. The proposed sTDS significantly reduces the transmitter power consumption and subsequently increases the battery life. Assuming the sTDS user issues one command every 20 ms, the proposed local processor reduces the data volume that needs to be wirelessly transmitted by a factor of 64, from 9.6 to 0.15 kb/s. The proposed processor consists of three main blocks: serial peripheral interface bus for receiving raw data from magnetic sensors, external magnetic interference attenuation to attenuate external magnetic field from the raw magnetic signal, and a machine learning classifier for command detection. A proof-of-concept prototype sTDS has been implemented with a low-power IGLOO-nano field programmable gate array (FPGA), bluetooth low energy, battery and magnetic sensors on a headset, and tested. At clock frequency of 20 MHz, the processor takes 6.6 s and consumes 27 nJ for detecting a command with a detection accuracy of 96.9%. To further reduce power consumption, an application-specified integrated circuit processor for the sTDS is implemented at the postlayout level in 65-nm CMOS technology with 1-V power supply, and it consumes 0.43 mW, which is 10 lower than FPGA power consumption and occupies an area of only 0.016 mm.

Update of Part 61 Impacts Analysis Methodology. Methodology report. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oztunali, O.I.; Roles, G.W.

1986-01-01

Under contract to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Envirosphere Company has expanded and updated the impacts analysis methodology used during the development of the 10 CFR Part 61 rule to allow improved consideration of the costs and impacts of treatment and disposal of low-level waste that is close to or exceeds Class C concentrations. The modifications described in this report principally include: (1) an update of the low-level radioactive waste source term, (2) consideration of additional alternative disposal technologies, (3) expansion of the methodology used to calculate disposal costs, (4) consideration of an additional exposure pathway involving direct human contact with disposed waste due to a hypothetical drilling scenario, and (5) use of updated health physics analysis procedures (ICRP-30). Volume 1 of this report describes the calculational algorithms of the updated analysis methodology

Update of Part 61 Impacts Analysis Methodology. Methodology report. Volume 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oztunali, O.I.; Roles, G.W.

1986-01-01

Under contract to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Envirosphere Company has expanded and updated the impacts analysis methodology used during the development of the 10 CFR Part 61 rule to allow improved consideration of the costs and impacts of treatment and disposal of low-level waste that is close to or exceeds Class C concentrations. The modifications described in this report principally include: (1) an update of the low-level radioactive waste source term, (2) consideration of additional alternative disposal technologies, (3) expansion of the methodology used to calculate disposal costs, (4) consideration of an additional exposure pathway involving direct human contact with disposed waste due to a hypothetical drilling scenario, and (5) use of updated health physics analysis procedures (ICRP-30). Volume 1 of this report describes the calculational algorithms of the updated analysis methodology.

Control of a Stand-Alone Variable Speed Wind Energy Supply System †

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed M. Hamada

2013-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a simple control strategy for the operation of a variable speed stand-alone wind turbine with a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG. The PMSG is connected to a three phase resistive load through a switch mode rectifier and a voltage source inverter. Control of the generator side converter is used to achieve maximum power extraction from the available wind power. Control of the DC-DC bidirectional buck-boost converter, which is connected between batteries bank and DC-link voltage, is used to maintain the DC-link voltage at a constant value. It is also used to make the batteries bank stores the surplus of wind energy and supplies this energy to the load during a wind power shortage. The load side voltage source inverter uses a relatively complex vector control scheme to control the output load voltage in terms of amplitude and frequency. The control strategy works under wind speed variation as well as with variable load. Extensive simulation results have been performed using MATLAB/SIMULINK.

Stand-alone excitation synchronous wind power generators with power flow management strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tzuen-Lih Chern

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This study presents a stand-alone excitation synchronous wind power generator (SESWPG with power flow management strategy (PFMS. The rotor speed of the excitation synchronous generator tracks the utility grid frequency by using servo motor tracking technologies. The automatic voltage regulator governs the exciting current of generator to achieve the control goals of stable voltage. When wind power is less than the needs of the consumptive loading, the proposed PFMS increases motor torque to provide a positive power output for the loads, while keeping the generator speed constant. Conversely, during the periods of wind power greater than output loads, the redundant power of generator production is charged to the battery pack and the motor speed remains constant with very low power consumption. The advantage of the proposed SESWPG is that the generator can directly output stable alternating current (AC electricity without using additional DC–AC converters. The operation principles with software simulation for the system are described in detail. Experimental results of a laboratory prototype are shown to verify the feasibility of the system.

Performance and Simulation of a Stand-alone Parabolic Trough Solar Thermal Power Plant

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammad, S. T.; Al-Kayiem, H. H.; Assadi, M. K.; Gilani, S. I. U. H.; Khlief, A. K.

2018-05-01

In this paper, a Simulink® Thermolib Model has been established for simulation performance evaluation of Stand-alone Parabolic Trough Solar Thermal Power Plant in Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia. This paper proposes a design of 1.2 kW parabolic trough power plant. The model is capable to predict temperatures at any system outlet in the plant, as well as the power output produced. The conditions that are taken into account as input to the model are: local solar radiation and ambient temperatures, which have been measured during the year. Other parameters that have been input to the model are the collector’s sizes, location in terms of latitude and altitude. Lastly, the results are presented in graphical manner to describe the analysed variations of various outputs of the solar fields obtained, and help to predict the performance of the plant. The developed model allows an initial evaluation of the viability and technical feasibility of any similar solar thermal power plant.

Power quality improvement of a stand-alone power system subjected to various disturbances

Science.gov (United States)

Lone, Shameem Ahmad; Mufti, Mairaj Ud-Din

In wind-diesel stand-alone power systems, the disturbances like random nature of wind power, turbulent wind, sudden changes in load demand and the wind park disconnection effect continuously the system voltage and frequency. The satisfactory operation of such a system is not an easy task and the control design has to take in to account all these subtleties. For maintaining the power quality, generally, a short-term energy storage device is used. In this paper, the performance of a wind-diesel system associated with a superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) system is studied. The effect of installing SMES at wind park bus/load bus, on the system performance is investigated. To control the exchange of real and reactive powers between the SMES unit and the wind-diesel system, a control strategy based on fuzzy logic is proposed. The dynamic models of the hybrid power system for most common scenarios are developed and the results presented.

Evaluation of a proper controller performance for maximum-power point tracking of a stand-alone PV system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nafeh, A.E.-S.A.; Fahmy, F.H. [Electronics Research Institute, Cairo (Egypt); El-Zahab, E.M.A. [Cairo University, Giza (Egypt). Faculty of Engineering

2003-02-01

In this paper the implementation of a suggested stand-alone PV system, for maximum-power point tracking (MPPT), is carried out. Also, this paper presents a comparative study, through experimental work, between the conventional PI controller and the fuzzy logic controller (FLC) under different atmospheric conditions. The implemented system with both the PI controller and the FLC gives a good maximum-power operation of the PV array, but the tracking capability for different optimum operating points is better and faster for the case of using the FLC compared to the case of using the PI controller. (author)

Interactive 3-dimensional registration of stand-along 18F-FDG whole-body PET with CT in the thorax

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xiangsong; Tang Anwu; He Zuoxiang

2004-01-01

Objective: To establish a method of 3-dimensional volume fusion of stand-alone 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET with CT in the thorax. Methods: 18 F-FDG PET and CT studies were performed on 8 patients with lung cancer. CT raw data were reconstructed into three dimensional volume data. The mutual positioning of the volume data of PET and CT was repeatedly adjusted according to the inner marker of apparent anatomical structures and lesions until the accurate registrations were obtained. The registered PET study was then displayed on a hot metal scale overlaid on top of the gray scale CT study. Results: All of the 25 lesions on 18 F-FDG PET imaging in 8 patients were correctly located on CT images using the software of three dimension volumetric fusion of stand-alone 18 F-FDG PET with CT in the thorax. The software can be run in a PC computer, and the whole computational performance time of the software algorithm is less than 10 min for one patient. Conclusion: This technique can correctly locate the FDG uptake lesions in the thorax. (authors)

Probabilistic modelling and analysis of stand-alone hybrid power systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lujano-Rojas, Juan M.; Dufo-López, Rodolfo; Bernal-Agustín, José L.

2013-01-01

As a part of the Hybrid Intelligent Algorithm, a model based on an ANN (artificial neural network) has been proposed in this paper to represent hybrid system behaviour considering the uncertainty related to wind speed and solar radiation, battery bank lifetime, and fuel prices. The Hybrid Intelligent Algorithm suggests a combination of probabilistic analysis based on a Monte Carlo simulation approach and artificial neural network training embedded in a genetic algorithm optimisation model. The installation of a typical hybrid system was analysed. Probabilistic analysis was used to generate an input–output dataset of 519 samples that was later used to train the ANNs to reduce the computational effort required. The generalisation ability of the ANNs was measured in terms of RMSE (Root Mean Square Error), MBE (Mean Bias Error), MAE (Mean Absolute Error), and R-squared estimators using another data group of 200 samples. The results obtained from the estimation of the expected energy not supplied, the probability of a determined reliability level, and the estimation of expected value of net present cost show that the presented model is able to represent the main characteristics of a typical hybrid power system under uncertain operating conditions. - Highlights: • This paper presents a probabilistic model for stand-alone hybrid power system. • The model considers the main sources of uncertainty related to renewable resources. • The Hybrid Intelligent Algorithm has been applied to represent hybrid system behaviour. • The installation of a typical hybrid system was analysed. • The results obtained from the study case validate the presented model

Modelling merchantable volumes for uneven aged maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton stands establi-shed by natural regeneration in the central Portugal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Alegria

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Uneven aged maritime pine stands established by natural regeneration have a great expression in Portugal. These stands being overstocked, as opposed to those established from plantations, provide straight and cylindrical tree boles and logs with less knots that makes them very suitable for certain industrial purposes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to fit a set of equations to predict total volume and merchantable volumes to any merchantable limit for uneven aged maritime pine stands established by natural regeneration in the central inland region of Portugal. Data were collected in 30 circular sampling plots of 500 m2 of area, on 1426 trees and 314 sample trees for volume assessment, corresponding to 2353 diameter/height mea-surements. A total height equation, a total volume equation, a volume ratio equation to any top height limit and a taper equation, over bark, were fitted. To select among the best models, several statistics were computed during model fitting and the independent validation procedure to evaluate model fitting, collinearity and prediction performances. A ranking index was used to support the final decision. The models selected were then fitted again using robust regression and weighted regression techniques, because studentized residuals distribution normality and homogeneity assumptions were not observed. This research showed that the models selected for these stands were not the same as those selected in previous studies for the species in this region, suggesting that these results may be due to the influence of stand density conditions on diameter and total height growth, and consequently, on stem form and volume. This set of equations will also be included as components in a single tree growth and yield model developed for these stands. 

An Analysis of Stand-alone GPS Quality and Simulated GNSS Quality for Road Pricing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zabic, Martina; Nielsen, Otto Anker

2006-01-01

Use of GPS for road pricing has often been suggested as the way of creating more efficient charging strategies than existing systems based on cordon lines or time use. In Denmark, Copenhagen participated with the AKTA project in the PRoGRESS programme, sponsored by the EU. The major part...... of the AKTA project was to equip 500 cars with GPS receivers. The paper presents the methods and results from a study of GPS quality in relation to road pricing in a dense urban area. The collected data from 500 cars over a two-year period in the Copenhagen region was analyzed in order to determine whether...... the stand alone GPS quality and reliability is adequate for implementation of an operational road pricing system in Copenhagen. The results from the analysis show that the satellite availability in Copenhagen is not sufficient to form the basis for a reliable operational road pricing system. The narrow...

Development of merchantable volume equations for natural brutian pine and black pine stands in Eğirdir District

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramazan Özçelik

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Determination of stem standing volume is very useful for both sustainable management of timber resources and practical purposes in forestry. Brutian pine (Pinus brutia Ten. and black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold. are important raw material of forest products industry of Turkey. With ever changing market conditions, there is a need to accurately estimate tree volumes utilizing multiple upper stem merchantability limits. This is not currently possible with the existing total stem volume tables for these three species. Nowadays, taper equations are the best way to estimate volume for saw timber and biomass purposes. In this study, variable exponent taper equations evaluated and fitted to data come from 253 destructively sampled trees which were collected in natural brutian pine and black pine stands in Eğirdir district. For this aim, the taper equations of Lee et al. (2003, Kozak (2004, and Sharma and Zhang (2004 were used. A second-order continuous-time autoregressive error structure was used to correct the inherent autocorrelation in the hierarchical data. The proposed models generally performed better for Merchantable tree volume. Results show that the Kozak (2004 taper equation was superior to the other equations in predicting diameter and merchantable height, while The Sharma and Zhang (2004 taper model provided the best predictions for merchantable volume than the other models. The one of the important results of this study, the importance of checking fit statistics of taper equations for both diameters and volume estimations.As a results, Sharma and Zhang (2004 taper model recommended for estimating diameter at a specific height, height to a specific diameter along the stem, and merchantable volume for brutian pine and black pine stands in Eğirdir analyzed

Online retrieval of patient information by asynchronous communication between general purpose computer and stand-alone personal computer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsutsumi, Reiko; Takahashi, Kazuei; Sato, Toshiko; Komatani, Akio; Yamaguchi, Koichi

1988-01-01

Asynchronous communication was made between host (FACOM M-340) and personal computer (OLIBETTIE S-2250) to get patient's information required for RIA test registration. The retrieval system consists of a keyboad input of six numeric codes, patient's ID, and a real time reply containing six parameters for the patient. Their identified parameters are patient's name, sex, date of birth (include area), department, and out- or inpatient. Linking this program to RIA registration program for individual patient, then, operator can input name of RIA test requested. Our simple retrieval program made a useful data network between different types of host and stand-alone personal computers, and enabled us accurate and labor-saving registration for RIA test. (author)

Solar pv fed stand-alone excitation system of a synchronous machine for reactive power generation

Science.gov (United States)

Sudhakar, N.; Jain, Siddhartha; Jyotheeswara Reddy, K.

2017-11-01

This paper presents a model of a stand-alone solar energy conversion system based on synchronous machine working as a synchronous condenser in overexcited state. The proposed model consists of a Synchronous Condenser, a DC/DC boost converter whose output is fed to the field of the SC. The boost converter is supplied by the modelled solar panel and a day time variable irradiance is fed to the panel during the simulation time. The model also has one alternate source of rechargeable batteries for the time when irradiance falls below a threshold value. Also the excess power produced when there is ample irradiance is divided in two parts and one is fed to the boost converter while other is utilized to recharge the batteries. A simulation is done in MATLAB-SIMULINK and the obtained results show the utility of such modelling for supplying reactive power is feasible.

Systematic Multi-variable H-infinity Control Design for Primary Frequency Regulation in Stand-alone Microgrids with High Penetration of Renewable Energy Sources

OpenAIRE

Lam , Quang Linh; Bratcu , Antoneta Iuliana; Riu , Delphine

2016-01-01

International audience; In this paper, a systematic design of a robust multi-variable control structure for primary frequency regulation in microgrids with high rate of renewable source penetration is proposed. The considered microgrid represents a diesel-photovoltaic-supercapacitor hybrid power generation system operating in stand-alone mode. The proposed control structure relies on a two-level architecture: classical PI-based current tracking controllers are placed on the low control level ...

Multi-muscle electrical stimulation and stand training: Effects on standing.

Science.gov (United States)

Momeni, Kamyar; Ramanujam, Arvind; Garbarini, Erica L; Forrest, Gail F

2018-02-15

To examine the biomechanical and neuromuscular effects of a longitudinal multi-muscle electrical stimulation (submaximal intensities) training of the lower limbs combined with/without activity-based stand training, on the recovery of stability and function for one individual with spinal cord injury (SCI). Single-subject, longitudinal study. Neuroplasticity laboratory. A 34-year-old male, with sensory- and motor-complete SCI (C5/C6). Two consecutive interventions: 61 hours of supine, lower-limb ES (ES-alone) and 51 hours of ES combined with stand training using an overhead body-weight support system (ST + ES). Clinical measures, trunk stability, and muscle activity were assessed and compared across time points. Trunk Stability Limit (TSL) determined improvements in trunk independence. Functional clinical values increased after both interventions, with further increases post ST + ES. Post ES-alone, trunk stability was maintained at 81% body-weight (BW) loading before failure; post ST + ES, BW loading increased to 95%. TSL values decreased post ST + ES (TSL A/P =54.0 kg.cm, TSL M/L =14.5 kg.cm), compared to ES-alone (TSL A/P =8.5 kg.cm, TSL M/L =3.9 kg.cm). Trunk muscle activity decreased post ST + ES training, compared to ES-alone. Neuromuscular and postural trunk control dramatically improved following the multi-muscle ES of the lower limbs with stand training. Multi-muscle ES training paradigm of the lower limb, using traditional parameters, may contribute to the functional recovery of the trunk.

Particulate matter concentrations in residences: an intervention study evaluating stand-alone filters and air conditioners.

Science.gov (United States)

Batterman, S; Du, L; Mentz, G; Mukherjee, B; Parker, E; Godwin, C; Chin, J-Y; O'Toole, A; Robins, T; Rowe, Z; Lewis, T

2012-06-01

This study, a randomized controlled trial, evaluated the effectiveness of free-standing air filters and window air conditioners (ACs) in 126 low-income households of children with asthma. Households were randomized into a control group, a group receiving a free-standing HEPA filter placed in the child's sleeping area, and a group receiving the filter and a window-mounted AC. Indoor air quality (IAQ) was monitored for week-long periods over three to four seasons. High concentrations of particulate matter (PM) and carbon dioxide were frequently seen. When IAQ was monitored, filters reduced PM levels in the child's bedroom by an average of 50%. Filter use varied greatly among households and declined over time, for example, during weeks when pollutants were monitored, filter use was initially high, averaging 84±27%, but dropped to 63±33% in subsequent seasons. In months when households were not visited, use averaged only 34±30%. Filter effectiveness did not vary in homes with central or room ACs. The study shows that measurements over multiple seasons are needed to characterize air quality and filter performance. The effectiveness of interventions using free-standing air filters depends on occupant behavior, and strategies to ensure filter use should be an integral part of interventions. Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) increased particulate matter (PM) levels by about 14 μg/m3 and was often detected using ETS-specific tracers despite restrictions on smoking in the house as reported on questionnaires administered to caregivers. PM concentrations depended on season, filter usage, relative humidity, air exchange ratios, number of children, outdoor PM levels, sweeping/dusting, and presence of a central air conditioner (AC). Free-standing air filters can be an effective intervention that provides substantial reductions in PM concentrations if the filters are used. However, filter use was variable across the study population and declined over the study duration, and

Human Factors, Habitability and Environmental Health and the Human Integration Design Handbook. Volume 2

Science.gov (United States)

Houbec, Keith; Tillman, Barry; Connolly, Janis

2010-01-01

For decades, Space Life Sciences and NASA as an Agency have considered NASA-STD-3000, Man-Systems Integration Standards, a significant contribution to human spaceflight programs and to human-systems integration in general. The document has been referenced in numerous design standards both within NASA and by organizations throughout the world. With research program and project results being realized, advances in technology and new information in a variety of topic areas now available, the time arrived to update this extensive suite of requirements and design information. During the past several years, a multi-NASA center effort has been underway to write the update to NASA-STD-3000 with standards and design guidance that would be applicable to all future human spaceflight programs. NASA-STD-3001 - Volumes 1 and 2 - and the Human Integration Design Handbook (HIDH) were created. Volume 1, Crew Health, establishes NASA s spaceflight crew health standards for the pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight phases of human spaceflight. Volume 2, Human Factors, Habitability and Environmental Health, focuses on the requirements of human-system integration and how the human crew interacts with other systems, and how the human and the system function together to accomplish the tasks for mission success. The HIDH is a compendium of human spaceflight history and knowledge, and provides useful background information and research findings. And as the HIDH is a stand-alone companion to the Standards, the maintenance of the document has been streamlined. This unique and flexible approach ensures that the content is current and addresses the fundamental advances of human performance and human capabilities and constraints research. Current work focuses on the development of new sections of Volume 2 and collecting updates to the HIDH. The new sections in development expand the scope of the standard and address mission operations and support operations. This effort is again collaboration

Design of a reliable and low-cost stand-alone micro hydropower station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kusakana, K.; Munda, J.L. [Tshwane Univ. of Technology, Pretoria (South Africa)

2008-07-01

A stand-alone micro-hydropower station was presented. The plant was comprised of a squirrel cage induction machine coupled to a Kaplan water turbine. Power converters were used to control the variable frequency and voltage outputs of the generator caused by variations in water flow. The hydropower plant was installed a farm in the Kwazulu-Natal region of South Africa, and was designed to provide electricity in relation to the low power demand of users in the region as well as according to the site's hydrology and topology. Load forecasts for the 8 houses using the system were conducted. A generator with a higher output than the average power needed to feed the load was selected in order to ensure load supply during peak demand. The system was designed to shore energy generated during off-peak periods in batteries. An AC-DC-AC converter was used as an interface between the generator and the load in order to ensure voltage and frequency stabilization. Simulations of plant components were conducted to demonstrate output power supply during water flow variations. Results of the modelling study indicated that power converters are needed to stabilize generator outputs. The hydropower design is a cost-effective means of supplying power to low-income households. 10 refs., 2 tabs., 7 figs.

Battery Storage Technologies for Electrical Applications: Impact in Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Akinyele

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Batteries are promising storage technologies for stationary applications because of their maturity, and the ease with which they are designed and installed compared to other technologies. However, they pose threats to the environment and human health. Several studies have discussed the various battery technologies and applications, but evaluating the environmental impact of batteries in electrical systems remains a gap that requires concerted research efforts. This study first presents an overview of batteries and compares their technical properties such as the cycle life, power and energy densities, efficiencies and the costs. It proposes an optimal battery technology sizing and selection strategy, and then assesses the environmental impact of batteries in a typical renewable energy application by using a stand-alone photovoltaic (PV system as a case study. The greenhouse gas (GHG impact of the batteries is evaluated based on the life cycle emission rate parameter. Results reveal that the battery has a significant impact in the energy system, with a GHG impact of about 36–68% in a 1.5 kW PV system for different locations. The paper discusses new batteries, strategies to minimize battery impact and provides insights into the selection of batteries with improved cycling capacity, higher lifespan and lower cost that can achieve lower environmental impacts for future applications.

Simulation of stand alone PV system; Dokuritsugata taiyoko hatsuden system no simulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kondo, H; Ogawa, H; Sekii, Y [Chiba Institute of Technology, Chiba (Japan); Tsuda, I; Nozaki, K [Electrotechnical Laboratory, Tsukuba (Japan); Kurokawa, K [Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo (Japan)

1996-10-27

In order to evaluate the simulation results of a photovoltaic power generation system, an operation simulation was carried out using the actual measured data of a stand alone PV system in Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture, so as to make a comparison with the actual operation data. The electric power was supplied to 250 houses and primary/junior high schools in the surrounding villages, which had an average demand load of approximately 90kw and the maximum of approximately 200kw. The power was supplied through the PV power generation in the duration of the sunshine, with an excess power charged in storage batteries and then supplied from the batteries at night. The array capacity was made 750kWp, the output current and storage batteries being characteristic type with an actual efficiency curve used for the inverter. The weather data used were the actual inclined insolation quantity and the outside air temperature data for a period of one month of November. The power charged in excess of 100% in the batteries was termed as an overflow power. With the charging condition 30% or less, a diesel generator was run for a rated operation for one hour, the power of which was termed as a backup power. As a result, the simulation was found nearly in agreement with the actual measurements. 5 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs.

Is there any exposure from a mobile phone in stand-by mode?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mild, Kjell Hansson; Andersen, Jørgen Bach; Pedersen, Gert Frølund

2012-01-01

Several studies have been using a GSM mobile phone in stand-by mode as the source for exposure, and they claimed that this caused effects on for instance sleep and testicular function. In stand-by mode the phone is only active in periodic location updates, and this occurs with a frequency set by ...... by the net operator. Typical updates occur with 2-5 h in between, and between these updates the phone is to be considered as a passive radio receiver with no microwave emission. Thus, the exposure in stand-by mode can be considered negligible....

A soil-canopy scheme for use in a numerical model of the atmosphere: 1D stand-alone model

Science.gov (United States)

Kowalczyk, E. A.; Garratt, J. R.; Krummel, P. B.

We provide a detailed description of a soil-canopy scheme for use in the CSIRO general circulation models (GCMs) (CSIRO-4 and CSIRO-9), in the form of a one-dimensional stand-alone model. In addition, the paper documents the model's ability to simulate realistic surface fluxes by comparison with mesoscale model simulations (involving more sophisticated soil and boundary-layer treatments) and observations, and the diurnal range in surface quantities, including extreme maximum surface temperatures. The sensitivity of the model to values of the surface resistance is also quantified. The model represents phase 1 of a longer-term plan to improve the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) and surface schemes in the CSIRO GCMs.

The international phase 4 validation study of the EORTC QLQ-SWB32: A stand-alone measure of spiritual well-being for people receiving palliative care for cancer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vivat, B.; Young, T. E.; Winstanley, J.; Arraras, J. I.; Black, K.; Boyle, F.; Bredart, A.; Costantini, A.; Guo, J.; Irarrazaval, M. E.; Kobayashi, K.; Kruizinga, R.; Navarro, M.; Omidvari, S.; Rohde, G. E.; Serpentini, S.; Spry, N.; van Laarhoven, H. W. M.; Yang, G. M.

2017-01-01

The EORTC Quality of Life Group has just completed the final phase (field-testing and validation) of an international project to develop a stand-alone measure of spiritual well-being (SWB) for palliative cancer patients. Participants (n = 451)-from 14 countries on four continents; 54% female; 188

Oak Ridge Reservation environmental report for 1992. Volume 1: Narrative

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koncinski, W.S. [ed.

1993-09-01

The two volumes of this report present data and supporting narratives regarding the impact of the US Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) on its environs and the public during 1992. This Volume (Volume 1) includes all narrative descriptions, summaries, and conclusions and is intended to be a ``stand-alone`` report for the reader who does not want to review in detail all of the 1992 data for the ORR. Volume 2 includes the detailed data in formats that ensure all the environmental data are represented. Narratives are not included in Vol. 2.

[Biomechanicsl evaluation of a stand-alone interbody fusion cage based on porous TiO2/glass-ceramic on the human cervical spine].

Science.gov (United States)

Korinth, M C; Moersch, S; Ragoss, C; Schopphoff, E

2003-12-01

Recently, there has been a rapid increase in the use of cervical spine interbody fusion cages, differing in design and biomaterial used, in competition to autologous iliac bone graft and bone cement (PMMA). Limited biomechanical differences in primary stability, as well as advantages and disadvantages of each cage or material have been investigated in studies, using an in vitro human cervical spine model. 20 human cervical spine specimens were tested after fusion with either a cubical stand-alone interbody fusion cage manufactured from a new porous TiO2/glass composite (Ecopore) or PMMA after discectomy. Non-destructive biomechanical testing was performed, including flexion/extension and lateral bending using a spine testing apparatus. Three-dimensional segmental range of motion (ROM) was evaluated using an ultrasound measurement system. ROM increased more in flexion/extension and lateral bending after PMMA fusion (26.5%/36.1%), then after implantation of the Ecopore-cage (8.1%/7.8%). In this first biomechanical in vitro examination of a new porous ceramic bone replacement material a) the feasibility and reproducibility of biomechanical cadaveric cervical examination and its applicability was demonstrated, b) the stability of the ceramic cage as a stand alone interbody cage was confirmed in vitro, and c) basic information and knowledge for our intended biomechanical and histological in vivo testing, after implantation of Ecopore in cervical sheep spines, were obtained.

Risk factors for subsidence in anterior cervical fusion with stand-alone polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages: a review of 82 cases and 182 levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Kao, Ting-Hsien; Wu, Chen-Hao; Chou, Yu-Ching; Chen, Hsien-Te; Chen, Wen-Hsien; Tsou, Hsi-Kai

2014-10-01

To determine risk factors for subsidence in patients treated with anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and stand-alone polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages. Records of patients with degenerative spondylosis or traumatic disc herniation resulting in radiculopathy or myelopathy between C2 and C7 who underwent ACDF with stand-alone PEEK cages were retrospectively reviewed. Cages were filled with autogenous cancellous bone harvested from iliac crest or hydroxyapatite. Subsidence was defined as a decrease of 3 mm or more of anterior or posterior disc height from that measured on the postoperative radiograph. Eighty-two patients (32 males, 50 females; 182 treatment levels) were included in the analysis. Most patients had 1-2 treatment levels (62.2 %), and 37.8 % had 3-4 treatment levels. Treatment levels were from C2-7. Of the 82 patients, cage subsidence occurred in 31 patients, and at 39 treatment levels. Multivariable analysis showed that subsidence was more likely to occur in patients with more than two treatment levels, and more likely to occur at treatment levels C5-7 than at levels C2-5. Subsidence was not associated with postoperative alignment change but associated with more disc height change (relatively oversized cage). Subsidence is associated with a greater number of treatment levels, treatment at C5-7 and relatively oversized cage use.

Single anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using self- locking stand-alone polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage: evaluation of pain and health-related quality of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Kapetanakis, Stylianos; Thomaidis, Tryfon; Charitoudis, George; Pavlidis, Pavlos; Theodosiadis, Panagiotis; Gkasdaris, Grigorios

2017-09-01

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) constitutes the conventional treatment of cervical disc herniation due to degenerative disc disease (DDD). ACDF with plating presents a variety of complications postoperatively and stand-alone cages are thought to be a promising alternative. The aim of this study was firstly, to analyze prospectively collected data from a sample of patients treated with single ACDF using C-Plus self-locking stand-alone PEEK cage system, without the use of plates or screws, in order to evaluate pain levels of patients, utilizing Neck and Arm Pain scale as an expression of visual analogue scale (VAS). Secondly, we aimed to evaluate health-related quality of life, via the short-form 36 (SF-36) and Neck Disability Index (NDI). Thirty-six patients (19 male and 17 female) with mean age 49.6±7 years old who underwent successful single ACDF using self-locking stand-alone PEEK cage for symptomatic cervical DDD were selected for the study. Neck and Arm pain, as well as SF-36 and NDI were estimated preoperatively and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Patients underwent preoperative and postoperative clinical, neurological and radiological evaluation. The clinical and radiological outcomes were satisfactory after a minimum 1-year follow-up. All results were statistically important (P<0.05), excluding improvement in NDI measured between 6 and 12 months. SF-36, Neck Pain, as well as Arm Pain featured gradual and constant improvement during follow-up, with best scores presenting at 12 months after surgery, while NDI reached its best at 6 months postoperatively. Generally, all scores showed improvement postoperatively during the different phases of the follow-up. Subsequently, ACDF using C-Plus cervical cage constitutes an effective method for cervical disc herniation treatment, in terms of postoperative improvement on pain levels and health-related quality of life and a safe alternative to the conventional method of treatment for cervical DDD.

Stand quality management in a late-rotation, red oak-sweetgum stand in east Mississippi: preliminary results following thinning

Science.gov (United States)

James S. Meadows; Daniel A. Skojac

2012-01-01

Stand quality management is a new management strategy in which thinning prescriptions are based solely on tree quality rather than a quantitative level of residual stand density. As long as residual density falls within fairly broad limits, prescriptions are based on tree quality alone. We applied four thinning prescriptions based on stand quality management, along...

Stand-Alone Photovoltaic System Assessment in Warmer Urban Areas in Mexico

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Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to examine the possibility of using a stand-alone photovoltaic system (SAPVS for electricity generation in urban areas in Southern Mexico. In Mexico, an urban area is defined as an area where more than 2500 inhabitants live. Due to constant migration from the countryside to the cities, the number of inhabitants of urban localities has been increasing. Global horizontal irradiation (GHI data were recorded every 10 min during 2014–2016 in Coatzacoalcos in the state of Veracruz located on 18°08′09″ N and 94°27′48″ W. In this study, batteries represented 77% of the total cost, 12 PV panels of 310 W could export 5.41 MWh to the grid, and an inverter with an integrated controller and charger was selected, which decreased the initial cost. The city of Coatzacoalcos was chosen because the average annual temperature is 28°, with an average relative humidity of 75% and an average irradiance of 5.3 kWh/m2/day. An emission factor 0.505 tCO2/MWh of greenhouse gases (GHG were obtained, based on the power system, the reduction of net annual GHG would be 11 tCO2 and a financial revenue of 36.951 × 103 $/tCO2 would be obtained. Financial parameters such as a 36.3% Internal Rate Return (IRR and 3.4 years payback show the financial viability of this investment. SAPVSs in urban areas in Mexico could be a benefit as long as housing has a high consumption of electricity.

The eBioKit, a stand-alone educational platform for bioinformatics.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández-de-Diego, Rafael; de Villiers, Etienne P; Klingström, Tomas; Gourlé, Hadrien; Conesa, Ana; Bongcam-Rudloff, Erik

2017-09-01

Bioinformatics skills have become essential for many research areas; however, the availability of qualified researchers is usually lower than the demand and training to increase the number of able bioinformaticians is an important task for the bioinformatics community. When conducting training or hands-on tutorials, the lack of control over the analysis tools and repositories often results in undesirable situations during training, as unavailable online tools or version conflicts may delay, complicate, or even prevent the successful completion of a training event. The eBioKit is a stand-alone educational platform that hosts numerous tools and databases for bioinformatics research and allows training to take place in a controlled environment. A key advantage of the eBioKit over other existing teaching solutions is that all the required software and databases are locally installed on the system, significantly reducing the dependence on the internet. Furthermore, the architecture of the eBioKit has demonstrated itself to be an excellent balance between portability and performance, not only making the eBioKit an exceptional educational tool but also providing small research groups with a platform to incorporate bioinformatics analysis in their research. As a result, the eBioKit has formed an integral part of training and research performed by a wide variety of universities and organizations such as the Pan African Bioinformatics Network (H3ABioNet) as part of the initiative Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa), the Southern Africa Network for Biosciences (SAnBio) initiative, the Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA) hub, and the International Glossina Genome Initiative.

Forest volume-to-biomass models and estimates of mass for live and standing dead trees of U.S. forests.

Science.gov (United States)

James E. Smith; Linda S. Heath; Jennifer C. Jenkins

2003-01-01

Includes methods and equations for nationally consistent estimates of tree-mass density at the stand level (Mg/ha) as predicted by growing-stock volumes reported by the USDA Forest Service for forests of the conterminous United States. Developed for use in FORCARB, a carbon budget model for U.S. forests, the equations also are useful for converting plot-, stand- and...

Analysis and control of induction generator supplying stand-alone AC loads employing a Matrix Converter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sumedha Mahajan

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a Capacitor Excited Induction Generator (CEIG-Matrix Converter (MC system for feeding stand-alone AC loads. The variable output voltage magnitude and frequency from CEIG is converted into a constant voltage magnitude and frequency at the load terminals by controlling MC using Space Vector Modulation (SVM technique. This single-stage MC is turned up as a good alternative for the proposed system against commonly used AC/DC/AC two stage power converters. The configuration and implementation of the closed-loop control scheme employing dSPACE 1103 real time controller have been fully described in the paper. The proposed closed-loop controller regulates the AC load voltage irrespective of changes in the prime mover speed and load. A method for predetermining the steady-state performance of the proposed system has been developed and described with relevant analytical expressions. The effectiveness of the proposed system is exemplified through simulation results for various operating conditions. The proposed control technique is further validated using an experimental setup developed in the laboratory.

An intelligent stand-alone ultrasonic device for monitoring local structural damage: implementation and preliminary experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pertsch, Alexander; Kim, Jin-Yeon; Wang, Yang; Jacobs, Laurence J

2011-01-01

Continuous structural health monitoring has the potential to significantly improve the safety management of aged, in-service civil structures. In particular, monitoring of local damage growth at hot-spot areas can help to prevent disastrous structural failures. Although ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation (NDE) has proved to be effective in monitoring local damage growth, conventional equipment and devices are usually bulky and only suitable for scheduled human inspections. The objective of this research is to harness the latest developments in embedded hardware and wireless communication for developing a stand-alone, compact ultrasonic device. The device is directed at the continuous structural health monitoring of civil structures. Relying on battery power, the device possesses the functionalities of high-speed actuation, sensing, signal processing, and wireless communication. Integrated with contact ultrasonic transducers, the device can generate 1 MHz Rayleigh surface waves in a steel specimen and measure response waves. An envelope detection algorithm based on the Hilbert transform is presented for efficiently determining the peak values of the response signals, from which small surface cracks are successfully identified

Modeling and Experimental Test of Grid-Tied Photovoltaic Cell Emulating System in the Stand-alone Mode

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Vu Minh Phap

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In recent decades, generation of electricity from solar arrays has been increased to meet the world's growing energy demand. However, the utilization rate of the power conditioner in the grid-tied solar power system is low because the operation of solar panels is dependent on sunlight. Thus, we studied the method that the small scale wind power generating system in size from a few hundred watts to two or three kilowatts can be connected to the grid-tied power conditioner of the solar power system for residential applications with low power ratings (single phase, size is limited to 10kW by emulating characteristic of the solar panel. In this paper, we introduce the application of the grid-tied PV cell emulating system in the stand-alone mode to improve the utilization rate of the power conditioner. The simulation and experimental test results verify that the PV cell emulating system can operate the power conditioner of the gridtied solar power system.

Hydrogen-based energy storage unit for stand alone PV systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Labbe, J.

2006-12-01

Stand alone systems supplied only by a photovoltaic generator need an energy storage unit to be fully self sufficient. Lead acid batteries are commonly used to store energy because of their low cost, despite several operational constraints. A hydrogen-based energy storage unit (HESU) could be another candidate, including an electrolyser, a fuel cell and a hydrogen tank. However many efforts still need to be carried out for this technology to reach an industrial stage. In particular, market outlets must be clearly identified. The study of small stationary applications (few kW) is performed by numerical simulations. A simulator is developed in the Matlab/Simulink environment. It is mainly composed of a photovoltaic field and a storage unit (lead acid batteries, HESU, or hybrid storage HESU/batteries). The system component sizing is achieved in order to ensure the complete system autonomy over a whole year of operation. The simulator is tested with 160 load profiles (1 kW as a yearly mean value) and three locations (Algeria, France and Norway). Two coefficients are set in order to quantify the correlation between the power consumption of the end user and the renewable resource availability at both daily and yearly scales. Among the tested cases, a limit value of the yearly correlation coefficient came out, enabling to recommend the use of the most adapted storage to a considered case. There are cases for which using HESU instead of lead acid batteries can increase the system efficiency, decrease the size of the photovoltaic field and improve the exploitation of the renewable resource. In addition, hybridization of HESU with batteries always leads to system enhancements regarding its sizing and performance, with an efficiency increase by 10 to 40 % depending on the considered location. The good agreement between the simulation data and field data gathered on real systems enabled the validation of the models used in this study. (author)

[Clinical application of stand-alone MC+PEEK cage in the anterior cervical fusion].

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Bing; Cao, Yan-Qing; Pan, Hong; Zhu, Cheng-Run; Zhang, Xiao-Jun; Tao, Yue-Feng; Liu, Zhen

2015-04-01

To explore the effect of clinical application of stand-alone MC+PEEK cage in anterior cervical fusion. From January 2011 to January 2014,50 patients were treated with the MC+PEEK cage filled with autogenous cancellous illic-bone graft after anterior cervical discectomy. There were 22 patients with cervical spondylosis,26 patients with traumatic cervical disc herniation, 2 patients with cervical instability in these patients. There were 32 males and 18 females, aged from 30 to 79 years old with an average of 53.30 years old. There were 32 patients with single segment, 15 patients with double segments and 3 patients with three segments. Cervical AP and lateral and the flexion-extension X-rays were regularly taken in order to assess the cervical physiological curvature, the graft fusion and internal fixation related complications. Nerve function, clinical effect and bone fusion were respectively evaluated according to Japan Orthopedic Association (JOA), Otani grade and Suk method. All patients were followed up from 6 to 36 months with an average of 20 months. No correlated surgical complications were found and all patients obtained bony fusion with an average time of 4.30 months. JOA score had significantly improvement after surgery (P cervical fusion can obtain satisfactory clinical effect with less operation injury and reduce the complications. It is a better fusion method in anterior cervical fusion.

On the economics of stand-alone renewable hybrid power plants in remote regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrakopoulou, Fontina

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Economic evaluation of three renewable hybrid power plants for off-grid operation. • The high electricity cost of remote regions increases the competitiveness of renewable energy. • The proposed plants are economically viable when compared to the existing situation. • The zero direct emissions of the plants constitute an additional advantage of the plants. - Abstract: In recent years ever more examples of regions that have managed to achieve or orientate themselves toward renewable energy sufficiency are emerging. However, actions to create energy autonomy are mainly the result of isolated activities and they are less driven from fully organized movements. In addition, total energy independence without the support of a centralized electrical grid is yet to be achieved. The objectives of this work are to investigate the associated costs of stand-alone renewable hybrid power plants on a Greek island and compare them to the cost of the currently used fossil-fuel-based conventional plant. The plants examined here are designed to fully cover the electricity needs of the island. Islands may face numerous energy problems and rely heavily on foreign and environmentally-harmful fuels. It is shown that the relatively high cost of electricity of such a remote region can increase the competitiveness and promote the wider incorporation of technologies based on renewable energy sources that may, in other cases, seem economically inferior to business-as-usual energy solutions.

MIRNA-DISTILLER: a stand-alone application to compile microRNA data from databases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica K. Rieger

2011-07-01

Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNA are small non-coding RNA molecules of ~22 nucleotides which regulate large numbers of genes by binding to seed sequences at the 3’-UTR of target gene transcripts. The target mRNA is then usually degraded or translation is inhibited, although thus resulting in posttranscriptional down regulation of gene expression at the mRNA and/or protein level. Due to the bioinformatic difficulties in predicting functional miRNA binding sites, several publically available databases have been developed that predict miRNA binding sites based on different algorithms. The parallel use of different databases is currently indispensable, but highly uncomfortable and time consuming, especially when working with numerous genes of interest. We have therefore developed a new stand-alone program, termed MIRNA-DISTILLER, which allows to compile miRNA data for given target genes from public databases. Currently implemented are TargetScan, microCosm, and miRDB, which may be queried independently, pairwise, or together to calculate the respective intersections. Data are stored locally for application of further analysis tools including freely definable biological parameter filters, customized output-lists for both miRNAs and target genes, and various graphical facilities. The software, a data example file and a tutorial are freely available at http://www.ikp-stuttgart.de/content/language1/html/10415.asp

MIRNA-DISTILLER: A Stand-Alone Application to Compile microRNA Data from Databases.

Science.gov (United States)

Rieger, Jessica K; Bodan, Denis A; Zanger, Ulrich M

2011-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small non-coding RNA molecules of ∼22 nucleotides which regulate large numbers of genes by binding to seed sequences at the 3'-untranslated region of target gene transcripts. The target mRNA is then usually degraded or translation is inhibited, although thus resulting in posttranscriptional down regulation of gene expression at the mRNA and/or protein level. Due to the bioinformatic difficulties in predicting functional miRNA binding sites, several publically available databases have been developed that predict miRNA binding sites based on different algorithms. The parallel use of different databases is currently indispensable, but highly uncomfortable and time consuming, especially when working with numerous genes of interest. We have therefore developed a new stand-alone program, termed MIRNA-DISTILLER, which allows to compile miRNA data for given target genes from public databases. Currently implemented are TargetScan, microCosm, and miRDB, which may be queried independently, pairwise, or together to calculate the respective intersections. Data are stored locally for application of further analysis tools including freely definable biological parameter filters, customized output-lists for both miRNAs and target genes, and various graphical facilities. The software, a data example file and a tutorial are freely available at http://www.ikp-stuttgart.de/content/language1/html/10415.asp.

