Screening for male osteoporosis at an academic medical center: retrospective analysis of DXA usage patterns over 5 years.

PubMed

Ivory, Dedri Markita; Siva, Chokkalingam; Velázquez, Celso; Abdinoor, Abdillahi Abdi

2012-01-01

Recent findings suggest that men have higher mortality rates than women after a hip fracture. Although the risk of osteoporotic fractures in men is increasing, male osteoporosis still remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. In general, male osteoporosis is given low priority by policy makers in public health initiatives. The purpose of this study is to examine the patterns of use and gender distribution of DXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan usage at a university medical center in the United States. The total number of DXA scans increased during the study period while the percentage of men studied actually declined. The results of this study may lead to heightened awareness among providers who are caring for male patients at risk for osteoporosis.

Thinking About Multiword Constructions: Usage-Based Approaches to Acquisition and Processing.

PubMed

Ellis, Nick C; Ogden, Dave C

2017-07-01

Usage-based approaches to language hold that we learn multiword expressions as patterns of language from language usage, and that knowledge of these patterns underlies fluent language processing. This paper explores these claims by focusing upon verb-argument constructions (VACs) such as "V(erb) about n(oun phrase)." These are productive constructions that bind syntax, lexis, and semantics. It presents (a) analyses of usage patterns of English VACs in terms of their grammatical form, semantics, lexical constituency, and distribution patterns in large corpora; (b) patterns of VAC usage in child-directed speech and child language acquisition; and (c) investigations of VAC free-association and psycholinguistic studies of online processing. We conclude that VACs are highly patterned in usage, that this patterning drives language acquisition, and that language processing is sensitive to the forms of the syntagmatic construction and their distributional statistics, the contingency of their association with meaning, and spreading activation and prototypicality effects in semantic reference. Language users have rich implicit knowledge of the statistics of multiword sequences. Copyright © 2017 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Smartphone dependence classification using tensor factorization.

PubMed

Choi, Jingyun; Rho, Mi Jung; Kim, Yejin; Yook, In Hye; Yu, Hwanjo; Kim, Dai-Jin; Choi, In Young

2017-01-01

Excessive smartphone use causes personal and social problems. To address this issue, we sought to derive usage patterns that were directly correlated with smartphone dependence based on usage data. This study attempted to classify smartphone dependence using a data-driven prediction algorithm. We developed a mobile application to collect smartphone usage data. A total of 41,683 logs of 48 smartphone users were collected from March 8, 2015, to January 8, 2016. The participants were classified into the control group (SUC) or the addiction group (SUD) using the Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale for Adults (S-Scale) and a face-to-face offline interview by a psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist (SUC = 23 and SUD = 25). We derived usage patterns using tensor factorization and found the following six optimal usage patterns: 1) social networking services (SNS) during daytime, 2) web surfing, 3) SNS at night, 4) mobile shopping, 5) entertainment, and 6) gaming at night. The membership vectors of the six patterns obtained a significantly better prediction performance than the raw data. For all patterns, the usage times of the SUD were much longer than those of the SUC. From our findings, we concluded that usage patterns and membership vectors were effective tools to assess and predict smartphone dependence and could provide an intervention guideline to predict and treat smartphone dependence based on usage data.

Measuring and Understanding the Energy Use Signatures of a Bank Building

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xie, YuLong; Liu, Bing; Athalye, Rahul A.

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory measured and analyzed the energy end-use patterns in a bank building located in the north-eastern United States. This work was performed in collaboration with PNC Financial Service Group under the US DOE’s Commercial Building Partnerships Program. This paper presents the metering study and the results of the metered data analysis. It provides a benchmark for the energy use of different bank-related equipments. The paper also reveals the importance of metering in fully understanding building loads and indentifying opportunities for energy efficiency improvements that will have impacts across PNC’s portfolio of buildings and were crucial tomore » reducing receptacle loads in the design of a net-zero bank branches. PNNL worked with PNC to meter a 4,000 ft2 bank branch in the state of Pennsylvania. 71 electrical circuits were monitored and 25 stand-alone watt-hour meters were installed at the bank. These meters monitored the consumption of all interior and exterior lighting, receptacle loads, service water heating, and the HVAC rooftop unit at a 5-minute sampling interval from November 2009 to November 2010. A total of over 8 million data records were generated, which were then analyzed to produce the end-use patterns, daily usage profiles, rooftop unit usage cycles, and inputs for calibrating the energy model of the building.« less

Implications of driving patterns on well-to-wheel performance of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

PubMed

Raykin, Leon; MacLean, Heather L; Roorda, Matthew J

2012-06-05

This study examines how driving patterns (distance and conditions) and the electricity generation supply interact to impact well-to-wheel (WTW) energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The WTW performance of a PHEV is compared with that of a similar (nonplug-in) gasoline hybrid electric vehicle and internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV). Driving PHEVs for short distances between recharging generally results in lower WTW total and fossil energy use and GHG emissions per kilometer compared to driving long distances, but the extent of the reductions depends on the electricity supply. For example, the shortest driving pattern in this study with hydroelectricity uses 81% less fossil energy than the longest driving pattern. However, the shortest driving pattern with coal-based electricity uses only 28% less fossil energy. Similar trends are observed in reductions relative to the nonplug-in vehicles. Irrespective of the electricity supply, PHEVs result in greater reductions in WTW energy use and GHG emissions relative to ICEVs for city than highway driving conditions. PHEVs charging from coal facilities only reduce WTW energy use and GHG emissions relative to ICEVs for certain favorable driving conditions. The study results have implications for environmentally beneficial PHEV adoption and usage patterns.

Internet and Cell Phone Usage Patterns among Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenaro, Cristina; Flores, Noelia; Cruz, Maribel; Pérez, Ma Carmen; Vega, Vanessa; Torres, Víctor A.

2018-01-01

Background: The risks and opportunities associated with the use of technologies are of growing research interest. Patterns of technology usage illuminate these opportunities and risks. However, no studies have assessed the usage patterns (frequency, duration, and intensity) and related factors in young people with intellectual disabilities.…

Heat-coping strategies and bedroom thermal satisfaction in New York City.

PubMed

Lee, W Victoria; Shaman, Jeffrey

2017-01-01

There has been little research into the thermal condition of the sleeping environment. Even less well documented and understood is how the sleeping thermal environment is affected by occupant behaviors such as the use of air-conditioning (AC) and electric fans, or window operations. In this paper we present results from a questionnaire survey administered to assess summertime bedroom thermal satisfaction and heat-coping strategies among New York City (NYC) residents. Specifically, we investigated current AC usage in bedrooms and examined alternate cooling strategies, cooling appliance usage patterns, and the motivations that drove these patterns during the 2015 summer. Among survey respondents (n=706), AC was the preferred heat-coping strategy, and for 30% of respondents was the only strategy used. Electric fan use and window opening were deemed ineffective for cooling by many respondents. Indeed, less than a quarter of all respondents ever opened windows to alleviate heat in their bedrooms. In general, people utilized strategies that modify the environment more than the individual person. Unsurprisingly, the frequency and overall use of AC were significantly associated with greater bedroom thermal satisfaction; however, setting AC to a lower temperature provided no additional benefit. In contrast, more frequent use of electric fans was associated with lower thermal satisfaction. In addition, 14.7% of all respondents did not have AC in their sleeping environment and 5.8% were without any AC at home. Despite the high penetration of AC ownership, usage cost was still a major concern for most. This work contributes to a better understanding of bedtime heat-coping strategies, cooling appliance usage patterns, and associated thermal satisfaction in NYC. The findings of this study suggest resident AC usage patterns may not be optimized for thermal satisfaction. Potential alternative cooling approaches could be explored to better balance maximizing thermal comfort while reducing energy consumption and environmental impact. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Synonymous Codon Usage Bias of Zika Virus and Its Adaption to the Hosts

PubMed Central

Wang, Hongju; Liu, Siqing; Zhang, Bo

2016-01-01

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus (arbovirus) in the family Flaviviridae, and the symptoms caused by ZIKV infection in humans include rash, fever, arthralgia, myalgia, asthenia and conjunctivitis. Codon usage bias analysis can reveal much about the molecular evolution and host adaption of ZIKV. To gain insight into the evolutionary characteristics of ZIKV, we performed a comprehensive analysis on the codon usage pattern in 46 ZIKV strains by calculating the effective number of codons (ENc), codon adaptation index (CAI), relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU), and other indicators. The results indicate that the codon usage bias of ZIKV is relatively low. Several lines of evidence support the hypothesis that translational selection plays a role in shaping the codon usage pattern of ZIKV. The results from a correspondence analysis (CA) indicate that other factors, such as base composition, aromaticity, and hydrophobicity may also be involved in shaping the codon usage pattern of ZIKV. Additionally, the results from a comparative analysis of RSCU between ZIKV and its hosts suggest that ZIKV tends to evolve codon usage patterns that are comparable to those of its hosts. Moreover, selection pressure from Homo sapiens on the ZIKV RSCU patterns was found to be dominant compared with that from Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Taken together, both natural translational selection and mutation pressure are important for shaping the codon usage pattern of ZIKV. Our findings contribute to understanding the evolution of ZIKV and its adaption to its hosts. PMID:27893824

Introductory Physics Students' Physics and Mathematics Epistemologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scanlon, Erin M.

The purpose of this three study dissertation is to investigate why students are enrolled in introductory physics courses experience difficulties in being successful; one possible source of their difficulties is related to their epistemology. In order to investigate students' epistemologies about mathematics and physics, students were observed solving physics problems in groups during a laboratory course (study 1) and while solving physics and mathematics problems individually during office-hour sessions (study 2). The Epistemological Resources theoretical framework was employed (Hammer & Elby, 2002). Using emergent and a priori epistemological resource operationalizations (Jones, 2015), 25 distinct epistemological resources were identified in study 1. Differences in physics epistemological resource usage between students of varying academic background (as measured by their number of previously completed mathematics and science classes were identified. By employing an external (Jones, 2015) and internal (Scanlon, 2016) a priori epistemological resource coding scheme, a total of 17 distinct epistemological resources were identified in study 2. The data were sampled to compare the mathematics and physics epistemological resource usage of participants with consistent and inconsistent sign usage in an energy conservation physics problem in order to provide a meaningful context for discussion. Participants of the same sign usage group employed epistemological resources similarly. Conversely, participants in different groups had significantly different physics epistemological resource usage patterns. Finally, student epistemological resource usage patterns from the first two studies were compared to course outcomes in order to determine implications for practice (study 3). Educators must be aware of and address the epistemological underpinnings of students' difficulties in introductory physics courses.

Smartphone dependence classification using tensor factorization

PubMed Central

Kim, Yejin; Yook, In Hye; Yu, Hwanjo; Kim, Dai-Jin

2017-01-01

Excessive smartphone use causes personal and social problems. To address this issue, we sought to derive usage patterns that were directly correlated with smartphone dependence based on usage data. This study attempted to classify smartphone dependence using a data-driven prediction algorithm. We developed a mobile application to collect smartphone usage data. A total of 41,683 logs of 48 smartphone users were collected from March 8, 2015, to January 8, 2016. The participants were classified into the control group (SUC) or the addiction group (SUD) using the Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale for Adults (S-Scale) and a face-to-face offline interview by a psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist (SUC = 23 and SUD = 25). We derived usage patterns using tensor factorization and found the following six optimal usage patterns: 1) social networking services (SNS) during daytime, 2) web surfing, 3) SNS at night, 4) mobile shopping, 5) entertainment, and 6) gaming at night. The membership vectors of the six patterns obtained a significantly better prediction performance than the raw data. For all patterns, the usage times of the SUD were much longer than those of the SUC. From our findings, we concluded that usage patterns and membership vectors were effective tools to assess and predict smartphone dependence and could provide an intervention guideline to predict and treat smartphone dependence based on usage data. PMID:28636614

Comparing the Self-Report and Measured Smartphone Usage of College Students: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Lee, Heyoung; Ahn, Heejune; Nguyen, Trung Giang; Choi, Sam-Wook; Kim, Dae Jin

2017-03-01

Nowadays smartphone overuse has become a social and medical concern. For the diagnosis and treatment, clinicians use the self-report information, but the report data often does not match actual usage pattern. The paper examines the similarity and variance in smartphone usage patterns between the measured data and self-reported data. Together with the self-reported data, the real usage log data is collected from 35 college students in a metropolitan region of Northeast Asia, using Android smartphone monitoring application developed by the authors. The unconscious users underestimate their usage time by 40%, in spite of 15% more use in the actual usage. Messengers are most-used application regardless of their self-report, and significant preference to SNS applications was observed in addict group. The actual hourly pattern is consistent with the reported one. College students use more in the afternoon, when they have more free time and cannot use PCs. No significant difference in hourly pattern is observed between the measured and self-report. The result shows there are significant cognitive bias in actual usage patterns exists in self report of smartphone addictions. Clinicians are recommended to utilize measurement tools in diagnosis and treatment of smartphone overusing subjects.

Energy-efficient electric motors study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1981-03-01

A survey conducted of purchasers of integral horsepower polyphase motors measured current knowledge of and awareness of energy efficient motors, decision making criteria, information sources, purchase and usage patterns, and related factors. The data obtained were used for the electric motor market penetration analysis. Additionally, a telephone survey was made. The study also provides analyses of distribution channels, commercialization constraints, and the impacts of government programs and rising energy prices. Study findings, conclusions, and recommendations are presented. Sample questionnaires and copies of letters to respondents are presented in appendices as well as descriptions of the methods used.

Comparing the Self-Report and Measured Smartphone Usage of College Students: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Lee, Heyoung; Nguyen, Trung Giang; Choi, Sam-Wook; Kim, Dae Jin

2017-01-01

Objective Nowadays smartphone overuse has become a social and medical concern. For the diagnosis and treatment, clinicians use the self-report information, but the report data often does not match actual usage pattern. The paper examines the similarity and variance in smartphone usage patterns between the measured data and self-reported data. Methods Together with the self-reported data, the real usage log data is collected from 35 college students in a metropolitan region of Northeast Asia, using Android smartphone monitoring application developed by the authors. Results The unconscious users underestimate their usage time by 40%, in spite of 15% more use in the actual usage. Messengers are most-used application regardless of their self-report, and significant preference to SNS applications was observed in addict group. The actual hourly pattern is consistent with the reported one. College students use more in the afternoon, when they have more free time and cannot use PCs. No significant difference in hourly pattern is observed between the measured and self-report. Conclusion The result shows there are significant cognitive bias in actual usage patterns exists in self report of smartphone addictions. Clinicians are recommended to utilize measurement tools in diagnosis and treatment of smartphone overusing subjects. PMID:28326119

Gaming Device Usage Patterns Predict Internet Gaming Disorder: Comparison across Different Gaming Device Usage Patterns.

PubMed

Paik, Soo-Hyun; Cho, Hyun; Chun, Ji-Won; Jeong, Jo-Eun; Kim, Dai-Jin

2017-12-05

Gaming behaviors have been significantly influenced by smartphones. This study was designed to explore gaming behaviors and clinical characteristics across different gaming device usage patterns and the role of the patterns on Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Responders of an online survey regarding smartphone and online game usage were classified by different gaming device usage patterns: (1) individuals who played only computer games; (2) individuals who played computer games more than smartphone games; (3) individuals who played computer and smartphone games evenly; (4) individuals who played smartphone games more than computer games; (5) individuals who played only smartphone games. Data on demographics, gaming-related behaviors, and scales for Internet and smartphone addiction, depression, anxiety disorder, and substance use were collected. Combined users, especially those who played computer and smartphone games evenly, had higher prevalence of IGD, depression, anxiety disorder, and substance use disorder. These subjects were more prone to develop IGD than reference group (computer only gamers) (B = 0.457, odds ratio = 1.579). Smartphone only gamers had the lowest prevalence of IGD, spent the least time and money on gaming, and showed lowest scores of Internet and smartphone addiction. Our findings suggest that gaming device usage patterns may be associated with the occurrence, course, and prognosis of IGD.

Gaming Device Usage Patterns Predict Internet Gaming Disorder: Comparison across Different Gaming Device Usage Patterns

PubMed Central

Cho, Hyun; Chun, Ji-Won; Jeong, Jo-Eun; Kim, Dai-Jin

2017-01-01

Gaming behaviors have been significantly influenced by smartphones. This study was designed to explore gaming behaviors and clinical characteristics across different gaming device usage patterns and the role of the patterns on Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Responders of an online survey regarding smartphone and online game usage were classified by different gaming device usage patterns: (1) individuals who played only computer games; (2) individuals who played computer games more than smartphone games; (3) individuals who played computer and smartphone games evenly; (4) individuals who played smartphone games more than computer games; (5) individuals who played only smartphone games. Data on demographics, gaming-related behaviors, and scales for Internet and smartphone addiction, depression, anxiety disorder, and substance use were collected. Combined users, especially those who played computer and smartphone games evenly, had higher prevalence of IGD, depression, anxiety disorder, and substance use disorder. These subjects were more prone to develop IGD than reference group (computer only gamers) (B = 0.457, odds ratio = 1.579). Smartphone only gamers had the lowest prevalence of IGD, spent the least time and money on gaming, and showed lowest scores of Internet and smartphone addiction. Our findings suggest that gaming device usage patterns may be associated with the occurrence, course, and prognosis of IGD. PMID:29206183

Multiple Evolutionary Selections Involved in Synonymous Codon Usages in the Streptococcus agalactiae Genome.

PubMed

Ma, Yan-Ping; Ke, Hao; Liang, Zhi-Ling; Liu, Zhen-Xing; Hao, Le; Ma, Jiang-Yao; Li, Yu-Gu

2016-02-24

Streptococcus agalactiae is an important human and animal pathogen. To better understand the genetic features and evolution of S. agalactiae, multiple factors influencing synonymous codon usage patterns in S. agalactiae were analyzed in this study. A- and U-ending rich codons were used in S. agalactiae function genes through the overall codon usage analysis, indicating that Adenine (A)/Thymine (T) compositional constraints might contribute an important role to the synonymous codon usage pattern. The GC3% against the effective number of codon (ENC) value suggested that translational selection was the important factor for codon bias in the microorganism. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that (i) mutational pressure was the most important factor in shaping codon usage of all open reading frames (ORFs) in the S. agalactiae genome; (ii) strand specific mutational bias was not capable of influencing the codon usage bias in the leading and lagging strands; and (iii) gene length was not the important factor in synonymous codon usage pattern in this organism. Additionally, the high correlation between tRNA adaptation index (tAI) value and codon adaptation index (CAI), frequency of optimal codons (Fop) value, reinforced the role of natural selection for efficient translation in S. agalactiae. Comparison of synonymous codon usage pattern between S. agalactiae and susceptible hosts (human and tilapia) showed that synonymous codon usage of S. agalactiae was independent of the synonymous codon usage of susceptible hosts. The study of codon usage in S. agalactiae may provide evidence about the molecular evolution of the bacterium and a greater understanding of evolutionary relationships between S. agalactiae and its hosts.

Multiple Evolutionary Selections Involved in Synonymous Codon Usages in the Streptococcus agalactiae Genome

PubMed Central

Ma, Yan-Ping; Ke, Hao; Liang, Zhi-Ling; Liu, Zhen-Xing; Hao, Le; Ma, Jiang-Yao; Li, Yu-Gu

2016-01-01

Streptococcus agalactiae is an important human and animal pathogen. To better understand the genetic features and evolution of S. agalactiae, multiple factors influencing synonymous codon usage patterns in S. agalactiae were analyzed in this study. A- and U-ending rich codons were used in S. agalactiae function genes through the overall codon usage analysis, indicating that Adenine (A)/Thymine (T) compositional constraints might contribute an important role to the synonymous codon usage pattern. The GC3% against the effective number of codon (ENC) value suggested that translational selection was the important factor for codon bias in the microorganism. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that (i) mutational pressure was the most important factor in shaping codon usage of all open reading frames (ORFs) in the S. agalactiae genome; (ii) strand specific mutational bias was not capable of influencing the codon usage bias in the leading and lagging strands; and (iii) gene length was not the important factor in synonymous codon usage pattern in this organism. Additionally, the high correlation between tRNA adaptation index (tAI) value and codon adaptation index (CAI), frequency of optimal codons (Fop) value, reinforced the role of natural selection for efficient translation in S. agalactiae. Comparison of synonymous codon usage pattern between S. agalactiae and susceptible hosts (human and tilapia) showed that synonymous codon usage of S. agalactiae was independent of the synonymous codon usage of susceptible hosts. The study of codon usage in S. agalactiae may provide evidence about the molecular evolution of the bacterium and a greater understanding of evolutionary relationships between S. agalactiae and its hosts. PMID:26927064

Identification of potential locations of electric vehicle supply equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brooker, R. Paul; Qin, Nan

2015-12-01

Proper placement of electric vehicle supply equipment (charging stations) requires an understanding of vehicle usage patterns. Using data from the National Household Travel Survey on vehicle mileage and destination patterns, analyses were performed to determine electric vehicles' charging needs, as a function of battery size and state of charge. This paper compares electric vehicle charging needs with Department of Energy electric vehicle charging data from real-world charging infrastructure. By combining the electric vehicles charging needs with charging data from real-world applications, locations with high electric vehicle charging likelihood are identified.

Increased energy efficiency of a steel foundry plant by using a cleaner production quick-E-scan methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmeni, Zelda; Pan, Xiaowei

2017-07-01

The Quick-E-Scan methodology is a simple and quick method that is used to achieve operational energy efficiency as opposed to detailed energy audits, which therefore offers a no cost or less cost solutions for energy management programs with a limited budget. The quick-E-scan methodology was used to assesses a steel foundry plant based in Benoni through dividing the foundry into production sections which entailed a review of the current processes and usage patterns of energy within the plant and a detailed analysis of options available for improvement and profitable areas in which energy saving measures may be implemented for an increase energy efficiency which can be presented to management of the company.

How parental attitudes affect the risky computer and Internet usage patterns of adolescents: a population-based study in the Bursa District of Turkey.

PubMed

Uncu, Yeşim; Vural, Pinar; Büyükuysal, Cağatay; Alper, Züleyha; Kiliç, Emine Zinnur

2014-12-01

We aimed to evaluate the computer usage patterns of adolescents and to determine the effects of family life and parental attitude on these patterns. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional, population-based survey that included 935 children between 11 and 16 years of age who were students in the second level of primary school and their parents as well. The following instruments were used in the survey: student and parent questionnaires on computer usage patterns and the Parental Attitude Research Instrument (PARI) to assess parental attitudes towards child-rearing and family life. Of the study population, the majority of the students had a computer in their homes and spent a lot of time on the Internet. Parental control over the amount of time spent on the Internet and the websites that were visited had sometimes limited and contradictory effects on computer usage among the students. A democratic parental attitude was the best approach. Using the computer as a reward or punishment had a negative impact on the children's computer usage patterns. Although parents are confused concerning the benefits and harms of the Internet for their children and not certain how to manage their children's use of the computer and safe navigation of the Internet, a democratic parental attitude appears to be the best approach for reaching the most beneficial computer usage patterns for students.

Developmental stage related patterns of codon usage and genomic GC content: searching for evolutionary fingerprints with models of stem cell differentiation

PubMed Central

2007-01-01

Background The usage of synonymous codons shows considerable variation among mammalian genes. How and why this usage is non-random are fundamental biological questions and remain controversial. It is also important to explore whether mammalian genes that are selectively expressed at different developmental stages bear different molecular features. Results In two models of mouse stem cell differentiation, we established correlations between codon usage and the patterns of gene expression. We found that the optimal codons exhibited variation (AT- or GC-ending codons) in different cell types within the developmental hierarchy. We also found that genes that were enriched (developmental-pivotal genes) or specifically expressed (developmental-specific genes) at different developmental stages had different patterns of codon usage and local genomic GC (GCg) content. Moreover, at the same developmental stage, developmental-specific genes generally used more GC-ending codons and had higher GCg content compared with developmental-pivotal genes. Further analyses suggest that the model of translational selection might be consistent with the developmental stage-related patterns of codon usage, especially for the AT-ending optimal codons. In addition, our data show that after human-mouse divergence, the influence of selective constraints is still detectable. Conclusion Our findings suggest that developmental stage-related patterns of gene expression are correlated with codon usage (GC3) and GCg content in stem cell hierarchies. Moreover, this paper provides evidence for the influence of natural selection at synonymous sites in the mouse genome and novel clues for linking the molecular features of genes to their patterns of expression during mammalian ontogenesis. PMID:17349061

Student Media Usage Patterns and Non-Traditional Learning in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zawacki-Richter, Olaf; Müskens, Wolfgang; Krause, Ulrike; Alturki, Uthman; Aldraiweesh, Ahmed

2015-01-01

A total of 2,338 students at German universities participated in a survey, which investigated media usage patterns of so-called traditional and non-traditional students (Schuetze & Wolter, 2003). The students provided information on the digital devices that they own or have access to, and on their usage of media and e-learning tools and…

Machine learning techniques for energy optimization in mobile embedded systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donohoo, Brad Kyoshi

Mobile smartphones and other portable battery operated embedded systems (PDAs, tablets) are pervasive computing devices that have emerged in recent years as essential instruments for communication, business, and social interactions. While performance, capabilities, and design are all important considerations when purchasing a mobile device, a long battery lifetime is one of the most desirable attributes. Battery technology and capacity has improved over the years, but it still cannot keep pace with the power consumption demands of today's mobile devices. This key limiter has led to a strong research emphasis on extending battery lifetime by minimizing energy consumption, primarily using software optimizations. This thesis presents two strategies that attempt to optimize mobile device energy consumption with negligible impact on user perception and quality of service (QoS). The first strategy proposes an application and user interaction aware middleware framework that takes advantage of user idle time between interaction events of the foreground application to optimize CPU and screen backlight energy consumption. The framework dynamically classifies mobile device applications based on their received interaction patterns, then invokes a number of different power management algorithms to adjust processor frequency and screen backlight levels accordingly. The second strategy proposes the usage of machine learning techniques to learn a user's mobile device usage pattern pertaining to spatiotemporal and device contexts, and then predict energy-optimal data and location interface configurations. By learning where and when a mobile device user uses certain power-hungry interfaces (3G, WiFi, and GPS), the techniques, which include variants of linear discriminant analysis, linear logistic regression, non-linear logistic regression, and k-nearest neighbor, are able to dynamically turn off unnecessary interfaces at runtime in order to save energy.

Comparative evolutionary genomics of Corynebacterium with special reference to codon and amino acid usage diversities.

PubMed

Pal, Shilpee; Sarkar, Indrani; Roy, Ayan; Mohapatra, Pradeep K Das; Mondal, Keshab C; Sen, Arnab

2018-02-01

The present study has been aimed to the comparative analysis of high GC composition containing Corynebacterium genomes and their evolutionary study by exploring codon and amino acid usage patterns. Phylogenetic study by MLSA approach, indel analysis and BLAST matrix differentiated Corynebacterium species in pathogenic and non-pathogenic clusters. Correspondence analysis on synonymous codon usage reveals that, gene length, optimal codon frequencies and tRNA abundance affect the gene expression of Corynebacterium. Most of the optimal codons as well as translationally optimal codons are C ending i.e. RNY (R-purine, N-any nucleotide base, and Y-pyrimidine) and reveal translational selection pressure on codon bias of Corynebacterium. Amino acid usage is affected by hydrophobicity, aromaticity, protein energy cost, etc. Highly expressed genes followed the cost minimization hypothesis and are less diverged at their synonymous positions of codons. Functional analysis of core genes shows significant difference in pathogenic and non-pathogenic Corynebacterium. The study reveals close relationship between non-pathogenic and opportunistic pathogenic Corynebaterium as well as between molecular evolution and survival niches of the organism.

Adaptive Resource Utilization Prediction System for Infrastructure as a Service Cloud.

PubMed

Zia Ullah, Qazi; Hassan, Shahzad; Khan, Gul Muhammad

2017-01-01

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud provides resources as a service from a pool of compute, network, and storage resources. Cloud providers can manage their resource usage by knowing future usage demand from the current and past usage patterns of resources. Resource usage prediction is of great importance for dynamic scaling of cloud resources to achieve efficiency in terms of cost and energy consumption while keeping quality of service. The purpose of this paper is to present a real-time resource usage prediction system. The system takes real-time utilization of resources and feeds utilization values into several buffers based on the type of resources and time span size. Buffers are read by R language based statistical system. These buffers' data are checked to determine whether their data follows Gaussian distribution or not. In case of following Gaussian distribution, Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) is applied; otherwise Autoregressive Neural Network (AR-NN) is applied. In ARIMA process, a model is selected based on minimum Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) values. Similarly, in AR-NN process, a network with the lowest Network Information Criterion (NIC) value is selected. We have evaluated our system with real traces of CPU utilization of an IaaS cloud of one hundred and twenty servers.

Adaptive Resource Utilization Prediction System for Infrastructure as a Service Cloud

PubMed Central

Hassan, Shahzad; Khan, Gul Muhammad

2017-01-01

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud provides resources as a service from a pool of compute, network, and storage resources. Cloud providers can manage their resource usage by knowing future usage demand from the current and past usage patterns of resources. Resource usage prediction is of great importance for dynamic scaling of cloud resources to achieve efficiency in terms of cost and energy consumption while keeping quality of service. The purpose of this paper is to present a real-time resource usage prediction system. The system takes real-time utilization of resources and feeds utilization values into several buffers based on the type of resources and time span size. Buffers are read by R language based statistical system. These buffers' data are checked to determine whether their data follows Gaussian distribution or not. In case of following Gaussian distribution, Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) is applied; otherwise Autoregressive Neural Network (AR-NN) is applied. In ARIMA process, a model is selected based on minimum Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) values. Similarly, in AR-NN process, a network with the lowest Network Information Criterion (NIC) value is selected. We have evaluated our system with real traces of CPU utilization of an IaaS cloud of one hundred and twenty servers. PMID:28811819

Codon usage bias and phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial ND1 gene in pisces, aves, and mammals.

PubMed

Uddin, Arif; Choudhury, Monisha Nath; Chakraborty, Supriyo

2018-01-01

The mitochondrially encoded NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase core subunit 1 (MT-ND1) gene is a subunit of the respiratory chain complex I and involved in the first step of the electron transport chain of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). To understand the pattern of compositional properties, codon usage and expression level of mitochondrial ND1 genes in pisces, aves, and mammals, we used bioinformatic approaches as no work was reported earlier. In this study, a perl script was used for calculating nucleotide contents and different codon usage bias parameters. The codon usage bias of MT-ND1 was low but the expression level was high as revealed from high ENC and CAI value. Correspondence analysis (COA) suggests that the pattern of codon usage for MT-ND1 gene is not same across species and that compositional constraint played an important role in codon usage pattern of this gene among pisces, aves, and mammals. From the regression equation of GC12 on GC3, it can be inferred that the natural selection might have played a dominant role while mutation pressure played a minor role in influencing the codon usage patterns. Further, ND1 gene has a discrepancy with cytochrome B (CYB) gene in preference of codons as evident from COA. The codon usage bias was low. It is influenced by nucleotide composition, natural selection, mutation pressure, length (number) of amino acids, and relative dinucleotide composition. This study helps in understanding the molecular biology, genetics, evolution of MT-ND1 gene, and also for designing a synthetic gene.

Motivations and usage patterns of Weibo.

PubMed

Zhang, Lixuan; Pentina, Iryna

2012-06-01

Referred to as "Weibo," microblogging in China has witnessed an exponential growth. In addition to the Twitter-like functionality, Weibo allows rich media uploads into user feeds, provides threaded comments, and offers applications, games, and Weibo medals. This expanded functionality, as well as the observed differences in trending content, suggests potentially different user motivations to join Weibo and their usage patterns compared to Twitter. This pioneering study identifies dominant Weibo user motivations and their effects on usage patterns. We discuss the findings of an online survey of 234 Weibo users and suggest managerial implications and future research directions.

New approaches to spatially analyse primary health care usage patterns in rural South Africa.

PubMed

Tanser, F; Hosegood, V; Benzler, J; Solarsh, G

2001-10-01

To develop indices to quantitatively assess and understand the spatial usage patterns of health facilities in the Hlabisa district of South Africa. We mapped and interviewed more than 23 000 homesteads (approximately 200 000 people) in Hlabisa district, South Africa and spatially analysed their modal primary health usage patterns using a geographical information system. We generated contour maps of health service use and quantified the relationship between clinic catchments and distance-defined catchments using inclusion and exclusion error. We propose the distance usage index (DUI) as an overall spatial measure of clinic usage. This index is the sum of the distances from clinic to all client homesteads divided by the sum of the distances from clinic to all homesteads within its distance-defined catchment. The index encompasses inclusion, exclusion, and strength of patient attraction for each clinic. Eighty-seven per cent of homesteads use the nearest clinic. Residents of homesteads travel an average Euclidean distance of 4.72 km to attend clinics. There is a significant logarithmic relationship between distance from clinic and their use by homesteads (r(2)=0.774, P < 0.0001). The DUI values range between 31 and 198% (mean=110%, SD=43.7) for 12 clinics and highlight clinic usage patterns across the district. The DUI is a powerful and informative composite measure of clinic usage. The results of the study have important implications for health care provision in developing countries.

Web usage data mining agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madiraju, Praveen; Zhang, Yanqing

2002-03-01

When a user logs in to a website, behind the scenes the user leaves his/her impressions, usage patterns and also access patterns in the web servers log file. A web usage mining agent can analyze these web logs to help web developers to improve the organization and presentation of their websites. They can help system administrators in improving the system performance. Web logs provide invaluable help in creating adaptive web sites and also in analyzing the network traffic analysis. This paper presents the design and implementation of a Web usage mining agent for digging in to the web log files.

Walking at non-constant speeds: mechanical work, pendular transduction, and energy congruity.

PubMed

Balbinot, G

2017-05-01

Although almost half of all walking bouts in urban environments consist of less than 12 consecutive steps and several day-to-day gait activities contain transient gait responses, in most studies gait analysis is performed at steady-state. This study aimed to analyze external (W ext ) and internal mechanical work (W int ), pendulum-like mechanics, and elastic energy usage during constant and non-constant speeds. The mechanical work, pendular transduction, and energy congruity (an estimate of storage and release of elastic energy) during walking were computed using two force platforms. We found that during accelerating gait (+NCS) energy recovery is maintained, besides extra W + ext , for decelerating gait (-NCS) poor energy recovery was counterbalanced by W - ext and C% predominance. We report an increase in elastic energy usage with speed (4-11%). Both W - ext and %C suggests that elastic energy usage is higher at faster speeds and related to -NCS (≈20% of elastic energy usage). This study was the first to show evidences of elastic energy usage during constant and non-constant speeds. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An initial log analysis of usage patterns on a research networking system.

PubMed

Boland, Mary Regina; Trembowelski, Sylvia; Bakken, Suzanne; Weng, Chunhua

2012-08-01

Usage data for research networking systems (RNSs) are valuable but generally unavailable for understanding scientific professionals' information needs and online collaborator seeking behaviors. This study contributes a method for evaluating RNSs and initial usage knowledge of one RNS obtained from using this method. We designed a log for an institutional RNS, defined categories of users and tasks, and analyzed correlations between usage patterns and user and query types. Our results show that scientific professionals spend more time performing deep Web searching on RNSs than generic Google users and we also show that retrieving scientist profiles is faster on an RNS than on Google (3.5 seconds vs. 34.2 seconds) whereas organization-specific browsing on a RNS takes longer than on Google (117.0 seconds vs. 34.2 seconds). Usage patterns vary by user role, e.g., faculty performed more informational queries than administrators, which implies role-specific user support is needed for RNSs. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An Initial Log Analysis of Usage Patterns on a Research Networking System

PubMed Central

Boland, Mary Regina; Trembowelski, Sylvia; Bakken, Suzanne; Weng, Chunhua

2012-01-01

Abstract Usage data for research networking systems (RNSs) are valuable but generally unavailable for understanding scientific professionals’ information needs and online collaborator seeking behaviors. This study contributes a method for evaluating RNSs and initial usage knowledge of one RNS obtained from using this method. We designed a log for an institutional RNS, defined categories of users and tasks, and analyzed correlations between usage patterns and user and query types. Our results show that scientific professionals spend more time performing deep Web searching on RNSs than generic Google users and we also show that retrieving scientist profiles is faster on an RNS than on Google (3.5 seconds vs. 34.2 seconds) whereas organization‐specific browsing on a RNS takes longer than on Google (117.0 seconds vs. 34.2 seconds). Usage patterns vary by user role, e.g., faculty performed more informational queries than administrators, which implies role‐specific user support is needed for RNSs. Clin Trans Sci 2012; Volume 5: 340–347 PMID:22883612

Codon usage and expression level of human mitochondrial 13 protein coding genes across six continents.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Supriyo; Uddin, Arif; Mazumder, Tarikul Huda; Choudhury, Monisha Nath; Malakar, Arup Kumar; Paul, Prosenjit; Halder, Binata; Deka, Himangshu; Mazumder, Gulshana Akthar; Barbhuiya, Riazul Ahmed; Barbhuiya, Masuk Ahmed; Devi, Warepam Jesmi

2017-12-02

The study of codon usage coupled with phylogenetic analysis is an important tool to understand the genetic and evolutionary relationship of a gene. The 13 protein coding genes of human mitochondria are involved in electron transport chain for the generation of energy currency (ATP). However, no work has yet been reported on the codon usage of the mitochondrial protein coding genes across six continents. To understand the patterns of codon usage in mitochondrial genes across six different continents, we used bioinformatic analyses to analyze the protein coding genes. The codon usage bias was low as revealed from high ENC value. Correlation between codon usage and GC3 suggested that all the codons ending with G/C were positively correlated with GC3 but vice versa for A/T ending codons with the exception of ND4L and ND5 genes. Neutrality plot revealed that for the genes ATP6, COI, COIII, CYB, ND4 and ND4L, natural selection might have played a major role while mutation pressure might have played a dominant role in the codon usage bias of ATP8, COII, ND1, ND2, ND3, ND5 and ND6 genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that evolutionary relationships in each of 13 protein coding genes of human mitochondria were different across six continents and further suggested that geographical distance was an important factor for the origin and evolution of 13 protein coding genes of human mitochondria. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and Mitochondria Research Society. All rights reserved.

Genome-wide comparative analysis of codon usage bias and codon context patterns among cyanobacterial genomes.

PubMed

Prabha, Ratna; Singh, Dhananjaya P; Sinha, Swati; Ahmad, Khurshid; Rai, Anil

2017-04-01

With the increasing accumulation of genomic sequence information of prokaryotes, the study of codon usage bias has gained renewed attention. The purpose of this study was to examine codon selection pattern within and across cyanobacterial species belonging to diverse taxonomic orders and habitats. We performed detailed comparative analysis of cyanobacterial genomes with respect to codon bias. Our analysis reflects that in cyanobacterial genomes, A- and/or T-ending codons were used predominantly in the genes whereas G- and/or C-ending codons were largely avoided. Variation in the codon context usage of cyanobacterial genes corresponded to the clustering of cyanobacteria as per their GC content. Analysis of codon adaptation index (CAI) and synonymous codon usage order (SCUO) revealed that majority of genes are associated with low codon bias. Codon selection pattern in cyanobacterial genomes reflected compositional constraints as major influencing factor. It is also identified that although, mutational constraint may play some role in affecting codon usage bias in cyanobacteria, compositional constraint in terms of genomic GC composition coupled with environmental factors affected codon selection pattern in cyanobacterial genomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estimating caffeine intake from energy drinks and dietary supplements in the United States

PubMed Central

Bailey, Regan L; Saldanha, Leila G; Gahche, Jaime J; Dwyer, Johanna T

2014-01-01

No consistent definition exists for energy products in the United States. These products have been marketed and sold as beverages (conventional foods), energy shots (dietary supplements), and in pill or tablet form. Recently, the number of available products has surged, and formulations have changed to include caffeine. To help characterize the use of caffeine-containing energy products in the United States, three sources of data were analyzed: sales data, data from federal sources, and reports from the Drug Abuse Warning Network. These data indicate that sales of caffeine-containing energy products and emergency room visits involving their consumption appear to be increasing over time. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2010 indicate that 2.7% [standard error (SE) 0.2%] of the US population ≥1 year of age used a caffeine-containing energy product, providing approximately 150–200 mg/day of caffeine per day in addition to caffeine from traditional sources like coffee, tea, and colas. The highest usage of these products was among males between the ages of 19 and 30 years (7.6%, SE 1.0). Although the prevalence of caffeine-containing energy product use remains low overall in the US population, certain subgroups appear to be using these products in larger amounts. Several challenges remain in determining the level of caffeine exposure from and accurate usage patterns of caffeine-containing energy products. PMID:25293539

Occupancy schedules learning process through a data mining framework

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D'Oca, Simona; Hong, Tianzhen

Building occupancy is a paramount factor in building energy simulations. Specifically, lighting, plug loads, HVAC equipment utilization, fresh air requirements and internal heat gain or loss greatly depends on the level of occupancy within a building. Developing the appropriate methodologies to describe and reproduce the intricate network responsible for human-building interactions are needed. Extrapolation of patterns from big data streams is a powerful analysis technique which will allow for a better understanding of energy usage in buildings. A three-step data mining framework is applied to discover occupancy patterns in office spaces. First, a data set of 16 offices with 10more » minute interval occupancy data, over a two year period is mined through a decision tree model which predicts the occupancy presence. Then a rule induction algorithm is used to learn a pruned set of rules on the results from the decision tree model. Finally, a cluster analysis is employed in order to obtain consistent patterns of occupancy schedules. Furthermore, the identified occupancy rules and schedules are representative as four archetypal working profiles that can be used as input to current building energy modeling programs, such as EnergyPlus or IDA-ICE, to investigate impact of occupant presence on design, operation and energy use in office buildings.« less

Occupancy schedules learning process through a data mining framework

DOE PAGES

D'Oca, Simona; Hong, Tianzhen

2014-12-17

Building occupancy is a paramount factor in building energy simulations. Specifically, lighting, plug loads, HVAC equipment utilization, fresh air requirements and internal heat gain or loss greatly depends on the level of occupancy within a building. Developing the appropriate methodologies to describe and reproduce the intricate network responsible for human-building interactions are needed. Extrapolation of patterns from big data streams is a powerful analysis technique which will allow for a better understanding of energy usage in buildings. A three-step data mining framework is applied to discover occupancy patterns in office spaces. First, a data set of 16 offices with 10more » minute interval occupancy data, over a two year period is mined through a decision tree model which predicts the occupancy presence. Then a rule induction algorithm is used to learn a pruned set of rules on the results from the decision tree model. Finally, a cluster analysis is employed in order to obtain consistent patterns of occupancy schedules. Furthermore, the identified occupancy rules and schedules are representative as four archetypal working profiles that can be used as input to current building energy modeling programs, such as EnergyPlus or IDA-ICE, to investigate impact of occupant presence on design, operation and energy use in office buildings.« less

Internet and cell phone usage patterns among young adults with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Jenaro, Cristina; Flores, Noelia; Cruz, Maribel; Pérez, Ma Carmen; Vega, Vanessa; Torres, Víctor A

2018-03-01

The risks and opportunities associated with the use of technologies are of growing research interest. Patterns of technology usage illuminate these opportunities and risks. However, no studies have assessed the usage patterns (frequency, duration, and intensity) and related factors in young people with intellectual disabilities. Questionnaires on Internet and cell phone usage patterns, the Internet Over-Use Scale and the Cell-Phone Over-Use Scale, as well as the Beck Depression Inventory were filled out in one-on-one interviews of 216 youth with intellectual disabilities. Young people with disabilities make more social and recreational rather than educational use of these tools, and show higher rates of excessive use of both technologies than a comparison group of 410 young people without disabilities. Also, their overuse is associated with other unhealthy behaviors. The framework of support needs of people with disabilities should be considered to promote healthy Internet and cell phone use. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Enabling active and healthy ageing decision support systems with the smart collection of TV usage patterns

PubMed Central

Billis, Antonis S.; Batziakas, Asterios; Bratsas, Charalampos; Tsatali, Marianna S.; Karagianni, Maria

2016-01-01

Smart monitoring of seniors behavioural patterns and more specifically activities of daily living have attracted immense research interest in recent years. Development of smart decision support systems to support the promotion of health smart homes has also emerged taking advantage of the plethora of smart, inexpensive and unobtrusive monitoring sensors, devices and software tools. To this end, a smart monitoring system has been used in order to extract meaningful information about television (TV) usage patterns and subsequently associate them with clinical findings of experts. The smart TV operating state remote monitoring system was installed in four elderly women homes and gathered data for more than 11 months. Results suggest that TV daily usage (time the TV is turned on) can predict mental health change. Conclusively, the authors suggest that collection of smart device usage patterns could strengthen the inference capabilities of existing health DSSs applied in uncontrolled settings such as real senior homes. PMID:27284457

Enabling active and healthy ageing decision support systems with the smart collection of TV usage patterns.

PubMed

Billis, Antonis S; Batziakas, Asterios; Bratsas, Charalampos; Tsatali, Marianna S; Karagianni, Maria; Bamidis, Panagiotis D

2016-03-01

Smart monitoring of seniors behavioural patterns and more specifically activities of daily living have attracted immense research interest in recent years. Development of smart decision support systems to support the promotion of health smart homes has also emerged taking advantage of the plethora of smart, inexpensive and unobtrusive monitoring sensors, devices and software tools. To this end, a smart monitoring system has been used in order to extract meaningful information about television (TV) usage patterns and subsequently associate them with clinical findings of experts. The smart TV operating state remote monitoring system was installed in four elderly women homes and gathered data for more than 11 months. Results suggest that TV daily usage (time the TV is turned on) can predict mental health change. Conclusively, the authors suggest that collection of smart device usage patterns could strengthen the inference capabilities of existing health DSSs applied in uncontrolled settings such as real senior homes.

Fuzzy usage pattern in customizing public transport fleet and its maintenance options

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husniah, H.; Herdiani, L.; Kusmaya; Supriatna, A. K.

2018-05-01

In this paper we study a two-dimensional maintenance contract for a fleet of public transport, such as buses, shuttle etc. The buses are sold with a two-dimensional warranty. The warranty and the maintenance contract are characterized by two parameters – age and usage – which define a two-dimensional region. However, we use one dimensional approach to model these age and usage of the buses. The under-laying maintenance service contracts is the one which offers policy limit cost to protect a service provider (an agent) from over claim and to pursue the owner to do maintenance under specified cost in house. This in turn gives benefit for both the owner of the buses and the agent of service contract. The decision problem for an agent is to determine the optimal price for each option offered, and for the owner is to select the best contract option. We use a Nash game theory formulation in order to obtain a win-win solution – i.e. the optimal price for the agent and the optimal option for the owner. We further assume that there will be three different usage pattern of the buses, i.e. low, medium, and high pattern of the usage rate. In many situations it is often that we face a blur boundary between the adjacent patterns. In this paper we look for the optimal price for the agent and the optimal option for the owner, which minimizes the expected total cost while considering the fuzziness of the usage rate pattern.

Complex codon usage pattern and compositional features of retroviruses.

PubMed

RoyChoudhury, Sourav; Mukherjee, Debaprasad

2013-01-01

Retroviruses infect a wide range of organisms including humans. Among them, HIV-1, which causes AIDS, has now become a major threat for world health. Some of these viruses are also potential gene transfer vectors. In this study, the patterns of synonymous codon usage in retroviruses have been studied through multivariate statistical methods on ORFs sequences from the available 56 retroviruses. The principal determinant for evolution of the codon usage pattern in retroviruses seemed to be the compositional constraints, while selection for translation of the viral genes plays a secondary role. This was further supported by multivariate analysis on relative synonymous codon usage. Thus, it seems that mutational bias might have dominated role over translational selection in shaping the codon usage of retroviruses. Codon adaptation index was used to identify translationally optimal codons among genes from retroviruses. The comparative analysis of the preferred and optimal codons among different retroviral groups revealed that four codons GAA, AAA, AGA, and GGA were significantly more frequent in most of the retroviral genes inspite of some differences. Cluster analysis also revealed that phylogenetically related groups of retroviruses have probably evolved their codon usage in a concerted manner under the influence of their nucleotide composition.

Analysis of transcriptome data reveals multifactor constraint on codon usage in Taenia multiceps.

