bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Healthcare-Related Qigong for the Prevention of Lifestyle-Related Diseases
Authors: Liang Fengxia , Huang Qi , Chen Rui , Wu Song , Lu Gary , Liu Jianmin , Li Jia , Wang Lu , Wang Hua , Litscher Gerhard
Published: May 2017

(1) Background: Qigong is a kind of traditional Chinese exercise combining breathing, movement, and meditation in order to keep fit for the purpose of preventing disease and prolonging life.
(2) Methods: Within this short article some topics like clinical efficacy and mechanism of health-care Qigong, the impact on the respiratory function and on the cardiovascular function, the influence on the immune system, the impact on the emotional aspects and brain function research on Qigong will be discussed briefly.
(3) Results: Light imagination during meditation showed a 22.2% increase of the mean blood flow velocity in the posterior cerebral artery and a mean reduction of blood flow velocity of 23.1% in the middle cerebral artery in a male Qigong master.
(4) Conclusions: In summary, the clinical efficacy of Qigong cannot be denied. Health-care Qigong exercise may prevent diseases however more scientific studies with high quality are also needed.
A Systematic Review of the Prevalence and Associations of Limited Health Literacy in CKD
Authors: Taylor Dominic M. , Fraser Simon D.S. , Bradley J. Andrew , Bradley Clare , Draper Heather , Metcalfe Wendy , Oniscu Gabriel C. , Tomson Charles R.V. , Ravanan Rommel , Roderick Paul J. ,   on behalf of the ATTOM investigators
Published: May 2017

Background and objectives

The self-management and decision-making skills required to manage CKD successfully may be diminished in those with low health literacy. A 2012 review identified five papers reporting the prevalence of limited health literacy in CKD, largely from United States dialysis populations. The literature has expanded considerably since.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

We used systematic review, pooled prevalence analysis, metaregression, and exploration of heterogeneity in studies of patients with CKD (all stages).

Results

From 433 studies, 15 new studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed together with five studies from the 2012 review. These included 13 cross-sectional surveys, five cohort studies (using baseline data), and two using baseline clinical trial data. Most (19 of 20) were from the United States. In total, 12,324 patients were studied (3529 nondialysis CKD, 5289 dialysis, 2560 transplant, and 946 with unspecified CKD; median =198.5; IQR, 128.5–260 per study). Median prevalence of limited health literacy within studies was 23% (IQR, 16%–33%), and pooled prevalence was 25% (95% confidence interval, 20% to 30%) with significant between-study heterogeneity (I
2=97%). Pooled prevalence of limited health literacy was 25% (95% confidence interval, 16% to 33%; I
2=97%) among patients with CKD not on dialysis, 27% (95% confidence interval, 19% to 35%; I
2=96%) among patients on dialysis, and 14% (95% confidence interval, 7% to 21%; I
2=97%) among patients with transplants. A higher proportion of nonwhite participants was associated with increased limited health literacy prevalence (P=0.04), but participant age was not (P=0.40). Within studies, nonwhite ethnicity and low socioeconomic status were consistently and independently associated with limited health literacy. Studies were of low or moderate quality. Within-study participant selection criteria had potential to introduce bias.

Conclusions

Limited health literacy is common in CKD, especially among individuals with low socioeconomic status and nonwhite ethnicity. This has implications for the design of self-management and decision-making initiatives to promote equity of care and improve quality. Lower prevalence among patients with transplants may reflect selection of patients with higher health literacy for transplantation either because of less comorbidity in this group or as a direct effect of health literacy on access to transplantation.
Characteristics and treatment patterns among US patients with hairy cell leukemia: a retrospective claims analysis
Authors: Divino Victoria , Karve Sudeep , Gaughan Andrew , DeKoven Mitch , Gao Guozhi , Knopf Kevin B , Lanasa Mark C
Published: May 2017

Aim:
Describe hairy cell leukemia (HCL) treatment patterns using a large, nationally representative US database.
Patients & methods:
Adults newly diagnosed with HCL (1 January 2006 to 30 June 2014) with continuous health plan enrollment ≥180 days pre- and 90 days post-diagnosis were identified from the QuintilesIMS PharMetrics Plus Health Plan Claims Database. Treatment patterns by line of therapy were assessed over the variable follow-up.
Results:
Among 749 HCL patients (77.4% male; mean age 55.6; mean 32.3 months follow-up), only 37.7% initiated first-line therapy during the available follow-up in a mean of 4.4 months following diagnosis; the majority (75.5%) received cladribine (mean duration 7.3 days). Thirty-eight patients (5.1%) received second-line treatment.
Conclusion:
Over 2.7 years follow-up, more than a third of patients initiated first-line therapy which appeared to provide a long-lasting response.
News Note: Media '75 Conference
Authors: Beattie Earle
Published: May 2017

'PEOPLE-EVENT' BIAS cont.