Stand alone solution for generation and storage of hydrogen and electric energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gany, Alon; Elitzur, Shani; Valery

2015-01-01

A novel method enabling safe, simple, and controllable production, storage, and use of hydrogen as well as compact electric energy storage and generation via hydrogen- oxygen fuel cells has been developed. The technology indicates, in our opinion, a significant milestone in the search for practical utilization of hydrogen as an alternative energy source. It consists of an original thermal-chemical treatment / activation of aluminum powders to react spontaneously with water to produce hydrogen at regular conditions according to the reaction Al+3H 2 O=Al (OH) 3 +3/2H 2 . Only about 1-2% of lithium, based activator is applied, and any type of water including tap water, sea water and waste water may be used, making the method attractive for variety of applications. 11% of hydrogen compared to the aluminum mass can be obtained, and our experiments reveal 90% reaction yield and more. The technology has a clear advantage over batteries, providing specific electric energy of over 2 kW h/kg Al, 5-10 times greater than that of commonly used lithium-ion batteries. Combined with a fuel cell it may be particularly beneficial for stand-alone electric power generators, where there is no access to the grid. Such applications include emergency generators (e.g., in hospitals), electricity backup systems, and power generation in remote communication posts. Automotive applications may be considered as well. The technology provides green electric energy and quiet operation as well as additional heat energy resulting mainly from the exothermic aluminum-water reaction. (full text)

Stand-alone containment analysis of Phébus FPT tests with ASTEC and MELCOR codes: the FPT-2 test.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonfiotti, Bruno; Paci, Sandro

2018-03-01

During the last 40 years, many studies have been carried out to investigate the different phenomena occurring during a Severe Accident (SA) in a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Such efforts have been supported by the execution of different experimental campaigns, and the integral Phébus FP tests were probably some of the most important experiments in this field. In these tests, the degradation of a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) fuel bundle was investigated employing different control rod materials and burn-up levels in strongly or weakly oxidizing conditions. From the findings on these and previous tests, numerical codes such as ASTEC and MELCOR have been developed to analyze the evolution of a SA in real NPPs. After the termination of the Phébus FP campaign, these two codes have been furthermore improved to implement the more recent findings coming from different experimental campaigns. Therefore, continuous verification and validation is still necessary to check that the new improvements introduced in such codes allow also a better prediction of these Phébus tests. The aim of the present work is to re-analyze the Phébus FPT-2 test employing the updated ASTEC and MELCOR code versions. The analysis focuses on the stand-alone containment aspects of this test, and three different spatial nodalizations of the containment vessel (CV) have been developed. The paper summarizes the main thermal-hydraulic results and presents different sensitivity analyses carried out on the aerosols and fission products (FP) behavior. When possible, a comparison among the results obtained during this work and by different authors in previous work is also performed. This paper is part of a series of publications covering the four Phébus FP tests using a PWR fuel bundle: FPT-0, FPT-1, FPT-2, and FPT-3, excluding the FPT-4 one, related to the study of the release of low-volatility FP and transuranic elements from a debris bed and a pool of melted fuel.

Stand-alone containment analysis of Phébus FPT tests with ASTEC and MELCOR codes: the FPT-2 test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruno Gonfiotti

2018-03-01

Full Text Available During the last 40 years, many studies have been carried out to investigate the different phenomena occurring during a Severe Accident (SA in a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP. Such efforts have been supported by the execution of different experimental campaigns, and the integral Phébus FP tests were probably some of the most important experiments in this field. In these tests, the degradation of a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR fuel bundle was investigated employing different control rod materials and burn-up levels in strongly or weakly oxidizing conditions. From the findings on these and previous tests, numerical codes such as ASTEC and MELCOR have been developed to analyze the evolution of a SA in real NPPs. After the termination of the Phébus FP campaign, these two codes have been furthermore improved to implement the more recent findings coming from different experimental campaigns. Therefore, continuous verification and validation is still necessary to check that the new improvements introduced in such codes allow also a better prediction of these Phébus tests. The aim of the present work is to re-analyze the Phébus FPT-2 test employing the updated ASTEC and MELCOR code versions. The analysis focuses on the stand-alone containment aspects of this test, and three different spatial nodalizations of the containment vessel (CV have been developed. The paper summarizes the main thermal-hydraulic results and presents different sensitivity analyses carried out on the aerosols and fission products (FP behavior. When possible, a comparison among the results obtained during this work and by different authors in previous work is also performed. This paper is part of a series of publications covering the four Phébus FP tests using a PWR fuel bundle: FPT-0, FPT-1, FPT-2, and FPT-3, excluding the FPT-4 one, related to the study of the release of low-volatility FP and transuranic elements from a debris bed and a pool of melted fuel. Keywords: Safety

Use of Super-Capacitor to Enhance Charging Performance of Stand-Alone Solar PV System

KAUST Repository

Huang, B. J.

2011-01-01

Introduction: The battery charging performance in a stand-alone solar PV system affects the PV system efficiency and the load operating time. The New Energy Center of National Taiwan University has been devoted to the development of a PWM charging technique to continue charging the lead-acid battery after the overcharge point to increase the battery storage capacity by more than 10%. The present study intends to use the super-capacitor to further increase the charge capacity before the overcharge point of the battery. The super-capacitor is connected in parallel to the lead-acid battery. This will reduce the overall charging impedance during the charge and increase the charging current, especially in sunny weather. A system dynamics model of the lead-acid battery and super-capacitor was derived and the control system simulation was carried out to predict the charging performance for various weathers. It shows that the overall battery impedance decreases and charging power increases with increasing solar radiation. An outdoor comparative test for two identical PV systems with and without supercapacitor was carried out. The use of super-capacitor is shown to be able to increase the lead-acid charging capacity by more than 25% at sunny weather and 10% in cloudy weather. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011.

Grid parity analysis of stand-alone hybrid microgrids: A comparative study of Germany, Pakistan, South Africa and the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Siddiqui, Jawad M.

Grid parity for alternative energy resources occurs when the cost of electricity generated from the source is lower than or equal to the purchasing price of power from the electricity grid. This thesis aims to quantitatively analyze the evolution of hybrid stand-alone microgrids in the US, Germany, Pakistan and South Africa to determine grid parity for a solar PV/Diesel/Battery hybrid system. The Energy System Model (ESM) and NREL's Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) software are used to simulate the microgrid operation and determine a Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) figure for each location. This cost per kWh is then compared with two distinct estimates of future retail electricity prices at each location to determine grid parity points. Analysis results reveal that future estimates of LCOE for such hybrid stand-alone microgrids range within the 35-55 cents/kWh over the 25 year study period. Grid parity occurs earlier in locations with higher power prices or unreliable grids. For Pakistan grid parity is already here, while Germany hits parity between the years 2023-2029. Results for South Africa suggest a parity time range of the years 2040-2045. In the US, places with low grid prices do not hit parity during the study period. Sensitivity analysis results reveal the significant impact of financing and the cost of capital on these grid parity points, particularly in developing markets of Pakistan and South Africa. Overall, the study helps conclude that variations in energy markets may determine the fate of emerging energy technologies like microgrids. However, policy interventions have a significant impact on the final outcome, such as the grid parity in this case. Measures such as eliminating uncertainty in policies and improving financing can help these grids overcome barriers in developing economies, where they may find a greater use much earlier in time.

Solar photovoltaic applications seminar: design, installation and operation of small, stand-alone photovoltaic power systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1980-07-01

This seminar material was developed primarily to provide solar photovoltaic (PV) applied engineering technology to the Federal community. An introduction to photoconductivity, semiconductors, and solar photovoltaic cells is included along with a demonstration of specific applications and application identification. The seminar details general systems design and incorporates most known information from industry, academia, and Government concerning small solar cell power system design engineering, presented in a practical and applied manner. Solar PV power system applications involve classical direct electrical energy conversion and electric power system analysis and synthesis. Presentations and examples involve a variety of disciplines including structural analysis, electric power and load analysis, reliability, sizing and optimization; and, installation, operation and maintenance. Four specific system designs are demonstrated: water pumping, domestic uses, navigational and aircraft aids, and telecommunications. All of the applications discussed are for small power requirement (under 2 kilowatts), stand-alone systems to be used in remote locations. Also presented are practical lessons gained from currently installed and operating systems, problems at sites and their resolution, a logical progression through each major phase of system acquisition, as well as thorough design reviews for each application.

Comparative analysis of distributed MPPT controllers for partially shaded stand alone photovoltaic systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muthuramalingam, M.; Manoharan, P.S.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Analyzes the performance of ANN and ANFIS MPPT algorithms by stand alone PV system. • ISSBC with ANFIS can provide the overall efficiency higher than ANN. • CHBMLI integrate with SHE ANN modulation technique improve output voltage quality. • Simulation and hardware results show the ANFIS algorithm efficient than ANN algorithm. - Abstract: This paper presents a unique combination of an interleaved soft switched boost converter (ISSBC) run by a set of two photovoltaic panel (PV) with a distributed MPPT, suitable to guarantee MPPT even under partial shadowed conditions, managed by an adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system trained by the training data derived from a particle swarm optimization (PSO–ANFIS) unit. The ISSBC is followed by a, single phase cascaded H bridge five-level inverter (CHI) driven by the individual DC outputs of the ISSBC, with selective harmonic elimination scheme to eliminate typically the seventh order harmonics. A comparison of different intelligent distributed maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms for photovoltaic (PV) system under partial shadow conditions is carried out. The use of the ISSBC guarantees mitigation of ripple and it is meant to handle higher currents with minimal switching losses. Simulation was carried out in the Matlab Simulink environment and an experimental verification with a scaled down model validated the proposed scheme. It has been thus established, by both simulation and experimental verification, that the PSO–ANFIS model of distributed MPPT scheme of control outperforms other schemes of control for MPPT

Stand-Alone Lateral Interbody Fusion for the Treatment of Low-Grade Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Marchi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper was to investigate the stand-alone lateral interbody fusion as a minimally invasive option for the treatment of low-grade degenerative spondylolisthesis with a minimum 24-month followup. Prospective nonrandomized observational single-center study. 52 consecutive patients (67.6±10 y/o; 73.1% female; 27.4±3.4 BMI with single-level grade I/II single-level degenerative spondylolisthesis without significant spine instability were included. Fusion procedures were performed as retroperitoneal lateral transpsoas interbody fusions without screw supplementation. The procedures were performed in average 73.2 minutes and with less than 50cc blood loss. VAS and Oswestry scores showed lasting improvements in clinical outcomes (60% and 54.5% change, resp.. The vertebral slippage was reduced in 90.4% of cases from mean values of 15.1% preoperatively to 7.4% at 6-week followup (P<0.001 and was maintained through 24 months (7.1%, P<0.001. Segmental lordosis (P<0.001 and disc height (P<0.001 were improved in postop evaluations. Cage subsidence occurred in 9/52 cases (17% and 7/52 cases (13% spine levels needed revision surgery. At the 24-month evaluation, solid fusion was observed in 86.5% of the levels treated. The minimally invasive lateral approach has been shown to be a safe and reproducible technique to treat low-grade degenerative spondylolisthesis.

Is the radiographic subsidence of stand-alone cages associated with adverse clinical outcomes after cervical spine fusion? An observational cohort study with 2-year follow-up outcome scoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Zajonz, Dirk; Franke, Anne-Catherine; von der Höh, Nicolas; Voelker, Anna; Moche, Michael; Gulow, Jens; Heyde, Christoph-Eckhard

2014-01-01

The stand-alone treatment of degenerative cervical spine pathologies is a proven method in clinical practice. However, its impact on subsidence, the resulting changes to the profile of the cervical spine and the possible influence of clinical results compared to treatment with additive plate osteosynthesis remain under discussion until present. This study was designed as a retrospective observational cohort study to test the hypothesis that radiographic subsidence of cervical cages is not associated with adverse clinical outcomes. 33 cervical segments were treated surgically by ACDF with stand-alone cage in 17 patients (11 female, 6 male), mean age 56 years (33-82 years), and re-examined after eight and twenty-six months (mean) by means of radiology and score assessment (Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (MOS-SF 36), Oswestry Neck Disability Index (ONDI), painDETECT questionnaire and the visual analogue scale (VAS)). Subsidence was observed in 50.5% of segments (18/33) and 70.6% of patients (12/17). 36.3% of cases of subsidence (12/33) were observed after eight months during mean time of follow-up 1. After 26 months during mean time of follow-up 2, full radiographic fusion was seen in 100%. MOS-SF 36, ONDI and VAS did not show any significant difference between cases with and without subsidence in the two-sample t-test. Only in one type of scoring (painDETECT questionnaire) did a statistically significant difference in t-Test emerge between the two groups (p = 0.03; α = 0.05). However, preoperative painDETECT score differ significantly between patients with subsidence (13.3 falling to 12.6) and patients without subsidence (7.8 dropped to 6.3). The radiological findings indicated 100% healing after stand-alone treatment with ACDF. Subsidence occurred in 50% of the segments treated. No impact on the clinical results was detected in the medium-term study period.

Integration of hydrogen energy technologies in stand-alone power systems analysis of the current potential for applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zoulias, E.I.; Lymberopoulos, N.; Tsoutsos, T.; Glockner, R.; Mydske, H.J.; Vosseler, I.; Gavalda, O.; Taylor, P.

2006-01-01

The European study entitled: 'Market Potential Analysis for Introduction of Hydrogen Energy Technology in Stand-Alone Power Systems (H-SAPS)' aimed to establish a broad understanding of the market potential for H-SAPS and provide a basis for promoting in wide scale new technological applications. The scope of the study was limited to small and medium installations, up to a few hundred kW power rating and based on RE as the primary energy source. The potential for hydrogen technology in SAPS was investigated through an assessment of the technical potential for hydrogen, the market analysis and the evaluation of external factors. The results are mostly directed towards action by governments and the research community but also industry involvement is identified. The results include targeted market research, establishment of individual cost targets, regulatory changes to facilitate alternative grid solutions, information and capacity building, focused technology research and bridging the technology gaps. (author)

Multi-Objective Optimal Design of Stand-Alone Hybrid Energy System Using Entropy Weight Method Based on HOMER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiaxin Lu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Implementation of hybrid energy system (HES is generally considered as a promising way to satisfy the electrification requirements for remote areas. In the present study, a novel decision making methodology is proposed to identify the best compromise configuration of HES from a set of feasible combinations obtained from HOMER. For this purpose, a multi-objective function, which comprises four crucial and representative indices, is formulated by applying the weighted sum method. The entropy weight method is employed as a quantitative methodology for weighting factors calculation to enhance the objectivity of decision-making. Moreover, the optimal design of a stand-alone PV/wind/battery/diesel HES in Yongxing Island, China, is conducted as a case study to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Both the simulation and optimization results indicate that, the optimization method is able to identify the best trade-off configuration among system reliability, economy, practicability and environmental sustainability. Several useful conclusions are given by analyzing the operation of the best configuration.

Comparison of satellite imagery from LISS-III/Resourcesat-1 and TM/Landsat 5 to estimate stand-level timber volume

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elias Fernando Berra

2017-01-01

Full Text Available After Landsat 5 activities were discontinued, sensors on board ResourceSat-1 satellite have been pointed as an option for Landsat series. The aim of this study is to estimate timber volume from a slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm. stand using images from both LISS-III/ResourceSat-1 and TM/Landsat 5 sensors, cross comparing their performances. Reflectance values from the four spectral bands considered equivalent for both sensors were compared regarding sensitivity to changes in timber volume. Trends were similar, with direct relationship in the near-infrared bands and inverse relationships in the visible and mid-infrared bands. Significant differences were only found in the equivalent band of green. Multiple linear regressions were used to select spectral bands that would better explain variations in timber volume. The best fit equations for each sensor were inverted to generate maps of timber volume, estimates which were compared at pixel and stand level. None of the scales showed significant differences between estimates generated from the two sensors. We concluded that LISS-III and TM have generally very similar performance for monitoring timber volume, and LISS-III could therefore be potentially used as a complement or substitute to Landsat series.

Post-processing in cardiovascular computed tomography. Performance of a client server solution versus a stand-alone solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luecke, C.; Foldyna, B.; Andres, C.; Grothoff, M.; Nitzsche, S.; Gutberlet, M.; Lehmkuhl, L.; Boehmer-Lasthaus, S.

2014-01-01

Purpose: To compare the performance of server-based (CSS) versus stand-alone post-processing software (ES) for the evaluation of cardiovascular CT examinations (cvCT) and to determine the crucial steps. Data of 40 patients (20 patients for coronary artery evaluation and 20 patients prior to transcatheter aortic valve implantation [TAVI]) were evaluated by 5 radiologists with CSS and ES. Data acquisition was performed using a dual-source 128-row CT unit (SOMATOM Definition Flash, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) and a 64-row CT unit (Brilliance 64, Philips, Hamburg, Germany). The following workflow was evaluated: Data loading, aorta and coronary segmentation, curved multiplanar reconstruction (cMPR) and 3 D volume rendering technique (3D-VRT), measuring of coronary artery stenosis and planimetry of the aortic annulus. The time requirement and subjective quality for the workflow were evaluated. The coronary arteries as well as the TAVI data could be evaluated significantly faster with CSS (5.5 ± 2.9 min and 8.2 ± 4.0 min, respectively) than with ES (13.9 ± 5.2 min and 15.2 ± 10.9 min, respectively, p = 0.01). Segmentation of the aorta (CSS: 1.9 ± 2.0 min, ES: 3.7 ± 3.3 min), generating cMPR of coronaries (CSS: 0.5 ± 0.2 min, ES: 5.1 ± 2.6 min), aorta and iliac vessels (CSS: 0.5 ± 0.4 min and 0.4 ± 0.4 min, respectively, ES: 1.6 ± 0.7 min and 2.8 ± 3 min, respectively) could be performed significantly faster with CSS than with ES with higher quality of cMPR, measuring of coronary stenosis and 3D-VRT (p < 0.05). Evaluation of cvCT can be accomplished significantly faster and better with CSS than with ES. The segmentation remains the most time-consuming workflow step, so optimization of segmentation algorithms could improve performance even further.

A practical multi-objective design approach for optimum exhaust heat recovery from hybrid stand-alone PV-diesel power systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yousefi, Moslem; Kim, Joong Hoon; Hooshyar, Danial; Yousefi, Milad; Sahari, Khairul Salleh Mohamed; Ahmad, Rodina Binti

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Heat recovery exchanger is designed based on practical conditions of a hybrid power system. • Off-the-grid electricity system modeling and analysis using micro-grid analysis software HOMER. • NSGA-II is used for the multi-objective design optimization task. • A new local search is proposed to incorporate the engineering knowledge in NSGA-II. • The proposed approach outperforms the existing ones. - Abstract: Integration of solar power and diesel generators (DGs) together with battery storage has proven to be an efficient choice for stand-alone power systems (SAPS). For higher energy efficiency, heat recovery from exhaust gas of the DG can also be employed to supply all or a portion of the thermal energy demand. Although the design of such heat recovery systems (HRSs) has been studied, the effect of solar power integration has not been taken into account. In this paper, a new approach for practical design of these systems based on varying engine loads is presented. Fast and elitist non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) equipped with a novel local search was used for the design process, considering conflicting objectives of annual energy recovery and total cost of the system, and six design variables. An integrated power system, designed for a remote SAPS, was used to evaluate the design approach. The optimum power supply system was first designed using the commercial software Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER), based on power demand and global solar energy in the region. Heat recovery design was based on the outcome of HOMER for DG hourly load, considering different power scenarios. The proposed approach improves the annual heat recovery of the PV/DG/battery system by 4%, PV/battery by 1.7%, and stand-alone DG by 1.8% when compared with a conventional design based on nominal DG load. The results prove that the proposed approach is effective and that load calculations should be taken into account prior to

Factors that can influence the economic feasibility of stand-alone and grid-connected photovoltaic systems: case studies using the software AVES-F

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blasques, L.C.M.; Pinho, J.T.

2004-01-01

This paper presents case studies of economic feasibility of solar photovoltaic systems using the software AVES-F (Analysis of Economic Feasibility of Photovoltaic Systems), developed by the authors, considering cases of stand-alone and grid-connected systems. The software takes into account several factors that can influence the economic feasibility of these kind of systems, like load to be supplied, distance to the grid, the use regime of the system, applied subsidies and others. The main goal of this paper is to analyze some of these factors and to observe how they can affect the economics of PV systems for electricity generation. (authors)

"Candidatus Fokinia solitaria", a Novel "Stand-Alone" Symbiotic Lineage of Midichloriaceae (Rickettsiales.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franziska Szokoli

Full Text Available Recently, the family Midichloriaceae has been described within the bacterial order Rickettsiales. It includes a variety of bacterial endosymbionts detected in different metazoan host species belonging to Placozoa, Cnidaria, Arthropoda and Vertebrata. Representatives of Midichloriaceae are also considered possible etiological agents of certain animal diseases. Midichloriaceae have been found also in protists like ciliates and amoebae. The present work describes a new bacterial endosymbiont, "Candidatus Fokinia solitaria", retrieved from three different strains of a novel Paramecium species isolated from a wastewater treatment plant in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil. Symbionts were characterized through the full-cycle rRNA approach: SSU rRNA gene sequencing and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH with three species-specific oligonucleotide probes. In electron micrographs, the tiny rod-shaped endosymbionts (1.2 x 0.25-0.35 μm in size were not surrounded by a symbiontophorous vacuole and were located in the peripheral host cytoplasm, stratified in the host cortex in between the trichocysts or just below them. Frequently, they occurred inside autolysosomes. Phylogenetic analyses of Midichloriaceae apparently show different evolutionary pathways within the family. Some genera, such as "Ca. Midichloria" and "Ca. Lariskella", have been retrieved frequently and independently in different hosts and environmental surveys. On the contrary, others, such as Lyticum, "Ca. Anadelfobacter", "Ca. Defluviella" and the presently described "Ca. Fokinia solitaria", have been found only occasionally and associated to specific host species. These last are the only representatives in their own branches thus far. Present data do not allow to infer whether these genera, which we named "stand-alone lineages", are an indication of poorly sampled organisms, thus underrepresented in GenBank, or represent fast evolving, highly adapted evolutionary lineages.

Synchronized Pulsed dc - dc Converter as Maximum Power Position Tracker with Wide Load and Insolation Variation for Stand Alone PV System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardik, P. Desai; Ranjan Maheshwari

2011-01-01

This paper investigates the interest focused on employing parallel connected dc-dc converter with high tracking effectiveness under wide variation in environmental conditions (Insolation) and wide load variation. dc-dc converter is an essential part of the stand alone PV system. Paper also presents an approach on how duty cycle for maximum power position (MPP) is adjusted by taking care of varying load conditions and without iterative steps. Synchronized PWM pulses are employed for the converter. High tracking efficiency is achieved with continuous input and inductor current. In this approach, the converter can he utilized in buck as well in boost mode. The PV system simulation was verified and experimental results were in agreement to the presented scheme. (authors)

Development of a Laser-Powered Dielectric Structure-Based Accelerator as a Stand-Alone Particle Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoder, R. B.; Travish, G.; Arab, E. R.; Fong, D.; Hoyer, Z.; Lacroix, U. H.; Vartanian, N.; Rosenzweig, J. B.

2010-01-01

An experimental program to develop and build a dielectric-based slab-symmetric structure (the micro-accelerator platform, or MAP) for generating and accelerating low-energy electrons is underway at UCLA and Manhattanville College. This optical acceleration structure is effectively a resonant cavity powered by a side-coupled laser, and has applications as a radiation source for medicine or industry. We present recent experimental and computational results on the accelerator, and progress toward its incorporation into a self-contained particle source. Such a particle source would incorporate a micron-scale electron emitter and a non-relativistic capture region to enable self-injection into the synchronous field within the accelerator. A prototype of the accelerator itself has been constructed from candidate dielectric materials using micromanufacturing techniques; the current status of the testing program is described. A novel electron emitter incorporating pyroelectric crystals with field-enhancing tips has been demonstrated to produce steady currents; the results are dependent on tip geometry, and appear suitable for injection into a microstructure. Extension of the MAP concept to non-relativistic velocities, as in the stand-alone source, requires a tapered structure that gives rise to numerous complications including beam defocusing and manufacturing challenges; approaches for addressing these complications are mentioned.

Effects of ozone as a stand-alone and coagulation-aid treatment on the reduction of trihalomethanes precursors from high DOC and hardness water.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadrnourmohamadi, Mehrnaz; Gorczyca, Beata

2015-04-15

This study investigates the effect of ozone as a stand-alone and coagulation aid on the removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from the water with a high level of DOC (13.8 mgL(-1)) and calcium hardness (270 mgL(-1)) CaCO3. Natural water collected from the Assiniboine River (Manitoba, Canada) was used in this study. Effectiveness of ozone treatment was evaluated by measurement of DOC, DOC fractions, UV254, and trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP). Additionally, zeta potential and dissolved calcium concentration were measured to discern the mechanism of ozone reactions. Results indicated that 0.8 mg O3/mg DOC ozone stand-alone can cause up to 86% UV254 reduction and up to 27% DOC reduction. DOC fractionation results showed that ozone can change the composition of DOC in the water samples, converting the hydrophobic fractions into hydrophilic ones and resulting in the reduction of THMFP. Also, ozone caused a decrease in particle stability and dissolved calcium concentration. These simultaneous ozonation effects caused improved water flocculation and enhanced removal of DOC. This resulted in reduction of the coagulant dosage when ozone doses higher than 0.2 mg O3/mg DOC were applied prior to coagulation with ferric sulfate. Also, pre-ozonation-coagulation process achieved preferential THMFP removal for all of the ozone doses tested (0-0.8 mg O3/mg DOC), leading to a lower specific THMFP in pre-ozonated-coagulated waters than in the corresponding ozonated waters. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stand-off detection of chemicals by UV Raman spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Ming; Ray, Mark; Hang Fung, K.; Ruckman, Mark W.; Harder, David; Sedlacek, Arthur J. III

2000-01-01

Experimental results are reported on a mobile, stand-alone, solar-blind ultraviolet (UV) Raman lidar system for the stand-off detection and identification of liquid and solid targets at ranges of hundreds of meters. The lidar is a coaxial system capable of performing range-resolved measurements of gases and aerosols, as well as solids and liquids. The transmitter is a flash lamp pumped 30 Hz Nd:YAG laser with quadrupled output at 266 nm. The receiver subsystem is comprised of a 40 cm Cassegrain telescope, a holographic UV edge filter for suppressing the elastic channel, a 0.46 m Czerny-Turner spectrometer, and a time gated intensified charge-coupled device (CCD) detector. The rejection of elastic light scattering by the edge filter is better than one part in 10 5 , while the transmittance 500 cm-1 to the red of the laser line is greater than 50%. Raman data are shown for selected solids, neat liquids, and mixtures down to the level of 1% volume ratio. On the basis of the strength of the Raman returns, a stand-off detection limit of ∼500 g/m2 for liquid spills of common solvents at the range of one half of a kilometer is possible. (c) 2000 Society for Applied Spectroscopy

Minnesota DNR Forest Stand Inventory Version 2

Data.gov (United States)

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — This layer is a digital inventory of individual forest stands. The data is collected by DNR Foresters in each DNR Forestry Administrative Area, and is updated on a...

Search Improvement Process-Chaotic Optimization-Particle Swarm Optimization-Elite Retention Strategy and Improved Combined Cooling-Heating-Power Strategy Based Two-Time Scale Multi-Objective Optimization Model for Stand-Alone Microgrid Operation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fei Wang

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The optimal dispatching model for a stand-alone microgrid (MG is of great importance to its operation reliability and economy. This paper aims at addressing the difficulties in improving the operational economy and maintaining the power balance under uncertain load demand and renewable generation, which could be even worse in such abnormal conditions as storms or abnormally low or high temperatures. A new two-time scale multi-objective optimization model, including day-ahead cursory scheduling and real-time scheduling for finer adjustments, is proposed to optimize the operational cost, load shedding compensation and environmental benefit of stand-alone MG through controllable load (CL and multi-distributed generations (DGs. The main novelty of the proposed model is that the synergetic response of CL and energy storage system (ESS in real-time scheduling offset the operation uncertainty quickly. And the improved dispatch strategy for combined cooling-heating-power (CCHP enhanced the system economy while the comfort is guaranteed. An improved algorithm, Search Improvement Process-Chaotic Optimization-Particle Swarm Optimization-Elite Retention Strategy (SIP-CO-PSO-ERS algorithm with strong searching capability and fast convergence speed, was presented to deal with the problem brought by the increased errors between actual renewable generation and load and prior predictions. Four typical scenarios are designed according to the combinations of day types (work day or weekend and weather categories (sunny or rainy to verify the performance of the presented dispatch strategy. The simulation results show that the proposed two-time scale model and SIP-CO-PSO-ERS algorithm exhibit better performance in adaptability, convergence speed and search ability than conventional methods for the stand-alone MG’s operation.

Effect of State Feedback Coupling and System Delays on the Transient Performance of Stand-Alone VSI with LC Output Filter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Federico, de Bosio; de Sousa Ribeiro, Luiz Antonio; Freijedo Fernandez, Francisco Daniel

2016-01-01

The influence of state feedback coupling in the dynamics performance of power converters for stand-alone microgrids is investigated. Computation and PWM delays are the main factors that limit the achievable bandwidth of current regulators in digital implementations. In particular, the performance...... of state feedback decoupling is degraded because of these delays. Two decoupling techniques to improve the transient response of the system are investigated, named non-ideal and ideal capacitor voltage decoupling respectively. In particular, the latter solution consists in leading the capacitor voltage...... on the state feedback decoupling path in order to compensate for system delays. Practical implementation issues are discussed with reference to both the decoupling techniques. A design methodology for the voltage loop, that considers the closed loop transfer functions developed for the inner loop, is also...

[Effects of crop tree release on stand growth and stand structure of Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation].

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jian-qiang; Wang, Yi-xiang; Yang, Yi; Zhu, Ting-ting; Zhu, Xu-dan

2015-02-01

Crop trees were selected in a 26-year-old even-aged Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation in Lin' an, and compared in plots that were released and unreleased to examine growth and structure responses for 3 years after thinning. Crop tree release significantly increased the mean increments of diameter and volume of individual tree by 1.30 and 1.25 times relative to trees in control stands, respectively. The increments of diameter and volume of crop trees were significantly higher than those of general trees in thinning plots, crop trees and general trees in control plots, which suggested that the responses from different tree types to crop tree release treatment were different. Crop tree release increased the average distances of crop trees to the nearest neighboring trees, reducing competition among crop trees by about 68.2%. 3-year stand volume increment for thinning stands had no significant difference with that of control stands although the number of trees was only 81.5% of the control. Crop trees in thinned plots with diameters over than 14 cm reached 18.0% over 3 years, compared with 12.0% for trees without thinning, suggesting that crop tree release benefited the larger individual trees. The pattern of tree locations in thinning plots tended to be random, complying with the rule that tree distribution pattern changes with growth. Crop tree release in C. lanceolata plantation not only promoted the stand growth, but also optimized the stand structure, benefiting crop trees sustained rapid growth and larger diameter trees production.

Feasibility study and energy conversion analysis of stand-alone hybrid renewable energy system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baghdadi, Fazia; Mohammedi, Kamal; Diaf, Said; Behar, Omar

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Hybrid stand-alone wind–solar–fossil power system is analyzed. • Measurement data are used to evaluate system performance. • The proposed system can generate about 70% from renewables. • Such a hybrid plant is very promising for remote regions in Algeria. - Abstract: There is a great interest in the development of renewable power technologies in Algeria, and more particularly hybrid concept. The present paper has investigated the performance of hybrid PV–Wind–Diesel–Battery configuration based on hourly measurements of Adrar climate (southern Algeria). Data of global solar radiation, ambient temperature and wind speed for a period of one year have been used. Firstly, the proposed hybrid system has been optimized by means of HOMER software. The optimization process has been carried out taking into account renewable resources potential and energy demand; while maximizing renewable electricity use and fuel saving are the purpose. In the second step, a mathematical model has been developed to ensure efficient energy management on the basis of various operation strategies. The analysis has shown that renewable energy system (PV–Wind) is able to supply about 70% of the demand. Wind power has ranked first with 43% of the annual total electricity production followed by diesel generator (with 31%) while the remaining fraction is being to PV panels. In this context, 69% of the fossil fuel can be saved when using the proposed hybrid configuration instead of the diesel generators that are currently installed in most remote regions in Algeria. Such a concept is very promising to meet the focus of renewable energy program announced in 2011.

The Impact of Course Delivery Systems on Student Achievement and Sense of Community: A Comparison of Learning Community versus Stand-Alone Classroom Settings in an Open-Enrollment Inner City Public Community College

Science.gov (United States)

Bandyopadhyay, Pamela

2010-01-01

This study examined the effects of two types of course delivery systems (learning community classroom environments versus stand-alone classroom environments) on the achievement of students who were simultaneously enrolled in remedial and college-level social science courses at an inner city open-enrollment public community college. This study was…

Approaches for developing a sizing method for stand-alone PV systems with variable demand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Posadillo, R. [Grupo de Investigacion en Energias y Recursos Renovables, Dpto. de Fisica Aplicada, E.P.S., Universidad de Cordoba, Avda. Menendez Pidal s/n, 14004 Cordoba (Spain); Lopez Luque, R. [Grupo de Investigacion de Fisica para las Energias y Recursos Renovables, Dpto. de Fisica Aplicada. Edificio C2 Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Cordoba (Spain)

2008-05-15

Accurate sizing is one of the most important aspects to take into consideration when designing a stand-alone photovoltaic system (SAPV). Various methods, which differ in terms of their simplicity or reliability, have been developed for this purpose. Analytical methods, which seek functional relationships between variables of interest to the sizing problem, are one of these approaches. A series of rational considerations are presented in this paper with the aim of shedding light upon the basic principles and results of various sizing methods proposed by different authors. These considerations set the basis for a new analytical method that has been designed for systems with variable monthly energy demands. Following previous approaches, the method proposed is based on the concept of loss of load probability (LLP) - a parameter that is used to characterize system design. The method includes information on the standard deviation of loss of load probability ({sigma}{sub LLP}) and on two new parameters: annual number of system failures (f) and standard deviation of annual number of failures ({sigma}{sub f}). The method proves useful for sizing a PV system in a reliable manner and serves to explain the discrepancies found in the research on systems with LLP<10{sup -2}. We demonstrate that reliability depends not only on the sizing variables and on the distribution function of solar radiation, but on the minimum value as well, which in a given location and with a monthly average clearness index, achieves total solar radiation on the receiver surface. (author)

HmtDB 2016: data update, a better performing query system and human mitochondrial DNA haplogroup predictor.

Science.gov (United States)

Clima, Rosanna; Preste, Roberto; Calabrese, Claudia; Diroma, Maria Angela; Santorsola, Mariangela; Scioscia, Gaetano; Simone, Domenico; Shen, Lishuang; Gasparre, Giuseppe; Attimonelli, Marcella

2017-01-04

The HmtDB resource hosts a database of human mitochondrial genome sequences from individuals with healthy and disease phenotypes. The database is intended to support both population geneticists as well as clinicians undertaking the task to assess the pathogenicity of specific mtDNA mutations. The wide application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has provided an enormous volume of high-resolution data at a low price, increasing the availability of human mitochondrial sequencing data, which called for a cogent and significant expansion of HmtDB data content that has more than tripled in the current release. We here describe additional novel features, including: (i) a complete, user-friendly restyling of the web interface, (ii) links to the command-line stand-alone and web versions of the MToolBox package, an up-to-date tool to reconstruct and analyze human mitochondrial DNA from NGS data and (iii) the implementation of the Reconstructed Sapiens Reference Sequence (RSRS) as mitochondrial reference sequence. The overall update renders HmtDB an even more handy and useful resource as it enables a more rapid data access, processing and analysis. HmtDB is accessible at http://www.hmtdb.uniba.it/. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

A stand alone computer system to aid the development of mirror fusion test facility RF heating systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, R.A.

1983-01-01

The Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF-B) control system architecture requires the Supervisory Control and Diagnostic System (SCDS) to communicate with a LSI-11 Local Control Computer (LCC) that in turn communicates via a fiber optic link to CAMAC based control hardware located near the machine. In many cases, the control hardware is very complex and requires a sizable development effort prior to being integrated into the overall MFTF-B system. One such effort was the development of the Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) system. It became clear that a stand alone computer system was needed to simulate the functions of SCDS. This paper describes the hardware and software necessary to implement the SCDS Simulation Computer (SSC). It consists of a Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) LSI-11 computer and a Winchester/Floppy disk operating under the DEC RT-11 operating system. All application software for MFTF-B is programmed in PASCAL, which allowed us to adapt procedures originally written for SCDS to the SSC. This nearly identical software interface means that software written during the equipment development will be useful to the SCDS programmers in the integration phase

Optimum capacity determination of stand-alone hybrid generation system considering cost and reliability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Hung-Cheng

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► This paper presents a methodology for the installation capacity optimization. ► Hybrid generation system is optimized by application of adaptive genetic algorithm. ► A cost investigation is made under various conditions and component characteristics. ► The optimization scheme is validated to meet the annual power load demand. -- Abstract: The aim of this work is to present an optimization methodology for the installation capacity of a stand-alone hybrid generation system, taking into consideration the cost and reliability. Firstly, on the basis of derived steady state models of a wind generator (WG), a photovoltaic array (PV), a battery and an inverter, the hybrid generation system is modeled for the purpose of capacity optimization. Secondly, the power system is analyzed for determining both the system structure and the operation control strategy. Thirdly, according to hourly weather database of wind speed, temperature and solar irradiation, annual power generation capacity is estimated for the system match design in order that an annual power load demand can be met. The capacity determination of a hybrid generation system becomes complicated as a result of the uncertainty in the renewable energy together with load demand and the nonlinearity of system components. Aimed at the power system reliability and the cost minimization, the capacity of a hybrid generation system is optimized by application of an adaptive genetic algorithm (AGA) to individual power generation units. A total cost investigation is made under various conditions, such as wind generator power curves, battery discharge depth and the loss of load probability (LOLP). At the end of this work, the capacity of a hybrid generation system is optimized at two installation sites, namely the offshore Orchid Island and Wuchi in Taiwan. The optimization scheme is validated to optimize power capacities of a photovoltaic array, a battery and a wind turbine generator with a relative

Modeling and control design of a stand alone wind energy conversion system based on functional model predictive control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kassem, Ahmed M. [Beni-Suef University, Electrical Dept., Beni Suef (Egypt)

2012-09-15

This paper investigates the application of the model predictive control (MPC) approach to control the voltage and frequency of a stand alone wind generation system. This scheme consists of a wind turbine which drives an induction generator feeding an isolated load. A static VAR compensator is connected at the induction generator terminals to regulate the load voltage. The rotor speed, and thereby the load frequency are controlled via adjusting the mechanical power input using the blade pitch-angle. The MPC is used to calculate the optimal control actions including system constraints. To alleviate computational effort and to reduce numerical problems, particularly in large prediction horizon, an exponentially weighted functional model predictive control (FMPC) is employed. Digital simulations have been carried out in order to validate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. The proposed controller has been tested through step changes in the wind speed and the load impedance. Simulation results show that adequate performance of the proposed wind energy scheme has been achieved. Moreover, this scheme is robust against the parameters variation and eliminates the influence of modeling and measurement errors. (orig.)

Stand-volume estimation from multi-source data for coppiced and high forest Eucalyptus spp. silvicultural systems in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Dube, Timothy; Sibanda, Mbulisi; Shoko, Cletah; Mutanga, Onisimo

2017-10-01

Forest stand volume is one of the crucial stand parameters, which influences the ability of these forests to provide ecosystem goods and services. This study thus aimed at examining the potential of integrating multispectral SPOT 5 image, with ancillary data (forest age and rainfall metrics) in estimating stand volume between coppiced and planted Eucalyptus spp. in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. To achieve this objective, Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) algorithm was used. The PLSR algorithm was implemented by applying three tier analysis stages: stage I: using ancillary data as an independent dataset, stage II: SPOT 5 spectral bands as an independent dataset and stage III: combined SPOT 5 spectral bands and ancillary data. The results of the study showed that the use of an independent ancillary dataset better explained the volume of Eucalyptus spp. growing from coppices (adjusted R2 (R2Adj) = 0.54, RMSEP = 44.08 m3/ha), when compared with those that were planted (R2Adj = 0.43, RMSEP = 53.29 m3/ha). Similar results were also observed when SPOT 5 spectral bands were applied as an independent dataset, whereas improved volume estimates were produced when using combined dataset. For instance, planted Eucalyptus spp. were better predicted adjusted R2 (R2Adj) = 0.77, adjusted R2Adj = 0.59, RMSEP = 36.02 m3/ha) when compared with those that grow from coppices (R2 = 0.76, R2Adj = 0.46, RMSEP = 40.63 m3/ha). Overall, the findings of this study demonstrated the relevance of multi-source data in ecosystems modelling.

The international phase 4 validation study of the EORTC QLQ-SWB32: a stand-alone measure of spiritual wellbeing (SWB) for people receiving palliative care for cancer

OpenAIRE

Vivat, B.; Young, T.; Winstanley, J.; Arraras, J.; Black, K.; Boyle, F.; Brédart, A.; Costantini, A.; Guo, J.; Irarrazaval, M. E.; Kobayashi, K.; Kruizinga, R.; Navarro, M.; Omidvari, S.; Rohde, G. E.

2017-01-01

The EORTC Quality of Life (QL) Group has just completed the final phase (field-testing and validation) of an international project to develop a stand-alone measure of spiritual wellbeing (SWB) for palliative cancer patients. Participants (n= 451) - from 14 countries on four continents; 54% female; 188 Christian, 50 Muslim, 156 with no religion - completed a provisional 36-item measure of SWB plus the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL (PAL), then took part in a structured debriefing interview. All items showe...

Quantifying Standing Dead Tree Volume and Structural Loss with Voxelized Terrestrial Lidar Data

Science.gov (United States)

Popescu, S. C.; Putman, E.

2017-12-01

Standing dead trees (SDTs) are an important forest component and impact a variety of ecosystem processes, yet the carbon pool dynamics of SDTs are poorly constrained in terrestrial carbon cycling models. The ability to model wood decay and carbon cycling in relation to detectable changes in tree structure and volume over time would greatly improve such models. The overall objective of this study was to provide automated aboveground volume estimates of SDTs and automated procedures to detect, quantify, and characterize structural losses over time with terrestrial lidar data. The specific objectives of this study were: 1) develop an automated SDT volume estimation algorithm providing accurate volume estimates for trees scanned in dense forests; 2) develop an automated change detection methodology to accurately detect and quantify SDT structural loss between subsequent terrestrial lidar observations; and 3) characterize the structural loss rates of pine and oak SDTs in southeastern Texas. A voxel-based volume estimation algorithm, "TreeVolX", was developed and incorporates several methods designed to robustly process point clouds of varying quality levels. The algorithm operates on horizontal voxel slices by segmenting the slice into distinct branch or stem sections then applying an adaptive contour interpolation and interior filling process to create solid reconstructed tree models (RTMs). TreeVolX estimated large and small branch volume with an RMSE of 7.3% and 13.8%, respectively. A voxel-based change detection methodology was developed to accurately detect and quantify structural losses and incorporated several methods to mitigate the challenges presented by shifting tree and branch positions as SDT decay progresses. The volume and structural loss of 29 SDTs, composed of Pinus taeda and Quercus stellata, were successfully estimated using multitemporal terrestrial lidar observations over elapsed times ranging from 71 - 753 days. Pine and oak structural loss rates

Techno-economic assessment of FT unit for synthetic diesel production in existing stand-alone biomass gasification plant using process simulation tool

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hunpinyo, Piyapong; Narataruksa, Phavanee; Tungkamani, Sabaithip

2014-01-01

For alternative thermo-chemical conversion process route via gasification, biomass can be gasified to produce syngas (mainly CO and H2). On more applications of utilization, syngas can be used to synthesize fuels through the catalytic process option for producing synthetic liquid fuels...... such as Fischer-Tropsch (FT) diesel. The embedding of the FT plant into the stand-alone based on power mode plants for production of a synthetic fuel is a promising practice, which requires an extensive adaptation of conventional techniques to the special chemical needs found in a gasified biomass. Because...... there are currently no plans to engage the FT process in Thailand, the authors have targeted that this work focus on improving the FT configurations in existing biomass gasification facilities (10 MWth). A process simulation model for calculating extended unit operations in a demonstrative context is designed...

Site establishment practices influence loblolly pine mortality throughout the stand rotation

Science.gov (United States)

Felipe G. Sanchez; Robert J. Eaton

2010-01-01

During a rotation, land managers need to estimate yields, update inventories, and evaluate stand dynamics. All of these factors in land management are heavily influenced by tree mortality. Tree mortality can, in turn, be influenced by land management practices from the inception of the stand and throughout the rotation. We describe the impact of organic matter removal...

Adaptive Artificial intelligence based fuzzy logic MPPTcontrol for stande-alone photovoltaic system under different atmospheric conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zaghba Layachi

2015-08-01

Full Text Available there is an increased need for analysing the effect of atmospheric variables on photovoltaic (PV production and performance. The outputs from the different PV cells in different atmospheric conditions, such as irradiation and temperature , differ from each other evidencing knowledge deficiency in PV systems [14]. Maximum power point tracking (MPPT methods are used to maximize the PV array output power by tracking continuously the maximum power point (MPP. Among all MPPT methods existing in the literature, perturb and observe (P&O is the most commonly used for its simplicity and ease of implementation; however, it presents drawbacks such as slow response speed, oscillation around the MPP in steady state, and even tracking in wrong way under rapidly changing atmospheric conditions. In order to allow a functioning around the optimal point Mopt, we have inserted a DC-DC converter (Buck–Boost for a better matching between the PV and the load. This paper, we study the Maximum power point tracking using adaptive Intelligent fuzzy logic and conventional (P&O control for stande-alone photovoltaic Array system .In particular, the performances of the controllers are analyzed under variation weather conditions with are constant temperature and variable irradiation. The proposed system is simulated by using MATLAB-SIMULINK. According to the results, fuzzy logic controller has shown better performance during the optimization.

