Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Information and Time of Use Pricing on Irish Electricity Demand and Supply

Title of dissertation: EFFECTS OF INFORMATION AND TIME-OF-USE PRICING ON IRISH ELECTRICITY DEMAND AND SUPPLY Shirley Pon, Doctor of Philosophy, 2016 Dissertation directed by: Professor Anna Alberini Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics In this dissertation I quantify residential behavior response to interventions designed to reduce electricity demand at different periods of the day. In the first chapter, I examine the effect of information provision coupled with bimonthly billing, monthly billing, and in-home displays, as well as a time-ofuse (TOU) pricing scheme to measure consumption over each month of the Irish Consumer Behavior Trial. I find that time-of-use pricing with real time usage information reduces electricity usage up to 8.7 percent during peak times at the start of the trial but the effect decays over the first three months and after three months the in-home display group is indistinguishable from the monthly treatment group. Monthly and bi-monthly billing treatments are not found to be statistically different from another. These findings suggest that increasing billing reports to the monthly level may be more cost effective for electricity generators who wish to decrease expenses and consumption, rather than providing in-home displays. In the following chapter, I examine the response of residential households after exposure to time of use tariffs at different hours of the day. I find that these treatments reduce electricity consumption during peak hours by almost four percent, significantly lowering demand. Within the model, I find evidence of overall conservation in electricity used. In addition, weekday peak reductions appear to carry over to the weekend when peak pricing is not present, suggesting changes in consumer habit. The final chapter of my dissertation imposes a system wide time of use plan to analyze the potential reduction in carbon emissions from load shifting based on the Ireland and Northern Single Electricity Market. I find that CO2 emissions savings are highest during the winter months when load demand is highest and dirtier power plants are scheduled to meet peak demand. TOU pricing allows for shifting in usage from peak usage to off peak usage and this shift in load can be met with cleaner and cheaper generated electricity from imports, high efficiency gas units, and hydro units. EFFECTS OF INFORMATION AND TIME OF USE PRICING ON IRISH ELECTRICITY DEMAND AND SUPPLY
Successful mortality reduction and control of comorbidities in patients with acromegaly followed at a highly specialized multidisciplinary clinic.

CONTEXT Acromegaly is usually due to the excessive secretion of GH by a pituitary adenoma. It is frequently accompanied by comorbidities that compromise quality of life and results in elevated mortality rates. OBJECTIVE To evaluate mortality and morbidity in patients with acromegaly receiving multimodal care. SETTING Tertiary care center. DESIGN, PATIENTS, AND METHODS Retrospective evaluation of 442 patients (65.4% women; mean age, 43.5 ± 13.1 y) followed for a median of 6 years (interquartile range [IQR], 3-10). RESULTS Twenty-two patients died during the study period (4.9%), representing a total standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of 0.72 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.41-1.03). Standardized mortality ratios were 1.5 and 0.44 for patients whose last GH was above and below 2.5 ng/mL, respectively; 1.17 and 0.16 for those whose last GH was above and below 1 ng/mL, respectively; and 0.94 and 0.46 for those whose last IGF-1 was above and below 1.2 times the upper limit of normal (ULN), respectively. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer was 30%, 35%, 8%, and 4.7%, respectively. The most common cause of death was cancer. On multivariate analysis, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer were related to a baseline GH > 10 ng/mL; the presence of cancer and the last IGF-1 were significant predictors of mortality. Survival decreased as the latest GH levels increased from < 1 ng/mL to > 5 ng/mL and as IGF-1 increased from < 1.2 to > 2 times the ULN. CONCLUSIONS Mortality in acromegaly can be successfully reduced, provided patients are treated using a multimodal approach with careful management of comorbidities.
Virtual Reality: A Definition History - A Personal Essay