was eminently a technical problem that could be resolved by government engineers co-operating with their corporate counter-parts to devise the most efficient pollution-control methods, and to minimize their adverse effect on the financial health of the industry. And so, I was hardly surprised when one top official in the then Air Management Branch told me that his people take polluters to court only as a last resort, after all avenues of co-operation, moral suasion, and coercion have been exhausted. When it comes to recalcitrant corporations, the Ministry considers even very slow progress a more efficient way of cleaning up the environment than lengthy and expensive court proceedings. In other words, it is the world-view of engineers that technical problems demand technical solutions, and scientists are much more qualified trouble-shooters than lay people in the fields of law, politics, or journalism.
A Fearless Thomson Paper Backs Away from Debate
Authors: Ferguson Jock
Published: May 2017

Pembroke is a small lumber town in the upper Ottawa Valley which, like many similar towns and cities in Canada, is blessed with a Thomson newspaper. The Pembroke Observer has a local boy for its publisher and editor, W.E. Higginson. In conjunction with Pembroke's newly elected mayor, Henry Brown, Higginson has decided not to do anymore reporting on one of the biggest stories ever to hit the town's 16,000 people.
Prof. Key and his Sex Book
Authors: Beattie Earle
Published: May 2017

In June, this gear, Dr. Wilson Bryan Key was reported in the London Free Press and the Toronto Star as having accepted "nearly $64,000" in severance pay from the School of Journalism at the University of Western Ontario.
Media Directly
Authors: Cobden Michael
Published: May 2017

The Toronto school system's two most comon complaints against the media are that "they get the facts screwed up, misquote people, and distort the truth", and that "they never publicise the good things happening in our schools".
Freedom Under Censorship of The Press in Israel
Authors: Baker Al
Published: May 2017

Can press freedom be maintained in a situation where the military establishment, backed by full governmental power, finds it necessary to impose stringent censorship on the media? In the light of the current furore over freedom of information i n Canada, it is instructive to take a look a t Israel, where editors and reporters have been living for 30 years with a potentially draconian set of censorship laws developed in a situation where war or a t least a state of preparedness for war has come to be the norm since the inception of the State in 1948.
The Community Groups and the Media in the Ottawa-Hull Area
Authors: Dymond M J Andy
Published: May 2017

In May, 1977 the Canadian Council on Social Development (CCSD) published Who Calls The Tune? Using the Media to Promote Social Change in Canada, a study of the relationship between the media and community, citizen and self-help groups and organizations across Canada.
Arrogance and Impotence
Authors: Baker Alan
Published: May 2017

It wasn't until I engaged myself in a personal hassle with The Toronto Sun recently that I was forcibly reminded of two things - one, that "the public be damned" is an attitude that still prevails in some newspaper offices and that if you want to complain, the Ontario Press Council may sympathize, but often can't really go to bat for you. Perseverance and general bloody-mindedness are the techniques you really need to get some sort of intelligent response from the paper involved.
Communication as a Discipline
Authors: Ferguson Stewart
Published: May 2017

From Thursday 25th May through Saturday 27th, the University of Windsor acted as host to communication scholars, practitioners and policy makers from across Canada. The conference was designed by the Communication Studies department o f the University of Windsor in an effort to create a climate in which the formation of a formal association of communication studies could be discussed.
Canadian-U.S. News Flow: The Continuing Asymmetry
Authors: Ichikawa Akira
Published: May 2017

An examination of the flow of news in 1976 between Canada and the United States in seven selected daily newspapers revealed an asymmetry as severe as that detected in 1962 when a significant imbalance of American news in Canadian dailies was documented.(1) The extent of the disproportionate flow in 1976 was especially striking given the surge of nationalism, often expressed in anti-American terms, that touched most of Canada's mass media system since the earlier study.
French and English Broadcasting in Canada - A Political Evaluation
Authors: Siegel Arthur
Published: May 2017

A studv in 1977 o f the news disseminated bv the French and English sectors of the broadcast media (radio and television) revealed major differences in the pictures they project of the world generally and especially Canadian society. The Committee of Inquiry in to the National Broadcasting Service observed that as presented by the media, Canada is in a state of deep schizophrenia: if English and French Canadians were on different planets there could hardly be a greater contrast in views and information.'1
Mailer Atones for His TV Sins
Authors: Baker Alan
Published: May 2017

Norman Mailer's recent article in Esquire, "Of a Small and Modest Malignancy, Wicked and Bristling With Dots"1 is a wry "confessional" of how, is spite of his moral loathing for television, he has continued to appear on it in the clear knowledge that the medium had proved useless as a means of selling either his ideas or his books. The important thing was that (and this is something Mailer does not confess) TV had given good exposure to Mailer's public image and that his subsequent reporting on his TV capers has contributed further to his campaign of self-advertising, something he has been doing in and out of literature for the last 20 years.
Communication and Regional/Provincial Imperatives
Authors: Fortner Robert S
Published: May 2017