Comparison of plate-cage construct and stand-alone anchored spacer in the surgical treatment of three-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a preliminary clinical study.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Sheng; Liu, Zu-De; Li, Xin-Feng; Qian, Lie; Zhong, Gui-Bin; Chen, Fang-Jing

2015-09-01

Although stand-alone cages were advocated to be superior to plate-cage construct (PCC) because of comparable clinical outcomes and fewer plate-related complications, cage dislocation and subsidence were frequently mentioned in multilevel fusion. There are some concerns about whether these issues can be effectively prevented in multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) by stand-alone anchored spacer (SAAS). The aim was to compare clinical outcomes, radiologic parameters, and complications of PCC and SAAS in the treatment of three-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). This was a retrospective comparative study. A total of 38 consecutive patients with three-level CSM (ACDF with PCC, 20 patients; ACDF with SAAS, 18 patients) were reviewed. Clinical outcomes were assessed using Japanese Orthopaedic Association and Neck Disability Index. The radiologic evaluations included cervical alignment (CA), segmental angle (SA), postoperative curvature loss (PCL), and incidence of subsidence. All the aforementioned parameters were compared before and after surgery between two groups. Besides, the aforementioned results were also compared between the two groups. The complications were also recorded. The mean follow-up period was 30.3 months. No significant differences were observed in clinical outcomes between the two groups (p>.05). Additionally, no significant differences existed in fusion rate between the two groups. There were significant differences in PCL of SA and CA and correction of SA between the two groups (pSAAS group, and the potential of SAAS to reduce the incidence of postoperative dysphagia was not proven. No other complications were observed in this study. In the surgical treatment of three-level CSM, PCC is superior to SAAS in correction and maintenance of SA and avoiding cage subsidence, although the technique of ACDF with SAAS yielded encouraging clinical outcomes and high fusion rate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Turkey’s Geographical Regions in terms of Stand-Alone PV System Design and Cost Parameters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nevzat Onat

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Stand-alone photovoltaic (SAPV systems are widely used in rural areas where there is no national grid or as a precaution against power outages. In this study, technical and economic analysis of a SAPV system was carried out using meteorological data for 75 province centers in seven geographical regions of Turkey. Obtained results for each province center were separated by geographical area. The averages of the centers for each region are taken as output. A calculation algorithm based on MsExcel has been established for these operations. The analyses made with the developed algorithm are repeated for five different scenarios that they cover periods of time when a constant strong load is active for all seasons (winter, spring, summer, and autumn and all year round. The developed algorithm calculates the life-cycle cost, the unit energy cost, the electrical capacity utilization rate, the amount of generated/excess energy per month, the initial investment/replacement, and operating and maintenance (O&M costs of each element. As a result, geographical regions of Turkey are compared in terms of these outputs graphically. Further investigations may include the sale of excess energy generated, small-scale PV system cost factors parallel to the grid, and the effects of government incentives.

Power fluctuations suppression of stand-alone hybrid generation combining solar photovoltaic/wind turbine and fuel cell systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, Nabil A.; Miyatake, Masafumi; Al-Othman, A.K.

2008-01-01

In this paper a hybrid energy system combining variable speed wind turbine, solar photovoltaic and fuel cell generation systems is presented to supply continuous power to residential power applications as stand-alone loads. The wind and photovoltaic systems are used as main energy sources while the fuel cell is used as secondary or back-up energy source. Three individual dc-dc boost converters are used to control the power flow to the load. A simple and cost effective control with dc-dc converters is used for maximum power point tracking and hence maximum power extracting from the wind turbine and the solar photovoltaic systems. The hybrid system is sized to power a typical 2 kW/150 V dc load as telecommunication power plants or ac residential power applications in isolated islands continuously throughout the year. The results show that even when the sun and wind are not available; the system is reliable and available and it can supply high-quality power to the load. The simulation results which proved the accuracy of the proposed controllers are given to demonstrate the availability of the proposed system in this paper. Also, a complete description of the management and control system is presented

Clinical update on benefit versus risks of oral paracetamol alone or with codeine: still a good option?

Science.gov (United States)

Kress, Hans Georg; Untersteiner, Gerald

2017-02-01

After decades of worldwide use of paracetamol/acetaminophen as a popular and apparently safe prescription and over-the-counter medicine, the future role of this poorly understood analgesic has been seriously questioned by recent concerns about prenatal, cardiovascular (CV) and hepatic safety, and also about its analgesic efficacy. At the same time the usefulness of codeine in combination products has come under debate. Based on a PubMed database literature search on the terms efficacy, safety, paracetamol, acetaminophen, codeine and their combinations up to and including June 2016, this clinical update reviews the current evidence of the benefit and risks of oral paracetamol alone and with codeine for mild-to-moderate pain in adults, and compares the respective efficacy and safety profiles with those of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Whereas there is a clear strong association of NSAID use and gastrointestinal (GI) and CV morbidity and mortality, evidence for paracetamol with and without codeine supports the recommended use even in most vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly, pregnant women, alcoholics, and compromised GI and CV patients. The controversies and widespread misconceptions about the complex hepatic metabolism and potential hepatotoxicity have been corrected by recent reviews, and paracetamol remains the first-line nonopioid analgesic in patients with liver diseases if notes of caution are applied. Due to its safety and tolerability profile paracetamol remained a first-line treatment in many international guidelines. Alone and with codeine it is a safe and effective option in adults, whilst NSAIDs are obviously less safe as alternatives, given the risk of potentially fatal GI and CV adverse effects.

PR2ALIGN: a stand-alone software program and a web-server for protein sequence alignment using weighted biochemical properties of amino acids.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuznetsov, Igor B; McDuffie, Michael

2015-05-07

Alignment of amino acid sequences is the main sequence comparison method used in computational molecular biology. The selection of the amino acid substitution matrix best suitable for a given alignment problem is one of the most important decisions the user has to make. In a conventional amino acid substitution matrix all elements are fixed and their values cannot be easily adjusted. Moreover, most existing amino acid substitution matrices account for the average (dis)similarities between amino acid types and do not distinguish the contribution of a specific biochemical property to these (dis)similarities. PR2ALIGN is a stand-alone software program and a web-server that provide the functionality for implementing flexible user-specified alignment scoring functions and aligning pairs of amino acid sequences based on the comparison of the profiles of biochemical properties of these sequences. Unlike the conventional sequence alignment methods that use 20x20 fixed amino acid substitution matrices, PR2ALIGN uses a set of weighted biochemical properties of amino acids to measure the distance between pairs of aligned residues and to find an optimal minimal distance global alignment. The user can provide any number of amino acid properties and specify a weight for each property. The higher the weight for a given property, the more this property affects the final alignment. We show that in many cases the approach implemented in PR2ALIGN produces better quality pair-wise alignments than the conventional matrix-based approach. PR2ALIGN will be helpful for researchers who wish to align amino acid sequences by using flexible user-specified alignment scoring functions based on the biochemical properties of amino acids instead of the amino acid substitution matrix. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there are no existing stand-alone software programs or web-servers analogous to PR2ALIGN. The software is freely available from http://pr2align.rit.albany.edu.

Stand-alone power systems for the future: Optimal design, operation and control of solar-hydrogen energy systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ulleberg, Oeystein

1998-12-31

This thesis gives a systematic review of the fundamentals of energy systems, the governing physical and chemical laws related to energy, inherent characteristics of energy system, and the availability of the earth`s energy. It shows clearly why solar-hydrogen systems are one of the most viable options for the future. The main subject discussed is the modelling of SAPS (Stand-Alone Power Systems), with focus on photovoltaic-hydrogen energy systems. Simulation models for a transient simulation program are developed for PV-H{sub 2} components, including models for photovoltaics, water electrolysis, hydrogen storage, fuel cells, and secondary batteries. A PV-H{sub 2} demonstration plant in Juelich, Germany, is studied as a reference plant and the models validated against data from this plant. Most of the models developed were found to be sufficiently accurate to perform short-term system simulations, while all were more than accurate enough to perform long-term simulations. Finally, the verified simulation models are used to find the optimal operation and control strategies of an existing PV-H{sub 2} system. The main conclusion is that the simulation methods can be successfully used to find optimal operation and control strategies for a system with fixed design, and similar methods could be used to find alternative system designs. 148 refs., 78 figs., 31 tabs.

Stand-alone power systems for the future: Optimal design, operation and control of solar-hydrogen energy systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ulleberg, Oeystein

1999-12-31

This thesis gives a systematic review of the fundamentals of energy systems, the governing physical and chemical laws related to energy, inherent characteristics of energy system, and the availability of the earth`s energy. It shows clearly why solar-hydrogen systems are one of the most viable options for the future. The main subject discussed is the modelling of SAPS (Stand-Alone Power Systems), with focus on photovoltaic-hydrogen energy systems. Simulation models for a transient simulation program are developed for PV-H{sub 2} components, including models for photovoltaics, water electrolysis, hydrogen storage, fuel cells, and secondary batteries. A PV-H{sub 2} demonstration plant in Juelich, Germany, is studied as a reference plant and the models validated against data from this plant. Most of the models developed were found to be sufficiently accurate to perform short-term system simulations, while all were more than accurate enough to perform long-term simulations. Finally, the verified simulation models are used to find the optimal operation and control strategies of an existing PV-H{sub 2} system. The main conclusion is that the simulation methods can be successfully used to find optimal operation and control strategies for a system with fixed design, and similar methods could be used to find alternative system designs. 148 refs., 78 figs., 31 tabs.

IEA PVPS Task 3. Use of photovoltaic systems in stand-alone and island applications. 'Swiss participation'; IEA PVPS Task 3. Use of photovoltaic systems in stand-alone and island applications. 'Participation Suisse'

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Villoz, M. [Dynatex SA, Morges (Switzerland)

2004-07-01

This report describes the work done during five years of the second phase of Task 3 of the photovoltaic power systems programme of the International Energy Agency (IEA-PVPS). Task 3 activities were concentrated on stand-alone photovoltaic systems with the main effort on improving the quality and reducing the cost of these systems. The work was divided in 2 sub-tasks whose first one was concentrated on quality insurance schemes and second one on technical recommendations coming from practical experience. Twelve original reports have been published covering topics that can be sorted in 4 categories: the first one is dedicated on quality issues with a review of existing standards in the participating countries and a double paper giving quality assurance recommendations on project management and examples of applying these rules in practical cases. The second category dwelled on photovoltaic systems with papers on charge controllers, on lightning protection and monitoring of systems. The third category presents interesting studies on the storage of energy which remains the main subject where improvements should be made in order to lower the cost of energy; four papers describe the management and the test procedures of lead-acid batteries, how to choose a lead-acid battery and finally are there alternatives to lead-acid batteries for the storage of photovoltaic electricity. The last category worked on loads and users of renewable energy and gives a large amount of experience with loads, how to choose them and how the energy can be better used through demand side management. (author)

Direct Flux Control for Stand-Alone Operation Brushless Doubly Fed Induction Generators Using a Resonant-Based Sliding-Mode Control Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kai Ji

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a novel voltage control strategy for stand-alone operation brushless doubly fed induction generators for variable speed constant frequency wind energy conversion systems was presented and discussed. Based on the model of the power generation system, the proposed direct flux control strategy employs a nonlinear reduced-order generalized integrator-based resonant sliding-mode control approach to directly calculate and regulate the output value of converter which the control winding stator requires so as to eliminate its instantaneous errors, without involving any synchronous rotating coordinate transformations. The stability, robustness and convergence capability of the proposed control strategy were described and analyzed. Owing to the fact no additional current control inner loops are involved, the system configuration is therefore simplified and the dynamic performance enhanced. A constant converter switching frequency was achieved by using space vector pulse width modulation, which reduces the harmonics of the generator terminal voltage. In addition, the feasibility and validity of the proposed scheme is verified by experiments, and excellent steady and transient performance is achieved.

Optimal Sizing of a Stand-Alone Hybrid Power System Based on Battery/Hydrogen with an Improved Ant Colony Optimization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weiqiang Dong

2016-09-01

Full Text Available A distributed power system with renewable energy sources is very popular in recent years due to the rapid depletion of conventional sources of energy. Reasonable sizing for such power systems could improve the power supply reliability and reduce the annual system cost. The goal of this work is to optimize the size of a stand-alone hybrid photovoltaic (PV/wind turbine (WT/battery (B/hydrogen system (a hybrid system based on battery and hydrogen (HS-BH for reliable and economic supply. Two objectives that take the minimum annual system cost and maximum system reliability described as the loss of power supply probability (LPSP have been addressed for sizing HS-BH from a more comprehensive perspective, considering the basic demand of load, the profit from hydrogen, which is produced by HS-BH, and an effective energy storage strategy. An improved ant colony optimization (ACO algorithm has been presented to solve the sizing problem of HS-BH. Finally, a simulation experiment has been done to demonstrate the developed results, in which some comparisons have been done to emphasize the advantage of HS-BH with the aid of data from an island of Zhejiang, China.

The Terra Data Fusion Project: An Update

Science.gov (United States)

Di Girolamo, L.; Bansal, S.; Butler, M.; Fu, D.; Gao, Y.; Lee, H. J.; Liu, Y.; Lo, Y. L.; Raila, D.; Turner, K.; Towns, J.; Wang, S. W.; Yang, K.; Zhao, G.

2017-12-01

Terra is the flagship of NASA's Earth Observing System. Launched in 1999, Terra's five instruments continue to gather data that enable scientists to address fundamental Earth science questions. By design, the strength of the Terra mission has always been rooted in its five instruments and the ability to fuse the instrument data together for obtaining greater quality of information for Earth Science compared to individual instruments alone. As the data volume grows and the central Earth Science questions move towards problems requiring decadal-scale data records, the need for data fusion and the ability for scientists to perform large-scale analytics with long records have never been greater. The challenge is particularly acute for Terra, given its growing volume of data (> 1 petabyte), the storage of different instrument data at different archive centers, the different file formats and projection systems employed for different instrument data, and the inadequate cyberinfrastructure for scientists to access and process whole-mission fusion data (including Level 1 data). Sharing newly derived Terra products with the rest of the world also poses challenges. As such, the Terra Data Fusion Project aims to resolve two long-standing problems: 1) How do we efficiently generate and deliver Terra data fusion products? 2) How do we facilitate the use of Terra data fusion products by the community in generating new products and knowledge through national computing facilities, and disseminate these new products and knowledge through national data sharing services? Here, we will provide an update on significant progress made in addressing these problems by working with NASA and leveraging national facilities managed by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). The problems that we faced in deriving and delivering Terra L1B2 basic, reprojected and cloud-element fusion products, such as data transfer, data fusion, processing on different computer architectures

2014 Behavioral Health and Performance Standing Review Panel

Science.gov (United States)

Steinberg, Susan; Leon, Gloria; Dimsdale, Joel; Balkin, Thomas; Bono, Joyce; Caldwell, John; Joiner, Thomas; Paulus, Martin; Zaccaro, Stephen

2015-01-01

The 2014 Behavioral Health and Performance (BHP) Standing Review Panel (from here on referred to as the SRP) met for a site visit in Houston, TX on December 17 - 18, 2014. The SRP reviewed the updated research plan for the Risk of Performance Errors Due to Fatigue Resulting from Sleep Loss, Circadian Desynchronization, Extended Wakefulness, and Work Overload (Sleep Risk) and also received a status update on the Risk of Adverse Behavioral Conditions and Psychiatric Disorders (BMed Risk) and the Risk of Performance Decrements Due to Inadequate Cooperation, Coordination, Communication, and Psychosocial Adaptation within a Team (Team Risk).

System dynamic model and charging control of lead-acid battery for stand-alone solar PV system

KAUST Repository

Huang, B.J.

2010-05-01

The lead-acid battery which is widely used in stand-alone solar system is easily damaged by a poor charging control which causes overcharging. The battery charging control is thus usually designed to stop charging after the overcharge point. This will reduce the storage energy capacity and reduce the service time in electricity supply. The design of charging control system however requires a good understanding of the system dynamic behaviour of the battery first. In the present study, a first-order system dynamics model of lead-acid battery at different operating points near the overcharge voltage was derived experimentally, from which a charging control system based on PI algorithm was developed using PWM charging technique. The feedback control system for battery charging after the overcharge point (14 V) was designed to compromise between the set-point response and the disturbance rejection. The experimental results show that the control system can suppress the battery voltage overshoot within 0.1 V when the solar irradiation is suddenly changed from 337 to 843 W/m2. A long-term outdoor test for a solar LED lighting system shows that the battery voltage never exceeded 14.1 V for the set point 14 V and the control system can prevent the battery from overcharging. The test result also indicates that the control system is able to increase the charged energy by 78%, as compared to the case that the charging stops after the overcharge point (14 V). © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Techno-economic analysis of stand-alone photovoltaic/wind/battery/hydrogen systems for very small-scale applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stojković Saša M.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the results of a technical and economic analysis of three stand-alone hybrid power systems based on renewable energy sources which supply a specific group of low-power consumers. This particular case includes measuring sensors and obstacle lights on a meteorological mast for wind measurements requiring an uninterrupted power supply in cold climate conditions. Although these low-power (100 W measuring sensors and obstacle lights use little energy, their energy consumption is not the same as the available solar energy obtained on a daily or seasonal basis. In the paper, complementarity of renewable energy sources was analysed, as well as one of short-term lead-acid battery-based storage and seasonal, hydrogen-based (electrolyser, H2 tank, and fuel cells storage. These relatively complex power systems were proposed earlier for high-power consumers only, while this study specifically highlights the role of the hydrogen system for supplying low-power consumers. The analysis employed a numerical simulation method using the HOMER software tool. The results of the analysis suggest that solar and wind-solar systems, which involve meteorological conditions as referred to in this paper, include a relatively large number of lead-acid batteries. Additionally, the analysis suggests that the use of hydrogen power systems for supplying low power-consumers is entirely justifiable, as it significantly reduces the number of batteries (two at minimum in this particular case. It was shown that the increase in costs induced by the hydrogen system is acceptable.

Updating the Nomographical Diagrams for Dimensioning the Beams

OpenAIRE

Pop Maria T.

2015-01-01

In order to reduce the time period needed for structures design it is strongly recommended to use nomographical diagrams. The base for formation and updating the nomographical diagrams, stands on the charts presented by different technical publications. The updated charts use the same algorithm and calculation elements as the former diagrams in accordance to the latest prescriptions and European standards. The result consists in a chart, having the same properties, similar with the nomogragra...

The Use of Artificial Neural Networks for Forecasting the Electric Demand of Stand-Alone Consumers

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanin, O. A.; Direktor, L. B.

2018-05-01

The problem of short-term forecasting of electric power demand of stand-alone consumers (small inhabited localities) situated outside centralized power supply areas is considered. The basic approaches to modeling the electric power demand depending on the forecasting time frame and the problems set, as well as the specific features of such modeling, are described. The advantages and disadvantages of the methods used for the short-term forecast of the electric demand are indicated, and difficulties involved in the solution of the problem are outlined. The basic principles of arranging artificial neural networks are set forth; it is also shown that the proposed method is preferable when the input information necessary for prediction is lacking or incomplete. The selection of the parameters that should be included into the list of the input data for modeling the electric power demand of residential areas using artificial neural networks is validated. The structure of a neural network is proposed for solving the problem of modeling the electric power demand of residential areas. The specific features of generation of the training dataset are outlined. The results of test modeling of daily electric demand curves for some settlements of Kamchatka and Yakutia based on known actual electric demand curves are provided. The reliability of the test modeling has been validated. A high value of the deviation of the modeled curve from the reference curve obtained in one of the four reference calculations is explained. The input data and the predicted power demand curves for the rural settlement of Kuokuiskii Nasleg are provided. The power demand curves were modeled for four characteristic days of the year, and they can be used in the future for designing a power supply system for the settlement. To enhance the accuracy of the method, a series of measures based on specific features of a neural network's functioning are proposed.

Stand-alone front-end system for high- frequency, high-frame-rate coded excitation ultrasonic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jinhyoung; Hu, Changhong; Shung, K Kirk

2011-12-01

A stand-alone front-end system for high-frequency coded excitation imaging was implemented to achieve a wider dynamic range. The system included an arbitrary waveform amplifier, an arbitrary waveform generator, an analog receiver, a motor position interpreter, a motor controller and power supplies. The digitized arbitrary waveforms at a sampling rate of 150 MHz could be programmed and converted to an analog signal. The pulse was subsequently amplified to excite an ultrasound transducer, and the maximum output voltage level achieved was 120 V(pp). The bandwidth of the arbitrary waveform amplifier was from 1 to 70 MHz. The noise figure of the preamplifier was less than 7.7 dB and the bandwidth was 95 MHz. Phantoms and biological tissues were imaged at a frame rate as high as 68 frames per second (fps) to evaluate the performance of the system. During the measurement, 40-MHz lithium niobate (LiNbO(3)) single-element lightweight (<;0.28 g) transducers were utilized. The wire target measure- ment showed that the -6-dB axial resolution of a chirp-coded excitation was 50 μm and lateral resolution was 120 μm. The echo signal-to-noise ratios were found to be 54 and 65 dB for the short burst and coded excitation, respectively. The contrast resolution in a sphere phantom study was estimated to be 24 dB for the chirp-coded excitation and 15 dB for the short burst modes. In an in vivo study, zebrafish and mouse hearts were imaged. Boundaries of the zebrafish heart in the image could be differentiated because of the low-noise operation of the implemented system. In mouse heart images, valves and chambers could be readily visualized with the coded excitation.

A comparison of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using self-locking stand-alone polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage with ACDF using cage and plate in the treatment of three-level cervical degenerative spondylopathy: a retrospective study with 2-year follow-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yuqiao; Lü, Guohua; Wang, Bing; Li, Lei; Kuang, Lei

2016-07-01

To evaluate the clinical efficacy and radiological outcomes of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using self-locking polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages for treatment of three-level cervical degenerative spondylopathy. Twenty-eight patients underwent three-level ACDF using self-locking stand-alone PEEK cages (group A), and 26 patients underwent three-level ACDF using cages and plate fixation (group B) were reviewed retrospectively. Clinical efficacy was evaluated by pre- and post-operative Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores and Neck Disability Index (NDI). The operation time, blood loss, surgical results according to Odom's criteria and post-operative dysphagia status were also recorded. Radiological outcomes including fusion, cervical Cobb's lordosis, fused segment angle, disc height, and cage subsidence were assessed. Clinical outcome measures such as dysphagia and fusion rate and the results of surgery evaluated according to Odom's criteria were not statistically significant (P > 0.05) between groups. The operation time was shorter and blood loss was less in group A (P  0.05). Post-operative cage subsidence, the loss of disc height, cervical lordosis and the fused segment angle were relatively higher in group A than group B (P < 0.05). ACDF using self-locking stand-alone cages showed similar clinical results as compared to ACDF using cages and plate fixation for the treatment of three-level cervical degenerative spondylopathy. However, potential long-term problems such as cage subsidence, loss of cervical lordosis and fused segment angle post-operatively were shown to be associated with patients who underwent ACDF using self-locking stand-alone cages.

B Plant cleanout and stabilization program update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gehrke, J.W.

1994-01-01

The B Plant Cleanout and Stabilization Program Update FY1993 committed to an annual update document. The Cleanout and Stabilization Program (CSP) plan, Reference 1, remains as the best source of detailed discussion of CSP work and continues to be valid. The CSP presented a five year plan that left a number of plant systems operational to support WESF (Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility) capsule storage. It is now apparent that the transition of B Plant to a long-term surveillance and maintenance mode (LTS and M) will be necessary to complete B Plant deactivation. To accomplish the LTS and M mode for B Plant, WESF will need to be physically isolated to allow stand alone operation for many years beyond the anticipated B Plant deactivation. B Plant has processed large quantities (> 100 megacuries) of cesium-137 and strontium-90. Residual radioactive contamination from this processing is in many forms and locations in B Plant. The plant design incorporates many features for radiological containment and confinement and systems to prevent the exposure of plant personnel and the public to excessive radiation. To minimize or reduce the radiological hazard wherever possible this program includes activities in four areas: Prevent Migration of Contamination; Stabilize Major Radioactive Source Terms; characterize Radioactive Source Terms; and Reduce Radiation Dose Rates. This document will describe work that is need to meet current goals and objectives and work that has changed, been completed, ore redirected. A systems engineering approach to defining this mission was initiated in FY1994 that will also be addressed in this document

[The life of elderly women living alone].

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Chunmi; Ko, Moon Hee; Kim, Moon Jeong; Kim, Joohyun; Kim, Hee Ja; Moon, Jin Ha; Baek, Kyoung Seon; Son, Haeng-Mi; Oh, SangEun; Lee, YoungAe; Choi, Jung-Sook

2008-10-01

This study aimed to uncover the fundamental nature of living alone in female elderly. The phenomenological research approach developed by van Manen was adopted. The theme was 'taking a firm stand alone on the edges of life'. The composition elements of living alone experienced by elderly women were as follows: 1) Corporeality: participants perceived their bodies by their health status. Unhealthy participants were suffering with diseases and dependant on other persons, while healthy participants were free from family responsibility and kept on moving. 2) Spatiality: participants felt both freedom and loneliness while they stayed home. 3) Relationality: participants felt pity and yearning for their bereaved husband and sometimes talked to his picture. According to their children's filial piety, participants were pleased or displeased. However, they incessantly devoted themselves to their children. 4) Temporality: participants considered the rest of their life as extra-time which was proceeding to death, and tried to keep themselves busy before they died. A nurse should understand the multifarious aspects of elderly women's life, and then intervene to consolidate their strengths for self-supporting the final years of life.

Stand-alone microgrids

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bauer, P.; Weldemariam, L.E.; Raijen, E.

2011-01-01

Abstract- A hybrid power system (HPS) which consists of diesel Genset, PV -arrays and wind turbines with energy storing and power electronic devices is discussed in this paper. An inventory of different connection topologies is made for some of the sources that generate AC power and others that

State energy-price system: 1981 update

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fang, J.M.; Imhoff, K.L.; Hood, L.J.

1983-08-01

This report updates the State Energy Price Data System (STEPS) to include state-level energy prices by fuel and by end-use sectors for 1981. Both physical unit prices and Btu prices are presented. Basic documentation of the data base remains generally the same as in the original report: State Energy Price System; Volume 1: Overview and Technical Documentation (DOE/NBB-0029 Volume 1 of 2, November 1982). The present report documents only the changes in procedures necessitated by the update to 1981 and the corrections to the basic documentation.

Estimating white trunk rot in aspen stands

Science.gov (United States)

Alan C. Jones; Michael E. Ostry

1998-01-01

Advanced decay caused by Phellinus tremulae was estimated in 295 trembling aspen on 30 plots in 2 Minnesota counties using existing inventory guides, and then measured by felling and sectioning the trees. In standing trees, decay volume was underestimated by 38% compared to measured decay volume in felled trees. The most reliable external indicator...

User's guide for PRISIM (Plant Risk Status Information Management System) Arkansas Nuclear One--Unit 1: Volume 2, Program for regulators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Campbell, D.J.; Guthrie, V.H.; Kirchner, J.R.; Kirkman, J.Q.; Paula, H.M.; Ellison, B.C.; Dycus, F.M.; Farquharson, J.A.; Flanagan, G.F.

1988-03-01

This user's guide is a two-volume document designed to teach NRC inspectors and NRC regulators how to access probabilistic risk assessment information from the two Plant Risk Status Information Management System (PRISIM) programs developed for Arkansas Nuclear One--Unit One (ANA-1). This document, Volume 2, describes how the PRA information available in Version 2.0 of PRISIM is useful as an evaluation tool for regulatory activities. Using PRISIM is useful as an evaluation tool for regulatory activities. Using PRISIM, regulators can both access PRA information and modify the information to assess the impact these changes may have on plant safety. Each volume is a stand-alone document.

New Scheme for Seamless Operation for Stand-Alone Power Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyun-Jun Kim

2016-06-01

Full Text Available On remote islands photovoltaic (PV panels with battery energy storage systems (BESSs supply electric power to customers in parallel operation with engine generators (EGs to reduce fuel consumption and environmental burden. A BESS operates in voltage control mode when it supplies power to loads alone, while it operates in current control mode when it supplies power to loads in parallel with the EG. This paper proposes a smooth mode change of the BESS from current control to voltage control by using initial value at the output of integral part in the voltage controller, and a smooth mode change from voltage control to current control by tracking the EG output voltage to the BESS output voltage using a phase-locked loop (PLL. The feasibility of the proposed scheme was verified through computer simulations and experiments with a scaled prototype.

Minnesota's forest statistics, 1987: an inventory update.

Science.gov (United States)

Jerold T. Hahn; W. Brad Smith

1987-01-01

The Minnesota 1987 inventory update, derived by using tree growth models, reports 13.5 million acres of timberland, a decline of less than 1% since 1977. This bulletin presents findings from the inventory update in tables detailing timer land area, volume, and biomass.

Wisconsin's forest statistics, 1987: an inventory update.

Science.gov (United States)

W. Brad Smith; Jerold T. Hahn

1989-01-01

The Wisconsin 1987 inventory update, derived by using tree growth models, reports 14.7 million acres of timberland, a decline of less than 1% since 1983. This bulletin presents findings from the inventory update in tables detailing timberland area, volume, and biomass.

Local bone graft harvesting and volumes in posterolateral lumbar fusion: a technical report.

Science.gov (United States)

Carragee, Eugene J; Comer, Garet C; Smith, Micah W

2011-06-01

In lumbar surgery, local bone graft is often harvested and used in posterolateral fusion procedures. The volume of local bone graft available for posterolateral fusion has not been determined in North American patients. Some authors have described this as minimal, but others have suggested the volume was sufficient to be reliably used as a stand-alone bone graft substitute for single-level fusion. To describe the technique used and determine the volume of local bone graft available in a cohort of patients undergoing single-level primary posterolateral fusion by the authors harvesting technique. Technical description and cohort report. Consecutive patients undergoing lumbar posterolateral fusion with or without instrumentation for degenerative processes. Local bone graft volume. Consecutive patients undergoing lumbar posterolateral fusion with or without instrumentation for degenerative processes of were studied. Local bone graft was harvested by a standard method in each patient and the volume measured by a standard procedure. Twenty-five patients were studied, and of these 11 (44%) had a previous decompression. The mean volume of local bone graft harvested was measured to be 25 cc (range, 12-36 cc). Local bone graft was augmented by iliac crest bone in six of 25 patients (24%) if the posterolateral fusion bed was not well packed with local bone alone. There was a trend to greater local bone graft volumes in men and in patients without previous decompression. Large volumes of local bone can be harvested during posterolateral lumbar fusion surgery. Even in patients with previous decompression the volume harvested is similar to that reported harvested from the posterior iliac crest for single-level fusion. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stand characteristics of 65-year-old planted and naturally regenerated stands near Sequim, Washington.

Science.gov (United States)

Richard E. Miller; Harry W. Anderson

1995-01-01

Tree numbers, height, and volume were determined in six 63- to 66-year-old plantations of coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. menziesii) in northwest Washington. These stands resulted from the first extensive plantings of this species in the Pacific Northwest. Data from 0.25-acre plots in these...

StandsSIM-MD: a Management Driven forest SIMulator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barreiro, S.; Rua, J.; Tomé, M.

2016-07-01

Aim of the study. The existing stand level forest simulators available in Portugal were not developed with the aim of including up-to-date model versions and were limited in terms of accounting for forest management. The simulators’ platform, sIMfLOR was recently created to implement different growth models with a common philosophy. The objective was developing one easily-updatable, user-friendly, forest management and climate change sensitive simulator capable of projecting growth for the main tree species in Portugal. Area of the study: Portugal. Material and methods: The new simulator was programmed in a modular form consisting of several modules. The growth module integrates different forest growth and yield models (empirical and process-based) for the main wood production tree species in Portugal (eucalypt, umbrella and maritime pines); whereas the management module drives the growth projections along the planning horizon according to a range of forest management approaches and climate (at present only available for eucalypt). Main results: The main result is the StandsSIM-MD Management Driven simulator that overcomes the limitations of the existing stand level simulators. It is a step forward when compared to the models currently available in the sIMfLOR platform covering more tree species, stand structures and stand compositions. It is focused on end-users and it is based on similar concepts regarding the generation of required inputs and generated outputs. Research highlights: Forest Management Driven simulations approach. Multiple Prescriptions-Per-Stand functionality. StandsSIM-MD can be used to support landowners decisions on stand forest management. StandsSIM-MD simulations at regional level can be combined with optimization routines. (Author)

A Study on Electric Power Smoothing System for Lead-Acid Battery of Stand-Alone Natural Energy Power System Using EDLC

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Yan; Shibata, Ryosuke; Yamamura, Naoki; Ishida, Muneaki

To resolve energy shortage and global warming problem, renewable natural resource and its power system has been gradually generalizing. However, the power fluctuation suppressing in short period and the balance control of consumption and supply in long period are two of main problems that need to be resolved urgently in natural energy power system. In Stand-alone Natural Energy Power System (SNEPS) with power energy storage devices, power fluctuation in short period is one of the main reasons that recharge cycle times increase and lead-acid battery early failure. Hence, to prolong the service life of lead-acid battery and improve power quality through suppressing the power fluctuation, we proposed a method of electric power smoothing for lead-acid battery of SNEPS using bi-directional Buck/Boost converter and Electric Double Layer Capacitor (EDLC) in this paper. According to the test data of existing SNEPS, a power fluctuation condition is selected and as an example to analyze the validity of the proposed method. The analysis of frequency characteristics indicates the power fluctuation is suppressed a desired range in the target frequency region. The experimental results of confirmed the feasibility of the proposed system and the results well satisfy the requirement of system design.

Update: Applications of Research in Music Education Yearbook. Volume 24

Science.gov (United States)

Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2006

2006-01-01

Readers of the online journal "Update: Applications of Research in Music Education" who prefer a printed copy of articles most relevant to their work will find them in the new 2005-2006 "Update Yearbook." Now available to everyone interested in the latest music education trends, the Yearbook contains in print the entire online issues for…

Feasibility Analysis and Simulation of a Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Energy System for Electricity Generation and Environmental Sustainability – Equivalent to 650VA Fuel-Powered Generator – Popularly Known as “I Pass My Neighbour”

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ani, Vincent Anayochukwu

2015-01-01

Photovoltaic (PV) power system can be used to replace wholly 650VA generator for electricity generation for household use in Nigeria. This paper presented the feasibility analysis of load data and simulation study of a stand-alone PV power system that produced the electrical needs of a household. This study is based on designing of PV energy system for household use. The patterns of load consumption within the household were studied and suitably modeled for simulation. The simulation study indicates that energy requirements to provide electricity, which is equivalent to 650VA generator for household use in Nigeria, can be accomplished by 520 W solar PV array, 2312 Ah nominal capacity battery, and a 1 kW DC/AC inverter. This would be suitable for deployment of 100% clean energy for environmental sustainability and uninterruptable power performance in the household. The results of this research show that, with a low-power consuming appliances, it is possible to meet the entire annual electricity demand of a single household solely through a stand-alone PV energy supply. Installing solar panels by most Nigerian home can significantly reduce home reliance on government power thereby reduce the strain on the current capacity of our power generation infrastructure. A detailed design and description of the system were presented in this paper.

Feasibility Analysis and Simulation of a Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Energy System for Electricity Generation and Environmental Sustainability – Equivalent to 650VA Fuel-Powered Generator – Popularly Known as “I Pass My Neighbour”

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ani, Vincent Anayochukwu, E-mail: vincent_ani@yahoo.com [Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nsukka (Nigeria)

2015-09-11

Photovoltaic (PV) power system can be used to replace wholly 650VA generator for electricity generation for household use in Nigeria. This paper presented the feasibility analysis of load data and simulation study of a stand-alone PV power system that produced the electrical needs of a household. This study is based on designing of PV energy system for household use. The patterns of load consumption within the household were studied and suitably modeled for simulation. The simulation study indicates that energy requirements to provide electricity, which is equivalent to 650VA generator for household use in Nigeria, can be accomplished by 520 W solar PV array, 2312 Ah nominal capacity battery, and a 1 kW DC/AC inverter. This would be suitable for deployment of 100% clean energy for environmental sustainability and uninterruptable power performance in the household. The results of this research show that, with a low-power consuming appliances, it is possible to meet the entire annual electricity demand of a single household solely through a stand-alone PV energy supply. Installing solar panels by most Nigerian home can significantly reduce home reliance on government power thereby reduce the strain on the current capacity of our power generation infrastructure. A detailed design and description of the system were presented in this paper.

A review of three stand-alone topical thrombins for surgical hemostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Christine M; Meyer-Massetti, Carla; Kayser, Steven R

2009-01-01

Topical thrombins are active hemostatic agents that can be used to minimize blood loss during surgery. Before 2007, the only topical thrombins available were derived from bovine plasma. Antibody formation to bovine thrombin and/or factor V, with subsequent risk of cross-reactivity with human factor V, and hemorrhagic complications associated with human factor-V deficiencies have been described in case reports of surgeries in which bovine thrombins were used. This risk is now included in the boxed warning section of the bovine thrombin prescribing information. In 2007 and 2008, 2 new topical thrombins from nonbovine sources received approval for use from the US Food and Drug Administration. The 3 active topical thrombins that are currently marketed are bovine plasma-derived thrombin, human plasma-derived thrombin, and human recombinant thrombin. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the literature on the efficacy and safety of topical thrombins and discuss the pharmacoeconomic considerations associated with their use. PubMed, EMBASE, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts were searched for relevant papers published in English through October 10,2008, using the terms thrombin, human recombinant thrombin, bovine thrombin, plasma derived thrombin, and topical thrombin. Manufacturer-provided materials were also reviewed. Abstracts and unpublished data, as well as evaluations of sealants, adhesives, glues, and other hemostats that contain thrombin mixed with fibrinogen and other clotting factors, were excluded. Four randomized, double-blind studies involving the active, stand-alone topical thrombins were found. The bovine thrombin involved in these studies was the predecessor to the currently marketed, highly purified bovine formulation. No studies comparing the human products, studies involving the highly purified bovine preparation, or placebo-controlled studies involving bovine thrombin were found. In a Phase III comparison of human recombinant thrombin and

CONTAMINATED SOIL VOLUME ESTIMATE TRACKING METHODOLOGY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durham, L.A.; Johnson, R.L.; Rieman, C.; Kenna, T.; Pilon, R.

2003-01-01

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is conducting a cleanup of radiologically contaminated properties under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). The largest cost element for most of the FUSRAP sites is the transportation and disposal of contaminated soil. Project managers and engineers need an estimate of the volume of contaminated soil to determine project costs and schedule. Once excavation activities begin and additional remedial action data are collected, the actual quantity of contaminated soil often deviates from the original estimate, resulting in cost and schedule impacts to the project. The project costs and schedule need to be frequently updated by tracking the actual quantities of excavated soil and contaminated soil remaining during the life of a remedial action project. A soil volume estimate tracking methodology was developed to provide a mechanism for project managers and engineers to create better project controls of costs and schedule. For the FUSRAP Linde site, an estimate of the initial volume of in situ soil above the specified cleanup guidelines was calculated on the basis of discrete soil sample data and other relevant data using indicator geostatistical techniques combined with Bayesian analysis. During the remedial action, updated volume estimates of remaining in situ soils requiring excavation were calculated on a periodic basis. In addition to taking into account the volume of soil that had been excavated, the updated volume estimates incorporated both new gamma walkover surveys and discrete sample data collected as part of the remedial action. A civil survey company provided periodic estimates of actual in situ excavated soil volumes. By using the results from the civil survey of actual in situ volumes excavated and the updated estimate of the remaining volume of contaminated soil requiring excavation, the USACE Buffalo District was able to forecast and update project costs and schedule. The soil volume

Stocking and structure for maximum growth in sugar maple selection stands.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas R. Crow; Carl H. Tubbs; Rodney D. Jacobs; Robert R. Oberg

1981-01-01

The impacts of stocking, structure, and cutting cycle on basal area, cubic foot volume, board foot volume, and diameter growth are considered. Recommendations are provided for maximum growth in uneven-aged sugar maple stands.

New uses of sulfur - update

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Almond, K.P.

1995-07-01

An update to an extensive bibliography on alternate uses of sulfur was presented. Alberta Sulphur Research Ltd., previously compiled a bibliography in volume 24 of this quarterly bulletin. This update provides an additional 44 new publications. The information regarding current research focusses on topics regarding the use of sulfur in oil and gas applications, mining and metallurgy, concretes and other structural materials, waste management, rubber and textile products, asphalts and other paving and highway applications.

Stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) integrated with earth to air heat exchanger (EAHE) for space heating/cooling of adobe house in New Delhi (India)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chel, Arvind; Tiwari, G.N.

2010-01-01

This paper deals with an experimental outdoor annual performance evaluation of 2.32 kW P photovoltaic (PV) power system located at solar energy park in New Delhi composite climatic conditions. This PV system operates the daily electrical load nearly 10 kW h/day which comprises of various applications such as electric air blower of an earth to air heat exchanger (EAHE) used for heating/cooling of adobe house, ceiling fan, fluorescent tube-light, computer, submersible water pump, etc. The outdoor efficiencies, power generated and lost in PV system components were determined using hourly experimental measured data for 1 year on typical clear day in each month. These realistic data are useful for design engineers for outdoor assessment of PV system components. The energy conservation, mitigation of CO 2 emission and carbon credit potential of the existing PV integrated EAHE system is presented in this paper. Also, the energy payback time (EPBT) and unit cost of electricity were determined for both stand-alone PV (SAPV) and building roof integrated PV (BIPV) systems.

Comparing memory-efficient genome assemblers on stand-alone and cloud infrastructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleftogiannis, Dimitrios; Kalnis, Panos; Bajic, Vladimir B

2013-01-01

A fundamental problem in bioinformatics is genome assembly. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies produce large volumes of fragmented genome reads, which require large amounts of memory to assemble the complete genome efficiently. With recent improvements in DNA sequencing technologies, it is expected that the memory footprint required for the assembly process will increase dramatically and will emerge as a limiting factor in processing widely available NGS-generated reads. In this report, we compare current memory-efficient techniques for genome assembly with respect to quality, memory consumption and execution time. Our experiments prove that it is possible to generate draft assemblies of reasonable quality on conventional multi-purpose computers with very limited available memory by choosing suitable assembly methods. Our study reveals the minimum memory requirements for different assembly programs even when data volume exceeds memory capacity by orders of magnitude. By combining existing methodologies, we propose two general assembly strategies that can improve short-read assembly approaches and result in reduction of the memory footprint. Finally, we discuss the possibility of utilizing cloud infrastructures for genome assembly and we comment on some findings regarding suitable computational resources for assembly.

Comparing Memory-Efficient Genome Assemblers on Stand-Alone and Cloud Infrastructures

KAUST Repository

Kleftogiannis, Dimitrios A.

2013-09-27

A fundamental problem in bioinformatics is genome assembly. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies produce large volumes of fragmented genome reads, which require large amounts of memory to assemble the complete genome efficiently. With recent improvements in DNA sequencing technologies, it is expected that the memory footprint required for the assembly process will increase dramatically and will emerge as a limiting factor in processing widely available NGS-generated reads. In this report, we compare current memory-efficient techniques for genome assembly with respect to quality, memory consumption and execution time. Our experiments prove that it is possible to generate draft assemblies of reasonable quality on conventional multi-purpose computers with very limited available memory by choosing suitable assembly methods. Our study reveals the minimum memory requirements for different assembly programs even when data volume exceeds memory capacity by orders of magnitude. By combining existing methodologies, we propose two general assembly strategies that can improve short-read assembly approaches and result in reduction of the memory footprint. Finally, we discuss the possibility of utilizing cloud infrastructures for genome assembly and we comment on some findings regarding suitable computational resources for assembly.

Heavy thinning of ponderosa pine stands: An Arizona case study

Science.gov (United States)

Peter F. Ffolliott; Jr. Baker; Gerald J. Gottfried

2000-01-01

Growth and structural changes in a mosaic of even-aged ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) stands were studied for 25 years to determine the long-term impacts of a heavy thinning treatment to a basal-area level of 25 ft2/acre. Basal area and volume growth of these stands has increased since thinning and likely will continue to...

DESIGN OF A SUPERBIKE PADDOCK STAND USING CAD AND CAE TOOLS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.H. Mohd Noh

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Two people are required to operate current superbike paddock stands in order to elevate the superbike. Lifting the superbike alone using the current design of paddock stand may be impractical and inconvenient for users. To overcome this limitation, a new design of a superbike paddock stand was conceived that could be operated by a single user. CAD and CAE tools using CATIA V5R18 software were utilised in designing this new stand. A 3D CAD model was developed and analysed through finite element analysis (FEA and a prototype fabricated for verification testing of the design. The use of CAD and CAE tools saved much time in the design work and gave the researchers and designers freedom in producing their own design. However, the most important aspect of this design study was to design a superbike paddock stand that is more practical and convenient for operation by a single user.