PubMed

Huang, Xing; Xu, Jing; Chen, Lin; Wang, Yu; Gu, Xiaobin; Peng, Xuerong; Yang, Guangyou

2017-04-20

Codon usage bias (CUB) is an important evolutionary feature in genomes that has been widely observed in many organisms. However, the synonymous codon usage pattern in the genome of T. multiceps remains to be clarified. In this study, we analyzed the codon usage of T. multiceps based on the transcriptome data to reveal the constraint factors and to gain an improved understanding of the mechanisms that shape synonymous CUB. Analysis of a total of 8,620 annotated mRNA sequences from T. multiceps indicated only a weak codon bias, with mean GC and GC3 content values of 49.29% and 51.43%, respectively. Our analysis indicated that nucleotide composition, mutational pressure, natural selection, gene expression level, amino acids with grand average of hydropathicity (GRAVY) and aromaticity (Aromo) and the effective selection of amino-acids all contributed to the codon usage in T. multiceps. Among these factors, natural selection was implicated as the major factor affecting the codon usage variation in T. multiceps. The codon usage of ribosome genes was affected mainly by mutations, while the essential genes were affected mainly by selection. In addition, 21codons were identified as "optimal codons". Overall, the optimal codons were GC-rich (GC:AU, 41:22), and ended with G or C (except CGU). Furthermore, different degrees of variation in codon usage were found between T. multiceps and Escherichia coli, yeast, Homo sapiens. However, little difference was found between T. multiceps and Taenia pisiformis. In this study, the codon usage pattern of T. multiceps was analyzed systematically and factors affected CUB were also identified. This is the first study of codon biology in T. multiceps. Understanding the codon usage pattern in T. multiceps can be helpful for the discovery of new genes, molecular genetic engineering and evolutionary studies.

Collecting conditions usage metadata to optimize current and future ATLAS software and processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rinaldi, L.; Barberis, D.; Formica, A.; Gallas, E. J.; Oda, S.; Rybkin, G.; Verducci, M.; ATLAS Collaboration

2017-10-01

Conditions data (for example: alignment, calibration, data quality) are used extensively in the processing of real and simulated data in ATLAS. The volume and variety of the conditions data needed by different types of processing are quite diverse, so optimizing its access requires a careful understanding of conditions usage patterns. These patterns can be quantified by mining representative log files from each type of processing and gathering detailed information about conditions usage for that type of processing into a central repository.

Exploring the Relationship between Video Lecture Usage Patterns and Students' Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giannakos, Michail N.; Jaccheri, Letizia; Krogstie, John

2016-01-01

Videos have enhanced the value of teaching and learning, particularly in tertiary education. Recent studies have investigated students' attitudes toward video lectures for educational purposes; however, the relationship between students' attitudes and different usage patterns such as platforms used, video duration, watching period and students'…

Factors motivating and affecting health information exchange usage

PubMed Central

Zhao, Hongwei; Jaspserson, 'Jon; Gamm, Larry D; Ohsfeldt, Robert L

2011-01-01

Objective Health information exchange (HIE) is the process of electronically sharing patient-level information between providers. However, where implemented, reports indicate HIE system usage is low. The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with different types of HIE usage. Design Cross-sectional analysis of clinical data from emergency room encounters included in an operational HIE effort linked to system user logs using crossed random-intercept logistic regression. Measurements Independent variables included factors indicative of information needs. System usage was measured as none, basic usage, or a novel pattern of usage. Results The system was accessed for 2.3% of all encounters (6142 out of 271 305). Novel usage patterns were more likely for more complex patients. The odds of HIE usage were lower in the face of time constraints. In contrast to expectations, system usage was lower when the patient was unfamiliar to the facility. Limitations Because of differences between HIE efforts and the fact that not all types of HIE usage (ie, public health) could be included in the analysis, results are limited in terms of generalizablity. Conclusions This study of actual HIE system usage identifies patients and circumstances in which HIE is more likely to be used and factors that are likely to discourage usage. The paper explores the implications of the findings for system redesign, information integration across exchange partners, and for meaningful usage criteria emerging from provisions of the Health Information Technology for Economic & Clinical Health Act. PMID:21262919

Characterization of codon usage pattern and influencing factors in Japanese encephalitis virus.

PubMed

Singh, Niraj K; Tyagi, Anuj; Kaur, Rajinder; Verma, Ramneek; Gupta, Praveen K

2016-08-02

Recently, several outbreaks of Japanese encephalitis (JE), caused by Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), have been reported and it has become cause of concern across the world. In this study, detailed analysis of JEV codon usage pattern was performed. The relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) values along with mean effective number of codons (ENC) value of 55.30 indicated the presence of low codon usages bias in JEV. The effect of mutational pressure on codon usage bias was confirmed by significant correlations of A3s, U3s, G3s, C3s, GC3s, ENC values, with overall nucleotide contents (A%, U%, G%, C%, and GC%). The correlation analysis of A3s, U3s, G3s, C3s, GC3s, with axis values of correspondence analysis (CoA) further confirmed the role of mutational pressure. However, the correlation analysis of Gravy values and Aroma values with A3s, U3s, G3s, C3s, and GC3s, indicated the presence of natural selection on codon usage bias in addition to mutational pressure. The natural selection was further confirmed by codon adaptation index (CAI) analysis. Additionally, relative dinucleotide frequencies, geographical distribution, and evolutionary processes also influenced the codon usage pattern to some extent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Usage Pattern Differences and Similarities of Mobile Electronic Medical Records Among Health Care Providers

PubMed Central

Kim, Junetae; Kim, Jeong Hoon; Kim, Woo Sung

2017-01-01

Background Recently, many hospitals have introduced mobile electronic medical records (mEMRs). Although numerous studies have been published on the usability or usage patterns of mEMRs through user surveys, investigations based on the real data usage are lacking. Objective Asan Medical Center, a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea, implemented an mEMR program in 2010. On the basis of the mEMR usage log data collected over a period of 4.5 years, we aimed to identify a usage pattern and trends in accordance with user occupation and to disseminate the factors that make the mEMR more effective and efficient. Methods The mEMR log data were collected from March 2012 to August 2016. Descriptive analyses were completed according to user occupation, access time, services, and wireless network type. Specifically, analyses targeted were as follows: (1) the status of the mEMR usage and distribution of users, (2) trends in the number of users and usage amount, (3) 24-hour usage patterns, and (4) trends in service usage based on user occupations. Linear regressions were performed to model the relationship between the time, access frequency, and the number of users. The differences between the user occupations were examined using Student t tests for categorical variables. Results Approximately two-thirds of the doctors and nurses used the mEMR. The number of logs studied was 7,144,459. Among 3859 users, 2333 (60.46%) users were nurses and 1102 (28.56%) users were doctors. On average, the mEMR was used 1044 times by 438 users per day. The number of users and amount of access logs have significantly increased since 2012 (P<.001). Nurses used the mEMR 3 times more often than doctors. The use of mEMR by nurses increased by an annual average of 51.5%, but use by doctors decreased by an annual average of 7.7%. For doctors, the peak usage periods were observed during 08:00 to 09:00 and 17:00 to 18:00, which were coincident with the beginning of ward rounds. Conversely, the peak usage periods for the nurses were observed during 05:00 to 06:00, 12:00 to 13:00, and 20:00 to 21:00, which effectively occurred 1 or 2 hours before handover. In more than 80% of all cases, the mEMR was accessed via a nonhospital wireless network. Conclusions The usage patterns of the mEMR differed between doctors and nurses according to their different workflows. In both occupations, mEMR was highly used when personal computer access was limited and the need for patient information was high, such as during ward rounds or handover periods. PMID:29237579

From the LCA of food products to the environmental assessment of protected crops districts: a case-study in the south of Italy.

PubMed

Cellura, Maurizio; Ardente, Fulvio; Longo, Sonia

2012-01-01

In the present study, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology was applied to evaluate the energy consumption and environmental burdens associated with the production of protected crops in an agricultural district in the Mediterranean region. In this study, LCA was used as a 'support tool', to address local policies for sustainable production and consumption patterns, and to create a 'knowledge base' for environmental assessment of an extended agricultural production area. The proposed approach combines organisation-specific tools, such as Environmental Management Systems and Environmental Product Declarations, with the environmental management of the district. Questionnaires were distributed to producers to determine the life cycle of different protected crops (tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, peppers, melons and zucchinis), and obtain information on greenhouse usage (e.g. tunnel vs. pavilion). Ecoprofiles of products in the district were also estimated, to identify supply chain elements with the highest impact in terms of global energy requirements, greenhouse gas emissions, eutrophication, water consumption and waste production. These results of this study enable selection of the 'best practices' and ecodesign solutions, to reduce the environmental impact of these products. Finally, sensitivity analysis of key LCA issues was performed, to assess the variability associated with different parameters: vegetable production; water usage; fertiliser and pesticide usage; shared greenhouse use; substitution of plastics coverings; and waste recycling. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Building Energy Consumption Pattern Analysis of Detached Housing for the Policy Decision Simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Jiyoun; Lee, Seung-Eon

2018-03-01

The Korean government announced its plan to raise the previous reduction goal of greenhouse gas emission from buildings by 26.9% until 2020 on July 2015. Therefore, policies regarding efficiency in the building energy are implemented fast, but the level of building owners and market understanding is low in general, and the government service system which supports decision making for implementing low-energy buildings has not been provided yet. The purpose of this study is to present the design direction for establishing user customized building energy database to perform a role to provide autonomous ecosystem of low-energy buildings. In order to reduce energy consumption in buildings, it is necessary to carry out the energy performance analysis based on the characteristics of target building. By analysing about 20-thousand cases of the amount of housing energy consumption in Korea, this study suggested the real energy consumption pattern by building types. Also, the energy performance of a building could be determined by energy consumption, but previous building energy consumption analysis programs required expert knowledge and experience in program usage, so it was difficult for normal building users to use such programs. Therefore, a measure to provide proper default using the level of data which general users with no expert knowledge regarding building energy could enter easily was suggested in this study.

Usage Patterns of Open Genomic Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xia, Jingfeng; Liu, Ying

2013-01-01

This paper uses Genome Expression Omnibus (GEO), a data repository in biomedical sciences, to examine the usage patterns of open data repositories. It attempts to identify the degree of recognition of data reuse value and understand how e-science has impacted a large-scale scholarship. By analyzing a list of 1,211 publications that cite GEO data…

Psychotropic Drug Patterns in a Large ICF/MR Facility: A Ten-Year Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poindexter, Ann R.

1989-01-01

Psychotropic drug-prescribing patterns for 474 adults with mental retardation residing at an intermediate-care facility were examined for a 10-year period. Results indicated a progressive, marked decrease in total psychotropic drug usage and changes in the type of drugs prescribed with overall decline in drug usage. (Author/DB)

Investigating Learner Preparedness for and Usage Patterns of Mobile Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stockwell, Glenn

2008-01-01

While the use of mobile devices for language learning has sparked the interest of an increasing number of researchers in recent years (e.g., Aizawa & Kiernan, 2003; Thornton & Houser, 2005), our knowledge of learners' preferences for the mobile platform and their usage patterns remains limited. Are learners prepared to use mobile phones…

Patterns of Usage of a University-Based, Peer-Operated Hotline.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Anna M.; Glenwick, David S.

1992-01-01

Examined usage patterns (i.e., caller and telephone call characteristics) from 1985 through 1989 at a university-based, peer-operated hotline. Collected data on calls to the hotline for the years under examination. Data analysis revealed the importance of examining both sex differences and differences between repeat and nonrepeat callers.…

Temporal Patterns and Dynamics of E-Learning Usage in Medical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panzarasa, Pietro; Kujawski, Bernard; Hammond, Edward J.; Roberts, C. Michael

2016-01-01

Despite the increasing popularity of e-learning systems across a variety of educational programmes, there is relatively little understanding of how students and trainees distribute their learning efforts over time. This study aimed to analyse the usage patterns of an e-learning resource designed to support specialty training. Data were collected…

Codon usage bias in prokaryotic pyrimidine-ending codons is associated with the degeneracy of the encoded amino acids

PubMed Central

Wald, Naama; Alroy, Maya; Botzman, Maya; Margalit, Hanah

2012-01-01

Synonymous codons are unevenly distributed among genes, a phenomenon termed codon usage bias. Understanding the patterns of codon bias and the forces shaping them is a major step towards elucidating the adaptive advantage codon choice can confer at the level of individual genes and organisms. Here, we perform a large-scale analysis to assess codon usage bias pattern of pyrimidine-ending codons in highly expressed genes in prokaryotes. We find a bias pattern linked to the degeneracy of the encoded amino acid. Specifically, we show that codon-pairs that encode two- and three-fold degenerate amino acids are biased towards the C-ending codon while codons encoding four-fold degenerate amino acids are biased towards the U-ending codon. This codon usage pattern is widespread in prokaryotes, and its strength is correlated with translational selection both within and between organisms. We show that this bias is associated with an improved correspondence with the tRNA pool, avoidance of mis-incorporation errors during translation and moderate stability of codon–anticodon interaction, all consistent with more efficient translation. PMID:22581775

[Impact of OSA Therapy on Established Polyphasic Sleep].

PubMed

Kerl, J; Dellweg, D

2018-05-23

 The prevalence of polyphasic sleep (PS) in patients with sleep apnoea (OSA) is investigated in this study. In established PS the possible impact of OSA therapy on sleep behaviour was examined.  Sleep patterns in 24 hours of initial recepted OSA patients were recorded by questionnaire (n = 163). In polyphasic sleepers the sleep patterns were reevaluated after OSA therapy initiation. In additional patients polyphasic therapy usage was investigated by telemonitoring data (n = 487). 39,6 % of the patients had PS. After OSA therapy initiation in 97,0 % of the polyphasic sleepers a monophasic device usage was established while 3,0 % had a polyphasic usage. PS was switched to monophasic sleep in 81,8 % of the patients. 15.2 % had preserved PS without device usage on daytimes. 2,9 % of the telemonitoring patients showed a polyphasic usage pattern. The prevalence of PS in OSA patients is higher than in the general population. PS is converted to monophasic sleep in 81,8 % after OSA therapy initiation. In preserved PS the majority of patients doesn't use the therapy while napping. Polyphasic device usage was 2,9 % in telemonitoring patients and 3,0 % of the controls of this study. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Country profile: Hungary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1991-09-01

Country Profile: Hungary has been prepared as a background document for use by US Government agencies and US businesses interested in becoming involved with the new democracies of Eastern Europe as they pursue sustainable economic development. The focus of the Profile is on energy and highlights information on Hungary`s energy supply, demand, and utilization. It identifies patterns of energy usage in the important economic sectors, especially industry, and provides a preliminary assessment for opportunities to improve efficiencies in energy production, distribution and use by introducing more efficient technologies. The use of more efficient technologies would have the added benefit ofmore » reducing the environmental impact which, although is not the focus of the report, is an issue that effects energy choices. The Profile also presents considerable economic information, primarily in the context of how economic restructuring may affect energy supply, demand, and the introduction of more efficient technologies.« less

Country profile: Hungary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1991-09-01

Country Profile: Hungary has been prepared as a background document for use by US Government agencies and US businesses interested in becoming involved with the new democracies of Eastern Europe as they pursue sustainable economic development. The focus of the Profile is on energy and highlights information on Hungary's energy supply, demand, and utilization. It identifies patterns of energy usage in the important economic sectors, especially industry, and provides a preliminary assessment for opportunities to improve efficiencies in energy production, distribution and use by introducing more efficient technologies. The use of more efficient technologies would have the added benefit ofmore » reducing the environmental impact which, although is not the focus of the report, is an issue that effects energy choices. The Profile also presents considerable economic information, primarily in the context of how economic restructuring may affect energy supply, demand, and the introduction of more efficient technologies.« less

Smartphone Usage Patterns by Canadian Neurosurgery Residents: A National Cross-Sectional Survey.

PubMed

Kameda-Smith, Michelle Masayo; Iorio-Morin, Christian; Winkler-Schwartz, Alexander; Ahmed, Uzair S; Bergeron, David; Bigder, Mark; Dakson, Ayoub; Elliott, Cameron A; Guha, Daipayan; Lavergne, Pascal; Makarenko, Serge; Taccone, Michael S; Tso, Michael; Wang, Bill; Fortin, David

2018-03-01

Smartphones and their apps are used ubiquitously in medical practice. However, in some cases their use can be at odds with current patient data safety regulations such as Canada's Personal Health Information Protection Act of 2004. To assess current practices and inform mobile application development, we sought to better understand mobile device usage patterns among Canadian neurosurgery residents. Through the Canadian Neurosurgery Research Collaborative, an online survey characterizing smartphone ownership and usage patterns was developed and sent to all Canadian neurosurgery resident in April of 2016. Questionnaires were collected and completed surveys analyzed. Of 146 eligible residents, 76 returned completed surveys (52% response rate). Of these 99% of respondents owned a smartphone, with 79% running on Apple's iOS. Four general mobile uses were identified: 1) communication between members of the medical team, 2) decision support, 3) medical reference, and 4) documentation through medical photography. Communication and photography were areas where the most obvious breaches in the Canadian Personal Health Information Protection Act were noted, with 89% of respondents taking pictures of patients' radiologic studies and 75% exchanging them with Short Message System. Hospital policies had no impact on user behaviors. Smartphones are used daily by most neurosurgery residents. Identified usage patterns are associated with perceived gains in efficacy and challenges in privacy and data reliability. We believe creating and improving workflows that address these usage patterns has a greater potential to improve privacy than changing policies and enforcing regulations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ACMV Energy Analysis for Academic Building: A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hywel, R.; Tee, B. T.; Arifin, M. Y.; Tan, C. F.; Gan, C. K.; Chong, CT

2015-09-01

Building energy audit examines the ways actual energy consumption is currently used in the facility, in the case of a completed and occupied building and identifies some alternatives to reduce current energy usage. Implementation of energy audit are practically used to analyze energy consumption pattern, monitoring on how the energy used varies with time in the building, how the system element interrelate, and study the effect of external environment towards building. In this case study, a preliminary energy audit is focusing on Air-Conditioning & Mechanical Ventilation (ACMV) system which reportedly consumed 40% of the total energy consumption in typical building. It is also the main system that provides comfortable and healthy environment for the occupants. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the current ACMV system performance, energy optimization and identifying the energy waste on UTeM's academic building. To attain this, the preliminary data is collected and then analyzed. Based on the data, economic analysis will be determined before cost-saving methods are being proposed.

Comparing the water, energy, pesticide and fertilizer usage for the production of foods consumed by different dietary types in California.

PubMed

Marlow, Harold J; Harwatt, Helen; Soret, Samuel; Sabaté, Joan

2015-09-01

To compare the use of water, energy, pesticides and fertilizer to produce commodities for two dietary patterns that vary in the content of plant and animal products. A unique analysis using 'real-world' data was performed, in contrast to previous analyses which applied simulated data. Consumption data from the Adventist Health Study were used to identify two dietary patterns with a markedly different consumption of several plant and animal products. State agricultural data were collected and applied to commodity production statistics. Indices were created to allow a comparison of the resource requirements for each dietary pattern. California, USA. None. The diet containing more animal products required an additional 10 252 litres of water, 9910 kJ of energy, 186 g of fertilizer and 6 g of pesticides per week in comparison to the diet containing less animal products. The greatest contribution to the difference came from the consumption of animal products, particularly beef. Consuming a more plant-based diet could to an extent alleviate the negative environmental impacts related to food production. As a method to feed ourselves more sustainably, behavioural adjustments appear to be a very important tool.

Estimating caffeine intake from energy drinks and dietary supplements in the United States.

PubMed

Bailey, Regan L; Saldanha, Leila G; Gahche, Jaime J; Dwyer, Johanna T

2014-10-01

No consistent definition exists for energy products in the United States. These products have been marketed and sold as beverages (conventional foods), energy shots (dietary supplements), and in pill or tablet form. Recently, the number of available products has surged, and formulations have changed to include caffeine. To help characterize the use of caffeine-containing energy products in the United States, three sources of data were analyzed: sales data, data from federal sources, and reports from the Drug Abuse Warning Network. These data indicate that sales of caffeine-containing energy products and emergency room visits involving their consumption appear to be increasing over time. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2010 indicate that 2.7% [standard error (SE) 0.2%] of the US population ≥1 year of age used a caffeine-containing energy product, providing approximately 150-200 mg/day of caffeine per day in addition to caffeine from traditional sources like coffee, tea, and colas. The highest usage of these products was among males between the ages of 19 and 30 years (7.6%, SE 1.0). Although the prevalence of caffeine-containing energy product use remains low overall in the US population, certain subgroups appear to be using these products in larger amounts. Several challenges remain in determining the level of caffeine exposure from and accurate usage patterns of caffeine-containing energy products. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

A detailed analysis of codon usage patterns and influencing factors in Zika virus.

PubMed

Singh, Niraj K; Tyagi, Anuj

2017-07-01

Recent outbreaks of Zika virus (ZIKV) in Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Southeast Asia have resulted in serious health concerns. To understand more about evolution and transmission of ZIKV, detailed codon usage analysis was performed for all available strains. A high effective number of codons (ENC) value indicated the presence of low codon usage bias in ZIKV. The effect of mutational pressure on codon usage bias was confirmed by significant correlations between nucleotide compositions at third codon positions and ENCs. Correlation analysis between Gravy values, Aroma values and nucleotide compositions at third codon positions also indicated some influence of natural selection. However, the low codon adaptation index (CAI) value of ZIKV with reference to human and mosquito indicated poor adaptation of ZIKV codon usage towards its hosts, signifying that natural selection has a weaker influence than mutational pressure. Additionally, relative dinucleotide frequencies, geographical distribution, and evolutionary processes also influenced the codon usage pattern to some extent.

20∶60∶20 - Differences in Energy Behaviour and Conservation between and within Households with Electricity Monitors

PubMed Central

Murtagh, Niamh; Gatersleben, Birgitta; Uzzell, David

2014-01-01

The introduction of electricity monitors (in-home displays; IHDs), which show accurate and up-to-the-minute energy usage, is expected to lead to reduction in consumption. Studies of feedback on domestic electricity use have generally supported this view. However, such studies also demonstrate wide variation between households. Examining the heterogeneity of responses is essential for understanding the actual and potential effectiveness of IHDs and in order to target interventions effectively. To explore differences between households' responses to IHDs, we conducted a qualitative study with 21 households who had an IHD for more than six months. Of the 21, only four households continued to refer to the IHD and the findings suggest that attempts to reduce energy consumption were situated in wider social and physical contexts. Further, the participants demonstrated energy saving behaviour before and outside of IHD usage. The patterns of energy behaviours and attempts at electricity conservation could best be understood by categorising the households into three types: the Monitor Enthusiasts (20%), the Aspiring Energy Savers (60%) and the Energy Non-Engaged (20%). The factors of importance in energy behaviour differed between the categories. Financial savings contributed to efforts to reduce energy use but only up to boundaries which varied considerably between households. Social practices and social relationships appeared to constrain what actions households were prepared to undertake, illuminating aspects of inter-household variation. Within the household, all energy users were not equal and we found that women were particularly influential on energy use through their primary responsibility for domestic labour on behalf of the household. The implications of the findings for environmental campaigning are discussed. PMID:24642946

20:60:20--differences in energy behaviour and conservation between and within households with electricity monitors.

PubMed

Murtagh, Niamh; Gatersleben, Birgitta; Uzzell, David

2014-01-01

The introduction of electricity monitors (in-home displays; IHDs), which show accurate and up-to-the-minute energy usage, is expected to lead to reduction in consumption. Studies of feedback on domestic electricity use have generally supported this view. However, such studies also demonstrate wide variation between households. Examining the heterogeneity of responses is essential for understanding the actual and potential effectiveness of IHDs and in order to target interventions effectively. To explore differences between households' responses to IHDs, we conducted a qualitative study with 21 households who had an IHD for more than six months. Of the 21, only four households continued to refer to the IHD and the findings suggest that attempts to reduce energy consumption were situated in wider social and physical contexts. Further, the participants demonstrated energy saving behaviour before and outside of IHD usage. The patterns of energy behaviours and attempts at electricity conservation could best be understood by categorising the households into three types: the Monitor Enthusiasts (20%), the Aspiring Energy Savers (60%) and the Energy Non-Engaged (20%). The factors of importance in energy behaviour differed between the categories. Financial savings contributed to efforts to reduce energy use but only up to boundaries which varied considerably between households. Social practices and social relationships appeared to constrain what actions households were prepared to undertake, illuminating aspects of inter-household variation. Within the household, all energy users were not equal and we found that women were particularly influential on energy use through their primary responsibility for domestic labour on behalf of the household. The implications of the findings for environmental campaigning are discussed.

Computer usage and national energy consumption: Results from a field-metering study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Desroches, Louis-Benoit; Fuchs, Heidi; Greenblatt, Jeffery

The electricity consumption of miscellaneous electronic loads (MELs) in the home has grown in recent years, and is expected to continue rising. Consumer electronics, in particular, are characterized by swift technological innovation, with varying impacts on energy use. Desktop and laptop computers make up a significant share of MELs electricity consumption, but their national energy use is difficult to estimate, given uncertainties around shifting user behavior. This report analyzes usage data from 64 computers (45 desktop, 11 laptop, and 8 unknown) collected in 2012 as part of a larger field monitoring effort of 880 households in the San Francisco Baymore » Area, and compares our results to recent values from the literature. We find that desktop computers are used for an average of 7.3 hours per day (median = 4.2 h/d), while laptops are used for a mean 4.8 hours per day (median = 2.1 h/d). The results for laptops are likely underestimated since they can be charged in other, unmetered outlets. Average unit annual energy consumption (AEC) for desktops is estimated to be 194 kWh/yr (median = 125 kWh/yr), and for laptops 75 kWh/yr (median = 31 kWh/yr). We estimate national annual energy consumption for desktop computers to be 20 TWh. National annual energy use for laptops is estimated to be 11 TWh, markedly higher than previous estimates, likely reflective of laptops drawing more power in On mode in addition to greater market penetration. This result for laptops, however, carries relatively higher uncertainty compared to desktops. Different study methodologies and definitions, changing usage patterns, and uncertainty about how consumers use computers must be considered when interpreting our results with respect to existing analyses. Finally, as energy consumption in On mode is predominant, we outline several energy savings opportunities: improved power management (defaulting to low-power modes after periods of inactivity as well as power scaling), matching the rated power of power supplies to computing needs, and improving the efficiency of individual components.« less

Energy-latitude dispersion patterns near the isotropy boundaries of energetic protons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sergeev, V. A.; Chernyaeva, S. A.; Apatenkov, S. V.; Ganushkina, N. Y.; Dubyagin, S. V.

2015-08-01

Non-adiabatic motion of plasma sheet protons causes pitch-angle scattering and isotropic precipitation to the ionosphere, which forms the proton auroral oval. This mechanism related to current sheet scattering (CSS) provides a specific energy-latitude dispersion pattern near the equatorward boundary of proton isotropic precipitation (isotropy boundary, IB), with precipitation sharply decreasing at higher (lower) latitude for protons with lower (higher) energy. However, this boundary maps to the inner magnetosphere, where wave-induced scattering may provide different dispersion patterns as recently demonstrated by Liang et al. (2014). Motivated by the potential usage of the IBs for the magnetotail monitoring as well as by the need to better understand the mechanisms forming the proton IB, we investigate statistically the details of particle flux patterns near the proton IB using NOAA-POES polar spacecraft observations made during September 2009. By comparing precipitated-to-trapped flux ratio (J0/J90) at >30 and >80 keV proton energies, we found a relatively small number of simple CSS-type dispersion events (only 31 %). The clear reversed (wave-induced) dispersion patterns were very rare (5 %). The most frequent pattern had nearly coinciding IBs at two energies (63 %). The structured precipitation with multiple IBs was very frequent (60 %), that is, with two or more significant J0/J90 dropouts. The average latitudinal width of multiple IB structures was about 1°. Investigation of dozens of paired auroral zone crossings of POES satellites showed that the IB pattern is stable on a timescale of less than 2 min (a few proton bounce periods) but can evolve on a longer (several minutes) scale, suggesting temporal changes in some mesoscale structures in the equatorial magnetosphere. We discuss the possible role of CSS-related and wave-induced mechanisms and their possible coupling to interpret the emerging complicated patterns of proton isotropy boundaries.

Using Compositional Writing Samples to Explore Student Usage Patterns in a Learning Management System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kokensparger, Brian Jay

2013-01-01

This study explored relationships between writing sample features and LMS usage patterns for 366 college students who enrolled in Theology courses, junior-level courses cross-listed with theology courses, or Senior Perspective Program courses in the fall semester of 2012. These hybrid courses were managed inside the Canvas(TM) learning management…

Lecture Attendance and Web Based Lecture Technologies: A Comparison of Student Perceptions and Usage Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Konsky, Brian R.; Ivins, Jim; Gribble, Susan J.

2009-01-01

This paper investigates the impact of web based lecture recordings on learning and attendance at lectures. Student opinions regarding the perceived value of the recordings were evaluated in the context of usage patterns and final marks, and compared with attendance data and student perceptions regarding the usefulness of lectures. The availability…

Patterns of Undergraduates' Use of Scholarly Databases in a Large Research University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mbabu, Loyd Gitari; Bertram, Albert; Varnum, Ken

2013-01-01

Authentication data was utilized to explore undergraduate usage of subscription electronic databases. These usage patterns were linked to the information literacy curriculum of the library. The data showed that out of the 26,208 enrolled undergraduate students, 42% of them accessed a scholarly database at least once in the course of the entire…

Patterns of Internet Usage in the Philippines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Labucay, Iremae D.

2014-01-01

This chapter reports on the patterns of Internet use in the Philippines using survey data gathered by Social Weather Stations (SWS), a social research institute in the Philippines. As of March 2014, Internet usage rose to 35 percent of the population compared to 9 percent in 1998. However, the data indicates the presence of digital divide in…

Understanding Road Usage Patterns in Urban Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Pu; Hunter, Timothy; Bayen, Alexandre M.; Schechtner, Katja; González, Marta C.

2012-12-01

In this paper, we combine the most complete record of daily mobility, based on large-scale mobile phone data, with detailed Geographic Information System (GIS) data, uncovering previously hidden patterns in urban road usage. We find that the major usage of each road segment can be traced to its own - surprisingly few - driver sources. Based on this finding we propose a network of road usage by defining a bipartite network framework, demonstrating that in contrast to traditional approaches, which define road importance solely by topological measures, the role of a road segment depends on both: its betweeness and its degree in the road usage network. Moreover, our ability to pinpoint the few driver sources contributing to the major traffic flow allows us to create a strategy that achieves a significant reduction of the travel time across the entire road system, compared to a benchmark approach.

Comparing Usage Patterns Recorded between an Electronic Reference and an Electronic Monograph Collection: The Differences in Searches and Full-Text Content Viewings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamothe, Alain R.

2012-01-01

This paper presents the results from a quantitative and systematic analysis comparing the online usage of an e-reference and an e-monograph collection. A very strong relationship exists between size and usage: the larger the collection, the greater the usage. An equally strong relationship exists between searches and viewings, meaning that the…

A Formal Basis for Safety Case Patterns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denney, Ewen; Pai, Ganesh

2013-01-01

By capturing common structures of successful arguments, safety case patterns provide an approach for reusing strategies for reasoning about safety. In the current state of the practice, patterns exist as descriptive specifications with informal semantics, which not only offer little opportunity for more sophisticated usage such as automated instantiation, composition and manipulation, but also impede standardization efforts and tool interoperability. To address these concerns, this paper gives (i) a formal definition for safety case patterns, clarifying both restrictions on the usage of multiplicity and well-founded recursion in structural abstraction, (ii) formal semantics to patterns, and (iii) a generic data model and algorithm for pattern instantiation. We illustrate our contributions by application to a new pattern, the requirements breakdown pattern, which builds upon our previous work

Somalia: Country Status Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFerren, Margaret

A survey of the status of language usage in Somalia begins with an overview of the usage patterns of Somali, the official language, and three languages previously used officially: English, Italian, and Arabic. The cultural context that for many years has supported the usage of a single native language for communication and administration is also…

Linguistic Means of Expressing Distance between Interlocutors in Ukrainian.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bulatetska, Ludmila

Characteristics and patterns of Ukrainian language usage expressing social distance are analyzed, with examples given from current usage and, to a lesser extent, perspectives drawn from historical usage. It is concluded that Ukrainian has a rich morphological paradigm to express distance, primarily through diminutive morphology, which can…

Synonymous codon usage patterns in different parasitic platyhelminth mitochondrial genomes.

PubMed

Chen, L; Yang, D Y; Liu, T F; Nong, X; Huang, X; Xie, Y; Fu, Y; Zheng, W P; Zhang, R H; Wu, X H; Gu, X B; Wang, S X; Peng, X R; Yang, G Y

2013-02-27

We analyzed synonymous codon usage patterns of the mitochondrial genomes of 43 parasitic platyhelminth species. The relative synonymous codon usage, the effective number of codons (NC) and the frequency of G+C at the third synonymously variable coding position were calculated. Correspondence analysis was used to determine the major variation trends shaping the codon usage patterns. Among the mitochondrial genomes of 19 trematode species, the GC content of third codon positions varied from 0.151 to 0.592, with a mean of 0.295 ± 0.116. In cestodes, the mean GC content of third codon positions was 0.254 ± 0.044. A comparison of the nucleotide composition at 4-fold synonymous sites revealed that, on average, there was a greater abundance of codons ending on U (51.9%) or A (22.7%) than on C (6.3%) or G (19.14%). Twenty-two codons, including UUU, UUA and UUG, were frequently used. In the NC-plot, most of points were distributed well below or around the expected NC curve. In addition to compositional constraints, the degree of hydrophobicity and the aromatic amino acids also influenced codon usage in the mitochondrial genomes of these 43 parasitic platyhelminth species.

Mobile usage and sleep patterns among medical students.

PubMed

Yogesh, Saxena; Abha, Shrivastava; Priyanka, Singh

2014-01-01

Exposure of humans to radio frequency electromagnetic field (EMF) both during receiving and transmitting the signals has amplified public and scientific debate about possible adverse effects on human health. The study was designed with the objective of assessing the extent of mobile phone use amongst medical students and finding correlation if any between the hours of usage of mobile to sleep pattern and quality. hundred medical students grouped as cases (n = 57) (> 2 hours/day of mobile usage) and control (n = 43) (≤ 2 hours/day of mobile usage) were examined for their sleep quality & pattern by Pittsburg sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Differences between groups were examined with the Mann Whitney "U" test for proportions (Quantitative values) and with Student't' test for continuous variables. The association of variables was analyzed by Spearman Rank's correlation. Probability was set at < 0.05 as significant. Sleep disturbance, latency and day dysfunction was more in cases especially females. A significant association of hours of usage and sleep indices were observed in both genders (males r = 0.25; p = 0.04, females r = 0.31; p = 0.009). Evening usage of mobile phone in cases showed a statistically significant negative association (-0.606; p = 0.042) with Sleep quality (higher PSQI means sleep deprivation). Students using mobile for > 2 hours/day may cause sleep deprivation and day sleepiness affecting cognitive and learning abilities of medical students.

Analysis of 3D Modeling Software Usage Patterns for K-12 Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Yi-Chieh; Liao, Wen-Hung; Chi, Ming-Te; Li, Tsai-Yen

2016-01-01

In response to the recent trend in maker movement, teachers are learning 3D techniques actively and bringing 3D printing into the classroom to enhance variety and creativity in designing lectures. This study investigates the usage pattern of a 3D modeling software, Qmodel Creator, which is targeted at K-12 students. User logs containing…

Use of the "Personal Delivery" System for Assessment of Drug and Alcohol Attitudes and Usage Patterns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crabtree, J. Michael; Myers, Stanley B.

Community data concerning drug and alcohol usage patterns was assessed via a unique "personal delivery" system. The system, which can be used for collecting other community data produced a return rate of 45% and was very economical. This system largely overcomes the main drawback of the mailed questionnaire (low return rate) by (1) having…

Families in a High-Tech Age: Technology Usage Patterns, Work and Family Correlates, and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chesley, Noelle

2006-01-01

This study analyzes a couple-level ("N" = 581), longitudinal data set of employees to provide evidence about technology use over time, the factors that predict use, and the potential for a spouse to influence an individual's use. Although longitudinal usage patterns suggest a trend toward adoption and use of e-mail, the Internet, cell phones, and…

Video game console usage and US national energy consumption: Results from a field-metering study

DOE PAGES

Desroches, Louis-Benoit; Greenblatt, Jeffery B.; Pratt, Stacy; ...

2014-10-23

There has been an increased in attention placed on the energy consumption of miscellaneous electronic loads in buildings by energy analysts and policymakers in recent years. The share of electricity consumed by consumer electronics in US households has increased in the last decade. Many devices, however, lack robust energy use data, making energy consumption estimates difficult and uncertain. Video game consoles are high-performance machines present in approximately half of all households and can consume a considerable amount of power. The precise usage of game consoles has significant uncertainty, however, leading to a wide range of recent national energy consumption estimates.more » We present here an analysis based on field-metered usage data, collected as part of a larger field metering study in the USA. This larger study collected data from 880 households in 2012 on a variety of devices, including 113 game consoles (the majority of which are Generation 7 consoles). From our metering, we find that although some consoles are left on nearly 24 h/day, the overall average usage is lower than many other studies have assumed, leading to a US national energy consumption estimate of 7.1 TWh in 2012. Nevertheless, there is an opportunity to reduce energy use with proper game console power management, as a substantial amount of game console usage occurs with the television turned off. The emergence of Generation 8 consoles may increase national energy consumption.« less

Video game console usage and US national energy consumption: Results from a field-metering study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Desroches, Louis-Benoit; Greenblatt, Jeffery B.; Pratt, Stacy

There has been an increased in attention placed on the energy consumption of miscellaneous electronic loads in buildings by energy analysts and policymakers in recent years. The share of electricity consumed by consumer electronics in US households has increased in the last decade. Many devices, however, lack robust energy use data, making energy consumption estimates difficult and uncertain. Video game consoles are high-performance machines present in approximately half of all households and can consume a considerable amount of power. The precise usage of game consoles has significant uncertainty, however, leading to a wide range of recent national energy consumption estimates.more » We present here an analysis based on field-metered usage data, collected as part of a larger field metering study in the USA. This larger study collected data from 880 households in 2012 on a variety of devices, including 113 game consoles (the majority of which are Generation 7 consoles). From our metering, we find that although some consoles are left on nearly 24 h/day, the overall average usage is lower than many other studies have assumed, leading to a US national energy consumption estimate of 7.1 TWh in 2012. Nevertheless, there is an opportunity to reduce energy use with proper game console power management, as a substantial amount of game console usage occurs with the television turned off. The emergence of Generation 8 consoles may increase national energy consumption.« less

The global contribution of energy consumption by product exports from China.

PubMed

Tang, Erzi; Peng, Chong

2017-06-01

This paper presents a model to analyze the mechanism of the global contribution of energy usage by product exports. The theoretical analysis is based on the perspective that contribution estimates should be in relatively smaller sectors in which the production characteristics could be considered, such as the productivity distribution for each sector. Then, we constructed a method to measure the global contribution of energy usage. The simple method to estimate the global contribution is the percentage of goods export volume compared to the GDP as a multiple of total energy consumption, but this method underestimates the global contribution because it ignores the structure of energy consumption and product export in China. According to our measurement method and based on the theoretical analysis, we calculated the global contribution of energy consumption only by industrial manufactured product exports in a smaller sector per industry or manufacturing sector. The results indicated that approximately 42% of the total energy usage in the whole economy for China in 2013 was contributed to foreign regions. Along with the primary products and service export in China, the global contribution of energy consumption for China in 2013 by export was larger than 42% of the total energy usage.

Annual Energy Usage Reduction and Cost Savings of a School: End-Use Energy Analysis

PubMed Central

Alghoul, M. A.; Bakhtyar, B.; Asim, Nilofar; Sopian, K.

2014-01-01

Buildings are among the largest consumers of energy. Part of the energy is wasted due to the habits of users and equipment conditions. A solution to this problem is efficient energy usage. To this end, an energy audit can be conducted to assess the energy efficiency. This study aims to analyze the energy usage of a primary school and identify the potential energy reductions and cost savings. A preliminary audit was conducted, and several energy conservation measures were proposed. The energy conservation measures, with reference to the MS1525:2007 standard, were modelled to identify the potential energy reduction and cost savings. It was found that the school's usage of electricity exceeded its need, incurring an excess expenditure of RM 2947.42. From the lighting system alone, it was found that there is a potential energy reduction of 5489.06 kWh, which gives a cost saving of RM 2282.52 via the improvement of lighting system design and its operating hours. Overall, it was found that there is a potential energy reduction and cost saving of 20.7% when the energy conservation measures are earnestly implemented. The previous energy intensity of the school was found to be 50.6 kWh/m2/year, but can theoretically be reduced to 40.19 kWh/mm2/year. PMID:25485294

Analysis of the synonymous codon usage bias in recently emerged enterovirus D68 strains.

PubMed

Karniychuk, Uladzimir U

2016-09-02

Understanding the codon usage pattern of a pathogen and relationship between pathogen and host's codon usage patterns has fundamental and applied interests. Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is an emerging pathogen with a potentially high public health significance. In the present study, the synonymous codon usage bias of 27 recently emerged, and historical EV-D68 strains was analyzed. In contrast to previously studied enteroviruses (enterovirus 71 and poliovirus), EV-D68 and human host have a high discrepancy between favored codons. Analysis of viral synonymous codon usage bias metrics, viral nucleotide/dinucleotide compositional parameters, and viral protein properties showed that mutational pressure is more involved in shaping the synonymous codon usage bias of EV-D68 than translation selection. Computation of codon adaptation indices allowed to estimate expression potential of the EV-D68 genome in several commonly used laboratory animals. This approach requires experimental validation and may provide an auxiliary tool for the rational selection of laboratory animals to model emerging viral diseases. Enterovirus D68 genome compositional and codon usage data can be useful for further pathogenesis, animal model, and vaccine design studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus codon usage bias.

PubMed

Chen, Ye; Shi, Yuzhen; Deng, Hongjuan; Gu, Ting; Xu, Jian; Ou, Jinxin; Jiang, Zhiguo; Jiao, Yiren; Zou, Tan; Wang, Chong

2014-12-01

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) has been responsible for several recent outbreaks of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) and has caused great economic loss in the swine-raising industry. Considering the significance of PEDV, a systemic analysis was performed to study its codon usage patterns. The relative synonymous codon usage value of each codon revealed that codon usage bias exists and that PEDV tends to use codons that end in T. The mean ENC value of 47.91 indicates that the codon usage bias is low. However, we still wanted to identify the cause of this codon usage bias. A correlation analysis between the codon compositions (A3s, T3s, G3s, C3s, and GC3s), the ENC values, and the nucleotide contents (A%, T%, G%, C%, and GC%) indicated that mutational bias plays role in shaping the PEDV codon usage bias. This was further confirmed by a principal component analysis between the codon compositions and the axis values. Using the Gravy, Aroma, and CAI values, a role of natural selection in the PEDV codon usage pattern was also identified. Neutral analysis indicated that natural selection pressure plays a more important role than mutational bias in codon usage bias. Natural selection also plays an increasingly significant role during PEDV evolution. Additionally, gene function and geographic distribution also influence the codon usage bias to a degree. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Patterns of usage for a Web-based clinical information system.

PubMed

Chen, Elizabeth S; Cimino, James J

2004-01-01

Understanding how clinicians are using clinical information systems to assist with their everyday tasks is valuable to the system design and development process. Developers of such systems are interested in monitoring usage in order to make enhancements. System log files are rich resources for gaining knowledge about how the system is being used. We have analyzed the log files of our Web-based clinical information system (WebCIS) to obtain various usage statistics including which WebCIS features are frequently being used. We have also identified usage patterns, which convey how the user is traversing the system. We present our method and these results as well as describe how the results can be used to customize menus, shortcut lists, and patient reports in WebCIS and similar systems.

Vocal communication in a complex multi-level society: constrained acoustic structure and flexible call usage in Guinea baboons.

PubMed

Maciej, Peter; Ndao, Ibrahima; Hammerschmidt, Kurt; Fischer, Julia

2013-09-23

To understand the evolution of acoustic communication in animals, it is important to distinguish between the structure and the usage of vocal signals, since both aspects are subject to different constraints. In terrestrial mammals, the structure of calls is largely innate, while individuals have a greater ability to actively initiate or withhold calls. In closely related taxa, one would therefore predict a higher flexibility in call usage compared to call structure. In the present study, we investigated the vocal repertoire of free living Guinea baboons (Papio papio) and examined the structure and usage of the animals' vocal signals. Guinea baboons live in a complex multi-level social organization and exhibit a largely tolerant and affiliative social style, contrary to most other baboon taxa. To classify the vocal repertoire of male and female Guinea baboons, cluster analyses were used and focal observations were conducted to assess the usage of vocal signals in the particular contexts. In general, the vocal repertoire of Guinea baboons largely corresponded to the vocal repertoire other baboon taxa. The usage of calls, however, differed considerably from other baboon taxa and corresponded with the specific characteristics of the Guinea baboons' social behaviour. While Guinea baboons showed a diminished usage of contest and display vocalizations (a common pattern observed in chacma baboons), they frequently used vocal signals during affiliative and greeting interactions. Our study shows that the call structure of primates is largely unaffected by the species' social system (including grouping patterns and social interactions), while the usage of calls can be more flexibly adjusted, reflecting the quality of social interactions of the individuals. Our results support the view that the primary function of social signals is to regulate social interactions, and therefore the degree of competition and cooperation may be more important to explain variation in call usage than grouping patterns or group size.

Vocal communication in a complex multi-level society: constrained acoustic structure and flexible call usage in Guinea baboons

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To understand the evolution of acoustic communication in animals, it is important to distinguish between the structure and the usage of vocal signals, since both aspects are subject to different constraints. In terrestrial mammals, the structure of calls is largely innate, while individuals have a greater ability to actively initiate or withhold calls. In closely related taxa, one would therefore predict a higher flexibility in call usage compared to call structure. In the present study, we investigated the vocal repertoire of free living Guinea baboons (Papio papio) and examined the structure and usage of the animals’ vocal signals. Guinea baboons live in a complex multi-level social organization and exhibit a largely tolerant and affiliative social style, contrary to most other baboon taxa. To classify the vocal repertoire of male and female Guinea baboons, cluster analyses were used and focal observations were conducted to assess the usage of vocal signals in the particular contexts. Results In general, the vocal repertoire of Guinea baboons largely corresponded to the vocal repertoire other baboon taxa. The usage of calls, however, differed considerably from other baboon taxa and corresponded with the specific characteristics of the Guinea baboons’ social behaviour. While Guinea baboons showed a diminished usage of contest and display vocalizations (a common pattern observed in chacma baboons), they frequently used vocal signals during affiliative and greeting interactions. Conclusions Our study shows that the call structure of primates is largely unaffected by the species’ social system (including grouping patterns and social interactions), while the usage of calls can be more flexibly adjusted, reflecting the quality of social interactions of the individuals. Our results support the view that the primary function of social signals is to regulate social interactions, and therefore the degree of competition and cooperation may be more important to explain variation in call usage than grouping patterns or group size. PMID:24059742

Autonomous Hybrid Priority Queueing for Scheduling Residential Energy Demands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalimullah, I. Q.; Shamroukh, M.; Sahar, N.; Shetty, S.

2017-05-01

The advent of smart grid technologies has opened up opportunities to manage the energy consumption of the users within a residential smart grid system. Demand response management is particularly being employed to reduce the overall load on an electricity network which could in turn reduce outages and electricity costs. The objective of this paper is to develop an intelligible scheduler to optimize the energy available to a micro grid through hybrid queueing algorithm centered around the consumers’ energy demands. This is achieved by shifting certain schedulable load appliances to light load hours. Various factors such as the type of demand, grid load, consumers’ energy usage patterns and preferences are considered while formulating the logical constraints required for the algorithm. The algorithm thus obtained is then implemented in MATLAB workspace to simulate its execution by an Energy Consumption Scheduler (ECS) found within smart meters, which automatically finds the optimal energy consumption schedule tailor made to fit each consumer within the micro grid network.