The role which communications technologies played in the creation of Canadian provincial identities between 1846 and 1914 was a complex one. For one thing, it must certainly be acknowledged that the cultural boundaries identified in Canada would probably have developed regardless of the communications technologies employed during this period.1 And for another, it must be recognized that there were cultural identities already in the process of formation long before the first telegraph line was opened between Toronto and Hamilton in 1846.2 But what the development of communications technologies did provide during this period was a catalyst which served to focus much of the debate over the formation of a Canadian national consciousness and the retention of provincial identities. And as important as these technologies were to the formation of the national consciousness, they were equally as crucial to the identification of distinctive provincial and ethnic characteristics. That is to say that the very existence of the technologies seems to have released latent identities within Canadians at both the most general and specific levels. Canadians, using the new technologies to the best advantage wherever possible, identified themselves with the empire, the nation and a specific home, or alternatively, refused to do so while remaining cognizant that such identities were available for appropriation.
Canadian Newspaper Treatment of a Developing Country: The Case of Jamaica
Authors: Cuthbert Marlene
Published: May 2017

Every reporter has a bias. We think it is immensely important that the reporters who give us our picture of the world should reflect the kind of bias that Canadians tend to share, rather than the bias that Americans or Frenchmen or Englishmen tend to share.
The Public Eye
Authors: Grantham Ronald
Published: May 2017

The Public Eye, a catchy title, continues The Politics of Canadian Broadcasting, 1920-51, now in paperback. These volumes are indispensable to students of the subject.
Communications and Canadian-American Relations
Authors: Fortner Robert S
Published: May 2017

During the period 1846-1914 Canadians continually argued among themselves as to what the proper posture vis-a-vis the Americans to their south ought to be. S. D. Clark has observed that historically, "We Canadians have had to keep comparing ourselves to you because we have had to show that somehow we are different from you. Canadian national identity has depended heavily upon the fostering of a feeling of anti-Americanism".1
In the Rear View Mirror
Authors: Beattie Earle
Published: May 2017

It was mid-afternoon on December 31-the last day of 1980-that we got the message: Marshall McLuhan was dead. He had passed away in his sleep the night before, the tragic climax to a stroke he had suffered a year before that left him with speech difficulties. Barrington Nevitt had called with the sad news by telephone, our most personal medium.
Telecommunications and Productivity
Authors: Mansell Robin
Published: May 2017

This collection includes papers by management consultants, academics, and corporate and government representatives that explore a range of economic, political, and social factors that affect the use of new telecommunications systems. The focus is on the impact of, and opportunities presented by, innovative telecommunications facilities and services in government, business and consumer sectors. The breadth of issues which are covered is ambitious. Discussions of relations between telecommunications systems and productivity, behavioural responses to new communication techniques, market structures and regulatory issues, case studies of telecommunication system implementation, and directions for future research are included. Much is promised. Unfortunately this collection does not provide a very realistic or constructive 'contribution to the multifaceted debate about the consequences of the "new information age".
Issue-Specific Agenda-Setting:The Whole as less than the Sum of the Parts
Authors: Winter James P. , Eyal Chaim H. , Rogers Ann H.
Published: May 2017

The Agenda-Setting hypothesis of mass media effects posits a direct, causal link between the issues and personalities emphasized in the communication media and public salience of those issues and personalities. While this broad statement has been useful for making general assertions to the effect that the media "tell us what to think about," it remains a general statement which must be further delineated (McCombs, 1977).
Media Use and Satisfaction Patterns among English-Speaking Audiences in Montreal
Authors: Raudsepp Enn , Lecavalier Guy , Crysler Lindsay , Yates David
Published: May 2017

Since Tuesday, Sept. 25, 1979, the day The Montreal Star published its last edition, there has been only one English-language daily newspaper in Montreal. Considerable concern has been expressed since then about the extent to which the quality and quantity of news available to anglophone Montrealers have been affected.2 The Journalism Program at Concordia University undertook to gauge the views of the anglophone community on this issue by conducting a public opinion survey of 687 more-or-less regular users of the city's English-language media. Respondents were also asked for their views on some of the conditions under which newspapers operate, or should operate.3
The "New Dominant Paradigm" in Communication: Transformation versus Adaptation
Authors: Mansell Robin
Published: May 2017

The field of 'communication and development' research within the "dominant paradigm" has been subjected to criticism for several decades. It has been suggested that this criticism has led to significant transformations in theoretical perspective and methodological approach. The implication has been that research conducted within this tradition is finally on the road to making substantial contributions to the study of 'communication problems' as they have been defined by UNESCO and other international agencies concerned with promotion of communication strategies in Third World areas.
News and Ideology
Authors: Knight Graham
Published: May 2017

This paper discusses the relationship between news and ideology in light of recent studies of newswork and theoretical developments in the understanding of ideology. New, it is argued, is a representation of wider relations of power and tends to reproduce those relations in a relatively uncritical fashion. As these relations are themselves characterized by contradiction and conflict, the function of news cannot be reduced to the role of merely reproducing a closed, internally integrated social system.
User-Driven Network Selection during Vertical Handover in 4G Networks
Authors: Miyim Abubakar Muhammad , Ismail Mahamod , Nordin Rosdiadee
Published: May 2017