StandsSIM-MD: a Management Driven forest SIMulator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susana Barreiro

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Aim of the study: The existing stand level forest simulators available in Portugal were not developed with the aim of including up-to-date model versions and were limited in terms of accounting for forest management. The simulators’ platform, sIMfLOR was recently created to implement different growth models with a common philosophy. The objective was developing one easily-updatable, user-friendly, forest management and climate change sensitive simulator capable of projecting growth for the main tree species in Portugal. Area of the study: Portugal. Material and methods: The new simulator was programmed in a modular form consisting of several modules. The growth module integrates different forest growth and yield models (empirical and process-based for the main wood production tree species in Portugal (eucalypt, umbrella and maritime pines; whereas the management module drives the growth projections along the planning horizon according to a range of forest management approaches and climate (at present only available for eucalypt. Main results: The main result is the StandsSIM-MD Management Driven simulator that overcomes the limitations of the existing stand level simulators. It is a step forward when compared to the models currently available in the sIMfLOR platform covering more tree species, stand structures and stand compositions. It is focused on end-users and it is based on similar concepts regarding the generation of required inputs and generated outputs. Research highlights: -          Forest Management Driven simulations approach -          Multiple Prescriptions-Per-Stand functionality -          StandsSIM-MD can be used to support landowners decisions on stand forest management -          StandsSIM-MD simulations at regional level can be combined with optimization routines Keywords: Forest simulator, Forest Management Approaches; StandsSIM-MD; forest management.

A Model for Estimating Current and Future Timber Volume Loss from Stem Decay Caused by Heterobasidion annosum and Other Fungi in Stands of True Fir

Science.gov (United States)

Gregory M. Filip

1989-01-01

In 1979, an equation was developed to estimate the percentage of current and future timber volume loss due to stem decay caused by Heterobasidion annosum and other fungi in advance regeneration stands of grand and white fir in eastern Oregon and Washington. Methods for using and testing the equation are presented. Extensive testing in 1988 showed the...

Thinning cherry-maple stands in West Virginia: 5-year results

Science.gov (United States)

Neil I. Lamson; H. Clay. Smith; H. Clay. Smith

1988-01-01

In northern West Virginia, 60-year-old cherry-maple stands were thinned to 75,60, and 45 percent relative stand density. Analysis of 5-year growth data showed that basal-area growth was not reduced by thinning. Cubic-foot and board-foot volume growth decreased slightly. Individual-tree growth of all trees, dominant/codominant trees, and the 50 largest diameter trees...

An adaptive artificial neural network model for sizing stand-alone photovoltaic systems: Application for isolated sites in Algeria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mellit, A.; Benghanem, M.; Hadj Arab, A.; Guessoum, G.

2004-07-01

In this paper we investigate, by using an adaptive Artificial Neural Network (ANN), in order to find a suitable model for sizing Stand-Alone Photovoltaic (SAPV) systems, based on a minimum of input data. This model combines Radial Basis Function (RBF) network and Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filter in order to accelerate the convergence of the network. For the sizing of a photovoltaic (PV) system, we need to determine the optimal sizing coefficients (K PV , K B . These coefficients allow us to determine the number of solar panels and storage batteries necessary to satisfy a given consumption, especially in isolated sites where the global solar radiation data is not always available and which are considered the most important parameters for sizing a PV system. Obtained results by classical models (analytical, numerical, analytical- numerical, B-spline function) and new models like feed-forward (MLP), radial basis function (RBF), MLP-IIR and RBF-IIR have been compared with experimental sizing coefficients in order to illustrate the accuracy of the results of the new developed model. This model has been trained by using 200 known optimal sizing coefficients corresponding to 200 locations in Algeria. In this way, the adaptive model was trained to accept and even handle a number of unusual cases, the unknown validation sizing coefficients set produced very set accurate estimation and a correlation coefficient of 98% was obtained between the calculated and that estimated by the RBF-IIR model. This result indicates that the proposed method can be successfully used for the estimation of optimal sizing coefficients of SAPV systems for any locations in Algeria, but the methodology can be generalized using different locations over the world. (author)

The yeast stands alone: the future of protein biologic production.

Science.gov (United States)

Love, Kerry R; Dalvie, Neil C; Love, J Christopher

2017-12-22

Yeasts are promising alternative hosts for the manufacturing of recombinant protein therapeutics because they simply and efficiently meet needs for both platform and small-market drugs. Fast accumulation of biomass and low-cost media reduce the cost-of-goods when using yeast, which in turn can enable agile, small-volume manufacturing facilities. Small, tractable yeast genomes are amenable to rapid process development, facilitating strain and product quality by design. Specifically, Pichia pastoris is becoming a widely accepted yeast for biopharmaceutical manufacturing in much of the world owing to a clean secreted product and the rapidly expanding understanding of its cell biology as a host organism. We advocate for a near term partnership spanning industry and academia to promote open source, timely development of yeast hosts. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effect of the renal natriuretic peptide, ularitide, alone or combined ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effect of the renal natriuretic peptide, ularitide, alone or combined with ... inhibitor, Omapatrilat, on experimental volume overloadinduced congestive heart failure in ... N-terminal pro–brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high-sensitivity ...

Using Landsat TM and NFI data to estimate wood volume, tree biomass and stand age in Dalarna

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reese, Heather; Nilsson, Mats

1999-10-01

As part of the `Monitoring of forest ecosystems` project, within the MISTRA program Remote Sensing for the Environment (RESE), and also with funding from the County Administration Board of Dalarna, a demonstration project was undertaken to estimate forest stand parameters in Dalarna with the use of satellite data. Using two full scenes of Landsat Thematic Mapper data and sample plot data from the Swedish National Forest Inventory, estimations of above ground tree biomass, age, total wood volume, and separate tree species volumes were made using the `k Nearest Neighbor` method. Accuracy assessment results at the single pixel level for total wood volume are consistent with results from previous kNN estimations, with an overall relative RMSE of 75% for the western scene, and 58% overall relative RMSE for the eastern scene. Validation data show a bias of the estimate toward the mean value of the estimation data. The pixel level estimates of above ground tree biomass and age had similar validation results to those for total wood volume. Biomass estimates had a 77% relative RMSE for the western scene, and 69% for the eastern scene. Age estimates had a relative RMSE of 60% in the western scene and 57% in the eastern scene. The results may suggest the need to incorporate a geographic limitation on the plots used in the estimation, and to further investigate the co-registration between the satellite and plot data. While pixel lever errors are high, an aggregation of the estimates to larger (compartment-sized) areas could decrease the error significantly. Previous similar studies have shown that an RMSE of 10% for total wood volume can be obtained for as small areas as 100 to 450 hectares. The estimates from this study will be evaluated for use by the County Administration Board of Dalarna to find areas of ecological interest and to assist in planning 14 refs, 4 figs, 4 tabs

Oak Ridge Reservation environmental report for 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prince, N.L.

1989-05-01

The first two volumes of this report are devoted to a presentation of environmental data and supporting narratives for the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) and surrounding environs during 1988. Volume 1 includes all narrative descriptions, summaries, and conclusions and is intended to be a ''stand-alone'' report for the ORR for the reader who does not want to review in detail all of the 1988 data. Volume 2 includes the detailed data summarized in a format to ensure that all environmental data are represented in the tables. Narratives are not included in Volume 2. The tables in Volume 2 are addressed in Volume 1. For this reason, Vol. 2 cannot be considered a stand-alone report but is intended to be used in conjunction with Volume 1

Important update of CERN Mail Services

CERN Multimedia

IT Department

2009-01-01

The CERN Mail Services are evolving. In the course of June and July 2009, all CERN mailboxes will be updated with a new infrastructure for hosting mailboxes, running Exchange 2007. This update is taking place in order to provide the capacity upgrade for the constantly growing volume of CERN mailboxes. It is also the opportunity to provide a number of improvements to CERN mailboxes: new and improved Outlook Web Access (the web interface used to access your mailbox from a web browser, also known as "webmail"), new features in the Out-of-Office auto-reply assistant, easier spam management... The update will preserve the mailbox configuration and no specific action is required by users. During the next weeks, each mailbox will be individually notified of the upcoming update the day before it takes place. We invite all users to carefully read this notification as it will contain the latest information for this update. The mailbox will be unavailable for a short time during the ni...

Growth and yield of all-aged Douglas-fir -- western hemlock forest stands: a matrix model with stand diversity effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Jingjing Liang; Joseph Buonglorno; Robert A. Monserud

2005-01-01

A density-dependent matrix model was developed for Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) -- western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) forest stands in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The model predicted the number and volume of trees for 4 species groups and 19 diameter classes. The parameters...

The influence of weather variation on regional growth of Douglas-fir stands in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

Science.gov (United States)

Charles E. Peterson; Linda S. Heath

1991-01-01

In this paper we examine the influence of precipitation and temperature deviations on regional volume growth rates in even aged, onnen.,ed second growth Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) stands. Between 1969 and 1986, average volume growth rates in natural stands of coast Douglas fix in western Washington and Oregon were negatively...

A review of methods for updating forest monitoring system estimates

Science.gov (United States)

Hector Franco-Lopez; Alan R. Ek; Andrew P. Robinson

2000-01-01

Intensifying interest in forests and the development of new monitoring technologies have induced major changes in forest monitoring systems in the last few years, including major revisions in the methods used for updating. This paper describes the methods available for projecting stand- and plot-level information, emphasizing advantages and disadvantages, and the...

X-ray microbeam stand-alone facility for cultured cells irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bożek, Sebastian, E-mail: sebastian.bozek@yahoo.com [Jagiellonian University Medical College, Department of Pharmaceutical Biophysics, Krakow (Poland); Bielecki, Jakub; Wiecheć, Anna; Lekki, Janusz; Stachura, Zbigniew; Pogoda, Katarzyna; Lipiec, Ewelina; Tkocz, Konrad; Kwiatek, Wojciech M. [Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-31342 Krakow (Poland)

2017-03-01

Highlights: • An X-ray microbeam line for irradiation of living cultured cells was constructed. • A step by step explanation of working principles with engineering details, procedures and calculations is presented. • A model of beam and cell interaction is presented. • A method of uniform irradiation of living cells with an exact dose per a cell is presented. • Results of preliminary experiments are presented. - Abstract: The article describes an X-ray microbeam standalone facility dedicated for irradiation of living cultured cells. The article can serve as an advice for such facilities construction, as it begins from engineering details, through mathematical modeling and experimental procedures, ending up with preliminary experimental results and conclusions. The presented system consists of an open type X-ray tube with microfocusing down to about 2 μm, an X-ray focusing system with optical elements arranged in the nested Kirckpatrick-Baez (or Montel) geometry, a sample stand and an optical microscope with a scientific digital CCD camera. For the beam visualisation an X-ray sensitive CCD camera and a spectral detector are used, as well as a scintillator screen combined with the microscope. A method of precise one by one irradiation of previously chosen cells is presented, as well as a fast method of uniform irradiation of a chosen sample area. Mathematical models of beam and cell with calculations of kerma and dose are presented. The experiments on dose-effect relationship, kinetics of DNA double strand breaks repair, as well as micronuclei observation were performed on PC-3 (Prostate Cancer) cultured cells. The cells were seeded and irradiated on Mylar foil, which covered a hole drilled in the Petri dish. DNA lesions were visualised with γ-H2AX marker combined with Alexa Fluor 488 fluorescent dye.

Lung volumes during sustained microgravity on Spacelab SLS-1

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, Ann R.; Prisk, G. Kim; Guy, Harold J. B.; West, John B.

1994-01-01

Gravity is known to influence the mechanical behavior of the lung and chest wall. However, the effect of sustained microgravity (microgravity) on lung volumes has not been reported. Pulmonary function tests were performed by four subjects before, during, and after 9 days of microgravity exposure. Ground measurements were made in standing and supine postures. Tests were performed using a bag-in-box-and-flowmeter system and a respiratory mass spectrometer. Measurements included functional residual capacity (FRC), expiratory reserve volume (ERV), residual volume (RV), inspiratory and expiratory vital capacities (IVC and EVC), and tidal volume (V9sub T)). Total lung capacity (TLC) was derived from the measured EVC and RV values. With preflight standing values as a comparison, FRC was significantly reduced by 15% (approximately 500 ml) in microgravity and 32% in the supine posture. ERV was reduced by 10 - 20% in microgravity and decreased by 64% in the supine posture. RV was significantly reduced by 18% (310 ml) in microgravity but did not significantly change in the supine posture compared with standing. IVC and EVC were slightly reduced during the first 24 h of microgravity but returned to 1-G standing values within 72 h of microgravity exposure. IVC and EVC in the supine posture were significantly reduced by 12% compared with standing. During microgravity, V(sub T) decreased by 15% (approximately 90 ml), but supine V(sub T) was unchanged compared with preflight standing values. TLC decreased by approximately 8% during microgravity and in the supine posture compared with preflight standing. The reductions in FRC, ERV, and RV during microgravity are probably due to the cranial shift of the diaphragm, an increase in intrathoracic blood volume, and more uniform alveolar expansion.

Atomoxetine in Children and Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Systematic Review of Review Papers 2009-2011. An Update for Clinicians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chris J. Bushe Mbbs

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD is a common disorder and a plethora of new data has been published from clinical trials and national epidemiological databases in the last three years. In the United Kingdom Atomoxetine is currently the only licensed non-stimulant medication. As part of a systematic review of atomoxetine data Jan 2009-June 2011 formal searches found 750 citations. From these 13 met criteria for either review or systematic review papers and contained clinical data synthesis on atomoxetine. No individual review paper alone would be sufficient for clinicians to be updated at that time on all clinical aspects of atomoxetine data. The crucial data relating to clinical parity of atomoxetine and methylphenidate in trials and meta-analysis where relevant confounding biases are removed are not often discussed. Systematic review of complex data is critical for ADHD clinicians and will need regular updating due to the large volume of new data.

CRionScan: A stand-alone real time controller designed to perform ion beam imaging, dose controlled irradiation and proton beam writing

Science.gov (United States)

Daudin, L.; Barberet, Ph.; Serani, L.; Moretto, Ph.

2013-07-01

High resolution ion microbeams, usually used to perform elemental mapping, low dose targeted irradiation or ion beam lithography needs a very flexible beam control system. For this purpose, we have developed a dedicated system (called “CRionScan”), on the AIFIRA facility (Applications Interdisciplinaires des Faisceaux d'Ions en Région Aquitaine). It consists of a stand-alone real-time scanning and imaging instrument based on a Compact Reconfigurable Input/Output (Compact RIO) device from National Instruments™. It is based on a real-time controller, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), input/output modules and Ethernet connectivity. We have implemented a fast and deterministic beam scanning system interfaced with our commercial data acquisition system without any hardware development. CRionScan is built under LabVIEW™ and has been used on AIFIRA's nanobeam line since 2009 (Barberet et al., 2009, 2011) [1,2]. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) embedded in the Compact RIO as a web page is used to control the scanning parameters. In addition, a fast electrostatic beam blanking trigger has been included in the FPGA and high speed counters (15 MHz) have been implemented to perform dose controlled irradiation and on-line images on the GUI. Analog to Digital converters are used for the beam current measurement and in the near future for secondary electrons imaging. Other functionalities have been integrated in this controller like LED lighting using Pulse Width Modulation and a “NIM Wilkinson ADC” data acquisition.

CRionScan: A stand-alone real time controller designed to perform ion beam imaging, dose controlled irradiation and proton beam writing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daudin, L., E-mail: daudin@cenbg.in2p3.fr [Université Bordeaux, CENBG, UMR 5797, F-33170 Gradignan (France); CNRS, IN2P3, CENBG, UMR 5797, F-33170 Gradignan (France); Barberet, Ph.; Serani, L.; Moretto, Ph. [Université Bordeaux, CENBG, UMR 5797, F-33170 Gradignan (France); CNRS, IN2P3, CENBG, UMR 5797, F-33170 Gradignan (France)

2013-07-01

High resolution ion microbeams, usually used to perform elemental mapping, low dose targeted irradiation or ion beam lithography needs a very flexible beam control system. For this purpose, we have developed a dedicated system (called “CRionScan”), on the AIFIRA facility (Applications Interdisciplinaires des Faisceaux d’Ions en Région Aquitaine). It consists of a stand-alone real-time scanning and imaging instrument based on a Compact Reconfigurable Input/Output (Compact RIO) device from National Instruments™. It is based on a real-time controller, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), input/output modules and Ethernet connectivity. We have implemented a fast and deterministic beam scanning system interfaced with our commercial data acquisition system without any hardware development. CRionScan is built under LabVIEW™ and has been used on AIFIRA’s nanobeam line since 2009 (Barberet et al., 2009, 2011) [1,2]. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) embedded in the Compact RIO as a web page is used to control the scanning parameters. In addition, a fast electrostatic beam blanking trigger has been included in the FPGA and high speed counters (15 MHz) have been implemented to perform dose controlled irradiation and on-line images on the GUI. Analog to Digital converters are used for the beam current measurement and in the near future for secondary electrons imaging. Other functionalities have been integrated in this controller like LED lighting using Pulse Width Modulation and a “NIM Wilkinson ADC” data acquisition.

Mixed-effects models for estimating stand volume by means of small footprint airborne laser scanner data.

Science.gov (United States)

J. Breidenbach; E. Kublin; R. McGaughey; H.-E. Andersen; S. Reutebuch

2008-01-01

For this study, hierarchical data sets--in that several sample plots are located within a stand--were analyzed for study sites in the USA and Germany. The German data had an additional hierarchy as the stands are located within four distinct public forests. Fixed-effects models and mixed-effects models with a random intercept on the stand level were fit to each data...

An analytical model of stand dynamics as a function of tree growth, mortality and recruitment: the shade tolerance-stand structure hypothesis revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Zavala, Miguel A; Angulo, Oscar; Bravo de la Parra, Rafael; López-Marcos, Juan C

2007-02-07

Light competition and interspecific differences in shade tolerance are considered key determinants of forest stand structure and dynamics. Specifically two main stand diameter distribution types as a function of shade tolerance have been proposed based on empirical observations. All-aged stands of shade tolerant species tend to have steeply descending, monotonic diameter distributions (inverse J-shaped curves). Shade intolerant species in contrast typically exhibit normal (unimodal) tree diameter distributions due to high mortality rates of smaller suppressed trees. In this study we explore the generality of this hypothesis which implies a causal relationship between light competition or shade tolerance and stand structure. For this purpose we formulate a partial differential equation system of stand dynamics as a function of individual tree growth, recruitment and mortality which allows us to explore possible individual-based mechanisms--e.g. light competition-underlying observed patterns of stand structure--e.g. unimodal or inverse J-shaped equilibrium diameter curves. We find that contrary to expectations interspecific differences in growth patterns can result alone in any of the two diameter distributions types observed in the field. In particular, slow growing species can present unimodal equilibrium curves even in the absence of light competition. Moreover, light competition and shade intolerance evaluated both at the tree growth and mortality stages did not have a significant impact on stand structure that tended to converge systematically towards an inverse J-shaped curves for most tree growth scenarios. Realistic transient stand dynamics for even aged stands of shade intolerant species (unimodal curves) were only obtained when recruitment was completely suppressed, providing further evidence on the critical role played by juvenile stages of tree development (e.g. the sampling stage) on final forest structure and composition. The results also point out the

CANGS DB: a stand-alone web-based database tool for processing, managing and analyzing 454 data in biodiversity studies

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Schlötterer Christian

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Next generation sequencing (NGS is widely used in metagenomic and transcriptomic analyses in biodiversity. The ease of data generation provided by NGS platforms has allowed researchers to perform these analyses on their particular study systems. In particular the 454 platform has become the preferred choice for PCR amplicon based biodiversity surveys because it generates the longest sequence reads. Nevertheless, the handling and organization of massive amounts of sequencing data poses a major problem for the research community, particularly when multiple researchers are involved in data acquisition and analysis. An integrated and user-friendly tool, which performs quality control, read trimming, PCR primer removal, and data organization is desperately needed, therefore, to make data interpretation fast and manageable. Findings We developed CANGS DB (Cleaning and Analyzing Next Generation Sequences DataBase a flexible, stand alone and user-friendly integrated database tool. CANGS DB is specifically designed to organize and manage the massive amount of sequencing data arising from various NGS projects. CANGS DB also provides an intuitive user interface for sequence trimming and quality control, taxonomy analysis and rarefaction analysis. Our database tool can be easily adapted to handle multiple sequencing projects in parallel with different sample information, amplicon sizes, primer sequences, and quality thresholds, which makes this software especially useful for non-bioinformaticians. Furthermore, CANGS DB is especially suited for projects where multiple users need to access the data. CANGS DB is available at http://code.google.com/p/cangsdb/. Conclusion CANGS DB provides a simple and user-friendly solution to process, store and analyze 454 sequencing data. Being a local database that is accessible through a user-friendly interface, CANGS DB provides the perfect tool for collaborative amplicon based biodiversity surveys

Update on alternative occupant volume testing

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-27

This paper describes the conduct of the first of a series of quasi-static compression tests of rail passenger equipment being done to examine occupant volume strength. Budd Pioneer car 244 has been chosen as the test article for examination of altern...

Analysis of forest stands used by wintering woodland caribou in Ontario

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K. Antoniak

1998-03-01

Full Text Available Two summers' field surveys at 9 locations in northwestern Ontario showed that woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou wintering areas supported jack pine and black spruce stands with low tree densities (mean 1552 trees/ ha, 39% of a fully stocked stand, low basal areas (mean 14.14 m2/ha, low volumes (mean 116 mVha, 68% of Normal Yield Tables and short heights (95% of stands 12 m or less. Ecologically, most sights were classed V30. Significantly more lichen (averaging 39% lichen ground cover was found on plots used by caribou. Three measured areas showed few shrubs, possibly enhancing escape possibilities and reducing browse attractive to moose. An HIS model predicted known locations of caribou winter habitat from FRI data with 76% accuracy. Landsat imagery theme 3 (open conifer produced 74% accuracy. Combining these methods permitted prediction of all 50 test sites. The low volumes of timber found in caribou wintering areas suggest that setting aside reserves for caribou winter habitat would not sacrifice as much wood product value as might at first appear.

Post-processing in cardiovascular computed tomography. Performance of a client server solution versus a stand-alone solution; Bildnachverarbeitung in der kardiovaskulaeren Computertomografie. Performance von Client-Server- versus Einzelplatzloesung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luecke, C.; Foldyna, B.; Andres, C.; Grothoff, M.; Nitzsche, S.; Gutberlet, M.; Lehmkuhl, L. [Leipzig Univ. - Herzzentrum (Germany). Abt. fuer Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie; Boehmer-Lasthaus, S. [Siemens Healthcare Sector, Erlangen (Germany). Imaging and Therapy Div.

2014-12-15

Purpose: To compare the performance of server-based (CSS) versus stand-alone post-processing software (ES) for the evaluation of cardiovascular CT examinations (cvCT) and to determine the crucial steps. Data of 40 patients (20 patients for coronary artery evaluation and 20 patients prior to transcatheter aortic valve implantation [TAVI]) were evaluated by 5 radiologists with CSS and ES. Data acquisition was performed using a dual-source 128-row CT unit (SOMATOM Definition Flash, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) and a 64-row CT unit (Brilliance 64, Philips, Hamburg, Germany). The following workflow was evaluated: Data loading, aorta and coronary segmentation, curved multiplanar reconstruction (cMPR) and 3 D volume rendering technique (3D-VRT), measuring of coronary artery stenosis and planimetry of the aortic annulus. The time requirement and subjective quality for the workflow were evaluated. The coronary arteries as well as the TAVI data could be evaluated significantly faster with CSS (5.5 ± 2.9 min and 8.2 ± 4.0 min, respectively) than with ES (13.9 ± 5.2 min and 15.2 ± 10.9 min, respectively, p = 0.01). Segmentation of the aorta (CSS: 1.9 ± 2.0 min, ES: 3.7 ± 3.3 min), generating cMPR of coronaries (CSS: 0.5 ± 0.2 min, ES: 5.1 ± 2.6 min), aorta and iliac vessels (CSS: 0.5 ± 0.4 min and 0.4 ± 0.4 min, respectively, ES: 1.6 ± 0.7 min and 2.8 ± 3 min, respectively) could be performed significantly faster with CSS than with ES with higher quality of cMPR, measuring of coronary stenosis and 3D-VRT (p < 0.05). Evaluation of cvCT can be accomplished significantly faster and better with CSS than with ES. The segmentation remains the most time-consuming workflow step, so optimization of segmentation algorithms could improve performance even further.

Representation of Aloneness in Forever Alone Guy Comic Strips

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Pricillia Chandra

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study aims to discuss the representation of aloneness in Forever Alone Guy comic strips. The purpose of this research is to find out how the meaning of aloneness is constructed in the representation of Forever Alone Guy through the theory of representation described by Stuart Hall (1997, 2013. In the theory suggested by Hall, it is described that there are two ways to be done in creating representation. Those ways are through language/sign and mental representation. The mental representation is the only way used in this research with a reason that this analysis focuses to the stigmas attached to the concept of aloneness. The analysis shows that the construction of meaning is done through embedding clusters of negative stigmas to the three entities: single, alone and lonely. Thus, through the analysis, it can be concluded that the dominant meaning which represents being single and alone as the ‘imperfect’ condition plays an important role in the construction of the meaning

Cassini Spacecraft Uncertainty Analysis Data and Methodology Review and Update/Volume 1: Updated Parameter Uncertainty Models for the Consequence Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

WHEELER, TIMOTHY A.; WYSS, GREGORY D.; HARPER, FREDERICK T.

2000-11-01

Uncertainty distributions for specific parameters of the Cassini General Purpose Heat Source Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (GPHS-RTG) Final Safety Analysis Report consequence risk analysis were revised and updated. The revisions and updates were done for all consequence parameters for which relevant information exists from the joint project on Probabilistic Accident Consequence Uncertainty Analysis by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Commission of European Communities.

The use of remote sensing for updating extensive forest inventories

Science.gov (United States)

John F. Kelly

1990-01-01

The Forest Inventory and Analysis unit of the USDA Forest Service Southern Forest Experiment Station (SO-FIA) has the research task of devising an inventory updating system that can be used to provide reliable estimates of forest area, volume, growth, and removals at the State level. These updated inventories must be accomplished within current budgetary restraints....

Individual taper models for natural cedar and Taurus fir mixed stands of Bucak Region, Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramazan Özçelik

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this study, we assessed the performance of different types of taper equations for predicting tree diameters at specific heights and total stem volumes for mixed stands of Taurus cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich. and Taurus fir (Abies cilicica Carr.. We used data from mixed stands containing a total of 131 cedar and 124 Taurus fir trees. We evaluated six commonly used and well-known forestry taper functions developed by a variety of researchers (Biging (1984, Zakrzewski (1999, Muhairwe (1999, Fang et al. (2000, Kozak (2004, and Sharma and Zhang (2004. To address problems related to autocorrelation and multicollinearity in the hierarchical data associated with the construction of taper models, we used appropriate statistical procedures for the model fitting. We compared model performances based on the analysis of three goodness-of-fit statistics and found the compatible segmented model of Fang et al. (2000 to be superior in describing the stem profile and stem volume of both tree species in mixed stands. The equation used by Zakrzewski (1999 exhibited the poorest fitting results of the three taper equations. In general, we found segmented taper equations to provide more accurate predictions than variable-form models for both tree species. Results from the non-linear extra sum of squares method indicate that stem tapers differ among tree species in mixed stands. Therefore, a different taper function should be used for each tree species in mixed stands in the Bucak district. Using individual-specific taper equations yields more robust estimations and, therefore, will enhance the prediction accuracy of diameters at different heights and volumes in mixed stands.

A case study of a typical 2.32 kW{sub P} stand-alone photovoltaic (SAPV) in composite climate of New Delhi (India)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chel, Arvind; Tiwari, G.N. [Center for Energy Studies (CES), Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110 016 (India)

2011-04-15

This paper presents rigorous experimental outdoor performance of a 2.32 kW{sub P} stand-alone photovoltaic (SAPV) system in New Delhi (India) for four weather types in each month such as clear, hazy, partially cloudy/foggy and fully cloudy/foggy weather conditions respectively. The daily power generated from the existing SAPV system was experimentally found in the range of 4-6 kW h/day depending on the prevailing sky conditions. The number of days and daily power generated corresponding to four weather types in each month were used to determine monthly and subsequently annual power generation from the existing SAPV system. There are three daily load profiles with and without earth to air heat exchanger suitable for three seasons like summer (3.75-6.15 kW h/day), winter (2.79-5.19 kW h/day) and rainy (3.75 kW h/day). The hourly efficiency of the SAPV system components are determined and presented in this paper. The life cycle cost (LCC) analysis for the existing typical SAPV system is carried out to determine unit cost of electricity. The effect of annual degradation rate of PV system efficiency is also presented in this paper. The energy production factor (EPF) and the energy payback time (EPBT) of the SAPV system was also determined and presented in this paper. (author)

Modelagem do volume do povoamento para Mimosa scabrella Benth. na regição metropolitana de Curitiba Stand volume modelling of Mimosa scabrella benth. from Curitiba metropolitan region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebastião do Amaral Machado

2008-06-01

Full Text Available O objetivo desta pesquisa foi modelar o volume total com casca do povoamento da bracatinga (Mimosa scabrella Benth.. Coletaram-se dados em bracatingais com regeneração induzida pelo fogo, em 14 municípios da Região Metropolitana de Curitiba (RMC, Estado do Paraná - Brasil. Utilizou-se uma base de dados constituída por 229 unidades amostrais de 100 a 400 m². Em cada parcela, mensurou-se o diâmetro à altura do peito, bem como a altura total de todas as árvores, em bracatingais de 3 a 18 anos de idade. Para a estimativa do volume total com casca, testaram-se vários modelos de regressão selecionados da literatura, o que gerou uma matriz com 58 variáveis independentes, visando construir modelos por meio do método Stepwise. As equações de melhor ajuste foram validadas utilizando-se o teste Qui-quadrado, a análise gráfica de resíduos e o erro-padrão da estimativa. Várias equações tiveram bom desempenho, apresentaram valores de coeficiente de determinação ajustados superiores a 0,995, erro-padrão da estimativa inferior a 3% e adequada distribuição de resíduos. As duas equações de melhor desempenho foram validadas, apresentando erro-padrão da estimativa de 2,37% e 2,13%, valor não-significativo para o teste do Qui-quadrado e equilibrada distribuição dos resíduos.The objective of this research was to model the stand volume outside bark of Mimosa scabrella Benth. stands, from the Curitiba Metropolitan Region (CMR, Parana State - Brazil. To reach this aim, a database of 229 permanent and temporary sample plots measuring from 100 to 400 m² each, from 14 municipalities in the CMR, was used. In each sample plot, the diameter at breast height and the total height of all 3- to 18-year-old bracatinga trees were measured. To estimate the total volume, regression models selected from the literature were tested. A set of 58 independent variables was generated also to construct models by the Stepwise method. The equations of best

Inventory of aspen trees in spruce dominated stands in conservation area

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Matti Maltamo

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Background The occurrence of aspen trees increases the conservation value of mature conifer dominated forests. Aspens typically occur as scattered individuals among major tree species, and therefore the inventory of aspens is challenging. Methods We characterized aspen populations in a boreal nature reserve using diameter distribution, spatial pattern, and forest attributes: volume, number of aspens, number of large aspen stems and basal area median diameter. The data were collected from three separate forest stands in Koli National Park, eastern Finland. At each site, we measured breast height diameter and coordinates of each aspen. The comparison of inventory methods of aspens within the three stands was based on simulations with mapped field data. We mimicked stand level inventory by locating varying numbers of fixed area circular plots both systematically and randomly within the stands. Additionally, we also tested if the use of airborne laser scanning (ALS data as auxiliary information would improve the accuracy of the stand level inventory by applying the probability proportional to size sampling to assist the selection of field plot locations. Results The results showed that aspens were always clustered, and the diameter distributions indicated different stand structures in the three investigated forest stands. The reliability of the volume and number of large aspen trees varied from relative root mean square error figures above 50% with fewer sample plots (5–10 to values of 25%–50% with 10 or more sample plots. Stand level inventory estimates were also able to detect spatial pattern and the shape of the diameter distribution. In addition, ALS-based auxiliary information could be useful in guiding the inventories, but caution should be used when applying the ALS-supported inventory technique. Conclusions This study characterized European aspen populations for the purposes of monitoring and management of boreal conservation areas. Our

Planned Experiments on the Princeton Advanced Test Stand

Science.gov (United States)

Stepanov, A.; Gilson, E. P.; Grisham, L.; Kaganovich, I.; Davidson, R. C.

2010-11-01

The Princeton Advanced Test Stand (PATS) device is an experimental facility based on the STS-100 high voltage test stand transferred from LBNL. It consists of a multicusp RF ion source, a pulsed extraction system capable of forming high-perveance 100keV ion beams, and a large six-foot-long vacuum with convenient access for beam diagnostics. This results in a flexible system for studying high perveance ion beams relevant to NDCX-I/II, including experiments on beam neutralization by ferroelectric plasma sources (FEPS) being developed at PPPL. Research on PATS will concern the basic physics of beam-plasma interactions, such as the effects of volume neutralization on beam emittance, as well as optimizing technology of the FEPS. PATS combines the advantage of an ion beam source and a large-volume plasma source in a chamber with ample access for diagnostics, resulting in a robust setup for investigating and improving relevant aspects of neutralized drift. There are also plans for running the ion source with strongly electro-negative gases such as chlorine, making it possible to extract positive or negative ion beams.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging and conformal radiotherapy: Characterization of MRI alone simulation for conformal radiotherapy. Development and evaluation of an automatic volumes of interest segmentation tool for prostate cancer radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasquier, David

2006-01-01

Radiotherapy is a curative treatment of malignant tumours. Radiotherapy techniques considerably evolved last years with the increasing integration of medical images in conformal radiotherapy. This technique makes it possible to elaborate a complex ballistics conforming to target volume and sparing healthy tissues. The examination currently used to delineate volumes of interest is Computed Tomography (CT), on account of its geometrical precision and the information that it provides on electronic densities needed to dose calculation. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) ensures a more precise delineation of target volumes in many locations, such as pelvis and brain. For pelvic tumours, the use of MRI needs image registration, which complicates treatment planning and poses the problem of the lack of in vivo standard method of validation. The obstacles in the use of MRI alone in treatment planning were evaluated. Neither geometrical distortion linked with the system and the patient nor the lack of information on electronic densities represent stumbling obstacles. Distortion remained low even in edge of large field of view on modern machines. The assignment of electronic densities to bone structures and soft tissues in MR images permitted to obtain equivalent dosimetry to that carried out on the original CT, with a good reproducibility and homogeneous distribution within target volume. The assignment of electronic densities could not be carried out using 20 MV photons and suitable ballistics. The development of Image Guided Radiotherapy could facilitate the use of MRI alone in treatment planning. Target volumes and organ at risk delineation is a time consuming task in radiotherapy planning. We took part in the development and evaluated a method of automatic and semi automatic delineation of volumes of interest from MRI images for prostate cancer radiotherapy. For prostate and organ at risk automatic delineation an organ model-based method and a seeded region growing method

Optimal uneven-aged stocking guides: an application to spruce-fir stands in New England

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffrey H. Gove; Mark J. Ducey

2014-01-01

Management guides for uneven-aged forest stands periodically need to be revisited and updated based on new information and methods. The current silvicultural guide for uneven-aged spruce-fir management in Maine and the northeast (Frank, R.M. and Bjorkbom, J.C. 1973 A silvicultural guide for spruce-fir in the northeast. General Technical Report NE-6, Forest Service. U.S...

Standing Concertation Committee - Ordinary Meeting on 30 September 2008

CERN Multimedia

HR Department

2008-01-01

The main items discussed at the meetings of the Standing Concertation Committee on 30 September 2008 included: Part-time work as a pre-retirement measure The Committee agreed to recommend the Director-General to extend the scheme of part-time work as a pre-retirement measure by one year, i.e. until 31 December 2009. Preparation of TREF on 7 October 2008 The Committee took note that the TREF agenda would cover: Annual salary adjustment; Voluntary programmes; Five-yearly review of financial & social conditions of members of the personnel; Update on 2005 review; Preparation for 2010 review; TREF workplan 2009; Update on CHIS actuarial study. The proposals and presentations which the Management planned to present to TREF were discussed and some clarifications were agreed. Follow-up of Finance Committee and Council The Committee took note of a report by the Chairman of points related to personnel matters discussed in those committees. He mentioned in particular the annu...

Real Time Updating in Distributed Urban Rainfall Runoff Modelling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borup, Morten; Madsen, Henrik

that are being updated from system measurements was studied. The results showed that the fact alone that it takes time for rainfall data to travel the distance between gauges and catchments has such a big negative effect on the forecast skill of updated models, that it can justify the choice of even very...... as in a real data case study. The results confirmed that the method is indeed suitable for DUDMs and that it can be used to utilise upstream as well as downstream water level and flow observations to improve model estimates and forecasts. Due to upper and lower sensor limits many sensors in urban drainage...

Estimation of mean tree stand volume using high-resolution aerial RGB imagery and digital surface model, obtained from sUAV and Trestima mobile application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. K. Rybakov

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This study considers a remote sensing technique for mean volume estimation based on a very high-resolution (VHR aerial RGB imagery obtained using a small-sized unmanned aerial vehicle (sUAV and a high-resolution photogrammetric digital surface model (DSM as well as an innovative technology for field measurements (Trestima. The study area covers approx. 220 ha of forestland in Finland. The work concerns the entire process from remote sensing and field data acquisition to statistical analysis and forest volume wall-to-wall mapping. The study showed that the VHR aerial imagery and the high-resolution DSM produced based on the application of the sUAV have good prospects for forest inventory. For the sUAV based estimation of forest variables such as Height, Basal Area and mean Volume, Root Mean Square Error constituted 6.6 %, 22.6 % and 26.7 %, respectively. Application of Trestima for estimation of the mean volume of the standing forest showed minor difference over the existing Forest Management Plan at all the selected forest compartments. Simultaneously, the results of the study confirmed that the technologies and the tools applied at this work could be a reliable and potentially cost-effective means of forest data acquisition with high potential of operational use.

Semantic segmentation of forest stands of pure species combining airborne lidar data and very high resolution multispectral imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Dechesne, Clément; Mallet, Clément; Le Bris, Arnaud; Gouet-Brunet, Valérie

2017-04-01

Forest stands are the basic units for forest inventory and mapping. Stands are defined as large forested areas (e.g., ⩾ 2 ha) of homogeneous tree species composition and age. Their accurate delineation is usually performed by human operators through visual analysis of very high resolution (VHR) infra-red images. This task is tedious, highly time consuming, and should be automated for scalability and efficient updating purposes. In this paper, a method based on the fusion of airborne lidar data and VHR multispectral images is proposed for the automatic delineation of forest stands containing one dominant species (purity superior to 75%). This is the key preliminary task for forest land-cover database update. The multispectral images give information about the tree species whereas 3D lidar point clouds provide geometric information on the trees and allow their individual extraction. Multi-modal features are computed, both at pixel and object levels: the objects are individual trees extracted from lidar data. A supervised classification is then performed at the object level in order to coarsely discriminate the existing tree species in each area of interest. The classification results are further processed to obtain homogeneous areas with smooth borders by employing an energy minimum framework, where additional constraints are joined to form the energy function. The experimental results show that the proposed method provides very satisfactory results both in terms of stand labeling and delineation (overall accuracy ranges between 84 % and 99 %).

Updating the results of glacier contribution to the sea level change

Science.gov (United States)

Dyurgerov, Mark B.; Abdalati, Waleed Dr. (Technical Monitor)

2005-01-01

I have completed an update of global glacier volume change. All data of glacier annual mass balances, surface area over the period 1945/46 till 2004, outside the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets were included in this update. As the result global glacier volume change have been calculated, also in terms of glacier contribution to sea level change. These results were sent to Working Group 1 and 2 of IPCC-4 as the basis for modeling of sea level towards the end of 2100. In this study I have concentrated on studying glacier systems of different scales, from primary (e.g. Devon ice cap) to regional (e.g. Canadian Arctic), continental scale (e,g., entire Arctic), and global (e.g., change in glacier volume and contribution to sea level rise).

2015 Space Human Factors Engineering Standing Review Panel

Science.gov (United States)

Steinberg, Susan

2015-01-01

The 2015 Space Human Factors Engineering (SHFE) Standing Review Panel (from here on referred to as the SRP) met for a site visit in Houston, TX on December 2 - 3, 2015. The SRP reviewed the updated research plans for the Risk of Inadequate Design of Human and Automation/Robotic Integration (HARI Risk), the Risk of Inadequate Human-Computer Interaction (HCI Risk), and the Risk of Inadequate Mission, Process and Task Design (MPTask Risk). The SRP also received a status update on the Risk of Incompatible Vehicle/Habitat Design (Hab Risk) and the Risk of Performance Errors Due to Training Deficiencies (Train Risk). The SRP is pleased with the progress and responsiveness of the SHFE team. The presentations were much improved this year. The SRP is also pleased with the human-centered design approach. Below are some of the more extensive comments from the SRP. We have also made comments in each section concerning gaps/tasks in each. The comments below reflect more significant changes that impact more than just one particular section.

Impact of one's own mobile phone in stand-by mode on personal radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Urbinello, Damiano; Röösli, Martin

2013-01-01

When moving around, mobile phones in stand-by mode periodically send data about their positions. The aim of this paper is to evaluate how personal radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) measurements are affected by such location updates. Exposure from a mobile phone handset (uplink) was measured during commuting by using a randomized cross-over study with three different scenarios: disabled mobile phone (reference), an activated dual-band phone and a quad-band phone. In the reference scenario, uplink exposure was highest during train rides (1.19 mW/m(2)) and lowest during car rides in rural areas (0.001 mW/m(2)). In public transports, the impact of one's own mobile phone on personal RF-EMF measurements was not observable because of high background uplink radiation from other people's mobile phone. In a car, uplink exposure with an activated phone was orders of magnitude higher compared with the reference scenario. This study demonstrates that personal RF-EMF exposure is affected by one's own mobile phone in stand-by mode because of its regular location update. Further dosimetric studies should quantify the contribution of location updates to the total RF-EMF exposure in order to clarify whether the duration of mobile phone use, the most common exposure surrogate in the epidemiological RF-EMF research, is actually an adequate exposure proxy.

Mapping Canopy Height and Growing Stock Volume Using Airborne Lidar, ALOS PALSAR and Landsat ETM+

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wayne Walker

2012-10-01

Full Text Available We have investigated for forest plantations in Chile the stand-level retrieval of canopy height (CH and growing stock volume (GSV using Airborne Laser Scanner (ALS, ALOS PALSAR and Landsat. In a two-stage up-scaling approach, ensemble regression tree models (randomForest were used to relate a suite of ALS canopy structure indices to stand-level in situ measurements of CH and GSV for 319 stands. The retrieval of CH and GSV with ALS yielded high accuracies with R2s of 0.93 and 0.81, respectively. A second set of randomForest models was developed using multi-temporal ALOS PALSAR intensities and repeat-pass coherences in two polarizations as well as Landsat data as predictor and stand-level ALS based estimates of CH and GSV as response variables. At three test sites, the retrieval of CH and GSV with PALSAR/Landsat reached promising accuracies with R2s in the range of 0.7 to 0.85. We show that the combined use of multi-temporal PALSAR intensity, coherence and Landsat yields higher retrieval accuracies than the retrieval with any of the datasets alone. Potential limitations for the large-area application of the fusion approach included (1 the low sensitivity of ALS first/last return data to forest horizontal structure, affecting the retrieval of GSV in less managed types of forest, and (2 the dense ALS sampling required to achieve high retrieval accuracies at larger scale.

2018 Update of the EULAR recommendations for the management of Behçet's syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hatemi, Gulen; Christensen, Robin; Bang, Dongsik

2018-01-01

Several new treatment modalities with different mechanisms of action have been studied in patients with Behçet's syndrome (BS). The aim of the current effort was to update the recommendations in the light of these new data under the auspices of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Stand...

Stop fighting alone, let synergy rule!

CERN Document Server

Computer Security Team

2013-01-01

Could it be true, as it seems to me, that CERN still has manpower to spare? I thought that now, during LS1, resources were scarce and everybody was very busy. But apparently not. We are getting more requests than ever to open firewalls for stand-alone web servers running local databases and custom web applications.   What we are talking about here are “newly” created software applications with similar functions to existing alternatives. We often encounter computing hardware and network equipment managed in multiple ways by multiple people, and commercial software or cloud services that closely resemble CERN’s existing computing services are bought or rented – for instance, SurveyMonkey vs. SharePoint or tinyurl.com vs. cern.ch/go. Why does CERN run two document stores, CDS and EDMS, that provide similar functions and workflows? Wouldn’t one be sufficient? And four (or more!) JIRA ticketing systems? Why are there so many local Git instances, do...