Students with LD in Higher Education: Use and Contribution of Assistive Technology and Website Courses and Their Correlation to Students' Hope and Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heiman, Tali; Shemesh, Dorit Olenik

2012-01-01

This study examined the extent and patterns of usage of web courses, and their contribution to the academic and social perceptions of 964 undergraduate students with and without learning disabilities studying in higher education. Students were asked to complete four questionnaires examining the usage patterns of various adaptive technologies and…

Socio-Psychological Dimensions of Mobile Phone Addiction and Usage Patterns amongst Teenagers in Higher Institutions of Learning in Kwara State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Titilope, Afolayan Oluyinka

2014-01-01

Mobile phone addiction is now a common phenomenon in the 21st century, especially among teenagers due to the unusual cravings in the use of technological devices. In view of this phenomenon, the study examined the socio-psychological dimensions of mobile phone addiction and usage patterns amongst teenagers in three Higher Institutions of Learning…

Energy Conservation for School Custodial and Maintenance Personnel. Course Outline and Instructional Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Calvin E.

Presented are materials prepared for the inservice education of school maintenance personnel on the subject of energy conservation in school facilities operations. The course is designed to help maintenance staff understand their schools' energy usage and formulate plans to control that usage. Among the topics covered are building inventory,…

What Explains Doctors’ Usage of Mobile Information and Communication Technologies? A Comparison of US and Portuguese Hospitals

PubMed Central

Martins, Henrique MG; Jones, Matthew R

2005-01-01

Doctors, either as a result of individual initiative or departmental policy, may use a number of different mobile computers. The relationship between device ownership/provision and usage is, however, rarely discussed. This paper therefore presents survey data (N=267) on mobile computer ownership and use by doctors in two Portuguese and two US hospitals, considering both devices owned by individuals and those supplied by the hospital. The results show that ownership is not clearly related to either usage pattern or frequency of use. Providing handheld computers also did not lead to higher number of users, higher frequency of use or significant differences in tasks carried out. Nevertheless, doctors owning handhelds alone or in combination with laptops used them more frequently than those using laptops alone. Differences in usage pattern proportions rather than demographics were a better indication of differences in usage frequencies and the tasks for which MICT devices were being used. PMID:16779089

What explains doctors' usage of Mobile Information and Communication Technologies? A comparison of US and Portuguese hospitals.

PubMed

Martins, Henrique M G; Jones, Matthew R

2005-01-01

Doctors, either as a result of individual initiative or departmental policy, may use a number of different mobile computers. The relationship between device ownership/provision and usage is, however, rarely discussed. This paper therefore presents survey data (N=267) on mobile computer ownership and use by doctors in two Portuguese and two US hospitals, considering both devices owned by individuals and those supplied by the hospital. The results show that ownership is not clearly related to either usage pattern or frequency of use. Providing handheld computers also did not lead to higher number of users, higher frequency of use or significant differences in tasks carried out. Nevertheless, doctors owning handhelds alone or in combination with laptops used them more frequently than those using laptops alone. Differences in usage pattern proportions rather than demographics were a better indication of differences in usage frequencies and the tasks for which MICT devices were being used.

Commercial Building Tenant Energy Usage Data Aggregation and Privacy: Technical Appendix

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Livingston, Olga V.; Pulsipher, Trenton C.; Anderson, David M.

2014-11-12

This technical appendix accompanies report PNNL–23786 “Commercial Building Tenant Energy Usage Data Aggregation and Privacy”. The objective is to provide background information on the methods utilized in the statistical analysis of the aggregation thresholds.

Patterns of Drug Usage Among Vietnam Veterans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Allan H., Jr.; And Others

A factor analysis was performed on an intercorrelation matrix of reported drug usage frequencies for seven drug categories at two consecutive periods of time. Subjects were 1,010 Army Vietnam veterans in pay grade E6 or below, aged 26 years or less. Retrospective reporting identified drug usage prior to a tour of Vietnam and during the tour. Four…

Baseline brain energy supports the state of consciousness.

PubMed

Shulman, Robert G; Hyder, Fahmeed; Rothman, Douglas L

2009-07-07

An individual, human or animal, is defined to be in a conscious state empirically by the behavioral ability to respond meaningfully to stimuli, whereas the loss of consciousness is defined by unresponsiveness. PET measurements of glucose or oxygen consumption show a widespread approximately 45% reduction in cerebral energy consumption with anesthesia-induced loss of consciousness. Because baseline brain energy consumption has been shown by (13)C magnetic resonance spectroscopy to be almost exclusively dedicated to neuronal signaling, we propose that the high level of brain energy is a necessary property of the conscious state. Two additional neuronal properties of the conscious state change with anesthesia. The delocalized fMRI activity patterns in rat brain during sensory stimulation at a higher energy state (close to the awake) collapse to a contralateral somatosensory response at lower energy state (deep anesthesia). Firing rates of an ensemble of neurons in the rat somatosensory cortex shift from the gamma-band range (20-40 Hz) at higher energy state to <10 Hz at lower energy state. With the conscious state defined by the individual's behavior and maintained by high cerebral energy, measurable properties of that state are the widespread fMRI patterns and high frequency neuronal activity, both of which support the extensive interregional communication characteristic of consciousness. This usage of high brain energies when the person is in the "state" of consciousness differs from most studies, which attend the smaller energy increments observed during the stimulations that form the "contents" of that state.

Energy Conservation Program Cuts School Gas Use by 45%.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sampson, Walt

1981-01-01

Energy conservation measures at Longmont High School (Colorado), including reducing air entry, heating water only during school hours, and lowering lighting levels, are expected to save 45 percent in natural gas usage and 20 percent in electric usage. (Author/MLF)

The Effects of Triggering Mechanisms on the Energy Absorption Capability of Circular Jute/Epoxy Composite Tubes under Quasi-Static Axial Loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivagurunathan, Rubentheran; Lau Tze Way, Saijod; Sivagurunathan, Linkesvaran; Yaakob, Mohd. Yuhazri

2018-01-01

The usage of composite materials have been improving over the years due to its superior mechanical properties such as high tensile strength, high energy absorption capability, and corrosion resistance. In this present study, the energy absorption capability of circular jute/epoxy composite tubes were tested and evaluated. To induce the progressive crushing of the composite tubes, four different types of triggering mechanisms were used which were the non-trigger, single chamfered trigger, double chamfered trigger and tulip trigger. Quasi-static axial loading test was carried out to understand the deformation patterns and the load-displacement characteristics for each composite tube. Besides that, the influence of energy absorption, crush force efficiency, peak load, mean load and load-displacement history were examined and discussed. The primary results displayed a significant influence on the energy absorption capability provided that stable progressive crushing occurred mostly in the triggered tubes compared to the non-triggered tubes. Overall, the tulip trigger configuration attributed the highest energy absorption.

Socioeconomic factors influencing cosmetic usage patterns.

PubMed

Park, Gyeong-Hun; Nam, Chanhee; Hong, Seungphil; Park, Byungcheol; Kim, Hakrim; Lee, Taewon; Kim, Kyubong; Lee, Jong Hee; Kim, Myung Hwa

2018-05-01

Despite daily exposure to chemicals in cosmetic products, there are few studies on the exposure levels to cosmetics particularly in Asians. We sought to investigate the usage pattern of cosmetics, including eye makeup products, fragrances, color makeups, and hair and nail care products, in Koreans. An online survey of 1,800 participants (908 males and 892 females, aged 15-59 years) from 5 Metropolitan cities (Seoul, Incheon, Daejeon, Daegu, and Busan) in Korea was conducted. For overall types of cosmetics, the proportion of users was 7.1% (range: 0.0-46.3%) in males and 30.7% (range: 1.0-82.8%) in females. The most prevalently used product was perfume (46.3%) in males and lipstick (82.8%) in females. In addition, the mean number of application for overall types of cosmetics was 22.7 (range: 4.6-49.4) times per month in male users and 24.8 (range: 4.2-62.0) in female users. The usage pattern was significantly altered according to demographic and socioeconomic factors, including age group, occupation, and income. This work estimated the prevalences and frequencies of use of a wide collection of cosmetics from a large number of Koreans and found that the usage pattern was significantly associated with demographic and socioeconomic factors.

Identifying the usage patterns of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and other oxygenates in gasoline using gasoline surveys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moran, M.J.; Clawges, R.M.; Zogorski, J.S.

2000-01-01

Data on the volumes of oxygenates and other compounds in gasoline are available from several sources collectively referred as gasoline surveys. The gasoline surveys provide the most definitive knowledge of which oxygenate, if any, and what volumes of that oxygenate are being used in various areas of the country. This information is important in water-quality assessments for relating the detection of MTBE in water to patterns of usage of MTBE in gasoline. General information on three surveys that have been conducted by the National Institute for Petroleum and Energy Research, the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association, and the EPA was presented. The samples were tested for physical properties and constituents including octane number, specific gravity, and volumes of olefins, aromatics, benzene, alcohols, and various ether oxygenates. The data in each survey had its own utility based on the type of assessment that is undertaken. Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Using NAWQA data, the percent occurrence of MTBE in ground water in metropolitan areas that use substantial amounts of MTBE (> 5% by vol) was ??? 21%, compared to ??? 2% in areas that do not use substantial amounts of MTBE (< 5% by vol). When several other factors are considered in a logistic regression model including MTBE usage in RFG or OXY gasoline areas (??? 3% by vol) as a factor, a 4-6 fold increase in the detection frequency of MTBE in ground water was found when compared to areas that do not use MTBE or use it only for octane enhancement (< 3% by vol).

Frequency power analyses of seismic sources on firn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanz, Christopher; Diez, Anja; Coen, Hofstede; Kristoffersen, Yngve; Mayer, Christoph; Lambrecht, Astrid; Miller, Heinz; Eisen, Olaf

2013-04-01

A great obstacle for seismic surveys on firn-covered ice masses is the ability of firn to strongly attenuate seismic energy and divert downward ray paths away from the vertical because of the velocity gradient. The standard way to overcome these limitations is the drilling of shotholes about 10-30 m deep. However, drilling of shotholes is a time and energy consuming task. Another possibility is to use vibroseismic sources at the surface and increase the signal-to-noise ratio by repeated stacking. However, compared to explosive charges, vibroseismic signals are bandlimited per se. As a third variant, we investigate the usage of ordered patterns of surface charges consisting of detonation cord. Previous applications of detonation cord only explored their general comparison to bulk explosives when deployed in a linear fashion, i.e. a single line. Our approach extends these results to other geometries, like fan- or comb-shaped patterns. These have two advantages: first, over the pattern area a locally plane wave is generated, limiting the spherical and velocity-gradient induced spreading of energy during propagation; second, the ratio between seismic wave speed of the firn and the detonation cord of typically about 1:5 causes the wave to propagate in an angle downward. When using large offsets like a snow streamer, it is possible to direct the refected energy towards the streamer, depending on offset range and reflector depth. We compare the different source types for several surveys conducted in Antarctica in terms of frequency spectra. Our results show that ordered patterns of detonation cord serve as suitable seismic surface charges, avoiding the need to drill shotholes. Moreover, an example of a short profile with patterned surface charges is presented. The technique can be of advantage for surveys in remote areas, which can only be accessed by aircrafts.

The feasibility of solar energy usage on Red River Army Depot. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crowder, G.W.

This feasibility study considers the usage of solar energy to heat and cool the main office buildings on the Red River Army Depot, Texarkana Texas. Solar energy costs are compared with the present heating and cooling system costs with an economic analysis using the annual worth and present worth methods. (GRA)

Predicting Negative Emotions Based on Mobile Phone Usage Patterns: An Exploratory Study

PubMed Central

Yang, Pei-Ching; Chang, Chia-Chi; Chiang, Jung-Hsien; Chen, Ying-Yeh

2016-01-01

Background Prompt recognition and intervention of negative emotions is crucial for patients with depression. Mobile phones and mobile apps are suitable technologies that can be used to recognize negative emotions and intervene if necessary. Objective Mobile phone usage patterns can be associated with concurrent emotional states. The objective of this study is to adapt machine-learning methods to analyze such patterns for the prediction of negative emotion. Methods We developed an Android-based app to capture emotional states and mobile phone usage patterns, which included call logs (and use of apps). Visual analog scales (VASs) were used to report negative emotions in dimensions of depression, anxiety, and stress. In the system-training phase, participants were requested to tag their emotions for 14 consecutive days. Five feature-selection methods were used to determine individual usage patterns and four machine-learning methods were tested. Finally, rank product scoring was used to select the best combination to construct the prediction model. In the system evaluation phase, participants were then requested to verify the predicted negative emotions for at least 5 days. Results Out of 40 enrolled healthy participants, we analyzed data from 28 participants, including 30% (9/28) women with a mean (SD) age of 29.2 (5.1) years with sufficient emotion tags. The combination of time slots of 2 hours, greedy forward selection, and Naïve Bayes method was chosen for the prediction model. We further validated the personalized models in 18 participants who performed at least 5 days of model evaluation. Overall, the predictive accuracy for negative emotions was 86.17%. Conclusion We developed a system capable of predicting negative emotions based on mobile phone usage patterns. This system has potential for ecological momentary intervention (EMI) for depressive disorders by automatically recognizing negative emotions and providing people with preventive treatments before it escalates to clinical depression. PMID:27511748

Hybrid vehicle assessment. Phase 1: Petroleum savings analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levin, R.; Liddle, S.; Deshpande, G.; Trummel, M.; Vivian, H. C.

1984-01-01

The results of a comprehensive analysis of near term electric hybrid vehicles are presented, with emphasis on their potential to save significant amounts of petroleum on a national scale in the 1990s. Performance requirements and expected annual usage patterns of these vehicles are first modeled. The projected U.S. fleet composition is estimated, and conceptual hybrid vehicle designs are conceived and analyzed for petroleum use when driven in the expected annual patterns. These petroleum consumption estimates are then compared to similar estimates for projected 1990 conventional vehicles having the same performance and driven in the same patterns. Results are presented in the form of three utility functions and comparisons of sevral conceptual designs are made. The Hybrid Vehicle (HV) design and assessment techniques are discussed and a general method is explained for selecting the optimum energy management strategy for any vehicle mission battery combination. Conclusions and recommendations are presented, and development recommendations are identified.

Energy Games - A Grade 5 Competition, The Data Analysis and Lessons Learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kao, W. H.

2016-12-01

ISF Academy, a K-G12 school in Hong Kong with over 1500 students and currently spanning 3 buildings, is retrofitting the school with an energy tracking system in three phases. The first phase that happened during February to June 2016, has included retrofitting nine Grade 5 classrooms. In this program, the daily energy usage data from these classrooms were shown. The Grade 5 students received feedback on their energy use in real time, as they competed over four months in their homeroom classes to lower their electrical use, and subsequently their carbon footprint. This competition has successfully given the 180 Grade 5 students initiative to decrease their energy use, leading to a significant decrease in energy usage throughout this competition, compared to the baseline recorded in late 2015. The winning classroom's total energy usage was around 30% lower than the average total energy usage, showing that by using energy efficiently, energy usage in a school can be decreased by a lot. The energy tracking system installed and maintained by from Global Design Corporation utilizes uniquely identified current detectors attached to circuit breakers, to monitor electrical use of individual circuits. The detectors monitor the energy used for classroom lighting, fans and plugs, as well as the air conditioners. Further analysis can also be calculated with current data that is collected in the Phase 1 experiment, such as calculating the carbon emissions reduction throughout the school year, providing possible class learning activities and also aiding in future energy use and carbon footprint predictions. This data collected will help refine phase 2 and 3 of the installation, expanding the system to more buildings and also giving insight to the rollout of the system to the whole school when the systems are fully in place. In Phase 2, the energy tracking system would be expanded to all classrooms in the old buildings, while in Phase 3, the system would be expanded the all classrooms throughout the whole campus.

Mobile Phone Usage and Students' Perception towards M-Learning: A Case of Undergraduate Students in Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iqbal, Shakeel; Khan, Muhammad Naeem; Malik, Imran Riaz

2017-01-01

Mobile phones are increasingly becoming part of the daily life of today's youth. This widespread usage of mobile technology has attracted the attention of researchers and academicians to explore the ways and means of using it in formal and informal education. This study investigates the mobile phone's ownership pattern and usage among…

Changing word usage predicts changing word durations in New Zealand English.

PubMed

Sóskuthy, Márton; Hay, Jennifer

2017-09-01

This paper investigates the emergence of lexicalized effects of word usage on word duration by looking at parallel changes in usage and duration over 130years in New Zealand English. Previous research has found that frequent words are shorter, informative words are longer, and words in utterance-final position are also longer. It has also been argued that some of these patterns are not simply online adjustments, but are incorporated into lexical representations. While these studies tend to focus on the synchronic aspects of such patterns, our corpus shows that word-usage patterns and word durations are not static over time. Many words change in duration and also change with respect to frequency, informativity and likelihood of occurring utterance-finally. Analysis of changing word durations over this time period shows substantial patterns of co-adaptation between word usage and word durations. Words that are increasing in frequency are becoming shorter. Words that are increasing/decreasing in informativity show a change in the same direction in duration (e.g. increasing informativity is associated with increasing duration). And words that are increasingly appearing utterance-finally are lengthening. These effects exist independently of the local effects of the predictors. For example, words that are increasing utterance-finally lengthen in all positions, including utterance-medially. We show that these results are compatible with a number of different views about lexical representations, but they cannot be explained without reference to a production-perception loop that allows speakers to update their representations dynamically on the basis of their experience. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of Order Sets in Inpatient Computerized Provider Order Entry Systems: A Comparative Analysis of Usage Patterns at Seven Sites

PubMed Central

Wright, Adam; Feblowitz, Joshua C.; Pang, Justine E.; Carpenter, James D.; Krall, Michael A.; Middleton, Blackford; Sittig, Dean F.

2012-01-01

Background Many computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems include the ability to create electronic order sets: collections of clinically-related orders grouped by purpose. Order sets promise to make CPOE systems more efficient, improve care quality and increase adherence to evidence-based guidelines. However, the development and implementation of order sets can be expensive and time-consuming and limited literature exists about their utilization. Methods Based on analysis of order set usage logs from a diverse purposive sample of seven sites with commercially- and internally-developed inpatient CPOE systems, we developed an original order set classification system. Order sets were categorized across seven non-mutually exclusive axes: admission/discharge/transfer (ADT), perioperative, condition-specific, task-specific, service-specific, convenience, and personal. In addition, 731 unique subtypes were identified within five axes: four in ADT (S=4), three in perioperative, 144 in condition-specific, 513 in task-specific, and 67 in service-specific. Results Order sets (n=1,914) were used a total of 676,142 times at the participating sites during a one-year period. ADT and perioperative order sets accounted for 27.6% and 24.2% of usage respectively. Peripartum/labor, chest pain/Acute Coronary Syndrome/Myocardial Infarction and diabetes order sets accounted for 51.6% of condition-specific usage. Insulin, angiography/angioplasty and arthroplasty order sets accounted for 19.4% of task-specific usage. Emergency/trauma, Obstetrics/Gynecology/Labor Delivery and anesthesia accounted for 32.4% of service-specific usage. Overall, the top 20% of order sets accounted for 90.1% of all usage. Additional salient patterns are identified and described. Conclusion We observed recurrent patterns in order set usage across multiple sites as well as meaningful variations between sites. Vendors and institutional developers should identify high-value order set types through concrete data analysis in order to optimize the resources devoted to development and implementation. PMID:22819199

Complex Dynamics in Information Sharing Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cronin, Bruce

This study examines the roll-out of an electronic knowledge base in a medium-sized professional services firm over a six year period. The efficiency of such implementation is a key business problem in IT systems of this type. Data from usage logs provides the basis for analysis of the dynamic evolution of social networks around the depository during this time. The adoption pattern follows an "s-curve" and usage exhibits something of a power law distribution, both attributable to network effects, and network position is associated with organisational performance on a number of indicators. But periodicity in usage is evident and the usage distribution displays an exponential cut-off. Further analysis provides some evidence of mathematical complexity in the periodicity. Some implications of complex patterns in social network data for research and management are discussed. The study provides a case study demonstrating the utility of the broad methodological approach.

Report on Utilities Usage and Cost, 1980-81 to 1984-85.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alabama State Commission on Higher Education, Montgomery.

The consumption and cost of energy and other types of utilities by state college campuses were analyzed by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. A focus of attention has been changes in energy usage per square foot from year to year as an indicator of the institutions' energy conservation and, over time, of the changing characteristics of…

Codon usage patterns in Nematoda: analysis based on over 25 million codons in thirty-two species

PubMed Central

2006-01-01

Background Codon usage has direct utility in molecular characterization of species and is also a marker for molecular evolution. To understand codon usage within the diverse phylum Nematoda, we analyzed a total of 265,494 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from 30 nematode species. The full genomes of Caenorhabditis elegans and C. briggsae were also examined. A total of 25,871,325 codons were analyzed and a comprehensive codon usage table for all species was generated. This is the first codon usage table available for 24 of these organisms. Results Codon usage similarity in Nematoda usually persists over the breadth of a genus but then rapidly diminishes even within each clade. Globodera, Meloidogyne, Pristionchus, and Strongyloides have the most highly derived patterns of codon usage. The major factor affecting differences in codon usage between species is the coding sequence GC content, which varies in nematodes from 32% to 51%. Coding GC content (measured as GC3) also explains much of the observed variation in the effective number of codons (R = 0.70), which is a measure of codon bias, and it even accounts for differences in amino acid frequency. Codon usage is also affected by neighboring nucleotides (N1 context). Coding GC content correlates strongly with estimated noncoding genomic GC content (R = 0.92). On examining abundant clusters in five species, candidate optimal codons were identified that may be preferred in highly expressed transcripts. Conclusion Evolutionary models indicate that total genomic GC content, probably the product of directional mutation pressure, drives codon usage rather than the converse, a conclusion that is supported by examination of nematode genomes. PMID:26271136

Systems and methods for controlling energy use in a building management system using energy budgets

DOEpatents

Wenzel, Michael J.

2012-06-17

Systems and methods for limiting power consumption by a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) subsystem of a building are shown and described. A mathematical linear operator is found that transforms the unused or deferred cooling power usage of the HVAC system based on pre-determined temperature settings to a target cooling power usage. The mathematical operator is applied to the temperature settings to create a temperature setpoint trajectory expected to provide the target cooling power usage.

Energy Conservation: Implementing an Effective Campus Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsee, Jeff

After reviewing the physical plant environment and temperature control equipment at Eastfield College (Texas), this paper explains how redirected efforts toward energy conservation can result in important cost/usage savings. Electricity billing rates are explained to provide a stronger usage strategy for cost effectiveness. Two methods of reducing…

Large-Scale Genomic Analysis of Codon Usage in Dengue Virus and Evaluation of Its Phylogenetic Dependence

PubMed Central

Lara-Ramírez, Edgar E.; Salazar, Ma Isabel; López-López, María de Jesús; Salas-Benito, Juan Santiago; Sánchez-Varela, Alejandro

2014-01-01

The increasing number of dengue virus (DENV) genome sequences available allows identifying the contributing factors to DENV evolution. In the present study, the codon usage in serotypes 1–4 (DENV1–4) has been explored for 3047 sequenced genomes using different statistics methods. The correlation analysis of total GC content (GC) with GC content at the three nucleotide positions of codons (GC1, GC2, and GC3) as well as the effective number of codons (ENC, ENCp) versus GC3 plots revealed mutational bias and purifying selection pressures as the major forces influencing the codon usage, but with distinct pressure on specific nucleotide position in the codon. The correspondence analysis (CA) and clustering analysis on relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) within each serotype showed similar clustering patterns to the phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences for DENV1–4. These clustering patterns are strongly related to the virus geographic origin. The phylogenetic dependence analysis also suggests that stabilizing selection acts on the codon usage bias. Our analysis of a large scale reveals new feature on DENV genomic evolution. PMID:25136631

Integrated Testing, Simulation and Analysis of Electric Drive Options for Medium-Duty Parcel Delivery Vehicles: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ramroth, L. A.; Gonder, J.; Brooker, A.

2012-09-01

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory verified diesel-conventional and diesel-hybrid parcel delivery vehicle models to evaluate petroleum reduction and cost implications of plug-in hybrid gasoline and diesel variants. These variants are run on a field-data-derived design matrix to analyze the effects of drive cycle, distance, battery replacements, battery capacity, and motor power on fuel consumption and lifetime cost. Two cost scenarios using fuel prices corresponding to forecasted highs for 2011 and 2030 and battery costs per kilowatt-hour representing current and long-term targets compare plug-in hybrid lifetime costs with diesel conventional lifetime costs. Under a future cost scenario of $100/kWh battery energymore » and $5/gal fuel, plug-in hybrids are cost effective. Assuming a current cost of $700/kWh and $3/gal fuel, they rarely recoup the additional motor and battery cost. The results highlight the importance of understanding the application's drive cycle, daily driving distance, and kinetic intensity. For instances in the current-cost scenario where the additional plug-in hybrid cost is regained in fuel savings, the combination of kinetic intensity and daily distance travelled does not coincide with the usage patterns observed in the field data. If the usage patterns were adjusted, the hybrids could become cost effective.« less

Energy profiles of four American states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Jiamei

2018-06-01

Energy production and usage are the major portion of any economy. With the constant consumption of the polluting energy and the deteriorating environment, people are paying more and more attention to clean, renewable energy. Based on autoregressive model and TOPSIS, though analyzing the past data, this paper establishes the energy profiles of four American states from 1960 to 2009, predict the energy profiles for 2025 and 2050 and obtain the ideal criteria for future clean, renewable energy usage at last. This study finds that by analyzing and predicting the energy profile, human beings can better understand and grasp the trend of energy development and take appropriate measures to deal with future energy trends.

Tying supply chain costs to patient care.

PubMed

Parkinson, Rosalind C

2014-05-01

In September 2014, the FDA will establish a unique device identification (UDI) system to aid hospitals in better tracking and managing medical devices and analyzing their effectiveness. When these identifiers become part of patient medical records, the UDI system will provide a much-needed link between supply cost and patient outcomes. Hospitals should invest in technology and processes that can enable them to trace supply usage patterns directly to patients and analyze how these usage patterns affect cost and quality.

Predictive models of energy consumption in multi-family housing in College Station, Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Hikmat Hummad

Patterns of energy consumption in apartment buildings are different than those in single-family houses. Apartment buildings have different physical characteristics, and their inhabitants have different demographic attributes. This study develops models that predict energy usage in apartment buildings in College Station. This is accomplished by analyzing and identifying the predictive variables that affect energy usage, studying the consumption patterns, and creating formulas based on combinations of these variables. According to the hypotheses and the specific research context, a cross-sectional design strategy is adopted. This choice implies analyses across variations within a sample of fourplex apartments in College Station. The data available for analysis include the monthly billing data along with the physical characteristics of the building, climate data for College Station, and occupant demographic characteristics. A simple random sampling procedure is adopted. The sample size of 176 apartments is drawn from the population in such a way that every possible sample has the same chance of being selected. Statistical methods used to interpret the data include univariate analysis (mean, standard deviation, range, and distribution of data), correlation analysis, regression analysis, and ANOVA (analyses of variance). The results show there are significant differences in cooling efficiency and actual energy consumption among different building types, but there are no significant differences in heating consumption. There are no significant differences in actual energy consumption between student and non-student groups or among ethnic groups. The findings indicate that there are significant differences in actual energy consumption among marital status groups and educational level groups. The multiple regression procedures show there is a significant relationship between normalized annual consumption and the combined variables of floor area, marital status, dead band, construction material, summer thermostat setting, heating, slope, and base load, as well as a relationship between cooling slope and the combined variables of share wall, floor level, summer thermostat setting, external wall, and American household. In addition, there is a significant relationship between heating slope and the combined variables of winter thermostat setting, market value, student, and rent. The results also indicate there is a relationship between base load and the combined variables of floor area, market value, age of the building, marital status, student, and summer thermostat setting.

Energy usage, problems and policy proposals: evidence from distinctive villages in poverty-stricken loess areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Xinglong; Xue, Weixian

2018-02-01

The aim of this paper is to examine energy consumption among poverty-stricken loess areas of middle Gansu, and put forward a settlement to energy upgrading and meanwhile mitigating environmental contagion and shaking off poverty. Energy consumption of 371 households from 3 distinctive categories of landform is explored. The surveyed data investigation displays that energy consumption composition is marked by clear dissimilarity of power mix, with stalk(41%) and coal(32.3%) acting as the major form, fire grass a powerful supplement, and the remaining power resources playing a tiny part for the mountain; coal(52.45%) being the dominant power, dry grasses(20%) and stalk (17.6%) performing a supplemental part, other resources of power being at the insignificant position for the semi-mountain; beside which there being a similar energy pattern on the plain except stalk composing a tiny share of 7.5%. This energy mix is mainly attributed to economic poverty, and provokes a list of ills such as plant damage, water loss and soil erosion, ultimately posing a formidable threat to sustainable development. A fresh energy engineering mode termed quaternity-dominating pattern is introduced and addressed, which can lift the sample areas out of poverty both in economics and energy. The paper concludes with pointing out practical proposals on launching and running this energy engineering project for the sample areas. This paper contributes to the growing body of knowledge by exploring energy use among poverty-stricken regions, usually being disregarded in most studies of China.

Is rapid growth in Internet usage environmentally sustainable for Australia? An empirical investigation.

PubMed

Salahuddin, Mohammad; Alam, Khorshed; Ozturk, Ilhan

2016-03-01

This study estimates the short- and long-run effects of Internet usage and economic growth on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions using annual time series macro data for Australia for the period 1985-2012. Autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) bounds and Gregory-Hansen structural break cointegration tests are applied. ARDL estimates indicate no significant long-run relationship between Internet usage and CO2 emissions, which implies that the rapid growth in Internet usage is still not an environmental threat for Australia. The study further indicates that higher level of economic growth is associated with lower level of CO2 emissions; however, Internet usage and economic growth have no significant short-run relationship with CO2 emissions. Financial development has both short-run and long-run significant positive association with CO2 emissions. The findings offer support in favor of energy efficiency gains and a reduction in energy intensity in Australia. However, impulse response and variance decomposition analysis suggest that Internet usage, economic growth and financial development will continue to impact CO2 emissions in the future, and as such, this study recommends that in addition to the existing measures to combat CO2 emissions, Australia needs to exploit the potential of the Internet not only to reduce its own carbon footprint but also to utilize information and communication technology (ICT)-enabled emissions abatement potential to reduce emissions in various other sectors across the economy, such as, power, renewable energy especially in solar and wind energy, agriculture, transport and service.

Investigating the Energy-Water Usage Efficiency of the Reuse of Treated Municipal Wastewater for Artificial Groundwater Recharge.

PubMed

Fournier, Eric D; Keller, Arturo A; Geyer, Roland; Frew, James

2016-02-16

This project investigates the energy-water usage efficiency of large scale civil infrastructure projects involving the artificial recharge of subsurface groundwater aquifers via the reuse of treated municipal wastewater. A modeling framework is introduced which explores the various ways in which spatially heterogeneous variables such as topography, landuse, and subsurface infiltration capacity combine to determine the physical layout of proposed reuse system components and their associated process energy-water demands. This framework is applied to the planning and evaluation of the energy-water usage efficiency of hypothetical reuse systems in five case study regions within the State of California. Findings from these case study analyses suggest that, in certain geographic contexts, the water requirements attributable to the process energy consumption of a reuse system can exceed the volume of water that it is able to recover by as much as an order of magnitude.

Low Energy Technology. A Unit of Instruction in Housing and Home Environment. Home Energy Usage and Conservation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaulieu, Barbara; And Others

This unit of instruction on home energy usage and conservation was designed for use by home economics teachers in Florida high schools and by home economics extension agents as they work with their clientele. It is one of a series of 11 instructional units (see note) written to help teachers and agents to educate their students and clients about…

Evaluation of Modeled and Measured Energy Savings in Existing All Electric Public Housing in the Pacific Northwest

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gordon, A.; Lubliner, M.; Howard, L.

2014-04-01

This project analyzes the cost effectiveness of energy savings measures installed by a large public housing authority in Salishan, a community in Tacoma Washington. Research focuses on the modeled and measured energy usage of the first six phases of construction, and compares the energy usage of those phases to phase 7. Market-ready energy solutions were also evaluated to improve the efficiency of affordable housing for new and existing (built since 2001) affordable housing in the marine climate of Washington State.

Evaluating Energy Savings in All-Electric Public Housing in the Pacific Northwest, Tacoma, Washington (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2014-03-01

This project analyzes the cost effectiveness of energy savings measures installed by a large public housing authority in Salishan, a community in Tacoma Washington. Research focuses on the modeled and measured energy usage of the first six phases of construction, and compares the energy usage of those phases to phase 7. Market-ready energy solutions were also evaluated to improve the efficiency of affordable housing for new and existing (built since 2001) affordable housing in the marine climate of Washington State.

Motivations for play in online games.

PubMed

Yee, Nick

2006-12-01

An empirical model of player motivations in online games provides the foundation to understand and assess how players differ from one another and how motivations of play relate to age, gender, usage patterns, and in-game behaviors. In the current study, a factor analytic approach was used to create an empirical model of player motivations. The analysis revealed 10 motivation subcomponents that grouped into three overarching components (achievement, social, and immersion). Relationships between motivations and demographic variables (age, gender, and usage patterns) are also presented.

Revelation of Influencing Factors in Overall Codon Usage Bias of Equine Influenza Viruses

PubMed Central

Bhatia, Sandeep; Sood, Richa; Selvaraj, Pavulraj

2016-01-01

Equine influenza viruses (EIVs) of H3N8 subtype are culprits of severe acute respiratory infections in horses, and are still responsible for significant outbreaks worldwide. Adaptability of influenza viruses to a particular host is significantly influenced by their codon usage preference, due to an absolute dependence on the host cellular machinery for their replication. In the present study, we analyzed genome-wide codon usage patterns in 92 EIV strains, including both H3N8 and H7N7 subtypes by computing several codon usage indices and applying multivariate statistical methods. Relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis disclosed bias of preferred synonymous codons towards A/U-ended codons. The overall codon usage bias in EIVs was slightly lower, and mainly affected by the nucleotide compositional constraints as inferred from the RSCU and effective number of codon (ENc) analysis. Our data suggested that codon usage pattern in EIVs is governed by the interplay of mutation pressure, natural selection from its hosts and undefined factors. The H7N7 subtype was found less fit to its host (horse) in comparison to H3N8, by possessing higher codon bias, lower mutation pressure and much less adaptation to tRNA pool of equine cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the codon usage analysis of the complete genomes of EIVs. The outcome of our study is likely to enhance our understanding of factors involved in viral adaptation, evolution, and fitness towards their hosts. PMID:27119730

Evolutionary characterization of Tembusu virus infection through identification of codon usage patterns.

PubMed

Zhou, Hao; Yan, Bing; Chen, Shun; Wang, Mingshu; Jia, Renyong; Cheng, Anchun

2015-10-01

Tembusu virus (TMUV) is a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus. As reported, TMUV infection has resulted in significant poultry losses, and the virus may also pose a threat to public health. To characterize TMUV evolutionarily and to understand the factors accounting for codon usage properties, we performed, for the first time, a comprehensive analysis of codon usage bias for the genomes of 60 TMUV strains. The most recently published TMUV strains were found to be widely distributed in coastal cities of southeastern China. Codon preference among TMUV genomes exhibits a low bias (effective number of codons (ENC)=53.287) and is maintained at a stable level. ENC-GC3 plots and the high correlation between composition constraints and principal component factor analysis of codon usage demonstrated that mutation pressure dominates over natural selection pressure in shaping the TMUV coding sequence composition. The high correlation between the major components of the codon usage pattern and hydrophobicity (Gravy) or aromaticity (Aromo) was obvious, indicating that properties of viral proteins also account for the observed variation in TMUV codon usage. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that CQW1 isolated from Chongqing may have evolved from GX2013H or GX2013G isolated from Guangxi, thus indicating that TMUV likely disseminated from southeastern China to the mainland. Moreover, the preferred codons encoding eight amino acids were consistent with the optimal codons for human cells, indicating that TMUV may pose a threat to public health due to possible cross-species transmission (birds to birds or birds to humans). The results of this study not only have theoretical value for uncovering the characteristics of synonymous codon usage patterns in TMUV genomes but also have significant meaning with regard to the molecular evolutionary tendencies of TMUV. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In patients with minimally symptomatic OSA can baseline characteristics and early patterns of CPAP usage predict those who are likely to be longer-term users of CPAP.

PubMed

Turnbull, Christopher D; Bratton, Daniel J; Craig, Sonya E; Kohler, Malcolm; Stradling, John R

2016-02-01

Long-term continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) usage varies between individuals. It would be of value to be able to identify those who are likely to benefit from CPAP (and use it long term), versus those who would not, and might therefore benefit from additional help early on. First, we explored whether baseline characteristics predicted CPAP usage in minimally symptomatic obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients, a group who would be expected to have low usage. Second, we explored if early CPAP usage was predictive of longer-term usage, as has been shown in more symptomatic OSA patients. The MOSAIC trial was a multi-centre randomised controlled trial where minimally symptomatic OSA patients were randomised to CPAP, or standard care, for 6 months. Here we have studied only those patients randomised to CPAP treatment. Baseline characteristics including symptoms, questionnaires [including the Epworth sleepiness score (ESS)] and sleep study parameters were recorded. CPAP usage was recorded at 2-4 weeks after initiation and after 6 months. The correlation and association between baseline characteristics and 6 months CPAP usage was assessed, as was the correlation between 2 and 4 weeks CPAP usage and 6 months CPAP usage. One hundred and ninety-five patients randomised to CPAP therapy had median [interquartile range (IQR)] CPAP usage of 2:49 (0:44, 5:13) h:min/night (h/n) at the 2-4 weeks visit, and 2:17 (0:08, 4:54) h/n at the 6 months follow-up visit. Only male gender was associated with increased long-term CPAP use (male usage 2:56 h/n, female 1:57 h/n; P=0.02). There was a moderate correlation between the usage of CPAP at 2-4 weeks and 6 months, with about 50% of the variability in long-term use being predicted by the short-term use. In patients with minimally symptomatic OSA, our study has shown that male gender (and not OSA severity or symptom burden) is associated with increased long-term use of CPAP at 6 months. Although, in general, early patterns of CPAP usage predicted longer term use, there are patients in whom this is not the case, and patients with low initial usage may need to extend their CPAP trial before a decision about longer-term use is made.

Patterns of safety belt use among drivers killed in fatal crashes in Virginia.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1976-01-01

Safety belt usage or non-usage was noted for drivers fatally injured in motor vehicle accidents in Virginia during fiscal year 1974. Data were obtained from FR300 accident report forms and available corresponding medical examiner's reports, and only ...

Generate Optimized Genetic Rhythm for Enzyme Expression in Non-native systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2016-11-03

Most amino acids are represented by more than one codon, resulting in redundancy in the genetic code. Silent codon substitutions that do not alter the amino acid sequence still have an effect on protein expression. We have developed an algorithm, GoGREEN, to enhance the expression of foreign proteins in a host organism. GoGREEN selects codons according to frequency patterns seen in the gene of interest using the codon usage table from the host organism. GoGREEN is also designed to accommodate gaps in the sequence.This software takes for input (1) the aligned protein sequences for genes the user wishes to express,more » (2) the codon usage table for the host organism, (3) and the DNA sequence for the target protein found in the host organism. The program will select codons based on codon usage patterns for the target DNA sequence. The program will also select codons for “gaps” found in the aligned protein sequences using the codon usage table from the host organism.« less

Commercial and Multifamily Building Tenant Energy Usage Aggregation and Privacy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Livingston, Olga V.; Pulsipher, Trenton C.; Wang, Na

2014-11-17

In a number of cities and states, building owners are required to disclose and/or benchmark their building energy use. This requires the building owner to possess monthly whole-building energy usage information, which can be challenging for buildings in which individual tenants have their own utility meters and accounts with the utility. Some utilities and utility regulators have turned to aggregation of customer data as a way to give building owners the whole-building energy usage data while protecting customer privacy. However, no utilities or regulators appear to have conducted a concerted statistical, cybersecurity, and privacy analysis to justify the level ofmore » aggregation selected. Therefore, the Tennant Data Aggregation Task was established to help utilities address these issues and provide recommendations as well as a theoretical justification of the aggregation threshold. This study is focused on the use case of submitting data for ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager (ESPM), but it also looks at other potential use cases for monthly energy consumption data.« less

Extracting patterns of database and software usage from the bioinformatics literature

PubMed Central

Duck, Geraint; Nenadic, Goran; Brass, Andy; Robertson, David L.; Stevens, Robert

2014-01-01

Motivation: As a natural consequence of being a computer-based discipline, bioinformatics has a strong focus on database and software development, but the volume and variety of resources are growing at unprecedented rates. An audit of database and software usage patterns could help provide an overview of developments in bioinformatics and community common practice, and comparing the links between resources through time could demonstrate both the persistence of existing software and the emergence of new tools. Results: We study the connections between bioinformatics resources and construct networks of database and software usage patterns, based on resource co-occurrence, that correspond to snapshots of common practice in the bioinformatics community. We apply our approach to pairings of phylogenetics software reported in the literature and argue that these could provide a stepping stone into the identification of scientific best practice. Availability and implementation: The extracted resource data, the scripts used for network generation and the resulting networks are available at http://bionerds.sourceforge.net/networks/ Contact: robert.stevens@manchester.ac.uk PMID:25161253

Social networking patterns/hazards among teenagers.

PubMed

Machold, C; Judge, G; Mavrinac, A; Elliott, J; Murphy, A M; Roche, E

2012-05-01

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) have grown substantially, posing new hazards to teenagers. This study aimed to determine general patterns of Internet usage among Irish teenagers aged 11-16 years, and to identify potential hazards, including; bullying, inappropriate contact, overuse, addiction and invasion of users' privacy. A cross-sectional study design was employed to survey students at three Irish secondary schools, with a sample of 474 completing a questionnaire. 202 (44%) (n = 460) accessed the Internet using a shared home computer. Two hours or less were spent online daily by 285(62%), of whom 450 (98%) were unsupervised. 306 (72%) (n = 425) reported frequent usage of SNSs, 403 (95%) of whom were Facebook users. 42 (10%) males and 51 (12%) females experienced bullying online, while 114 (27%) reported inappropriate contact from others. Concerning overuse and the risk of addiction, 140 (33%) felt they accessed SNSs too often. These patterns among Irish teenagers suggest that SNS usage poses significant dangers, which are going largely unaddressed.

Marijuana usage in relation to harmfulness ratings, perceived likelihood of negative consequences, and defense mechanisms in high school students.

PubMed

Como-Lesko, N; Primavera, L H; Szeszko, P R

1994-08-01

This study investigated high school students' marijuana usage patterns in relation to their harmfulness ratings of 15 licit and illicit drugs, perceived negative consequences from using marijuana, and types of defense mechanisms employed. Subjects were classified into one of five pattern-of-use groups based on marijuana usage: principled nonusers, nonusers, light users, moderate users, and heavy users. Principled nonusers (individuals who have never used marijuana and would not do so if it was legalized) rated marijuana, hashish, cocaine, and alcohol as significantly more harmful than heavy users. A cluster analysis of the drugs' harmfulness ratings best fit a three cluster solution and were named medicinal drugs, recreational drugs, and hard drugs. In general, principled nonusers rated negative consequences from using marijuana as significantly more likely to occur than other groups. Principled nonusers and heavy users utilized reversal from the Defense Mechanism Inventory, which includes repression and denial, significantly more than nonusers, indicating some trait common to the two extreme pattern-of-use groups.

Light spectrum modifies the utilization pattern of energy sources in Pseudomonas sp. DR 5-09

PubMed Central

Rosberg, Anna Karin; Windstam, Sofia T.; Karlsson, Maria E.; Bergstrand, Karl-Johan; Khalil, Sammar; Wohanka, Walter

2017-01-01

Despite the overruling impact of light in the phyllosphere, little is known regarding the influence of light spectra on non-phototrophic bacteria colonizing the leaf surface. We developed an in vitro method to study phenotypic profile responses of bacterial pure cultures to different bands of the visible light spectrum using monochromatic (blue: 460 nm; red: 660 nm) and polychromatic (white: 350–990 nm) LEDs, by modification and optimization of a protocol for the Phenotype MicroArray™ technique (Biolog Inc., CA, USA). The new protocol revealed high reproducibility of substrate utilization under all conditions tested. Challenging the non-phototrophic bacterium Pseudomonas sp. DR 5–09 with white, blue, and red light demonstrated that all light treatments affected the respiratory profile differently, with blue LED having the most decisive impact on substrate utilization by impairing respiration of 140 substrates. The respiratory activity was decreased on 23 and 42 substrates under red and white LEDs, respectively, while utilization of one, 16, and 20 substrates increased in the presence of red, blue, and white LEDs, respectively. Interestingly, on four substrates contrasting utilization patterns were found when the bacterium was exposed to different light spectra. Although non-phototrophic bacteria do not rely directly on light as an energy source, Pseudomonas sp. DR 5–09 changed its respiratory activity on various substrates differently when exposed to different lights. Thus, ability to sense and distinguish between different wavelengths even within the visible light spectrum must exist, and leads to differential regulation of substrate usage. With these results, we hypothesize that different light spectra might be a hitherto neglected key stimulus for changes in microbial lifestyle and habits of substrate usage by non-phototrophic phyllospheric microbiota, and thus might essentially stratify leaf microbiota composition and diversity. PMID:29267321

Light spectrum modifies the utilization pattern of energy sources in Pseudomonas sp. DR 5-09.

PubMed

Gharaie, Samareh; Vaas, Lea A I; Rosberg, Anna Karin; Windstam, Sofia T; Karlsson, Maria E; Bergstrand, Karl-Johan; Khalil, Sammar; Wohanka, Walter; Alsanius, Beatrix W

2017-01-01

Despite the overruling impact of light in the phyllosphere, little is known regarding the influence of light spectra on non-phototrophic bacteria colonizing the leaf surface. We developed an in vitro method to study phenotypic profile responses of bacterial pure cultures to different bands of the visible light spectrum using monochromatic (blue: 460 nm; red: 660 nm) and polychromatic (white: 350-990 nm) LEDs, by modification and optimization of a protocol for the Phenotype MicroArray™ technique (Biolog Inc., CA, USA). The new protocol revealed high reproducibility of substrate utilization under all conditions tested. Challenging the non-phototrophic bacterium Pseudomonas sp. DR 5-09 with white, blue, and red light demonstrated that all light treatments affected the respiratory profile differently, with blue LED having the most decisive impact on substrate utilization by impairing respiration of 140 substrates. The respiratory activity was decreased on 23 and 42 substrates under red and white LEDs, respectively, while utilization of one, 16, and 20 substrates increased in the presence of red, blue, and white LEDs, respectively. Interestingly, on four substrates contrasting utilization patterns were found when the bacterium was exposed to different light spectra. Although non-phototrophic bacteria do not rely directly on light as an energy source, Pseudomonas sp. DR 5-09 changed its respiratory activity on various substrates differently when exposed to different lights. Thus, ability to sense and distinguish between different wavelengths even within the visible light spectrum must exist, and leads to differential regulation of substrate usage. With these results, we hypothesize that different light spectra might be a hitherto neglected key stimulus for changes in microbial lifestyle and habits of substrate usage by non-phototrophic phyllospheric microbiota, and thus might essentially stratify leaf microbiota composition and diversity.

Codon usage in Chlamydia trachomatis is the result of strand-specific mutational biases and a complex pattern of selective forces

PubMed Central

Romero, Héctor; Zavala, Alejandro; Musto, Héctor

2000-01-01

The patterns of synonymous codon choices of the completely sequenced genome of the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis were analysed. We found that the most important source of variation among the genes results from whether the sequence is located on the leading or lagging strand of replication, resulting in an over representation of G or C, respectively. This can be explained by different mutational biases associated to the different enzymes that replicate each strand. Next we found that most highly expressed sequences are located on the leading strand of replication. From this result, replicational-transcriptional selection can be invoked. Then, when the genes located on the leading strand are studied separately, the correspondence analysis detects a principal trend which discriminates between lowly and highly expressed sequences, the latter displaying a different codon usage pattern than the former, suggesting selection for translation, which is reinforced by the fact that Ks values between orthologous sequences from C.trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae are much smaller in highly expressed genes. Finally, synonymous codon choices appear to be influenced by the hydropathy of each encoded protein and by the degree of amino acid conservation. Therefore, synonymous codon usage in C.trachomatis seems to be the result of a very complex balance among different factors, which rises the problem of whether the forces driving codon usage patterns among microorganisms are rather more complex than generally accepted. PMID:10773076

Codon usage in Chlamydia trachomatis is the result of strand-specific mutational biases and a complex pattern of selective forces.