The importance of network selection for wireless networks, is to facilitate users with various personal wireless devices to access their desired services via a range of available radio access networks. The inability of these networks to provide broadband data service applications to users poses a serious challenge in the wireless environment. Network Optimization has therefore become necessary, so as to accommodate the increasing number of users’ service application demands while maintaining the required quality of services. To achieve that, the need to incorporate intelligent and fast mechanism as a solution to select the best value network for the user arises. This paper provides an intelligent network selection strategy based on the user- and network-valued metrics to suit their preferences when communicating in multi-access environment. A user-driven network selection strategy that employs Multi-Access Service Selection Vertical Handover Decision Algorithm (MASS-VHDA) via three interfaces; Wi-Fi, WiMAX and LTE-A is proposed, numerically evaluated and simulated. The results from the performance analysis demonstrate some improvement in the QoS and network blocking probability to satisfy user application requests for multiple simultaneous services.
Development of a Microcontroller-Based 6/12/18/24V Power Inverter Circuit
Authors: Ogunseye Abiodun , Johnson Daniel Ogheneovo
Published: May 2017

A power inverter circuits is normally designed to meet its design specifications when the applied input DC voltage is within specified tolerance limits. Thus, single input inverters are usually specified to work from a DC source having a fixed nominal voltage. This limits the usefulness of the inverter circuit when a DC source having the specified nominal voltage is not available. In this work, a modified square wave inverter system that is specified to work properly from batteries with nominal voltages of 6, 12, 18 and 24 V was designed.  A model of the microcontroller-based circuit was developed with Proteus® software and its firmware was written in C language using the MicroC® development tool. A prototype of the circuit was constructed and then tested.  The constructed circuit was found to work properly by producing a 50 Hz modified square waveform when it was powered from batteries having nominal voltages of 6 V, 12 V, 18 V and 24 V.
Faster Aspart Versus Insulin Aspart as Part of a Basal-Bolus Regimen in Inadequately Controlled Type 2 Diabetes: The onset 2 Trial
Authors: Bowering Keith , Case Christopher , Harvey John , Reeves Michael , Sampson Michael , Strzinek Robert , Bretler Ditte-Marie , Bang Rikke Beck , Bode Bruce W.
Published: May 2017

OBJECTIVE

This multicenter, double-blind, treat-to-target, phase 3 trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of fast-acting insulin aspart (faster aspart) versus insulin aspart (IAsp) in adults with type 2 diabetes receiving basal insulin and oral antidiabetic agents.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The primary end point was HbA1c change from baseline after 26 weeks’ treatment. After an 8-week run-in to optimize basal insulin, subjects were randomized (1:1) to mealtime faster aspart (n = 345) or IAsp (n = 344), titrated using a simple daily patient-driven algorithm, plus insulin glargine U100 and metformin.

RESULTS

HbA1c change was –1.38% (faster aspart) and –1.36% (IAsp); mean HbA1c was 6.6% for both groups. Faster aspart demonstrated noninferiority versus IAsp in reducing HbA1c (estimated treatment difference [ETD] [95% CI] –0.02% [–0.15; 0.10]). Both treatments improved postprandial plasma glucose (PPG) control; the PPG increment (liquid meal test) was statistically significant in favor of faster aspart after 1 h (ETD [95% CI] −0.59 mmol/L [−1.09; −0.09]; −10.63 mg/dL [−19.56; −1.69]; P = 0.0198), but not after 2–4 h. Change from baseline in fasting plasma glucose, body weight, and overall severe/blood glucose–confirmed hypoglycemia rates (rate ratio [RR] [95% CI] 1.09 [0.88; 1.36]) were similar between treatments. Postmeal hypoglycemia (0−2 h) rates were 2.27 (faster aspart) and 1.49 (IAsp) per patient-year of exposure (RR [95% CI] 1.60 [1.13; 2.27]).

CONCLUSIONS

Faster aspart and IAsp were confirmed noninferior in a basal-bolus regimen regarding change from baseline in HbA1c. Faster aspart improved 1-h PPG with no differences in 2−4-h PPG versus IAsp. Overall hypoglycemia rates were similar except for an increase in 0−2-h postmeal hypoglycemia with faster aspart.
Fast numerical method to predict the depth of laser welding
Authors: Fetzer Florian , Stritt Peter , Berger Peter , Weber Rudolf , Graf Thomas
Published: May 2017

A simplified numerical method is presented that allows a fast estimation of the penetration depth during laser beam welding. The method is based on a physical heat conduction model embedded in an iteration scheme, which adapts the keyhole depth depending on an experimentally calibrated threshold condition that characterizes the temperature distribution on the surface of the vapor capillary. With simulation times lasting only in the order of minutes, the predicted penetration depths are in good agreement with experimental results.
Advanced Superconducting Power Conditioning System for Effective Use of Renewable Energy
Authors: T. Shintomi  , Y. Makida  , T. Hamajima  , M. Tsuda  , D. Miyagi  , T. Takao  , N. Tanoue  , N. Ota  , K. Munakata  , M. Kajiwara
Published: May 2017