Morphological and ecological variation of Gremmeniella abietina var. abietina in Pinus sylvestris, Pinus contorta and Picea abies sapling stands in northern Finland and the Kola Peninsula

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaitera, Juha; Seitamaeki, Leena; Jalkanen, Risto [Finnish Forest Research Inst., Rovaniemi (Finland). Rovaniemi Research Station

2000-07-01

The morphological and ecological variation of two types of Gremmeniella abietina var. abietina causing scleroderris canker on conifers was investigated in Pinus spp. and Picea sp. sapling stands in northern Finland and the Kola Peninsula. Small-tree type (STT or B type) of G. abietina was detected alone in 13 Scots pine, three lodgepole pine and two Norway spruce sapling stands out of 26 stands investigated, both STT and large-tree type (LTT or A type) were observed in six Scots pine stands, and LTT was detected alone in two Scots pine stands. For the first time, G. abietina was found to injure Norway spruce saplings in a respective plantation in northern Fennoscandia. STT isolates produced statistically significantly more conidia in vitro than LTT isolates. Morphological variation in conidia septation revealed that STT produced conidia with more than five septa more frequently than did LTT. There was a greater range in variation in septation in STT than in LTT, with overlapping between the types. Isolates of both types were equally associated with cankers, coloured wood, pycnidia or apothecia in the infected saplings.

Harvesting energy wood in connection to young stand treatment; Energiapuun korjuu taimikon harvennuksen yhteydessae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haemaelaeinen, J; Lilleberg, R; Poikela, A; Rieppo, K [Metsaeteho Oy, Helsinki (Finland)

1997-12-01

In the study felling-bunching and the Chipset chipharvester was tried in late thinning of a young stand. Also the impact of energy wood recovery in the young stand stage on the profitability of first thinning was monitored. On the study site the amount of trees to be cut was 5 300 - 22 000 trees/ha, mean height 2,7 - 5,0 m and the total biomass amounted to 26 - 75 m{sup 3}/ha. The felling-bunching was made with a chain-saw equipped with felling handles. The work consisted of opening of the strip roads, of thinning the stand between strip roads and of bunching the trees for the chip-harvester. The effective time expenditure of felling-bunching was on the different sites 8,5 - 27 in/ha or 0,24 - 0,64 h/m{sup 3}. The calculated costs of the work were 900 - 2 800 FIM/ha or 26 - 67 FIM/m{sup 3}. The density and volume of the trees strongly influenced work productivity. The Chipset chipping productivity was 5,7 - 8,7 m{sup 3} per gross effective hour. The chipping costs, when hauling distance was 250 meters, were 44 - 81 FIM/m{sup 3} or 21 - 43 FIM/MVVh. The total costs of energy wood procurement at the plant were 112 - 144 FIM/m{sup 3} or 56 - 73 FIM/MWh. The opening of strip roads during young stand treatment decreases net volume later in the first thinning. According to calculations made for the example sites the net volume decreased by approx. 9 m{sup 3}/ha. The first thinning costs thus increased by 4 FIM/m{sup 3} or ca 5 %. In the extension project the technical, economical and productional preconditions for combining young stand treatment, energy wood harvesting and first thinning will be monitored

Influence of thinning intensity and canopy type on Scots pine stand and growth dynamics in a mixed managed forest

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Primicia, I.; Artázcoz, R.; Imbert, J.B.; Puertas, F.; Traver, M.C.; Castillo, F.J.

2016-07-01

Aim of the study: We analysed the effects of thinning intensity and canopy type on Scots pine growth and stand dynamics in a mixed Scots pine-beech forest. Area of the study: Western Pyrenees. Material and methods: Three thinning intensities were applied in 1999 (0, 20 and 30% basal area removed) and 2009 (0, 20 and 40%) on 9 plots. Within each plot, pure pine and mixed pine-beech patches are distinguished. All pine trees were inventoried in 1999, 2009 and 2014. The effects of treatments on the tree and stand structure variables (density, basal area, stand and tree volume), on the periodic annual increment in basal area and stand and tree volume, and on mortality rates, were analysed using linear mixed effects models. Main Results: The enhancement of tree growth was mainly noticeable after the second thinning. Growth rates following thinning were similar or higher in the moderate than in the severe thinning. Periodic stand volume annual increments were higher in the thinned than in the unthinned plots, but no differences were observed between the thinned treatments. We observed an increase in the differences of the Tree volume annual increment between canopy types (mixed < pure) over time in the unthinned plots, as beech crowns developed. Research highlights: Moderate thinning is suggested as an appropriate forest practice at early pine age in these mixed forests, since it produced higher tree growth rates than the severe thinning and it counteracted the negative effect of beech on pine growth observed in the unthinned plots. (Author)

Whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) alone versus WBRT and radiosurgery for the treatment of brain metastases.

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, Chirag G; Pricola, Katie; Sarmiento, J Manuel; Garg, Sachin K; Bryant, Andrew; Black, Keith L

2017-09-25

Historically, whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) has been the main treatment for brain metastases. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) delivers high-dose focused radiation and is being increasingly utilized to treat brain metastases. The benefit of adding SRS to WBRT is unclear. This is an updated version of the original Cochrane Review published in Issue 9, 2012. To assess the efficacy of WBRT plus SRS versus WBRT alone in the treatment of adults with brain metastases. For the original review, in 2009 we searched the following electronic databases: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and CancerLit in order to identify trials for inclusion in this review. For the first update the searches were updated in May 2012.For this update, in May 2017 we searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and Embase in order to identify trials for inclusion in the review. We restricted the review to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared use of WBRT plus SRS versus WBRT alone for upfront treatment of adults with newly diagnosed metastases (single or multiple) in the brain resulting from any primary, extracranial cancer. We used the generic inverse variance method, random-effects model in Review Manager 5 for the meta-analysis. We identified three studies and one abstract for inclusion but we could only include two studies, with a total of 358 participants in a meta-analysis. This found no difference in overall survival (OS) between the WBRT plus SRS and WBRT alone groups (hazard ratio (HR) 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65 to 1.02; 2 studies, 358 participants; moderate-quality evidence). For participants with one brain metastasis median survival was significantly longer in the WBRT plus SRS group (6.5 months) versus WBRT group (4.9 months; P = 0.04). Participants in the WBRT plus SRS group had decreased local failure compared to participants who received WBRT alone (HR 0.27, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.52; 2 studies, 129 participants; moderate-quality evidence). Furthermore, we observed an improvement in

Updating the Nomographical Diagrams for Dimensioning the Beams

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pop Maria T.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In order to reduce the time period needed for structures design it is strongly recommended to use nomographical diagrams. The base for formation and updating the nomographical diagrams, stands on the charts presented by different technical publications. The updated charts use the same algorithm and calculation elements as the former diagrams in accordance to the latest prescriptions and European standards. The result consists in a chart, having the same properties, similar with the nomogragraphical diagrams already in us. As a general conclusion, even in our days, the nomographical diagrams are very easy to use. Taking into consideration the value of the moment it’s easy to find out the necessary reinforcement area and vice-verse, having the reinforcement area you can find out the capable moment. It still remains a useful opportunity for pre-sizing and designs the reinforced concrete sections.

Time to achieve target mean arterial pressure during resuscitation from experimental anaphylactic shock in an animal model. A comparison of adrenaline alone or in combination with different volume expanders.

Science.gov (United States)

Tajima, K; Zheng, F; Collange, O; Barthel, G; Thornton, S N; Longrois, D; Levy, B; Audibert, G; Malinovsky, J M; Mertes, P M

2013-11-01

Anaphylactic shock is a rare, but potentially lethal complication, combining life-threatening circulatory failure and massive fluid shifts. Treatment guidelines rely on adrenaline and volume expansion by intravenous fluids, but there is no solid evidence for the choice of one specific type of fluid over another. Our purpose was to compare the time to achieve target mean arterial pressure upon resuscitation using adrenaline alone versus adrenaline with different resuscitation fluids in an animal model and to compare the tissue oxygen pressures (PtiO2) with the various strategies. Twenty-five ovalbumin-sensitised Brown Norway rats were allocated to five groups after anaphylactic shock induction: vehicle (CON), adrenaline alone (AD), or adrenaline with isotonic saline (AD+IS), hydroxyethyl starch (AD+HES) or hypertonic saline (AD+HS). Time to reach a target mean arterial pressure value of 75 mmHg, cardiac output, skeletal muscle PtiO2, lactate/pyruvate ratio and cumulative doses of adrenaline were recorded. Non-treated rats died within 15 minutes. The target mean arterial pressure value was reached faster with AD+HES (median: 10 minutes, range: 7.5 to 12.5 minutes) and AD+IS (median: 17.5 minutes, range: 5 to 25 minutes) versus adrenaline alone (median: 25 minutes, range: 20-30 minutes). There were also reduced adrenaline requirements in these groups. The skeletal muscle PtiO2 was restored only in the AD+HES group. Although direct extrapolation to humans should be made with caution, our results support the combined use of adrenaline and volume expansion for resuscitation from anaphylactic shock. When used with adrenaline the most effective fluid was hydroxyethyl starch, whereas hypertonic saline was the least effective.

Contrast-enhanced MR enterography as a stand-alone tool to evaluate Crohn's disease in a paediatric population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spieler, B.; Hindman, N.; Levy, J.; Zabrieski, K.; Sahlein, D.; Seuss, C.; Kim, S.

2013-01-01

Aim: To assess the performance of contrast-enhanced T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) alone in the evaluation of Crohn's disease in comparison to all magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) imaging sequences together in an attempt to suggest limitation of the number of overall unenhanced sequences need for the follow-up evaluation. Materials and methods: Twenty-five paediatric patients (mean age 14.1 ± 3.7 years, male = 12, female = 13) underwent MRE at 1.5 T for evaluation of Crohn's disease. Two radiologists reviewed only contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images in consensus on the first session. Whole images including unenhanced (steady-state free precession, single-shot fast spin-echo (HASTE), fat-suppressed T2-weighted) and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted sequences were reviewed in consensus during the second session with a 1 month interval, which was used as a reference standard. The readers evaluated the presence or absence of disease in 10 bowel segments in each patient. For the abnormal bowel segments, the readers then evaluated for active versus inactive disease and for the presence or absence of abscess. Sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy were calculated for detecting active inflammation. Results: There were 53/250 bowel segments with active inflammation using the reference standard imaging method. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for diagnosing active inflammation using contrast-enhanced images alone were 83.3%, 86.9%, and 84.9%. In five of the false-positive cases of detecting abscess from contrast-enhanced imaging alone, absence of abscesses was confirmed on the non-fat-suppressed HASTE images. Conclusion: The number of MRE sequences in paediatric Crohn's patients can be decreased while maintaining diagnostic accuracy using contrast-enhanced T1 and non-fat-suppressed HASTE images

Update of the BIG 1-98 Trial: where do we stand?

Science.gov (United States)

Joerger, Markus; Thürlimann, Beat

2009-10-01

There is accumulating data on the clinical benefit of aromatase inhibitors in the adjuvant treatment of early-stage breast cancer in postmenopausal women. The Breast International Group (BIG) 1-98 study is a randomized, phase 3, double-blind trial comparing four adjuvant endocrine treatments of 5 years duration in postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer: letrozole or tamoxifen monotherapy, sequential treatment with tamoxifen followed by letrozole, or vice versa. This article summarizes data presented at the 2009 St. Gallen early breast cancer conference: an update on the monotherapy arms of the BIG 1-98 study, and results from the sequential treatment arms. Implications for daily practice from BIG 1-98 and from other adjuvant trials will be discussed. Despite cross-over from tamoxifen to letrozole by 25% of the patients after unblinding of the tamoxifen monotherapy arm, the improvement of disease-free survival (HR 0.88, 0.78-0.99, p = 0.03) and time to distant recurrence (HR 0.85, 0.72-1.00, p = 0.05) for letrozole monotherapy as compared to tamoxifen monotherapy remained significant in the intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. A trend for an overall survival advantage for letrozole was seen in the ITT analysis (HR 0.87, 0.75-1.02, p = 0.08). No statistically significant differences were found for the sequential treatment arms versus letrozole monotherapy, with respect to disease-free survival, time to distant recurrence or overall survival. Cumulative incidence analysis of breast cancer recurrence favors the initiation of adjuvant endocrine treatment with letrozole instead of tamoxifen, especially in patients at higher risk for early recurrence. Similarly, data suggest that patients commenced on letrozole can be switched to tamoxifen after 2 years, if required. The BIG 1-98 study update with median follow up of 76 months confirms a significant reduction in the risk of breast cancer recurrence and a trend towards improved overall survival

Neural basis for dynamic updating of object representation in visual working memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahama, Sachiko; Miyauchi, Satoru; Saiki, Jun

2010-02-15

In real world, objects have multiple features and change dynamically. Thus, object representations must satisfy dynamic updating and feature binding. Previous studies have investigated the neural activity of dynamic updating or feature binding alone, but not both simultaneously. We investigated the neural basis of feature-bound object representation in a dynamically updating situation by conducting a multiple object permanence tracking task, which required observers to simultaneously process both the maintenance and dynamic updating of feature-bound objects. Using an event-related design, we separated activities during memory maintenance and change detection. In the search for regions showing selective activation in dynamic updating of feature-bound objects, we identified a network during memory maintenance that was comprised of the inferior precentral sulcus, superior parietal lobule, and middle frontal gyrus. In the change detection period, various prefrontal regions, including the anterior prefrontal cortex, were activated. In updating object representation of dynamically moving objects, the inferior precentral sulcus closely cooperates with a so-called "frontoparietal network", and subregions of the frontoparietal network can be decomposed into those sensitive to spatial updating and feature binding. The anterior prefrontal cortex identifies changes in object representation by comparing memory and perceptual representations rather than maintaining object representations per se, as previously suggested. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiation therapy alone for adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakano, Takashi; Arai, Tatsuo; Morita, Shinroku; Oka, Kuniyuki

1995-01-01

Purpose: Radiation therapy alone for adenocarcinoma of the cervix is currently evaluated by the accumulation of long-term results because of the low incidence of this disease. Materials and Methods: Fifty-eight patients with adenocarcinoma of the cervix treated with radiation therapy alone between 1961 and 1988 were studied. The radiation therapy consisted of a combination of intracavitary and external pelvis irradiation. Intracavitary treatment was performed with low dose rate and/or high dose rate sources. Results: The 5-year survival rates for Stages I, II, III, and IV were 85.7%, 66.7%, 32.3%, and 9.1%, respectively, and the 10-year survival rates were 85.7%, 60.0%, 27.6%, and 9.1%, respectively. The local control rate with high dose rate treatment was 45.5%, significantly lower than 85.7% and 72.7% with low and mixed dose rate treatments, respectively. Five-year survival and local control rates by tumor volume were 68.6% and 80.0% for small tumors, 63.6% and 66.0% for medium tumors, and 14.4% and 18.2% for large tumors, respectively. The survival rate and local control rate for large tumors were significantly lower than those for small and medium tumors. Multiple regression analysis indicated that stage and tumor volume were independent variables for survival and local control, respectively. Isoeffective dose expressed by time dose fractionation (TDF) was not associated with local control. Radiation complications developed in 10 patients (17.2%), most of which were of moderate degree. Conclusion: Radiation therapy alone for adenocarcinoma of the cervix was regarded to be an effective treatment, comparable to combination therapy of surgery and radiation therapy

Comparing joint kinematics and center of mass acceleration as feedback for control of standing balance by functional neuromuscular stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nataraj, Raviraj; Audu, Musa L; Triolo, Ronald J

2012-05-06

The purpose of this study was to determine the comparative effectiveness of feedback control systems for maintaining standing balance based on joint kinematics or total body center of mass (COM) acceleration, and assess their clinical practicality for standing neuroprostheses after spinal cord injury (SCI). In simulation, controller performance was measured according to the upper extremity effort required to stabilize a three-dimensional model of bipedal standing against a variety of postural disturbances. Three cases were investigated: proportional-derivative control based on joint kinematics alone, COM acceleration feedback alone, and combined joint kinematics and COM acceleration feedback. Additionally, pilot data was collected during external perturbations of an individual with SCI standing with functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS), and the resulting joint kinematics and COM acceleration data was analyzed. Compared to the baseline case of maximal constant muscle excitations, the three control systems reduced the mean upper extremity loading by 51%, 43% and 56%, respectively against external force-pulse perturbations. Controller robustness was defined as the degradation in performance with increasing levels of input errors expected with clinical deployment of sensor-based feedback. At error levels typical for body-mounted inertial sensors, performance degradation due to sensor noise and placement were negligible. However, at typical tracking error levels, performance could degrade as much as 86% for joint kinematics feedback and 35% for COM acceleration feedback. Pilot data indicated that COM acceleration could be estimated with a few well-placed sensors and efficiently captures information related to movement synergies observed during perturbed bipedal standing following SCI. Overall, COM acceleration feedback may be a more feasible solution for control of standing with FNS given its superior robustness and small number of inputs required.

Introducing sit-stand desks increases classroom standing time among university students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew Jerome

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Excessive sedentary behavior has been associated with many negative health outcomes. While an understudied health topic, there is evidence that university students are excessively sedentary. Sit-stand desks have been shown to reduce sedentary time among pre-university students (ages 5–18years and sedentary workers but have not been tested in university classrooms. This study tested the effects of introducing sit-stand desks into a university classroom on student's classroom sitting and standing behaviors. Using a cross-over design, students received access to both traditional seated desks and sit-stand desks for six weeks. Data were collected between September and December, 2016. We recruited 304 healthy undergraduate university students enrolled in one of two small (25 seats classrooms at a large Midwestern university during the fall of 2016. Average minutes of standing/hour/student, average percent class time spent standing, and the number of sit-stand transitions/student/hour were directly observed with video camera surveillance. Participants stood significantly more (p<0.001 when provided access to sit-stand desks (7.2min/h/student; 9.3% of class time spent standing compared to when they had access to seated desks (0.7min/h/student; 1.6% of class time spent standing but no differences were observed for the number of sit-stand transitions (p=0.47. Students reported high favorability for the sit-stand desks and improvements in several student engagement and affective outcomes while using the sit-stand desks. These findings support introducing sit-stand desks in university classrooms as an approach to reduce sedentary behaviors of university students. Keywords: Sedentary, University students, Sit-stand desk

Electroencephalographic and electromyographic changes during the use of detomidine and detomidine-butorphanol combination in standing horses.

Science.gov (United States)

Kruluc, P; Nemec, Alenka

2006-03-01

Clinically, the use of detomidine and butorphanol is suitable for sedation and deepening of analgosedation. The aim of our study was to establish the influence of detomidine used alone and a butorphanol-detomidine combination on brain activity and to evaluate and compare brain responses (using electroencephalography, EEG) by recording SEF90 (spectral edge frequency 90%), individual brain wave fractions (beta, alpha, theta and delta) and electromyographic (EMG) changes in the left temporal muscle in standing horses. Ten clinically healthy cold-blooded horses were divided into two groups of five animals each. Group I received detomidine and Group II received detomidine followed by butorphanol 10 min later. SEF90, individual brain wave fractions and EMG were recorded with a pEEG (processed EEG) monitor using computerised processed electroencephalography and electromyography. The present study found that detomidine alone and the detomidine-butorphanol combination significantly reduced SEF90 and EMG, and they caused changes in individual brain wave fractions during sedation and particularly during analgosedation. The EMG results showed that the detomidine-butorphanol combination provided greater and longer muscle relaxation. Our EEG and EMG results confirmed that the detomidine-butorphanol combination is safer and more appropriate for painless and non-painless procedures on standing horses compared to detomidine alone.

Economic viability of utilizing biomass energy from young stands - The case of Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahtikoski, Anssi; Alenius, Virpi; Heikkilae, Jani; Siren, Matti

2008-01-01

The European Commission's White Paper has set clear targets with respect to supplying biomass for power generation. However, at present generating energy from biomass seems to be more expensive than producing energy via e.g. mineral oil fuels. In Finland, energy wood thinning in young stands has been subsidized by the government since the late 1990s. This paper focuses on analyzing the economics of the procurement of biomass energy from young stands in Finland. We apply a feasibility approach that determines an overall financial attractiveness of the procurement process. Technically, feasibility is calculated by applying a costing model, which allows a detailed accounting from the stand all the way to the power plant. Analyses are based on experimental data from 20 young stands, and alternative thinning methods as well as sensitivity analyses on tree characteristics, energy prices, government subsidy level and production costs are addressed. The results indicated that energy wood thinning would be financially viable if thinning removal is at least 42 m 3 ha -1 , average stem volume is larger than 15 l and energy price (at power plant) corresponds to at least EUR12 MWh -1 . However, without government subsidy, the bioenergy procurement from young stands turned out to be unprofitable, regardless of thinning removal and average stem volume. Production cost changes (range: -15% to +15%) and energy price changes (from EUR10 to EUR14 MWh -1 ) had a significant effect on financial performance, implying that careful planning on target selection is needed. (author)

A review on model updating of joint structure for dynamic analysis purpose

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zahari S.N.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Structural joints provide connection between structural element (beam, plate etc. in order to construct a whole assembled structure. There are many types of structural joints such as bolted joint, riveted joints and welded joints. The joints structures significantly contribute to structural stiffness and dynamic behaviour of structures hence the main objectives of this paper are to review on method of model updating on joints structure and to discuss the guidelines to perform model updating for dynamic analysis purpose. This review paper firstly will outline some of the existing finite element modelling works of joints structure. Experimental modal analysis is the next step to obtain modal parameters (natural frequency & mode shape to validate and improve the discrepancy between results obtained from experimental and the simulation counterparts. Hence model updating will be carried out to minimize the differences between the two results. There are two methods of model updating; direct method and iterative method. Sensitivity analysis employed using SOL200 in NASTRAN by selecting the suitable updating parameters to avoid ill-conditioning problem. It is best to consider both geometrical and material properties in the updating procedure rather than choosing only a number of geometrical properties alone. Iterative method was chosen as the best model updating procedure because the physical meaning of updated parameters are guaranteed although this method required computational effort compare to direct method.

The Research on Second-Order ADRC Algorithm of Using Wind Turbine Virtual Inertia to Participate in Primary Frequency Regulation in a Small Stand-Alone Microgrid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Yi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In order to improve the transient stability of frequency in a small stand-alone microgrid (SSM, this paper takes a SSM composed of a direct-drive permanent magnet synchronous generator (D-PMSG and a micro gas turbine (MGT as the background and uses wind turbine generator (WTG virtual inertia (VI to participate in the primary (short-term system frequency regulation. First of all, this paper constructs a grid-connected model composed of a WTG and a MGT, analyzes the WTG virtual inertia frequency regulation mechanism, and explains the principle of proportional-differentiation (PD virtual inertia control (VIC and its shortcomings. Secondly, the paper introduces the structure principle of n-order active disturbance rejection control (ADRC and deduces the design process of second-order ADRC-VIC. Finally, through the simulation and experimental verification, comparing the frequency perturbation of without-VIC, PD-VIC, and ADRC-VIC, it is concluded that PD-VIC and ADRC-VIC both can use the WTG virtual inertia to participate in the primary frequency regulation. The frequency regulation effect of ADRC-VIC is better than PD-VIC, ADRC-VIC can extend the rotor speed recovery time and avoid overshoot, and its frequency fluctuation amplitude and settling time are obviously improved, and ADRC-VIC can effectively avoid the overshoot phenomenon of the MGT output power.

Treatment of Severe Edema in Children with Nephrotic Syndrome with Diuretics Alone — A Prospective Study

Science.gov (United States)

Kapur, Gaurav; Valentini, Rudolph P.; Imam, Abubakr A.; Mattoo, Tej K.

2009-01-01

Background and objective: Severe edema in children with nephrotic syndrome (NS) may be associated with volume contraction (VC) or volume expansion (VE). Usually, severe edema in children is treated with intravenous (IV) albumin and diuretics, which is appropriate for VC patients. However, in VE patients, this can precipitate fluid overload. The objective of this study was to evaluate treatment of severe edema in NS with diuretics alone. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: Thirty NS patients with severe edema were enrolled in this prospective study in two phases. VC was diagnosed based on fractional excretion of sodium (FeNa) diuretics alone and 9 VC patients received albumin and furosemide. There was no difference in hospital stay and weight loss in VC and VE groups after treatment. Conclusions: FeNa is useful in distinguishing VC versus VE in NS children with severe edema. The use of diuretics alone in VE patients is safe and effective. PMID:19406963

Standing footprint diagnostic method

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Y. F.; Fan, Y. B.; Li, Z. Y.; Newman, T.; Lv, C. S.; Fan, Y. Z.

2013-10-01

Center of pressure is commonly used to evaluate standing balance. Even though it is incomplete, no better evaluation method has been presented. We designed our experiment with three standing postures: standing with feet together, standing with feet shoulder width apart, and standing with feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Our platform-based pressure system collected the instantaneous plantar pressure (standing footprint). A physical quantity of instantaneous standing footprint principal axis was defined, and it was used to construct an index to evaluate standing balance. Comparison between results from our newly established index and those from the center of pressure index to evaluate the stability of different standing postures revealed that the standing footprint principal axis index could better respond to the standing posture change than the existing one. Analysis indicated that the insensitive response to the relative position between feet and to the standing posture change from the center of pressure could be better detected by the standing footprint principal axis index. This predicts a wide application of standing footprint principal axis index when evaluating standing balance.

Computer programs for optical dendrometer measurements of standing tree profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Jacob R. Beard; Thomas G. Matney; Emily B. Schultz

2015-01-01

Tree profile equations are effective volume predictors. Diameter data for building these equations are collected from felled trees using diameter tapes and calipers or from standing trees using optical dendrometers. Developing and implementing a profile function from the collected data is a tedious and error prone task. This study created a computer program, Profile...

Log sampling methods and software for stand and landscape analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Lisa J. Bate; Torolf R. Torgersen; Michael J. Wisdom; Edward O. Garton; Shawn C. Clabough

2008-01-01

We describe methods for efficient, accurate sampling of logs at landscape and stand scales to estimate density, total length, cover, volume, and weight. Our methods focus on optimizing the sampling effort by choosing an appropriate sampling method and transect length for specific forest conditions and objectives. Sampling methods include the line-intersect method and...

Performance of a small stand alone photovoltaic-wind system at El Oyameyo D.F., Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanchez Juarez, A.; Campos, J. [Centro de Investigacion en Energia, UNAM, Mexico, D. F. (Mexico); Tiburcio Silver, A. [Instituto Tecnologico de Toluca-Division de Posgrado, Toluca (Mexico)

1997-12-31

El Oyameyo, is an ecological site located to the South-West of the Topilejo town, D.F., 19 degree 25` North latitude, 99 degree 5` West longitude and at an altitude of 3100 m. At present, there are 10 families living at this place. They have energy generators to produce their own electricity by means of solar or wind energy using photovoltaic (PV) technology and eolic systems, respectively. There are three different configurations of energy generators: DC regulated PV systems, AC regulated PV systems and one PV-Wind hybrid system. The electrical power installed for the stand alone PV systems are from 48 W-p up to 768 W-p range. Among these, there are 4 PV systems that are configurated in DC regulated systems, and other 6 are AC regulated systems. All these systems use lead-acid battery (scaled or vented) banks to store the energy produced daily by the systems. The PV-Wind hybrid system in formed, at present, by a 5.0 kW wind generator, a PV array of 768 W-p, a 37.8 kW-h storage battery bank and a 5.0 kW DC/AC inverter. In this work, we report the electricity generated, load pattern and overall system performance of the photovoltaic-wind hybrid system. The technical characteristics, energy test on the hybrid system and the experience obtained from energy handling and system maintenance for all the systems are presented. We found that all the systems had shown good performance and users` satisfaction. [Espanol] El Oyameyo es un lugar ecologico localizado al Sur-Oeste del pueblo de Topilejo, D. F., 19 grados 25` de latitud Norte 99 grados 5` de longitud Oeste y a una altitud de 3100m. Actualmente hay 10 familias viviendo en este lugar. Tienen generadores de energia para producir su propia electricidad mediante la energia solar y la del viento usando sistemas fotovoltaicos (FV) y sistemas eolicos, respectivamente. Hay tres diferentes configuraciones de generadores de energia: sistemas fotovoltaicos de CD regulados, sistemas fotovoltaicos de CA regulados y un sistema

Performance of a small stand alone photovoltaic-wind system at El Oyameyo D.F., Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanchez Juarez, A; Campos, J [Centro de Investigacion en Energia, UNAM, Mexico, D. F. (Mexico); Tiburcio Silver, A [Instituto Tecnologico de Toluca-Division de Posgrado, Toluca (Mexico)

1998-12-31

El Oyameyo, is an ecological site located to the South-West of the Topilejo town, D.F., 19 degree 25` North latitude, 99 degree 5` West longitude and at an altitude of 3100 m. At present, there are 10 families living at this place. They have energy generators to produce their own electricity by means of solar or wind energy using photovoltaic (PV) technology and eolic systems, respectively. There are three different configurations of energy generators: DC regulated PV systems, AC regulated PV systems and one PV-Wind hybrid system. The electrical power installed for the stand alone PV systems are from 48 W-p up to 768 W-p range. Among these, there are 4 PV systems that are configurated in DC regulated systems, and other 6 are AC regulated systems. All these systems use lead-acid battery (scaled or vented) banks to store the energy produced daily by the systems. The PV-Wind hybrid system in formed, at present, by a 5.0 kW wind generator, a PV array of 768 W-p, a 37.8 kW-h storage battery bank and a 5.0 kW DC/AC inverter. In this work, we report the electricity generated, load pattern and overall system performance of the photovoltaic-wind hybrid system. The technical characteristics, energy test on the hybrid system and the experience obtained from energy handling and system maintenance for all the systems are presented. We found that all the systems had shown good performance and users` satisfaction. [Espanol] El Oyameyo es un lugar ecologico localizado al Sur-Oeste del pueblo de Topilejo, D. F., 19 grados 25` de latitud Norte 99 grados 5` de longitud Oeste y a una altitud de 3100m. Actualmente hay 10 familias viviendo en este lugar. Tienen generadores de energia para producir su propia electricidad mediante la energia solar y la del viento usando sistemas fotovoltaicos (FV) y sistemas eolicos, respectivamente. Hay tres diferentes configuraciones de generadores de energia: sistemas fotovoltaicos de CD regulados, sistemas fotovoltaicos de CA regulados y un sistema

2013 Advanced Environmental Health/Advanced Food Technology Standing Review Panel Final Report

Science.gov (United States)

Steinberg, Susan

2014-01-01

The 2013 Advanced Environmental Health/Advanced Food Technology (AEH/AFT) Standing Review Panel (from here on referred to as the SRP) participated in a WebEx/teleconference with members of the Space Human Factors and Habitability (SHFH) Element, representatives from the Human Research Program (HRP), and NASA Headquarters on November 22, 2013 (list of participants is in Section IX of this report). The SRP reviewed the updated research plans for the Risk of Adverse Health Effects Due to Alterations in Host-Microorganism Interactions (Host Microbe Risk) and the Risk of Performance Decrement and Crew Illness Due to an Inadequate Food System (Food Risk). The SRP also received a status update on the Risk of Adverse Health Effects of Exposure to Dust and Volatiles during Exploration of Celestial Bodies (Dust Risk). Overall, the SRP was impressed with the strong research plans presented by the scientists and staff associated with the SHFH Element. The SRP also thought that the updated research plans were thorough, well organized, and presented in a comprehensive manner. The SRP agrees with the changes made to the Host Microbe Risk and Food Risk portfolios and thinks that the targets for Gap closure are appropriate.

Ultrathin free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle films: Conductivity and Raman scattering enhancement

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Qing; Huang, Hongwen; Peng, Xinsheng; Ye, Zhizhen

2011-09-01

A simple filtration technique was developed to prepare large scale free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle ultrathin films using metal hydroxide nanostrands as both barrier layer and sacrificial layer. As thin as 70 nm, centimeter scale robust free-standing gold nanoparticle thin film was obtained. The thickness of the films could be easily tuned by the filtration volumes. The electronic conductivities of these films varied with the size of the gold nanoparticles, post-treatment temperature, and thickness, respectively. The conductivity of the film prepared from 20 nm gold nanoparticles is higher than that of the film prepared from 40 nm gold nanoparticle by filtering the same filtration volume of their solution, respectively. Their conductivities are comparable to that of the 220 nm thick ITO film. Furthermore, these films demonstrated an average surface Raman scattering enhancement up to 6.59 × 105 for Rhodamine 6 G molecules on the film prepared from 40 nm gold nanoparticles. Due to a lot of nano interspaces generated from the close-packed structures, two abnormal enhancements and relative stronger intensities of the asymmetrical vibrations at 1534 and 1594 cm-1 of R6G were observed, respectively. These robust free-standing gold nanoparticle films could be easily transferred onto various solid substrates and hold the potential application for electrodes and surface enhanced Raman detectors. This method is applicable for preparation of other nanoparticle free-standing thin films.A simple filtration technique was developed to prepare large scale free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle ultrathin films using metal hydroxide nanostrands as both barrier layer and sacrificial layer. As thin as 70 nm, centimeter scale robust free-standing gold nanoparticle thin film was obtained. The thickness of the films could be easily tuned by the filtration volumes. The electronic conductivities of these films varied with the size of the gold nanoparticles, post

FlorNExT®, a cloud computing application to estimate growth and yield of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) stands in Northeastern Portugal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barreiro, S.; Rua, J.; Tomé, M.

2016-07-01

Aim of the study. To introduce and describe FlorNExT®, a free cloud computing application to estimate growth and yield of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) even-aged stands in the Northeast of Portugal (NE Portugal). Area of study: NE Portugal. Material and methods: FlorNExT® implements a dynamic growth and yield modelling framework which integrates transition functions for dominant height (site index curves) and basal area, as well as output functions for tree and stand volume, biomass, and carbon content. Main results: FlorNExT® is freely available from any device with an Internet connection at: http://flornext.esa.ipb.pt/. Research highlights: This application has been designed to make it possible for any stakeholder to easily estimate standing volume, biomass, and carbon content in maritime pine stands from stand data, as well as to estimate growth and yield based on four stand variables: age, density, dominant height, and basal area. FlorNExT® allows planning thinning treatments. FlorNExT® is a fundamental tool to support forest mobilization at local and regional scales in NE Portugal. (Author)

Lazy Updating of hubs can enable more realistic models by speeding up stochastic simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehlert, Kurt; Loewe, Laurence

2014-01-01

To respect the nature of discrete parts in a system, stochastic simulation algorithms (SSAs) must update for each action (i) all part counts and (ii) each action's probability of occurring next and its timing. This makes it expensive to simulate biological networks with well-connected “hubs” such as ATP that affect many actions. Temperature and volume also affect many actions and may be changed significantly in small steps by the network itself during fever and cell growth, respectively. Such trends matter for evolutionary questions, as cell volume determines doubling times and fever may affect survival, both key traits for biological evolution. Yet simulations often ignore such trends and assume constant environments to avoid many costly probability updates. Such computational convenience precludes analyses of important aspects of evolution. Here we present “Lazy Updating,” an add-on for SSAs designed to reduce the cost of simulating hubs. When a hub changes, Lazy Updating postpones all probability updates for reactions depending on this hub, until a threshold is crossed. Speedup is substantial if most computing time is spent on such updates. We implemented Lazy Updating for the Sorting Direct Method and it is easily integrated into other SSAs such as Gillespie's Direct Method or the Next Reaction Method. Testing on several toy models and a cellular metabolism model showed >10× faster simulations for its use-cases—with a small loss of accuracy. Thus we see Lazy Updating as a valuable tool for some special but important simulation problems that are difficult to address efficiently otherwise

Step Prediction During Perturbed Standing Using Center Of Pressure Measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milos R. Popovic

2007-04-01

Full Text Available The development of a sensor that can measure balance during quiet standing and predict stepping response in the event of perturbation has many clinically relevant applica- tions, including closed-loop control of a neuroprothesis for standing. This study investigated the feasibility of an algorithm that can predict in real-time when an able-bodied individual who is quietly standing will have to make a step to compensate for an external perturbation. Anterior and posterior perturbations were performed on 16 able-bodied subjects using a pul- ley system with a dropped weight. A linear relationship was found between the peak center of pressure (COP velocity and the peak COP displacement caused by the perturbation. This result suggests that one can predict when a person will have to make a step based on COP velocity measurements alone. Another important feature of this finding is that the peak COP velocity occurs considerably before the peak COP displacement. As a result, one can predict if a subject will have to make a step in response to a perturbation sufficiently ahead of the time when the subject is actually forced to make the step. The proposed instability detection algorithm will be implemented in a sensor system using insole sheets in shoes with minitur- ized pressure sensors by which the COPv can be continuously measured. The sensor system will be integrated in a closed-loop feedback system with a neuroprosthesis for standing in the near future.

Comparing joint kinematics and center of mass acceleration as feedback for control of standing balance by functional neuromuscular stimulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nataraj Raviraj

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to determine the comparative effectiveness of feedback control systems for maintaining standing balance based on joint kinematics or total body center of mass (COM acceleration, and assess their clinical practicality for standing neuroprostheses after spinal cord injury (SCI. Methods In simulation, controller performance was measured according to the upper extremity effort required to stabilize a three-dimensional model of bipedal standing against a variety of postural disturbances. Three cases were investigated: proportional-derivative control based on joint kinematics alone, COM acceleration feedback alone, and combined joint kinematics and COM acceleration feedback. Additionally, pilot data was collected during external perturbations of an individual with SCI standing with functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS, and the resulting joint kinematics and COM acceleration data was analyzed. Results Compared to the baseline case of maximal constant muscle excitations, the three control systems reduced the mean upper extremity loading by 51%, 43% and 56%, respectively against external force-pulse perturbations. Controller robustness was defined as the degradation in performance with increasing levels of input errors expected with clinical deployment of sensor-based feedback. At error levels typical for body-mounted inertial sensors, performance degradation due to sensor noise and placement were negligible. However, at typical tracking error levels, performance could degrade as much as 86% for joint kinematics feedback and 35% for COM acceleration feedback. Pilot data indicated that COM acceleration could be estimated with a few well-placed sensors and efficiently captures information related to movement synergies observed during perturbed bipedal standing following SCI. Conclusions Overall, COM acceleration feedback may be a more feasible solution for control of standing with FNS given its

European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases: update of the diagnostic guidance document for Clostridium difficile infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Crobach, M J T; Planche, T; Eckert, C; Barbut, F; Terveer, E M; Dekkers, O M; Wilcox, M H; Kuijper, E J

2016-08-01

In 2009 the first European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) guideline for diagnosing Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) was launched. Since then newer tests for diagnosing CDI have become available, especially nucleic acid amplification tests. The main objectives of this update of the guidance document are to summarize the currently available evidence concerning laboratory diagnosis of CDI and to formulate and revise recommendations to optimize CDI testing. This update is essential to improve the diagnosis of CDI and to improve uniformity in CDI diagnosis for surveillance purposes among Europe. An electronic search for literature concerning the laboratory diagnosis of CDI was performed. Studies evaluating a commercial laboratory test compared to a reference test were also included in a meta-analysis. The commercial tests that were evaluated included enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) detecting glutamate dehydrogenase, EIAs detecting toxins A and B and nucleic acid amplification tests. Recommendations were formulated by an executive committee, and the strength of recommendations and quality of evidence were graded using the Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. No single commercial test can be used as a stand-alone test for diagnosing CDI as a result of inadequate positive predictive values at low CDI prevalence. Therefore, the use of a two-step algorithm is recommended. Samples without free toxin detected by toxins A and B EIA but with positive glutamate dehydrogenase EIA, nucleic acid amplification test or toxigenic culture results need clinical evaluation to discern CDI from asymptomatic carriage. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Dynamics models and modeling of tree stand development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. V. Rogozin

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Brief analysis of scientific works in Russia and in the CIS over the past 100 years. Logical and mathematical models consider the conceptual and show some of the results of their verification. It was found that the models include different laws and the parameters, the sum of which allows you to divide them into four categories: models of static states, development models, models of care for the natural forest and models of cultivation. Each category has fulfilled and fulfills its tasks in economic management. Thus, the model states in statics (table traverse growth played a prominent role in figuring out what may be the most productive (full stands in different regions of the country. However, they do not answer the question of what the initial states lead to the production of complete stands. In a study of the growth of stands used system analysis, and it is observed dominance of works studying static state, snatched from the biological time. Therefore, the real drama of the growth of stands remained almost unexplored. It is no accident there were «chrono-forestry» «plantation forestry» and even «non-traditional forestry», where there is a strong case of a number of new concepts of development stands. That is quite in keeping with Kuhn (Kuhn, 2009 in the forestry crisis began – there were alternative theories and coexist conflicting scientific schools. To develop models of stand development, it is proposed to use a well-known method of repeated observations within 10–20 years, in conjunction with the explanation of the history of the initial density. It mounted on the basis of studying the dynamics of its indicators: the trunk, crown overlap coefficient, the sum of volumes of all crowns and the relative length of the crown. According to these indicators, the researcher selects natural series of development stands with the same initial density. As a theoretical basis for the models it is possible to postulate the general properties of

Maintenance cost, toppling risk and size of trees in a self-thinning stand.

Science.gov (United States)

Larjavaara, Markku

2010-07-07

Wind routinely topples trees during storms, and the likelihood that a tree is toppled depends critically on its allometry. Yet none of the existing theories to explain tree allometry consider wind drag on tree canopies. Since leaf area index in crowded, self-thinning stands is independent of stand density, the drag force per unit land can also be assumed to be independent of stand density, with only canopy height influencing the total toppling moment. Tree stem dimensions and the self-thinning biomass can then be computed by further assuming that the risk of toppling over and stem maintenance per unit land area are independent of stand density, and that stem maintenance cost is a linear function of stem surface area and sapwood volume. These assumptions provide a novel way to understand tree allometry and lead to a self-thinning line relating tree biomass and stand density with a power between -3/2 and -2/3 depending on the ratio of maintenance of sapwood and stem surface. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

OpCost: an open-source system for estimating costs of stand-level forest operations

Science.gov (United States)

Conor K. Bell; Robert F. Keefe; Jeremy S. Fried

2017-01-01

This report describes and documents the OpCost forest operations cost model, a key component of the BioSum analysis framework. OpCost is available in two editions: as a callable module for use with BioSum, and in a stand-alone edition that can be run directly from R. OpCost model logic and assumptions for this open-source tool are explained, references to the...

Reliability of tanoak volume equations when applied to different areas

Science.gov (United States)

Norman H. Pillsbury; Philip M. McDonald; Victor Simon

1995-01-01

Tree volume equations for tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus) were developed for seven stands throughout its natural range and compared by a volume prediction and a parameter difference method. The objective was to test if volume estimates from a species growing in a local, relatively uniform habitat could be applied more widely. Results indicated...

Dynamic growth and yield model for Black pine stands in Spain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mora, J. V.; Rio, M. del; Bravo-Oviedo, A.

2012-07-01

In a forestry context, modelling stand development over time relies on estimates of different stand characteristics obtained from equations which usually constitute a multivariate system. In this study we have developed a stand growth model for even-aged stands of Black pine (Pinus nigra Arn.) in Spain. The 53 plots used to fit the equations came from the permanent sample plot network established by the Forest Research Centre (INIA) in 1963 and 1964 in the main distribution regions of Black pine. The model is made up of a system of equations to predict growth and yield in volume and basal area. In the fitting phase we took into account the correlation between the measurements within the same plot and the cross-equation residual correlations. The model incorporates a control function to estimate the thinning effect and a function for predicting the reduction in tree number due to regular mortality. In addition, we use the three parameter Weibull distribution function to estimate the number of trees in each diameter class by recovering the parameters using the moment method. The developed model is useful for simulating the evolution of even-aged stands with and without thinnings and allows the estimation of number of trees by diameter classes. (Author) 44 refs.

The clinical importance of radiological determination of the heart volume

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaedicke, W.; Ong, T.S.; Barmeyer, J.