This essay, written in 1998 by an active participant in both virtual reality development and the virtual reality definition debate, discusses the definition of the phrase "Virtual Reality" (VR). I start with history from a personal perspective, concentrating on the debate between the "Virtual Reality" and "Virtual Environment" labels in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Definitions of VR based on specific technologies are shown to be unsatisfactory. I propose the following definition of VR, based on the striking effects of a good VR system: "Virtual Reality is the use of computer technology to create the effect of an interactive three-dimensional world in which the objects have a sense of spatial presence. " The justification for this definition is discussed in detail, and is favorably compared with the dictionary definitions of "virtual" and "reality". The implications of this definition for virtual reality technology are briefly examined.
The Use of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Severe Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections Complicated by Septic Shock

Necrotizing soft tissue infections remain a challenging clinical problem. Delays in diagnosis, incomplete debridement of necrotic tissues, and the hemodynamic instability and end-organ failure associated with overwhelming sepsis all contribute to significant mortality. Extracorporeal support is a well-established tool to support profound cardiopulmonary failure. To broaden the indications for use, we present two cases of young adults with necrotizing soft tissue infections who sustained sepsis-induced hemodynamic collapse and required extracorporeal support to facilitate adequate tissue debridement as a bridge to recovery.
Predictors of ovulatory failure in women with epilepsy

Women with epilepsy (WWE) are at increased risk for reproductive disorders. This study was designed to evaluate whether WWE are more likely to have anovulatory cycles and to assess the relative association of the epilepsy syndrome category and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) to ovulatory dysfunction. Subjects included women aged 18 to 40 years not receiving hormones. Women without epilepsy (23 controls) and women with localization‐related epilepsy (LRE, n = 59) or idiopathic (primary) generalized epilepsy (IGE, n = 35) receiving either a cytochrome P450 enzyme (cP450) inducing AED (carbamazepine, phenytoin, and phenobarbital), a cP450 inhibiting AED (valproate), or an AED that does not alter cP450 enzymes (lamotrigine and gabapentin) in monotherapy for 6 months or more were followed for three menstrual cycles. A transvaginal ovarian ultrasound was obtained. Endocrine and metabolic variables were measured and luteinizing hormone sampled over 8 hours on days 2 to 5 of one cycle. Anovulatory cycles occurred in 10.9% of cycles in controls, 14.3% of cycles with LRE, and 27.1% of cycles with IGE. Of women using valproate currently or within the preceding 3 years, 38.1% had at least one anovulatory cycle in contrast with 10.7% of women not using valproate within the preceding 3 years. Predictors of ovulatory failure included IGE syndrome, use of valproate currently or within 3 years, high free testosterone, and fewer numbers of luteinizing hormone pulses, but not polycystic‐appearing ovaries. WWE are more likely to experience anovulatory menstrual cycles and the effects of epilepsy syndrome, and AED therapy may be additive. Women with IGE receiving valproate were at highest risk for anovulatory cycles, polycystic‐appearing ovaries, elevated body mass index, and hyperandrogynism. WWE with anovulatory cycles may have no other signs of reproductive dysfunction. Therefore, clinicians must be alert to this potential complication of epilepsy.
The association between exposure determined by radiofrequency personal exposimeters and human exposure: A simulation study

The selection of an adequate exposure assessment approach is imperative for the quality of epidemiological studies. The use of personal exposimeters turned out to be a reasonable approach to determine exposure profiles, however, certain limitations regarding the absolute values delivered by the devices have to be considered. Apart from the limited dynamic range, it has to be taken into account that these devices give only an approximation of the exposure due to the influence of the body of the person carrying the exposimeter, the receiver characteristics of the exposimeter, as well as the dependence of the measured value on frequency band, channel, slot configuration, and communication traffic. In this study, the relationship between the field strength measured close to the human body at the location of the exposimeter and the exposure, that is, the field strength at the location of the human body without the human body present, is investigated by numerical means using the Visible Human model as an anatomical phantom. Two different scenarios were chosen: (1) For FM, GSM, and UMTS an urban outdoor scenario was examined that included a transmitting antenna mounted on the roof of one of four buildings at a street crossing, (2) For WLAN an indoor scenario was investigated. For GSM the average degree of underestimation by the exposimeter (relation of the average field levels at the location of the exposimeter to the field level averaged over the volume of the human body without the body present) was 0.76, and for UMTS 0.87; for FM no underestimation was found, the ratio was 1. In the case of WLAN the degree of underestimation was more pronounced, the ratio was 0.64. This study clearly suggests that a careful evaluation of correction factors for different scenarios is needed prior to the definition of the study protocol. It has to be noted that the reference scenario used in this study does not allow for final conclusions on general correction factors. Bioelectromagnetics 31:535–545, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prediction-based packet loss concealment for voice over IP: a statistical n-gram approach