PubMed

Romero, H; Zavala, A; Musto, H

2000-05-15

The patterns of synonymous codon choices of the completely sequenced genome of the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis were analysed. We found that the most important source of variation among the genes results from whether the sequence is located on the leading or lagging strand of replication, resulting in an over representation of G or C, respectively. This can be explained by different mutational biases associated to the different enzymes that replicate each strand. Next we found that most highly expressed sequences are located on the leading strand of replication. From this result, replicational-transcriptional selection can be invoked. Then, when the genes located on the leading strand are studied separately, the correspondence analysis detects a principal trend which discriminates between lowly and highly expressed sequences, the latter displaying a different codon usage pattern than the former, suggesting selection for translation, which is reinforced by the fact that Ks values between orthologous sequences from C. trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae are much smaller in highly expressed genes. Finally, synonymous codon choices appear to be influenced by the hydropathy of each encoded protein and by the degree of amino acid conservation. Therefore, synonymous codon usage in C.trachomatis seems to be the result of a very complex balance among different factors, which rises the problem of whether the forces driving codon usage patterns among microorganisms are rather more complex than generally accepted.

Mobile Phone Usage and its Health Effects Among Adults in a Semi-Urban Area of Southern India.

PubMed

Stalin, P; Abraham, Sherin Billy; Kanimozhy, K; Prasad, R Vishnu; Singh, Zile; Purty, Anil J

2016-01-01

Worldwide, mobile phone usage has been increased dramatically which could affect the health of the people. India has the second largest number of mobile phone users. However there are only few studies conducted in India to assess its effects on health. To determine the prevalence and pattern of mobile phone usage and to assess the relationship between certain selected health problems and mobile phone usage among adults. Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Kottakuppam, a town panchayat in Villupuram district of Coastal Tamil Nadu, Southern India. It is a semi-urban area with a population of about 16,000. Majority of the residents are Muslim by religion and belong to different socio economic status. The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. A total of 2121 study participants were interviewed by the pre-final medical students through house-to-house survey using a pretested structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included the variables such as socio demographic profile, mobile phone usage and pattern, selected health problems, perceived benefits and threats and blood pressure. Selected health problems included headache, earache, neck pain, tinnitus, painful fingers, restlessness, morning tiredness, tingling fingers, fatigue, eye symptoms, sleep disturbance and hypertension. Only 2054 were included for data analysis using SPSS 17 version. Proportions were calculated. Chi-square test was used to measure the p-value. The p-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The prevalence of mobile phone usage was 70%. Calling facility (94.2%) was used more than the SMS (67.6%). Health problems like headache, earache, tinnitus, painful fingers and restlessness etc., were found to be positively associated with mobile phone usage. There was negative association between hypertension and mobile phone usage. The prevalence of mobile phone usage was high. There was significant association between selected health problems and mobile phone usage. In future, higher studies are required to confirm our findings.

Potential reduction of energy consumption in public university library

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noranai, Z.; Azman, ADF

2017-09-01

Efficient electrical energy usage has been recognized as one of the important factor to reduce cost of electrical energy consumption. Various parties have been emphasized about the importance of using electrical energy efficiently. Inefficient usage of electrical energy usage lead to biggest factor increasing of administration cost in Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia. With this in view, a project the investigate potential reduction electrical energy consumption in Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia was carried out. In this project, a case study involving electrical energy consumption of Perpustakaan Tunku Tun Aminah was conducted. The scopes of this project are to identify energy consumption in selected building and to find the factors that contributing to wastage of electrical energy. The MS1525:2001, Malaysian Standard - Code of practice on energy efficiency and use of renewable energy for non-residential buildings was used as reference. From the result, 4 saving measure had been proposed which is change type of the lamp, install sensor, decrease the number of lamp and improve shading coefficient on glass. This saving measure is suggested to improve the efficiency of electrical energy consumption. Improve of human behaviour toward saving energy measure can reduce 10% from the total of saving cost while on building technical measure can reduce 90% from total saving cost.

Nomophobia: A Cross-sectional Study to Assess Mobile Phone Usage Among Dental Students.

PubMed

Prasad, Monika; Patthi, Basavaraj; Singla, Ashish; Gupta, Ritu; Saha, Sabyasachi; Kumar, Jishnu Krishna; Malhi, Ravneet; Pandita, Venisha

2017-02-01

Mobile phones were originally seen as a gadget for communication but currently, the internet enabled mobile phones have become an integral part of our daily life. Their benefits are incomparable but at the same time, they have some negative effects too. To assess the pattern of usage of mobile phones and its effects on the academic performance of students. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted amongst 554 students of D. J. College of Dental Sciences and Research through a self-administered questionnaire to collect the data regarding the usage and associated anxiety with mobile phone. About 39.5% students agreed that they score low marks in professional exams if they spend more time on phone. The number of students who frequently checked their cell phone during their classes or while doing clinical work were 24.7% . A total of 24.12% of the students were found to be nomophobic and at risk of being nomophobes were 40.97%. A statistically significant difference was found among preclinical, clinical, interns and postgraduates regarding the usage and effect of mobile phone on them. The pattern of usage of mobile phone among dental students showed alarming indication that students have been addicted to mobile phone which in turn affect their academic performance in a negative way. It would be useful to advise the students about the controlled as well as proper usage of mobile phone.

Is DNA code periodicity only due to CUF-codons usage frequency?

PubMed

Zoltowski, Mariusz

2007-01-01

The triplet code for proteins and functional RNA has been either from the universal pattern of ancient RNA (-H1) [1], with a key role of an uneven codon usage frequency (CUF) in the periodic patterns origination, or a reading frame monitoring device (RFMD -H2) [2- 4]. H1 has lately been upheld [1] but in a single sequence sensitive way [1]. Since H1 and H2 are not mutually exclusive [2, 3, 4], a single sequence-wise sensitive approach by a resonant recognition model (RRM) has become the attempt described in this paper to challenge H1 and H2 in eukaryotes case as a novelty. In the RRM model [5, 6, 7] two bio-molecules interact favorably provided they both obey a common frequency and opposite phases consensus in their delocalized electron energy (DEE-) distributions [5]. Hence it has been possible to learn how well the DEE-s of the mRNA and of the ribosome match each other at 1/3 Hz - that applied to both the original and the CUF preserving randomly shuffled genomic data across the well known Bursét and Guigo collection of 570 coding vertebrates' genes. The matching of RRM patterns reduces to harmonics phase comparison of the relevant DEE-s, a task by a digital phase locked loop (DPLL) [8, 9, and 10]. The DPLL phase control to meet the RRM phase matching case is quantified into a small number of classes to describe the mRNA-ribosome interaction in a categorical way.

Practice and Repetition during Exam Preparation in Blended Learning Courses: Correlations with Learning Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andergassen, Monika; Mödritscher, Felix; Neumann, Gustaf

2014-01-01

Learner-centric research on factors influencing learning results has focused, among other things, on student characteristics, demographic data, and usage patterns in learning management systems (LMSs). This paper complements the existing research by investigating potential correlations between learning results and LMS usage during exam…

Iran: Country Status Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFerren, Margaret

A survey of the status of language usage in Iran begins with an overview of the usage pattern of Persian, the official language spoken by just over half the population, and the competing languages of six ethnic and linguistic minorities: Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Arabic, Gilaki, Luri-Bakhtiari, and Mazandarani. The development of language policy…

Editorial Library: User Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Surace, Cecily J.

This report presents the findings of a survey conducted by the editorial library of the Los Angeles Times to measure usage and satisfaction with library service, provide background information on library user characteristics, collect information on patterns of use of the Times' clipping files, relate data on usage and satisfaction parameters to…

Usage of energy reserves in crustaceans during starvation: status and future directions.

PubMed

Sánchez-Paz, Arturo; García-Carreño, Fernando; Muhlia-Almazán, Adriana; Peregrino-Uriarte, Alma B; Hernández-López, Jorge; Yepiz-Plascencia, Gloria

2006-04-01

In this paper, we review the current knowledge about the usage of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins as energy source by marine crustaceans during starvation. Crustaceans are a large and diverse group including some economically important species. The efforts to culture them for human consumption has prompted the interest to understand the preferences of energy sources to be applied for feed formulation and cost reduction. Important differences have been found among species and appear to be related not only to the biochemistry and physiology of nutrition, but also to the living environment of the crustaceans. Furthermore, crustaceans undergo morphological, physiological and behavioral changes due to their natural growing process that affect their feeding habits, an aspect that should be carefully considered. We discuss the current information on marine crustaceans about energy usage and describe areas of future research, where starvation studies render important insights.

On the usage of agricultural raw materials--energy or food? An assessment from an economics perspective.

PubMed

Lenk, Fabian; Bröring, Stefanie; Herzog, Philipp; Leker, Jens

2007-12-01

Bioenergies are promoted across the globe as the answer for global warming and the chance to reduce dependency from fossil energy sources. Despite the fact that renewable energy sources offer the opportunity to reduce CO2 emission and present a chance to increase agricultural incomes, they also come along with some drawbacks that have been mostly neglected in the current discussion. This paper seeks to build a basis for discussing the impacts of the growing subsidization of bioenergy and the resulting usage competition of agricultural raw materials between foods and energy. To assess the usage competition and the subsidization of bioenergy, this article employs a welfare economics perspective associated with an emphasize on the construct of externalities. This will help to foster the discussion on the further subsidization of bioenergy, where funding for R&D on new ways of using non-food raw materials ought to play a significant role.

Modeling nexus of urban heat island mitigation strategies with electricity/power usage and consumer costs: a case study for Phoenix, Arizona, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Humberto; Fillpot, Baron S.

2018-01-01

A reduction in both power and electricity usage was determined using a previously validated zero-dimensional energy balance model that implements mitigation strategies used to reduce the urban heat island (UHI) effect. The established model has been applied to show the change in urban characteristic temperature when executing four common mitigation strategies: increasing the overall (1) emissivity, (2) vegetated area, (3) thermal conductivity, and (4) albedo of the urban environment in a series of increases by 5, 10, 15, and 20% from baseline values. Separately, a correlation analysis was performed involving meteorological data and total daily energy (TDE) consumption where the 24-h average temperature was shown to have the greatest correlation to electricity service data in the Phoenix, Arizona, USA, metropolitan region. A methodology was then developed for using the model to predict TDE consumption reduction and corresponding cost-saving analysis when implementing the four mitigation strategies. The four modeled UHI mitigation strategies, taken in combination, would lead to the largest percent reduction in annual energy usage, where increasing the thermal conductivity is the single most effective mitigation strategy. The single least effective mitigation strategy, increasing the emissivity by 5% from the baseline value, resulted in an average calculated reduction of about 1570 GWh in yearly energy usage with a corresponding 157 million dollar cost savings. When the four parameters were increased in unison by 20% from baseline values, an average calculated reduction of about 2050 GWh in yearly energy usage was predicted with a corresponding 205 million dollar cost savings.

Diffusion of Technology: Frequency of Use for Younger and Older Adults

PubMed Central

Olson, Katherine E.; O’Brien, Marita A.; Rogers, Wendy A.; Charness, Neil

2012-01-01

Objectives When we think of technology-savvy consumers, older adults are typically not the first persons that come to mind. The common misconception is that older adults do not want to use or cannot use technology. But for an increasing number of older adults, this is not true (Pew Internet and American Life Project, 2003). Older adults do use technologies similar to their younger counterparts, but perhaps at different usage rates. Previous research has identified that there may be subgroups of older adults, “Silver Surfers”, whose adoption patterns mimic younger adults (Pew Internet and American Life Project, 2003). Much of the previous research on age-related differences in technology usage has only investigated usage broadly -- from a “used” or “not used” standpoint. The present study investigated age-related differences in overall usage of technologies, as well as frequency of technology usage (i.e., never, occasional, or frequent). Methods The data were gathered through a questionnaire from younger adults (N=430) and older adults (N=251) in three geographically separate and ethnically diverse areas of the United States. Results We found that younger adults use a greater breadth of technologies than older adults. However, age-related differences in usage and the frequency of use depend on the technology domain. Conclusion This paper presents technology usage and frequency data to highlight age-related differences and similarities. The results provide insights into older and younger adults’ technology-use patterns, which in turn provide a basis for expectations about knowledge differences. Designers and trainers can benefit from understanding experience and knowledge differences. PMID:22685360

Insights from Smart Meters: Ramp-Up, Dependability, and Short-Term Persistence of Savings from Home Energy Reports

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Todd, A.; Perry, M.; Smith, B.

2015-04-01

Smart meters, smart thermostats, and other new technologies provide previously unavailable high-frequency and location-specific energy usage data. Many utilities are now able to capture real-time, customer-specific hourly interval usage data for a large proportion of their residential and small commercial customers. These vast, constantly growing streams of rich data (or big data) have the potential to provide novel insights into key policy questions about how people make energy decisions.

Long-term variability of wind patterns at hub-height over Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, J.; Jeon, W.; Choi, Y.; Souri, A.

2017-12-01

Wind energy is getting more attention because of its environmentally friendly attributes. Texas is a state with significant capacity and number of wind turbines. Wind power generation is significantly affected by wind patterns, and it is important to understand this seasonal and decadal variability for long-term power generation from wind turbines. This study focused on the trends of changes in wind pattern and its strength at two hub-heights (80 m and 110 m) over 30-years (1986 to 2015). We only analyzed summer data(June to September) because of concentrated electricity usage in Texas. We extracted hub-height wind data (U and V components) from the three-hourly National Centers for Environmental Prediction-North American Regional Reanalysis (NCEP-NARR) and classified wind patterns properly by using nonhierarchical K-means method. Hub-height wind patterns in summer seasons of 1986 to 2015 were classified in six classes at day and seven classes at night. Mean wind speed was 4.6 ms-1 at day and 5.4 ms-1 at night, but showed large variability in time and space. We combined each cluster's frequencies and wind speed tendencies with large scale atmospheric circulation features and quantified the amount of wind power generation.

Gender differences in depressive symptom profiles and patterns of psychotropic drug usage in Asian patients with depression: Findings from the Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Patterns for Antidepressants study.

PubMed

Park, Seon-Cheol; Lee, Min-Soo; Shinfuku, Naotaka; Sartorius, Norman; Park, Yong Chon

2015-09-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there were gender-specific depressive symptom profiles or gender-specific patterns of psychotropic agent usage in Asian patients with depression. Clinical data from the Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Patterns for Antidepressant study (1171 depressed patients) were used to determine gender differences by analysis of covariates for continuous variables and by logistic regression analysis for discrete variables. In addition, a binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify independent clinical correlates of the gender-specific pattern on psychotropic drug usage. Men were more likely than women to have loss of interest (adjusted odds ratio = 1.379, p = 0.009), fatigue (adjusted odds ratio = 1.298, p = 0.033) and concurrent substance abuse (adjusted odds ratio = 3.793, p = 0.008), but gender differences in other symptom profiles and clinical features were not significant. Men were also more likely than women to be prescribed adjunctive therapy with a second-generation antipsychotic (adjusted odds ratio = 1.320, p = 0.044). However, men were less likely than women to have suicidal thoughts/acts (adjusted odds ratio = 0.724, p = 0.028). Binary logistic regression models revealed that lower age (odds ratio = 0.986, p = 0.027) and current hospitalization (odds ratio = 3.348, p < 0.0001) were independent clinical correlates of use of second-generation antipsychotics as adjunctive therapy for treating depressed Asian men. Unique gender-specific symptom profiles and gender-specific patterns of psychotropic drug usage can be identified in Asian patients with depression. Hence, ethnic and cultural influences on the gender preponderance of depression should be considered in the clinical psychiatry of Asian patients. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

In patients with minimally symptomatic OSA can baseline characteristics and early patterns of CPAP usage predict those who are likely to be longer-term users of CPAP

PubMed Central

Bratton, Daniel J.; Craig, Sonya E.; Kohler, Malcolm; Stradling, John R.

2016-01-01

Background Long-term continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) usage varies between individuals. It would be of value to be able to identify those who are likely to benefit from CPAP (and use it long term), versus those who would not, and might therefore benefit from additional help early on. First, we explored whether baseline characteristics predicted CPAP usage in minimally symptomatic obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients, a group who would be expected to have low usage. Second, we explored if early CPAP usage was predictive of longer-term usage, as has been shown in more symptomatic OSA patients. Methods The MOSAIC trial was a multi-centre randomised controlled trial where minimally symptomatic OSA patients were randomised to CPAP, or standard care, for 6 months. Here we have studied only those patients randomised to CPAP treatment. Baseline characteristics including symptoms, questionnaires [including the Epworth sleepiness score (ESS)] and sleep study parameters were recorded. CPAP usage was recorded at 2–4 weeks after initiation and after 6 months. The correlation and association between baseline characteristics and 6 months CPAP usage was assessed, as was the correlation between 2 and 4 weeks CPAP usage and 6 months CPAP usage. Results One hundred and ninety-five patients randomised to CPAP therapy had median [interquartile range (IQR)] CPAP usage of 2:49 (0:44, 5:13) h:min/night (h/n) at the 2–4 weeks visit, and 2:17 (0:08, 4:54) h/n at the 6 months follow-up visit. Only male gender was associated with increased long-term CPAP use (male usage 2:56 h/n, female 1:57 h/n; P=0.02). There was a moderate correlation between the usage of CPAP at 2–4 weeks and 6 months, with about 50% of the variability in long-term use being predicted by the short-term use. Conclusions In patients with minimally symptomatic OSA, our study has shown that male gender (and not OSA severity or symptom burden) is associated with increased long-term use of CPAP at 6 months. Although, in general, early patterns of CPAP usage predicted longer term use, there are patients in whom this is not the case, and patients with low initial usage may need to extend their CPAP trial before a decision about longer-term use is made. PMID:26904268

Managing Residential Electricity Demand Through Provision of Better Feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, Myles

New and affordable technology for providing detailed feedback on household electricity usage presents a host of opportunities for utilities and policy-makers to manage demand. This dissertation examines ways to use these devices to reduce - and shift the timing of - energy use in the residential sector by influencing consumers' behavior. The first portion of the study analyzes the impact of programmable thermostats (PTs) on energy use, focusing on residents' knowledge of climate control settings in the dwelling. I found that of households with natural gas heating systems, young households with PTs used 17 percent less heating energy on average. In addition, residents who did not know their thermostat settings tended to use 10 percent more energy for heating. The main portion of the dissertation focuses specifically on the potential for better feedback on electricity usage to reduce household energy consumption. The existing literature suggests that feedback can reduce electricity consumption in homes by 5 to 20 percent, but that significant uncertainties remain in our knowledge of the effectiveness of feedback. These uncertainties include the variation in feedback effectiveness between demographic groups and consumers in different climate regions. This analysis uses these uncertainties to perform an exploratory analysis to determine the conditions under which the benefits of feedback outweigh the costs and to compare the cost-effectiveness of providing feedback against that of other DSM programs. I found that benefits would likely outweigh costs for enhanced monthly billing and real-time feedback and that cost-effectiveness was superior to that of other DSM programs for these types of feedback. For feedback that is disaggregated by appliance type, cost effectiveness was competitive with other DSM programs under a limited set of cases. This study also examines how energy consumption devices should display feedback on GHG emissions from electricity use under a real-time pricing program. I found that load-shifting can cause GHG emissions to increase or decrease depending on region and season and in no discernable pattern. Therefore, feedback may be more useful and comprehensible to households in the form of total GHG emissions attributable to electricity usage instead of the emission rate of the marginal power plant. Finally, this dissertation explores ways to maximize the effect of feedback by evaluating which appliances may be best suited for appliance-specific feedback. Due to the energy use and behavioral factors associated with each appliance, the most promising appliances were those that heat water for taps, showers, hot tubs, and waterbeds.

Differential usage of T-cell receptor V beta gene families by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in patients with CD8hi common variable immunodeficiency: evidence of a post-thymic effect.

PubMed Central

Duchmann, R; Jaffe, J; Ehrhardt, R; Alling, D W; Strober, W

1996-01-01

In this study, we report that differences between T-cell receptor (TCR) V beta gene family usage in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are significantly greater in a subgroup of patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVI) and high levels of activated CD8+ T cells (CD8hi CVI) than in controls (P < 0.001). In CD8hi CVI patients, such differences were also significantly greater for V beta 12 than for other V beta families. As the causes of the differential usage of V beta gene families by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are under investigation, it was interesting that the combined differences between V beta gene family usage in the CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell subpopulations as a whole were significantly lower than the combined differences between individual V beta gene family usage in either CD4+ or CD8+ T-cell subpopulations (P < 0.001 in both control and CD8hi CVI patients). Further, the pattern of V beta gene family usage in CD4+ T cells was remarkably similar to that in CD8+ T cells in both groups. These data strongly suggest that differences in V beta gene family usage arising from coselection by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I versus MHC class II restriction elements do not fundamentally distort 'basic' V beta gene family usage patterns. They also support the concept that differences in CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell V beta gene family usage, which were increased in CD8hi CVI, can arise from high-affinity interactions between disease-associated antigens or superantigens and T cells in the post-thymic T-cell compartment. Images Figure 6 PMID:8666443

Algeria: Country Status Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFerren, Margaret

A survey of the status of language usage in Algeria begins with an overview of the usage patterns of Arabic, the Berber languages, and French. The country's return to Arabic as its official language after independence from France in 1962 is discussed along with the resultant language planning, issues of language of instruction at the elementary,…

Tweeting and Blogging: Moving towards Education 2.0

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luo, Tian; Franklin, Teresa

2015-01-01

This paper reports on an exploratory study that employed Twitter and blogs as instructional Web 2.0 tools to support student learning in an undergraduate-level class. Case study methodology entailing a usage survey, an exit survey, and 12 in-depth semi-structured interviews was sought to examine patterns and characteristics of students' usage of…

Iraq: Country Status Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFerren, Margaret

A survey of the status of language usage in Iraq begins with an overview of the usage patterns of Arabic and Kurdish, especially in the context of recent political events and the agreement to make Kurdish a second official language in the Kurdish autonomous region, and to allow limited use of Kurdish in instruction and public communication. A…

A Quantitative Analysis of Cognitive Strategy Usage in the Marking of Two GCSE Examinations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suto, W. M. Irenka; Greatorex, Jackie

2008-01-01

Diverse strategies for marking GCSE examinations have been identified, ranging from simple automatic judgements to complex cognitive operations requiring considerable expertise. However, little is known about patterns of strategy usage or how such information could be utilised by examiners. We conducted a quantitative analysis of previous verbal…

A survey on human behavior towards energy efficiency for office worker in malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mustafa, N. H.; Husain, M. N.; Abd Aziz, M. Z. A.; Othman, M. A.; Malek, F.

2014-04-01

Green environment has become an important topic around the world. This campaign can be realized if everybody understands and shares similar objectives on managing energy in an efficient way. This paper will present and analyse the survey on energy usage by office workers in Malaysia. The survey will focus on the workers in government sector. In social science surveys, it is important to support the tested data for a project. For issues related to human behaviour we must compare with real situations to verify the tested data and the results in energy monitoring system. The energy monitoring system will improve energy usage efficiency for the basic human activities in different situations and environments.

Heterogeneous Mobile Phone Ownership and Usage Patterns in Kenya

PubMed Central

Wesolowski, Amy; Eagle, Nathan; Noor, Abdisalan M.; Snow, Robert W.; Buckee, Caroline O.

2012-01-01

The rapid adoption of mobile phone technologies in Africa is offering exciting opportunities for engaging with high-risk populations through mHealth programs, and the vast volumes of behavioral data being generated as people use their phones provide valuable data about human behavioral dynamics in these regions. Taking advantage of these opportunities requires an understanding of the penetration of mobile phones and phone usage patterns across the continent, but very little is known about the social and geographical heterogeneities in mobile phone ownership among African populations. Here, we analyze a survey of mobile phone ownership and usage across Kenya in 2009 and show that distinct regional, gender-related, and socioeconomic variations exist, with particularly low ownership among rural communities and poor people. We also examine patterns of phone sharing and highlight the contrasting relationships between ownership and sharing in different parts of the country. This heterogeneous penetration of mobile phones has important implications for the use of mobile technologies as a source of population data and as a public health tool in sub-Saharan Africa. PMID:22558140

Heterogeneous mobile phone ownership and usage patterns in Kenya.

PubMed

Wesolowski, Amy; Eagle, Nathan; Noor, Abdisalan M; Snow, Robert W; Buckee, Caroline O

2012-01-01

The rapid adoption of mobile phone technologies in Africa is offering exciting opportunities for engaging with high-risk populations through mHealth programs, and the vast volumes of behavioral data being generated as people use their phones provide valuable data about human behavioral dynamics in these regions. Taking advantage of these opportunities requires an understanding of the penetration of mobile phones and phone usage patterns across the continent, but very little is known about the social and geographical heterogeneities in mobile phone ownership among African populations. Here, we analyze a survey of mobile phone ownership and usage across Kenya in 2009 and show that distinct regional, gender-related, and socioeconomic variations exist, with particularly low ownership among rural communities and poor people. We also examine patterns of phone sharing and highlight the contrasting relationships between ownership and sharing in different parts of the country. This heterogeneous penetration of mobile phones has important implications for the use of mobile technologies as a source of population data and as a public health tool in sub-Saharan Africa.

Use of mobile technology in a community mental health setting.

PubMed

Glick, Gretl; Druss, Benjamin; Pina, Jamie; Lally, Cathy; Conde, Mark

2016-10-01

mHealth holds promise in transforming care for people with serious mental illness (SMI) and other disadvantaged populations. However, information about the rates of smartphone ownership and usage of mobile health apps among people with SMI is limited. The objective of this research is to examine the current ownership, usage patterns, and existing barriers to mobile health interventions for people with SMI treated in a public sector community mental health setting and to compare the findings with national usage patterns from the general population. A survey was conducted to determine rates of ownership of smartphone devices among people with SMI. Surveys were administered to 100 patients with SMI at an outpatient psychiatric clinic. Results were compared with respondents to the 2012 Pew Survey of mobile phone usage. A total of 85% of participants reported that they owned a cell phone; of those, 37% reported that they owned a smartphone, as compared with 53% of respondents to the Pew Survey and 44% of socioeconomically disadvantaged respondents to the Pew Survey. While cell phone ownership is common among people with SMI, their adoption of smartphone technology lags behind that of the general population primarily due to cost barriers. Efforts to use mHealth in these populations need to recognize current mobile ownership patterns while planning for anticipated expansion of new technologies to poor populations as cost barriers are reduced in the coming years. © The Author(s) 2015.

Acclimatization to extreme heat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warner, M. E.; Ganguly, A. R.; Bhatia, U.

2017-12-01

Heat extremes throughout the globe, as well as in the United States, are expected to increase. These heat extremes have been shown to impact human health, resulting in some of the highest levels of lives lost as compared with similar natural disasters. But in order to inform decision makers and best understand future mortality and morbidity, adaptation and mitigation must be considered. Defined as the ability for individuals or society to change behavior and/or adapt physiologically, acclimatization encompasses the gradual adaptation that occurs over time. Therefore, this research aims to account for acclimatization to extreme heat by using a hybrid methodology that incorporates future air conditioning use and installation patterns with future temperature-related time series data. While previous studies have not accounted for energy usage patterns and market saturation scenarios, we integrate such factors to compare the impact of air conditioning as a tool for acclimatization, with a particular emphasis on mortality within vulnerable communities.

Codon usage bias: causative factors, quantification methods and genome-wide patterns: with emphasis on insect genomes.

PubMed

Behura, Susanta K; Severson, David W

2013-02-01

Codon usage bias refers to the phenomenon where specific codons are used more often than other synonymous codons during translation of genes, the extent of which varies within and among species. Molecular evolutionary investigations suggest that codon bias is manifested as a result of balance between mutational and translational selection of such genes and that this phenomenon is widespread across species and may contribute to genome evolution in a significant manner. With the advent of whole-genome sequencing of numerous species, both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, genome-wide patterns of codon bias are emerging in different organisms. Various factors such as expression level, GC content, recombination rates, RNA stability, codon position, gene length and others (including environmental stress and population size) can influence codon usage bias within and among species. Moreover, there has been a continuous quest towards developing new concepts and tools to measure the extent of codon usage bias of genes. In this review, we outline the fundamental concepts of evolution of the genetic code, discuss various factors that may influence biased usage of synonymous codons and then outline different principles and methods of measurement of codon usage bias. Finally, we discuss selected studies performed using whole-genome sequences of different insect species to show how codon bias patterns vary within and among genomes. We conclude with generalized remarks on specific emerging aspects of codon bias studies and highlight the recent explosion of genome-sequencing efforts on arthropods (such as twelve Drosophila species, species of ants, honeybee, Nasonia and Anopheles mosquitoes as well as the recent launch of a genome-sequencing project involving 5000 insects and other arthropods) that may help us to understand better the evolution of codon bias and its biological significance. © 2012 The Authors. Biological Reviews © 2012 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Nomophobia: A Cross-sectional Study to Assess Mobile Phone Usage Among Dental Students

PubMed Central

Patthi, Basavaraj; Singla, Ashish; Gupta, Ritu; Saha, Sabyasachi; Kumar, Jishnu Krishna; Malhi, Ravneet; Pandita, Venisha

2017-01-01

Introduction Mobile phones were originally seen as a gadget for communication but currently, the internet enabled mobile phones have become an integral part of our daily life. Their benefits are incomparable but at the same time, they have some negative effects too. Aim To assess the pattern of usage of mobile phones and its effects on the academic performance of students. Materials and Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted amongst 554 students of D. J. College of Dental Sciences and Research through a self-administered questionnaire to collect the data regarding the usage and associated anxiety with mobile phone. Results About 39.5% students agreed that they score low marks in professional exams if they spend more time on phone. The number of students who frequently checked their cell phone during their classes or while doing clinical work were 24.7% . A total of 24.12% of the students were found to be nomophobic and at risk of being nomophobes were 40.97%. A statistically significant difference was found among preclinical, clinical, interns and postgraduates regarding the usage and effect of mobile phone on them. Conclusion The pattern of usage of mobile phone among dental students showed alarming indication that students have been addicted to mobile phone which in turn affect their academic performance in a negative way. It would be useful to advise the students about the controlled as well as proper usage of mobile phone. PMID:28384977

An exploratory study of treated-bed nets in Timor-Leste: patterns of intended and alternative usage

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The Timor-Leste Ministry of Health has recently finalized the National Malaria Control Strategy for 2010-2020. A key component of this roadmap is to provide universal national coverage with long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) in support of achieving the primary goal of reducing both morbidity and mortality from malaria by 30% in the first three years, followed by a further reduction of 20% by end of the programme cycle in 2020 [1]. The strategic plan calls for this target to be supported by a comprehensive information, education and communication (IEC) programme; however, there is limited prior research into household and personal usage patterns to assist in the creation of targeted, effective, and socio-culturally specific behaviour change materials. Methods Nine separate focus group discussions (FGDs) were carried out in Dili, Manatuto, and Covalima districts, Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, in July 2010. These focus groups primarily explored themes of perceived malaria risk, causes of malaria, net usage patterns within families, barriers to correct and consistent usage, and the daily experience of users (both male and female) in households with at least one net. Comprehensive qualitative analysis utilized open source analysis software. Results The primary determinants of net usage were a widespread perception that nets could or should only be used by pregnant women and young children, and the availability of sufficient sleeping space under a limited number of nets within households. Both nuisance biting and disease prevention were commonly cited as primary motivations for usage, while seasonality was not a significant factor. Long-term net durability and ease of hanging were seen as key attributes in net design preference. Very frequent washing cycles were common, potentially degrading net effectiveness. Finally, extensive re-purposing of nets (fishing, protecting crops) was both reported and observed, and may significantly decrease availability of nighttime sleeping space for all family members if distributed nets do not remain within the household. Conclusions Emphasizing that net usage is acceptable and important for all family members regardless of age or gender, and addressing the complex behavioural economics of alternative net usages could have significant impacts on malaria control efforts in Timor-Leste, as the country's programmes make progress towards universal net coverage. PMID:21777415

High-Performance Computing Data Center Power Usage Effectiveness |

Science.gov Websites

Power Usage Effectiveness When the Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) was conceived, NREL set an , ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), which captures fan walls, fan coils that support the data center

Increased Energy Drink Use as a Predictor of Illicit Prescription Stimulant Use.

PubMed

Woolsey, Conrad L; Williams, Ronald D; Jacobson, Bert H; Housman, Jeff M; McDonald, Jason D; Swartz, Julie H; Evans, Marion W; Sather, Thomas E; Barry, Adam E; Davidson, Robert T

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine energy drink usage patterns and to investigate the relationship between energy drink use and illicit use of prescription stimulants among college students. A sample of 605 undergraduate and graduate students (mean age±SD: 21.96±4.216) from a large midwestern university voluntarily participated in the study. Of the participants, 48.9% (n=296) reported using energy drinks in the past 30 days, whereas 25.3% (n=153) reported using prescription stimulant drugs in the past 30 days. Among prescription stimulant users without a valid medical prescription, Mann-Whitney U tests and logistic regression analysis revealed that the frequency of energy drink consumption was a significant predictor of illicit prescription stimulant use, with the odds for use increasing by 14% with each additional day of energy drink use (odds ratio for using=1.143, P≤.001). Analyses revealed statistically significant differences (P<.05) between prescription stimulant users and nonusers for all energy drink use variables, with the strongest predictors of prescription stimulant use being the number of days using energy drinks in the past 30 days and number of energy drink binges in the past 30 days. Results indicate that the frequency of energy drink use was a significant predictor of the illicit use of prescription stimulants.

Predicting Forearm Physical Exposures During Computer Work Using Self-Reports, Software-Recorded Computer Usage Patterns, and Anthropometric and Workstation Measurements.

PubMed

Huysmans, Maaike A; Eijckelhof, Belinda H W; Garza, Jennifer L Bruno; Coenen, Pieter; Blatter, Birgitte M; Johnson, Peter W; van Dieën, Jaap H; van der Beek, Allard J; Dennerlein, Jack T

2017-12-15

Alternative techniques to assess physical exposures, such as prediction models, could facilitate more efficient epidemiological assessments in future large cohort studies examining physical exposures in relation to work-related musculoskeletal symptoms. The aim of this study was to evaluate two types of models that predict arm-wrist-hand physical exposures (i.e. muscle activity, wrist postures and kinematics, and keyboard and mouse forces) during computer use, which only differed with respect to the candidate predicting variables; (i) a full set of predicting variables, including self-reported factors, software-recorded computer usage patterns, and worksite measurements of anthropometrics and workstation set-up (full models); and (ii) a practical set of predicting variables, only including the self-reported factors and software-recorded computer usage patterns, that are relatively easy to assess (practical models). Prediction models were build using data from a field study among 117 office workers who were symptom-free at the time of measurement. Arm-wrist-hand physical exposures were measured for approximately two hours while workers performed their own computer work. Each worker's anthropometry and workstation set-up were measured by an experimenter, computer usage patterns were recorded using software and self-reported factors (including individual factors, job characteristics, computer work behaviours, psychosocial factors, workstation set-up characteristics, and leisure-time activities) were collected by an online questionnaire. We determined the predictive quality of the models in terms of R2 and root mean squared (RMS) values and exposure classification agreement to low-, medium-, and high-exposure categories (in the practical model only). The full models had R2 values that ranged from 0.16 to 0.80, whereas for the practical models values ranged from 0.05 to 0.43. Interquartile ranges were not that different for the two models, indicating that only for some physical exposures the full models performed better. Relative RMS errors ranged between 5% and 19% for the full models, and between 10% and 19% for the practical model. When the predicted physical exposures were classified into low, medium, and high, classification agreement ranged from 26% to 71%. The full prediction models, based on self-reported factors, software-recorded computer usage patterns, and additional measurements of anthropometrics and workstation set-up, show a better predictive quality as compared to the practical models based on self-reported factors and recorded computer usage patterns only. However, predictive quality varied largely across different arm-wrist-hand exposure parameters. Future exploration of the relation between predicted physical exposure and symptoms is therefore only recommended for physical exposures that can be reasonably well predicted. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Mobile Phone Usage and its Health Effects Among Adults in a Semi-Urban Area of Southern India

PubMed Central

Abraham, Sherin Billy; Kanimozhy, K.; Prasad, R. Vishnu; Singh, Zile; Purty, Anil J.

2016-01-01

Introduction Worldwide, mobile phone usage has been increased dramatically which could affect the health of the people. India has the second largest number of mobile phone users. However there are only few studies conducted in India to assess its effects on health. Aim To determine the prevalence and pattern of mobile phone usage and to assess the relationship between certain selected health problems and mobile phone usage among adults. Settings and Design Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Kottakuppam, a town panchayat in Villupuram district of Coastal Tamil Nadu, Southern India. It is a semi-urban area with a population of about 16,000. Majority of the residents are Muslim by religion and belong to different socio economic status. Materials and Methods The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. A total of 2121 study participants were interviewed by the pre-final medical students through house-to-house survey using a pretested structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included the variables such as socio demographic profile, mobile phone usage and pattern, selected health problems, perceived benefits and threats and blood pressure. Selected health problems included headache, earache, neck pain, tinnitus, painful fingers, restlessness, morning tiredness, tingling fingers, fatigue, eye symptoms, sleep disturbance and hypertension. Statistical Analysis Used Only 2054 were included for data analysis using SPSS 17 version. Proportions were calculated. Chi-square test was used to measure the p-value. The p-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results The prevalence of mobile phone usage was 70%. Calling facility (94.2%) was used more than the SMS (67.6%). Health problems like headache, earache, tinnitus, painful fingers and restlessness etc., were found to be positively associated with mobile phone usage. There was negative association between hypertension and mobile phone usage. Conclusion The prevalence of mobile phone usage was high. There was significant association between selected health problems and mobile phone usage. In future, higher studies are required to confirm our findings. PMID:26894095

Which Users Should Be the Focus of Mobile Personal Health Records? Analysis of User Characteristics Influencing Usage of a Tethered Mobile Personal Health Record.

PubMed

Lee, Guna; Park, Joong Yeol; Shin, Soo-Yong; Hwang, Jong Su; Ryu, Hyeon Jeong; Lee, Jae Ho; Bates, David W

2016-05-01

This study was conducted to analyze the usage pattern of a hospital-tethered mobile personal health records (m-PHRs) application named My Chart in My Hand (MCMH) and to identify user characteristics that influence m-PHR usage. Access logs to MCMH and its menus were collected for a total of 18 months, from August 2011 to January 2013. Usage patterns between users without a patient identification number (ID) and users with a patient ID were compared. Users with a patient ID were divided into light and heavy user groups by the median number of monthly access. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess MCMH usage pattern by characteristics of MCMH user with a patient ID. The total number of MCMH logins was 105,603, and the median number of accesses was 15 times. Users (n = 7,096) mostly accessed the "My Chart" menu, but "OPD [outpatient department] Service Support" and "Health Management" menus were also frequently used. Patients with chronic diseases, experience of hospital visits including emergency room and OPD, and age group of 0-19 years were more frequently found among users with a patient ID (n = 2,186) (p < 0.001). A similar trend was found in the heavy user group (n = 1,123). Submenus of laboratory result, online appointment, and medication lists that were accessed mostly by users with a patient ID were associated with OPD visit and chronic diseases. This study showed that focuses on patients with chronic disease and more hospital visits and empowerment functions in a tethered m-PHR would be helpful to pursue the extensive use.

Internet-usage patterns of immigrants in the process of intercultural adaptation.

PubMed

Chen, Wenli

2010-08-01

This paper investigates Internet-usage patterns of immigrants, and seeks to identify the correlation between Internet use and intercultural adaptation. The study focuses on mainland Chinese immigrants in Singapore, and was conducted via a nationwide telephone survey. The results show that immigrants tend to change their preferences on Internet use to reflect their residence in the host country. In particular, the longer an immigrant resides in the host country, the less likely they would be to surf their original country's websites and the more likely they would be to communicate with local people via the Internet. More importantly, differences in Internet usage are found to have a significant impact on immigrants' intercultural adaptation. In an online environment, the social communication in the host country is a critical component that can facilitate or impede immigrants' successful adaptation to the host country, whereas ethnic social communication also plays a role at the initial stage of transition.

The responsible use of online social networking: who should mentor medical students.

PubMed

Patel, Pradip D; Roberts, John L; Miller, Karen Hughes; Ziegler, Craig; Ostapchuk, Michael

2012-01-01

As medical students become more active in online social networking (OSN), there are increasing concerns regarding violations of patient privacy and a lack of professionalism. Students need to be mentored, but who is best suited to the task? We hypothesized that residents are closer to students in usage and attitudes toward online communication than are faculty. If so, they would be more credible as mentors. We surveyed faculty (N = 16), 1st-year residents (N = 120), and 3rd-year medical students (N = 130) to compare attitudes about OSN and the online usage patterns. We found residents to be more like students in usage patterns of personal electronic media and in their choice of the mentoring techniques that should be used. Residents say they were not prepared to mentor students without additional guidance but were more confident than faculty members that they had the knowledge to do so.

Use of Design Patterns According to Hand Dominance in a Mobile User Interface

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Samarraie, Hosam; Ahmad, Yusof

2016-01-01

User interface (UI) design patterns for mobile applications provide a solution to design problems and can improve the usage experience for users. However, there is a lack of research categorizing the uses of design patterns according to users' hand dominance in a learning-based mobile UI. We classified the main design patterns for mobile…

E-Book Usage and the "Choice" Outstanding Academic Book List: Is There a Correlation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter Williams, Karen; Best, Rickey

2006-01-01

In this study, the staff of the library at Auburn University at Montgomery analyzed circulation patterns for electronic books in the fields of Political Science, Public Administration and Law to see if favorable "Choice" reviews can be used to predict usage of electronic books. A comparison of the circulations between print and…

Enhancing Mobility: Integrating New Services into Your Library's Mobile Platform to Increase Traffic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felts, John W., Jr.

2014-01-01

Kimbel Library launched its mobile environment and ran it in full production for several months yet usage patterns were quite low and flat. The library only saw a substantial increase in usage when new, value-added services were integrated into this platform. Upon implementing and integrating discovery services, chat and SMS capabilities, and…

Enabling a Community of Practice: Results of the LSCHE Web Portal Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoff, Meagan A.; Hodges, Russ; Lin, Yuting; McConnell, Michael C.

2017-01-01

The study explored usage patterns of the Learning Support Centers in Higher Education (LSCHE) web portal, an open educational resource (OER) that serves learning support center professionals. Results of an online survey taken by LSCHE users (N = 41) tracked their self-reported usage and perceived value of resources on the web portal, which…

The Solar Energy Consortium of New York Photovoltaic Research and Development Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klein, Petra M.

2012-10-15

Project Objective: To lead New York State to increase its usage of solar electric systems. The expected outcome is that appropriate technologies will be made available which in turn will help to eliminate barriers to solar energy usage in New York State. Background: The Solar Energy Consortium has been created to lead New York State research on solar systems specifically directed at doubling the efficiency, halving the cost and reducing the cost of installation as well as developing unique form factors for the New York City urban environment.

Demands For Solar Electricity From The BRICS Countries In The Future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Y.

2015-12-01

BRICS countries are presently among the leading the economic powers globally, but their increasing demands for energy and sustainable future requires renewed technical progress on implementation of renewable energy (e.g., solar energy) and a sustainable solution rather than extracting finite natural resources. BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) face both social and environmental pressures as their economy keeps growing. The rapid development of technology in BRICS inevitably altered their culture and behavior, as reflected by education, gender equality, health, and other demographic/socio-economic indicators. These changes coupled with land use/land cover change have altered ecosystem services, as reflected by NEE (Net Ecosystem Exchange of CO2) and NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index). Global climatic changes also drives the demand for sustainable energy. With a focus on solar energy, we analyzed time series of energy consuming behaviors, government policies, and the ecosystem services. Structural equation modeling was applied to confirm the relationships among societal transition, ecosystem services, and climate change. We compared the energy consumption patterns for the five countries and forecasted the changes through 2025. We found that government policies significantly influenced energy consumption behaviors for BRICS and that solar energy usage would continue to increase to 2025 and beyond.

Survey of Hearth Products in U.S. Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Siap, David; Willem, Henry; Price, Sarah K.

There are over 7 million gas-fired fireplaces currently installed in US households. On an annual basis, these use substantial energy. However, the details of the fireplace energy use and the factors that influence it are currently not well understood. Fireplaces are a type of hearth product, which is a product category that primarily consists of fireplaces, stoves, and gas log sets. For the purpose of this study, the fuels used in hearth products are primarily natural gas, propane, or electricity. They may be vented or unvented. This study reports the results of a web survey of 2,100 respondents in themore » United States performed in February 2016. The responses were cleaned and weighted using the raking method to form a nationally representative population. The reported data include hearth product characteristics, usage information, and repair and maintenance practices. The hearth product characteristics include the hearth product type, fuel type, ignition system type, features, venting, and installation details. The usage information includes seasonal usage of the main burner and standing pilot (if present), daily usage, and the primary utility (whether decorative or for heating). These raw data are further processed and combined with values from the literature to estimate the annual operating hours and energy use and to assess how these are impacted by the hearth product type, features, age, and the main heating appliance, if present. Based on the survey responses, the estimated average annual hours of usage was 234 for the main burner, and 4,593 for the standing pilot. The results presented provide the most comprehensive data regarding hearth products in the United States published to date. These new data allow for an improved understanding of hearth products’ energy use, which in turn may facilitate the development of more informed analyses, and ultimately more efficient hearth products and reduced energy use. These new data also provide insight into topics not previously studied, such as the effect of hearth product features on energy use.« less

Evaluation Of A Residential Retrofit Program In Omaha Nebraska: A Comparison Of Actual Energy Savings With Audit Predictions Using Quantitative Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cory, Bradley S.

The reEnergize Program conducted 957 energy upgrades in Omaha Nebraska from July 2010 to September 30th 2013, through a government grant within the Better Buildings Neighborhood Program. Projected program savings were provided upon program completion but it was unknown how effective the program was at actually reducing energy consumption in the homes that were upgraded. The following research report uses a PRISM analysis to remove the effect of weather and compare the actual pre and post utility usage rates to determine the actual effectiveness of the program. The housing characteristics, and individual energy upgrades were analyzed to see if any patterns or trends could be identified between consumption savings and housing type and specific upgrade measure. The results of the study showed that the program did induce savings but by much less than the engineering estimates predicted. It is likely that housing characteristics and upgrade measures play a role in inducing consumption savings but homeowner behavior is a stronger factor that influences savings.

Synonymous codon usage of genes in polymerase complex of Newcastle disease virus.

PubMed

Kumar, Chandra Shekhar; Kumar, Sachin

2017-06-01

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is pathogenic to both avian and non-avian species but extensively finds poultry as its primary host and causes heavy economic losses in the poultry industry. In this study, a total of 186 polymerase complex comprising of nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein (P), and large polymerase (L) genes of NDV was analyzed for synonymous codon usage. The relative synonymous codon usage and effective number of codons (ENC) values were used to estimate codon usage variation in each gene. Correspondence analysis (COA) was used to study the major trend in codon usage variation. Analyzing the ENC plot values against GC3s (at synonymous third codon position) we concluded that mutational pressure was the main factor determining codon usage bias than translational selection in NDV N, P, and L genes. Moreover, correlation analysis indicated, that aromaticity of N, P, and L genes also influenced the codon usage variation. The varied distribution of pathotypes for N, P, and L gene clearly suggests that change in codon usage for NDV is pathotype specific. The codon usage preference similarity in N, P, and L gene might be detrimental for polymerase complex functioning. The study represents a comprehensive analysis to date of N, P, and L genes codon usage pattern of NDV and provides a basic understanding of the mechanisms for codon usage bias. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Energy Tracking Software Platform

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ryan Davis; Nathan Bird; Rebecca Birx

2011-04-04

Acceleration has created an interactive energy tracking and visualization platform that supports decreasing electric, water, and gas usage. Homeowners have access to tools that allow them to gauge their use and track progress toward a smaller energy footprint. Real estate agents have access to consumption data, allowing for sharing a comparison with potential home buyers. Home builders have the opportunity to compare their neighborhood's energy efficiency with competitors. Home energy raters have a tool for gauging the progress of their clients after efficiency changes. And, social groups are able to help encourage members to reduce their energy bills and helpmore » their environment. EnergyIT.com is the business umbrella for all energy tracking solutions and is designed to provide information about our energy tracking software and promote sales. CompareAndConserve.com (Gainesville-Green.com) helps homeowners conserve energy through education and competition. ToolsForTenants.com helps renters factor energy usage into their housing decisions.« less

Knowledge, access and usage pattern of HINARI by researchers and clinicians in tertiary health institutions in south-west Nigeria.