In order to use effectively renewable energy sources, we propose a new system, called Advanced Superconducting Power Conditioning System (ASPCS) that is composed of Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES), Fuel Cell-Electrolyzer (FC-EL), hydrogen storage and dc/dc and dc/ac converters in connection with a liquid hydrogen station for fuel cell vehicles. The ASPCS compensates the fluctuating electric power of renewable energy sources such as wind and photovoltaic power generations by means of the SMES having characteristics of quick response and large I/O power, and hydrogen energy with FC-EL having characteristics of moderate response and large storage capacity. The moderate fluctuated power generations of the renewable energy are compensated by a trend prediction with the Kalman filtering algorithm. In case of excess of the power generation by the renewable energy to demand it is converted to hydrogen with EL. On the contrary, in case of shortage the electric power is made up with FC. The faster fluctuation that cannot be compensated by the prediction method is effectively compensated by SMES. In the ASPCS, the SMES coil with an MgB2 conductor is operated at 20 K by using liquid hydrogen supplied from a liquid hydrogen tank of the fuel cell vehicle station. The necessary storage capacity of SMES is estimated as 50 MJ to 100 MJ depending on the prediction time for compensating fluctuation of the rated wind power generation of 5 MW. As a safety, a thermo-siphon cooling system is used to cool indirectly the MgB2 SMES coil by thermal conduction. The concept of the ASPCS and the design study of the SMES are reported.
Design parameters independent on the type of platform in floating offshore wind farmss
Authors: L. Castro-Santos  , Sara Ferreño González  , Alba Martínez López  , V. Diaz-Casas
Published: May 2017

The main developments in offshore wind power are focused on wind turbines with foundations on seabed. However, there exist important limitations for installing these structures in places with high depth within short distance from the coast. This means that the progress of offshore wind energy around the world is tied to the development of safety and low cost floating platforms for renewable energy offshore devices [ 1 ]. Therefore, the first aim of this paper is to know which alternatives exist for a floating offshore wind farm establishment and design parameters are independent or dependent of platform configuration. In order to evaluate each alternative, the request inversion for each configuration has been analyzed. From this point of view, the conclusion is that a string configuration for the electrical network is better than a star configuration. Moreover, an accommodation platform cannot be established due to the fact that it would increase the costs considerably. With regard to maintenance, it would be better to have a proper vessel only if the number of trips is more than three.
Centralized control of a Wave Energy Farm
Authors: M. Santos  , F. Salcedo  , E. Tedeschi  , E. Robles  , J.L. Villate
Published: May 2017

As long as an increased number of Wave Energy Converters are reaching their prototypal and pre-commercial stage it is fundamental to analyse in detail the issues arising from the grid integration of such devices. Point absorbers are among the most promising Wave Energy Converters. In this paper a point absorbers wave farm, connected to a weak grid, is simulated in order to evaluate how active and reactive power control strategies can help to fulfil the grid codes and to improve the behaviour of the farm as well as the efficiency of the internal grid. The real test case offered by bimep is used to model the internal grid of the farm. Different farm level control strategies, centralized and decentralized, are considered and compared. Both steady-state and dynamic analyses are carried out in order to assess the performance of the farm under its nominal operation and also to underline the detrimental effect of the energy source intermittency. Fault analyses are performed to evaluate the effect of voltage dips on the system operation.
Biogas Production Potential from Reeds
Authors: Vilis Dubrovskis  , Valters Kazulis
Published: May 2017

Aim of this research was to study the use of reeds for biogas production. Reeds from the Pape lake area were selected for anaerobic digestion experiments in laboratory. Reeds were chopped and prepared in four groups from 1 mm up to 20 mm. Their chemical and physical properties were analyzed. The results show more methane can be extracted from green reeds 0,281 lCH4/gDOMadd and from dry reeds 0,226 lCH4/gDOMadd - the smaller reeds were chopped the greater methane yield. Experiment results show reeds are more useful in biogas production when in cofermentation with other raw materials. Profitable biogas extraction from reeds can be accomplished in adjunction with sapropel and fertilizer production.
Voltage margin control for offshore multi-use platform integration
Authors: V.Mier  , P.G.Casielles  , J.Coto  , L.Zeni
Published: May 2017

This paper discusses a multiterminal direct current (MTDC) connection proposed for integration of offshore multi-use platforms into continental grids. Voltage source converters (VSC) were selected for their suitability for multiterminal dc systems and for their flexibility in control. A five terminal VSC-MTDC which includes offshore generation, storage, loads and ac connection, was modeled and simulated in DigSILENT Power Factory software. Voltage margin method has been used for reliable operation of the MTDC system without the need of fast communication. Simulation results show that the proposed system was able to maintain constant dc voltage operation during fluctuations in the generation and changes in the demand. Moreover, it was able to secure power supply to passive loads during loss of a dc voltage regulating terminal and to perform a dispatch scheme where it is possible to buy, sell or store energy attending to the price in the electricity market
Determining Optimal Breakpoints in Urban Power Networks with Genetic Algorithm
Authors: S.E.Kokin  , S.A.Dmitriev  , A.I.Halyasmaa
Published: May 2017

The article deals with the issues of optimizing the operating modes of 6-10 kV distribution networks constituted by the large-sized complicated meshed systems. In real time, such networks operate with breaking the circuit to eliminate equalizing currents. The goal of optimizing the networks’ operating modes is to minimize the active power loss. Determining the optimal breakpoints is a complicated discrete task, for which the method of genetic algorithm becomes the most suitable solution
Iran’s Participatory Power Market Regarding Distributed Generation from Renewable Sources: A Case Study
Authors: A.M. Motavaselian  , A.R. Faghih Khorasani
Published: May 2017