We investigate the possibility of predicting lost packets for packet loss concealment using n-gram predictive models. Unlike the conventional repetition-based algorithms, the proposed algorithm is based on the Shannon game, which serves as a principle for predicting the speech parameters of lost packets using the previously received parameters. During the training phase, we construct statistical backoff n-gram models. In the test phase, the models are used to predict the speech parameters of lost packets. Experiments were performed on a switchboard telephone speech database and the proposed algorithm is compared with the conventional repetition-based algorithm. The performance is evaluated in terms of the spectral distortion between the original and the predicted (or repeated) speech. The algorithm based on the back-off n-gram models reduces the spectral distortion by 8.7% over the conventional repetition-based algorithm for the first lost packet after receiving one. Further, it maintains about 6.2% improvement for up to six consecutive lost packets. In terms of perplexity of the predictive models, the backoff n-gram approach outperforms the repetition-based algorithm by 8.65%, which is very close to the improvement rate obtained from the spectral distortion measurement.
Glial Cell Markers in the Reeler Mutant Mouse: A Biochemical and Immunohistological Study

The glial cell contents of S lOO protein, 2′3′‐cyclic AMP, 3′‐ phosphohydrolase (CNP), isoenzyme II of carbonic anhydrase (CAII) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) were biochemically determined in the cerebellum and cerebrum of the reeler mutant mouse. Astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, shown by this study, contain abnormal amounts of these components. The CAII concentration was significantly increased in the particulate fraction of the reeler cerebellum and cerebrum (by 50% and 89%, respectively). The BuChE specific activity was greatly increased in the reeler, by 120% for cerebellum and by 40% in cerebrum. In contrast, the SlOO protein concentration was reduced in the reeler cerebellum by 40% and by 25% in cerebrum, while the CNP specific activity increased by 30% in the reeler cerebellum. In addition, the glial cell distribution was studied by immunohistological techniques with antibodies directed against S 100 protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFA) and CAII. Apparently the density of glial cells is not significantly affected. However, the Golgi epithelial cells were usually abnormally placed and their Bergmann fibres were less well developed.
Using acupuncture for acute pain in hospitalized children

Objective: Clinical study to determine the acceptability and feasibility of acupuncture for acute postoperative pain control in hospitalized children. Design: Nonrandomized clinical trial. Setting: A single, tertiary referral pediatric intensive care unit. Patients: A total of 20 patients aged 7 months to 18 years. Eleven of the patients had posterior spinal fusion surgery and the remaining nine patients had other surgical diagnoses. Interventions: Two 10- to 15-minute sessions of acupuncture 24–48 hours apart. Outcome Measures and Results: The treatment was highly accepted (27 patients were approached and 4 patients refused; of the 23 patients enrolled, 20 patients completed the study). Acupuncture was well tolerated by patients without adverse events related to treatment. In follow-up interviews, 70% of both parents and patients believed acupuncture helped the child’s pain. Eighty-five percent of the parents said they would pay out of pocket for acupuncture if not covered by insurance. The pain scores, vital signs, and narcotic usage were recorded before and several times after acupuncture. In posterior spinal fusion patients, the mean pain scores (0–10) immediately before and 4 and 24 hours after acupuncture were: 3.7, 1.7, and 3.1, respectively, after the first acupuncture session and 3.7, 2.2, and 3.1, respectively, after the second session. In the other surgical cohort, the mean pain scores immediately before and 4 and 24 hours after the first session of acupuncture were 2.5, 0.3, and 1.6, respectively. Conclusions: Our results support that acupuncture is highly accepted and feasible in critically ill, postoperative pediatric patients with acute pain. Our findings suggest that acupuncture may be a potentially useful adjunctive tool for acute pediatric postoperative pain management. A randomized, controlled clinical trial is warranted to confirm these findings.
Changes in nitrogen level and mycorrhizal structure of Scots pine seedlings inoculated with Thelephora terrestris