1982-01-01

The size of the heart is an autonomous, important parameter of its functional state, i.e. in the radiologic heart diagnostics, the measurement of the heart volume is of equal value as the shape analysis. A size determination which must be exact enough for course controls and differentiation from the normal picture makes sense only if the measurement is carriet out in 3 dimensions and not in only one as is done when determining the heart-lung-quotient. The heart volume measurement carried out in lying or sitting position is considerably more reliable than in standing position as too many extracardiac factors influence the heart volume when the patient is standing. The echo cardiogram is a nearly ideal supplement but no competitor of radiological heart volume measurement and can be of the same value as or superior to heart volume measurement for functional diagnostics only in diseases limited to nearly exclusively to the left ventricle as in coronary diseases. (orig.) [de

Changes in down dead wood volume across a chronosequence of silvicultural openings in southern Indiana forests

Science.gov (United States)

Michael A. Jenkins; George R. Parker

1997-01-01

The volume and decay stages of down dead wood were evaluated across a chronosequence of 46 silvicultural openings and 10 uncut control stands to determine how down dead wood volume changes with stand development. Openings ranged in age from 8 to 26 years and were divided into three age groups: (1) 16 years. Individual logs...

Methodology for predicting sequences of mean monthly clearness index and daily solar radiation data in remote areas: Application for sizing a stand-alone PV system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mellit, A. [Department of Electronics, Institute of Sciences Engineering, Centre University of Medea, Medea 26000 (Algeria); Department of Electronics, Faculty of Science Engineering, Blida University, Blida 09000 (Algeria); Kalogirou, S.A. [Higher Technical Institute, P.O. Box 20423, Nicosia 2152 (Cyprus); Shaari, S. [Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia); Salhi, H. [Department of Electronics, Faculty of Science Engineering, Blida University, Blida 09000 (Algeria); Hadj Arab, A. [Development Centre of Renewable Energy (CDER), P.O. Box 62, Bouzareah, Algiers 16000 (Algeria); Departamento de Energias Renerables, CIEMAT, Arda Complutense, 22, Madrid 28040 (Spain)

2008-07-15

In this paper, a suitable adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) model is presented for estimating sequences of mean monthly clearness index (anti K{sub t}) and total solar radiation data in isolated sites based on geographical coordinates. The magnitude of solar radiation is the most important parameter for sizing photovoltaic (PV) systems. The ANFIS model is trained by using a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) based on fuzzy logic (FL) rules. The inputs of the ANFIS are the latitude, longitude, and altitude, while the outputs are the 12-values of mean monthly clearness index anti K{sub t}. These data have been collected from 60 locations in Algeria. The results show that the performance of the proposed approach in the prediction of mean monthly clearness index anti K{sub t} is favorably compared to the measured values. The root mean square error (RMSE) between measured and estimated values varies between 0.0215 and 0.0235 and the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) is less than 2.2%. In addition, a comparison between the results obtained by the ANFIS model and artificial neural network (ANN) models, is presented in order to show the advantage of the proposed method. An example for sizing a stand-alone PV system is also presented. This technique has been applied to Algerian locations, but it can be generalized for any geographical position. It can also be used for estimating other meteorological parameters such as temperature, humidity and wind speed. (author)

Further development of LLNA:DAE method as stand-alone skin-sensitization testing method and applied for evaluation of relative skin-sensitizing potency between chemicals.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamashita, Kunihiko; Shinoda, Shinsuke; Hagiwara, Saori; Itagaki, Hiroshi

2015-04-01

To date, there has been no well-established local lymph node assay (LLNA) that includes an elicitation phase. Therefore, we developed a modified local lymph node assay with an elicitation phase (LLNA:DAE) to discriminate true skin sensitizers from chemicals that gave borderline positive results and previously reported this assay. To develop the LLNA:DAE method as a useful stand-alone testing method, we investigated the complete procedure for the LLNA:DAE method using hexyl cinnamic aldehyde (HCA), isoeugenol, and 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) as test compounds. We defined the LLNA:DAE procedure as follows: in the dose-finding test, four concentrations of chemical applied to dorsum of the right ear on days 1, 2, and 3 and dorsum of both ears on day 10. Ear thickness and skin irritation score were measured on days 1, 3, 5, 10, and 12. Local lymph nodes were excised and weighed on day 12. The test dose for the primary LLNA:DAE study was selected as the dose that gave the highest left ear lymph node weight in the dose-finding study, or the lowest dose that produced a left ear lymph node of over 4 mg. This procedure was validated using nine different chemicals. Furthermore, qualitative relationship was observed between the degree of elicitation response in the left ear lymph node and the skin sensitizing potency of 32 chemicals tested in this study and the previous study. These results indicated that LLNA:DAE method was as first LLNA method that was able to evaluate the skin sensitizing potential and potency in elicitation response.

Preconditioner Updates Applied to CFD Model Problems

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Birken, P.; Duintjer Tebbens, Jurjen; Meister, A.; Tůma, Miroslav

2008-01-01

Roč. 58, č. 11 (2008), s. 1628-1641 ISSN 0168-9274 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR 1ET400300415; GA AV ČR KJB100300703 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10300504 Keywords : finite volume methods * update preconditioning * Krylov subspace methods * Euler equations * conservation laws Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 0.952, year: 2008

Food Irradiation. Standing legislation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verdejo S, M.

1997-01-01

The standing legislation in Mexico on food irradiation matter has its basis on the Constitutional Policy of the Mexican United States on the 4 Th. article by its refers to Secretary of Health, 27 Th. article to the Secretary of Energy and 123 Th. of the Secretary of Work and Social Security. The laws and regulations emanated of the proper Constitution establishing the general features which gives the normative frame to this activity. The general regulations of Radiological Safety expedited by the National Commission for Nuclear Safety and Safeguards to state the specifications which must be fulfill the industrial installations which utilizing ionizing radiations, between this line is founded, just as the requirements for the responsible of the radiological protection and the operation of these establishments. The project of Regulation of the General Health Law in matter of Sanitary Control of Benefits and Services, that in short time will be officialized, include a specific chapter on food irradiation which considers the International Organizations Recommendations and the pertaining harmonization stated for Latin America, which elaboration was in charge of specialized group where Mexico was participant. Additionally, the Secretary of Health has a Mexican Official Standard NOM-033-SSA1-1993 named 'Food irradiation; permissible doses in foods, raw materials and support additives' standing from the year 1995, where is established the associated requirements to the control registers, service constancies and dose limits for different groups of foods, moreover of the specific guidelines for its process. This standard will be adequate considering the updating Regulation of Benefits and Services and the limits established the Regulation for Latin America. The associated laws that cover in general terms it would be the requirements for food irradiation although such term is not manageable. (Author)

Forest Stand Segmentation Using Airborne LIDAR Data and Very High Resolution Multispectral Imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Dechesne, Clément; Mallet, Clément; Le Bris, Arnaud; Gouet, Valérie; Hervieu, Alexandre

2016-06-01

Forest stands are the basic units for forest inventory and mapping. Stands are large forested areas (e.g., ≥ 2 ha) of homogeneous tree species composition. The accurate delineation of forest stands is usually performed by visual analysis of human operators on very high resolution (VHR) optical images. This work is highly time consuming and should be automated for scalability purposes. In this paper, a method based on the fusion of airborne laser scanning data (or lidar) and very high resolution multispectral imagery for automatic forest stand delineation and forest land-cover database update is proposed. The multispectral images give access to the tree species whereas 3D lidar point clouds provide geometric information on the trees. Therefore, multi-modal features are computed, both at pixel and object levels. The objects are individual trees extracted from lidar data. A supervised classification is performed at the object level on the computed features in order to coarsely discriminate the existing tree species in the area of interest. The analysis at tree level is particularly relevant since it significantly improves the tree species classification. A probability map is generated through the tree species classification and inserted with the pixel-based features map in an energetical framework. The proposed energy is then minimized using a standard graph-cut method (namely QPBO with α-expansion) in order to produce a segmentation map with a controlled level of details. Comparison with an existing forest land cover database shows that our method provides satisfactory results both in terms of stand labelling and delineation (matching ranges between 94% and 99%).

Lung volumes during sustained microgravity on Spacelab SLS-1

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, Ann R.; Prisk, Gordon Kim; Guy, Harold J. B.; West, John B.

1994-01-01

Gravity is known to influence the topographical gradients of pulmonary ventilation, perfusion, and pleural pressures. The effect of sustained microgravity on lung volumes has not previously been investigated. Pulmonary function tests were performed by four subjects before, during, and after 9 days of microgravity exposure. Ground measurements were made in standing and supine postures. Tests were performed using a bag-in-box and flowmeter system and a respiratory mass spectrometer. Measurements of tidal volume (V(sub T)), expiratory reserve volume (ERV), inspiratory and expiratory vital capacities (IVC, EVC), functional residual capacity (FRC), and residual volume (RV) were made. During microgravity, V(sub T) decreased by 15%. IVC and EVC were slightly reduced during the first 24 hrs of microgravity and returned to 1 g standing values within 72 hrs after the onset of microgravity. FRC was reduced by 15% and ERV decreased by 10-20%. RV was significantly reduced by 18%. The reductions in FRC, ERV, and V(sub T) during microgravity are probably due to the cranial shift of the diaphragm and an increase in intrathoracic blood volume.

Reduced clot debris size using standing waves formed via high intensity focused ultrasound

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Shifang; Du, Xuan; Wang, Xin; Lu, Shukuan; Shi, Aiwei; Xu, Shanshan; Bouakaz, Ayache; Wan, Mingxi

2017-09-01

The feasibility of utilizing high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to induce thrombolysis has been demonstrated previously. However, clinical concerns still remain related to the clot debris produced via fragmentation of the original clot potentially being too large and hence occluding downstream vessels, causing hazardous emboli. This study investigates the use of standing wave fields formed via HIFU to disintegrate the thrombus while achieving a reduced clot debris size in vitro. The results showed that the average diameter of the clot debris calculated by volume percentage was smaller in the standing wave mode than in the travelling wave mode at identical ultrasound thrombolysis settings. Furthermore, the inertial cavitation dose was shown to be lower in the standing wave mode, while the estimated cavitation bubble size distribution was similar in both modes. These results show that a reduction of the clot debris size with standing waves may be attributed to the particle trapping of the acoustic potential well which contributed to particle fragmentation.

Effects of dwarf mistletoe on stand structure of lodgepole pine forests 21-28 years post-mountain pine beetle epidemic in central Oregon.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michelle C Agne

Full Text Available Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta forests are widely distributed throughout North America and are subject to mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae epidemics, which have caused mortality over millions of hectares of mature trees in recent decades. Mountain pine beetle is known to influence stand structure, and has the ability to impact many forest processes. Dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium americanum also influences stand structure and occurs frequently in post-mountain pine beetle epidemic lodgepole pine forests. Few studies have incorporated both disturbances simultaneously although they co-occur frequently on the landscape. The aim of this study is to investigate the stand structure of lodgepole pine forests 21-28 years after a mountain pine beetle epidemic with varying levels of dwarf mistletoe infection in the Deschutes National Forest in central Oregon. We compared stand density, stand basal area, canopy volume, proportion of the stand in dominant/codominant, intermediate, and suppressed cohorts, average height and average diameter of each cohort, across the range of dwarf mistletoe ratings to address differences in stand structure. We found strong evidence of a decrease in canopy volume, suppressed cohort height, and dominant/codominant cohort diameter with increasing stand-level dwarf mistletoe rating. There was strong evidence that as dwarf mistletoe rating increases, proportion of the stand in the dominant/codominant cohort decreases while proportion of the stand in the suppressed cohort increases. Structural differences associated with variable dwarf mistletoe severity create heterogeneity in this forest type and may have a significant influence on stand productivity and the resistance and resilience of these stands to future biotic and abiotic disturbances. Our findings show that it is imperative to incorporate dwarf mistletoe when studying stand productivity and ecosystem recovery processes in lodgepole pine forests because of its

Effects of dwarf mistletoe on stand structure of lodgepole pine forests 21-28 years post-mountain pine beetle epidemic in central Oregon.

Science.gov (United States)

Agne, Michelle C; Shaw, David C; Woolley, Travis J; Queijeiro-Bolaños, Mónica E

2014-01-01

Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) forests are widely distributed throughout North America and are subject to mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) epidemics, which have caused mortality over millions of hectares of mature trees in recent decades. Mountain pine beetle is known to influence stand structure, and has the ability to impact many forest processes. Dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium americanum) also influences stand structure and occurs frequently in post-mountain pine beetle epidemic lodgepole pine forests. Few studies have incorporated both disturbances simultaneously although they co-occur frequently on the landscape. The aim of this study is to investigate the stand structure of lodgepole pine forests 21-28 years after a mountain pine beetle epidemic with varying levels of dwarf mistletoe infection in the Deschutes National Forest in central Oregon. We compared stand density, stand basal area, canopy volume, proportion of the stand in dominant/codominant, intermediate, and suppressed cohorts, average height and average diameter of each cohort, across the range of dwarf mistletoe ratings to address differences in stand structure. We found strong evidence of a decrease in canopy volume, suppressed cohort height, and dominant/codominant cohort diameter with increasing stand-level dwarf mistletoe rating. There was strong evidence that as dwarf mistletoe rating increases, proportion of the stand in the dominant/codominant cohort decreases while proportion of the stand in the suppressed cohort increases. Structural differences associated with variable dwarf mistletoe severity create heterogeneity in this forest type and may have a significant influence on stand productivity and the resistance and resilience of these stands to future biotic and abiotic disturbances. Our findings show that it is imperative to incorporate dwarf mistletoe when studying stand productivity and ecosystem recovery processes in lodgepole pine forests because of its potential to

Drive Stands

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Electrical Systems Laboratory (ESL)houses numerous electrically driven drive stands. A drive stand consists of an electric motor driving a gearbox and a mounting...

FlorNExT®, a cloud computing application to estimate growth and yield of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait. stands in Northeastern Portugal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Pérez-Rodríguez

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Aim of the study: To introduce and describe FlorNExT®, a free cloud computing application to estimate growth and yield of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait. even-aged stands in the Northeast of Portugal (NE Portugal. Area of study: NE Portugal. Material and methods: FlorNExT® implements a dynamic growth and yield modelling framework which integrates transition functions for dominant height (site index curves and basal area, as well as output functions for tree and stand volume, biomass, and carbon content. Main results: FlorNExT® is freely available from any device with an Internet connection at: http://flornext.esa.ipb.pt/. Research highlights: This application has been designed to make it possible for any stakeholder to easily estimate standing volume, biomass, and carbon content in maritime pine stands from stand data, as well as to estimate growth and yield based on four stand variables: age, density, dominant height, and basal area. FlorNExT® allows planning thinning treatments. FlorNExT® is a fundamental tool to support forest mobilization at local and regional scales in NE Portugal. Keywords: forest management; maritime pine; forest modelling; knowledge transfer tool.

Sharp asymptotics for stochastic dynamics with parallel updating rule

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nardi, F.R.; Spitoni, C.

2012-01-01

In this paper we study the metastability problem for a stochastic dynamics with a parallel updating rule; in particular we consider a finite volume Probabilistic Cellular Automaton (PCA) in a small external field at low temperature regime. We are interested in the nucleation of the system, i.e., the

Sharp Asymptotics for Stochastic Dynamics with Parallel Updating Rule

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nardi, F.R.; Spitoni, C.

2012-01-01

In this paper we study the metastability problem for a stochastic dynamics with a parallel updating rule; in particular we consider a finite volume Probabilistic Cellular Automaton (PCA) in a small external field at low temperature regime. We are interested in the nucleation of the system, i.e.,

Twenty-fifth water reactor safety information meeting: Proceedings. Volume 1: Plenary sessions; Pressure vessel research; BWR strainer blockage and other generic safety issues; Environmentally assisted degradation of LWR components; Update on severe accident code improvements and applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Monteleone, S. [comp.] [Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)

1998-03-01

This three-volume report contains papers presented at the conference. The papers are printed in the order of their presentation in each session and describe progress and results of programs in nuclear safety research conducted in this country and abroad. Foreign participation in the meeting included papers presented by researchers from France, Japan, Norway, and Russia. The titles of the papers and the names of the authors have been updated and may differ from those that appeared in the final program of the meeting. This volume contains the following information: (1) plenary sessions; (2) pressure vessel research; (3) BWR strainer blockage and other generic safety issues; (4) environmentally assisted degradation of LWR components; and (5) update on severe accident code improvements and applications. Selected papers have been indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database.

Twenty-fifth water reactor safety information meeting: Proceedings. Volume 1: Plenary sessions; Pressure vessel research; BWR strainer blockage and other generic safety issues; Environmentally assisted degradation of LWR components; Update on severe accident code improvements and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monteleone, S.

1998-03-01

This three-volume report contains papers presented at the conference. The papers are printed in the order of their presentation in each session and describe progress and results of programs in nuclear safety research conducted in this country and abroad. Foreign participation in the meeting included papers presented by researchers from France, Japan, Norway, and Russia. The titles of the papers and the names of the authors have been updated and may differ from those that appeared in the final program of the meeting. This volume contains the following information: (1) plenary sessions; (2) pressure vessel research; (3) BWR strainer blockage and other generic safety issues; (4) environmentally assisted degradation of LWR components; and (5) update on severe accident code improvements and applications. Selected papers have been indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database

A Space Roadmap for the 21st Century Aerospace Force, Volume 1 Summary

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Borky, John

1998-01-01

.... While this report stands alone, it builds on the foundation of the Doable Space Quick-Look study led by the Air Force Chief Scientist and it complements the Aerospace Integration Task Force work...

The ambiguity of standing in standing devices: a qualitative interview study concerning children and parents experiences of the use of standing devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Nordström, Birgitta; Näslund, Annika; Ekenberg, Lilly; Zingmark, Karin

2014-10-01

The aim of this study was to describe children's and parents' experiences of the significance of standing in a standing device. Individual interviews were performed with six children/teenagers (aged 7-19 years) and 14 parents. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a qualitative content analysis. The analysis resulted in the major theme, the duality of uprightness and the related themes: (1) the instrumental dimension of standing; (2) the social dimension of standing; and (3) the ambivalent dimension of standing. Each of the themes comprised several subthemes. There is an inherent duality related to the use of a standing device. Standing in a standing device was seen as a treatment of body structures and functions, as well as a possible source of pain. Standing was considered to influence freedom in activities and participation both positively and negatively. The parents experienced that standing influenced other peoples' views of their child, while the children experienced standing as a way to extend the body and as something that gave them benefits in some activities. Physiotherapists working with children should take into account both the social and physical dimensions of using a standing device and consider both the child's and the parents' views.

Comparison of Statistically Modeled Contaminated Soil Volume Estimates and Actual Excavation Volumes at the Maywood FUSRAP Site - 13555

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moore, James [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - New York District 26 Federal Plaza, New York, New York 10278 (United States); Hays, David [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Kansas City District 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106 (United States); Quinn, John; Johnson, Robert; Durham, Lisa [Argonne National Laboratory, Environmental Science Division 9700 S. Cass Ave., Argonne, Illinois 60439 (United States)

2013-07-01

As part of the ongoing remediation process at the Maywood Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) properties, Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) assisted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New York District by providing contaminated soil volume estimates for the main site area, much of which is fully or partially remediated. As part of the volume estimation process, an initial conceptual site model (ICSM) was prepared for the entire site that captured existing information (with the exception of soil sampling results) pertinent to the possible location of surface and subsurface contamination above cleanup requirements. This ICSM was based on historical anecdotal information, aerial photographs, and the logs from several hundred soil cores that identified the depth of fill material and the depth to bedrock under the site. Specialized geostatistical software developed by Argonne was used to update the ICSM with historical sampling results and down-hole gamma survey information for hundreds of soil core locations. The updating process yielded both a best guess estimate of contamination volumes and a conservative upper bound on the volume estimate that reflected the estimate's uncertainty. Comparison of model results to actual removed soil volumes was conducted on a parcel-by-parcel basis. Where sampling data density was adequate, the actual volume matched the model's average or best guess results. Where contamination was un-characterized and unknown to the model, the actual volume exceeded the model's conservative estimate. Factors affecting volume estimation were identified to assist in planning further excavations. (authors)

Association between Thigh Muscle Volume and Leg Muscle Power in Older Women.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ulrich Lindemann

Full Text Available The construct of sarcopenia is still discussed with regard to best appropriate measures of muscle volume and muscle function. The aim of this post-hoc analysis of a cross-sectional experimental study was to investigate and describe the hierarchy of the association between thigh muscle volume and measurements of functional performance in older women. Thigh muscle volume of 68 independently living older women (mean age 77.6 years was measured via magnetic resonance imaging. Isometric strength was assessed for leg extension in a movement laboratory in sitting position with the knee flexed at 90° and for hand grip. Maximum and habitual gait speed was measured on an electronic walk way. Leg muscle power was measured during single leg push and during sit-to-stand performance. Thigh muscle volume was associated with sit-to-stand performance power (r = 0.628, leg push power (r = 0.550, isometric quadriceps strength (r = 0.442, hand grip strength (r = 0.367, fast gait speed (r = 0.291, habitual gait speed (r = 0.256, body mass index (r = 0.411 and age (r = -0.392. Muscle power showed the highest association with thigh muscle volume in healthy older women. Sit-to-stand performance power showed an even higher association with thigh muscle volume compared to single leg push power.

Identification of Standing Pressure Waves Sources in Primary Loops of NPP with WWER and PWR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K.N. Proskuriakov

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Results of measurement and calculation of Eigen frequencies of coolant pressure oscillations in primary loops of NPP are presented. The simple calculation model based on equivalence of electric circuit with elastic wave propagation in liquids and gases, which gives a sensible interpretation of standing pressure waves sources is developed. It is shown, that pressurizer manifest itself as managed Helmholtz resonator generating a number of SPW (with Eigen frequencies of steam volume, water volume and their combination with coolant volume of respiratory line.

Introducing sit-stand desks increases classroom standing time among university students.

Science.gov (United States)

Jerome, Matthew; Janz, Kathleen F; Baquero, Barbara; Carr, Lucas J

2017-12-01

Excessive sedentary behavior has been associated with many negative health outcomes. While an understudied health topic, there is evidence that university students are excessively sedentary. Sit-stand desks have been shown to reduce sedentary time among pre-university students (ages 5-18 years) and sedentary workers but have not been tested in university classrooms. This study tested the effects of introducing sit-stand desks into a university classroom on student's classroom sitting and standing behaviors. Using a cross-over design, students received access to both traditional seated desks and sit-stand desks for six weeks. Data were collected between September and December, 2016. We recruited 304 healthy undergraduate university students enrolled in one of two small (25 seats) classrooms at a large Midwestern university during the fall of 2016. Average minutes of standing/hour/student, average percent class time spent standing, and the number of sit-stand transitions/student/hour were directly observed with video camera surveillance. Participants stood significantly more (p classrooms as an approach to reduce sedentary behaviors of university students.

Stand alone biofuel production from algae

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijffels, R.H.; Janssen, M.G.J.; Barbosa, M.J.

2011-01-01

In this feature, leading researchers in the field of microbial biotechnology speculate on the technical and conceptual developments that will drive innovative research and open new vistas over the next few years

Chapter 2: Stand-alone Applications - TOPCAT

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, C. J.

Tool for OPerations on Catalogues And Tables or TOPCAT is a graphical viewer for table data. It offers a variety of ways to work with data tables, including a browser for the cell data, viewers for information about table and column metadata, dataset visualization, and even analysis. We discuss a small subset of TOPCAT's functionalities in this chapter. TOPCAT was originally developed as part of the Starlink program in the United Kingdom. It is now maintained by AstroGrid. The program is written in pure Java and available under the GNU General Public License. It is available for download and a version is included in the software distribution accompanying this book. TOPCAT is a GUI interface on top of the STIL library. A command line interface to this library, STILTS, described in Chapter 21 provides scriptable access to many of the capabilities described here. The purpose of this tutorial is to provide an overview of TOPCAT to the novice user. The best place to look for and learn about TOPCAT is the web page maintained by Mark B. Taylor. There, TOPCAT documentation is provided in HTML, PDF, via screen shots, etc. In this chapter we take the user through a few examples that give the general idea of how TOPCAT works. The majority of the functionality of TOPCAT is not included in this short tutorial. Our goal in this tutorial is to lead the reader through an exercise that would result in a publication quality figure (e.g. for a journal article). Specifically, we will use TOPCAT to show how the color-magnitude relation of a galaxy cluster compares to that of all galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (York et al. 2000). This diagnostic is used not only in cluster finding, but its linear fit can provide insight into the age and/or metallicity of the oldest galaxies in galaxy clusters (which are some of the oldest galaxies in the Universe). The data we need for this exercise are: 1) the entire spectroscopic galaxy catalog from the SDSS, with galaxy positions, galaxy redshifts, and galaxy magnitudes and 2) galaxy members of a known galaxy cluster. For the former, we will download data directly from the SDSS servers to our local machine for analysis. For the latter, we will use TOPCAT's ability to call live cone search services.

Stand Alone Battery Thermal Management System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brodie, Brad [Denso International America, Incorporated, Southfield, MI (United States)

2015-09-30

The objective of this project is research, development and demonstration of innovative thermal management concepts that reduce the cell or battery weight, complexity (component count) and/or cost by at least 20%. The project addresses two issues that are common problems with current state of the art lithium ion battery packs used in vehicles; low power at cold temperatures and reduced battery life when exposed to high temperatures. Typically, battery packs are “oversized” to satisfy the two issues mentioned above. The first phase of the project was spent making a battery pack simulation model using AMEsim software. The battery pack used as a benchmark was from the Fiat 500EV. FCA and NREL provided vehicle data and cell data that allowed an accurate model to be created that matched the electrical and thermal characteristics of the actual battery pack. The second phase involved using the battery model from the first phase and evaluate different thermal management concepts. In the end, a gas injection heat pump system was chosen as the dedicated thermal system to both heat and cool the battery pack. Based on the simulation model. The heat pump system could use 50% less energy to heat the battery pack in -20°C ambient conditions, and by keeping the battery cooler at hot climates, the battery pack size could be reduced by 5% and still meet the warranty requirements. During the final phase, the actual battery pack and heat pump system were installed in a test bench at DENSO to validate the simulation results. Also during this phase, the system was moved to NREL where testing was also done to validate the results. In conclusion, the heat pump system can improve “fuel economy” (for electric vehicle) by 12% average in cold climates. Also, the battery pack size, or capacity, could be reduced 5%, or if pack size is kept constant, the pack life could be increased by two years. Finally, the total battery pack and thermal system cost could be reduced 5% only if the system is integrated with the vehicle cabin air conditioning system. The reason why we were not able to achieve the 20% reduction target is because of the natural decay of the battery cell due to the number of cycles. Perhaps newer battery chemistries that are not so sensitive to cycling would have more potential for reducing the battery size due to thermal issues.

Sharp asymptotics for stochastic dynamics with parallel updating rule

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nardi, F.R.; Spitoni, C.

2012-01-01

In this paper we study the metastability problem for a stochastic dynamics with a parallel updating rule; in particular we consider a ¿nite volume Probabilistic Cellular Automaton (PCA) in a small external ¿eld at low temperature regime. We are interested in the nucleation of the system, i.e., the

Nuclear fuel cycle. International overview. Updating of volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

It is presented the updating of the vol.I of the 'Nuclear fuel cycle - International overview' series which informs about the nuclear fuel cycle in the main countries that supply and /or use nuclear energy. It intends to serve the managerial staff since it gives a global view of the fuel cycle as well as its extent in each of the countries focalized. Information about Japan, Federal Republic of Germany, United Kingdon, France and Canada are presented. At first a summary about the situation of each country is presented and then all data for each country is presented in a tree - graphyic type, using an analysis and synthesis method, developed at the Nuclear Information Center, Brazil. (E.G.) [pt

Stand and within-stand factors influencing Golden-winged Warbler use of regenerating stands in the central Appalachian Mountains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marja H. Bakermans

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera is currently being considered for protected status under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The creation of breeding habitat in the Appalachian Mountains is considered a conservation priority for this songbird, which is dependent on extensively forested landscapes with adequate availability of young forest. We modeled abundance of Golden-winged Warbler males in regenerating harvested forest stands that were 0-17 years postharvest at both mid-Appalachian and northeast Pennsylvania regional scales using stand and within-stand characteristics of 222 regenerating stands, 2010-2011. Variables that were most influential at the mid-Appalachian scale were different than those in the northeast region. Across the mid-Appalachian ecoregion, the proportion of young forest cover, i.e., shrub/scrub cover, within 1 km of regenerating stands best explained abundance of Golden-winged Warblers. Golden-winged Warbler response was best explained by a concave quadratic relationship in which abundance was highest with 5-15% land in young forest cover. We also found evidence that the amount of herbaceous cover, i.e., the amount of grasses and forbs, within a regenerating stand positively influenced abundance of Golden-winged Warblers. In northeastern Pennsylvania, where young forest cover is found in high proportions, the distance to the nearest regenerating stand best explained variation in abundance of Golden-winged Warblers. Abundance of Golden-winged Warblers was 1500 m away. When modeling within-stand features in the northeast region, many of the models were closely ranked, indicating that multiple variables likely explained Golden-winged Warbler response to within-stand conditions. Based on our findings, we have proposed several management guidelines for land managers interested in creating breeding habitat for Golden-winged Warblers using commercial timber operations. For example, we recommend when managing for

Development of Stand Alone Application Tool for Processing and Quality Measurement of Weld Imperfection Image Captured by μ-Focused Digital Radiography Using MATLAB- Based Graphical User Interface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PZ Nadila

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Digital radiography incresingly is being applied in the fabrication industry. Compared to film- based radiography, digitally radiographed images can be acquired with less time and fewer exposures. However, noises can simply occur on the digital image resulting in a low-quality result. Due to this and the system’s complexity, parameters’ sensitivity, and environmental effects, the results can be difficult to interpret, even for a radiographer. Therefore, the need of an application tool to improve and evaluate the image is becoming urgent. In this research, a user-friendly tool for image processing and image quality measurement was developed. The resulting tool contains important components needed by radiograph inspectors in analyzing defects and recording the results. This tool was written by using image processing and the graphical user interface development environment and compiler (GUIDE toolbox available in Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB R2008a. In image processing methods, contrast adjustment, and noise removal, edge detection was applied. In image quality measurement methods, mean square error (MSE, peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR, modulation transfer function (MTF, normalized signal-to-noise ratio (SNRnorm, sensitivity and unsharpness were used to measure the image quality. The graphical user interface (GUI wass then compiled to build a Windows, stand-alone application that enables this tool to be executed independently without the installation of MATLAB.

Fiscal 2000 regional new energy vision formulation - Financially aided project. Report on regional new energy vision formulation for Ueno village (Object of survey: Commercialization feasibility study for a stand-alone type wind power generation system at Ueno German Culture Village); 2000 nendo Uenoson chiiki shin energy vision sakutei hokokusho. Ueno Doitsu bunkamura dokuritsugata furyoku hatsuden system jigyoka feasibility study chosa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-02-01

A survey is conducted about the profitability of installing a stand-alone type wind power system at Ueno village (Miyako Island), Okinawa Prefecture. The German Culture Village, which is an integrated resort house provided with accommodations (500 people), educational and cultural facilities, and sports facilities consumes 272 MWh/year in electric power. The results of the survey are summarized in six chapters, which are (1) the survey of the business under the project to be the object of feasibility study, (2) project to be the object of feasibility study, (3) outline of the Okinawa Electric Power Co., Inc., Miyakojima system and problems to ensue from its interconnection with wind turbines, (4) survey of stand-alone type wind turbine power generation systems, (5) technical/economic feasibility study, and (6) project management and future tasks. It is concluded that there will be profit in the presence of a subsidy that covers 65% or more of the total cost of constructing a system comprising three 600 KW wind turbines, three 400 kW class diesel generators, and storage batteries. (NEDO)

Energy and Environment : volume 1

OpenAIRE

ANDRE, Michel; SAMARAS, Zissis; JACOB, Bernard

2016-01-01

This book is part of a set of six books called the 'Research for Innovative Transports' set. This collection presents an update of the latest academic and applied research, case studies, best practices and user perspectives on transport carried out in Europe and worldwide. The volumes are made up of a selection of the best papers presented at TRA2014. In this volume 1, recent research works are reported around the triptych : 'transport, energy and environment', which demonstrates that vehicl...

Journal of Earth System Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Journal of Earth System Science; Volume 123; Issue 8 ... (SF) receivers has the advantages of stand-alone, absolute positioning and cost efficiency. ... College of Informatics, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, ...

The impact of cattle and goats grazing on vegetation in oak stands of varying coppicing age

Science.gov (United States)

Papachristou, Thomas G.; Platis, Panayiotis D.

2011-01-01

The effects of cattle and goats grazing on oak shoot growth and herbaceous vegetation in three oak forest stands with different coppicing age (1, 4 and 7 yrs after the clear cutting) were investigated. In April 1997, an experimental area was chosen with three forest stands, which were clear cut in 1996 (CL1996), 1993 (CL1993), and 1990 (CL1990). All stands were grazed by cattle and goats after they were clear cut. In each forest stand, five 10 m × 10 m paired plots were located, which represented grazed and protected patches. Herbage biomass within protected and grazed plots was measured four times each year (spring: May-June, summer: July-August, autumn: September-October, and winter: November-December). Behavioural observations on grazing animals were conducted in the same periods. In both protected and open plots the height and basal diameter of all oak shoots on 5 preselected stumps were measured at the end of five growing periods from 1997 to 2001. All forest stands carried a similar amount of available herbage (averaged over forest stands and growing season, 2614 kg/ha). Grazing animals removed on average 1057 kg/ha throughout the growing period. Cattle mainly consumed herbage (97% of bites) while goats consumed a mixture of oak browse (41% bites), herbaceous species (34% bites), and other woody species browse (25% bites). The height, diameter and volume of oak shoots were affected by grazing. The three forest stands had similar shoot heights in the protected plots in 2001 after 5 years of grazing protection. The volume of oak shoots of the grazed plots were 146.7 cm3 for CL1996, 232.9 cm3 for CL1993, and 239.1 cm3 for CL1990 in 2001 (i.e. 5, 8, and 11 years grazing after the clear cuttings, respectively). The protected plots carried greater volumes of oak shoots, CL1996: 496.0 cm3 (few months grazing before protection), CL1993: 690.0 cm3 (4 years grazing before protection), and CL1990: 344.0 cm3 (7 years grazing before protection). In conclusion, almost

Differences Between New and Long-Standing US Gun Owners: Results From a National Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Wertz, Joseph; Azrael, Deborah; Hemenway, David; Sorenson, Susan; Miller, Matthew

2018-07-01

To quantify the proportion of current US gun owners who are new to owning firearms and compare new versus long-standing gun owners with respect to their firearms and firearm-related behaviors. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative probability-based online survey conducted in 2015 in the United States. We defined new gun owners as current firearm owners who acquired all of their firearms within the past 5 years, but who lived in a home without a gun at some time over the past 5 years. We defined long-standing firearm owners as all other current gun owners. New gun owners represented 10% of all current US adult gun owners. In addition to being younger than long-standing gun owners, new gun owners were more likely to be liberal, own fewer guns, own handguns, own guns only for protection, and store guns in a safe manner. Gun ownership is dynamic, with approximately 1 million Americans becoming new gun owners each year. Public Health Implications. Clinical guidelines should be updated to explicitly endorse re-evaluating household firearm status at regular intervals.

Groundwater Availability Alters Soil-plant Nutrient Cycling in a Stand of Invasive, N-fixing Phreatophytes

Science.gov (United States)

Dudley, B. D.; Miyazawa, Y.; Hughes, F.; Ostertag, R.; Kettwich, S. K.; MacKenzie, R.; Dulaiova, H.; Waters, C. A.; Bishop, J.; Giambelluca, T. W.

2013-12-01

N-fixing phreatophytic trees are common in arid and semi-arid regions worldwide, and can play significant roles in modifying hydrology and soil-plant nutrient cycling where they are present. In light of reductions in groundwater levels in many arid regions we estimated annual transpiration rates at a stand level, and alterations to C, N and P accretion in soils as a function of groundwater depth in a ca.120 year old stand of Prosopis pallida along an elevation gradient in coastal leeward Hawaii. We measured sapflow and stand level sapwood area to quantify transpiration, and calculated groundwater transpiration rates using P. pallida stem water δ18O values. By measuring soil resistivity, we were able to compare the volume of groundwater transpired by these trees to groundwater depth across the stand. We examined nutrient deposition and accretion in soils in lowland areas of the stand with accessible shallow groundwater, compared to upland areas with no groundwater access, as indicated by stem water δ18O values. Resistivity results suggested that groundwater was at a height close to sea level throughout the stand. Transpiration was around 1900 m3 ha-1 year-1 in the areas of the stand closest to the sea (where groundwater was at around 1-4 m below ground level) and decreased to around a tenth of that volume where groundwater was not accessible. Litterfall rates over the course of the year studied were 17 times greater at lowland sites, but this litterfall contributed ca. 24 times the N, and 35 times the P of upland sites. Thus, groundwater access contributed to the total mass of nitrogen and phosphorus deposited in the form of litter through higher litter quantity and quality. Total N content of soils was 4.7 times greater and inorganic N pools were eight times higher at lowland plots. These results suggest that groundwater depth can have strong effects on soil-plant nutrient cycling, so that reductions in the availability of shallow groundwater are likely to impact

DOE interpretations Guide to OSH standards. Update to the Guide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-03-31

Reflecting Secretary O`Leary`s focus on occupational safety and health, the Office of Occupational Safety is pleased to provide you with the latest update to the DOE Interpretations Guide to OSH Standards. This Guide was developed in cooperation with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which continued it`s support during this last revision by facilitating access to the interpretations found on the OSHA Computerized Information System (OCIS). This March 31, 1994 update contains 123 formal in letter written by OSHA. As a result of the unique requests received by the 1-800 Response Line, this update also contains 38 interpretations developed by DOE. This new occupational safety and health information adds still more important guidance to the four volume reference set that you presently have in your possession.

DOE interpretations Guide to OSH standards. Update to the Guide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-03-31

Reflecting Secretary O`Leary`s focus on occupational safety and health, the Office of Occupational Safety is pleased to provide you with the latest update to the DOE Interpretations Guide to OSH Standards. This Guide was developed in cooperation with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which continued its support during this last revision by facilitating access to the interpretations found on the OSHA Computerized Information System (OCIS). This March 31, 1994 update contains 123 formal interpretation letters written by OSHA. As a result of the unique requests received by the 1-800 Response Line, this update also contains 38 interpretations developed by DOE. This new occupational safety and health information adds still more important guidance to the four volume reference set that you presently have in your possession.

DOE interpretations Guide to OSH standards. Update to the Guide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-03-31

Reflecting Secretary O`Leary`s focus on occupational safety and health, the Office of Occupational Safety is pleased to provide you with the latest update to the DOE Interpretations Guide to OSH Standards. This Guide was developed in cooperation with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which continued its support during this last revision by facilitating access to the interpretations found on the OSHA Computerized Information System (OCIS). This March 31, 1994 update contains 123 formal interpretation letters written OSHA. As a result of the unique requests received by the 1-800 Response Line, this update also contains 38 interpretations developed by DOE. This new occupational safety and health information adds still more important guidance to the four volume reference set that you presently have in your possession.

Working alone.

Science.gov (United States)

Tearle, Paul

2004-09-01

Employees may be found working alone in a wide range of occupations. Technological advance, rationalisation and automation mean that more and more frequently. one single person is in charge of several machines, pieces of equipment or different work activities. Employees will be found working alone during work carried out as 'overtime', as part of flexible working hours, on Saturdays, Sundays, Bank Holidays and other statutory leave days, or in situations where their work takes them away from a fixed base (mobile workers). A person may be considered to be 'working alone' whenever it is not possible to offer immediate assistance following an accident or in another critical situation. This article looks at the legal background to lone working and what an employer must do to ensure lone workers are at no greater risk to their health and safety than any other members of the workforce.

Mapping Deciduous Rubber Plantation Areas and Stand Ages with PALSAR and Landsat Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weili Kou

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Accurate and updated finer resolution maps of rubber plantations and stand ages are needed to understand and assess the impacts of rubber plantations on regional ecosystem processes. This study presented a simple method for mapping rubber plantation areas and their stand ages by integration of PALSAR 50-m mosaic images and multi-temporal Landsat TM/ETM+ images. The L-band PALSAR 50-m mosaic images were used to map forests (including both natural forests and rubber trees and non-forests. For those PALSAR-based forest pixels, we analyzed the multi-temporal Landsat TM/ETM+ images from 2000 to 2009. We first studied phenological signatures of deciduous rubber plantations (defoliation and foliation and natural forests through analysis of surface reflectance, Normal Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI, Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI, and Land Surface Water Index (LSWI and generated a map of rubber plantations in 2009. We then analyzed phenological signatures of rubber plantations with different stand ages and generated a map, in 2009, of rubber plantation stand ages (≤5, 6–10, >10 years-old based on multi-temporal Landsat images. The resultant maps clearly illustrated how rubber plantations have expanded into the mountains in the study area over the years. The results in this study demonstrate the potential of integrating microwave (e.g., PALSAR and optical remote sensing in the characterization of rubber plantations and their expansion over time.

Estimating wood volume from canopy area in deciduous woodlands ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this study we tested the predictive ability of canopy area in estimating wood volume in deciduous woodlands of Zimbabwe. The study was carried out in four sites of different climatic conditions. We used regression analysis to statistically quantify the prediction of wood volume from canopy area at species and stand level ...

Simulated stand tests and centrifuge training to prevent orthostatic intolerance on Earth, moon, and Mars.

Science.gov (United States)

Coats, Brandon W; Sharp, M Keith

2010-03-01

One proposed method to overcome postflight orthostatic intolerance is for astronauts to undergo inflight centrifugation. Cardiovascular responses were compared between centrifuge and gravitational conditions using a seven-compartment cardiovascular model. Vascular resistance, heart rate, and stroke volume values were adopted from literature, while compartmental volumes and compliances were derived from impedance plethysmography of subjects (n=8) riding on a centrifuge. Three different models were developed to represent the typical male subject who completed a 10-min postflight stand test ("male finisher"), "non-finishing male" and "female" (all non-finishers). A sensitivity analysis found that both cardiac output and arterial pressure were most sensitive to total blood volume. Simulated stand tests showed that female astronauts were more susceptible to orthostatic intolerance due to lower initial blood pressure and higher pressure threshold for presyncope. Rates of blood volume loss by capillary filtration were found to be equivalent in female and male non-finishers, but four times smaller in male finishers. For equivalent times to presyncope during centrifugation as those during constant gravity, lower G forces at the level of the heart were required. Centrifuge G levels to match other cardiovascular parameters varied depending on the parameter, centrifuge arm length, and the gravity level being matched.

Development of the updated system of city underground pipelines based on Visual Studio

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jianxiong; Zhu, Yun; Li, Xiangdong

2009-10-01

Our city has owned the integrated pipeline network management system with ArcGIS Engine 9.1 as the bottom development platform and with Oracle9i as basic database for storaging data. In this system, ArcGIS SDE9.1 is applied as the spatial data engine, and the system was a synthetic management software developed with Visual Studio visualization procedures development tools. As the pipeline update function of the system has the phenomenon of slower update and even sometimes the data lost, to ensure the underground pipeline data can real-time be updated conveniently and frequently, and the actuality and integrity of the underground pipeline data, we have increased a new update module in the system developed and researched by ourselves. The module has the powerful data update function, and can realize the function of inputting and outputting and rapid update volume of data. The new developed module adopts Visual Studio visualization procedures development tools, and uses access as the basic database to storage data. We can edit the graphics in AutoCAD software, and realize the database update using link between the graphics and the system. Practice shows that the update module has good compatibility with the original system, reliable and high update efficient of the database.

Human-system interface design review guideline -- Reviewer`s checklist: Final report. Revision 1, Volume 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-06-01

NUREG-0700, Revision 1, provides human factors engineering (HFE) guidance to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff for its: (1) review of the human system interface (HSI) design submittals prepared by licensees or applications for a license or design certification of commercial nuclear power plants, and (2) performance of HSI reviews that could be undertaken as part of an inspection or other type of regulatory review involving HSI design or incidents involving human performance. The guidance consists of a review process and HFE guidelines. The document describes those aspects of the HSI design review process that are important to the identification and resolution of human engineering discrepancies that could adversely affect plant safety. Guidance is provided that could be used by the staff to review an applicant`s HSI design review process or to guide the development of an HSI design review plan, e.g., as part of an inspection activity. The document also provides detailed HFE guidelines for the assessment of HSI design implementations. NUREG-0700, Revision 1, consists of three stand-alone volumes. Volume 2 is a complete set of the guidelines contained in Volume 1, Part 2, but in a checklist format that can be used by reviewers to assemble sets of individual guidelines for use in specific design reviews. The checklist provides space for reviewers to enter guidelines evaluations and comments.

Drishti: a volume exploration and presentation tool

Science.gov (United States)

Limaye, Ajay

2012-10-01

Among several rendering techniques for volumetric data, direct volume rendering is a powerful visualization tool for a wide variety of applications. This paper describes the major features of hardware based volume exploration and presentation tool - Drishti. The word, Drishti, stands for vision or insight in Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language. Drishti is a cross-platform open-source volume rendering system that delivers high quality, state of the art renderings. The features in Drishti include, though not limited to, production quality rendering, volume sculpting, multi-resolution zooming, transfer function blending, profile generation, measurement tools, mesh generation, stereo/anaglyph/crosseye renderings. Ultimately, Drishti provides an intuitive and powerful interface for choreographing animations.