To study initial conditions for participatory power market formation based on renewable energy sources (RES) in Iran after complete accomplishment of the economic evolutionary plan, a case study for a residential building has been conducted to consider the effects of the most important parameters. So, a model of power market including three parts: consumption, production and regulations, has been optimized to achieve to a micro cost effective system of participatory power market regarding distributed generation from RES. The results indicate that the power tariff structure and rates, RES technology capital cost and economic conditions are prominent parameters. As well, to initiate the power market, a revised power tariff structure and rates are suggested; namely, a plan for shifting peak load hours from evening to day hours is essential. Also, it is demonstrated that the policy of establishing a participatory power market included photovoltaic distributed generation systems must be pursued in the economic evolutionary plan with emphasis on development of zero energy cost buildings.
In-field monitoring and numerical parametric analysis of a small size adsorption solar cooling plant in Italy
Authors: M. Simonetti  , L. Degiorgis  , G.V. Fracastoro  , A. Ghafoor  , M. E. Arboi
Published: May 2017

Solar cooling of small buildings represents a very interesting potential market, still underdeveloped and characterized by a wide range of uncertainties, both on the technological and the economical side. Actually, there are a few low size ready-to-market adsorption/absorption chillers and their costs are significantly higher than technically mature compression systems. The combination of solar thermal systems with solar assisted chillers needs a thorough design stage to be correctly optimized and this may turn out unaffordable for a low size project. A monitoring campaign has been carried on a new building (PUEEL – Prototipo Uffici ad Elevata Efficienza in Legno, High Efficiency Wooden Office Prototype) realized at the facilities of IPLA1 in Turin, Italy. The building has a wooden highly insulated envelope, controlled mechanical ventilation with thermodynamic heat recovery, radiant heating/cooling. A solar thermal collector field is integrated in the building roof (Fig.1), used both for the building heating and cooling demand, thanks to a 9kW adsorption chiller. Dynamic simulations of the system, using software Polysun © for solar cooling plant and EnergyPlus © for building demand assessment, have also been carried on and compared with in-field measurements. The validated model has been used for a parametric evaluation of the effects of the installation of different components and control strategies.
Low-Cost Instrument for Tracing Current-Voltage Characteristics of Photovoltaic Modules
Authors: Vicente Leite  , José Batista  , Faustino Chenlo  , João L. Afonso
Published: May 2017

This  paper  presents  a  simple,  robust  and  low-cost instrument  for  tracing  current-  and  power-voltage  characteristics  of photovoltaic   modules   or   low   voltage   strings   using   either   an oscilloscope or a LabVIEW application developed for this purpose. It consists  of  a  flexible  electronic  circuit,  developed  from  a  previous work,  based  on  a  fast  varying  load,  built  with  a  power  MOSFET, which  is  controlled  by  means  of  a  suitable  gate-source  voltage control signal in order to improve the tracing of current- and power-voltage characteristics on an oscilloscope. The new developments of this  work  include  a  low-cost   DAQ  system  and  an  application developed  in LabVIEW,  which  enhances  the  functionalities  and flexibility of the current-voltage tracer. The robustness was strongly improved  in  view  of  field  tests  for  fault  diagnosis  analysis.  All details   of   the   electronic   circuit   are   shown   in   this   paper   and experimental results obtained with the new instrument are presented.
Application of Trigeneration to a Multi-Unit Residential Building in Canada
Authors: D. Allaire-Tanguay  , N. Galanis  , R. Sunyé
Published: May 2017

This   paper   presents   the   model   developed   to compare  a  trigeneration  system  to  existing  heating,  cooling  and electricity  generation  methods.  The  archetype  of  a  typical  13 storey   multi-unit   residential   building   has   been   simulated   in TRNSYS  with  an  array  of  commercially  available  cogeneration units.  These  units  provide  the required  heating  to  the  building through  water  storage  and  produce  electricity  as  a  subsidiary. During cooling periods heat from these units fuels a combination of  absorption  machines  modelled  especially  for  this  application. Results   show   a   reduction   of   primary   energy   consumption compared  to  an  actual  scenario.  Further  analysis  of  the  controls and storage size would be required to optimize this system.
Multi-Objective Optimization of Microgrid Frequency and Energy Storage Capacity
Authors: M. Kohansal  , G. B. Gharehpetian,  , M. Rahmatian  , M. J. Sanjari
Published: May 2017

Microgrids are systems to integrate renewable and conventional  distributed  energy  resources  under  one  control system.  These  elements  are  responsible  for  microgrid  stability during  and  after  occurrence  of  disturbances.  The  frequency stability   is   one   of   the   most   important   issues   investigated recently,  specifically  during  islanding  process.  In  this  paper,  a multi-objective    function    is    presented    and    optimized byImperialistic  Competitive  Algorithm  to  improve  the  frequency behaviour   of   the   microgrid   considering   the   energy   storage capacity.
A Computational Contribution in order to Study Cogeneration Power Plants
Authors: F. A. M. Moura  , J. R. Camacho  , G. C. Guimarães  , M. L. R. Chaves
Published: May 2017