PubMed

Ajuwon, G A; Olorunsaye, J O

2013-03-01

The digital divide is a global challenge. The Health Internetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) is one of the most successful efforts aimed at bridging the digital divide in access to health information in developing countries. There is a dearth of empirical studies on usage pattern of this resource in Nigeria. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge and usage pattern of HINARI by clinicians and researchers in tertiary health institutions in Southwestern Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1150 clinicians and researchers in the 12 tertiary health institutions that had access to HINARI. A standardized, self-completed, 31-item questionnaire was used for data collection. It elicited information on demographic profile, pattern of usage and constraints to use of HINARI. The majority (72.0%) were aware of HINARI however, only 35.1% have had a formal training on how to use it. Sixty-eight percent (68.0%) had ever used HINARI resources and 62.4% of these did so during the month preceding the study. The most frequently used HINARI resources were MEDLINE/PubMed (53.2%), full text journal articles (55.0%), and reference materials (28.5%). Previous users (50.0%) encountered problems in accessing HINARI; with lack of password being the main challenge for access. Knowledge and use of HINARI resources are high. However, clinicians and researchers are not deriving full benefits from HINARI because few had received training on how to use it. A learner-centered training and wide distribution of the HINARI User Name and Password within the institutions is recommended to address this problem.

Improving the process of process modelling by the use of domain process patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koschmider, Agnes; Reijers, Hajo A.

2015-01-01

The use of business process models has become prevalent in a wide area of enterprise applications. But while their popularity is expanding, concerns are growing with respect to their proper creation and maintenance. An obvious way to boost the efficiency of creating high-quality business process models would be to reuse relevant parts of existing models. At this point, however, limited support exists to guide process modellers towards the usage of appropriate model content. In this paper, a set of content-oriented patterns is presented, which is extracted from a large set of process models from the order management and manufacturing production domains. The patterns are derived using a newly proposed set of algorithms, which are being discussed in this paper. The authors demonstrate how such Domain Process Patterns, in combination with information on their historic usage, can support process modellers in generating new models. To support the wider dissemination and development of Domain Process Patterns within and beyond the studied domains, an accompanying website has been set up.

The Effectiveness of Taiwan Building Energy Regulation under the influence of Future Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weng, Yu-Teng; Huang, Kuo-Tsang

2017-04-01

Building energy consumption comprises circa 40% of the national annual energy usage in Taiwan, and the majority proportion is attributed to the cooling apparatus usage. As cooling energy is closely related to the outdoor climate, it is expected that the future global climate change would amplify its demand. Considering the building energy regulation criteria are the minimum requirements that the building has to be complied with, this study tried to investigate whether the current building energy regulation in Taiwan, initiated in 2013, would still be capable of maintaining the energy use in the future as today's level. The research adopted EnergyPlus to simulate the annual cooling energy use of several virtual office building cases with the constructed hourly future weather data under future climate change scenarios of RCP45 and RCP85 defined by IPCC. The virtual building cases are generated by a structured orthogonal array with each case is constituted by 10 building design parameters. The results revealed that the building energy consumption based on the current regulation criteria failed to maintain at the same level in the future as oppose to nowadays. By comparing to the current cooling energy usage, it would rise by 13% and 22% in RCP45 and RCP85, respectively, at the end of this century. This research further parametrically studied the potential cooling energy mitigation strategies and proposed effective building envelope design schemes in order to neutralize the future building energy increase.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN) customer satisfaction survey, 1997. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, A.V.; Henderson, D.P.

the EREN Customer Satisfaction Survey 1997 was designed to follow up the results of the 1995-96 Surveys, enabling comparison to the 1995- 96 baseline, and to provide additional qualitative feedback about EREN. Both the 1995-96 and 1997 Surveys had these objectives: Identify and define actual EREN users; Determine the value or benefits derived from the use of EREN; Determine the kind and quality of services that users want; Determine the users` levels of satisfaction with existing services; Determine users` preferences in both the sources of service and means of delivery; and Establish continuous quality improvement measures. This report presents themore » methodology used, scope and limitations of the study, description of the survey instrument, and findings regarding demographics, technical capabilities, usage patterns, general use, importance of and satisfaction with resources, and additional information and comments.« less

Ecological periodic tables for benthic macrofaunal usage of estuarine habitats: Insights from a case study in Tillamook Bay, Oregon, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferraro, Steven P.; Cole, Faith A.

2012-05-01

This study validates the ecological relevance of estuarine habitat types to the benthic macrofaunal community and, together with previous similar studies, suggests they can serve as elements in ecological periodic tables of benthic macrofaunal usage in the bioregion. We compared benthic macrofaunal Bray-Curtis similarity and the means of eight benthic macrofaunal community measures across seven habitat types in Tillamook Bay, Oregon, USA: intertidal eelgrass (Zostera marina), dwarf eelgrass (Zostera japonica), oyster (Crassostrea gigas) ground culture, burrowing mud shrimp (Upogebia pugettensis), burrowing ghost shrimp (Neotrypaea californiensis), sand and subtidal. Benthic macrofaunal Bray-Curtis similarity differed among all the habitats except ghost shrimp and sand. The habitat rank order on mean benthic macrofaunal species richness, abundance and biomass was dwarf eelgrass ≈ oyster ≥ mud shrimp ≈ eelgrass > sand ≈ ghost shrimp ≈ subtidal. The benthic macrofaunal habitat usage pattern in Tillamook Bay was, with a few exceptions, similar to that in two other US Pacific Northwest estuaries. The exceptions indicate variants of eelgrass and ghost shrimp habitat that differ in benthic macrofaunal usage perhaps due to differences in the coarseness of the sand fraction of the sediments in which they live. The similarities indicate periodic benthic macrofaunal usage patterns across the other habitat types extend over a wider geographic scale and range of environmental conditions than previously known.

Genome-wide analysis of codon usage bias in Ebolavirus.

PubMed

Cristina, Juan; Moreno, Pilar; Moratorio, Gonzalo; Musto, Héctor

2015-01-22

Ebola virus (EBOV) is a member of the family Filoviridae and its genome consists of a 19-kb, single-stranded, negative sense RNA. EBOV is subdivided into five distinct species with different pathogenicities, being Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) the most lethal species. The interplay of codon usage among viruses and their hosts is expected to affect overall viral survival, fitness, evasion from host's immune system and evolution. In the present study, we performed comprehensive analyses of codon usage and composition of ZEBOV. Effective number of codons (ENC) indicates that the overall codon usage among ZEBOV strains is slightly biased. Different codon preferences in ZEBOV genes in relation to codon usage of human genes were found. Highly preferred codons are all A-ending triplets, which strongly suggests that mutational bias is a main force shaping codon usage in ZEBOV. Dinucleotide composition also plays a role in the overall pattern of ZEBOV codon usage. ZEBOV does not seem to use the most abundant tRNAs present in the human cells for most of their preferred codons. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Energy monitoring system based on human activity in the workplace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mustafa, Nur Hanim; Husain, Mohd Nor; Aziz, Mohamad Zoinol Abidin Abdul; Othman, Mohd Azlishah; Malek, Fareq

2015-05-01

Human behaviors always related to day routine activities in a smart house directly give the significant factor to manage energy usage in human life. An Addition that, the factor will contribute to the best efficiency of the system. This paper will focus on the monitoring efficiency based on duration time in office hours around 8am until 5pm which depend on human behavior at working place. Besides that, the correlation coefficient method is used to show the relation between energy consumption and energy saving based on the total hours of time energy spent. In future, the percentages of energy monitoring system usage will be increase to manage energy saving based on human behaviors. This scenario will help to see the human activity in the workplace in order to get the energy saving and support world green environment.

Energy monitoring based on human activity in the workplace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mustafa, N. H.; Husain, M. N.; Abd Aziz, M. Z. A.; Othman, M. A.; Malek, F.

2014-04-01

Human behavior is the most important factor in order to manage energy usage. Nowadays, smart house technology offers a better quality of life by introducing automated appliance control and assistive services. However, human behaviors will contribute to the efficiency of the system. This paper will focus on monitoring efficiency based on duration time in office hours around 8am until 5pm which depend on human behavior atb the workplace. Then, the correlation coefficient method is used to show the relation between energy consumption and energy saving based on the total hours of time energy spent. In future, the percentages of energy monitoring system usage will be increase to manage energy in efficient ways based on human behaviours. This scenario will lead to the positive impact in order to achieve the energy saving in the building and support the green environment.

Identifying patterns of general practitioner service utilisation and their relationship with potentially preventable hospitalisations in people with diabetes: The utility of a cluster analysis approach.

PubMed

Ha, Ninh Thi; Harris, Mark; Preen, David; Robinson, Suzanne; Moorin, Rachael

2018-04-01

We aimed to characterise use of general practitioners (GP) simultaneously across multiple attributes in people with diabetes and examine its impact on diabetes related potentially preventable hospitalisations (PPHs). Five-years of panel data from 40,625 adults with diabetes were sourced from Western Australian administrative health records. Cluster analysis (CA) was used to group individuals with similar patterns of GP utilisation characterised by frequency and recency of services. The relationship between GP utilisation cluster and the risk of PPHs was examined using multivariable random-effects negative binomial regression. CA categorised GP utilisation into three clusters: moderate; high and very high usage, having distinct patient characteristics. After adjusting for potential confounders, the rate of PPHs was significantly lower across all GP usage clusters compared with those with no GP usage; IRR = 0.67 (95%CI: 0.62-0.71) among the moderate, IRR = 0.70 (95%CI 0.66-0.73) high and IRR = 0.76 (95%CI 0.72-0.80) very high GP usage clusters. Combination of temporal factors with measures of frequency of use of GP services revealed patterns of primary health care utilisation associated with different underlying patient characteristics. Incorporation of multiple attributes, that go beyond frequency-based approaches may better characterise the complex relationship between use of GP services and diabetes-related hospitalisation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Usage Patterns of a Mobile Palliative Care Application.

PubMed

Zhang, Haipeng; Liu, David; Marks, Sean; Rickerson, Elizabeth M; Wright, Adam; Gordon, William J; Landman, Adam

2018-06-01

Fast Facts Mobile (FFM) was created to be a convenient way for clinicians to access the Fast Facts and Concepts database of palliative care articles on a smartphone or tablet device. We analyzed usage patterns of FFM through an integrated analytics platform on the mobile versions of the FFM application. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the usage data from FFM as a way to better understand user behavior for FFM as a palliative care educational tool. This is an exploratory, retrospective analysis of de-identified analytics data collected through the iOS and Android versions of FFM captured from November 2015 to November 2016. FFM App download statistics from November 1, 2015, to November 1, 2016, were accessed from the Apple and Google development websites. Further FFM session data were obtained from the analytics platform built into FFM. FFM was downloaded 9409 times over the year with 201,383 articles accessed. The most searched-for terms in FFM include the following: nausea, methadone, and delirium. We compared frequent users of FFM to infrequent users of FFM and found that 13% of all users comprise 66% of all activity in the application. Demand for useful and scalable tools for both primary palliative care and specialty palliative care will likely continue to grow. Understanding the usage patterns for FFM has the potential to inform the development of future versions of Fast Facts. Further studies of mobile palliative care educational tools will be needed to further define the impact of these educational tools.

"Who Me? A Cyberteen": Implications of Internet Usage on Realities and Identities of Malaysian Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pawanteh, Latiffah; Rahim, Samsudin A.

2000-01-01

Examines the Internet usage pattern of Malaysian adolescents based on a survey of 1,404 adolescents between the ages of 13-16 and focus group discussions. Finds the daily realities of media savvy Malaysian youths are an integration of on-line and off-line relationships, events, information, memberships, chats and online shopping. (RS)

Health Characteristics as Precursors of Substance Abuse in Puerto Rican Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haran, Elizabeth M.; And Others

In a longitudinal study of precursors of drug usage, data collected in 1968 on health variables was related to substance usage patterns obtained in 1975-76. Some 657 young Puerto Ricans were interviewed for this study, drawn from a pool of about 5,000 questionnaired in 1968. The major findings were that the health factors associated with drug…

Learning and Teaching 24/7: Daily Internet Usage Patterns at Nine Australian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spennemann, Dirk H. R.

2007-01-01

Purpose: This paper seeks to look at the usage of the internet by students, academics and university administrators as part of their normal working day. It investigates whether access to computer facilities and the mode of study have any influence, or whether other factors need to be considered when providing services. Design/methodology/approach:…

The associations among computer-mediated communication, relationships, and well-being.

PubMed

Schiffrin, Holly; Edelman, Anna; Falkenstern, Melissa; Stewart, Cassandra

2010-06-01

Social support provided by interpersonal relationships is one of the most robust correlates of well-being. Self-disclosure serves as a basic building block of these relationships. With the rapid growth of the Internet in recent years, the question remains how self-disclosure, and subsequently relationships and well-being, differ when people communicate over the Internet rather than in person. The purpose of this article is to describe current Internet usage patterns as well as explore the association of Internet usage and well-being. Additionally, it directly compares the perceived benefits of face-to-face communication and computer-mediated communication. A questionnaire was administered to 99 undergraduates to measure Internet usage patterns, communication partners, self-disclosure, extraversion, and subjective well-being. Although Internet communication was found to be common, individuals perceived computer-mediated communication to be less useful than face-to-face communication. In addition, increased Internet usage was associated with decreased well-being. Implications are discussed in terms of a new Internet paradox in which people increasingly use the Internet for communication, although they perceive it to be less beneficial than face-to-face interactions and it is associated with reduced well-being.

Aberrant patterns of visual facial information usage in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Clark, Cameron M; Gosselin, Frédéric; Goghari, Vina M

2013-05-01

Deficits in facial emotion perception have been linked to poorer functional outcome in schizophrenia. However, the relationship between abnormal emotion perception and functional outcome remains poorly understood. To better understand the nature of facial emotion perception deficits in schizophrenia, we used the Bubbles Facial Emotion Perception Task to identify differences in usage of visual facial information in schizophrenia patients (n = 20) and controls (n = 20), when differentiating between angry and neutral facial expressions. As hypothesized, schizophrenia patients required more facial information than controls to accurately differentiate between angry and neutral facial expressions, and they relied on different facial features and spatial frequencies to differentiate these facial expressions. Specifically, schizophrenia patients underutilized the eye regions, overutilized the nose and mouth regions, and virtually ignored information presented at the lowest levels of spatial frequency. In addition, a post hoc one-tailed t test revealed a positive relationship of moderate strength between the degree of divergence from "normal" visual facial information usage in the eye region and lower overall social functioning. These findings provide direct support for aberrant patterns of visual facial information usage in schizophrenia in differentiating between socially salient emotional states. © 2013 American Psychological Association

Live lectures or online videos: students' resource choices in a first-year university mathematics module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, Emma; Meehan, Maria; Parnell, Andrew

2018-05-01

In Maths for Business, a mathematics module for non-mathematics specialists, students are given the choice of completing the module content via short online videos, live lectures or a combination of both. In this study, we identify students' specific usage patterns with both of these resources and discuss their reasons for the preferences they exhibit. In 2015-2016, we collected quantitative data on each student's resource usage (attendance at live lectures and access of online videos) for the entire class of 522 students and employed model-based clustering which identified four distinct resource usage patterns with lectures and/or videos. We also collected qualitative data on students' perceptions of resource usage through a survey administered at the end of the semester, to which 161 students responded. The 161 survey responses were linked to each cluster and analysed using thematic analysis. Perceived benefits of videos include flexibility of scheduling and pace, and avoidance of large, long lectures. In contrast, the main perceived advantages of lectures are the ability to engage in group tasks, to ask questions, and to learn 'gradually'. Students in the two clusters with high lecture attendance achieved, on average, higher marks in the module.

Towards a generalized energy prediction model for machine tools

PubMed Central

Bhinge, Raunak; Park, Jinkyoo; Law, Kincho H.; Dornfeld, David A.; Helu, Moneer; Rachuri, Sudarsan

2017-01-01

Energy prediction of machine tools can deliver many advantages to a manufacturing enterprise, ranging from energy-efficient process planning to machine tool monitoring. Physics-based, energy prediction models have been proposed in the past to understand the energy usage pattern of a machine tool. However, uncertainties in both the machine and the operating environment make it difficult to predict the energy consumption of the target machine reliably. Taking advantage of the opportunity to collect extensive, contextual, energy-consumption data, we discuss a data-driven approach to develop an energy prediction model of a machine tool in this paper. First, we present a methodology that can efficiently and effectively collect and process data extracted from a machine tool and its sensors. We then present a data-driven model that can be used to predict the energy consumption of the machine tool for machining a generic part. Specifically, we use Gaussian Process (GP) Regression, a non-parametric machine-learning technique, to develop the prediction model. The energy prediction model is then generalized over multiple process parameters and operations. Finally, we apply this generalized model with a method to assess uncertainty intervals to predict the energy consumed to machine any part using a Mori Seiki NVD1500 machine tool. Furthermore, the same model can be used during process planning to optimize the energy-efficiency of a machining process. PMID:28652687

Towards a generalized energy prediction model for machine tools.

PubMed

Bhinge, Raunak; Park, Jinkyoo; Law, Kincho H; Dornfeld, David A; Helu, Moneer; Rachuri, Sudarsan

2017-04-01

Energy prediction of machine tools can deliver many advantages to a manufacturing enterprise, ranging from energy-efficient process planning to machine tool monitoring. Physics-based, energy prediction models have been proposed in the past to understand the energy usage pattern of a machine tool. However, uncertainties in both the machine and the operating environment make it difficult to predict the energy consumption of the target machine reliably. Taking advantage of the opportunity to collect extensive, contextual, energy-consumption data, we discuss a data-driven approach to develop an energy prediction model of a machine tool in this paper. First, we present a methodology that can efficiently and effectively collect and process data extracted from a machine tool and its sensors. We then present a data-driven model that can be used to predict the energy consumption of the machine tool for machining a generic part. Specifically, we use Gaussian Process (GP) Regression, a non-parametric machine-learning technique, to develop the prediction model. The energy prediction model is then generalized over multiple process parameters and operations. Finally, we apply this generalized model with a method to assess uncertainty intervals to predict the energy consumed to machine any part using a Mori Seiki NVD1500 machine tool. Furthermore, the same model can be used during process planning to optimize the energy-efficiency of a machining process.

Usage of NASA's Near Real-Time Solar and Meteorological Data for Monitoring Building Energy Systems Using RETScreen International's Performance Analysis Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stackhouse, Paul W., Jr.; Charles, Robert W.; Chandler, William S.; Hoell, James M.; Westberg, David; Zhang, Taiping; Ziegler, Urban; Leng, Gregory J.; Meloche, Nathalie; Bourque, Kevin

2012-01-01

This paper describes building energy system production and usage monitoring using examples from the new RETScreen Performance Analysis Module, called RETScreen Plus. The module uses daily meteorological (i.e., temperature, humidity, wind and solar, etc.) over a period of time to derive a building system function that is used to monitor building performance. The new module can also be used to target building systems with enhanced technologies. If daily ambient meteorological and solar information are not available, these are obtained over the internet from NASA's near-term data products that provide global meteorological and solar information within 3-6 days of real-time. The accuracy of the NASA data are shown to be excellent for this purpose enabling RETScreen Plus to easily detect changes in the system function and efficiency. This is shown by several examples, one of which is a new building at the NASA Langley Research Center that uses solar panels to provide electrical energy for building energy and excess energy for other uses. The system shows steady performance within the uncertainties of the input data. The other example involves assessing the reduction in energy usage by an apartment building in Sweden before and after an energy efficiency upgrade. In this case, savings up to 16% are shown.

Usage pattern of personal care products in California households.

PubMed

Wu, Xiangmei May; Bennett, Deborah H; Ritz, Beate; Cassady, Diana L; Lee, Kiyoung; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva

2010-11-01

Given the concern over the potential for health risks associated with certain ingredients (e.g., phthalates) in personal care products, usage patterns of ∼30 types of personal care products (e.g., shampoo, sunscreen, fragrance, etc.) were collected in 604 California households through a telephone interview. Preferences in selecting products, e.g., scented or unscented, aerosol, and brand loyalty, were also investigated. Participants were recruited in three age groups, children (mostly preschoolers), their parents, and adults age 55 or older. Use frequencies of various product types varied by sex, age group, race, education, and climatic region. Product use by parent and child from the same household were correlated. Use frequencies of products in the same class (e.g., skincare) were moderately correlated, which may impact aggregate exposures. Use frequencies observed in this study were generally in the same range as those reported in the EPA Exposure Factor Handbook, but we found differences for some individual products. Our study provides additional data on population-based usage patterns of a large collection of commonly used personal care products pertaining to several age groups and socio-demographic strata. This information will be valuable for exposure and risk assessments. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy-related emissions from telework.

PubMed

Kitou, Erasmia; Horvath, Arpad

2003-08-15

Telework is a growing phenomenon that is thought to save energy and air emissions. This paper applies a systems model to telework and nontelework scenarios in order to quantify greenhouse gas and other air emissions from transportation, heating, cooling, lighting, and electronic and electrical equipment use both at the company and the home office. Using United States data, a WWW-based, scalable decision-support tool was created to evaluate the environmental impacts of teleworkers. For a typical case reflecting United States teleworker patterns, the analysis found that telework has the potential to reduce air emissions. However, Monte Carlo simulation employed to perform a probabilistic analysis over a set of likely parameters has revealed that telework may not affect equally the emissions of all types of pollutants. It may decrease CO2, NOx, SO2, PM10, and CO but not N2O and CH4 emissions. Therefore, the scope and goal of telework programs must be defined early in the implementation process. Work-related transportation (commuting) impacts could be reduced as a result of telework; however, home-related impacts due to an employee spending additional time at home could potentially offset these reductions. Company office-related impacts may not be reduced unless the office space is shared with other employees during telework days or eliminated entirely. In states with high telework potential (California, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Texas), telework could save emissions, but it would depend on commuting and climatic patterns and the electricity mix. Environmentally beneficial telework programs are found to depend mainly on commuting patterns, induced energy usage, and characteristics of the office and home space and equipment use.

Technology acceptance perception for promotion of sustainable consumption.

PubMed

Biswas, Aindrila; Roy, Mousumi

2018-03-01

Economic growth in the past decades has resulted in change in consumption pattern and emergence of tech-savvy generation with unprecedented increase in the usage of social network technology. In this paper, the technology acceptance value gap adapted from the technology acceptance model has been applied as a tool supporting social network technology usage and subsequent promotion of sustainable consumption. The data generated through the use of structured questionnaires have been analyzed using structural equation modeling. The validity of the model and path estimates signifies the robustness of Technology Acceptance value gap in adjudicating the efficiency of social network technology usage in augmentation of sustainable consumption and awareness. The results indicate that subjective norm gap, ease-of-operation gap, and quality of green information gap have the most adversarial impact on social network technology usage. Eventually social networking technology usage has been identified as a significant antecedent of sustainable consumption.

Leisure Patterns among Four-Day Workers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seltzer, Joseph; Wilson, James A.

1980-01-01

Insight into the patterns of leisure time usage may lead to a better understanding of the relationships between work and leisure and other aspects of an individual's life. A five-factor model was developed to explicate individual motivations for leisure pursuits. (JN)

Energy-efficient virtual optical network mapping approaches over converged flexible bandwidth optical networks and data centers.

PubMed

Chen, Bowen; Zhao, Yongli; Zhang, Jie

2015-09-21

In this paper, we develop a virtual link priority mapping (LPM) approach and a virtual node priority mapping (NPM) approach to improve the energy efficiency and to reduce the spectrum usage over the converged flexible bandwidth optical networks and data centers. For comparison, the lower bound of the virtual optical network mapping is used for the benchmark solutions. Simulation results show that the LPM approach achieves the better performance in terms of power consumption, energy efficiency, spectrum usage, and the number of regenerators compared to the NPM approach.

Tapping The Sun's Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, David G.

1974-01-01

Describes several successful attempts to utilize solar energy for heating and providing electrical energy for homes. Indicates that more research and development are needed, especially in the area of large scale usage. (SLH)

GC-Content of Synonymous Codons Profoundly Influences Amino Acid Usage

PubMed Central

Li, Jing; Zhou, Jun; Wu, Ying; Yang, Sihai; Tian, Dacheng

2015-01-01

Amino acids typically are encoded by multiple synonymous codons that are not used with the same frequency. Codon usage bias has drawn considerable attention, and several explanations have been offered, including variation in GC-content between species. Focusing on a simple parameter—combined GC proportion of all the synonymous codons for a particular amino acid, termed GCsyn—we try to deepen our understanding of the relationship between GC-content and amino acid/codon usage in more details. We analyzed 65 widely distributed representative species and found a close association between GCsyn, GC-content, and amino acids usage. The overall usages of the four amino acids with the greatest GCsyn and the five amino acids with the lowest GCsyn both vary with the regional GC-content, whereas the usage of the remaining 11 amino acids with intermediate GCsyn is less variable. More interesting, we discovered that codon usage frequencies are nearly constant in regions with similar GC-content. We further quantified the effects of regional GC-content variation (low to high) on amino acid usage and found that GC-content determines the usage variation of amino acids, especially those with extremely high GCsyn, which accounts for 76.7% of the changed GC-content for those regions. Our results suggest that GCsyn correlates with GC-content and has impact on codon/amino acid usage. These findings suggest a novel approach to understanding the role of codon and amino acid usage in shaping genomic architecture and evolutionary patterns of organisms. PMID:26248983

Reducing Operating Costs and Energy Consumption at Water Utilities

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Due to their unique combination of high energy usage and potential for significant savings, utilities are turning to energy-efficient technologies to help save money. Learn about cost and energy saving technologies from this brochure.

Utilization of Away-From-Home Food Establishments, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Dietary Pattern, and Obesity.

PubMed

Penney, Tarra L; Jones, Nicholas R V; Adams, Jean; Maguire, Eva R; Burgoine, Thomas; Monsivais, Pablo

2017-11-01

Eating meals away from home has been associated with the consumption of unhealthy foods and increased body weight. However, more rigorous assessment of the contribution of different types of away-from-home food establishments to overall diet quality and obesity is minimal. This study examined usage of these food establishments, accordance to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern and obesity status in a nationally representative sample of adults in the United Kingdom. A cross-sectional analysis of data from a national survey (N=2,083 aged ≥19 years, from 2008 to 2012) with dietary intake measured using a 4-day food diary, and height and weight measured objectively. Exposures included usage of (i.e., by proportion of energy) all away-from-home food establishments combined, and fast-food outlets, restaurants, and cafés separately. Outcomes included accordance with the DASH diet, and obesity status. Multivariable logistic regressions were conducted in 2016 to estimate associations between food establishments, diet quality, and obesity. People consuming a higher proportion of energy from any away-from-home food establishment had lower odds of DASH accordance (OR=0.45, 95% CI=0.31, 0.67) and increased odds of obesity (OR=1.48, 95% CI=1.10, 1.99). After adjustment, only use of fast-food outlets was significantly associated with lower odds of DASH accordance (OR=0.48, 95% CI=0.33, 0.69) and higher odds of obesity (OR=1.30, 95% CI=1.01, 1.69). Although a greater reliance on eating away-from-home is associated with less-healthy diets and obesity, dietary public health interventions that target these food establishments may be most effective if they focus on modifying the use of fast-food outlets. Copyright © 2017 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Web Usage, Advertising, and Shopping: Relationship Patterns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korgaonkar, Pradeep; Wolin, Lori D.

2002-01-01

Discusses Web sales and explores the differences between heavy, medium, and light Web users in terms of their beliefs about Web advertising, attitudes toward Web advertising, purchasing patterns, and demographics. Suggests marketers need to target Web advertising to particular Web users. (Author/LRW)

Activities Handbook for Energy Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeVito, Alfred; Krockover, Gerald H.

The purpose of this handbook is to present information about energy and to translate this information into learning activities for children. Chapter 1, "Energy: A Delicate Dilemma," presents activities intended to provide an introduction to energy and energy usage. Chapter 2, "What are the Sources of Energy?" provides…

A review of electronic journal acquisition, management, and use in health sciences libraries.

PubMed

Burrows, Suzetta

2006-01-01

The paper describes patterns of electronic journal usage in health sciences libraries during the past decade. The paper presents a case study, documenting the pattern of acquisition, management, and usage at the Louis Calder Memorial Library of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Health sciences journals were early to offer electronic alternatives to print. As a result, health sciences libraries, their patrons, and the public at large were early to embrace the new versions and continue to embrace the significant changes in scholarly communication they enable. Although the patterns of electronic journals among health sciences libraries and other special and academic libraries have similarities, they also have differences. Broad studies of electronic journals in non-health sciences libraries have been published, but a retrospective review of electronic journals in health sciences libraries has not.

An NAFP Project: Use of Object Oriented Methodologies and Design Patterns to Refactor Software Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaykhian, Gholam Ali; Baggs, Rhoda

2007-01-01

In the early problem-solution era of software programming, functional decompositions were mainly used to design and implement software solutions. In functional decompositions, functions and data are introduced as two separate entities during the design phase, and are followed as such in the implementation phase. Functional decompositions make use of refactoring through optimizing the algorithms, grouping similar functionalities into common reusable functions, and using abstract representations of data where possible; all these are done during the implementation phase. This paper advocates the usage of object-oriented methodologies and design patterns as the centerpieces of refactoring software solutions. Refactoring software is a method of changing software design while explicitly preserving its external functionalities. The combined usage of object-oriented methodologies and design patterns to refactor should also benefit the overall software life cycle cost with improved software.

Measuring use of electronic health record functionality using system audit information.

PubMed

Bowes, Watson A

2010-01-01

Meaningful and efficient methods for measuring Electronic Health Record (EHR) adoption and functional usage patterns have recently become important for hospitals, clinics, and health care networks in the United State due to recent government initiatives to increase EHR use. To date, surveys have been the method of choice to measure EHR adoption. This paper describes another method for measuring EHR adoption which capitalizes on audit logs, which are often common components of modern EHRs. An Audit Data Mart is described which identified EHR functionality within 836 Departments, within 22 Hospitals and 170 clinics at Intermountain Healthcare, a large integrated delivery system. The Audit Data Mart successfully identified important and differing EHR functional usage patterns. These patterns were useful in strategic planning, tracking EHR implementations, and will likely be utilized to assist in documentation of "Meaningful Use" of EHR functionality.

Today's Leaders for a Sustainable Tomorrow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wood, Bryan

2013-02-27

Today's Leaders for a Sustainable Tomorrow is a collaboration of five residential environmental learning centers (Audubon Center of the North Woods, Deep Portage Learning Center, Laurentian Environmental Center, Long Lake Conservation Center and Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center) that together increased energy efficiency, energy conservation and renewable energy technologies through a number of different means appropriate for each unique center. For energy efficiency upgrades the centers installed envelope improvements to seal air barriers through better insulation in walls, ceilings, windows, doors as well as the installation of more energy efficient windows, doors, lighting and air ventilation systems. Through energy sub-metermore » monitoring the centers are able to accurately chart the usage of energy at each of their campuses and eliminate unnecessary energy usage. Facilities reduced their dependence on fossil fuel energy sources through the installation of renewable energy technologies including wood gasification, solar domestic hot water, solar photovoltaic, solar air heat, geothermal heating and wind power. Centers also installed energy education displays on the specific renewable energy technologies used at the center.« less

Describing Speech Usage in Daily Activities in Typical Adults.

PubMed

Anderson, Laine; Baylor, Carolyn R; Eadie, Tanya L; Yorkston, Kathryn M

2016-01-01

"Speech usage" refers to what people want or need to do with their speech to meet communication demands in life roles. The purpose of this study was to contribute to validation of the Levels of Speech Usage scale by providing descriptive data from a sample of adults without communication disorders, comparing this scale to a published Occupational Voice Demands scale and examining predictors of speech usage levels. This is a survey design. Adults aged ≥25 years without reported communication disorders were recruited nationally to complete an online questionnaire. The questionnaire included the Levels of Speech Usage scale, questions about relevant occupational and nonoccupational activities (eg, socializing, hobbies, childcare, and so forth), and demographic information. Participants were also categorized according to Koufman and Isaacson occupational voice demands scale. A total of 276 participants completed the questionnaires. People who worked for pay tended to report higher levels of speech usage than those who do not work for pay. Regression analyses showed employment to be the major contributor to speech usage; however, considerable variance left unaccounted for suggests that determinants of speech usage and the relationship between speech usage, employment, and other life activities are not yet fully defined. The Levels of Speech Usage may be a viable instrument to systematically rate speech usage because it captures both occupational and nonoccupational speech demands. These data from a sample of typical adults may provide a reference to help in interpreting the impact of communication disorders on speech usage patterns. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Inductive flux usage and its optimization in tokamak operation

DOE PAGES

Luce, Timothy C.; Humphreys, David A.; Jackson, Gary L.; ...

2014-07-30

The energy flow from the poloidal field coils of a tokamak to the electromagnetic and kinetic stored energy of the plasma are considered in the context of optimizing the operation of ITER. The goal is to optimize the flux usage in order to allow the longest possible burn in ITER at the desired conditions to meet the physics objectives (500 MW fusion power with energy gain of 10). A mathematical formulation of the energy flow is derived and applied to experiments in the DIII-D tokamak that simulate the ITER design shape and relevant normalized current and pressure. The rate ofmore » rise of the plasma current was varied, and the fastest stable current rise is found to be the optimum for flux usage in DIII-D. A method to project the results to ITER is formulated. The constraints of the ITER poloidal field coil set yield an optimum at ramp rates slower than the maximum stable rate for plasmas similar to the DIII-D plasmas. Finally, experiments in present-day tokamaks for further optimization of the current rise and validation of the projections are suggested.« less

A New Look at Data Usage by Using Metadata Attributes as Indicators of Data Quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Won, Young-In; Wanchoo, Lalit; Behnke, Jeanne

2016-01-01

This study reviews the key metrics (users, distributed volume, and files) in multiple ways to gain an understanding of the significance of the metadata. Characterizing the usability of data by key metadata elements, such as discipline and study area, will assist in understanding how the user needs have evolved over time. The data usage pattern based on product level provides insight into the level of data quality. In addition, the data metrics by various services, such as the Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol (OPeNDAP) and subsets, address how these services have extended the usage of data. Over-all, this study presents the usage of data and metadata by metrics analyses, which may assist data centers in better supporting the needs of the users.

Developing Water Resource Security in a Greenhouse Gas Constrained Context - A Case Study in California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarroja, B.; Aghakouchak, A.; Samuelsen, S.

2015-12-01

The onset of drought conditions in regions such as California due to shortfalls in precipitation has brought refreshed attention to the vulnerability of our water supply paradigm to changes in climate patterns. In the face of a changing climate which can exacerbate drought conditions in already dry areas, building resiliency into our water supply infrastructure requires some decoupling of water supply availability from climate behavior through conservation, efficiency, and alternative water supply measures such as desalination and water reuse. The installation of these measures requires varying degrees of direct energy inputs and/or impacts the energy usage of the water supply infrastructure (conveyance, treatment, distribution, wastewater treatment). These impacts have implications for greenhouse gas emissions from direct fuel usage or impacts on the emissions from the electric grid. At the scale that these measures may need to be deployed to secure water supply availability, especially under climate change impacted hydrology, they can potentially pose obstacles for meeting greenhouse gas emissions reduction and renewable utilization goals. Therefore, the portfolio of these measures must be such that detrimental impacts on greenhouse gas emissions are minimized. This study combines climate data with a water reservoir network model and an electric grid dispatch model for the water-energy system of California to evaluate 1) the different pathways and scale of alternative water resource measures needed to secure water supply availability and 2) the impacts of following these pathways on the ability to meet greenhouse gas and renewable utilization goals. It was discovered that depending on the water supply measure portfolio implemented, impacts on greenhouse gas emissions and renewable utilization can either be beneficial or detrimental, and optimizing the portfolio is more important under climate change conditions due to the scale of measures required.

Measuring public understanding on Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) electricity bills using ordered probit model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainudin, WNRA; Ramli, NA

2017-09-01

In 2016, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) had introduced an upgrade in its Billing and Customer Relationship Management (BCRM) as part of its long-term initiative to provide its customers with greater access to billing information. This includes information on real and suggested power consumption by the customers and further details in their billing charges. This information is useful to help TNB customers to gain better understanding on their electricity usage patterns and items involved in their billing charges. Up to date, there are not many studies done to measure public understanding on current electricity bills and whether this understanding could contribute towards positive impacts. The purpose of this paper is to measure public understanding on current TNB electricity bills and whether their satisfaction towards energy-related services, electricity utility services, and their awareness on the amount of electricity consumed by various appliances and equipment in their home could improve this understanding on the electricity bills. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods are used to achieve these objectives. A total of 160 respondents from local universities in Malaysia participated in a survey used to collect relevant information. Using Ordered Probit model, this paper finds respondents that are highly satisfied with the electricity utility services tend to understand their electricity bills better. The electric utility services include management of electricity bills and the information obtained from utility or non-utility supplier to help consumers manage their energy usage or bills. Based on the results, this paper concludes that the probability to understand the components in the monthly electricity bill increases as respondents are more satisfied with their electric utility services and are more capable to value the energy-related services.

Current On-Campus Attitudes toward Energy Usage, Efficiency, and Emerging Technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lennon, Liz; Sintov, Nicole; Orosz, Michael

Context & Background for Energy Survey Methods & Survey Overview Respondent Demographics Results Demand Response Current Environmental Comfort Perceptions Smart Meters Perceived Smart Meter Benefits Motivators of Energy Efficient Practices Summary & Implications

Influence of certain forces on evolution of synonymous codon usage bias in certain species of three basal orders of aquatic insects.

PubMed

Selva Kumar, C; Nair, Rahul R; Sivaramakrishnan, K G; Ganesh, D; Janarthanan, S; Arunachalam, M; Sivaruban, T

2012-12-01

Forces that influence the evolution of synonymous codon usage bias are analyzed in six species of three basal orders of aquatic insects. The rationale behind choosing six species of aquatic insects (three from Ephemeroptera, one from Plecoptera, and two from Odonata) for the present analysis is based on phylogenetic position at the basal clades of the Order Insecta facilitating the understanding of the evolution of codon bias and of factors shaping codon usage patterns in primitive clades of insect lineages and their subtle differences in some of their ecological and environmental requirements in terms of habitat-microhabitat requirements, altitudinal preferences, temperature tolerance ranges, and consequent responses to climate change impacts. The present analysis focuses on open reading frames of the 13 protein-coding genes in the mitochondrial genome of six carefully chosen insect species to get a comprehensive picture of the evolutionary intricacies of codon bias. In all the six species, A and T contents are observed to be significantly higher than G and C, and are used roughly equally. Since transcription hypothesis on codon usage demands A richness and T poorness, it is quite likely that mutation pressure may be the key factor associated with synonymous codon usage (SCU) variations in these species because the mutation hypothesis predicts AT richness and GC poorness in the mitochondrial DNA. Thus, AT-biased mutation pressure seems to be an important factor in framing the SCU variation in all the selected species of aquatic insects, which in turn explains the predominance of A and T ending codons in these species. This study does not find any association between microhabitats and codon usage variations in the mitochondria of selected aquatic insects. However, this study has identified major forces, such as compositional constraints and mutation pressure, which shape patterns of codon usage in mitochondrial genes in the primitive clades of insect lineages.

Genetic and codon usage bias analyses of polymerase genes of equine influenza virus and its relation to evolution.

PubMed

Bera, Bidhan Ch; Virmani, Nitin; Kumar, Naveen; Anand, Taruna; Pavulraj, S; Rash, Adam; Elton, Debra; Rash, Nicola; Bhatia, Sandeep; Sood, Richa; Singh, Raj Kumar; Tripathi, Bhupendra Nath

2017-08-23

Equine influenza is a major health problem of equines worldwide. The polymerase genes of influenza virus have key roles in virus replication, transcription, transmission between hosts and pathogenesis. Hence, the comprehensive genetic and codon usage bias of polymerase genes of equine influenza virus (EIV) were analyzed to elucidate the genetic and evolutionary relationships in a novel perspective. The group - specific consensus amino acid substitutions were identified in all polymerase genes of EIVs that led to divergence of EIVs into various clades. The consistent amino acid changes were also detected in the Florida clade 2 EIVs circulating in Europe and Asia since 2007. To study the codon usage patterns, a total of 281,324 codons of polymerase genes of EIV H3N8 isolates from 1963 to 2015 were systemically analyzed. The polymerase genes of EIVs exhibit a weak codon usage bias. The ENc-GC3s and Neutrality plots indicated that natural selection is the major influencing factor of codon usage bias, and that the impact of mutation pressure is comparatively minor. The methods for estimating host imposed translation pressure suggested that the polymerase acidic (PA) gene seems to be under less translational pressure compared to polymerase basic 1 (PB1) and polymerase basic 2 (PB2) genes. The multivariate statistical analysis of polymerase genes divided EIVs into four evolutionary diverged clusters - Pre-divergent, Eurasian, Florida sub-lineage 1 and 2. Various lineage specific amino acid substitutions observed in all polymerase genes of EIVs and especially, clade 2 EIVs underwent major variations which led to the emergence of a phylogenetically distinct group of EIVs originating from Richmond/1/07. The codon usage bias was low in all the polymerase genes of EIVs that was influenced by the multiple factors such as the nucleotide compositions, mutation pressure, aromaticity and hydropathicity. However, natural selection was the major influencing factor in defining the codon usage patterns and evolution of polymerase genes of EIVs.

Patterns and determinants of communal latrine usage in urban poverty pockets in Bhopal, India.

PubMed

Biran, A; Jenkins, M W; Dabrase, P; Bhagwat, I

2011-07-01

To explore and explain patterns of use of communal latrine facilities in urban poverty pockets. Six poverty pockets with communal latrine facilities representing two management models (Sulabh and municipal) were selected. Sampling was random and stratified by poverty pocket population size. A seventh, community-managed facility was also included. Data were collected by exit interviews with facility users and by interviews with residents from a randomly selected representative sample of poverty pocket households, on social, economic and demographic characteristics of households, latrine ownership, defecation practices, costs of using the facility and distance from the house to the facility. A tally of facility users was kept for 1 day at each facility. Data were analysed using logistic regression modelling to identify determinants of communal latrine usage. Communal latrines differed in their facilities, conditions, management and operating characteristics, and rates of usage. Reported usage rates among non-latrine-owning households ranged from 15% to 100%. There was significant variation in wealth, occupation and household structure across the poverty pockets as well as in household latrine ownership. Households in pockets with municipal communal latrine facilities appeared poorer. Households in pockets with Sulabh-managed communal facilities were significantly more likely to own a household latrine. Determinants of communal facility usage among households without a latrine were access and convenience (distance and opening hours), facility age, cleanliness/upkeep and cost. The ratio of male to female users was 2:1 across all facilities for both adults and children. Provision of communal facilities reduces but does not end the problem of open defecation in poverty pockets. Women appear to be relatively poorly served by communal facilities and, cost is a barrier to use by poorer households. Results suggest improving facility convenience and access and modifying fee structures could lead to increased rates of usage. Attention to possible barriers to usage at household level associated particularly with having school-age children and with pre-school childcare needs may also be warranted. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Energy and National Security

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abelson, Philip H.

1973-01-01

Discussed in this editorial is the need for a broad and detailed government policy on energy use. Oil companies can not be given complete responsibility to demonstrate usage of different energy sources. The government should construct plants because energy is connected with national security. (PS)

Perceptions and attitudes of hospital staff toward paging system and the use of mobile phones.

PubMed

Haroon, Muhammad; Yasin, Faiza; Eckel, Rachael; Walker, Frank

2010-10-01

Our objective was to document the pattern of mobile phone usage by medical staff in a hospital setting, and to explore any perceived benefits (such as improved communications) associated with mobile phones. This cross-sectional survey was conducted in Waterford Regional Hospital, Ireland, where bleep is the official system of communication. All non-consultant hospital doctors, of medical disciplines only, were asked to participate. The questionnaire was designed to explore the pattern and different aspects of mobile phone usage. At the time of study, there were sixty medical junior doctors, and the response rate was 100 percent. All participants used mobile phones while at work, and also for hospital-related work. For 98.3 percent the mobile phone was their main mode of communication while in the hospital. Sixty-two percent (n = 37) made 6-10 calls daily purely for work-related business, and this comprised of ≥ 80 percent of their daily usage of mobile phones. For 98 percent of participants, most phone calls were work-related. Regarding reasons for using mobile phones, all reported that using mobile phone is quicker for communication. Mobile phone usage is very common among the medical personnel, and this is regarded as a more efficient means of communication for mobile staff than the hospital paging system.

Japan and America: A Comparative Study in Language and Culture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Bernice Z.; Tamura, Kyoko

This is a comparative analysis of the Japanese and American languages and cultures. The following are discussed: verbs, kinship terms, category terms, apologies and thanks, honorifics and postpositional particles, and levels of usage. A final section relates conclusions about linguistic patterns to culture patterns. (AM)

Saving Energy. Managing School Facilities, Guide 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department for Education and Employment, London (England). Architects and Building Branch.

This guide offers information on how schools can implement an energy saving action plan to reduce their energy costs. Various low-cost energy-saving measures are recommended covering heating levels and heating systems, electricity demand reduction and lighting, ventilation, hot water usage, and swimming pool energy management. Additional…

A review of electronic journal acquisition, management, and use in health sciences libraries

PubMed Central

Burrows, Suzetta

2006-01-01

Purpose: The paper describes patterns of electronic journal usage in health sciences libraries during the past decade. Method: The paper presents a case study, documenting the pattern of acquisition, management, and usage at the Louis Calder Memorial Library of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Results: Health sciences journals were early to offer electronic alternatives to print. As a result, health sciences libraries, their patrons, and the public at large were early to embrace the new versions and continue to embrace the significant changes in scholarly communication they enable. Although the patterns of electronic journals among health sciences libraries and other special and academic libraries have similarities, they also have differences. Broad studies of electronic journals in non–health sciences libraries have been published, but a retrospective review of electronic journals in health sciences libraries has not. PMID:16404472

Flow-Signature Analysis of Water Consumption in Nonresidential Building Water Networks Using High-Resolution and Medium-Resolution Smart Meter Data: Two Case Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clifford, Eoghan; Mulligan, Sean; Comer, Joanne; Hannon, Louise

2018-01-01

Real-time monitoring of water consumption activities can be an effective mechanism to achieve efficient water network management. This approach, largely enabled by the advent of smart metering technologies, is gradually being practiced in domestic and industrial contexts. In particular, identifying water consumption habits from flow-signatures, i.e., the specific end-usage patterns, is being investigated as a means for conservation in both the residential and nonresidential context. However, the quality of meter data is bivariate (dependent on number of meters and data temporal resolution) and as a result, planning a smart metering scheme is relatively difficult with no generic design approach available. In this study, a comprehensive medium-resolution to high-resolution smart metering program was implemented at two nonresidential trial sites to evaluate the effect of spatial and temporal data aggregation. It was found that medium-resolution water meter data were capable of exposing regular, continuous, peak use, and diurnal patterns which reflect group wide end-usage characteristics. The high-resolution meter data permitted flow-signature at a personal end-use level. Through this unique opportunity to observe water usage characteristics via flow-signature patterns, newly defined hydraulic-based design coefficients determined from Poisson rectangular pulse were developed to intuitively aid in the process of pattern discovery with implications for automated activity recognition applications. A smart meter classification and siting index was introduced which categorizes meter resolution in terms of their suitable application.