Strong winds in South Africa, part 2: mapping of updated statistics

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Kruger, AC

2013-08-01

Full Text Available winds in South Africa imperative. Based on the estimation of strong winds as reported in the accompanying paper (see page 29 in this volume), the spatial interpolation of 50-year characteristic strong wind values to provide updated design wind speed maps...

Design of a small scale stand-alone solar thermal co-generation plant for an isolated region in Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdelhady, Suzan; Borello, Domenico; Tortora, Eileen

2014-01-01

Highlights: • In the selected area, connection to the grid is very difficult and expensive. • The integrated unsteady CSP/ORC system, was modeled TRNSYS. • Assuming a CSP of 200,000 m 2 , 6 MW e and 21.5 MW th can be obtained. • The energy is sufficient to feed more than 3,300 rural users and two big factories. • PER = 1.43, LCOE = 1.25 USD/kW h and the GHG emissions are reduced of 7300 toe/year. - Abstract: Most of Egypt’s population is concentrated in the Nile Valley (5% of Egypt’s area), while the western desert occupies an area of 50% of the total area of Egypt with a small number of inhabitants. The New Valley is the largest governorates in Egypt which occupies 45.8% of the total area of the Country and 65% of the Western Desert and it is the least densely populated governorate in Egypt. However, New Valley has started to receive the migrated people from the Nile valley and Delta region and the demand for the energy is continuously increasing. However, the rural area in New Valley still suffers from lack of access to energy services. The very high transmission losses and costs are the main challenges for electrification in this area. Then, it is worth to investigate the opportunities for distributed energy generation. This area of Egypt receives some of the highest solar radiation in the world (up to 3000 kW h per square meters per year), making it a prime location for use of this resource. In this study, performance and economic assessment of a small scale stand-alone solar thermal co-generation plant using diathermic oil is presented. This configuration is considered as a promising and sustainable solution to provide electricity and heat to an isolated area satisfying the local loads. Parabolic trough plant has been modeled in TRNSYS simulation environment integrated with the Solar Thermal Electric Components (STEC) model library. Both solar and power cycle performances have been modeled based on the solar energy data of the plant site. The

The international phase 4 validation study of the EORTC QLQ-SWB32: A stand-alone measure of spiritual well-being for people receiving palliative care for cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Vivat, B; Young, T E; Winstanley, J; Arraras, J I; Black, K; Boyle, F; Bredart, A; Costantini, A; Guo, J; Irarrazaval, M E; Kobayashi, K; Kruizinga, R; Navarro, M; Omidvari, S; Rohde, G E; Serpentini, S; Spry, N; Van Laarhoven, H W M; Yang, G M

2017-11-01

The EORTC Quality of Life Group has just completed the final phase (field-testing and validation) of an international project to develop a stand-alone measure of spiritual well-being (SWB) for palliative cancer patients. Participants (n = 451)-from 14 countries on four continents; 54% female; 188 Christian; 50 Muslim; 156 with no religion-completed a provisional 36-item measure of SWB plus the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL (PAL), then took part in a structured debriefing interview. All items showed good score distribution across response categories. We assessed scale structure using principal component analysis and Rasch analysis, and explored construct validity, and convergent/divergent validity with the PAL. Twenty-two items in four scoring scales (Relationship with Self, Relationships with Others, Relationship with Someone or Something Greater, and Existential) explained 53% of the variance. The measure also includes a global SWB item and nine other items. Scores on the PAL global quality-of-life item and Emotional Functioning scale weakly-moderately correlated with scores on the global SWB item and two of the four SWB scales. This new validated 32-item SWB measure addresses a distinct aspect of quality-of-life, and is now available for use in research and clinical practice, with a role as both a measurement and an intervention tool. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Improvement of Stand Jig Sealer and Its Increased Production Capacity

Science.gov (United States)

Soebandrija, K. E. N.; Astuti, S. W. D.

2014-03-01

This paper has the objective to prove that improvement of Stand Jig Sealer can lead to the cycle time target as part of Improvement efforts and its Productivity. Prior researches through prior journals both classics journal such as Quesnay (1766) and Solow (1957) and updated journal such as Reikard (2011) researches, are mentioned and elaborated. Precisely, the research is narrowed down and specified into automotive industry and eventually the software related of SPSS and Structural Equation Modeling ( SEM ). The analysis and its method are conducted through the calculation working time. The mentioned calculation are reinforced with the hypothesis test using SPSS Version 19 and involve parameters of production efficiency, productivity calculation, and the calculation of financial investments. The results obtained are augmented achievement of cycle time target ≤ 80 seconds posterior to improvement stand jig sealer. The result from calculation of SPSS-19 version comprise the following aspects: the one-sided hypothesis test is rejection of Ho:μ≥80 seconds, the correlation rs=0.84, regression y = 0.159+0.642x, validity R table = 0.4438, reliability value of Cronbach's alpha = 0.885>0.70, independence (Chi Square) Asymp. Sig=0.028financial analysis (NPV 2,340,596>0, PI 2.04>1, IRR 45.56%>i=12.68%, PP=1.86). The Mentioned calculation results support the hypothesis and ultimately align with the objective of this paper to prove that improvement of Stand Jig Sealer and its relation toward the cycle time target. Precisely, the improvement of production capacity of PT. Astra Daihatsu Motor.

Description and verification of a U.S. Naval Research Lab's loosely coupled data assimilation system for the Navy's Earth System Model

Science.gov (United States)

Barton, N. P.; Metzger, E. J.; Smedstad, O. M.; Ruston, B. C.; Wallcraft, A. J.; Whitcomb, T.; Ridout, J. A.; Zamudio, L.; Posey, P.; Reynolds, C. A.; Richman, J. G.; Phelps, M.

2017-12-01

The Naval Research Laboratory is developing an Earth System Model (NESM) to provide global environmental information to meet Navy and Department of Defense (DoD) operations and planning needs from the upper atmosphere to under the sea. This system consists of a global atmosphere, ocean, ice, wave, and land prediction models and the individual models include: atmosphere - NAVy Global Environmental Model (NAVGEM); ocean - HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM); sea ice - Community Ice CodE (CICE); WAVEWATCH III™; and land - NAVGEM Land Surface Model (LSM). Data assimilation is currently loosely coupled between the atmosphere component using a 6-hour update cycle in the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Atmospheric Variational Data Assimilation System - Accelerated Representer (NAVDAS-AR) and the ocean/ice components using a 24-hour update cycle in the Navy Coupled Ocean Data Assimilation (NCODA) with 3 hours of incremental updating. This presentation will describe the US Navy's coupled forecast model, the loosely coupled data assimilation, and compare results against stand-alone atmosphere and ocean/ice models. In particular, we will focus on the unique aspects of this modeling system, which includes an eddy resolving ocean model and challenges associated with different update-windows and solvers for the data assimilation in the atmosphere and ocean. Results will focus on typical operational diagnostics for atmosphere, ocean, and ice analyses including 500 hPa atmospheric height anomalies, low-level winds, temperature/salinity ocean depth profiles, ocean acoustical proxies, sea ice edge, and sea ice drift. Overall, the global coupled system is performing with comparable skill to the stand-alone systems.

Tree- and Stand-Level Thinning Effects on Growth of European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L. on a Northeast- and a Southwest-Facing Slope in Southwest Germany

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela Diaconu

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Anticipated changes in climate and research findings on the drought sensitivity of beech have triggered controversial discussions about the future of European beech. We investigated the growth response of beech on the tree- and stand-level in mature stands to three different thinning intensities (no thinning, strong thinning, very strong thinning on a northeast- and southwest-facing slope in Southwest Germany. Linear mixed-effects models were formulated to describe effects on growth parameters on the tree- and stand-level (diameter, height, basal area, volume. At the stand-level, the stand basal area increment and stand volume increment were lower on the thinned plots. At the tree-level, the basal area increment significantly increased with increasing thinning intensity. The growth of individual trees was also influenced by initial tree size, the size-related rank of the tree within a stand, and by the aspect of the site. Our data indicate that growth of European beech is impaired on the southwest-facing slope with a warmer and drier climate and that a very strong thinning regime applied at advanced age can accelerate growth of European beech trees even on the warmer and drier site. Our findings, therefore, imply that in a warmer climate intensive thinning may also represent an important adaptive forest management measure in European beech stands.

Changes in species, grade, and structure over 48 years in a managed New England northern hardwood stand

Science.gov (United States)

William B. Leak; Paul E. Sendak

2002-01-01

Three individual-tree selection harvests over a 48 yr period in a northern hardwood stand in New Hampshire resulted in an increase in the percentage of volume in trees with grade 1 and 2 butt logs from 21% (1952) to 30% (2000) in beech and 40% (1952) to 65% (2000) in sugar maple and other hardwoods. By 2000, 90% of the volume was in tolerant species.

The Guardian. Volume 9, Number 3, Winter 2007

Science.gov (United States)

2007-01-01

message correctly. Muslims will ultimately determine whether the ideology of al Qaeda, its affiliates, franchisees , and fellow travelers represents...opined that the effort would not work or would not pass the cost– benefit comparison. Others wanted to develop comprehensive NATO doctrine to guide...full BAT capability, the access-control benefits of BAT/HIIDE are a significant improvement to overall ISAF force protection, even in stand-alone mode

Occurrence of spruce bark beetles in forest stands at different levels of air pollution stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grodzki, Wojciech; McManus, Michael; Knizek, Milos; Meshkova, Valentina; Mihalciuc, Vasile; Novotny, Julius; Turcani, Marek; Slobodyan, Yaroslav

2004-01-01

The spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus (L.) is the most serious pest of mature spruce stands, mainly Norway spruce, Picea abies (L.) Karst. throughout Eurasia. A complex of weather-related events and other environmental stresses are reported to predispose spruce stands to bark beetle attack and subsequent tree mortality; however the possible role of industrial pollution as a predisposing factor to attack by this species is poorly understood. The abundance and dynamics of I. typographus populations was evaluated in 60-80 year old Norway spruce stands occurring on 10x50 ha sites in five countries within the Carpathian range that were selected in proximity to established ozone measurement sites. Data were recorded on several parameters including the volume of infested trees, captures of adult beetles in pheromone traps, number of attacks, and the presence and relative abundance of associated bark beetle species. In several cases, stands adjacent to sites with higher ozone values were associated with higher bark beetle populations. The volume of sanitary cuttings, a reflection of tree mortality, and the mean daily capture of beetles in pheromone traps were significantly higher at sites where the O 3 level was higher. However, the mean infestation density on trees was higher in plots associated with lower O 3 levels. Captures of beetles in pheromone traps and infestation densities were higher in the zone above 800 m. However, none of the relationships was conclusive, suggesting that spruce bark beetle dynamics are driven by a complex interaction of biotic and abiotic factors and not by a single parameter such as air pollution. - Air pollution (ozone) can be one of predisposing factors that increases the susceptibility of mountain Norway spruce stands to attack by Ips typographus and associated bark beetle species

Characterization of structure and development of models to quantify wood potential of an unmanaged Araucaria angustifolia stand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafaella De Angeli Curto

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to characterize of an unmanaged stand of Araucaria angustifolia and to development of models to quantify the wood potential, aiming to support the development of forest management plans in stands with similar conditions. The work was developed into a stand established in 1946, in National Forest of Açungui, in Campo Largo County, Paraná State, Brazil. There was only one thinning in the stand, between 1970 and 1980. From the frequency of individuals in each diametric class, it was observed the condition of stagnation and competition with cohort in the beginning of class distribution. With the application of the probability density function of Weibull-3P, Trorey model, and the 5th polynomial by diameter class, it was possible to confirm the stock estimative of timber volume of the stand. This analysis indicated that the stand presents average annual wood production smaller than the species potential. So it is recommended the thinning to promote growth of remnant trees. With the probability density function of Weibull-3p, that was selected, it is possible to project the diametric distribution of the stand, when analyzed complementarily with growth diameter information, if the stand remains unmanaged. Certainly, the optimum potential of timber production could have been manifested if the stand were managed during the cycle planed.

Weapon container catalog. Volumes 1 & 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, L.A.; Higuera, M.C.

1998-02-01

The Weapon Container Catalog describes H-gear (shipping and storage containers, bomb hand trucks and the ancillary equipment required for loading) used for weapon programs and for special use containers. When completed, the catalog will contain five volumes. Volume 1 for enduring stockpile programs (B53, B61, B83, W62, W76, W78, W80, W84, W87, and W88) and Volume 2, Special Use Containers, are being released. The catalog is intended as a source of information for weapon program engineers and also provides historical information. The catalog also will be published on the SNL Internal Web and will undergo periodic updates.

Heat pipe technology. a bibliography with abstracts. Quarterly update, 31 March 1975

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-01-01

Heat Pipe Technology is a continuing bibliographic summary of research on the subject of the heat pipe. The first volume was published in 1971. The 1972, 1973, and 1974 Annual Supplements have been published and distributed. This update cites additional references for 1975

Dipyridamole plus aspirin versus aspirin alone in the secondary prevention after TIA or stroke: a meta-analysis by risk

OpenAIRE

Halkes, P.H.A.; Gray, Laura J.; Bath, Philip M.W.; Diener, Hans-Christoph; Guiraud-Chaumeil, B.

2008-01-01

Objectives: Our aim was to study the effect of combination therapy with aspirin and dipyridamole (A+D) over aspirin alone (ASA) in secondary prevention after transient \\ud ischemic attack or minor stroke of presumed arterial origin and to perform subgroup analyses to identify patients that might benefit most from secondary prevention with A+D.\\ud Data sources: The previously published meta-analysis of individual patient data was updated with data from ESPRIT (N=2,739); trials without data on ...

Retrospective analysis of detomidine infusion for standing chemical restraint in 51 horses.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, D V; Bohart, G V; Evans, A T; Robertson, S; Rondenay, Y

2002-01-01

To assess the effectiveness of a detomidine infusion technique to provide standing chemical restraint in the horse. Retrospective study. Fifty-one adult horses aged 9.5 ± 6.9 years (range 1-23 years) and weighing 575 ± 290.3 kg. Records of horses presented to our clinic over a 3-year period in which a detomidine infusion was used to provide standing chemical restraint were reviewed. Information relating to the types of procedure performed, duration of infusion, drug dosages and adjunct drugs administered was retrieved. Detomidine was administered as an initial bolus loading dose (mean ± SD) of 7.5 ± 1.87 μg kg -1 . The initial infusion rate was 0.6 μg kg -1 minute -1 , and this was halved every 15 minutes. The duration of the infusion ranged from 20 to 135 minutes. Twenty horses received additional detomidine or butorphanol during the procedure. All horses undergoing surgery received local anesthesia or epidural analgesia in addition to the detomidine infusion. A wide variety of procedures were performed in these horses. Detomidine administered by infusion provides prolonged periods of chemical restraint in standing horses. Supplemental sedatives or analgesics may be needed in horses undergoing surgery. An effective method that provides prolonged periods of chemical restraint in standing horses is described. The infusion alone did not provide sufficient analgesia for surgery and a significant proportion of animals required supplemental sedatives and analgesics. Copyright © 2002 Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stem volume losses in grand firs topkilled by western spruce budworm in Idaho

Science.gov (United States)

George T. Ferrell; Robert F. Scharpf

1982-01-01

Mature grand firs (Abies grandis [Dougl. ex D. Don] Lindl.) were sampled in two stands, one cutover and one virgin, in the Little Salmon River drainage in west-central Idaho, to estimate stem volume losses associated with topkilling. Damage to the stands resulted from three outbreaks of western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis...

Exploiting Growing Stock Volume Maps for Large Scale Forest Resource Assessment: Cross-Comparisons of ASAR- and PALSAR-Based GSV Estimates with Forest Inventory in Central Siberia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Hüttich

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Growing stock volume is an important biophysical parameter describing the state and dynamics of the Boreal zone. Validation of growing stock volume (GSV maps based on satellite remote sensing is challenging due to the lack of consistent ground reference data. The monitoring and assessment of the remote Russian forest resources of Siberia can only be done by integrating remote sensing techniques and interdisciplinary collaboration. In this paper, we assess the information content of GSV estimates in Central Siberian forests obtained at 25 m from ALOS-PALSAR and 1 km from ENVISAT-ASAR backscatter data. The estimates have been cross-compared with respect to forest inventory data showing 34% relative RMSE for the ASAR-based GSV retrievals and 39.4% for the PALSAR-based estimates of GSV. Fragmentation analyses using a MODIS-based land cover dataset revealed an increase of retrieval error with increasing fragmentation of the landscape. Cross-comparisons of multiple SAR-based GSV estimates helped to detect inconsistencies in the forest inventory data and can support an update of outdated forest inventory stands.

Three Mile Island nuclear reactor accident of March 1979. Environmental radiation data: Update 2, Volume III

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hilton, B.A.; Grossman, R.F.

1981-03-01

The original report contains a listing of environmental radiation monitoring data collected in the vicinity of Three Mile Island (TMI) following the March 28, 1979 accident. These data were collected by the EPA, NRC, DOE, HHS, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. The original report was printed in September 1979 and the update was released in December 1979. This final update consists of additional data for 1979 by the same participating organizations, which has not been previously reported

Alternative route of process modification for biofuel production by embedding the Fischer-Tropsch plant in existing stand-alone power plant (10 MW) based on biomass gasification - Part I: A conceptual modeling and simulation approach (a case study in Thailand)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hunpinyo, Piyapong; Cheali, Peam; Narataruksa, Phavanee

2014-01-01

a base case process model coupled with techno-economic evaluation for the FT synthesis. In particular, the FT process configurations are designed and assessed using current kinetic laboratory data by our research group for modeling specific reactions in PFR reactor. The calculation of equipment sizing......The utilization of syngas shows a highly potential to improve the economic potential of the stand-alone power unit-based gasification plants as well as enhancing the growing demand of transportation fuels. The thermochemical conversion of biomass via gasification to heat and power generations from...... incurred several major unit operations is performed for once-through mode (no recycles of unconverted syngas) with electricity co-production. This study provides a detailed base-case model for the synthesis with the capacities of 1, 2 and 3 MW of syngas technology sharing and the comparison between...

Development of prolonged standing strain index to quantify risk levels of standing jobs.

Science.gov (United States)

Halim, Isa; Omar, Abdul Rahman

2012-01-01

Many occupations in industry such as metal stamping workers, electronics parts assembly operators, automotive industry welders, and lathe operators require working in a standing posture for a long time. Prolonged standing can contribute to discomfort and muscle fatigue particularly in the back and legs. This study developed the prolonged standing strain index (PSSI) to quantify the risk levels caused by standing jobs, and proposed recommendations to minimize the risk levels. Risk factors associated with standing jobs, such as working posture, muscles activity, standing duration, holding time, whole-body vibration, and indoor air quality, were the basis for developing the PSSI. All risk factors were assigned multipliers, and the PSSI was the product of those multipliers. Recommendations for improvement are based on the PSSI; however, extensive studies are required to validate their effectiveness. multipliers, and the PSSI was the product of those multipliers. Recommendations for improvement are based on the PSSI; however, extensive studies are required to validate their effectiveness.

The cutting-edge training modalities and educational platforms for accredited surgical training: A systematic review

OpenAIRE

Forgione, Antonello; Guraya, Salman Y.

2017-01-01

Background: Historically, operating room (OR) has always been considered as a stand-alone trusted platform for surgical education and training. However, concerns about financial constraints, quality control, and patient safety have urged the surgical educators to develop more cost-effective, surgical educational platforms that can be employed outside the OR. Furthermore, trained surgeons need to regularly update their surgical skills to keep abreast with the emerging surgical technologies. Th...

Merrill's Atlas of radiographic positions and radiologic procedures. Volumes 1-3. Sixth edition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ballinger, P.W.

1985-01-01

Merrill's Atlas describes and explains the routine and specialized radiologic procedures for all body systems. This edition thoroughly reorganized, updated and expanded. Volumes one and two describe all routine and flouroscopic procedures; and volume three describes more specialized areas in the profession

The one-leg standing radiograph

OpenAIRE

Pinsornsak, P.; Naratrikun, K.; Kanitnate, S.; Sangkomkamhang, T.

2016-01-01

Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare the joint space width between one-leg and both-legs standing radiographs in order to diagnose a primary osteoarthritis of the knee. Methods Digital radiographs of 100 medial osteoarthritic knees in 50 patients were performed. The patients had undergone one-leg standing anteroposterior (AP) views by standing on the affected leg while a both-legs standing AP view was undertaken while standing on both legs. The severity of the osteoarthritis wa...

Two weeks of additional standing balance circuit classes during inpatient rehabilitation are cost saving and effective: an economic evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Treacy, Daniel; Howard, Kirsten; Hayes, Alison; Hassett, Leanne; Schurr, Karl; Sherrington, Catherine

2018-01-01

Among people admitted for inpatient rehabilitation, is usual care plus standing balance circuit classes more cost-effective than usual care alone? Cost-effectiveness study embedded within a randomised controlled trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding and intention-to-treat analysis. 162 rehabilitation inpatients from a metropolitan hospital in Sydney, Australia. The experimental group received a 1-hour standing balance circuit class, delivered three times a week for 2 weeks, in addition to usual therapy. The circuit classes were supervised by one physiotherapist and one physiotherapy assistant for up to eight patients. The control group received usual therapy alone. Costs were estimated from routinely collected hospital use data in the 3 months after randomisation. The functional outcome measure was mobility measured at 3 months using the Short Physical Performance Battery administered by a blinded assessor. An incremental analysis was conducted and the joint probability distribution of costs and outcomes was examined using bootstrapping. The median cost savings for the intervention group was AUD4,741 (95% CI 137 to 9,372) per participant; 94% of bootstraps showed that the intervention was both effective and cost saving. Two weeks of additional standing balance circuit classes delivered in addition to usual therapy resulted in decreased healthcare costs at 3 months in hospital inpatients admitted for rehabilitation. There is a high probability that this intervention is both cost saving and effective. ACTRN12611000412932. [Treacy D, Howard K, Hayes A, Hassett L, Schurr K, Sherrington C (2018) Two weeks of additional standing balance circuit classes during inpatient rehabilitation are cost saving and effective: an economic evaluation. Journal of Physiotherapy 64: 41-47]. Copyright © 2017 Australian Physiotherapy Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Standard Model updates and new physics analysis with the Unitarity Triangle fit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bevan, A.; Bona, M.; Ciuchini, M.; Derkach, D.; Franco, E.; Silvestrini, L.; Lubicz, V.; Tarantino, C.; Martinelli, G.; Parodi, F.; Schiavi, C.; Pierini, M.; Sordini, V.; Stocchi, A.; Vagnoni, V.

2013-01-01

We present the summer 2012 update of the Unitarity Triangle (UT) analysis performed by the UTfit Collaboration within the Standard Model (SM) and beyond. The increased accuracy on several of the fundamental constraints is now enhancing some of the tensions amongst and within the constraint themselves. In particular, the long standing tension between exclusive and inclusive determinations of the V ub and V cb CKM matrix elements is now playing a major role. Then we present the generalisation the UT analysis to investigate new physics (NP) effects, updating the constraints on NP contributions to ΔF=2 processes. In the NP analysis, both CKM and NP parameters are fitted simultaneously to obtain the possible NP effects in any specific sector. Finally, based on the NP constraints, we derive upper bounds on the coefficients of the most general ΔF=2 effective Hamiltonian. These upper bounds can be translated into lower bounds on the scale of NP that contributes to these low-energy effective interactions

Postmenopausal hormone therapy and regional brain volumes: the WHIMS-MRI Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Resnick, S M; Espeland, M A; Jaramillo, S A; Hirsch, C; Stefanick, M L; Murray, A M; Ockene, J; Davatzikos, C

2009-01-13

To determine whether menopausal hormone therapy (HT) affects regional brain volumes, including hippocampal and frontal regions. Brain MRI scans were obtained in a subset of 1,403 women aged 71-89 years who participated in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS). WHIMS was an ancillary study to the Women's Health Initiative, which consisted of two randomized, placebo-controlled trials: 0.625 mg conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) with or without 2.5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in one daily tablet. Scans were performed, on average, 3.0 years post-trial for the CEE + MPA trial and 1.4 years post-trial for the CEE-Alone trial; average on-trial follow-up intervals were 4.0 years for CEE + MPA and 5.6 years for CEE-Alone. Total brain, ventricular, hippocampal, and frontal lobe volumes, adjusted for age, clinic site, estimated intracranial volume, and dementia risk factors, were the main outcome variables. Compared with placebo, covariate-adjusted mean frontal lobe volume was 2.37 cm(3) lower among women assigned to HT (p = 0.004), mean hippocampal volume was slightly (0.10 cm(3)) lower (p = 0.05), and differences in total brain volume approached significance (p = 0.07). Results were similar for CEE + MPA and CEE-Alone. HT-associated reductions in hippocampal volumes were greatest in women with the lowest baseline Modified Mini-Mental State Examination scores (scores equine estrogens with or without MPA are associated with greater brain atrophy among women aged 65 years and older; however, the adverse effects are most evident in women experiencing cognitive deficits before initiating hormone therapy.

Reineke’s stand density index: a quantitative and non-unitless measure of stand density

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis L. VanderSchaaf

2013-01-01

When used as a measure of relative density, Reineke’s stand density index (SDI) can be made unitless by relating the current SDI to a standard density but when used as a quantitative measure of stand density SDI is not unitless. Reineke’s SDI relates the current stand density to an equivalent number of trees per unit area in a stand with a quadratic mean diameter (Dq)...

The percentage of core involved by cancer is the best predictor of insignificant prostate cancer, according to an updated definition (tumor volume up to 2.5 cm3): analysis of a cohort of 210 consecutive patients with low-risk disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Antonelli, Alessandro; Vismara Fugini, Andrea; Tardanico, Regina; Giovanessi, Luca; Zambolin, Tiziano; Simeone, Claudio

2014-01-01

To find out which factors could predict the diagnosis of insignificant prostate cancer (ins-PCa) according to a recently updated definition (overall tumor volume up to 2.5 cm(3); final Gleason score ≤6; organ-confined disease) on a prostatic biopsy specimen. This was a retrospective analysis of 210 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy for a cT1c prostate neoplasm with a biopsy specimen Gleason score of ≤6. A logistic regression model was used to assess the differences in the distribution of some possibly predictive factors between the ins-PCa patients, according to the updated definition, and the remaining patients. By applying an updated definition of ins-PCa, the prevalence of this condition increased from 13.3% to 49.5% (104 of 210 patients). The univariate analysis showed a statistically different distribution of the following factors: prostate-specific antigen density, prostate volume, number of cancer-involved cores, and maximum percentage of core involvement by cancer. At the multivariable analysis, the maximum percentage of involvement of the core retained its relevance (27.0% in ins-PCa patients and 43.8% in the remaining patients; hazard ratio, 0.972; P = .046), and a 20% cutoff was detected. In a cohort of patients with PCa cT1c and a biopsy specimen Gleason score of ≤6, the ins-PCa rate, according to the updated definition, is close to 50%, and the percentage of cancer involvement of the core is the single factor that best predicts this diagnosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sharp asymptotics for stochastic dynamics with parallel updating rule with self-interaction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bovier, A.; Nardi, F.R.; Spitoni, C.

2011-01-01

In this paper we study metastability for a stochastic dynamics with a parallel updating rule in particular for a probabilistic cellular automata. The problem is addressed in the Freidlin Wentzel regime, i.e., finite volume, small magnetic field, and in the limit when temperature tends to zero. We

Lesion volume predicts prostate cancer risk and aggressiveness: validation of its value alone and matched with prostate imaging reporting and data system score.

Science.gov (United States)

Martorana, Eugenio; Pirola, Giacomo Maria; Scialpi, Michele; Micali, Salvatore; Iseppi, Andrea; Bonetti, Luca Reggiani; Kaleci, Shaniko; Torricelli, Pietro; Bianchi, Giampaolo

2017-07-01

To demonstrate the association between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) estimated lesion volume (LV), prostate cancer detection and tumour clinical significance, evaluating this variable alone and matched with Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADS v2) score. We retrospectively analysed 157 consecutive patients, with at least one prior negative systematic prostatic biopsy, who underwent transperineal prostate MRI/ultrasonography fusion-targeted biopsy between January 2014 and February 2016. Suspicious lesions were delineated using a 'region of interest' and the system calculated prostate volume and LV. Patients were divided in groups considering LV (≤0.5, 0.5-1, ≥1 mL) and PI-RADS score (1-5). We considered clinically significant prostate cancer as all cancers with a Gleason score of ≥3 + 4 as suggested by PI-RADS v2. A direct comparison between MRI estimated LV (MRI LV) and histological tumour volume (HTV) was done in 23 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy during the study period. Differences between MRI LV and HTV were assessed using the paired sample t-test. MRI LV and HTV concordance was verified using a Bland-Altman plot. The chi-squared test and logistic and ordinal regression models were used to evaluate difference in frequencies. The MRI LV and PI-RADS score were associated both with prostate cancer detection (both P prostate cancer detection (P Prostate cancer detection was 1.4-times higher for LVs of 0.5-1 mL and 1.8-times higher for LVs of ≥1 mL; significant prostate cancer detection was 2.6-times for LVs of 0.5-1 mL and 4-times for LVs of ≥1 mL. There was a positive correlation between MRI LV and HTV (r = 0.9876, P prostate cancer detection and with tumour clinical significance. © 2016 The Authors BJU International © 2016 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Savannah River Site Approved Site Treatment Plan, 2001 Annual Update (Volumes I and II)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lawrence, B.

2001-04-30

The Compliance Plan Volume (Volume I) identifies project activity scheduled milestones for achieving compliance with Land Disposal Restrictions. Information regarding the technical evaluation of treatment options for SRS mixed wastes is contained in the Background Volume (Volume II) and is provided for information.

Falls classification using tri-axial accelerometers during the five-times-sit-to-stand test.

Science.gov (United States)

Doheny, Emer P; Walsh, Cathal; Foran, Timothy; Greene, Barry R; Fan, Chie Wei; Cunningham, Clodagh; Kenny, Rose Anne

2013-09-01

The five-times-sit-to-stand test (FTSS) is an established assessment of lower limb strength, balance dysfunction and falls risk. Clinically, the time taken to complete the task is recorded with longer times indicating increased falls risk. Quantifying the movement using tri-axial accelerometers may provide a more objective and potentially more accurate falls risk estimate. 39 older adults, 19 with a history of falls, performed four repetitions of the FTSS in their homes. A tri-axial accelerometer was attached to the lateral thigh and used to identify each sit-stand-sit phase and sit-stand and stand-sit transitions. A second tri-axial accelerometer, attached to the sternum, captured torso acceleration. The mean and variation of the root-mean-squared amplitude, jerk and spectral edge frequency of the acceleration during each section of the assessment were examined. The test-retest reliability of each feature was examined using intra-class correlation analysis, ICC(2,k). A model was developed to classify participants according to falls status. Only features with ICC>0.7 were considered during feature selection. Sequential forward feature selection within leave-one-out cross-validation resulted in a model including four reliable accelerometer-derived features, providing 74.4% classification accuracy, 80.0% specificity and 68.7% sensitivity. An alternative model using FTSS time alone resulted in significantly reduced classification performance. Results suggest that the described methodology could provide a robust and accurate falls risk assessment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stand structure and dead wood characterization in cork forest of Calabria region (southern Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barreca L

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The cork forests are one the most interesting forest ecosystems in the Mediterranean area. Their distribution and ecological characteristics have undergone a significant transformation after the significant changes following the development and establishment of agricultural crops. Currently, only a few stands, which survive in hard to reach places, prove the wide spread distribution of this species was also in the recent past. This study describes the stand structure of some cork forests in Calabria region (southern Italy. In order, to characterize the vertical structure Latham index has been applied, while for the description of the horizontal distribution NBSI group indices has been used. Detailed surveys on dead wood were also conducted determining the occurring volume and its decay stage according to the decay classes system proposed by Hunter. The aim of this study is to provide guidelines for sustainable management of cork forests, improving and promoting the structural complexity and functional efficiency of these forest stands.

Relating demographic characteristics of a small mammal to remotely sensed forest-stand condition.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hania Lada

Full Text Available Many ecological systems around the world are changing rapidly in response to direct (land-use change and indirect (climate change human actions. We need tools to assess dynamically, and over appropriate management scales, condition of ecosystems and their responses to potential mitigation of pressures. Using a validated model, we determined whether stand condition of floodplain forests is related to densities of a small mammal (a carnivorous marsupial, Antechinus flavipes in 60,000 ha of extant river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis forests in south-eastern Australia in 2004, 2005 and 2011. Stand condition was assessed remotely using models built from ground assessments of stand condition and satellite-derived reflectance. Other covariates, such as volumes of fallen timber, distances to floods, rainfall and life stages were included in the model. Trapping of animals was conducted at 272 plots (0.25 ha across the region. Densities of second-year females (i.e. females that had survived to a second breeding year and of second-year females with suckled teats (i.e. inferred to have been successful mothers were higher in stands with the highest condition. There was no evidence of a relationship with stand condition for males or all females. These outcomes show that remotely-sensed estimates of stand condition (here floodplain forests are relatable to some demographic characteristics of a small mammal species, and may provide useful information about the capacity of ecosystems to support animal populations. Over-regulation of large, lowland rivers has led to declines in many facets of floodplain function. If management of water resources continues as it has in recent decades, then our results suggest that there will be further deterioration in stand condition and a decreased capacity for female yellow-footed antechinuses to breed multiple times.

77 FR 15142 - Updated Nuclear Regulatory Commission Fiscal Years 2008-2013 Strategic Plan

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-14

... 2008-2013 Strategic Plan AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Strategic plan. SUMMARY: The U...-1614, Volume 5, ``U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Fiscal Years [FY] 2008-2013 Strategic Plan,'' dated February 2012. The updated FY 2008-2013 strategic plan describes the agency's mission and...

Intracranial germinomas: a case for low dose radiation therapy alone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrigan, Patricia M.; Loeffler, Jay S.; Shrieve, Dennis; Tarbell, Nancy J.

1995-01-01

Purpose: To determine the optimal dose and treatment outcome of patients treated with radiation for intracranial germinoma. Materials and Methods: Between 1975 and 1995, 39 patients with a diagnosis of intracranial germinoma were treated with radiation (RT) to the central nervous system. All but one pt received whole brain (WB) RT, (median dose: 3240 cGy range: 1500-4437 cGy) and a boost to the tumor volume (median total tumor volume dose: 5200 cGy, range: 3960-5950 cGy). Thirty-one pts received RT to the spine (median dose: 2500, range: 1875-3750). Eleven pts were treated with low dose RT and a tumor volume boost, (WB dose ≤ 2550 cGy, and spine dose ≤ 2160 cGy). Five pts were treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy and low dose WB RT. Fifteen pts were biopsy-proven and 18 presented with multiple midline germinomas (MMG). Among all pts, 33% had serum or CSF positive for low levels of HCG and none of 19 (9 biopsy-proven) germinomas measured positive for AFP tumor marker. Six of 22 (27%) pts who had spine imaging or CSF cytology had evidence of tumor seeding. The male-to female-ratio was 1.4. Median age at diagnosis was 14 yrs for male pts and 9.5 yrs for females (p=.02, overall age range: 1-31 yrs). Median follow-up for survivors is 64 months (range: 1-226 months). Toxicity of treatment relative to dose was assessed. Results: The 5-yr. actuarial rate of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival for presumed germinomas was 97%. No pts died of germinoma. One pt died of a shunt infection who had received concurrent chemotherapy and low dose whole brain RT. Among the low dose RT alone group 6 pts received whole brain RT of ≤ 2550 cGy and 9 pts were treated with spinal RT of ≤ 2160 cGy without chemotherapy. Two of these pts had CSF cytology positive for tumor seeding. Additionally, 8 pts received a total dose to the tumor volume of ≤ 4800 cGy without chemotherapy. The 5-yr DFS was 100%. Five pts were treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy followed

Intracranial germinomas: a case for low dose radiation therapy alone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harrigan, Patricia M; Loeffler, Jay S; Shrieve, Dennis; Tarbell, Nancy J

1995-07-01

Purpose: To determine the optimal dose and treatment outcome of patients treated with radiation for intracranial germinoma. Materials and Methods: Between 1975 and 1995, 39 patients with a diagnosis of intracranial germinoma were treated with radiation (RT) to the central nervous system. All but one pt received whole brain (WB) RT, (median dose: 3240 cGy range: 1500-4437 cGy) and a boost to the tumor volume (median total tumor volume dose: 5200 cGy, range: 3960-5950 cGy). Thirty-one pts received RT to the spine (median dose: 2500, range: 1875-3750). Eleven pts were treated with low dose RT and a tumor volume boost, (WB dose {<=} 2550 cGy, and spine dose {<=} 2160 cGy). Five pts were treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy and low dose WB RT. Fifteen pts were biopsy-proven and 18 presented with multiple midline germinomas (MMG). Among all pts, 33% had serum or CSF positive for low levels of HCG and none of 19 (9 biopsy-proven) germinomas measured positive for AFP tumor marker. Six of 22 (27%) pts who had spine imaging or CSF cytology had evidence of tumor seeding. The male-to female-ratio was 1.4. Median age at diagnosis was 14 yrs for male pts and 9.5 yrs for females (p=.02, overall age range: 1-31 yrs). Median follow-up for survivors is 64 months (range: 1-226 months). Toxicity of treatment relative to dose was assessed. Results: The 5-yr. actuarial rate of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival for presumed germinomas was 97%. No pts died of germinoma. One pt died of a shunt infection who had received concurrent chemotherapy and low dose whole brain RT. Among the low dose RT alone group 6 pts received whole brain RT of {<=} 2550 cGy and 9 pts were treated with spinal RT of {<=} 2160 cGy without chemotherapy. Two of these pts had CSF cytology positive for tumor seeding. Additionally, 8 pts received a total dose to the tumor volume of {<=} 4800 cGy without chemotherapy. The 5-yr DFS was 100%. Five pts were treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy

Reactor Emergency Action Level Monitor: Volume 2, REALM user's reference guide: Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Touchton, R.A.

1988-09-01

A User Manual for the Reactor Emergency Action Level Monitor (REALM) expert system prototype is provided in this volume. REALM has been designed to provide expert assistance in the identification of a nuclear power plant emergency situation and the determination of its severity. REALM has been developed as an expert system which can provide sensor interpretation and situation assessment in a real-time processing environment. In its state of development at project completion, these capabilities are used in an off-line (i.e., stand-alone, desktop) fashion to provide emergency preparedness assistance in the areas of emergency classification training and emergency exercise scenario generation. REALM also serves a prototype and stepping-stone for the possible connection to the plant for on-line use. In order to distinguish the off-line system (now complete) from the on-line system (now moving from a research prototype to an installed system), the term ''REALM'' is used to indicate the on-line version, with users in the control room, technical support center, and the emergency operations facility, The off-line version is referred to as ''uREALM.''

Productivity of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L. stands on chernozem in Vojvodina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrašev Siniša

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the elements of growth of black locust trees and stands in 15 sample plots in Vojvodina, at the age of 21-68 years. In each sample plot, based on soil profile horizons the determined soil type was chernozem as well as its lower systematic units (subtype, variety and form, according to the Škorić et al. (1985 classification. On the basis of the mean stand heights (hL, the stands on the subtype of chernozem on loess and loesslike sediments belong to height classes I-IV, and stands on calcareous aeolian sand to classes II-V (according to R e d e i et al. 2014, which indicates their considerable variability with respect to productivity within the determined subtypes of chernozem. Significant differences at the level of chernozem subtypes were found between the mean heights (p = 0.032, but not between the mean diameters (p = 0.083. The mean diameters at breast height in the studied black locust stands were on average lower than the models of diameter growth for the appropriate height classes and determined by a larger number of trees per hectare than in the tables (R e d e i et al, 2014. The volume per hectare is higher than in the tables also being conditioned by the large number of trees per hectare. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III43007: Istraživanje klimatskih promena na životnu sredinu: praćenje uticaja, adaptacija i ublažavanje

Cavity Shaving plus Lumpectomy versus Lumpectomy Alone for Patients with Breast Cancer Undergoing Breast-Conserving Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ke Wang

Full Text Available The margin status is a well-established prognostic predictor for patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery (BCS. Recent data suggested that cavity shaving in addition to lumpectomy might be a promising approach for improving the clinical outcomes. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety between cavity shaving plus lumpectomy and lumpectomy alone with a systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases for studies comparing cavity shaving with lumpectomy before June 10, 2016. Both comparative studies and self-control studies were included. A random-effects model was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs for positive margin rate, reoperation rate, recurrence rate, and weighted mean difference (WMD for excised tissue volume. Twenty-six studies were included in the meta-analysis. The cavity shaving group had a significantly lower positive margin rate than the BCS-alone group (16.4% vs. 31.9%; OR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.32-0.53, P < 0.05. Cavity shaving was associated with a significantly decreased rate of reoperation (OR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.30-0.59, P < 0.05. The overall locoregional rate was low for cavity shaving and BCS-alone (3% vs. 4%. Cavity shaving had no significant effect on the risk of locoregional recurrence (OR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.32-2.35; P = 0.78. The excised tissue volume did not differ substantially between cavity shaving and BCS alone (WMD = -23.88, 95% CI -55.20 to 7.44, P = 0.14. For patients undergoing BCS, additional cavity shaving was an effective method to decrease the positive margin rate and avoid reoperation. The addition of cavity shaving did not appear to have excessive excised tissue volume compared with partial mastectomy alone.

Informing Approaches in Establishing Stand Alone Community ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Literacy is usually considered the ability to read at a basic level. Now it is beginning to be defined more broadly to include applying reading, writing, and mathematical skills to obtain and use information and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function in society, to achieve one's goals and develop one's ...

STRESS ANALYSIS PADA STAND SHOCK ABSORBERS SEPEDA MOTOR DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN SOFTWARE INVENTOR 2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asroni Asroni

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Dudukan Peredam Kejut (Stand Shock Absorbers pada sepeda motor ada dua bagian atas dan bawah. Stand Shock Absorbers pada bagian atas terdapat batang poros berguna untuk menyatukan Shock Absorbers dengan rangka. Sementara yang di atas untuk memperkuat garpu agar tetap pada posisinya saat bekerja meredam getaran[1]. Pemodelan Stand Shock Absorbers menggunakan Metode Elemen Hingga dengan pembebanan sebesar 1000 N, 63.135 N ke arah vektor X dan 998.005 N ke arah vektor Y. material yang digunakan Besi Tuang dengan Massa Jenis 7.15 g/cm3, Massa 0.0408248 kg, Luas Area 5182.95 mm2 dan Volume 5709.76 mm3. Analisis tegangan menggunakan Software berbasis elemen hingga Inventor 2015. Hasil simulasi dapat ditarik kesimpulan bahwa Tegangan (Stress yang terbesar (Maksimum Stress terjadi ke arah vektor ZZ dengan nilai 40.3231 MPa, Regangan (Strain yang terbesar (Maksimum Strain terjadi ke arah vektor ZZ dengan nilai 0.000313922 ul dan Perpindahan (Displacement yang terbesar terjadi ke arah vektor Z dengan nilai 0.0195378 mm.

Overdetermined shooting methods for computing standing water waves with spectral accuracy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilkening, Jon; Yu Jia

2012-01-01

A high-performance shooting algorithm is developed to compute time-periodic solutions of the free-surface Euler equations with spectral accuracy in double and quadruple precision. The method is used to study resonance and its effect on standing water waves. We identify new nucleation mechanisms in which isolated large-amplitude solutions, and closed loops of such solutions, suddenly exist for depths below a critical threshold. We also study degenerate and secondary bifurcations related to Wilton's ripples in the traveling case, and explore the breakdown of self-similarity at the crests of extreme standing waves. In shallow water, we find that standing waves take the form of counter-propagating solitary waves that repeatedly collide quasi-elastically. In deep water with surface tension, we find that standing waves resemble counter-propagating depression waves. We also discuss the existence and non-uniqueness of solutions, and smooth versus erratic dependence of Fourier modes on wave amplitude and fluid depth. In the numerical method, robustness is achieved by posing the problem as an overdetermined nonlinear system and using either adjoint-based minimization techniques or a quadratically convergent trust-region method to minimize the objective function. Efficiency is achieved in the trust-region approach by parallelizing the Jacobian computation, so the setup cost of computing the Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator in the variational equation is not repeated for each column. Updates of the Jacobian are also delayed until the previous Jacobian ceases to be useful. Accuracy is maintained using spectral collocation with optional mesh refinement in space, a high-order Runge–Kutta or spectral deferred correction method in time and quadruple precision for improved navigation of delicate regions of parameter space as well as validation of double-precision results. Implementation issues for transferring much of the computation to a graphic processing units are briefly

Learning to Stand: The Acceptability and Feasibility of Introducing Standing Desks into College Classrooms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto M. Benzo

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Prolonged sedentary behavior is an independent risk factor for multiple negative health outcomes. Evidence supports introducing standing desks into K-12 classrooms and work settings to reduce sitting time, but no studies have been conducted in the college classroom environment. The present study explored the acceptability and feasibility of introducing standing desks in college classrooms. A total of 993 students and 149 instructors completed a single online needs assessment survey. This cross-sectional study was conducted during the fall semester of 2015 at a large Midwestern University. The large majority of students (95% reported they would prefer the option to stand in class. Most students (82.7% reported they currently sit during their entire class time. Most students (76.6% and instructors (86.6% reported being in favor of introducing standing desks into college classrooms. More than half of students and instructors predicted having access to standing desks in class would improve student’s “physical health”, “attention”, and “restlessness”. Collectively, these findings support the acceptability of introducing standing desks in college classrooms. Future research is needed to test the feasibility, cost-effectiveness and efficacy of introducing standing desks in college classrooms. Such studies would be useful for informing institutional policies regarding classroom designs.