Abstract• We investigated the influence of Thelephora terrestris, an ectomycorrhizal fungus, on the concentration of nitrogen in needles of Pinus sylvestris L. seedlings and their mycorrhizal structure within four seasons of growth. • Seedlings were grown in four treatments: (I) inoculated + 0.030 g N, (II) inoculated + 0.045 g N, (III non-inoculated + 0.030 g N, (IV) non-inoculated + 0.045 g N under laboratory conditions and later planted in post-agricultural land. • For inoculated treatments, statistically significant differences in N concentration of needles were observed for two- and four-year-old seedlings. The number of ectomycorrhizae and concentration of N in needles were negatively correlated. After four seasons of growth the greatest numbers of ectomycorrhizae were present on seedlings from treatment II, and the smallest on seedlings from treatment IV. • Two-year-old seedlings had been colonized by at least six different fungal taxa, i.e. Cenococcum geophilum, Hebeloma crustuliniforme, Rhizopogon sp. , Suillus bovinus, Thelephora terrestris and a non-identified one. Treatments I and II were dominated by the ectomycorrhizae of T. terrestris and their number was significantly greater than in treatments III or TV. On four-year-old seedlings ectomycorrhizae of T. terrestris were dominated in all treatments, while ectomycorrhizae of Hebeloma sp. were not found. Résumé• L’influence du champignon ectomycorhizien Thelephora terrestris sur la concentration en azote dans les aiguilles de semis de pin sylvestre et sur la structure mycorhizienne des plants a été suivie durant quatre saisons de croissance. • Les semis ont été cultivés sous quatre traitements : (I) inoculé + 0,030 g N, (II) inoculés + 0,045 g N, (III non inoculés + 0,030 g N, (IV) non inoculés + 0,045 g N, dans les conditions du laboratoire avant d’être plantés sur le terrain. • Dans les traitements d’inoculés, des différences significatives ont été observées dans la concentration des aiguilles en azote pour les semis de deux et quatre ans. Le nombre de mycorhizes et la concentration des aiguilles en azote étaient corrélés négativement. Après quatre saisons de croissance, le plus grand nombre de mycorhizes a été obtenu dans le traitement II et le plus petit dans le traitement IV• Les semis de deux ans avaient été colonisés par au moins six taxons différents de champignon : Cenococcum geophilum, Hebeloma crustuliniforme, Rhizopogon sp. , Suillus bovinus, Thelephora terrestris et un autre taxon indéterminé. Dans les traitements I et II, les ectomycorhizes de T. terrestris dominaient et leur nombre était plus élevé que dans les traitements III et IV Pour les semis de quatre ans, les ectomycorhizes de T. terrestris dominaient dans tous les traitements, tandis que celles de Hebeloma sp. étaient absentes.
Balancing Ethics in Research with Older Adults and Persons with Dementia

This paper will discuss ethical considerations for research on technology-based solutions to support memory in healthy older adults and persons with dementia (PwD). The authors have reviewed past research proposing innovative ways to help memory, well-being and independence for healthy older adults and PwD, as well as literature on ethics relating to the use of assistive and ambient technologies for PwD. This review has surfaced issues for discussion in a workshop setting. The key finding from this review is that fundamental practices in HCI (e.g. user-centred research and participatory design) are well-suited to address ethical issues that arise when project goals and benefits across stakeholders are not aligned. HCI research can contribute to the ongoing discourse on ethics of working with vulnerable older adults by providing a space to explore practices such as rolling informed consent and resulting impacts on levels of engagement of healthy older individuals, PwD, families and carers.
Research on growth trends and spatial distribution of Shanghai population based on GIS