Optimal Energy Management for Microgrids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Zheng

Microgrid is a recent novel concept in part of the development of smart grid. A microgrid is a low voltage and small scale network containing both distributed energy resources (DERs) and load demands. Clean energy is encouraged to be used in a microgrid for economic and sustainable reasons. A microgrid can have two operational modes, the stand-alone mode and grid-connected mode. In this research, a day-ahead optimal energy management for a microgrid under both operational modes is studied. The objective of the optimization model is to minimize fuel cost, improve energy utilization efficiency and reduce gas emissions by scheduling generations of DERs in each hour on the next day. Considering the dynamic performance of battery as Energy Storage System (ESS), the model is featured as a multi-objectives and multi-parametric programming constrained by dynamic programming, which is proposed to be solved by using the Advanced Dynamic Programming (ADP) method. Then, factors influencing the battery life are studied and included in the model in order to obtain an optimal usage pattern of battery and reduce the correlated cost. Moreover, since wind and solar generation is a stochastic process affected by weather changes, the proposed optimization model is performed hourly to track the weather changes. Simulation results are compared with the day-ahead energy management model. At last, conclusions are presented and future research in microgrid energy management is discussed.

The Scope of Usage-Based Theory

PubMed Central

Ibbotson, Paul

2013-01-01

Usage-based approaches typically draw on a relatively small set of cognitive processes, such as categorization, analogy, and chunking to explain language structure and function. The goal of this paper is to first review the extent to which the “cognitive commitment” of usage-based theory has had success in explaining empirical findings across domains, including language acquisition, processing, and typology. We then look at the overall strengths and weaknesses of usage-based theory and highlight where there are significant debates. Finally, we draw special attention to a set of culturally generated structural patterns that seem to lie beyond the explanation of core usage-based cognitive processes. In this context we draw a distinction between cognition permitting language structure vs. cognition entailing language structure. As well as addressing the need for greater clarity on the mechanisms of generalizations and the fundamental units of grammar, we suggest that integrating culturally generated structures within existing cognitive models of use will generate tighter predictions about how language works. PMID:23658552

Energy usage while maintaining thermal comfort: A case study of a UNT dormitory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gambrell, Dusten

Campus dormitories for the University of North Texas house over 5500 students per year; each one of them requires certain comfortable living conditions while they live there. There is an inherit amount of money required in order to achieve minimal comfort levels; the cost is mostly natural gas for water and room heating and electricity for cooling, lighting and peripherals. The US Department of Energy has developed several programs to aid in performing energy simulations to help those interested design more cost effective building designs. Energy-10 is such a program that allows users to conduct whole house evaluations by reviewing and altering a few parameters such as building materials, solar heating, energy efficient windows etc. The idea of this project was to recreate a campus dormitory and try to emulate existent energy consumption then try to find ways of lowering that usage while maintaining a high level of personal comfort.

Proton Therapy Facility Planning From a Clinical and Operational Model.

PubMed

Das, Indra J; Moskvin, Vadim P; Zhao, Qingya; Cheng, Chee-Wai; Johnstone, Peter A

2015-10-01

This paper provides a model for planning a new proton therapy center based on clinical data, referral pattern, beam utilization and technical considerations. The patient-specific data for the depth of targets from skin in each beam angle were reviewed at our center providing megavoltage photon external beam and proton beam therapy respectively. Further, data on insurance providers, disease sites, treatment depths, snout size and the beam angle utilization from the patients treated at our proton facility were collected and analyzed for their utilization and their impact on the facility cost. The most common disease sites treated at our center are head and neck, brain, sarcoma and pediatric malignancies. From this analysis, it is shown that the tumor depth from skin surface has a bimodal distribution (peak at 12 and 26 cm) that has significant impact on the maximum proton energy, requiring the energy in the range of 130-230 MeV. The choice of beam angles also showed a distinct pattern: mainly at 90° and 270°; this indicates that the number of gantries may be minimized. Snout usage data showed that 70% of the patients are treated with 10 cm snouts. The cost of proton beam therapy depends largely on the type of machine, maximum beam energy and the choice of gantry versus fixed beam line. Our study indicates that for a 4-room center, only two gantry rooms could be needed at the present pattern of the patient cohorts, thus significantly reducing the initial capital cost. In the USA, 95% and 100% of patients can be treated with 200 and 230 MeV proton beam respectively. Use of multi-leaf collimators and pencil beam scanning may further reduce the operational cost of the facility. © The Author(s) 2014.

Spatial Exposure Analysis for Threatened and Endangered Species from Changing Pesticide Use Pattern in Southern Georgia

EPA Science Inventory

In recent decades, pesticide use patterns and crop distributions have changed; however, because there has not been a significant increase in usage disclosures, it is difficult to estimate the changes in potential exposure zones, this analysis focuses on the intersection of agricu...

Ergonomics work stations decreases the health impairment and saves electrical energy at the woodworking workshop in Bali, Indonesia.

PubMed

Sudiajeng, Lilik; Adiputra, Nyoman; Leibbrandt, Richard

2012-12-01

This research was conducted to assess the positive effect of the ergonomics work station on the health impairment and electrical energy usage at the woodworking workshop in Bali, Indonesia. Woodworking workshops are dangerous, particularly when they are used improperly. Workers are exposed to health hazards that cause health impairment and inefficiencies in their work conditions. A preliminary study at a woodworking workshop at the Bali State Polytechnic showed that the work station was not suitable to body size of the participants and caused awkward postures. In addition, there was also an inappropriate physical work environment. Both inappropriate work station and physical work environment caused participants to be less active and motivated. This paper reports on an experimental study into the effects of an ergonomic intervention at this workshop. The participants were 2 groups of male students with 10 participants in each group. The first group performed the task with the original work station as a control group, while the second group performed the task with the new work station. The study found a significant difference between groups (p < 0.05) both for the health impairment and the electrical energy usage. The ergonomics intervention on the work station decreased the working heart rate (16.7%), the total score of musculoskeletal disorders (17.3%), and the total score of psychological fatigue (21.5%). Furthermore, it also decreased the electrical energy usage (38.7%). This shows that an ergonomics intervention on work station decreased the health impairment and saved electrical energy usage. It also protected the workers from woodworking hazards and allowed participants to perform their tasks in healthy, safe, convenient and efficient work conditions.

Accurate Energy Transaction Allocation using Path Integration and Interpolation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhide, Mandar Mohan

This thesis investigates many of the popular cost allocation methods which are based on actual usage of the transmission network. The Energy Transaction Allocation (ETA) method originally proposed by A.Fradi, S.Brigonne and B.Wollenberg which gives unique advantage of accurately allocating the transmission network usage is discussed subsequently. Modified calculation of ETA based on simple interpolation technique is then proposed. The proposed methodology not only increase the accuracy of calculation but also decreases number of calculations to less than half of the number of calculations required in original ETAs.

What Clinical Information Is Valuable to Doctors Using Mobile Electronic Medical Records and When?

PubMed

Kim, Junetae; Lee, Yura; Lim, Sanghee; Kim, Jeong Hoon; Lee, Byungtae; Lee, Jae-Ho

2017-10-18

There has been a lack of understanding on what types of specific clinical information are most valuable for doctors to access through mobile-based electronic medical records (m-EMRs) and when they access such information. Furthermore, it has not been clearly discussed why the value of such information is high. The goal of this study was to investigate the types of clinical information that are most valuable to doctors to access through an m-EMR and when such information is accessed. Since 2010, an m-EMR has been used in a tertiary hospital in Seoul, South Korea. The usage logs of the m-EMR by doctors were gathered from March to December 2015. Descriptive analyses were conducted to explore the overall usage patterns of the m-EMR. To assess the value of the clinical information provided, the usage patterns of both the m-EMR and a hospital information system (HIS) were compared on an hourly basis. The peak usage times of the m-EMR were defined as continuous intervals having normalized usage values that are greater than 0.5. The usage logs were processed as an indicator representing specific clinical information using factor analysis. Random intercept logistic regression was used to explore the type of clinical information that is frequently accessed during the peak usage times. A total of 524,929 usage logs from 653 doctors (229 professors, 161 fellows, and 263 residents; mean age: 37.55 years; males: 415 [63.6%]) were analyzed. The highest average number of m-EMR usage logs (897) was by medical residents, whereas the lowest (292) was by surgical residents. The usage amount for three menus, namely inpatient list (47,096), lab results (38,508), and investigation list (25,336), accounted for 60.1% of the peak time usage. The HIS was used most frequently during regular hours (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM). The peak usage time of the m-EMR was early in the morning (6:00 AM to 10:00 AM), and the use of the m-EMR from early evening (5:00 PM) to midnight was higher than during regular business hours. Four factors representing the types of clinical information were extracted through factor analysis. Factors related to patient investigation status and patient conditions were associated with the peak usage times of the m-EMR (P<.01). Access to information regarding patient investigation status and patient conditions is crucial for decision making during morning activities, including ward rounds. The m-EMRs allow doctors to maintain the continuity of their clinical information regardless of the time and location constraints. Thus, m-EMRs will best evolve in a manner that enhances the accessibility of clinical information helpful to the decision-making process under such constraints. ©Junetae Kim, Yura Lee, Sanghee Lim, Jeong Hoon Kim, Byungtae Lee, Jae-Ho Lee. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 18.10.2017.

What Clinical Information Is Valuable to Doctors Using Mobile Electronic Medical Records and When?

PubMed Central

Lim, Sanghee; Kim, Jeong Hoon; Lee, Byungtae

2017-01-01

Background There has been a lack of understanding on what types of specific clinical information are most valuable for doctors to access through mobile-based electronic medical records (m-EMRs) and when they access such information. Furthermore, it has not been clearly discussed why the value of such information is high. Objective The goal of this study was to investigate the types of clinical information that are most valuable to doctors to access through an m-EMR and when such information is accessed. Methods Since 2010, an m-EMR has been used in a tertiary hospital in Seoul, South Korea. The usage logs of the m-EMR by doctors were gathered from March to December 2015. Descriptive analyses were conducted to explore the overall usage patterns of the m-EMR. To assess the value of the clinical information provided, the usage patterns of both the m-EMR and a hospital information system (HIS) were compared on an hourly basis. The peak usage times of the m-EMR were defined as continuous intervals having normalized usage values that are greater than 0.5. The usage logs were processed as an indicator representing specific clinical information using factor analysis. Random intercept logistic regression was used to explore the type of clinical information that is frequently accessed during the peak usage times. Results A total of 524,929 usage logs from 653 doctors (229 professors, 161 fellows, and 263 residents; mean age: 37.55 years; males: 415 [63.6%]) were analyzed. The highest average number of m-EMR usage logs (897) was by medical residents, whereas the lowest (292) was by surgical residents. The usage amount for three menus, namely inpatient list (47,096), lab results (38,508), and investigation list (25,336), accounted for 60.1% of the peak time usage. The HIS was used most frequently during regular hours (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM). The peak usage time of the m-EMR was early in the morning (6:00 AM to 10:00 AM), and the use of the m-EMR from early evening (5:00 PM) to midnight was higher than during regular business hours. Four factors representing the types of clinical information were extracted through factor analysis. Factors related to patient investigation status and patient conditions were associated with the peak usage times of the m-EMR (P<.01). Conclusions Access to information regarding patient investigation status and patient conditions is crucial for decision making during morning activities, including ward rounds. The m-EMRs allow doctors to maintain the continuity of their clinical information regardless of the time and location constraints. Thus, m-EMRs will best evolve in a manner that enhances the accessibility of clinical information helpful to the decision-making process under such constraints. PMID:29046269

Analysis of base and codon usage by rubella virus.

PubMed

Zhou, Yumei; Chen, Xianfeng; Ushijima, Hiroshi; Frey, Teryl K

2012-05-01

Rubella virus (RUBV), a small, plus-strand RNA virus that is an important human pathogen, has the unique feature that the GC content of its genome (70%) is the highest (by 20%) among RNA viruses. To determine the effect of this GC content on genomic evolution, base and codon usage were analyzed across viruses from eight diverse genotypes of RUBV. Despite differences in frequency of codon use, the favored codons in the RUBV genome matched those in the human genome for 18 of the 20 amino acids, indicating adaptation to the host. Although usage patterns were conserved in corresponding genes in the diverse genotypes, within-genome comparison revealed that both base and codon usages varied regionally, particularly in the hypervariable region (HVR) of the P150 replicase gene. While directional mutation pressure was predominant in determining base and codon usage within most of the genome (with the strongest tendency being towards C's at third codon positions), natural selection was predominant in the HVR region. The GC content of this region was the highest in the genome (>80%), and it was not clear if selection at the nucleotide level accompanied selection at the amino acid level. Dinucleotide frequency analysis of the RUBV genome revealed that TpA usage was lower than expected, similar to mammalian genes; however, CpG usage was not suppressed, and TpG usage was not enhanced, as is the case in mammalian genes.

Big data modeling to predict platelet usage and minimize wastage in a tertiary care system.

PubMed

Guan, Leying; Tian, Xiaoying; Gombar, Saurabh; Zemek, Allison J; Krishnan, Gomathi; Scott, Robert; Narasimhan, Balasubramanian; Tibshirani, Robert J; Pham, Tho D

2017-10-24

Maintaining a robust blood product supply is an essential requirement to guarantee optimal patient care in modern health care systems. However, daily blood product use is difficult to anticipate. Platelet products are the most variable in daily usage, have short shelf lives, and are also the most expensive to produce, test, and store. Due to the combination of absolute need, uncertain daily demand, and short shelf life, platelet products are frequently wasted due to expiration. Our aim is to build and validate a statistical model to forecast future platelet demand and thereby reduce wastage. We have investigated platelet usage patterns at our institution, and specifically interrogated the relationship between platelet usage and aggregated hospital-wide patient data over a recent consecutive 29-mo period. Using a convex statistical formulation, we have found that platelet usage is highly dependent on weekday/weekend pattern, number of patients with various abnormal complete blood count measurements, and location-specific hospital census data. We incorporated these relationships in a mathematical model to guide collection and ordering strategy. This model minimizes waste due to expiration while avoiding shortages; the number of remaining platelet units at the end of any day stays above 10 in our model during the same period. Compared with historical expiration rates during the same period, our model reduces the expiration rate from 10.5 to 3.2%. Extrapolating our results to the ∼2 million units of platelets transfused annually within the United States, if implemented successfully, our model can potentially save ∼80 million dollars in health care costs.

Optimal control of Formula One car energy recovery systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limebeer, D. J. N.; Perantoni, G.; Rao, A. V.

2014-10-01

The utility of orthogonal collocation methods in the solution of optimal control problems relating to Formula One racing is demonstrated. These methods can be used to optimise driver controls such as the steering, braking and throttle usage, and to optimise vehicle parameters such as the aerodynamic down force and mass distributions. Of particular interest is the optimal usage of energy recovery systems (ERSs). Contemporary kinetic energy recovery systems are studied and compared with future hybrid kinetic and thermal/heat ERSs known as ERS-K and ERS-H, respectively. It is demonstrated that these systems, when properly controlled, can produce contemporary lap time using approximately two-thirds of the fuel required by earlier generation (2013 and prior) vehicles.

Police training in interviewing and interrogation methods: A comparison of techniques used with adult and juvenile suspects.

PubMed

Cleary, Hayley M D; Warner, Todd C

2016-06-01

Despite empirical progress in documenting and classifying various interrogation techniques, very little is known about how police are trained in interrogation methods, how frequently they use various techniques, and whether they employ techniques differentially with adult versus juvenile suspects. This study reports the nature and extent of formal (e.g., Reid Technique, PEACE, HUMINT) and informal interrogation training as well as self-reported technique usage in a diverse national sample (N = 340) of experienced American police officers. Officers were trained in a variety of different techniques ranging from comparatively benign pre-interrogation strategies (e.g., building rapport, observing body language or speech patterns) to more psychologically coercive techniques (e.g., blaming the victim, discouraging denials). Over half the sample reported being trained to use psychologically coercive techniques with both adults and juveniles. The majority (91%) receive informal, "on the job" interrogation training. Technique usage patterns indicate a spectrum of psychological intensity where information-gathering approaches were used most frequently and high-pressure tactics less frequently. Reid-trained officers (56%) were significantly more likely than officers without Reid training to use pre-interrogation and manipulation techniques. Across all analyses and techniques, usage patterns were identical for adult and juvenile suspects, suggesting that police interrogate youth in the same manner as adults. Overall, results suggest that training in specific interrogation methods is strongly associated with usage. Findings underscore the need for more law enforcement interrogation training in general, especially with juvenile suspects, and highlight the value of training as an avenue for reducing interrogation-induced miscarriages of justice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Patterns of youth tobacco and polytobacco usage: The shift to alternative tobacco products.

PubMed

Harrell, Paul T; Naqvi, Syeda Mahrukh H; Plunk, Andrew D; Ji, Ming; Martins, Silvia S

2017-11-01

Despite significant declines in youth cigarette smoking, overall tobacco usage remains over 20% as non-cigarette tobacco product usage is increasingly common and polytobacco use (using 1+ tobacco product) remains steady. The present study was designed to identify patterns of youth tobacco use and examine associations with sociodemographic characteristics and tobacco dependence. The current analysis uses Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to examine the 6,958 tobacco users (n = 2,738 female) in the National Youth Tobacco Survey (2012 and 2013). We used as indicators past month use of tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, hookah, snus, pipes, bidis, and kreteks) and regressed resulting classes on sociodemographic characteristics and tobacco dependence. Nine classes emerged: cigarette smokers (33.4% of sample, also included small probabilities for use of cigars and e-cigarettes), cigar smokers (16.8%, nearly exclusive), smokeless tobacco users (12.3%, also included small probabilities for cigarettes, cigars, snus), hookah smokers (11.8%), tobacco smokers/chewers (10.7%, variety of primarily traditional tobacco products), tobacco/hookah smokers (7.2%), tobacco/snus/e-cig users (3.3%), e-cigarette users (2.9%,), and polytobacco users (1.7%, high probabilities for all products). Compared to cigarette smokers, tobacco/hookah smokers and hookah smokers were more likely to report Hispanic ethnicity. Polytobacco users were more likely to report dependence (AOR:2.77, 95% CI:[1.49-5.18]), whereas e-cigarette users were less likely (AOR:0.49, 95% CI:[0.24-0.97]). Findings are consistent with other research demonstrating shifts in adolescent tobacco product usage towards non-cigarette tobacco products. Continuous monitoring of these patterns is needed to help predict if this shift will ultimately result in improved public health.

Usage patterns of 'over-the-counter' vs. prescription-strength nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in France.

PubMed

Duong, Mai; Salvo, Francesco; Pariente, Antoine; Abouelfath, Abdelilah; Lassalle, Regis; Droz, Cecile; Blin, Patrick; Moore, Nicholas

2014-05-01

Most risks of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are pharmacological, dose and duration dependent. Usage patterns of prescription-only (POM) or 'over-the-counter (OTC)' NSAIDs may influence risks, but are not commonly described. The Echantillon Généraliste de Bénéficiaires database, the permanent 1/97 representative sample from the French national healthcare insurance systems, was queried over 2009-2010 to identify usage patterns, concomitant chronic diseases and cardiovascular medication in OTC and POM NSAID users. Over 2 years, 229 477 of 526 108 patients had at least one NSAID dispensation; 44 484 patients (19%) were dispensed only OTC NSAIDs (93% ibuprofen) and 121 208 (53%) only POM NSAIDs. The OTC users were younger (39.9 vs. 47.4 years old) and more often female (57 vs. 53%); 69% of OTC users and 49% of POM users had only one dispensation. A mean of 14.6 defined daily doses (DDD) were dispensed over 2 years for OTC vs. 53 for POM; 93% OTC vs. 60% POM patients bought ≤ 30 DDD over 2 years, and 1.5 vs. 12% bought ≥ 90 DDD. Chronic comorbidities were found in 19% of OTC users vs. 28% of POM users; 24 vs. 37% had at least one dispensation of a cardiovascular drug over the 2 years. Most of the use of NSAIDs appears to be short term, especially for OTC-type NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen. The validity of risk estimates for NSAIDs extrapolated from clinical trials or from observational studies not including OTC-type usage may need to be revised. © 2013 The British Pharmacological Society.

Analysis of codon usage in beta-tubulin sequences of helminths.

PubMed

von Samson-Himmelstjerna, G; Harder, A; Failing, K; Pape, M; Schnieder, T

2003-07-01

Codon usage bias has been shown to be correlated with gene expression levels in many organisms, including the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Here, the codon usage (cu) characteristics for a set of currently available beta-tubulin coding sequences of helminths were assessed by calculating several indices, including the effective codon number (Nc), the intrinsic codon deviation index (ICDI), the P2 value and the mutational response index (MRI). The P2 value gives a measure of translational pressure, which has been shown to be correlated to high gene expression levels in some organisms, but it has not yet been analysed in that respect in helminths. For all but two of the C. elegans beta-tubulin coding sequences investigated, the P2 value was the only index that indicated the presence of codon usage bias. Therefore, we propose that in general the helminth beta-tubulin sequences investigated here are not expressed at high levels. Furthermore, we calculated the correlation coefficients for the cu patterns of the helminth beta-tubulin sequences compared with those of highly expressed genes in organisms such as Escherichia coli and C. elegans. It was found that beta-tubulin cu patterns for all sequences of members of the Strongylida were significantly correlated to those for highly expressed C. elegans genes. This approach provides a new measure for comparing the adaptation of cu of a particular coding sequence with that of highly expressed genes in possible expression systems.Finally, using the cu patterns of the sequences studied, a phylogenetic tree was constructed. The topology of this tree was very much in concordance with that of a phylogeny based on small subunit ribosomal DNA sequence alignments.

Experimental investigation on AC unit integrated with sensible heat storage (SHS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aziz, N. A.; Amin, N. A. M.; Majid, M. S. A.; Hussin, A.; Zhubir, S.

2017-10-01

The growth in population and economy has increases the energy demand and raises the concerns over the sustainable energy source. Towards the sustainable development, energy efficiency in buildings has become a prime objective. In this paper, the integration of thermal energy storage was studied. This paper presents an experimental investigation on the performance of an air conditioning unit integrated with sensible heat storage (SHS) system. The results were compared to the conventional AC systems in the terms of average electricity usage, indoor temperature and the relative humidity inside the experimented room (cabin container). Results show that the integration of water tank as an SHS reduces the electricity usage by 5%, while the integration of well-insulated water tank saves up to 8% of the electricity consumption.

Direct-coupled microcomputer-based building emulator for building energy management and control systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lam, H.N.

1999-07-01

In this paper, the development and implementation of a direct-coupled building emulator for a building energy management and control system (EMCS) is presented. The building emulator consists of a microcomputer and a computer model of an air-conditioning system implemented in a modular dynamic simulation software package for direct-coupling to an EMCS, without using analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters. The building emulator can be used to simulate in real time the behavior of the air-conditioning system under a given operating environment and subject to a given usage pattern. Software modules for data communication, graphical display, dynamic data exchange, and synchronization of simulationmore » outputs with real time have been developed to achieve direct digital data transfer between the building emulator and a commercial EMCS. Based on the tests conducted, the validity of the building emulator has been established and the proportional-plus-integral control function of the EMCS assessed.« less

Near-term hybrid vehicle program, phase 1. Appendix D: Sensitivity analysis resport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Parametric analyses, using a hybrid vehicle synthesis and economics program (HYVELD) are described investigating the sensitivity of hybrid vehicle cost, fuel usage, utility, and marketability to changes in travel statistics, energy costs, vehicle lifetime and maintenance, owner use patterns, internal combustion engine (ICE) reference vehicle fuel economy, and drive-line component costs and type. The lowest initial cost of the hybrid vehicle would be $1200 to $1500 higher than that of the conventional vehicle. For nominal energy costs ($1.00/gal for gasoline and 4.2 cents/kWh for electricity), the ownership cost of the hybrid vehicle is projected to be 0.5 to 1.0 cents/mi less than the conventional ICE vehicle. To attain this ownership cost differential, the lifetime of the hybrid vehicle must be extended to 12 years and its maintenance cost reduced by 25 percent compared with the conventional vehicle. The ownership cost advantage of the hybrid vehicle increases rapidly as the price of fuel increases from $1 to $2/gal.

77 FR 23373 - Small Business Investment Companies-Energy Saving Qualified Investments

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-19

... Debenture usage, number of Small Businesses financed, resulting breakthroughs in technology, comparative studies quantifying energy savings, and performance of Small Businesses financed. While SBA is concerned...

Long memory in patterns of mobile phone usage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owczarczuk, Marcin

2012-02-01

In this article we show that usage of a mobile phone, i.e. daily series of number of calls made by a customer, exhibits long memory. We use a sample of 4502 postpaid users from a Polish mobile operator and study their two-year billing history. We estimate Hurst exponent by nine estimators: aggregated variance method, differencing the variance, absolute values of the aggregated series, Higuchi's method, residuals of regression, the R/S method, periodogram method, modified periodogram method and Whittle estimator. We also analyze empirically relations between estimators. Long memory implies an inertial effect in clients' behavior which may be used by mobile operators to accelerate usage and gain additional profit.

Energy Efficiency Through Lighting Upgrades

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berst, Kara; Howeth, Maria

2013-02-26

Lighting upgrades including neon to LED, incandescent to CFL's and T-12 to T-8 and T-5's were completed through this grant. A total of 16 Chickasaw nation facilities decreased their carbon footprint because of these grant funds. Calculations used were based on comparing the energy usage from the previous year's average and the current energy usage. For facilities without a full year's set of energy bills, the month after installation was compared to the same month from the previous year. Overall, the effect the lighting change-outs had for the gaming centers and casinos far exceeded expectations. For the Madill Gaming Center;more » both an interior and exterior upgrade was performed which resulted in a 31% decrease in energy consumption. This same reduction was seen in every facility that participated in the grant. Just by simply changing out light bulbs to newer energy efficient equivalents, a decrease in energy usage can be achieved and this was validated by the return on investment seen at Chickasaw Nation facilities. Along with the technical project tasks were awareness sessions presented at Chickasaw Head Starts. The positive message of environmental stewardship was passed down to head start students and passed along to Chickasaw employees. Excitement was created in those that learned what they could do to help reduce their energy bills and many followed through and took the idea home. For a fairy low cost, the general public can also use this technique to lower their energy consumption both at home and at work. Although the idea behind the project was somewhat simple, true benefits have been gained through environmental awareness and reductions of energy costs.« less

Kilowatt Counter: A Consumer's Guide to Energy Concepts, Quantities, and Uses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friend, Gil; Morris, David

This booklet is a basic introduction to energy and energy usage. The first chapter discusses various forms of energy and how they are measured and converted from one to another with a unit conversion chart included. Tables and figures list annual energy requirements of household electrical appliances and energy requirements for houses with various…

Study on online community user motif using web usage mining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alphy, Meera; Sharma, Ajay

2016-04-01

The Web usage mining is the application of data mining, which is used to extract useful information from the online community. The World Wide Web contains at least 4.73 billion pages according to Indexed Web and it contains at least 228.52 million pages according Dutch Indexed web on 6th august 2015, Thursday. It’s difficult to get needed data from these billions of web pages in World Wide Web. Here is the importance of web usage mining. Personalizing the search engine helps the web user to identify the most used data in an easy way. It reduces the time consumption; automatic site search and automatic restore the useful sites. This study represents the old techniques to latest techniques used in pattern discovery and analysis in web usage mining from 1996 to 2015. Analyzing user motif helps in the improvement of business, e-commerce, personalisation and improvement of websites.

Strong linkage between active microbial communities and microbial carbon usage in a deglaciated terrain of the High Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, M.; Gyeong, H. R.; Lee, Y. K.

2017-12-01

Soil microorganisms play pivotal roles in ecosystem development and carbon cycling in newly exposed glacier forelands. However, little is known about carbon utilization pattern by metabolically active microbes over the course of ecosystem succession in these nutrient-poor environments. We investigated RNA-based microbial community dynamics and its relation to microbial carbon usage along the chronosequence of a High Arctic glacier foreland. Among microbial taxa surveyed (bacteria, archaea and fungi), bacteria are among the most metabolically active taxa with a dominance of Cyanobacteria and Actinobacteria. There was a strong association between microbial carbon usage and active Actinobacterial communities, suggesting that member of Actinobacteria are actively involved in organic carbon degradation in glacier forelands. Both bacterial community and microbial carbon usage are converged towards later stage of succession, indicating that the composition of soil organic carbon plays important roles in structuring bacterial decomposer communities during ecosystem development.

Social Patterns in Mobile Technology Mediated Collaboration among Members of the Professional Distance Education Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laru, Jari; Jarvela, Sanna

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify social patterns in mobile technology mediated collaboration among distributed members of the professional distance education community. Ten participants worked for 12 weeks designing a master's programme in information sciences. The participants' mobile technology usage activity and interview data were first…

Converting Constant Volume, Multizone Air Handling Systems to Energy Efficient Variable Air Volume Multizone Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-26

1 FINAL REPORT Converting Constant Volume, Multizone Air Handling Systems to Energy Efficient Variable Air Volume Multizone...Systems Energy and Water Projects Project Number: EW-201152 ERDC-CERL 26 October 2017 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...16 3.2.1 Energy Usage (Quantitative

The Impact of Drug Abuse on Tank Crew Cohesion.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-01

social cohesion ). Examination ef modal scores on the Cohesion Questions indicated that similarity or difference in drug use pattern influenced the...demography, drug use and social cohesion . The AFFIL scores were divided into two groups: Hi AFFEL and Lo AFFIL. The Hi AFFIL group was comprised of...difference in usage pattern, the social cohesion questions were slightly more sensitive to simple similarity in drug use pattern than the job-related

Renewable energy and conservation measures for non-residential buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grossman, Andrew James

The energy demand in most countries is growing at an alarming rate and identifying economically feasible building retrofit solutions to decrease the need for fossil fuels so as to mitigate their environmental and societal impacts has become imperative. Two approaches are available for identifying feasible retrofit solutions: 1) the implementation of energy conservation measures; and 2) the production of energy from renewable sources. This thesis focuses on the development of retrofit software planning tools for the implementation of solar photovoltaic systems, and lighting system retrofits for mid-Michigan institutional buildings. The solar planning tool exploits the existing blueprint of a building's rooftop, and via image processing, the layouts of the solar photovoltaic arrays are developed based on the building's geographical location and typical weather patterns. The resulting energy generation of a PV system is estimated and is utilized to determine levelized energy costs. The lighting system retrofit analysis starts by a current utilization assessment of a building to determine the amount of energy used by the lighting system. Several LED lighting options are evaluated on the basis of color correlation temperature, color rendering index, energy consumption, and financial feasibility, to determine a retrofit solution. Solar photovoltaic installations in mid-Michigan are not yet financially feasible, but with the anticipated growth and dynamic complexity of the solar photovoltaic market, this solar planning tool is able to assist building proprietors make executive decisions regarding their energy usage. Additionally, a lighting system retrofit is shown to have significant financial and health benefits.

Data mining application in customer relationship management for hospital inpatients.

PubMed

Lee, Eun Whan

2012-09-01

This study aims to discover patients loyal to a hospital and model their medical service usage patterns. Consequently, this study proposes a data mining application in customer relationship management (CRM) for hospital inpatients. A recency, frequency, monetary (RFM) model has been applied toward 14,072 patients discharged from a university hospital. Cluster analysis was conducted to segment customers, and it modeled the patterns of the loyal customers' medical services usage via a decision tree. Patients were divided into two groups according to the variables of the RFM model and the group which had significantly high frequency of medical use and expenses was defined as loyal customers, a target market. As a result of the decision tree, the predictable factors of the loyal clients were; length of stay, certainty of selectable treatment, surgery, number of accompanying treatments, kind of patient room, and department from which they were discharged. Particularly, this research showed that when a patient within the internal medicine department who did not have surgery stayed for more than 13.5 days, their probability of being a classified as a loyal customer was 70.0%. To discover a hospital's loyal patients and model their medical usage patterns, the application of data-mining has been suggested. This paper suggests practical use of combining segmentation, targeting, positioning (STP) strategy and the RFM model with data-mining in CRM.

Data Mining Application in Customer Relationship Management for Hospital Inpatients

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Objectives This study aims to discover patients loyal to a hospital and model their medical service usage patterns. Consequently, this study proposes a data mining application in customer relationship management (CRM) for hospital inpatients. Methods A recency, frequency, monetary (RFM) model has been applied toward 14,072 patients discharged from a university hospital. Cluster analysis was conducted to segment customers, and it modeled the patterns of the loyal customers' medical services usage via a decision tree. Results Patients were divided into two groups according to the variables of the RFM model and the group which had significantly high frequency of medical use and expenses was defined as loyal customers, a target market. As a result of the decision tree, the predictable factors of the loyal clients were; length of stay, certainty of selectable treatment, surgery, number of accompanying treatments, kind of patient room, and department from which they were discharged. Particularly, this research showed that when a patient within the internal medicine department who did not have surgery stayed for more than 13.5 days, their probability of being a classified as a loyal customer was 70.0%. Conclusions To discover a hospital's loyal patients and model their medical usage patterns, the application of data-mining has been suggested. This paper suggests practical use of combining segmentation, targeting, positioning (STP) strategy and the RFM model with data-mining in CRM. PMID:23115740

Schools Find Answers to the Energy Crunch.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wall, Roger

1981-01-01

Highlights two schools that have reduced their energy usage, one through such methods as weatherization and solar water collectors, and the other through switching from burning oil to burning wood pellets. (JM)

Design and operation considerations for attic inlets

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Improving energy efficiency and environmental control in poultry facilities is essential for profitability. Increases in energy costs have prompted evaluation of solar energy systems and passive solar systems such as attic inlets have been adopted as a means to reduce fuel usage. Successful implem...

Lean energy analysis of CNC lathe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liana, N. A.; Amsyar, N.; Hilmy, I.; Yusof, MD

2018-01-01

The industrial sector in Malaysia is one of the main sectors that have high percentage of energy demand compared to other sector and this problem may lead to the future power shortage and increasing the production cost of a company. Suitable initiatives should be implemented by the industrial sectors to solve the issues such as by improving the machining system. In the past, the majority of the energy consumption in industry focus on lighting, HVAC and office section usage. Future trend, manufacturing process is also considered to be included in the energy analysis. A study on Lean Energy Analysis in a machining process is presented. Improving the energy efficiency in a lathe machine by enhancing the cutting parameters of turning process is discussed. Energy consumption of a lathe machine was analyzed in order to identify the effect of cutting parameters towards energy consumption. It was found that the combination of parameters for third run (spindle speed: 1065 rpm, depth of cut: 1.5 mm, feed rate: 0.3 mm/rev) was the most preferred and ideal to be used during the turning machining process as it consumed less energy usage.

Usage patterns and adverse experiences in traditional Korean medicine: results of a survey in South Korea

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Although traditional medicine (TM) in South Korea is included in the national health care system, it is considered complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and not mainstream medicine. Therefore, the lack of statistical data regarding the usage and adverse experiences of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) makes difficult to understand the current status of TM. In this study, we aimed to report usage patterns and adverse experiences on TKM targeting consumers in South Korea. Methods A total of 2000 consumers participated in the survey on usage and adverse experiences in 2008. Among the 2,000 participants, 915 (45.8%) had taken herbal medicine or received traditional medicinal therapies; these individuals were further surveyed on the internet or in an interview. Results The usage rate was higher among women and among patients in their 30s. Of the total TKM usage, acupuncture accounted for 36.7%, and herbal medicine accounted for 13.4%. Regarding the frequency of use of TKM, 73.8% of patients reported using TM less than 5 times in 1 year. Of the 915 respondents, 8.2% of individuals had some type of adverse experience resulting from TKM. Adverse experiences were primarily caused by acupuncture and herbal medicines, and they primarily involved diseases of the digestive system and skin. The incidence of adverse experiences was less than 3.7% for acupuncture and 3.8% for herbal medicine. Overall, the incidence rate of adverse experiences for TKM for the entire population was 0.04 per 10,000 individuals. Conclusions The medical usage and occurrence of adverse events on TKM should be surveyed periodically, and the statistical trends should be analysed. The disparity between the survey results for traditional herbal medicines and medical practices, and those for the national pharmacovigilance system or academic reports of adverse experiences should be examined. The national pharmacovigilance system must be improved to compensate for the disparities. Policies and regulations are required to enhance the reporting of adverse experiences not only for herbal medicines but also for traditional medicinal therapies. PMID:24289266

Exploring relationships between building and transportation energy use of residents in U.S. metropolitan regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pede, Timothy J.

There is much potential to decrease energy consumption in the U.S. by encouraging compact, centralized development. Although many studies have examined the extent to which built environment and demographic factors are related to household energy use, few have considered both building and transportation energy together. We hypothesized that residents living further from city centers, or urban cores, consume more energy for both purposes than their inner city counterparts, resulting in a direct relationship between building and transportation energy usage. This hypothesis was tested with two case studies. The first focused on New York City. Annual building energy per unit of parcels, or tax lots, containing large multi-family structures was compared to the daily transportation energy use per household of traffic analysis zones (TAZs) (estimated with a regional travel demand model). Transportation energy showed a strong spatial pattern, with distance to urban core explaining 63% of variation in consumption. Building energy use was randomly distributed, resulting in a weak negative correlation with transportation energy. However, both correlation with distance to urban core and transportation energy became significant and positive when portion of detached single-family units for TAZs was used as a proxy for building energy. Structural equation models (SEMs) revealed a direct relationship between log lot depth and both uses of energy, and inverse relationship between portion of attached housing units and transportation energy. This supports the notion that sprawling development increases both the building and transportation energy consumption of households. For the second analysis, annual building and automobile energy use per household were estimated for block groups across the 50 most populous U.S. metropolitan regions with Esri Consumer Expenditure Data. Both forms of energy consumption per household were lowest in inner cities and increased at greater distances from urban cores. Although there may be some error in estimates from modeled expenditure data, characteristics associated with lower energy use, such as portion of attached housing units and commuters that utilize transit or pedestrian modes, were negatively correlated with distance to urban core. Overall, this work suggests there are spatial patterns to household energy consumption, with households further from urban cores using more building and transportation energy. There is the greatest gain in efficiency to be had by suburban residents.

Usage of Plant Food Supplements across Six European Countries: Findings from the PlantLIBRA Consumer Survey

PubMed Central

Garcia-Alvarez, Alicia; Egan, Bernadette; de Klein, Simone; Dima, Lorena; Maggi, Franco M.; Isoniemi, Merja; Ribas-Barba, Lourdes; Raats, Monique M.; Meissner, Eva Melanie; Badea, Mihaela; Bruno, Flavia; Salmenhaara, Maija; Milà-Villarroel, Raimon; Knaze, Viktoria; Hodgkins, Charo; Marculescu, Angela; Uusitalo, Liisa; Restani, Patrizia; Serra-Majem, Lluís

2014-01-01

Background The popularity of botanical products is on the rise in Europe, with consumers using them to complement their diets or to maintain health, and products are taken in many different forms (e.g. teas, juices, herbal medicinal products, plant food supplements (PFS)). However there is a scarcity of data on the usage of such products at European level. Objective To provide an overview of the characteristics and usage patterns of PFS consumers in six European countries. Design Data on PFS usage were collected in a cross-sectional, retrospective survey of PFS consumers using a bespoke frequency of PFS usage questionnaire. Subjects/setting A total sample of 2359 adult PFS consumers from Finland, Germany, Italy, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom. Data analyses Descriptive analyses were conducted, with all data stratified by gender, age, and country. Absolute frequencies, percentages and 95% confidence intervals are reported. Results Overall, an estimated 18.8% of screened survey respondents used at least one PFS. Characteristics of PFS consumers included being older, well-educated, never having smoked and self-reporting health status as “good or very good”. Across countries, 491 different botanicals were identified in the PFS products used, with Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo), Oenothera biennis (Evening primrose) and Cynara scolymus (Artichoke) being most frequently reported; the most popular dose forms were capsules and pills/tablets. Most consumers used one product and half of all users took single-botanical products. Some results varied across countries. Conclusions The PlantLIBRA consumer survey is unique in reporting on usage patterns of PFS consumers in six European countries. The survey highlights the complexity of measuring the intake of such products, particularly at pan-European level. Incorporating measures of the intake of botanicals in national dietary surveys would provide much-needed data for comprehensive risk and benefit assessments at the European level. PMID:24642692

Geospatial Estimates of Road Salt Usage Across a Gradient of Urbanizing Watersheds in Southern Ontario:Thesis for Masters in Spatial Analysis (MSA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giberson, G. K.; Oswald, C.

2015-12-01

In areas affected by snow, chloride (Cl) salts are widely used as a de-icing agent to improve road conditions. While the improvement in road safety is indisputable, there are environmental consequences to local aquatic ecosystems. In many waterways, Cl concentrations have been increasing since the early 1990s, often exceeding national water quality guidelines. To determine the quantity of Cl that is accumulating in urban and urbanizing watersheds, accurate estimates of road salt usage at the watershed-scale are needed. The complex jurisdictional control over road salt application in southern Ontario lends itself to a geospatial approach for calculating Cl inputs to improve the accuracy of watershed-scale Cl mass balance estimates. This study will develop a geospatial protocol for combining information on road salt applications and road network areas to refine watershed-scale Cl inputs, as well as assess spatiotemporal patterns in road salt application across the southern Ontario study region. The overall objective of this project is to use geospatial methods (predominantly ArcGIS) to develop high-accuracy estimates of road salt usage in urbanizing watersheds in southern Ontario. Specifically, the aims will be to map and summarize the types and areas ("lane-lengths") of roadways in each watershed that have road salt applied to them, to determine the most appropriate source(s) of road salt usage data for each watershed, taking into consideration multiple levels of jurisdiction (e.g. municipal, regional, provincial), to calculate and summarize sub-watershed and watershed-scale road salt usage estimates for multiple years, and to analyze intra-watershed spatiotemporal patterns of road salt usage, especially focusing on impervious surfaces. These analyses will recommend areas of concern exacerbated by high-levels of road salt distribution; recommendations around modifying on-the-ground operations will be the next step in helping to correct these issues.

Energy Tracking in Classrooms - A Real Time Experiment with Grade 5 Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lam, H. M.; Ho, F.

2015-12-01

ISF Academy, a K-G12 school in Hong Kong with over 1500 students and currently spanning 3 buildings, is retrofitting the school with an energy tracking system in three phases. The first phase during the fall of 2015 will include retrofitting eight Grade 5 classrooms. This new program will show the daily energy usage data from these classrooms. The Grade 5 students receive feedback on their energy use in real time as they compete over two months in their homeroom classes to lower their electrical use, and subsequently their carbon footprint. This competition style initiative will teach the 180 Grade 5 students about their energy usage in a fun and informative manner. ISF Academy has over 400 air-conditioners and we have already determined that the air conditioners are the largest single use of energy in the school. The energy tracking system installed and maintained by from Global Design Corporation utilizes uniquely identified current detectors attached to circuit breakers, to monitor electrical use of individual circuits. These detectors will also monitor the energy used for classroom lighting, fans and plugs, as well as the air conditioners. The system has been installed and the Grade 5 classrooms averaged between 40 kWh and 120 kWh of usage in May 2015. This data will be used as the baseline for the competition. Further analysis can also be done with the data, such as calculating the carbon emissions reduction throughout the school year, providing possible class learning activities and also aiding in future energy use and carbon footprint predictions. The data collected will help refine phase 2 and 3 of the installation, expanding the system to more buildings and also giving insight to the rollout of the system to the whole school when the systems are fully in place.

Energy Theft in the Advanced Metering Infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLaughlin, Stephen; Podkuiko, Dmitry; McDaniel, Patrick

Global energy generation and delivery systems are transitioning to a new computerized "smart grid". One of the principle components of the smart grid is an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). AMI replaces the analog meters with computerized systems that report usage over digital communication interfaces, e.g., phone lines. However, with this infrastructure comes new risk. In this paper, we consider adversary means of defrauding the electrical grid by manipulating AMI systems. We document the methods adversaries will use to attempt to manipulate energy usage data, and validate the viability of these attacks by performing penetration testing on commodity devices. Through these activities, we demonstrate that not only is theft still possible in AMI systems, but that current AMI devices introduce a myriad of new vectors for achieving it.

A study on PubMed search tag usage pattern: association rule mining of a full-day PubMed query log.

PubMed

Mosa, Abu Saleh Mohammad; Yoo, Illhoi

2013-01-09

The practice of evidence-based medicine requires efficient biomedical literature search such as PubMed/MEDLINE. Retrieval performance relies highly on the efficient use of search field tags. The purpose of this study was to analyze PubMed log data in order to understand the usage pattern of search tags by the end user in PubMed/MEDLINE search. A PubMed query log file was obtained from the National Library of Medicine containing anonymous user identification, timestamp, and query text. Inconsistent records were removed from the dataset and the search tags were extracted from the query texts. A total of 2,917,159 queries were selected for this study issued by a total of 613,061 users. The analysis of frequent co-occurrences and usage patterns of the search tags was conducted using an association mining algorithm. The percentage of search tag usage was low (11.38% of the total queries) and only 2.95% of queries contained two or more tags. Three out of four users used no search tag and about two-third of them issued less than four queries. Among the queries containing at least one tagged search term, the average number of search tags was almost half of the number of total search terms. Navigational search tags are more frequently used than informational search tags. While no strong association was observed between informational and navigational tags, six (out of 19) informational tags and six (out of 29) navigational tags showed strong associations in PubMed searches. The low percentage of search tag usage implies that PubMed/MEDLINE users do not utilize the features of PubMed/MEDLINE widely or they are not aware of such features or solely depend on the high recall focused query translation by the PubMed's Automatic Term Mapping. The users need further education and interactive search application for effective use of the search tags in order to fulfill their biomedical information needs from PubMed/MEDLINE.

A Study on Pubmed Search Tag Usage Pattern: Association Rule Mining of a Full-day Pubmed Query Log

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The practice of evidence-based medicine requires efficient biomedical literature search such as PubMed/MEDLINE. Retrieval performance relies highly on the efficient use of search field tags. The purpose of this study was to analyze PubMed log data in order to understand the usage pattern of search tags by the end user in PubMed/MEDLINE search. Methods A PubMed query log file was obtained from the National Library of Medicine containing anonymous user identification, timestamp, and query text. Inconsistent records were removed from the dataset and the search tags were extracted from the query texts. A total of 2,917,159 queries were selected for this study issued by a total of 613,061 users. The analysis of frequent co-occurrences and usage patterns of the search tags was conducted using an association mining algorithm. Results The percentage of search tag usage was low (11.38% of the total queries) and only 2.95% of queries contained two or more tags. Three out of four users used no search tag and about two-third of them issued less than four queries. Among the queries containing at least one tagged search term, the average number of search tags was almost half of the number of total search terms. Navigational search tags are more frequently used than informational search tags. While no strong association was observed between informational and navigational tags, six (out of 19) informational tags and six (out of 29) navigational tags showed strong associations in PubMed searches. Conclusions The low percentage of search tag usage implies that PubMed/MEDLINE users do not utilize the features of PubMed/MEDLINE widely or they are not aware of such features or solely depend on the high recall focused query translation by the PubMed’s Automatic Term Mapping. The users need further education and interactive search application for effective use of the search tags in order to fulfill their biomedical information needs from PubMed/MEDLINE. PMID:23302604

Di-codon Usage for Gene Classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Minh N.; Ma, Jianmin; Fogel, Gary B.; Rajapakse, Jagath C.

Classification of genes into biologically related groups facilitates inference of their functions. Codon usage bias has been described previously as a potential feature for gene classification. In this paper, we demonstrate that di-codon usage can further improve classification of genes. By using both codon and di-codon features, we achieve near perfect accuracies for the classification of HLA molecules into major classes and sub-classes. The method is illustrated on 1,841 HLA sequences which are classified into two major classes, HLA-I and HLA-II. Major classes are further classified into sub-groups. A binary SVM using di-codon usage patterns achieved 99.95% accuracy in the classification of HLA genes into major HLA classes; and multi-class SVM achieved accuracy rates of 99.82% and 99.03% for sub-class classification of HLA-I and HLA-II genes, respectively. Furthermore, by combining codon and di-codon usages, the prediction accuracies reached 100%, 99.82%, and 99.84% for HLA major class classification, and for sub-class classification of HLA-I and HLA-II genes, respectively.

Illicit drugs and pharmaceuticals in the environment--forensic applications of environmental data. Part 1: Estimation of the usage of drugs in local communities.