Juvenile wood volume and its proportion to stem volume vs. selected biometric features of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L. trees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arkadiusz Tomczak

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to determine whether there is a correlation between breast height diameter, tree height and stem total volume of Scots pines, on the one hand, and volume and proportion of juvenile wood, on the other. The investigations comprised pure pine stands of the IInd, IIIrd, IVth and Vth age classes developed in conditions of fresh mixed coniferous forest. A distinct curvilinear correlation was found between volume and proportion of juvenile wood in tree stems and breast height diameter, height and stem total volume. Because of high values of determination coefficients (R2, which characterised the above-mentioned correlations, it seems appropriate to use these regularities to assess the quality of the timber raw material regarding the proportions of its volume and juvenile wood in stems of Scots pine trees.

Measurements of stem diameter: implications for individual- and stand-level errors.

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, Keryn I; Larmour, John S; Roxburgh, Stephen H; England, Jacqueline R; Davies, Micah J; Luck, Hamish D

2017-08-01

Stem diameter is one of the most common measurements made to assess the growth of woody vegetation, and the commercial and environmental benefits that it provides (e.g. wood or biomass products, carbon sequestration, landscape remediation). Yet inconsistency in its measurement is a continuing source of error in estimates of stand-scale measures such as basal area, biomass, and volume. Here we assessed errors in stem diameter measurement through repeated measurements of individual trees and shrubs of varying size and form (i.e. single- and multi-stemmed) across a range of contrasting stands, from complex mixed-species plantings to commercial single-species plantations. We compared a standard diameter tape with a Stepped Diameter Gauge (SDG) for time efficiency and measurement error. Measurement errors in diameter were slightly (but significantly) influenced by size and form of the tree or shrub, and stem height at which the measurement was made. Compared to standard tape measurement, the mean systematic error with SDG measurement was only -0.17 cm, but varied between -0.10 and -0.52 cm. Similarly, random error was relatively large, with standard deviations (and percentage coefficients of variation) averaging only 0.36 cm (and 3.8%), but varying between 0.14 and 0.61 cm (and 1.9 and 7.1%). However, at the stand scale, sampling errors (i.e. how well individual trees or shrubs selected for measurement of diameter represented the true stand population in terms of the average and distribution of diameter) generally had at least a tenfold greater influence on random errors in basal area estimates than errors in diameter measurements. This supports the use of diameter measurement tools that have high efficiency, such as the SDG. Use of the SDG almost halved the time required for measurements compared to the diameter tape. Based on these findings, recommendations include the following: (i) use of a tape to maximise accuracy when developing allometric models, or when

A macroecological analysis of SERA derived forest heights and implications for forest volume remote sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Brolly, Matthew; Woodhouse, Iain H; Niklas, Karl J; Hammond, Sean T

2012-01-01

Individual trees have been shown to exhibit strong relationships between DBH, height and volume. Often such studies are cited as justification for forest volume or standing biomass estimation through remote sensing. With resolution of common satellite remote sensing systems generally too low to resolve individuals, and a need for larger coverage, these systems rely on descriptive heights, which account for tree collections in forests. For remote sensing and allometric applications, this height is not entirely understood in terms of its location. Here, a forest growth model (SERA) analyzes forest canopy height relationships with forest wood volume. Maximum height, mean, H₁₀₀, and Lorey's height are examined for variability under plant number density, resource and species. Our findings, shown to be allometrically consistent with empirical measurements for forested communities world-wide, are analyzed for implications to forest remote sensing techniques such as LiDAR and RADAR. Traditional forestry measures of maximum height, and to a lesser extent H₁₀₀ and Lorey's, exhibit little consistent correlation with forest volume across modeled conditions. The implication is that using forest height to infer volume or biomass from remote sensing requires species and community behavioral information to infer accurate estimates using height alone. SERA predicts mean height to provide the most consistent relationship with volume of the height classifications studied and overall across forest variations. This prediction agrees with empirical data collected from conifer and angiosperm forests with plant densities ranging between 10²-10⁶ plants/hectare and heights 6-49 m. Height classifications investigated are potentially linked to radar scattering centers with implications for allometry. These findings may be used to advance forest biomass estimation accuracy through remote sensing. Furthermore, Lorey's height with its specific relationship to remote sensing

Effects of a stand-alone web-based electronic screening and brief intervention targeting alcohol use in university students of legal drinking age: A randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Ganz, Thomas; Braun, Michael; Laging, Marion; Schermelleh-Engel, Karin; Michalak, Johannes; Heidenreich, Thomas

2018-02-01

Many intervention efforts targeting student drinking were developed to address US college students, which usually involves underage drinking. It remains unclear, if research evidence from these interventions is generalizable to university and college students of legal drinking age, e.g., in Europe. To evaluate the effectiveness of a translated and adapted version of the eCHECKUP TO GO, applied as stand-alone web-based electronic screening and brief intervention (e-SBI), in German university students at risk for hazardous drinking. A fully automated web-based two-arm parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted. Participants were randomized to an e-SBI or assessment-only (AO) condition. The current paper analyzed students with baseline AUDIT-C scores ≥3 for women and ≥4 for men (sample at baseline: e-SBI [n=514], AO [n=467]; 3-month follow-up: e-SBI [n=194], AO [n=231]; 6-month follow-up: e-SBI [n=146], AO [n=200]). The primary outcome was prior four weeks' alcohol consumption. Secondary outcomes were frequency of heavy drinking occasions, peak blood alcohol concentration, and number of alcohol-related problems. Mixed linear model analyses revealed significant interaction effects between groups and time points on the primary outcome after 3 and 6months. Compared to students in the AO condition, students in the e-SBI condition reported consuming 4.11 fewer standard drinks during the previous four weeks after 3months, and 4.78 fewer standard drinks after 6months. Mixed results were found on secondary outcomes. The results indicate that evidence on and knowledge of web-based e-SBIs based on US college student samples is transferable to German university students of legal drinking age. However, knowledge of what motivates students to complete programs under voluntary conditions, although rare, is needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, Volume 5, 1984.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaplan, Robert B., Ed.

This volume of the annual review includes introductory remarks by G. Richard Tucker and these papers: "Current Issues in Bilingualism: An Update of Directions in Research" (Braj B. Kachru); "Psycholinguistics: Application. The Writing System as a Native Language for the Deaf" (Danny D. Steinberg); "Sociolinguistics: Theory" (Monica Heller);…

Multi-site evaluation of a computer aided detection (CAD) algorithm for small acute intra-cranial hemorrhage and development of a stand-alone CAD system ready for deployment in a clinical environment

Science.gov (United States)

Deshpande, Ruchi R.; Fernandez, James; Lee, Joon K.; Chan, Tao; Liu, Brent J.; Huang, H. K.

2010-03-01

Timely detection of Acute Intra-cranial Hemorrhage (AIH) in an emergency environment is essential for the triage of patients suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury. Moreover, the small size of lesions and lack of experience on the reader's part could lead to difficulties in the detection of AIH. A CT based CAD algorithm for the detection of AIH has been developed in order to improve upon the current standard of identification and treatment of AIH. A retrospective analysis of the algorithm has already been carried out with 135 AIH CT studies with 135 matched normal head CT studies from the Los Angeles County General Hospital/ University of Southern California Hospital System (LAC/USC). In the next step, AIH studies have been collected from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and are currently being processed using the AIH CAD system as part of implementing a multi-site assessment and evaluation of the performance of the algorithm. The sensitivity and specificity numbers from the Walter Reed study will be compared with the numbers from the LAC/USC study to determine if there are differences in the presentation and detection due to the difference in the nature of trauma between the two sites. Simultaneously, a stand-alone system with a user friendly GUI has been developed to facilitate implementation in a clinical setting.

Ovarian volume throughout life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kelsey, Thomas W; Dodwell, Sarah K; Wilkinson, A Graham

2013-01-01

conception to 82 years of age. This model shows that 69% of the variation in ovarian volume is due to age alone. We have shown that in the average case ovarian volume rises from 0.7 mL (95% CI 0.4-1.1 mL) at 2 years of age to a peak of 7.7 mL (95% CI 6.5-9.2 mL) at 20 years of age with a subsequent decline...... to about 2.8 mL (95% CI 2.7-2.9 mL) at the menopause and smaller volumes thereafter. Our model allows us to generate normal values and ranges for ovarian volume throughout life. This is the first validated normative model of ovarian volume from conception to old age; it will be of use in the diagnosis......The measurement of ovarian volume has been shown to be a useful indirect indicator of the ovarian reserve in women of reproductive age, in the diagnosis and management of a number of disorders of puberty and adult reproductive function, and is under investigation as a screening tool for ovarian...

Endoscopic Lung Volume Reduction : An Expert Panel Recommendation - Update 2017

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Herth, Felix J. F.; Slebos, Dirk-Jan; Criner, Gerard J.; Shah, Pallav L.

2017-01-01

Interest in endoscopic lung volume reduction (ELVR) technologies for emphysema is consistently growing. In the last couple of months, several endoscopic options (e.g., endo-or intrabronchial valves, coil implants, and thermal vapor ablation) that have been evaluated in randomized controlled trials

Access to capital: implications for hospital consolidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Grauman, Daniel M; Harris, John M; Martin, Christine

2010-04-01

Recent economic challenges have left many independent hospitals and their boards concerned about long-term viability of their organizations as stand-alone facilities. The CFO's role should be to facilitate a candid, objective assessment of the organization's ability to continue to go it alone. Key indicators that should be considered in such an assessment include patient volume, degree of physician alignment, profitability, current debt burden, cash, available capital versus capital requirements, and credit rating changes.

Chondrosarcoma: With Updates on Molecular Genetics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mi-Jung Kim

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Chondrosarcoma (CHS is a malignant cartilage-forming tumor and usually occurs within the medullary canal of long bones and pelvic bones. Based on the morphologic feature alone, a correct diangosis of CHS may be difficult, Therefore, correlation of radiological and clinicopathological features is mandatory in the diagnosis of CHS. The prognosis of CHS is closely related to histologic grading, however, histologic grading may be subjective with high inter-observer variability. In this paper, we present histologic grading system and clinicopathological and radiological findings of conventional CHS. Subtypes of CHSs, such as dedifferentiated, mesenchymal, and clear cell CHSs are also presented. In addition, we introduce updated cytogenetic and molecular genetic findings to expand our understanding of CHS biology. New markers of cell differentiation, proliferation, and cell signaling might offer important therapeutic and prognostic information in near future.

STANDING CONCERTATION COMMMITTEE - ORDINARY MEETING ON 3 APRIL 2008

CERN Multimedia

HR Department

2008-01-01

The main items discussed at the meetings of the Standing Concertation Committee on 3 April 2008 included: External mobility The Committee took note of a progress report on external mobility after a run-in period of about six months. Based on the experience gained, it was agreed to broaden the scope of the programme and in particular to extend eligibility conditions to include: All staff members whose limited duration contract will end in less than one year, as well as all those with indefinite contracts; Fellows who have been employed by CERN for more than 18 months; Doctoral students who have been in the CERN doctoral programme for more than 2.5 years; Apprentices in the final year of their apprenticeship; Ex-members of the personnel who are receiving CERN unemployment benefits. An article in the Weekly Bulletin will follow and the relevant web pages will be updated. LHC achievement awards The Committee took note of the outcome of discussions between the Management and t...

Testing the effectiveness of simplified search strategies for updating systematic reviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, Maureen; Ali, Muhammad Usman; Fitzpatrick-Lewis, Donna; Kenny, Meghan; Raina, Parminder; Sherifali, Diana

2017-08-01

The objective of the study was to test the overall effectiveness of a simplified search strategy (SSS) for updating systematic reviews. We identified nine systematic reviews undertaken by our research group for which both comprehensive and SSS updates were performed. Three relevant performance measures were estimated, that is, sensitivity, precision, and number needed to read (NNR). The update reference searches for all nine included systematic reviews identified a total of 55,099 citations that were screened resulting in final inclusion of 163 randomized controlled trials. As compared with reference search, the SSS resulted in 8,239 hits and had a median sensitivity of 83.3%, while precision and NNR were 4.5 times better. During analysis, we found that the SSS performed better for clinically focused topics, with a median sensitivity of 100% and precision and NNR 6 times better than for the reference searches. For broader topics, the sensitivity of the SSS was 80% while precision and NNR were 5.4 times better compared with reference search. SSS performed well for clinically focused topics and, with a median sensitivity of 100%, could be a viable alternative to a conventional comprehensive search strategy for updating this type of systematic reviews particularly considering the budget constraints and the volume of new literature being published. For broader topics, 80% sensitivity is likely to be considered too low for a systematic review update in most cases, although it might be acceptable if updating a scoping or rapid review. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of mastication on reaction latency to unanticipated external disturbances in the standing position.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaji, Keisuke; Katoh, Munenori; Isozaki, Koji; Aizawa, Junya; Masuda, Tadashi; Morita, Sadao

2012-12-03

Previous research has shown that mastication reduces shifts in the center of gravity of persons standing still. The present research was conducted to determine whether mastication improves reactive balance in the standing position in response to unanticipated external disturbances. The subjects were 32 healthy male adults (mean age 21.1 years, standard deviation (SD) 0.7 years). Latency data determined with the Motor Control Test of Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP) were compared for the three conditions of mastication status, the direction of translation, and the magnitude of translation, using three-way repeated measures ANOVA and lower-order ANOVA with the three conditions separated. Latency was significantly shorter with mastication than with the lower jaw relaxed (P Mastication alone, however, cannot be considered significant because of the complex interactions involved among the three conditions. Mastication increases not only static balance but also reactive balance in response to unanticipated external disturbances. Gum chewing may therefore reduce falls among elderly persons with impaired balance.

Multi-Purpose Test Stand

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Multi-Purpose Test Stand is used for a wide variety of tests. The Stand is designed to be rotated through a range of fixed yaw positions to allow engines to be...

Color structured light system of chest wall motion measurement for respiratory volume evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Huijun; Cheng, Yuan; Liu, Dongdong; Zhang, Xiaodong; Zhang, Jue; Que, Chengli; Wang, Guangfa; Fang, Jing

2010-03-01

We present a structured light system to dynamically measure human chest wall motion for respiratory volume estimation. Based on a projection of an encoded color pattern and a few active markers attached to the trunk, respiratory volumes are obtained by evaluating the 3-D topographic changes of the chest wall in an anatomically consistent measuring region during respiration. Three measuring setups are established: a single-sided illuminating-recording setup for standing posture, an inclined single-sided setup for supine posture, and a double-sided setup for standing posture. Results are compared with the pneumotachography and show good agreement in volume estimations [correlation coefficient: R>0.99 (Pvolume during the isovolume maneuver (standard deviationpulmonary functional differences between the diseased and the contralateral sides of the thorax, and subsequent improvement of this imbalance after drainage. These results demonstrate the proposed optical method is capable of not only whole respiratory volume evaluation with high accuracy, but also regional pulmonary function assessment in different chest wall behaviors, with the advantage of whole-field measurement.

Using a stand-level model to predict light absorption in stands with vertically and horizontally heterogeneous canopies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David I Forrester

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background Forest ecosystem functioning is strongly influenced by the absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (APAR, and therefore, accurate predictions of APAR are critical for many process-based forest growth models. The Lambert-Beer law can be applied to estimate APAR for simple homogeneous canopies composed of one layer, one species, and no canopy gaps. However, the vertical and horizontal structure of forest canopies is rarely homogeneous. Detailed tree-level models can account for this heterogeneity but these often have high input and computational demands and work on finer temporal and spatial resolutions than required by stand-level growth models. The aim of this study was to test a stand-level light absorption model that can estimate APAR by individual species in mixed-species and multi-layered stands with any degree of canopy openness including open-grown trees to closed canopies. Methods The stand-level model was compared with a detailed tree-level model that has already been tested in mixed-species stands using empirical data. Both models were parameterised for five different forests, including a wide range of species compositions, species proportions, stand densities, crown architectures and canopy structures. Results The stand-level model performed well in all stands except in the stand where extinction coefficients were unusually variable and it appears unlikely that APAR could be predicted in such stands using (tree- or stand-level models that do not allow individuals of a given species to have different extinction coefficients, leaf-area density or analogous parameters. Conclusion This model is parameterised with species-specific information about extinction coefficients and mean crown length, diameter, height and leaf area. It could be used to examine light dynamics in complex canopies and in stand-level growth models.

Human-system interface design review guideline -- Process and guidelines: Final report. Revision 1, Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-06-01

NUREG-0700, Revision 1, provides human factors engineering (HFE) guidance to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff for its: (1) review of the human system interface (HSI) design submittals prepared by licensees or applications for a license or design certification of commercial nuclear power plants, and (2) performance of HSI reviews that could be undertaken as part of an inspection or other type of regulatory review involving HSI design or incidents involving human performance. The guidance consists of a review process and HFE guidelines. The document describes those aspects of the HSI design review process that are important to the identification and resolution of human engineering discrepancies that could adversely affect plant safety. Guidance is provided that could be used by the staff to review an applicant's HSI design review process or to guide the development of an HSI design review plan, e.g., as part of an inspection activity. The document also provides detailed HFE guidelines for the assessment of HSI design implementations. NUREG-0700, Revision 1, consists of three stand-alone volumes. Volume 1 consists of two major parts. Part 1 describes those aspects of the review process of the HSI design that are important to identifying and resolving human engineering discrepancies. Part 2 contains detailed guidelines for a human factors engineering review which identify criteria for assessing the implementation of an applicant's or licensee's HSI design

A Stand-Class Growth and Yield Model for Mexico’s Northern Temperate, Mixed and Multiaged Forests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Návar

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research was to develop a stand-class growth and yield model based on the diameter growth dynamics of Pinus spp. and Quercus spp. of Mexico’s mixed temperate forests. Using a total of 2663 temporary, circular-sampling plots of 1000 m2 each, nine Weibull distribution techniques of parameter estimation were fitted to the diameter structures of pines and oaks. Statistical equations using stand attributes and the first three moments of the diameter distribution predicted and recovered the Weibull parameters. Using nearly 1200 and 100 harvested trees for pines and oaks, respectively, I developed the total height versus diameter at breast height relationship by fitting three non-linear functions. The Newnham model predicted stem taper and numerical integration was done to estimate merchantable timber volume for all trees in the stand for each diameter class. The independence of the diameter structures of pines and oaks was tested by regressing the Weibull parameters and projecting diameter structures. The model predicts diameter distributions transition from exponential (J inverse, logarithmic to well-balanced distributions with increasing mean stand diameter at breast height. Pine diameter distributions transition faster and the model predicts independent growth rates between pines and oaks. The stand-class growth and yield model must be completed with the diameter-age relationship for oaks in order to carry a full optimization procedure to find stand density and genera composition to maximize forest growth.

Oak Ridge Reservation environmental report for 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koncinski, W.S.

1993-09-01

The two volumes of this report present data and supporting narratives regarding the impact of the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) on its environs and the public during 1992. Volume 1 includes all narrative descriptions, summaries, and conclusions and is intended to be a ''stand-alone'' report for the reader who does not want to review in detail all of the 1992 data for the ORR. This volume (volume 2) includes the detailed data in formats that ensure all the environmental data are presented. Narratives are not included in Vol. 2

Oak Ridge Reservation environmental report for 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koncinski, W.S.

1993-09-01

The two volumes of this report present data and supporting narratives regarding the impact of the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) on its environs and the public during 1992. This Volume (Volume 1) includes all narrative descriptions, summaries, and conclusions and is intended to be a ''stand-alone'' report for the reader who does not want to review in detail all of the 1992 data for the ORR. Volume 2 includes the detailed data in formats that ensure all the environmental data are represented. Narratives are not included in Vol. 2

Production and validation of ORIGEN-S libraries from JEF2.2 and EAF3 data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoogenboom, J.E. [Technische Univ. Delft (Netherlands). Interfacultair Reactor Inst.; Kloosterman, J.L. [Netherlands Energy Research Foundation (ECN), Petten (Netherlands)

1995-12-01

The data libraries for light elements, actinides and fission products of the ORIGEN-S code for depletion and transmutation calculations in the SCALE4.1 computer code system have been updated with respect to cross-section data, radioactive-decay data and fission-product yield data using JEF2.2 as the basic data source and EAF3 as an additional source. This required the fission-product library to be extended with 201 new fission-product nuclides or isomeric states. The effect of the update of different quantities involved is evaluated with a burnup benchmark. When ORIGEN-S is used as a stand-alone code, i.e without regular update of cross sections of the major nuclides due to changes in the neutron spectrum during burnup, the results show appreciable differences in actinide and fission-product densities due to the cross-section update. The effects of decay data and fission-product yield updates are generally small, but with noticeable exceptions. The update of fission and capture reaction energies gives a small but systematic change in actinide and fission-product concentration. (orig.).

Hydrogen-based energy storage unit for stand alone PV systems; L'hydrogene electrolytique comme moyen de stockage d'electricite pour systemes photovoltaiques isoles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Labbe, J

2006-12-15

Stand alone systems supplied only by a photovoltaic generator need an energy storage unit to be fully self sufficient. Lead acid batteries are commonly used to store energy because of their low cost, despite several operational constraints. A hydrogen-based energy storage unit (HESU) could be another candidate, including an electrolyser, a fuel cell and a hydrogen tank. However many efforts still need to be carried out for this technology to reach an industrial stage. In particular, market outlets must be clearly identified. The study of small stationary applications (few kW) is performed by numerical simulations. A simulator is developed in the Matlab/Simulink environment. It is mainly composed of a photovoltaic field and a storage unit (lead acid batteries, HESU, or hybrid storage HESU/batteries). The system component sizing is achieved in order to ensure the complete system autonomy over a whole year of operation. The simulator is tested with 160 load profiles (1 kW as a yearly mean value) and three locations (Algeria, France and Norway). Two coefficients are set in order to quantify the correlation between the power consumption of the end user and the renewable resource availability at both daily and yearly scales. Among the tested cases, a limit value of the yearly correlation coefficient came out, enabling to recommend the use of the most adapted storage to a considered case. There are cases for which using HESU instead of lead acid batteries can increase the system efficiency, decrease the size of the photovoltaic field and improve the exploitation of the renewable resource. In addition, hybridization of HESU with batteries always leads to system enhancements regarding its sizing and performance, with an efficiency increase by 10 to 40 % depending on the considered location. The good agreement between the simulation data and field data gathered on real systems enabled the validation of the models used in this study. (author)

Thinning in artificially regenerated young beech stands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Novák Jiří

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Although beech stands are usually regenerated naturally, an area of up to 5,000 ha year−1 is artificially regenerated by beech in the Czech Republic annually. Unfortunately, these stands often showed insufficient stand density and, consequently, lower quality of stems. Therefore, thinning methods developed for naturally regenerated beech stands are applicable with difficulties. The paper evaluates the data from two thinning experiments established in young artificially regenerated beech stands located in different growing conditions. In both experiments, thinning resulted in the lower amount of salvage cut in following years. Positive effect of thinning on periodic stand basal area increment and on periodic diameter increment of dominant trees was found in the beech stand located at middle elevations. On the other hand, thinning effects in mountain conditions were negligible. Thinning focusing on future stand quality cannot be commonly applied in artificially regenerated beech stands because of their worse initial quality and lower density. However, these stands show good growth and response to thinning, hence their management can be focused on maximising beech wood production.

Refrigeration system having standing wave compressor

Science.gov (United States)

Lucas, Timothy S.

1992-01-01

A compression-evaporation refrigeration system, wherein gaseous compression of the refrigerant is provided by a standing wave compressor. The standing wave compressor is modified so as to provide a separate subcooling system for the refrigerant, so that efficiency losses due to flashing are reduced. Subcooling occurs when heat exchange is provided between the refrigerant and a heat pumping surface, which is exposed to the standing acoustic wave within the standing wave compressor. A variable capacity and variable discharge pressure for the standing wave compressor is provided. A control circuit simultaneously varies the capacity and discharge pressure in response to changing operating conditions, thereby maintaining the minimum discharge pressure needed for condensation to occur at any time. Thus, the power consumption of the standing wave compressor is reduced and system efficiency is improved.

MIT wavelength tables. Volume 2. Wavelengths by element

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phelps, F.M. III.

1982-01-01

This volume is the first stage of a project to expand and update the MIT wavelength tables first compiled in the 1930's. For 109,325 atomic emission lines, arranged by element, it presents wavelength in air, wavelength in vacuum, wave number and intensity. All data are stored on computer-readable magnetic tape

The Influence of Residual Stand Densities on Regeneration in Sugar Maple Stands

Science.gov (United States)

Carl H. Tubbs

1968-01-01

Studies of regeneration 2, 5, and 10 years after cutting mature and overmature sugar maple stands to several residual densities show that (1) sugar maple is still the predominant species under all stand densities (2) nearly all regeneration reaching larger size classes became established before cutting (3) heavier cuttings (30, 50, and 70 square feet) are more rapidly...

Planter unit test stand

Science.gov (United States)

A planter test stand was developed to evaluate individual row-crop metering units in early 2013. This test stand provided the ability to quantify actual seed metering in terms of population, seed spacing, skips, and multiples over a range of meter RPMs and vacuum pressures. Preliminary data has been...

Volume and weight characteristics of a typical Douglas-fir/ western larch stand, Coram Experimental Forest, Montana

Science.gov (United States)

Robert E. Benson; Joyce A. Schlieter

1980-01-01

An over-mature Douglas-fir/western larch stand on the Coram Experimental Forest in Montana averaged about 7,300 ft3/acre (511 rn3/ha) of wood over 3 inches (7.62 cm) in diameter, and an additional 57 tons/acre (128/ha) of fine material, before harvest. After logging, using three different cutting methods and four different levels of utilization, wood residues ranged...

n ammasai gounden

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Sadhana. N AMMASAI GOUNDEN. Articles written in Sadhana. Volume 42 Issue 2 February 2017 pp 173-185. Wind-driven stand-alone DFIG with battery and pumped hydro storage system · K NAVIN SAM N KUMARESAN N AMMASAI GOUNDEN · More Details Abstract Fulltext PDF. A wind-driven doubly ...

Methodology to Forecast Volume and Cost of Cancer Drugs in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yehoda M. Martei

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Purpose: In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs, frequent outages of the stock of cancer drugs undermine cancer care delivery and are potentially fatal for patients with cancer. The aim of this study is to describe a methodologic approach to forecast chemotherapy volume and estimate cost that can be readily updated and applied in most LMICs. Methods: Prerequisite data for forecasting are population-based incidence data and cost estimates per unit of drug to be ordered. We used the supplementary guidelines from the WHO list of essential medicines for cancer to predict treatment plans and ordering patterns. We used de-identified aggregate data from the Botswana National Cancer Registry to estimate incident cases. The WHO Management Sciences for Health International Price Indicator was used to estimate unit costs per drug. Results: Chemotherapy volume required for incident cancer cases was estimated as the product of the standardized dose required to complete a full treatment regimen per patient, with a given cancer diagnosis and stage, multiplied by the total number of incident cancer cases with the respective diagnosis. The estimated chemotherapy costs to treat the 10 most common cancers in the public health care sector of Botswana is approximately 2.3 million US dollars. An estimated 66% of the budget is allocated to costs of rituximab and trastuzumab alone, which are used by approximately 10% of the cancer population. Conclusion: This method provides a reproducible approach to forecast chemotherapy volume and cost in LMICs. The chemotherapy volume and cost outputs of this methodology provide key stakeholders with valuable information that can guide budget estimation, resource allocation, and drug-price negotiations for cancer treatment. Ultimately, this will minimize drug shortages or outages and reduce potential loss of lives that result from an erratic drug supply.

24 CFR 206.37 - Credit standing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... CONVERSION MORTGAGE INSURANCE Eligibility; Endorsement Eligible Mortgagors § 206.37 Credit standing. Each mortgagor must have a general credit standing satisfactory to the Secretary. ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Credit standing. 206.37 Section 206...

Three-dimensional instability of standing waves

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Qiang; Liu, Yuming; Yue, Dick K. P.

2003-12-01

We investigate the three-dimensional instability of finite-amplitude standing surface waves under the influence of gravity. The analysis employs the transition matrix (TM) approach and uses a new high-order spectral element (HOSE) method for computation of the nonlinear wave dynamics. HOSE is an extension of the original high-order spectral method (HOS) wherein nonlinear wave wave and wave body interactions are retained up to high order in wave steepness. Instead of global basis functions in HOS, however, HOSE employs spectral elements to allow for complex free-surface geometries and surface-piercing bodies. Exponential convergence of HOS with respect to the total number of spectral modes (for a fixed number of elements) and interaction order is retained in HOSE. In this study, we use TM-HOSE to obtain the stability of general three-dimensional perturbations (on a two-dimensional surface) on two classes of standing waves: plane standing waves in a rectangular tank; and radial/azimuthal standing waves in a circular basin. For plane standing waves, we confirm the known result of two-dimensional side-bandlike instability. In addition, we find a novel three-dimensional instability for base flow of any amplitude. The dominant component of the unstable disturbance is an oblique (standing) wave oriented at an arbitrary angle whose frequency is close to the (nonlinear) frequency of the original standing wave. This finding is confirmed by direct long-time simulations using HOSE which show that the nonlinear evolution leads to classical Fermi Pasta Ulam recurrence. For the circular basin, we find that, beyond a threshold wave steepness, a standing wave (of nonlinear frequency Omega) is unstable to three-dimensional perturbations. The unstable perturbation contains two dominant (standing-wave) components, the sum of whose frequencies is close to 2Omega. From the cases we consider, the critical wave steepness is found to generally decrease/increase with increasing radial

Update on Nonsurgical Lung Volume Reduction Procedures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Alberto Neder

2016-01-01

Full Text Available There has been a surge of interest in endoscopic lung volume reduction (ELVR strategies for advanced COPD. Valve implants, coil implants, biological LVR (BioLVR, bronchial thermal vapour ablation, and airway stents are used to induce lung deflation with the ultimate goal of improving respiratory mechanics and chronic dyspnea. Patients presenting with severe air trapping (e.g., inspiratory capacity/total lung capacity (TLC 225% predicted and thoracic hyperinflation (TLC > 150% predicted have the greatest potential to derive benefit from ELVR procedures. Pre-LVRS or ELVR assessment should ideally include cardiological evaluation, high resolution CT scan, ventilation and perfusion scintigraphy, full pulmonary function tests, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. ELVR procedures are currently available in selected Canadian research centers as part of ethically approved clinical trials. If a decision is made to offer an ELVR procedure, one-way valves are the first option in the presence of complete lobar exclusion and no significant collateral ventilation. When the fissure is not complete, when collateral ventilation is evident in heterogeneous emphysema or when emphysema is homogeneous, coil implants or BioLVR (in that order are the next logical alternatives.

A gradual update method for simulating the steady-state solution of stiff differential equations in metabolic circuits.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiraishi, Emi; Maeda, Kazuhiro; Kurata, Hiroyuki

2009-02-01

Numerical simulation of differential equation systems plays a major role in the understanding of how metabolic network models generate particular cellular functions. On the other hand, the classical and technical problems for stiff differential equations still remain to be solved, while many elegant algorithms have been presented. To relax the stiffness problem, we propose new practical methods: the gradual update of differential-algebraic equations based on gradual application of the steady-state approximation to stiff differential equations, and the gradual update of the initial values in differential-algebraic equations. These empirical methods show a high efficiency for simulating the steady-state solutions for the stiff differential equations that existing solvers alone cannot solve. They are effective in extending the applicability of dynamic simulation to biochemical network models.

Biomass equations and biomass expansion factors (BEFs) for pine (pinus spp.), spruce (picea spp.) and broadleaved dominated stands in Norway

OpenAIRE

Viken, Knut Ole

2012-01-01

Abstract The objectives of this study were (1) to develop models for estimation of stand-level tree biomass for spruce (picea spp.)- pine (pinus spp.)- and broadleaved-dominated forest in Norway and, (2) develop biomass expansion factors (BEFs; ratio of stem volume to biomass) which convert stem volume to whole tree biomass for Norwegian forest conditions. A dataset from a 5 year period (2006 – 2010) from the Norwegian National Forest Inventory (NFI) were used to develop the...

Acoustic radiation force on a sphere in standing and quasi-standing zero-order Bessel beam tweezers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitri, F.G.

2008-01-01

Starting from the exact acoustic scattering from a sphere immersed in an ideal fluid and centered along the propagation axis of a standing or quasi-standing zero-order Bessel beam, explicit partial-wave representations for the radiation force are derived. A standing or a quasi-standing acoustic field is the result of propagating two equal or unequal amplitude zero-order Bessel beams, respectively, along the same axis but in opposite sense. The Bessel beam is characterized by the half-cone angle β of its plane wave components, such that β = 0 represents a plane wave. It is assumed here that the half-cone angle β for each of the counter-propagating acoustic Bessel beams is equal. Fluid, elastic and viscoelastic spheres immersed in water are treated as examples. Results indicate the capability of manipulating spherical targets based on their mechanical and acoustical properties. This condition provides an impetus for further designing acoustic tweezers operating with standing or quasi-standing Bessel acoustic waves. Potential applications include particle manipulation in micro-fluidic lab-on-chips as well as in reduced gravity environments

Development of Flexible, Free-Standing, Thin Films for Additive Manufacturing and Localized Energy Generation

Science.gov (United States)

2015-08-10

does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. Texas Technical University Box 41035 349...upon reaction. All films were cast at a thickness of 1 mm with constant volume percent solids to ensure consistent rheological properties. The films...2005); 10.1063/1.2058175 Local dynamic mechanical properties in model free-standing polymer thin films J. Chem. Phys. 122, 144712 (2005); 10.1063

The BeUpstanding ProgramTM: Scaling up the Stand Up Australia Workplace Intervention for Translation into Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Genevieve N Healy

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Context and purpose: Too much sitting is now recognised as a common risk factor for several health outcomes, with the workplace identified as a key setting in which to address prolonged sitting time. The Stand Up Australia intervention was designed to reduce prolonged sitting in the workplace by addressing influences at multiple-levels, including the organisation, the environment, and the individual. Intervention success has been achieved within the context of randomised controlled trials, where research staff deliver several of the key intervention components. This study describes the initial step in the multi-phase process of scaling up the Stand Up Australia intervention for workplace translation. Methods: A research-government partnership was critical in funding and informing the prototype for the scaled up BeUpstanding programTM. Evidence, protocols and materials from Stand Up Australia were adapted in collaboration with funding partner Workplace Health and Safety Queensland to ensure consistency and compatibility with existing government frameworks and resources. In recognition of the key role of workplace champions in facilitating workplace health promotion programs, the BeUpstanding programTM is designed to be delivered through a stand-alone, free, website-based toolkit using a 'train the champion' approach. Key findings and significance: The BeUpstanding programTM was influenced by the increasing recognition of prolonged sitting as an emerging health issue as well as industry demand. The research-government partnership was critical in informing and resourcing the development of the scaled-up program.

miRanalyzer: an update on the detection and analysis of microRNAs in high-throughput sequencing experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Hackenberg, Michael; Rodríguez-Ezpeleta, Naiara; Aransay, Ana M.

2011-01-01

We present a new version of miRanalyzer, a web server and stand-alone tool for the detection of known and prediction of new microRNAs in high-throughput sequencing experiments. The new version has been notably improved regarding speed, scope and available features. Alignments are now based on the ultrafast short-read aligner Bowtie (granting also colour space support, allowing mismatches and improving speed) and 31 genomes, including 6 plant genomes, can now be analysed (previous version contained only 7). Differences between plant and animal microRNAs have been taken into account for the prediction models and differential expression of both, known and predicted microRNAs, between two conditions can be calculated. Additionally, consensus sequences of predicted mature and precursor microRNAs can be obtained from multiple samples, which increases the reliability of the predicted microRNAs. Finally, a stand-alone version of the miRanalyzer that is based on a local and easily customized database is also available; this allows the user to have more control on certain parameters as well as to use specific data such as unpublished assemblies or other libraries that are not available in the web server. miRanalyzer is available at http://bioinfo2.ugr.es/miRanalyzer/miRanalyzer.php. PMID:21515631

Sadhana | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Sadhana. K NAVIN SAM. Articles written in Sadhana. Volume 42 Issue 2 February 2017 pp 173-185. Wind-driven stand-alone DFIG with battery and pumped hydro storage system · K NAVIN SAM N KUMARESAN N AMMASAI GOUNDEN · More Details Abstract Fulltext PDF. A wind-driven doubly fed ...

Survey of instrumentation for environmental monitoring: major update. Volume 3. Radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1979-09-01

This is the third volume of a four-volume (seven-part) series, the culmination of a comprehensive survey of instrumentation for environmental monitoring. Consideration is given to instruments and techniques presently in use and to those developed for other purposes but having possible applications to radiation monitoring. The results of the survey are given as descriptions of the physical and operating characteristics of available instruments, critical comparisons among instrumentation methods, and recommendations of promising methodology and development of new instrumentation. Information is also given regarding the pollutants to be monitored, their characteristics and forms, their sources and pathways, their effects on the ecosystem, and the means of controlling them through process and regulatory controls. The discussion is presented under sections entitled radiation sources; instrumentation: by type of radiation or instrument type; and, instrumentation for specific radionuclides. (JGB)

Survey of instrumentation for environmental monitoring: major update. Volume 3. Radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-09-01

This is the third volume of a four-volume (seven-part) series, the culmination of a comprehensive survey of instrumentation for environmental monitoring. Consideration is given to instruments and techniques presently in use and to those developed for other purposes but having possible applications to radiation monitoring. The results of the survey are given as descriptions of the physical and operating characteristics of available instruments, critical comparisons among instrumentation methods, and recommendations of promising methodology and development of new instrumentation. Information is also given regarding the pollutants to be monitored, their characteristics and forms, their sources and pathways, their effects on the ecosystem, and the means of controlling them through process and regulatory controls. The discussion is presented under sections entitled radiation sources; instrumentation: by type of radiation or instrument type; and, instrumentation for specific radionuclides

Standing economy: does the heterogeneity in the energy cost of posture maintenance reside in differential patterns of spontaneous weight-shifting?

Science.gov (United States)

Miles-Chan, Jennifer L; Fares, Elie-Jacques; Berkachy, Redina; Jacquet, Philippe; Isacco, Laurie; Schutz, Yves; Montani, Jean-Pierre; Dulloo, Abdul G

2017-04-01

Due to sedentarity-associated disease risks, there is much interest in methods to increase low-intensity physical activity. In this context, it is widely assumed that altering posture allocation can modify energy expenditure (EE) to impact body-weight regulation and health. However, we have recently shown the existence of two distinct phenotypes pertaining to the energy cost of standing-with most individuals having no sustained increase in EE during steady-state standing relative to sitting comfortably. Here, we investigated whether these distinct phenotypes are related to the presence/absence of spontaneous "weight-shifting", i.e. the redistribution of body-weight from one foot to the other. Using indirect calorimetry to measure EE in young adults during sitting and 10 min of steady-state standing, we examined: (i) heterogeneity in EE during standing (n = 36); (ii) EE and spontaneous weight-shifting patterns (n = 18); (iii) EE during spontaneous weight-shifting versus experimentally induced weight-shifting (n = 7), and; (iv) EE during spontaneous weight-shifting versus intermittent leg/body displacement (n = 6). Despite heterogeneity in EE response to steady-state standing, no differences were found in the amount or pattern of spontaneous weight-shifting between the two phenotypes. Whilst experimentally induced weight-shifting resulted in a mean EE increase of only 11% (range: 0-25%), intermittent leg/body displacement increased EE to >1.5 METs in all participants. Although the variability in spontaneous weight-shifting signatures between individuals does not appear to underlie heterogeneity in the energy cost of standing posture maintenance, these studies underscore the fact that leg/body displacement, rather than standing posture alone, is needed to increase EE above the currently defined sedentary threshold.

Local and Global Illumination in the Volume Rendering Integral

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Max, N; Chen, M

2005-10-21

This article is intended as an update of the major survey by Max [1] on optical models for direct volume rendering. It provides a brief overview of the subject scope covered by [1], and brings recent developments, such as new shadow algorithms and refraction rendering, into the perspective. In particular, we examine three fundamentals aspects of direct volume rendering, namely the volume rendering integral, local illumination models and global illumination models, in a wavelength-independent manner. We review the developments on spectral volume rendering, in which visible light are considered as a form of electromagnetic radiation, optical models are implemented in conjunction with representations of spectral power distribution. This survey can provide a basis for, and encourage, new efforts for developing and using complex illumination models to achieve better realism and perception through optical correctness.

Free-standing biomimetic polymer membrane imaged with atomic force microscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rein, Christian; Pszon-Bartosz, Kamila Justyna; Jensen, Karin Bagger Stibius

2011-01-01

Fluid polymeric biomimetic membranes are probed with atomic force microscopy (AFM) using probes with both normal tetrahedrally shaped tips and nanoneedle-shaped Ag2Ga rods. When using nanoneedle probes, the collected force volume data show three distinct membrane regions which match the expected...... membrane structure when spanning an aperture in a hydrophobic scaffold. The method used provides a general method for mapping attractive fluid surfaces. In particular, the nanoneedle probing allows for characterization of free-standing biomimetic membranes with thickness on the nanometer scale suspended...... over 300-μm-wide apertures, where the membranes are stable toward hundreds of nanoindentations without breakage. © 2010 American Chemical Society....

Study of a stand alone power system based on a photovoltaic field, an electrolyser and a fuel cell: test bench and modelling; Etude d'un systeme autonome de production d'energie couplant un champ photovoltaique, un electrolyseur et une pile a combustible: realisation d'un banc d'essai et modelisation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Busquet, S.

2003-12-01

Our energetic future has to be based on non-polluting energies with long-term resources. Renewable energies are the best candidates but as their production is intermittent, storage way is necessary as well efficient as environmentally friendly. Coupled an electrolyser and a fuel cell allows to store electricity in gas form and furthermore to produce heat energy. The goal of this work is to evaluate performances of a stand-alone power system, producing electricity and heat, coupling a photovoltaic field and a hydrogen storage system, made of an electrolyser, a gas storage unit and a fuel cell. Hydrogen is the unique way to store electricity. To complete this task, two tools have been developed: a 3,6 kW test bench and a simulation tool. To select the test bench, a bibliographic study enables to collect the necessary information to size and to choice the system and its components. The low availability of components adapted to our application, forces us to create new devices (electrolyser, fuel cell, power management unit). The test bench is automatic and safe. Experimental analysis evaluates the efficiency of the hydrogen storage system, determining the different losses occurring in each component. Modifications are proposed to increase the performances of the storage system. The simulation tool enables to plan the operating of the test bench for a fixed load and place. This model can simulate any system based on experimental data of each component. Simulation results enable to characterise the functioning of the test bench in a stand-alone operation, to determine its performances and to evaluate the influence of the different losses. (author)

Critical length sampling: a method to estimate the volume of downed coarse woody debris

Science.gov (United States)

G& #246; ran St& #229; hl; Jeffrey H. Gove; Michael S. Williams; Mark J. Ducey

2010-01-01

In this paper, critical length sampling for estimating the volume of downed coarse woody debris is presented. Using this method, the volume of downed wood in a stand can be estimated by summing the critical lengths of down logs included in a sample obtained using a relascope or wedge prism; typically, the instrument should be tilted 90° from its usual...

Volume of emphysema.

OpenAIRE

Turner, P; Whimster, W F

1981-01-01

A method of determining the volume of emphysema in excised lungs is presented, with its validation. This method is based on macroscopic point counting using a perforated grid but only the holes (points) overlying emphysema need be counted to produce results within a percentage standard error of 5%. Application of the method shows that an adequate assessment of emphysema cannot be made from one lung slice alone, and that the amount of emphysema found in one lung cannot be used to predict the a...