This paper analyzed the growth trends of Shanghai resident population and registered permanent residents since the reform and opening. By applying negative exponential index model and the local spatial autocorrelation analysis, this research revealed the latest spatial distribution characteristics of Shanghai resident population and registered permanent resident, combined with comparative analysis to the situation in 2000. It was found that from 2000 to 2008, the overall pattern of population concentration and regional distribution of downtown area did not change. Instead, it continued the trend of the reverse urbanization in the downtown areas of Shanghai since the mid-80s. Population spatial change was undergoing a transformation from concentrating in city center to expanding to the outlying suburbs, and the population density in urban center kept declining.
Infrared markers for determining the order parameters of uniaxial liquid crystals.

Polarization-dependent absorption coefficients of various molecular vibrational bands (i.e., IR markers) in the 2.5-20-microm spectral region were measured for two nematic liquid crystals (LCs), 5CB and MBBA. Combining the measured absorption dichroism of a dipole moment with a correction factor g, which takes the anisotropy of the local field into consideration, the order parameter S of a uniaxial LC can be determined. This g factor is found to have significant effect on the determination of S. The temperature-dependent g factor is calculated for 5CB, for example. Results on S agree well with those obtained by the NMR technique, which does not require the local field correction. Order parameters of several 5CB-host-LC mixtures were measured at room temperature. Results indicate that the LC mixtures with higher nematic-isotropic phase transition temperature exhibit larger S. This phenomenon can be used to improve the LC materials for IR applications.
Task scheduling for data aggregation in Fault-Tolerant wireless sensor networks

This paper attempts to identify the reliability assessment in terms of data aggregation in wireless sensor networks. With the sensor nodes' Bayesian lifetime model, the fault ratio of sensing data among a pair of nodes in the worst case is derived. Leveraging the property of exponential aggregation latency distribution, the optimizing strategy, namely fault-tolerant scheduling for aggregation (FTSA) is proposed. Quantitative analysis of the task scheduling is also presented, which is used for reducing the latency of data aggregation. Moreover, the sensor fault probability and aggregation latency are initially introduced into the data collection scheduling process, and it mathematically shows that the fused local estimate can obtain a global estimation with the reliable data acquisition framework. Performance evaluations of the proposed approach with both sensor node faults and scheduling policy are carried out. These results show that the proposed approach outperforms the earlier algorithms in terms of latency designed without regard to sensor faults.
The Effectiveness of Fraud Prevention and Detection Methods at Universities in Indonesia

Some cases of corruption have taken place in several universities in Indonesia. To prevent and handle the cases, internal auditors play pivotal roles in detecting and preventing fraud. Therefore, effective methods to detect and prevent fraud are needed. The methods are expected to set the appropriate measures to detect and prevent fraud effectively. This research proposed a question how the internal auditors perceive the effectiveness of fraud detection and prevention methods. The research aimed to conduct a descriptive analysis towards the auditor's fraud-related knowledge and examine the internal auditor's perception towards the effectiveness of fraud detection and prevention methods. The objects of this research were internal auditors who worked at universities in Indonesia where the respondents were randomly selected. This study used a series of questionnaires to gather the information from the previously-surveyed respondents. The questionnaires in this study refered to the previous research conducted by Bierstaker, et al., (2006). The results of this research reveal that the most effective fraud detection and prevention procedures are operational audits, internal control review and improvement, cash reviews, code of sanctions against suppliers/contractors and ethics officers. Meanwhile, five most ineffective of fraud prevention and detection procedures are virus protection, financial rasio, firewalls, filtering software, and organizational use of forensic accountants. The results of this study differs from the previous research conducted by Bierstaker, et al., (2006), which suggests that the most effective procedure for fraud detection and prevention is the use of information technology (IT). Keyword : Fraud Prevention, Fraud Detection, Universities, Indonesia JEL Classification: K4