PubMed

Kasprzyk-Hordern, Barbara; Dinsdale, Richard M; Guwy, Alan J

2009-06-01

Pharmaceuticals and recently also illicit drugs have been recognised as emerging environmental contaminants due to their potential environmental impact: frequent occurrence, persistence and risk to aquatic life and humans. This manuscript is part one of the two-part study aiming to provide a better understanding and application of environmental data not only for environmental aims but also to meet forensic objectives. An attempt to use wastewater data is made in order to verify patterns of the usage of drugs (in particular illicit) in local communities. The average usage of cocaine in South Wales was estimated at 0.9 g day(-1) 1000 people(-1), which equals 1 tonne of this drug used or disposed of to sewage annually in Wales. The calculated usage of amphetamine denoted 2.5 g day(-1) 1000 people(-1) and is suspected to be an overestimate. Because no analysis of enantiomers of amphetamine was undertaken, no distinction between amphetamine's legal and illicit usage could be made.

Energy for Survival: The Alternative to Extinction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Wilson

The author initially describes the basic physical principles associated with energy and the rise of energy usage in the United States. Also discussed are the ways energy limits growth and its use in various sectors of society. It is suggested that the decentralization of America's electrical system will save a great deal of energy. A variety of…

Impact of an Onsite Clinic on Utilization of Preventive Services.

PubMed

Ostovari, Mina; Yu, Denny; Yih, Yuehwern; Steele-Morris, Charlotte Joy

2017-07-01

To assess impact of an onsite clinic on healthcare utilization of preventive services for employees of a public university and their dependents. Descriptive statistics, logistic regression and classification tree techniques were used to assess health claim data to identify changes in patterns of healthcare utilization and factors impacting usage of onsite clinic. Utilization of preventive services significantly increased for women and men employees by 9% and 14% one year after implementation of the onsite clinic. Hourly-paid employees, employees without diabetes, employees with spouse opt out or no coverage were more likely to go to the onsite clinic. Adapted framework for assessing performance of onsite clinics based on usage of health informatics would help to identify health utilization patterns and interaction between onsite clinic and offsite health providers.

HOOPER BAY HOUSING ANALYSIS AND ENERGY FEASIBILITY REPORT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

SEA LION CORPORATION; COLD CLIMATE HOUSING RESEARCH CENTER; SOLUTIONS FOR HEALTHY BREATHING

2012-12-30

Sea Lion applied for and received a grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) towards this end titled Energy Efficiency Development and Deployment in Indian Country. The initial objectives of the Hooper Bay Energy Efficiency Feasibility Study were to demonstrate a 30% reduction in residential/commercial energy usage and identify the economic benefits of implementing energy efficiency measures to the Tribe through: (1) partnering with Whitney Construction and Solutions for Healthy Breathing in the training and hire of 2 local energy assessors to conduct energy audits of 9 representative housing models and 2 commercial units in the community. These homes aremore » representative of 52 homes constructed across different eras. (2) partnering with Cold Climate Housing Research Center to document current electrical and heating energy consumption and analyze data for a final feasibility report (3) assessing the economics of electricity & heating fuel usage; (4) projecting energy savings or fossil fuel reduction by modeling of improvement scenarios and cost feasibility The following two objectives will be completed after the publication of this report: (5) the development of materials lists for energy efficiency improvements (6) identifying financing options for the follow-up energy efficiency implementation phase.« less

Frequency and longitudinal trends of household care product use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moran, Rebecca E.; Bennett, Deborah H.; Tancredi, Daniel J.; Wu, Xiangmei (May); Ritz, Beate; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva

2012-08-01

The use of household cleaning products and air fresheners exposes people to a variety of chemicals, including some that have been shown to be irritants, potential carcinogens and endocrine disrupting compounds. In addition, some react with ambient ozone infiltrating to the indoor environment to form potentially toxic secondary pollutants. Although realistic estimates of usage patterns are necessary for modeling potential exposures in risk assessments, few studies have documented cleaning habits and product usage to characterize how they vary between households and over time. In addition, understanding within-household temporal variability of use is important to assess the reliability of exposure questionnaires used in epidemiological surveys and improve the cost-efficiency of data collection. In the SUPERB (Study of Use of Products and Exposure-Related Behavior) study, frequencies of use of eight types of household cleaning products and air fresheners and the performance of different types of cleaning tasks are collected in three annual telephone and six quarterly web-based surveys. All-purpose and glass cleaners were the products most frequently used among all products surveyed. Use frequencies differed by demographic and other household characteristics for some products. Product usage was internally consistent, with over 75% of pairwise cross-sectional correlations between product types statistically significantly different from zero. In addition, each product type was correlated with at least one cleaning habit. Frequency of cleaning product use and performing cleaning tasks did not vary by season. An examination of intra-household variability showed moderately to highly consistent usage patterns over time, with lower temporal consistency observed among products used more frequently, such as all-purpose cleaners. Frequency of household care product usage was consistent enough that in epidemiologic studies, participants can be classified, for example, into three categories on the basis of a single assessment, with only minimal misclassification.

Energy Saving and GHG Emission Reduction in a Micro-CCHP System by Use of Solar Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ion, Ion V.; Ciocea, Gheorghe; Popescu, Florin

2012-12-01

In this work, the reduction of greenhouse gas emission, and the energy saving by integrating solar collectors and photovoltaic panels in a Stirling engine based microcombined cooling, heating and power (mCCHP) system are studied. The mCCHP system consists of a natural gas Stirling CHP and an adsorber chiller. When the thermal outputs of the Stirling CHP and solar collectors are not sufficient to cover the heat demand for domestic hot water (DHW), heating/cooling, an auxiliary heating boiler starts to operate. The energy saving by using solar energy varies from 13.35% in December to 59.62% in April, in the case of solar collectors usage and from 7.47% in December to 28.27% in July, in the case of photovoltaic panels usage. By using solar energy the annual GHG emission decreases by 31.98% and the fuel cost reduction varies from 12.73% in December to 49.78% in June.

Quadrupedal Robot Locomotion: A Biologically Inspired Approach and Its Hardware Implementation

PubMed Central

Espinal, A.; Rostro-Gonzalez, H.; Carpio, M.; Guerra-Hernandez, E. I.; Ornelas-Rodriguez, M.; Puga-Soberanes, H. J.; Sotelo-Figueroa, M. A.; Melin, P.

2016-01-01

A bioinspired locomotion system for a quadruped robot is presented. Locomotion is achieved by a spiking neural network (SNN) that acts as a Central Pattern Generator (CPG) producing different locomotion patterns represented by their raster plots. To generate these patterns, the SNN is configured with specific parameters (synaptic weights and topologies), which were estimated by a metaheuristic method based on Christiansen Grammar Evolution (CGE). The system has been implemented and validated on two robot platforms; firstly, we tested our system on a quadruped robot and, secondly, on a hexapod one. In this last one, we simulated the case where two legs of the hexapod were amputated and its locomotion mechanism has been changed. For the quadruped robot, the control is performed by the spiking neural network implemented on an Arduino board with 35% of resource usage. In the hexapod robot, we used Spartan 6 FPGA board with only 3% of resource usage. Numerical results show the effectiveness of the proposed system in both cases. PMID:27436997

Quadrupedal Robot Locomotion: A Biologically Inspired Approach and Its Hardware Implementation.

PubMed

Espinal, A; Rostro-Gonzalez, H; Carpio, M; Guerra-Hernandez, E I; Ornelas-Rodriguez, M; Puga-Soberanes, H J; Sotelo-Figueroa, M A; Melin, P

2016-01-01

A bioinspired locomotion system for a quadruped robot is presented. Locomotion is achieved by a spiking neural network (SNN) that acts as a Central Pattern Generator (CPG) producing different locomotion patterns represented by their raster plots. To generate these patterns, the SNN is configured with specific parameters (synaptic weights and topologies), which were estimated by a metaheuristic method based on Christiansen Grammar Evolution (CGE). The system has been implemented and validated on two robot platforms; firstly, we tested our system on a quadruped robot and, secondly, on a hexapod one. In this last one, we simulated the case where two legs of the hexapod were amputated and its locomotion mechanism has been changed. For the quadruped robot, the control is performed by the spiking neural network implemented on an Arduino board with 35% of resource usage. In the hexapod robot, we used Spartan 6 FPGA board with only 3% of resource usage. Numerical results show the effectiveness of the proposed system in both cases.

The impact of library services in primary care trusts in NHS North West England: a large-scale retrospective quantitative study of online resource usage in relation to types of service.

PubMed

Bell, Katherine; Glover, Steven William; Brodie, Colin; Roberts, Anne; Gleghorn, Colette

2009-06-01

Within NHS North West England there are 24 primary care trusts (PCTs), all with access to different types of library services. This study aims to evaluate the impact the type of library service has on online resource usage. We conducted a large-scale retrospective quantitative study across all PCT staff in NHS NW England using Athens sessions log data. We studied the Athens log usage of 30,381 staff, with 8,273 active Athens accounts and 100,599 sessions from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2007. In 2007, PCTs with outreach librarians achieved 43% penetration of staff with active Athens accounts compared with PCTs with their own library service (28.23%); PCTs with service level agreements (SLAs) with acute hospital library services (22.5%) and with no library service (19.68%). This pattern was also observed when we looked at the average number of Athens user sessions per person, and usage of Dialog Datastar databases and Proquest full text journal collections. Our findings have shown a correlation of e-resource usage and type of library service. Outreach librarians have proved to be an efficient model for promoting and driving up resources usage. PCTs with no library service have shown the lowest level of resource usage.

2012 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey: Energy Usage Summary

EIA Publications

2016-01-01

EIA has released summary tables providing energy consumption estimates from the 2012 CBECS. The data show that despite a 14% increase in total buildings and a 22% increase in total floorspace since 2003, energy use in the estimated 5.6 million U.S. commercial buildings was up just 7% during the same period.

Energy management: total program considers all building's systems.

PubMed

Blan, G J; Browne, K H

1978-09-16

Managing energy consumption, containing fuel usage, and preparing for alternate fuel sources are immediate areas for concern and action for all health care providers. The authors describe how they are meeting the challenge of increased energy costs and reduced availability while maintaining high-quality care by applying the concept of total energy management.

Student Use of Energy Concepts from Physics in Chemistry Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagel, Megan L.; Lindsey, Beth A.

2015-01-01

This paper describes an interdisciplinary investigation of students' usage of ideas about energy from physics in the context of introductory chemistry. We focus on student understanding of the idea that potential energy is a function of distance between interacting objects, a concept relevant to understanding potential energy in both physical and…

Design and Implementation of a Wireless Sensor and Actuator Network to Support the Intelligent Control of Efficient Energy Usage.

PubMed

Blanco, Jesús; García, Andrés; Morenas, Javier de Las

2018-06-09

Energy saving has become a major concern for the developed society of our days. This paper presents a Wireless Sensor and Actuator Network (WSAN) designed to provide support to an automatic intelligent system, based on the Internet of Things (IoT), which enables a responsible consumption of energy. The proposed overall system performs an efficient energetic management of devices, machines and processes, optimizing their operation to achieve a reduction in their overall energy usage at any given time. For this purpose, relevant data is collected from intelligent sensors, which are in-stalled at the required locations, as well as from the energy market through the Internet. This information is analysed to provide knowledge about energy utilization, and to improve efficiency. The system takes autonomous decisions automatically, based on the available information and the specific requirements in each case. The proposed system has been implanted and tested in a food factory. Results show a great optimization of energy efficiency and a substantial improvement on energy and costs savings.

Patterns of Mobile Technology Use in Teaching: The Teacher Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seifert, Tami

2016-01-01

The use of mobile learning spaces is an opportunity to break the boundaries of the classroom and to prepare teacher-educators and pre-service teachers for future school classes. The purpose of this study is to examine the implementation of mobile technology and usage patterns in the mobile technology space among lecturers in a teacher education…

Patterns of Drug Use Among College Students. A Preliminary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mizner, George L.; And Others

Initial data from a survey of drug usage among college students was presented. A large-scale effort was made to produce reliable figures on: (1) drug use patterns; (2) attitudes toward drug use; and (3) incidence of drug use among college students. Questionnaires were answered by 26,000 college students from the Denver-Boulder area, who were…

A Survey of Student Alcohol Use at West Chester State College--Societal Factors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weislogel, Louis F.

Patterns of alcohol usage and related behavior of students at West Chester State College were detemined from a survey of 177 resident students enrolled during the 1978 spring semester. A 34-item questionnaire was used and drinking patterns in terms of preference, frequency, and amount were statistically analyzed in relationship to sex and class…

An Analysis of Disability, Academic Performance, and Seeking Support in One University Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dong, Shengli; Lucas, Margaretha S.

2016-01-01

This study focused on the academic performance and use of disability support services (DSS) of students with different types of disabilities who attend a postsecondary education institution. Findings show different patterns of academic success over four semesters as well as different patterns of DSS usage. Students who requested support from DSS…

The Future of American Power: Energy and National Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-17

8 What does it all mean ? .................................................................................................................. 11...renewable energy generation and usage within the United States. What does it all mean ? The United States must prepare for a future where the use of

Green Chemistry Challenge: 2017 Small Business Award

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Green Chemistry Challenge 2017 award winner, UniEnergy,improved a vanadium redox flow battery to double the energy density, have a broader operating temperature range, a smaller footprint, reduced chemical usage, and very little capacity degradation.

Environmental Performance of Kettle Production: Product Life Cycle Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcinkowski, Andrzej; Zych, Krzysztof

2017-12-01

The main objective of this paper is to compare the environmental impact caused by two different types of water boiling processes. The aim was achieved thanks to product life cycle assessment (LCA) conducted for stovetop and electric kettles. A literature review was carried out. A research model was worked out on the basis of data available in literature as well as additional experiments. In order to have a better opportunity to compare LCA results with reviewed literature, eco-indicator 99 assessment method was chosen. The functional unit included production, usage and waste disposal of each product (according to from cradle to grave approach) where the main function is boiling 3360 l of water during 4-year period of time. A very detailed life cycle inventory was carried out. The mass of components was determined with accuracy of three decimal places (0.001 g). The majority of environmental impact is caused by electricity or natural gas consumption during usage stage: 92% in case of the electric and kettle and 99% in case of stovetop one. Assembly stage contributed in 7% and 0.8% respectively. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses took into consideration various waste scenario patterns as well as demand for transport. Environmental impact turned out to be strongly sensitive to a chosen pattern of energy delivery (electricity mix) which determined final comparison results. Basing on LCA results, some improvements of products were suggested. The boiling time optimization was pointed out for electric kettle's efficiency improvement. Obtained results can be used by manufacturers in order to improve their eco-effectiveness. Moreover, conclusions following the research part can influence the future choices of home appliances users.

Energy, Society, and Education, with Emphasis on Educational Technology Policy for K-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chedid, Loutfallah Georges

2005-01-01

This paper begins by examining the profound impact of energy usage on our lives, and on every major sector of the economy. Then, the anticipated US energy needs by the year 2025 are presented based on the Department of Energy's projections. The paper considers the much-touted National Energy Policy Report, and identifies a major flaw where the…

Type 2 Diabetes Risk Alleles Demonstrate Extreme Directional Differentiation among Human Populations, Compared to Other Diseases

PubMed Central

Chen, Rong; Corona, Erik; Sikora, Martin; Dudley, Joel T.; Morgan, Alex A.; Moreno-Estrada, Andres; Nilsen, Geoffrey B.; Ruau, David; Lincoln, Stephen E.; Bustamante, Carlos D.; Butte, Atul J.

2012-01-01

Many disease-susceptible SNPs exhibit significant disparity in ancestral and derived allele frequencies across worldwide populations. While previous studies have examined population differentiation of alleles at specific SNPs, global ethnic patterns of ensembles of disease risk alleles across human diseases are unexamined. To examine these patterns, we manually curated ethnic disease association data from 5,065 papers on human genetic studies representing 1,495 diseases, recording the precise risk alleles and their measured population frequencies and estimated effect sizes. We systematically compared the population frequencies of cross-ethnic risk alleles for each disease across 1,397 individuals from 11 HapMap populations, 1,064 individuals from 53 HGDP populations, and 49 individuals with whole-genome sequences from 10 populations. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) demonstrated extreme directional differentiation of risk allele frequencies across human populations, compared with null distributions of European-frequency matched control genomic alleles and risk alleles for other diseases. Most T2D risk alleles share a consistent pattern of decreasing frequencies along human migration into East Asia. Furthermore, we show that these patterns contribute to disparities in predicted genetic risk across 1,397 HapMap individuals, T2D genetic risk being consistently higher for individuals in the African populations and lower in the Asian populations, irrespective of the ethnicity considered in the initial discovery of risk alleles. We observed a similar pattern in the distribution of T2D Genetic Risk Scores, which are associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes in the Diabetes Prevention Program cohort, for the same individuals. This disparity may be attributable to the promotion of energy storage and usage appropriate to environments and inconsistent energy intake. Our results indicate that the differential frequencies of T2D risk alleles may contribute to the observed disparity in T2D incidence rates across ethnic populations. PMID:22511877

Maximizing freight movements in local food markets.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-09-01

The past several years have seen a rising interest in all things sustainable, from energy efficient homes and vehicles, to alternative : energy sources, to increasing focus on recyclable and renewable material usage. This trend has also been accompan...

Improving urban district heating systems and assessing the efficiency of the energy usage therein

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlov, M. E.; Sharapov, V. I.

2017-11-01

The report describes issues in connection with improving urban district heating systems from combined heat power plants (CHPs), to propose the ways for improving the reliability and the efficiency of the energy usage (often referred to as “energy efficiency”) in such systems. The main direction of such urban district heating systems improvement suggests transition to combined heating systems that include structural elements of both centralized and decentralized systems. Such systems provide the basic part of thermal power via highly efficient methods for extracting thermal power plants turbines steam, while peak loads are covered by decentralized peak thermal power sources to be mounted at consumers’ locations, with the peak sources being also reserve thermal power sources. The methodology was developed for assessing energy efficiency of the combined district heating systems, implemented as a computer software product capable of comparatively calculating saving on reference fuel for the system.

Ban on advertising promoting energy usage violates First Amendment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cohen, J.C.

In reversing the New York Court of Appeals in the Central Hudson Gas suit, the Supreme Court expanded the protection afforded commercial speech. The result could have a major impact on means used to achieve policy objectives of national and state energy conservation. Public utility commissions attempting to limit the growth of energy usage may have to devise stringent economic regulations that directly affect the marketplace and consumer alternatives. This might require an expansion of the statutory powers of public utility commissions. The Court's decision will require public utility commissions to either adopt regulations that restrict the content and formatmore » of utility speech or allocate costs to utility shareholders of impermissible advertising. Otherwise, a utility's unbridled ability to speak, given the economic power of such enterprises and their economic interest, could totally undermine the credibility of national and state energy-conservation policy. 12 references.« less

Sacramento Municipal Utility District PV and Smart Grid Pilot at Anatolia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rawson, Mark; Sanchez, Eddie Paul

2013-12-30

Under DE-FOA-0000085 High Penetration Solar Deployment, the U. S. Department of Energy funded agreements with SMUD and Navigant Consulting, SunPower, GridPoint, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the California Energy Commission for this pilot demonstration project. Funding was $5,962,409.00. Cost share of $500,000 was also provided by the California Energy Commission. The project has strategic implications for SMUD, other utilities and the PV and energy-storage industries in business and resource planning, technology deployment and asset management. These implications include: -At this point, no dominant business models have emerged and the industry is open for new ideas. -Demonstrated two business modelsmore » for using distributed PV and energy storage, and brainstormed several dozen more, each with different pros and cons for SMUD, its customers and the industry. -Energy storage can be used to manage high penetrations of PV and mitigate potential issues such as reverse power flow, voltage control violations, power quality issues, increased wear and tear on utility equipment, and system wide power supply issues. - Smart meters are another tool utilities can use to manage high penetrations of PV. The necessary equipment and protocols exist, and the next step is to determine how to integrate the functionality with utility programs and what level of utility control is required. - Time-of-use rates for the residential customers who hosted energy storage systems did not cause a significant change in energy usage patterns. However, the rates we used were not optimized for PV and energy storage. Opportunities exist for utilities to develop new structures.« less

Codon Usage Patterns of Tyrosinase Genes in Clonorchis sinensis.

PubMed

Bae, Young-An

2017-04-01

Codon usage bias (CUB) is a unique property of genomes and has contributed to the better understanding of the molecular features and the evolution processes of particular gene. In this study, genetic indices associated with CUB, including relative synonymous codon usage and effective numbers of codons, as well as the nucleotide composition, were investigated in the Clonorchis sinensis tyrosinase genes and their platyhelminth orthologs, which play an important role in the eggshell formation. The relative synonymous codon usage patterns substantially differed among tyrosinase genes examined. In a neutrality analysis, the correlation between GC 12 and GC 3 was statistically significant, and the regression line had a relatively gradual slope (0.218). NC-plot, i.e., GC 3 vs effective number of codons (ENC), showed that most of the tyrosinase genes were below the expected curve. The codon adaptation index (CAI) values of the platyhelminth tyrosinases had a narrow distribution between 0.685/0.714 and 0.797/0.837, and were negatively correlated with their ENC. Taken together, these results suggested that CUB in the tyrosinase genes seemed to be basically governed by selection pressures rather than mutational bias, although the latter factor provided an additional force in shaping CUB of the C. sinensis and Opisthorchis viverrini genes. It was also apparent that the equilibrium point between selection pressure and mutational bias is much more inclined to selection pressure in highly expressed C. sinensis genes, than in poorly expressed genes.

In Their Own Words: Interviews with Musicians Reveal the Advantages and Disadvantages of Wearing Earplugs.

PubMed

Beach, Elizabeth F; O'Brien, Ian

2017-06-01

Musicians are at risk of hearing loss from sound exposure, and earplugs form part of many musicians' hearing conservation practices. Although musicians typically report a range of difficulties when wearing earplugs, there are many who have managed to successfully incorporate earplugs into their practice of music. The study aim was to provide a detailed account of earplug usage from the perspective of the musician, including motivating factors, practical strategies, and attitudes. In-depth interviews with 23 musicians were transcribed and content analysis was performed. Responses were coded and classified into three main themes: advantages, disadvantages, and usage patterns and strategies, together with an overlapping fourth theme, youth perspectives. Several positive aspects of wearing earplugs were identified, including long-term hearing protection and reduced levels of fatigue and pain. Musicians reported that earplugs present few problems for communication, improve sound clarity in ensembles, are discreet, and are easy to handle. However, earplugs also present challenges, including an overall dullness of sound, reduced immediacy, and an impaired ability to judge balance and intonation due to the occlusion effect, all of which influence usage habits and patterns. The experiences of the younger musicians and long-term users of earplugs indicate that practice, persistence, and a flexible approach are required for successful earplug usage. In time, there may be greater acceptance of earplugs, particularly amongst a new generation of musicians, some of whom regard the earplugs as a performance enhancement tool as well as a protective device.

16. DETAIL OF FLOOR BEAMS & VERTICAL PIER MEMBERS WITH ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

16. DETAIL OF FLOOR BEAMS & VERTICAL PIER MEMBERS WITH CROSS HATCH PATTERN INDICATING PREVIOUS USAGE OF MATERIALS, VIEW NORTH - Cottrell Road Bridge, Spanning CSX Transportation tracks, Vassar, Tuscola County, MI

Pharmacological, psychological, and patient education interventions for patients with neck pain: results of an international survey.

PubMed

Carlesso, Lisa C; Gross, Anita R; MacDermid, Joy C; Walton, David M; Santaguida, P Lina

2015-01-01

Examination of practice patterns compared to existing evidence identifies knowledge to practice gaps. To describe the utilization of pharmacological, patient education, primary psychological interventions and relaxation therapies in patients with neck pain by clinicians. An international cross-sectional survey was conducted to determine the use of these interventions amongst 326 clinicians treating patients with neck pain. Nineteen countries participated. Results were analyzed by usage amongst physical therapists (39%) and chiropractors (35%), as they were the predominant respondents. Patient education (95%) and relaxation therapies (59%) were the most utilized interventions. Tests of subgroup differences determined that physical therapists used patient education significantly more than chiropractors. Use of medications and primary psychological interventions were reported by most to be outside of scope of practice. The high rate of patient education is consistent with supporting evidence. However, usage of relaxation therapies is contrary to evidence suggesting no benefit for improved pain or function for chronic neck pain. This survey indicates that patient education and relaxation therapies are common treatments provided by chiropractors and physical therapists for patients with neck pain. Future research should address gaps associated with variable practice patterns and knowledge translation to reduce usage of interventions shown to be ineffective.

Dynamic provisioning of local and remote compute resources with OpenStack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giffels, M.; Hauth, T.; Polgart, F.; Quast, G.

2015-12-01

Modern high-energy physics experiments rely on the extensive usage of computing resources, both for the reconstruction of measured events as well as for Monte-Carlo simulation. The Institut fur Experimentelle Kernphysik (EKP) at KIT is participating in both the CMS and Belle experiments with computing and storage resources. In the upcoming years, these requirements are expected to increase due to growing amount of recorded data and the rise in complexity of the simulated events. It is therefore essential to increase the available computing capabilities by tapping into all resource pools. At the EKP institute, powerful desktop machines are available to users. Due to the multi-core nature of modern CPUs, vast amounts of CPU time are not utilized by common desktop usage patterns. Other important providers of compute capabilities are classical HPC data centers at universities or national research centers. Due to the shared nature of these installations, the standardized software stack required by HEP applications cannot be installed. A viable way to overcome this constraint and offer a standardized software environment in a transparent manner is the usage of virtualization technologies. The OpenStack project has become a widely adopted solution to virtualize hardware and offer additional services like storage and virtual machine management. This contribution will report on the incorporation of the institute's desktop machines into a private OpenStack Cloud. The additional compute resources provisioned via the virtual machines have been used for Monte-Carlo simulation and data analysis. Furthermore, a concept to integrate shared, remote HPC centers into regular HEP job workflows will be presented. In this approach, local and remote resources are merged to form a uniform, virtual compute cluster with a single point-of-entry for the user. Evaluations of the performance and stability of this setup and operational experiences will be discussed.

Energy footprint and carbon emission reduction using off-the-grid solar-powered mixing for lagoon treatment.

PubMed

Jiang, Yuyuan; Bebee, Brian; Mendoza, Alvaro; Robinson, Alice K; Zhang, Xiaying; Rosso, Diego

2018-01-01

Mixing is the driver for the energy footprint of water resource recovery in lagoons. With the availability of solar-powered equipment, one potential measure to decrease the environmental impacts of treatment is to transition to an off-the-grid treatment. We studied the comparative scenarios of an existing grid-powered mixer and a solar-powered mixer. Testing was conducted to monitor the water quality, and to guarantee that the effluent concentrations were maintained equally between the two scenarios. Meanwhile, the energy consumption was recorded with the electrical energy monitor by the wastewater treatment utility, and the carbon emission changes were calculated using the emission intensity of the power utility. The results show that after the replacement, both energy usage and energy costs were significantly reduced, with the energy usage having decreased by 70% and its cost by 47%. Additionally, carbon-equivalent emission from electricity importation dropped by 64%, with an effect on the overall carbon emissions (i.e., including all other contributions from the process) decreasing from 3.8% to 1.5%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How to "Kill a Watt" and Save Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massiha, G. H.; Houston, Shelton; Rawat, Kuldeep S.

2011-01-01

Many technology students--and especially those interested in environmental and energy issues--can benefit from learning about power ratings and the energy usage of electrical systems like the electrical equipment and appliances found in most homes. Students enrolled in electronics and construction technology courses learn to determine the power…

Cut Next Winter's Heating Bill Today.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sturgeon, Julie

1999-01-01

Presents specific steps that help make schools energy efficient and cut costs. Four basic strategies are suggested that include creating a database of energy usage that can also catch the occasional billing error, investigating less obvious ways of cutting energy use, such as applying cellulose commercial spray as an insulation choice, and…

Power Play: Calculating Home Electricity Consumption

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roman, Harry T.

2007-01-01

With both energy usage and energy costs rising rapidly, people can benefit from paying closer attention to their consumption of energy. Students can gain greater awareness of their personal use of electricity and get some excellent experience with the practical application of mathematics by studying their families' consumption of electricity. A…

A Model for Climate Change Adaptation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasqualini, D.; Keating, G. N.

2009-12-01

Climate models predict serious impacts on the western U.S. in the next few decades, including increased temperatures and reduced precipitation. In combination, these changes are linked to profound impacts on fundamental systems, such as water and energy supplies, agriculture, population stability, and the economy. Global and national imperatives for climate change mitigation and adaptation are made actionable at the state level, for instance through greenhouse gas (GHG) emission regulations and incentives for renewable energy sources. However, adaptation occurs at the local level, where energy and water usage can be understood relative to local patterns of agriculture, industry, and culture. In response to the greenhouse gas emission reductions required by California’s Assembly Bill 32 (2006), Sonoma County has committed to sharp emissions reductions across several sectors, including water, energy, and transportation. To assist Sonoma County develop a renewable energy (RE) portfolio to achieve this goal we have developed an integrated assessment model, CLEAR (CLimate-Energy Assessment for Resiliency) model. Building on Sonoma County’s existing baseline studies of energy use, carbon emissions and potential RE sources, the CLEAR model simulates the complex interactions among technology deployment, economics and social behavior. This model enables assessment of these and other components with specific analysis of their coupling and feedbacks because, due to the complex nature of the problem, the interrelated sectors cannot be studied independently. The goal is an approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation that is replicable for use by other interested communities. The model user interfaces helps stakeholders and policymakers understand options for technology implementation.

ENCOURAGING ELECTRICITY SAVINGS IN A UNIVERSITY RESIDENTIAL HALL THROUGH A COMBINATION OF FEEDBACK, VISUAL PROMPTS, AND INCENTIVES

PubMed Central

Bekker, Marthinus J; Cumming, Tania D; Osborne, Nikola K.P; Bruining, Angela M; McClean, Julia I; Leland, Louis S

2010-01-01

This experiment investigated the combined use of visual prompts, daily feedback, and rewards to reduce electricity consumption in a university residential hall. After a 17-day baseline period, the experimental intervention was introduced in the intervention hall, and no change was made in the control hall. Energy usage decreased in the intervention hall, but energy usage did not change appreciably in the control hall. In the intervention hall, mean daytime and nighttime savings were 16.2% and 10.7%, respectively, compared to savings of 3.8% (day) and 6.5% (night) in the control hall. PMID:21119909

Experimental investigation of thermal comfort and air quality in an automobile cabin during the cooling period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilic, M.; Akyol, S. M.

2012-08-01

The air quality and thermal comfort strongly influenced by the heat and mass transfer take place together in an automobile cabin. In this study, it is aimed to investigate and assess the effects of air intake settings (recirculation and fresh air) on the thermal comfort, air quality satisfaction and energy usage during the cooling period of an automobile cabin. For this purpose, measurements (temperature, air velocity, CO2) were performed at various locations inside the cabin. Furthermore, whole body and local responses of the human subjects were noted while skin temperatures were measured. A mathematical model was arranged in order to estimate CO2 concentration and energy usage inside the vehicle cabin and verified with experimental data. It is shown that CO2 level inside of the cabin can be greater than the threshold value recommended for the driving safety if two and more occupants exist in the car. It is also shown that an advanced climate control system may satisfy the requirements for the air quality and thermal comfort as well as to reduce the energy usage for the cooling of a vehicle cabin.

Essays on consequences of economic integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chintrakarn, Pandej

2007-12-01

Economic integration is a term used to describe how different aspects between economies are integrated. As economic integration increases, the barriers of trade between markets diminishes. The most integrated economy today, between independent nations, is the European Union and its euro zone. This dissertation consists of three essays which examine consequences of economic integration. The debate over the environmental consequences of free trade is not only quite heated, but also entails significant policy ramifications. Recently, cross-sectional analysis at the country level has made use of exogenous determinants of trade to identify the causal effect of trade on the environment, finding moderate evidence of a beneficial impact of expanded trade on environmental quality. Given the stakes involved, the first essay revisits this finding using subnational data on 'trade' flows across US states and several measures of pollution. Not only does the analysis shed further light on the debate at the international level, but also addresses a heretofore unexamined question: Does greater inter-regional commerce at the subnational level harm the environment? The findings are striking, providing further evidence against a negative environmental impact of trade for the majority of measures analyzed. However, several sources of heterogeneity arise that are noteworthy. The second essay investigates the effect of the euro on trade among EMU members. Using various semi-nonparametric methods based on matching, the results suggest that the euro has a statistical and economic impact on trade. The results show that two countries sharing the euro currency trade somewhere between 9% and 14% more than other country-pairs. In addition, there is no evidence of trade diversion due to the euro. In one strand of research, analysts examine trends in and the determinants of energy usage and intensity. In a second strand, researchers analyze the impact of trade flows on environmental outcomes. Recently, Cole (2006) bridges this gap, analyzing the impact of trade intensity on energy usage utilizing panel data at the country level. Here, the third essay analyzes the impact of subnational trade flows across U.S. states on state-level energy usage and intensity, controlling for the endogeneity of trade flows. The findings indicate that an expansion of subnational trade at worst has no impact on state-level energy usage, and may actually reduce energy usage (contrary to Cole's country-level findings), although the impacts are not uniform across sectors.

Active trachoma and community use of sanitation, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Oswald, William E; Stewart, Aisha Ep; Kramer, Michael R; Endeshaw, Tekola; Zerihun, Mulat; Melak, Berhanu; Sata, Eshetu; Gessese, Demelash; Teferi, Tesfaye; Tadesse, Zerihun; Guadie, Birhan; King, Jonathan D; Emerson, Paul M; Callahan, Elizabeth K; Flanders, Dana; Moe, Christine L; Clasen, Thomas F

2017-04-01

To investigate, in Amhara, Ethiopia, the association between prevalence of active trachoma among children aged 1-9 years and community sanitation usage. Between 2011 and 2014, prevalence of trachoma and household pit latrine usage were measured in five population-based cross-sectional surveys. Data on observed indicators of latrine use were aggregated into a measure of community sanitation usage calculated as the proportion of households with a latrine in use. All household members were examined for clinical signs, i.e. trachomatous inflammation, follicular and/or intense, indicative of active trachoma. Multilevel logistic regression was used to estimate prevalence odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for community, household and individual factors, and to evaluate modification by household latrine use and water access. In surveyed areas, prevalence of active trachoma among children was estimated to be 29% (95% CI: 28-30) and mean community sanitation usage was 47% (95% CI: 45-48). Despite significant modification (p < 0.0001), no pattern in stratified ORs was detected. Summarizing across strata, community sanitation usage values of 60 to < 80% and ≥ 80% were associated with lower prevalence odds of active trachoma, compared with community sanitation usage of < 20% (OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.57-1.03 and OR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.48-0.95, respectively). In Amhara, Ethiopia, a negative correlation was observed between community sanitation usage and prevalence of active trachoma among children, highlighting the need for continued efforts to encourage higher levels of sanitation usage and to support sustained use throughout the community, not simply at the household level.

The Decline of Gaelic in Northern Scotland, 1698-1901. Discussion Papers in Geolinguistics 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Withers, Charles W. J.

This study examines the changing patterns of usage of Scottish Gaelic and English in the northern Scottish counties of Sutherland and Caithness during the period 1698-1901. The study explores the way these patterns resulted from processes found in different social situations. It is concluded that although the shift from Gaelic to English was not…

Patterns of drug use from adolescence to young adulthood: I. Periods of risk for initiation, continued use, and discontinuation.

PubMed Central

Kandel, D B; Logan, J A

1984-01-01

Patterns of initiation, continued use, and decline in drug use are described on the basis of detailed drug histories in a longitudinal cohort representative of former New York State adolescents. In this cohort, the period of major risk for initiation to cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana, is completed for the most part by age 20, and to illicit drugs other than cocaine by age 21. Those who have not experimented with any of these substances by that age are unlikely to do so thereafter. Initiation into prescribed psychoactive drugs occurs at a later age than for the licit and illicit drugs and continues through the age period covered by the survey. A potential maturational trend in marijuana use in this cohort is apparent with a decline beginning approximately at age 22.5 for most usage patterns. The periods of highest marijuana and alcohol usage decline beginning at ages 20-21 and contrast sharply with cigarettes which exhibit climbing rates of highest use through the end of the surveillance period (age 25). Overall patterns are similar for men and women, with men initiating all drugs at higher rates than women, except for prescribed psychoactives . PMID:6611092

DCDM1: Lessons Learned from the World's Most Energy Efficient Data Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sickinger, David E; Van Geet, Otto D; Carter, Thomas

This presentation discusses the holistic approach to design the world's most energy-efficient data center, which is located at the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). This high-performance computing (HPC) data center has achieved a trailing twelve-month average power usage effectiveness (PUE) of 1.04 and features a chiller-less design, component-level warm-water liquid cooling, and waste heat capture and reuse. We provide details of the demonstrated PUE and energy reuse effectiveness (ERE) and lessons learned during four years of production operation. Recent efforts to dramatically reduce the water footprint will also be discussed. Johnson Controls partnered with NREL andmore » Sandia National Laboratories to deploy a thermosyphon cooler (TSC) as a test bed at NREL's HPC data center that resulted in a 50% reduction in water usage during the first year of operation. The Thermosyphon Cooler Hybrid System (TCHS) integrates the control of a dry heat rejection device with an open cooling tower.« less

Optimal trajectory planning for a UAV glider using atmospheric thermals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kagabo, Wilson B.

An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Glider (UAV glider) uses atmospheric energy in its different forms to remain aloft for extended flight durations. This UAV glider's aim is to extract atmospheric thermal energy and use it to supplement its battery energy usage and increase the mission period. Given an infrared camera identified atmospheric thermal of known strength and location; current wind speed and direction; current battery level; altitude and location of the UAV glider; and estimating the expected altitude gain from the thermal, is it possible to make an energy-efficient based motivation to fly to an atmospheric thermal so as to achieve UAV glider extended flight time? For this work, an infrared thermal camera aboard the UAV glider takes continuous forward-looking ground images of "hot spots". Through image processing a candidate atmospheric thermal strength and location is estimated. An Intelligent Decision Model incorporates this information with the current UAV glider status and weather conditions to provide an energy-based recommendation to modify the flight path of the UAV glider. Research, development, and simulation of the Intelligent Decision Model is the primary focus of this work. Three models are developed: (1) Battery Usage Model, (2) Intelligent Decision Model, and (3) Altitude Gain Model. The Battery Usage Model comes from the candidate flight trajectory, wind speed & direction and aircraft dynamic model. Intelligent Decision Model uses a fuzzy logic based approach. The Altitude Gain Model requires the strength and size of the thermal and is found a priori.

Energy use of televisions and video cassette recorders in the U.S.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meier, Alan; Rosen, Karen

1999-03-01

In an effort to more accurately determine nationwide energy consumption, the U.S. Department of Energy has recently commissioned studies with the goal of improving its understanding of the energy use of appliances in the miscellaneous end-use category. This study presents an estimate of the residential energy consumption of two of the most common domestic appliances in the miscellaneous end-use category: color televisions (TVs) and video cassette recorders (VCRs). The authors used a bottom-up approach in estimating national TV and VCR energy consumption. First, they obtained estimates of stock and usage from national surveys, while TV and VCR power measurements andmore » other data were recorded at repair and retail shops. Industry-supplied shipment and sales distributions were then used to minimize bias in the power measurement samples. To estimate national TV and VCR energy consumption values, ranges of power draw and mode usage were created to represent situations in homes with more than one unit. Average energy use values for homes with one unit, two units, etc. were calculated and summed to provide estimates of total national TV and VCR energy consumption.« less

An Energy-Efficient and Scalable Deep Learning/Inference Processor With Tetra-Parallel MIMD Architecture for Big Data Applications.

PubMed

Park, Seong-Wook; Park, Junyoung; Bong, Kyeongryeol; Shin, Dongjoo; Lee, Jinmook; Choi, Sungpill; Yoo, Hoi-Jun

2015-12-01

Deep Learning algorithm is widely used for various pattern recognition applications such as text recognition, object recognition and action recognition because of its best-in-class recognition accuracy compared to hand-crafted algorithm and shallow learning based algorithms. Long learning time caused by its complex structure, however, limits its usage only in high-cost servers or many-core GPU platforms so far. On the other hand, the demand on customized pattern recognition within personal devices will grow gradually as more deep learning applications will be developed. This paper presents a SoC implementation to enable deep learning applications to run with low cost platforms such as mobile or portable devices. Different from conventional works which have adopted massively-parallel architecture, this work adopts task-flexible architecture and exploits multiple parallelism to cover complex functions of convolutional deep belief network which is one of popular deep learning/inference algorithms. In this paper, we implement the most energy-efficient deep learning and inference processor for wearable system. The implemented 2.5 mm × 4.0 mm deep learning/inference processor is fabricated using 65 nm 8-metal CMOS technology for a battery-powered platform with real-time deep inference and deep learning operation. It consumes 185 mW average power, and 213.1 mW peak power at 200 MHz operating frequency and 1.2 V supply voltage. It achieves 411.3 GOPS peak performance and 1.93 TOPS/W energy efficiency, which is 2.07× higher than the state-of-the-art.

Comparison of codon usage bias across Leishmania and Trypanosomatids to understand mRNA secondary structure, relative protein abundance and pathway functions.

PubMed

Subramanian, Abhishek; Sarkar, Ram Rup

2015-10-01

Understanding the variations in gene organization and its effect on the phenotype across different Leishmania species, and to study differential clinical manifestations of parasite within the host, we performed large scale analysis of codon usage patterns between Leishmania and other known Trypanosomatid species. We present the causes and consequences of codon usage bias in Leishmania genomes with respect to mutational pressure, translational selection and amino acid composition bias. We establish GC bias at wobble position that governs codon usage bias across Leishmania species, rather than amino acid composition bias. We found that, within Leishmania, homogenous codon context coding for less frequent amino acid pairs and codons avoiding formation of folding structures in mRNA are essentially chosen. We predicted putative differences in global expression between genes belonging to specific pathways across Leishmania. This explains the role of evolution in shaping the otherwise conserved genome to demonstrate species-specific function-level differences for efficient survival. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Patterns of Hierarchical Structure in the Medical Lexicon

PubMed Central

Michael, Patricia A.; Cole, William G.; Stewart, James; Blois, Marsden S.

1987-01-01

Concepts in basic and clinical medical science cover a wide range of levels of description, from the subatomic level to the level of the patient as a whole. Medical language may have usage regularities consistent with this hierarchical nature of medical knowledge. Preliminary studies of word occurrence in abstracts drawn from three medical journals representing three broadly defined levels of description (chemical system, physiologic system, and patient as a whole) demonstrated a nonuniform word usage, with many words unique to one or another journal. In this present study, word occurrence was examined in an expanded pool of medical text consisting of sixteen textbooks representing ten different levels of description: atom/ion, micromolecule, macromolecule, organelle, cell, tissue, organ, physiologic system, major body part (or multiple physiologic systems) and patient as a whole. Word usage was found to be nonuniform, with many words unique to specific levels. The presence of such usage regularities may provide a basis for facilitating the automatic classification and retrieval of medical text.

Benchmarking of hospital information systems: Monitoring of discharge letters and scheduling can reveal heterogeneities and time trends

PubMed Central

Dugas, Martin; Eckholt, Markus; Bunzemeier, Holger

2008-01-01

Background Monitoring of hospital information system (HIS) usage can provide insights into best practices within a hospital and help to assess time trends. In terms of effort and cost of benchmarking, figures derived automatically from the routine HIS system are preferable to manual methods like surveys, in particular for repeated analysis. Methods Due to relevance for quality management and efficient resource utilization we focused on time-to-completion of discharge letters (assessed by CT-plots) and usage of patient scheduling. We analyzed these parameters monthly during one year at a major university hospital in Germany. Results We found several distinct patterns of discharge letter documentation indicating a large heterogeneity of HIS usage between different specialties (completeness 51 – 99%, delays 0 – 90 days). Overall usage of scheduling increased during the observation period by 62%, but again showed a considerable variation between departments. Conclusion Regular monitoring of HIS key figures can contribute to a continuous HIS improvement process. PMID:18423046

What Do Smokers Want in A Smartphone-Based Cessation Application?

PubMed

Oliver, Jason A; Hallyburton, Matthew B; Pacek, Lauren R; Mitchell, John T; Vilardaga, Roger; Fuemmeler, Bernard F; Joseph McClernon, F

2017-08-03

Fueled by rapid technological advances over the past decade, there is growing interest in the use of smartphones to aid in smoking cessation. Hundreds of applications have been developed for this purpose, but little is known about how these applications are accessed and used by smokers or what features smokers believe would be most useful. The present study sought to understand the prevalence of smartphone ownership and patterns of use among smokers as well as the perceived utility of various smartphone application features for smoking cessation that are currently in development or already available. Daily cigarette smokers (n = 224) reported on smartphone ownership, their patterns of smartphone usage, and perceived utility of features. Features were ranked according to perceived utility and differences in both perceived utility and general smartphone use patterns were examined as a function of demographic and smoking-related variables. Most smokers (80.4%) own a smartphone, but experience with smoking cessation applications is extremely rare (6.1%). Ownership and patterns of usage differed as a function of demographic and smoking-related variables. Overall, gain-framed features were rated as most useful, while loss-framed and interpersonal features were rated as least useful. Mobile health interventions have the potential to reach a large number of smokers but are currently underutilized. Additional effort is needed to ensure parity in treatment access. Gain-framed messages may be especially useful for engaging smokers, even if other features ultimately drive treatment effects. This study describes patterns of smartphone usage among smokers and identifies the smartphone application features smokers believe would be most useful during a quit attempt. Findings indicate which subgroups of smokers are most likely to be reached with mobile health interventions and suggests that inclusion of specific features may be helpful for engaging smokers in the smoking cessation process. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Providing Personalized Energy Management and Awareness Services for Energy Efficiency in Smart Buildings.

PubMed

Fotopoulou, Eleni; Zafeiropoulos, Anastasios; Terroso-Sáenz, Fernando; Şimşek, Umutcan; González-Vidal, Aurora; Tsiolis, George; Gouvas, Panagiotis; Liapis, Paris; Fensel, Anna; Skarmeta, Antonio

2017-09-07

Considering that the largest part of end-use energy consumption worldwide is associated with the buildings sector, there is an inherent need for the conceptualization, specification, implementation, and instantiation of novel solutions in smart buildings, able to achieve significant reductions in energy consumption through the adoption of energy efficient techniques and the active engagement of the occupants. Towards the design of such solutions, the identification of the main energy consuming factors, trends, and patterns, along with the appropriate modeling and understanding of the occupants' behavior and the potential for the adoption of environmentally-friendly lifestyle changes have to be realized. In the current article, an innovative energy-aware information technology (IT) ecosystem is presented, aiming to support the design and development of novel personalized energy management and awareness services that can lead to occupants' behavioral change towards actions that can have a positive impact on energy efficiency. Novel information and communication technologies (ICT) are exploited towards this direction, related mainly to the evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT), data modeling, management and fusion, big data analytics, and personalized recommendation mechanisms. The combination of such technologies has resulted in an open and extensible architectural approach able to exploit in a homogeneous, efficient and scalable way the vast amount of energy, environmental, and behavioral data collected in energy efficiency campaigns and lead to the design of energy management and awareness services targeted to the occupants' lifestyles. The overall layered architectural approach is detailed, including design and instantiation aspects based on the selection of set of available technologies and tools. Initial results from the usage of the proposed energy aware IT ecosystem in a pilot site at the University of Murcia are presented along with a set of identified open issues for future research.

Life cycle assessment of energy and CO2 emissions for residential buildings in Jakarta, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surahman, U.; Kubota, T.; Wijaya, A.