The deregulation of the energy matrix, as evidenced in several countries, together with the need to have renewable energy sources in the system, contributes to the widespread installation of energy auto-producers in the electrical system. However, a number of factors, not less important, as the instability in energy prices, high costs of expansion of conventional electricity generation, the emerging of new environmental policies and incentive to the use of renewable sources such as the Program for the Incentive of Alternative Energy Sources – PROINFA in Brazil resulted in the promotion and the increase in the number of generating units from sugarcane plants interconnected to the mains. Nevertheless, a series of technical operating issues, in order to ensure the excellence of the mains power, and system integrity, concerns the independent producer and the larger network when analyzing the parallelism through contingency situations.
Poultry litter: great potential for electrical energy generation in Brazil
Authors: Baldin. V  , Frozza. J. F  , Lafay. J. S
Published: May 2017

Due to the rapid industrialization and population growth there is a higher energy demand. As a result of this factor the greenhouse effect has been aggravating the weather around the globe. Many countries are seeking for sources of renewable and clean energy in order to reduce the air pollution. The biomass energy is an alternative that may interest everyone, since it is a renewable source and there are several technologies for its processing. This study aims to quantify the generation of poultry litter in the production of broiler chickens in the country, to identify the technologies for the available energy conversion, to quantify the potential for electrical energy generation and indicate through technical analysis the most feasible technology to explore the energy potential. In Brazil the biomass derived from the poultry litter represents 1% of all the available biomass, compared to the straw and sugar cane bagasse, regarding the biomass used in the electrical energy generation this percentage increases to 7%. Using the process which is more efficient (gasification) with the poultry litter produced in the country in 2010 (8.23 X 109 kg), it is estimated a production of 503.77MW. This energy may be injected into the network to meet the demand at times of increased consumption.
Simulating shadow effect on PV panels
Authors: L. Dorobantu  , M.O. Popescu  , Cl. Popescu  , A. Craciunescu
Published: May 2017

Through this paper we study losses that occur in a photovoltaic system by making simulations using the following software: Pspice and PVSYST, emphasizing the moment when the PV cells are shaded or covered, namely when the level of irradiation is not uniform throughout the module. In technical literature, the irradiation degree of solar panels is one of the determining factors for PV systems to function in optimal parameters. In this paper we modeled the effect of shading and covering of photovoltaic cells with PSpice software simulator.
Power System Monitoring using Phasor Measurements
Authors: P. Chusovitin  , A. Pazderin
Published: May 2017

The  paper  describes  investigation  of  the  new  opportunities  for  power  system  monitoring  and  control  using  phasor  measurements.  Phasor  measurements  are  used  for  power  system  model  identification  in  the  form  of  state-space  model.  Implementing  the  modal  analysis  to  identified  state-space model gives the opportunity to control proximity of  the  operation  point  to  the  feasibility  boundary.  Also,  identified  state-space  model  allows  predicting  power  system  transient.  All  time  domain  simulations  of  the  research  are  conducted for two-generator-swing-bus system. Calculations were carried out in Matlab.
Ageing estimation for the batteries of the Pierre Auger Observatory
Authors: A. López Agüera  , I. Rodríguez Cabo  , D. Rey Rey
Published: May 2017

Batteries have been used in a lot of different applications for a quite large time period, in particular in solar photovoltaic energy. In spite of this fact, their ageing mechanisms turn out to be still deeply out of control. We show in this paper the results of applying the evolution of a preliminary method for the estimation of lead-acid batteries state of health which is based on the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) between voltage distributions throughout a time period of nine years. A complete set of batteries, concerning the main parameters that could influence their lifetime, was analised.
Voltage-induced stresses during Low Voltage Ride Through (LVRT) in the drive train of wind turbines with DFIG
Authors: Dr.-Ing. Jan Wenske  , Prof. i.R. Dr.-Ing. habil. Ulrich Beckert
Published: May 2017

Nowadays   stochastic   occurrence   of   main   grid   disturbances (LVRT,  FRT)  leads  to  high  level  vibrational  excitation  of  the drive train during operation of wind turbines. Regardless  of  the  drivetrain  design  as a  direct,  hybrid  or  multi-stage  geared  one  in  this  case  high  mechanical  and  electrical stresses should be expected. This voltage-induced stress resulting from  the  generator-load  input  function,  in  which  the  air  gap torque  of  the  generator  changes  with  high  dynamic  rates.  The momentum   is   sufficient   to   excite   any   significant   natural frequencies  of  the  above-mentioned  power  train  variants  and  of all mechanically coupled systems, such as the rotor blades, main frames, nacelle and tower structures.  The  effects  within  the  drivetrain  are  shown  by  simulation  by means  of a  physically  discretized  torsional  oscillator  model  of a typical  multi-megawatt  wind  turbine  with  a  conventional  multi-stage gearbox and fast running DFIG drivetrain design. A general method  for  a  controller  setting  will  be  discussed  to  handle  these abormal grid side conditions. Using FOC for the DFIG-converter system  electrical  stress  will  be  limited  by  the  rotor  current control.
Energy Reductions in the Pulp-and-Paper Industry by Upgrading Conventional Pumping Systems through the Installation of VFDs – A Case Study
Authors: António Bonifácio  , Pedro Coelho  , Soporcel, SA, Maintenance Management Direction  , Fernando Lopes
Published: May 2017

In this paper we intend to demonstrate the benefits that can be obtained by upgrading conventional pumping systems, i.e, without speed control, pervasive in the older project Pulp-and-Paper industries, through the installation of Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs). The main objective is to significantly reduce the energy consumption and associated cost, while simultaneously avoiding the production of excess Greenhouse Gases (GHGs), contributing to the global sustainability efforts. A case study is presented, where a conventional level control system, based on an automatic valve and a constant speed driven pump, is converted to a control strategy based on the combined actuation on the valve and on the speed of the pump. For this study, it is shown that a yearly energy reduction of about 60% is achieved. This reduction, associated with a 160 kW motor, results in a yearly energy reduction of about 533 MWh and an associated reduction of about 250 tonnes CO2 . Negative effects in the power quality such as harmonics and common-mode currents must be considered, but could be kept under acceptable limits. With the results presented in this work, fully developed in an actual industrial environment, we aim to motivate those in the industry to pursue similar objectives.
Estimating the estate of charge of lead-acid batteries.
Authors: G.G. Demetino  , I. M. Pepe  , V. L. Filardi  , L. C. S. Soares Júnior  , C. E. T. Silva  , G. P. Guedes  , J. G. Lima  Brasílio  , D. Rey Rey  , A. L. Aguera.  , J. C. Anjos
Published: May 2017

A new system approach for battery discharge to estimate the state of charge of lead-acid batteries has been developed and tested. This new system is based on an industrial network that runs the Modbus Protocol with RTU format. Each unit includes an ID for communication in this network, its own power supply, a stable current supply for battery discharge and its own calibration curve for each channel at the analogical-digital converter. All parameters can be configured by the software supervisor. This system is able to discharge up to 16 batteries simultaneously and save voltage and current values for each unit. All information can be saved into a file that can be read simultaneously to the data acquisition. Thus, it is easier to have it integrated to a database and distributed on to a computing network system. This system will bring more information to the battery ageing estimator, based on the observed voltage distributions over one month. The Pierre Auger Observatory works with different set-ups for the 1600 PV-stand-alone systems. Therefore, a larger scale system capacity to test each battery unit a time has become necessary.
Renewable Energy in Residential Buildings Analysis of different micro-generation systems
Authors: M. Rodrigues  , M. Valdez  , D. Coelho
Published: May 2017

Portugal has to meet a target of 31% regarding the share  of  renewable  sources  on  gross  final  energy  consumption, including  10%  in  transportation,  to  meet  the  targets  imposed  on greenhouse   gas   emissions,   energy   efficiency   and   use   of renewable energy by the European Commission Climate Change and  Energy  package  for  2020  The  implementation  of  the  new National Strategy for Energy – ENE 2020, defining an agenda for competitiveness,  growth  and  energy  and  financial  independence, by  investing  on  renewable  energies  and  promoting  the  energy efficiency,  assuring  the  security  of  supply  and  the  economical and  environmental  sustainability  of  the  national  energy  model; contributing  to  the  reduction  of  CO2  emissions,  will  enable Portugal  to  meet  commitments  assumed  within  the  context  of European   policies.   In   the   National   Action   Plan   for   Energy Efficiency  Portuguese  Government  stated  the  goal  of  achieving 165  MW  of  micro-generation  installed  capacity  by  the  year  of 2015.  In  this  context,  and  according  to  the  new  Portuguese  law concerning   micro-generation   to   promote   renewable   energy sources  in  households,  we  present  in  this  paper  a  technical-economic analysis of different micro-generation systems that can be installed in a single-family house. This analysis will take into account  the  local  availability  of  renewable  resources  and  market technologies.
Efficient space heating in a Portuguese Public Building Replacement of a Liquefied Petroleum Gas Boiler by Heat Pump
Authors: D. Costa  , L. Pedro  , D. Coelho
Published: May 2017

Buildings are responsible for approximately 40% of the total world annual energy consumption, putting them among the largest end-use sectors. Especially important has been the increase of energy consumption in HVAC systems, which has become essential in the demand for thermal comfort. The introduction and recent amendments to the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive demonstrate growing recognition among the policy community of the importance of energy efficiency in the building sector. The implementation of energy efficient measures, without compromising comfort level of building’s occupants, can significantly reduce energy consumption in buildings, the energy bills and the correspondent greenhouse gas emissions. In the building sector there are several energy conservation measures that can be implemented to reduce building energy consumption, namely four main areas: space heating, space cooling, domestic hot water and artificial lighting. This paper presents a simple case study used to compare an efficient electric heat pump with a conventional system for a public building space heating purposes. The study has been performed using two software tools: Cype and EnergyPlus.