2016-04-01

In order to develop low energy and low carbon residential buildings, it is important to understand their detailed energy profiles. This study provides the results of life cycle assessment of energy and CO2 emissions for residential buildings in Jakarta, Indonesia. A survey was conducted in the city in 2012 to obtain both material inventory and household energy consumption data within the selected residential buildings (n=300), which are classified into three categories, namely simple, medium and luxurious houses. The results showed that the average embodied energy of simple, medium and luxurious houses was 58.5, 201.0, and 559.5 GJ, respectively. It was found that total embodied energy of each house can be explained by its total floor area alone with high accuracy in respective house categories. Meanwhile, it was seen that operational energy usage patterns varied largely among house categories as well as households especially in the simple and medium houses. The energy consumption for cooling was found to be the most significant factor of the increase in operational energy from simple to luxurious houses. Further, in the life cycle energy, the operational energy accounted for much larger proportions of about 86-92% than embodied energy regardless of the house categories. The life cycle CO2 emissions for medium and luxurious houses were larger than that of simple houses by 2 and 6 times on average. In the simple houses, cooking was the largest contributor to the CO2 emissions (25%), while the emissions caused by cooling increased largely with the house category and became the largest contributors in the medium (26%) and luxurious houses (41%).

Providing Personalized Energy Management and Awareness Services for Energy Efficiency in Smart Buildings

PubMed Central

Fotopoulou, Eleni; Tsiolis, George; Gouvas, Panagiotis; Liapis, Paris; Fensel, Anna; Skarmeta, Antonio

2017-01-01

Considering that the largest part of end-use energy consumption worldwide is associated with the buildings sector, there is an inherent need for the conceptualization, specification, implementation, and instantiation of novel solutions in smart buildings, able to achieve significant reductions in energy consumption through the adoption of energy efficient techniques and the active engagement of the occupants. Towards the design of such solutions, the identification of the main energy consuming factors, trends, and patterns, along with the appropriate modeling and understanding of the occupants’ behavior and the potential for the adoption of environmentally-friendly lifestyle changes have to be realized. In the current article, an innovative energy-aware information technology (IT) ecosystem is presented, aiming to support the design and development of novel personalized energy management and awareness services that can lead to occupants’ behavioral change towards actions that can have a positive impact on energy efficiency. Novel information and communication technologies (ICT) are exploited towards this direction, related mainly to the evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT), data modeling, management and fusion, big data analytics, and personalized recommendation mechanisms. The combination of such technologies has resulted in an open and extensible architectural approach able to exploit in a homogeneous, efficient and scalable way the vast amount of energy, environmental, and behavioral data collected in energy efficiency campaigns and lead to the design of energy management and awareness services targeted to the occupants’ lifestyles. The overall layered architectural approach is detailed, including design and instantiation aspects based on the selection of set of available technologies and tools. Initial results from the usage of the proposed energy aware IT ecosystem in a pilot site at the University of Murcia are presented along with a set of identified open issues for future research. PMID:28880227

Predictability of Road Traffic and Congestion in Urban Areas

PubMed Central

Wang, Jingyuan; Mao, Yu; Li, Jing; Xiong, Zhang; Wang, Wen-Xu

2015-01-01

Mitigating traffic congestion on urban roads, with paramount importance in urban development and reduction of energy consumption and air pollution, depends on our ability to foresee road usage and traffic conditions pertaining to the collective behavior of drivers, raising a significant question: to what degree is road traffic predictable in urban areas? Here we rely on the precise records of daily vehicle mobility based on GPS positioning device installed in taxis to uncover the potential daily predictability of urban traffic patterns. Using the mapping from the degree of congestion on roads into a time series of symbols and measuring its entropy, we find a relatively high daily predictability of traffic conditions despite the absence of any priori knowledge of drivers' origins and destinations and quite different travel patterns between weekdays and weekends. Moreover, we find a counterintuitive dependence of the predictability on travel speed: the road segment associated with intermediate average travel speed is most difficult to be predicted. We also explore the possibility of recovering the traffic condition of an inaccessible segment from its adjacent segments with respect to limited observability. The highly predictable traffic patterns in spite of the heterogeneity of drivers' behaviors and the variability of their origins and destinations enables development of accurate predictive models for eventually devising practical strategies to mitigate urban road congestion. PMID:25849534

An investigation into sealant restoration usage in general dental practice in England.

PubMed

Hassall, D C; Mellor, A C

2001-10-13

A study was undertaken to investigate attitudes to sealant restorations and their usage in general dental practice in England. Seventy three dentists in three areas (Doncaster, Hereford/Worcester and Wycombe) provided retrospective details of treatment provided over a one year period for 4,250 6-12 and 13-15 year old subjects. Fifty nine of these dentists then completed a telephone questionnaire relating to their treatment patterns and attitudes to sealant restorations. The treatment data indicated that only 59 of the 4,250 children received a sealant restoration during the study period. Of the 44 dentists who claimed in the questionnaire to be using sealant restorations, only 28 had placed them in their selected patients. Positive attitudes to sealant restorations were expressed but also concerns that may be prejudicing usage.

INSPIRE and SPIRES Log File Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adams, Cole; /Wheaton Coll. /SLAC

2012-08-31

SPIRES, an aging high-energy physics publication data base, is in the process of being replaced by INSPIRE. In order to ease the transition from SPIRES to INSPIRE it is important to understand user behavior and the drivers for adoption. The goal of this project was to address some questions in regards to the presumed two-thirds of the users still using SPIRES. These questions are answered through analysis of the log files from both websites. A series of scripts were developed to collect and interpret the data contained in the log files. The common search patterns and usage comparisons are mademore » between INSPIRE and SPIRES, and a method for detecting user frustration is presented. The analysis reveals a more even split than originally thought as well as the expected trend of user transition to INSPIRE.« less

Energy efficiency trade-offs drive nucleotide usage in transcribed regions

PubMed Central

Chen, Wei-Hua; Lu, Guanting; Bork, Peer; Hu, Songnian; Lercher, Martin J.

2016-01-01

Efficient nutrient usage is a trait under universal selection. A substantial part of cellular resources is spent on making nucleotides. We thus expect preferential use of cheaper nucleotides especially in transcribed sequences, which are often amplified thousand-fold compared with genomic sequences. To test this hypothesis, we derive a mutation-selection-drift equilibrium model for nucleotide skews (strand-specific usage of ‘A' versus ‘T' and ‘G' versus ‘C'), which explains nucleotide skews across 1,550 prokaryotic genomes as a consequence of selection on efficient resource usage. Transcription-related selection generally favours the cheaper nucleotides ‘U' and ‘C' at synonymous sites. However, the information encoded in mRNA is further amplified through translation. Due to unexpected trade-offs in the codon table, cheaper nucleotides encode on average energetically more expensive amino acids. These trade-offs apply to both strand-specific nucleotide usage and GC content, causing a universal bias towards the more expensive nucleotides ‘A' and ‘G' at non-synonymous coding sites. PMID:27098217

Understanding the properties of common dietary supplements: clinical implications for healthcare practitioners.

PubMed

Zelig, Rena; Rigassio Radler, Diane

2012-12-01

Dietary supplement usage in the United States continues to increase. This article explores the background of dietary supplements and their regulations, discusses trends in usage patterns highlighting the properties of 10 popular dietary supplements, addresses safety concerns and drug-nutrient interactions, and discusses the role of the healthcare professional in assessing and recommending usage of dietary supplements. The authors reviewed the literature on dietary supplementation. Government websites were used to obtain background and regulatory information. Evidence-based databases were used to summarize popular dietary supplements in terms of their common uses, mechanisms of action, and clinical implications. The related literature was reviewed to discuss important factors for the healthcare professional to consider as well as the role of the healthcare professional in integrating dietary supplement use within patient care. Healthcare professionals need to be prepared to evaluate dietary supplement usage and make appropriate recommendations for an individualized plan of care. As the popularity of dietary supplements continues to grow, healthcare professionals will need to communicate with patients about their usage; educate themselves on their potential benefits, interactions, and contraindications; evaluate the literature; make recommendations; and document appropriately in a comprehensive and integrated plan of care.

An examination of flexible spending accounts.

PubMed

Cardon, J H; Showalter, M H

2001-11-01

This paper develops a framework for analyzing flexible spending account (FSA) participation and usage. We explore patterns of FSA usage using data from a benefits firm for 1996 including an examination of types of FSA expenditures and their timing. We estimate some simple econometric models of the participation decision and also the decision of how much to put into an FSA. Several pieces of evidence suggest that much of an FSA election amount is based on foreknowledge of expenditures. We also find that participants tend to spend their election amount early, thus obtaining an interest-free loan.

Socio-economic factors affecting the conservation of natural woodlands in Central Riyadh Area – Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Al-Subaiee, Faisal Sultan

2015-01-01

This study aimed to identify some socioeconomic factors affecting local people in central Riyadh area for the utilization of wood and other energy sources in cooking and heating in order to develop some recommendations for conserving woodlands. The study results revealed that gas is the most common energy source used for cooking with a mean usage level of 2.79 (SD = 0.58). On the other hand, wood ranked first for heating with the highest mean, usage level of 1.90 (SD = 1.06). However, electricity and gas as sources of energy for heating ranked second and third with mean usage level of 1.81 and 0.80 respectively. The study revealed that local people with the university education were significantly making higher use of electricity for both cooking and heating and those with no formal education ranked the highest on wood use for both cooking and heating. In addition, those living in traditional houses significantly used more wood for cooking than those living in villas and apartments. Also, local people with high income levels significantly were using more electricity for heating than others. The study recommended conducting extension and environmental awareness raising programs to enhance local residents’ adoption of wood substitutes, promoting employment opportunities for unemployed locals, and subsidizing prices of alternative energy sources. PMID:27081355

[Contraceptive practice in Mexico: two five-year periods, two different patterns (1976-1977 to 1987)].

PubMed

Llera, S

1990-01-01

This work uses data from the 1976-77 Mexican Fertility Survey, the 1982 National Demographic Survey, and the 1987 National Fertility and Health Survey to analyze fertility and contraceptive behavior among Mexican women in the 2 5-year periods from 1976-82 and 1982-87. The proportion of fertile-aged women in union using a method increased from 41.6% in 1976-77 to 58.8% in 1982 and 61.4% in 1989. The most significant gains in use of the more effective methods as in contraceptive prevalence occurred in the 1st 5-year period. The proportion of women sterilized increased from 3.73% in 1977 to 16.6% in 1982 and 21.7% in 1987, equivalent to increases over the 2 5-year periods of 345.7% and 30.7%. Female sterilization was the only method whose use increased constantly over the period. Use of the IUD was almost unchanged between 1977-82, while use of oral contraceptives and injectables both declined from 1982 to 1987 after increasing over the preceding 5 years. Contraceptive usage increased intensely in all subgroups of women studied between 1976-82, but in the 2nd period from 1982 to 1987 contraceptive usage declined significantly in some subgroups. Contraceptive prevalence among women in urban and metropolitan areas increased systematically after 1977. Rural women increased their use from 22.5% in 1977 to 48.6% in 1982. 5 years later the proportion of rural users had declined to 45.3% although it was still well above the level of 1976-77. The most significant increase in contraceptive usage among illiterate women and those with primary educations occurred from 1976 to 1982. In 1987 women with primary and higher levels of education demonstrated increases in contraceptive usage compared with 1982, but contraceptive usage among illiterate women declined from 40.8% in 1982 to 28.9% in 1987. Data from the 3 surveys demonstrate low but increasing rates of use among women 15-19 years old, who may be in the process of developing a new fertility pattern characterized by longer birth intervals. Women in the middle reproductive years had higher rates of use showing little change from 1982 to 1987 and unlikely to show great change in the future due to their already high level. Women aged 40-44 showed systematic increases in use from 1976 to 1987, but women aged 45-49 increased their use only from 32.6% in 1977 to 39.0% in 1987. The declines in age differentials in contraceptive prevalence from 1982 to 1987 demonstrate that age is losing weight as an explanatory factor. Between 1976-77 and 1982, women of all parities increased their contraceptive usage substantially. Women with 3 or fewer children continued to increase their usage through 1987, but usage among women with 4 or more children actually declined between 1982-87. The results suggest that a small proportion of rural, less educated, and high parity women may have returned to their former patterns of uncontrolled fertility. Nevertheless, fertility differentials were much smaller in 1987 than in 1976-77.

Optimization of Wastewater Lift Stations for Reduction of Energy Usage and Greenhouse Gas Emissions (WERF Report INFR3R11)

EPA Science Inventory

One of the major contributions of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from water resource recovery facilities results from the energy used by the pumping regime of the lift stations. This project demonstrated an energy-efficient control method of lift station system operation that uti...

Sustainable Energy for University Science Majors: Developing Guidelines for Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langbeheim, Elon; Rez, Peter

2017-01-01

This paper describes the basic tenets of a sustainable energy course for university science majors. First, it outlines the three core components of the course: (1) The scientific evidence for the connection between climate change and energy usage; (2) An analysis of the capacity and environmental impact of various renewable and traditional energy…

Renewable Energy Feasibility Study Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rooney, Tim

2013-10-30

The Gila River Indian Community (GRIC or the Community) contracted the ANTARES Group, Inc. (“ANTARES”) to assess the feasibility of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. A solar energy project could provide a number of benefits to the Community in terms of potential future energy savings, increased employment, environmental benefits from renewable energy generation and usage, and increased energy self-sufficiency. The study addresses a number of facets of a solar project’s overall feasibility, including: Technical appropriateness; Solar resource characteristics and expected system performance; Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) economic assessment. The Gila River Indian Community (GRIC or the Community) contracted the ANTARESmore » Group, Inc. (“ANTARES”) to prepare a biomass resource assessment study and evaluate the feasibility of a bioenergy project on Community land. A biomass project could provide a number of benefits to the Community in terms of increased employment, environmental benefits from renewable energy generation and usage, and increased energy self-sufficiency. The study addresses a number of facets of a biomass project’s overall feasibility, including: Resource analysis and costs; Identification of potential bioenergy projects; Technical and economic (levelized cost of energy) modeling for selected project configuration.« less

Effectiveness of a night radiative cooling system in different geographical latitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsoy, A. P.; Granovskiy, A. S.; Baranenko, A. V.; Tsoy, D. A.

2017-08-01

Growth of world energy consumption and depletion of energy resources make humanity to constantly work on the creation of the energy efficient technologies and increase usage of the alternative and renewable sources of energy. One of such alternative sources of energy is the night radiative cooling (NRC). NRC is an alternative and renewable source of energy, derived from the effective radiation of the Earth into the Space. If the given surface is located so that it looks to the night sky, then under the particular condition more energy can be generated under the effect of radiative cooling, than received from the atmosphere. As a result the temperature of the surface can be kept lower than the temperature of the ambient air. This effect can be used for creation of the refrigeration systems with the low energy consumption and as a result lower negative influence on the environment. During the research it has been identified that the possibility of the NRC usage is mostly predetermined by the specifics of the climate of the each region. In particular climate conditions the refrigeration systems working on night radiative cooling will be more effective that in others.

Genomic control of patterning

PubMed Central

Peter, Isabelle S.; Davidson, Eric H.

2014-01-01

The development of multicellular organisms involves the partitioning of the organism into territories of cells of specific structure and function. The information for spatial patterning processes is directly encoded in the genome. The genome determines its own usage depending on stage and position, by means of interactions that constitute gene regulatory networks (GRNs). The GRN driving endomesoderm development in sea urchin embryos illustrates different regulatory strategies by which developmental programs are initiated, orchestrated, stabilized or excluded to define the pattern of specified territories in the developing embryo. PMID:19378258

Energy Equity Lost and Found: Rebuilding America's K-12 Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoff, Lorenz V.

1999-01-01

Discusses reversing the trend of school-building deterioration and inefficient energy usage through the Rebuild America program. Explains what Rebuild America is and why schools should join the program. Also provided are overviews of successful programs involving schools. (GR)

Achieving scale strategically : understanding freight flows in regional food supply chains.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-06-01

The past several years have seen a rising interest in all things sustainable, from energy efficient homes : and vehicles, to alternative energy sources, to increasing focus on recyclable and renewable material : usage. This trend has also been accomp...

User-Preference-Driven Model Predictive Control of Residential Building Loads and Battery Storage for Demand Response: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jin, Xin; Baker, Kyri A.; Christensen, Dane T.

This paper presents a user-preference-driven home energy management system (HEMS) for demand response (DR) with residential building loads and battery storage. The HEMS is based on a multi-objective model predictive control algorithm, where the objectives include energy cost, thermal comfort, and carbon emission. A multi-criterion decision making method originating from social science is used to quickly determine user preferences based on a brief survey and derive the weights of different objectives used in the optimization process. Besides the residential appliances used in the traditional DR programs, a home battery system is integrated into the HEMS to improve the flexibility andmore » reliability of the DR resources. Simulation studies have been performed on field data from a residential building stock data set. Appliance models and usage patterns were learned from the data to predict the DR resource availability. Results indicate the HEMS was able to provide a significant amount of load reduction with less than 20% prediction error in both heating and cooling cases.« less

User-Preference-Driven Model Predictive Control of Residential Building Loads and Battery Storage for Demand Response

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jin, Xin; Baker, Kyri A; Isley, Steven C

This paper presents a user-preference-driven home energy management system (HEMS) for demand response (DR) with residential building loads and battery storage. The HEMS is based on a multi-objective model predictive control algorithm, where the objectives include energy cost, thermal comfort, and carbon emission. A multi-criterion decision making method originating from social science is used to quickly determine user preferences based on a brief survey and derive the weights of different objectives used in the optimization process. Besides the residential appliances used in the traditional DR programs, a home battery system is integrated into the HEMS to improve the flexibility andmore » reliability of the DR resources. Simulation studies have been performed on field data from a residential building stock data set. Appliance models and usage patterns were learned from the data to predict the DR resource availability. Results indicate the HEMS was able to provide a significant amount of load reduction with less than 20% prediction error in both heating and cooling cases.« less

The Pattern of Electronic Game Use and Related Bodily Discomfort in Hong Kong Primary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lui, Donald P. Y.; Szeto, Grace P. Y.; Jones, Alice Y. M.

2011-01-01

The present study examined the usage pattern of electronic game devices among primary school children in Hong Kong. Commonly used types of games devices were grouped into three main categories: large-screen/TV-based games, small handheld game devices and active game devices. A survey was conducted among 476 students in a local primary school, with…

Foresee: A user-centric home energy management system for energy efficiency and demand response

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jin, Xin; Baker, Kyri A.; Christensen, Dane T.

This paper presents foresee, a user-centric home energy management system that can help optimize how a home operates to concurrently meet users' needs, achieve energy efficiency and commensurate utility cost savings, and reliably deliver grid services based on utility signals. Foresee is built on a multiobjective model predictive control framework, wherein the objectives consist of energy cost, thermal comfort, user convenience, and carbon emission. Foresee learns user preferences on different objectives and acts on their behalf to operate building equipment, such as home appliances, photovoltaic systems, and battery storage. In this work, machine-learning algorithms were used to derive data-driven appliancemore » models and usage patterns to predict the home's future energy consumption. This approach enables highly accurate predictions of comfort needs, energy costs, environmental impacts, and grid service availability. Simulation studies were performed on field data from a residential building stock data set collected in the Pacific Northwest. Results indicated that foresee generated up to 7.6% whole-home energy savings without requiring substantial behavioral changes. When responding to demand response events, foresee was able to provide load forecasts upon receipt of event notifications and delivered the committed demand response services with 10% or fewer errors. Foresee fully utilized the potential of the battery storage and controllable building loads and delivered up to 7.0-kW load reduction and 13.5-kW load increase. As a result, these benefits are provided while maintaining the occupants' thermal comfort or convenience in using their appliances.« less

Foresee: A user-centric home energy management system for energy efficiency and demand response

DOE PAGES

Jin, Xin; Baker, Kyri A.; Christensen, Dane T.; ...

2017-08-23

This paper presents foresee, a user-centric home energy management system that can help optimize how a home operates to concurrently meet users' needs, achieve energy efficiency and commensurate utility cost savings, and reliably deliver grid services based on utility signals. Foresee is built on a multiobjective model predictive control framework, wherein the objectives consist of energy cost, thermal comfort, user convenience, and carbon emission. Foresee learns user preferences on different objectives and acts on their behalf to operate building equipment, such as home appliances, photovoltaic systems, and battery storage. In this work, machine-learning algorithms were used to derive data-driven appliancemore » models and usage patterns to predict the home's future energy consumption. This approach enables highly accurate predictions of comfort needs, energy costs, environmental impacts, and grid service availability. Simulation studies were performed on field data from a residential building stock data set collected in the Pacific Northwest. Results indicated that foresee generated up to 7.6% whole-home energy savings without requiring substantial behavioral changes. When responding to demand response events, foresee was able to provide load forecasts upon receipt of event notifications and delivered the committed demand response services with 10% or fewer errors. Foresee fully utilized the potential of the battery storage and controllable building loads and delivered up to 7.0-kW load reduction and 13.5-kW load increase. As a result, these benefits are provided while maintaining the occupants' thermal comfort or convenience in using their appliances.« less

Online Social Networking and Addiction—A Review of the Psychological Literature

PubMed Central

Kuss, Daria J.; Griffiths, Mark D.

2011-01-01

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are virtual communities where users can create individual public profiles, interact with real-life friends, and meet other people based on shared interests. They are seen as a ‘global consumer phenomenon’ with an exponential rise in usage within the last few years. Anecdotal case study evidence suggests that ‘addiction’ to social networks on the Internet may be a potential mental health problem for some users. However, the contemporary scientific literature addressing the addictive qualities of social networks on the Internet is scarce. Therefore, this literature review is intended to provide empirical and conceptual insight into the emerging phenomenon of addiction to SNSs by: (1) outlining SNS usage patterns, (2) examining motivations for SNS usage, (3) examining personalities of SNS users, (4) examining negative consequences of SNS usage, (5) exploring potential SNS addiction, and (6) exploring SNS addiction specificity and comorbidity. The findings indicate that SNSs are predominantly used for social purposes, mostly related to the maintenance of established offline networks. Moreover, extraverts appear to use social networking sites for social enhancement, whereas introverts use it for social compensation, each of which appears to be related to greater usage, as does low conscientiousness and high narcissism. Negative correlates of SNS usage include the decrease in real life social community participation and academic achievement, as well as relationship problems, each of which may be indicative of potential addiction. PMID:22016701

Hearing aid and cochlear implant use in children with hearing loss at three years of age: Predictors of use and predictors of changes in use

PubMed Central

Marnane, Vivienne; Ching, Teresa YC

2015-01-01

Objective To examine usage patterns of hearing aids and cochlear implants in children up to three years of age, how usage changes longitudinally, and factors associated with device usage. Design Parent report and Parent’s Evaluation of Aural/oral performance of Children (PEACH) data were obtained at six and twelve months after hearing-aid fitting or cochlear implant switch-on, and again at three years of age. The effect of device use on auditory functional performance was investigated using the PEACH questionnaire. Study sample Four hundred and thirteen participants from the Longitudinal Outcomes of Children with Hearing Impairment (LOCHI) study were included for analysis. Result For users of hearing aids, higher usage at three years was associated with higher maternal education, and more severe hearing loss. For users of cochlear implants, higher usage was associated with higher maternal education and the absence of additional disabilities. Higher PEACH scores was associated with higher usage scores. After allowing for the effects of demographic characteristics, device use was not a significant predictor of functional performance. Conclusions Sixty-two percent of children achieved consistent use (>75% of waking hours) within the first year of receiving a hearing aid or a cochlear implant, and 71% by three years of age. PMID:25816866

Online social networking and addiction--a review of the psychological literature.

PubMed

Kuss, Daria J; Griffiths, Mark D

2011-09-01

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are virtual communities where users can create individual public profiles, interact with real-life friends, and meet other people based on shared interests. They are seen as a 'global consumer phenomenon' with an exponential rise in usage within the last few years. Anecdotal case study evidence suggests that 'addiction' to social networks on the Internet may be a potential mental health problem for some users. However, the contemporary scientific literature addressing the addictive qualities of social networks on the Internet is scarce. Therefore, this literature review is intended to provide empirical and conceptual insight into the emerging phenomenon of addiction to SNSs by: (1) outlining SNS usage patterns, (2) examining motivations for SNS usage, (3) examining personalities of SNS users, (4) examining negative consequences of SNS usage, (5) exploring potential SNS addiction, and (6) exploring SNS addiction specificity and comorbidity. The findings indicate that SNSs are predominantly used for social purposes, mostly related to the maintenance of established offline networks. Moreover, extraverts appear to use social networking sites for social enhancement, whereas introverts use it for social compensation, each of which appears to be related to greater usage, as does low conscientiousness and high narcissism. Negative correlates of SNS usage include the decrease in real life social community participation and academic achievement, as well as relationship problems, each of which may be indicative of potential addiction.

Analysis of prescription database extracted from standard textbooks of traditional Dai medicine.

PubMed

Zhang, Chuang; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi; Keawpradub, Niwat; Lin, Yanfang

2012-08-29

Traditional Dai Medicine (TDM) is one of the four major ethnomedicine of China. In 2007 a group of experts produced a set of seven Dai medical textbooks on this subject. The first two were selected as the main data source to analyse well recognized prescriptions. To quantify patterns of prescriptions, common ingredients, indications and usages of TDM. A relational database linking the prescriptions, ingredients, herb names, indications, and usages was set up. Frequency of pattern of combination and common ingredients were tabulated. A total of 200 prescriptions and 402 herbs were compiled. Prescriptions based on "wind" disorders, a detoxification theory that most commonly deals with symptoms of digestive system diseases, accounted for over one third of all prescriptions. The major methods of preparations mostly used roots and whole herbs. The information extracted from the relational database may be useful for understanding symptomatic treatments. Antidote and detoxification theory deserves further research.

Safety of topical minoxidil solution: a one-year, prospective, observational study.

PubMed

Shapiro, Jerry

2003-01-01

Topical minoxidil solution (TMS) is widely used for androgenetic alopecia (AGA), and this is the first report of a large safety trial. The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety profile of TMS by comparing hospitalization and death rates among subjects using TMS with controls. Cardiovascular safety and pregnancy outcomes were evaluated, and usage patterns were described. All subjects were followed at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Usage patterns, pregnancy status, overnight hospital stays, and cardiovascular risk factors were evaluated. Subjects rated effectiveness of TMS in the treatment of AGA. Statistical analyses were conducted to determine if TMS was associated with an increased risk of death or hospitalization. TMS is a safe and effective treatment for AGA. There were no increases in cardiovascular events and no apparent increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. This large, prospective study demonstrated the overall safety of TMS in the treatment of AGA.

Assessment of prescribing practices among urban and rural general practitioners in Tamil Nadu.

PubMed

Gopalakrishnan, Sekharan; Ganeshkumar, Parasuraman; Katta, Ajitha

2013-01-01

Studying drug use pattern among medical practitioners is of vital importance in the present scenario where irrational drug use and development of drug resistance is becoming rampant. To assess, the pattern of prescribing practices among the general practitioners in a defined rural and urban area of Tamil Nadu. A community based descriptive study was conducted to collect 600 prescriptions from the catchment areas of rural and urban health training centers of a medical college using prescribing indicators as per the WHO "How to investigate drug use in health facilities" tool. This prescription study revealed that multivitamins (19.5%), antibiotics (19.3%), drugs for gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) (18%), analgesic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/ (NSAID's) (15.1%), and antihistaminic (12.5%) were prescribed frequently. Among the antibiotics, amoxicillin (49.2%) was the most commonly prescribed followed by gentamicin (31.7%). Percentage of prescriptions with an antibiotic was 55% and nearly 62% of the practitioners prescribed drugs by their generic names. As a practice of poly-pharmacy, it was observed that the average number of drugs prescribed in urban and rural area was nearly 5 and 4, respectively. Nearly 80% of the urban and rural practitioners were prescribing at least one injection. Study of the quality of prescriptions revealed that there was poor legibility, high usage of abbreviations, inadequate details of the drugs, and absence of signature by practitioners in the prescriptions. This study clearly highlights the practice of poly-pharmacy, low usage of generic drugs, injudicious usage of antibiotics and injections and low usage of drugs prescribed from essential drugs list.

Current practice patterns of drain usage amongst UK and Irish surgeons performing bilateral breast reductions: Evidence down the drain.

PubMed

Sugrue, Conor M; McInerney, Niall; Joyce, Cormac W; Jones, Deidre; Hussey, Alan J; Kelly, Jack L; Kerin, Michael J; Regan, Padraic J

2015-01-01

Bilateral breast reduction (BBR) is one of the most frequently performed female breast operations. Despite no evidence supporting efficacy of drain usage in BBRs, postoperative insertion is common. Recent high quality evidence demonstrating potential harm from drain use has subsequently challenged this traditional practice. The aim of this study is to assess the current practice patterns of drains usage by Plastic & Reconstructive and Breast Surgeons in UK and Ireland performing BBRs. An 18 question survey was created evaluating various aspects of BBR practice. UK and Irish Plastic & Reconstructive and Breast Surgeons were invited to participate by an email containing a link to a web-based survey. Statistical analysis was performed with student t-test and chi-square test. Two hundred and eleven responding surgeons were analysed, including 80.1% (171/211) Plastic Surgeons and 18.9% (40/211) Breast Surgeons. Of the responding surgeons, 71.6% (151/211) routinely inserted postoperative drains, for a mean of 1.32 days. Drains were used significantly less by surgeons performing ≥20 BBRs (p = 0.02). With the majority of BBRs performed as an inpatient procedure, there was a trend towards less drain usage in surgeons performing this procedure as an outpatient; however, this was not statistically significant (p = 0.07). Even with the high level of evidence demonstrating the safety of BBR without drains, they are still routinely utilised. In an era of evidence- based medicine, surgeons performing breast reductions must adopt the results from scientific research into their clinical practice.

A Framework for Understanding and Generating Integrated Solutions for Residential Peak Energy Demand

PubMed Central

Buys, Laurie; Vine, Desley; Ledwich, Gerard; Bell, John; Mengersen, Kerrie; Morris, Peter; Lewis, Jim

2015-01-01

Supplying peak energy demand in a cost effective, reliable manner is a critical focus for utilities internationally. Successfully addressing peak energy concerns requires understanding of all the factors that affect electricity demand especially at peak times. This paper is based on past attempts of proposing models designed to aid our understanding of the influences on residential peak energy demand in a systematic and comprehensive way. Our model has been developed through a group model building process as a systems framework of the problem situation to model the complexity within and between systems and indicate how changes in one element might flow on to others. It is comprised of themes (social, technical and change management options) networked together in a way that captures their influence and association with each other and also their influence, association and impact on appliance usage and residential peak energy demand. The real value of the model is in creating awareness, understanding and insight into the complexity of residential peak energy demand and in working with this complexity to identify and integrate the social, technical and change management option themes and their impact on appliance usage and residential energy demand at peak times. PMID:25807384

A framework for understanding and generating integrated solutions for residential peak energy demand.

PubMed

Buys, Laurie; Vine, Desley; Ledwich, Gerard; Bell, John; Mengersen, Kerrie; Morris, Peter; Lewis, Jim

2015-01-01

Supplying peak energy demand in a cost effective, reliable manner is a critical focus for utilities internationally. Successfully addressing peak energy concerns requires understanding of all the factors that affect electricity demand especially at peak times. This paper is based on past attempts of proposing models designed to aid our understanding of the influences on residential peak energy demand in a systematic and comprehensive way. Our model has been developed through a group model building process as a systems framework of the problem situation to model the complexity within and between systems and indicate how changes in one element might flow on to others. It is comprised of themes (social, technical and change management options) networked together in a way that captures their influence and association with each other and also their influence, association and impact on appliance usage and residential peak energy demand. The real value of the model is in creating awareness, understanding and insight into the complexity of residential peak energy demand and in working with this complexity to identify and integrate the social, technical and change management option themes and their impact on appliance usage and residential energy demand at peak times.

Energy Conservation in New Building Design: An Impact Assessment of ASHRAE Standard 90-75. Conservation and Environment Buildings Programs. Conservation Number 43B.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Federal Energy Administration, Washington, DC.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), has developed a document governing energy usage in all types of new construction: ASHRAE Standard 90-75: Energy Conservation in New Building Design (ASHRAE 90). To lay the foundation for an evaluation of ASHRAE 90, the Federal Energy Administration (FEA)…

B cell Variable genes have evolved their codon usage to focus the targeted patterns of somatic mutation on the complementarity determining regions

PubMed Central

Saini, Jasmine; Hershberg, Uri

2015-01-01

The exceptional ability of B cells to diversify through somatic mutation and improve affinity of the repertoire towards the antigens is the cornerstone of adaptive immunity. Somatic mutation is not evenly distributed and exhibits certain micro-sequence specificities. We show here that the combination of somatic mutation targeting and the codon usage in human B cell receptor (BCR) Variable (V) genes create expected patterns of mutation and post mutation changes that are focused on their complementarity determining regions (CDR). T cell V genes are also skewed in targeting mutations but to a lesser extent and are lacking the codon usage bias observed in BCRs. This suggests that the observed skew in T cell receptors is due to their amino acid usage, which is similar to that of BCRs. The mutation targeting and the codon bias allow B cell CDRs to diversify by specifically accumulating nonconservative changes. We counted the distribution of mutations to CDR in 4 different human datasets. In all four cases we found that the number of actual mutations in the CDR correlated significantly with the V gene mutation biases to the CDR predicted by our models. Finally, it appears that the mutation bias in V genes indeed relates to their long-term survival in actual human repertoires. We observed that resting repertoires of B cells overexpressed V genes that were especially biased towards focused mutation and change in the CDR. This bias in V gene usage was somewhat relaxed at the height of the immune response to a vaccine, presumably because of the need for a wider diversity in a primary response. However, older patients did not retain this flexibility and were biased towards using only highly skewed V genes at all stages of their response. PMID:25660968

B cell variable genes have evolved their codon usage to focus the targeted patterns of somatic mutation on the complementarity determining regions.

PubMed

Saini, Jasmine; Hershberg, Uri

2015-05-01

The exceptional ability of B cells to diversify through somatic mutation and improve affinity of the repertoire toward the antigens is the cornerstone of adaptive immunity. Somatic mutation is not evenly distributed and exhibits certain micro-sequence specificities. We show here that the combination of somatic mutation targeting and the codon usage in human B cell receptor (BCR) Variable (V) genes create expected patterns of mutation and post mutation changes that are focused on their complementarity determining regions (CDR). T cell V genes are also skewed in targeting mutations but to a lesser extent and are lacking the codon usage bias observed in BCRs. This suggests that the observed skew in T cell receptors is due to their amino acid usage, which is similar to that of BCRs. The mutation targeting and the codon bias allow B cell CDRs to diversify by specifically accumulating nonconservative changes. We counted the distribution of mutations to CDR in 4 different human datasets. In all four cases we found that the number of actual mutations in the CDR correlated significantly with the V gene mutation biases to the CDR predicted by our models. Finally, it appears that the mutation bias in V genes indeed relates to their long-term survival in actual human repertoires. We observed that resting repertoires of B cells overexpressed V genes that were especially biased toward focused mutation and change in the CDR. This bias in V gene usage was somewhat relaxed at the height of the immune response to a vaccine, presumably because of the need for a wider diversity in a primary response. However, older patients did not retain this flexibility and were biased toward using only highly skewed V genes at all stages of their response. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy Awareness and Scheduling in Mobile Devices and High End Computing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pawaskar, Sachin S.

2013-01-01

In the context of the big picture as energy demands rise due to growing economies and growing populations, there will be greater emphasis on sustainable supply, conservation, and efficient usage of this vital resource. Even at a smaller level, the need for minimizing energy consumption continues to be compelling in embedded, mobile, and server…

Challenge Students to Design an Energy-Efficient Home

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffith, Jack

2008-01-01

This article presents an activity that gives students a practical understanding of how much energy the average home consumes and wastes, and shows how the construction technologies used in home design affect overall energy usage. In this activity, students will outline the cost of a home's electrical system, give a breakdown of how much power the…

Textiles & Clothing Curriculum Guide. Energy and the Family.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidson, Jane S.; Morris, Carol

This curriculum guide on textiles and clothing, covering one of the five content areas of the Energy and Family Curriculum Guide, has been designed to provide learning experiences and identify resources that can be used to develop units of study related to energy usage and conservation. The guide is intended for use in comprehensive courses of…

Housing & Home Furnishings Curriculum Guide. Energy and the Family.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidson, Jane S.; Morris, Carol

This curriculum guide on housing and home furnishings, covering one of the five content areas of the Energy and the Family Curriculum Guide, has been designed to provide learning experiences and identify resources that can be used to develop units of study related to energy usage and conservation. The guide is intended for use in comprehensive…

Evaluation of the "Lose Your Excuse" Public Service Advertising Campaign for Tweens to Save Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertrand, Jane T.; Goldman, Patty; Zhivan, Natalia; Agyeman, Yaw; Barber, Erin

2011-01-01

This study evaluates the 2008-2009 "Lose your Excuse" public service advertising (PSA) campaign on energy efficiency targeting 8- to 12-year-olds, intended to increase knowledge, foster proactive attitudes, and change energy usage behaviors. Baseline and two follow-up surveys were conducted with online samples representative of the national…

Biomass energy : the new frontier

Treesearch

John I. Zerbe

2006-01-01

We can have the greatest direct impact on petroleum and natural gas fuel usage by burning or gasifying wood for space heat, process energy and power. One alternative source that is available and underused is surplus wood. Certainly wood that is suitable for use in more valuable products should not be diverted to energy use that provides less income; however, other wood...

Efficient spiking neural network model of pattern motion selectivity in visual cortex.

PubMed

Beyeler, Michael; Richert, Micah; Dutt, Nikil D; Krichmar, Jeffrey L

2014-07-01

Simulating large-scale models of biological motion perception is challenging, due to the required memory to store the network structure and the computational power needed to quickly solve the neuronal dynamics. A low-cost yet high-performance approach to simulating large-scale neural network models in real-time is to leverage the parallel processing capability of graphics processing units (GPUs). Based on this approach, we present a two-stage model of visual area MT that we believe to be the first large-scale spiking network to demonstrate pattern direction selectivity. In this model, component-direction-selective (CDS) cells in MT linearly combine inputs from V1 cells that have spatiotemporal receptive fields according to the motion energy model of Simoncelli and Heeger. Pattern-direction-selective (PDS) cells in MT are constructed by pooling over MT CDS cells with a wide range of preferred directions. Responses of our model neurons are comparable to electrophysiological results for grating and plaid stimuli as well as speed tuning. The behavioral response of the network in a motion discrimination task is in agreement with psychophysical data. Moreover, our implementation outperforms a previous implementation of the motion energy model by orders of magnitude in terms of computational speed and memory usage. The full network, which comprises 153,216 neurons and approximately 40 million synapses, processes 20 frames per second of a 40 × 40 input video in real-time using a single off-the-shelf GPU. To promote the use of this algorithm among neuroscientists and computer vision researchers, the source code for the simulator, the network, and analysis scripts are publicly available.

Influences of population density on polyandry and patterns of sperm usage in the marine gastropod Rapana venosa.

PubMed

Xue, Dong-Xiu; Zhang, Tao; Liu, Jin-Xian

2016-03-21

Polyandry is a common mating strategy in animals, with potential for sexual selection to continue post-copulation through sperm competition and/or cryptic female choice. Few studies have investigated the influences of population density on polyandry and sperm usage, and paternity distribution in successive broods of marine invertebrates. The marine gastropod Rapana venosa is ideal for investigating how population density influences the frequency of polyandry and elucidating patterns of sperm usage. Two different population density (12 ind/m(3) and 36 ind/m(3)) treatments with two replications were set to observe reproductive behaviors. Five microsatellite markers were used to identify the frequency of multiple paternity and determine paternal contributions to progeny arrays in 120 egg masses. All of the mean mating frequency, mean number of sires and mean egg-laying frequency were higher at high population density treatment relative to low population density treatment, indicating population density is an important factor affecting polyandry. The last sperm donors achieved high proportions of paternity in 74.77% of egg masses, which supported the "last male sperm precedence" hypothesis. In addition, high variance in reproductive success among R. venosa males were detected, which might have an important influence on effective population size.

Influences of population density on polyandry and patterns of sperm usage in the marine gastropod Rapana venosa

PubMed Central

Xue, Dong-Xiu; Zhang, Tao; Liu, Jin-Xian

2016-01-01

Polyandry is a common mating strategy in animals, with potential for sexual selection to continue post-copulation through sperm competition and/or cryptic female choice. Few studies have investigated the influences of population density on polyandry and sperm usage, and paternity distribution in successive broods of marine invertebrates. The marine gastropod Rapana venosa is ideal for investigating how population density influences the frequency of polyandry and elucidating patterns of sperm usage. Two different population density (12 ind/m3 and 36 ind/m3) treatments with two replications were set to observe reproductive behaviors. Five microsatellite markers were used to identify the frequency of multiple paternity and determine paternal contributions to progeny arrays in 120 egg masses. All of the mean mating frequency, mean number of sires and mean egg-laying frequency were higher at high population density treatment relative to low population density treatment, indicating population density is an important factor affecting polyandry. The last sperm donors achieved high proportions of paternity in 74.77% of egg masses, which supported the “last male sperm precedence” hypothesis. In addition, high variance in reproductive success among R. venosa males were detected, which might have an important influence on effective population size. PMID:26996441

Final Report: Hydrogen Production Pathways Cost Analysis (2013 – 2016)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

James, Brian David; DeSantis, Daniel Allan; Saur, Genevieve

This report summarizes work conducted under a three year Department of Energy (DOE) funded project to Strategic Analysis, Inc. (SA) to analyze multiple hydrogen (H 2) production technologies and project their corresponding levelized production cost of H 2. The analysis was conducted using the H2A Hydrogen Analysis Tool developed by the DOE and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The project was led by SA but conducted in close collaboration with the NREL and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). In-depth techno-economic analysis (TEA) of five different H 2 production methods was conducted. These TEAs developed projections for capital costs, fuel/feedstock usage, energymore » usage, indirect capital costs, land usage, labor requirements, and other parameters, for each H 2 production pathway, and use the resulting cost and system parameters as inputs into the H2A discounted cash flow model to project the production cost of H 2 ($/kgH 2). Five technologies were analyzed as part of the project and are summarized in this report: Proton Exchange Membrane technology (PEM), High temperature solid oxide electrolysis cell technology (SOEC), Dark fermentation of biomass for H 2 production, H 2 production via Monolithic Piston-Type Reactors with rapid swing reforming and regeneration reactions, and Reformer-Electrolyzer-Purifier (REP) technology developed by Fuel Cell Energy, Inc. (FCE).« less

Early Experiences with Mobile Electronic Health Records Application in a Tertiary Hospital in Korea

PubMed Central

Park, Minah; Hong, Eunseok; Kim, Sunhyu; Ahn, Ryeok; Hong, Jungseok; Song, Seungyeol; Kim, Tak; Kim, Jeongkeun; Yeo, Seongwoon

2015-01-01

Objectives Recent advances in mobile technology have opened up possibilities to provide strongly integrated mobile-based services in healthcare and telemedicine. Although the number of mobile Electronic Health Record (EHR) applications is large and growing, there is a paucity of evidence demonstrating the usage patterns of these mobile applications by healthcare providers. This study aimed to illustrate the deployment process for an integrated mobile EHR application and to analyze usage patterns after provision of the mobile EHR service. Methods We developed an integrated mobile application that aimed to enhance the mobility of healthcare providers by improving access to patient- and hospital-related information during their daily medical activities. The study included mobile EHR users who accessed patient healthcare records between May 2013 and May 2014. We performed a data analysis using a web server log file analyzer from the integrated EHR system. Cluster analysis was applied to longitudinal user data based on their application usage pattern. Results The mobile EHR service named M-UMIS has been in service since May 2013. Every healthcare provider in the hospital could access the mobile EHR service and view the medical charts of their patients. The frequency of using services and network packet transmission on the M-UMIS increased gradually during the study period. The most frequently accessed service in the menu was the patient list. Conclusions A better understanding regarding the adoption of mobile EHR applications by healthcare providers in patient-centered care provides useful information to guide the design and implementation of future applications. PMID:26618036

Questionnaire survey to assess the pattern and characteristics of cell-phone usage among Indian oncologists.

PubMed

Munshi, Anusheel; Dutta, Debanarayan; Tike, Pramod; Agarwal, Jai Prakash

2016-01-01

Obtain baseline data of cell-phone usage in the medical (MO), surgical (SO) and radiation (RO) oncology community practicing in India. Indigenously prepared cell-phone usage related questionnaire was used in the present study after approval by the Institutional Ethics/Scientific Committees. The questionnaire had 41 items and was made to assess the cell-phone usage parameters, utility in clinical practice, awareness, and to compare parameters between oncology specialties. Between November 2009 and January 2010, the questionnaire was sent as an E-mail attachment to 200 oncologists in India. In all, 123 responses were received (61% responders); 84 (68.3%) were RO. The median age of responders was 35 years. Overall, 80% felt handicapped without cell-phone. The Mean cell-phone score, an index to assess overall usefulness over a score of 1-10, was 6.46 (median 7, standard deviation 1.709). There was no significant difference between RO, MO and SO in duration of usage (P = 0.235), number of cell-phones (P = 0.496), call duration per day (P = 0.490) and dependence on cell-phone (P = 0.574). Age of starting cell-phone usage was earlier in RO (P = 0.086). Professional usage was significantly more by MO and SO compared to RO (P < 0.001); however, the former were less aware of any potential cell-phone hazards compared to RO (P < 0.007). The results of the first such questionnaire based study have been presented. Most oncologists consider cell-phones a useful tool in patient care. More RO are aware of potential cell-phone hazards compared to non-RO's.

Internet and smartphone application usage in eating disorders: A descriptive study in Singapore.

PubMed

Tan, Tina; Kuek, Angeline; Goh, Shih Ee; Lee, Ee Lian; Kwok, Victor

2016-02-01

Eating disorders are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The Internet is a popular medium for individuals with eating disorders to discuss and reinforce their affliction. However, the available literature on Internet usage and eating disorders is scarce, especially in the area of social media and smartphone application ("app") usage. This study looked at the Internet and smartphone app usage patterns of participants who presented with an eating disorder in Singapore, and whether it corresponded to severity of illness. Individuals who presented to the Eating Disorders clinic at the Singapore General Hospital completed a self-reported questionnaire on Internet and app usage. They also completed the EDE-Q, EAT-26 and CIA 3.0. 55 participants completed the study. 41.8% had anorexia nervosa, 34.5% had bulimia nervosa, and 9.1% were ED-NOS. 41.8% felt that apps helped to perpetuate their illness while 32.7% felt that the apps were helpful for recovery. Overall, any smartphone application usage was associated with younger age and greater eating disorder psychopathology and psychosocial impairment. While 30.9% had encountered eating disorder-related content on Facebook, only 12.7% visited Facebook groups related to eating disorders. For YouTube, "Cooking and Food" and "Beauty and Fashion" videos were among the top 3 types of videos that participants watched. In conclusion, Internet and smartphone app usage is significant, and they are associated with greater severity of illness. It is necessary to include interventions in this aspect as part of treatment of eating disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Insight into pattern of codon biasness and nucleotide base usage in serotonin receptor gene family from different mammalian species.

PubMed

Dass, J Febin Prabhu; Sudandiradoss, C

2012-07-15

5-HT (5-Hydroxy-tryptamine) or serotonin receptors are found both in central and peripheral nervous system as well as in non-neuronal tissues. In the animal and human nervous system, serotonin produces various functional effects through a variety of membrane bound receptors. In this study, we focus on 5-HT receptor family from different mammals and examined the factors that account for codon and nucleotide usage variation. A total of 110 homologous coding sequences from 11 different mammalian species were analyzed using relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU), correspondence analysis (COA) and hierarchical cluster analysis together with nucleotide base usage frequency of chemically similar amino acid codons. The mean effective number of codon (ENc) value of 37.06 for 5-HT(6) shows very high codon bias within the family and may be due to high selective translational efficiency. The COA and Spearman's rank correlation reveals that the nucleotide compositional mutation bias as the major factors influencing the codon usage in serotonin receptor genes. The hierarchical cluster analysis suggests that gene function is another dominant factor that affects the codon usage bias, while species is a minor factor. Nucleotide base usage was reported using Goldman, Engelman, Stietz (GES) scale reveals the presence of high uracil (>45%) content at functionally important hydrophobic regions. Our in silico approach will certainly help for further investigations on critical inference on evolution, structure, function and gene expression aspects of 5-HT receptors family which are potential antipsychotic drug targets. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of pattern for consumption and awareness regarding energy drinks among medical students.

PubMed

Aslam, Hafiz Muhammad; Mughal, Anum; Edhi, Muhammad Muzzammil; Saleem, Shafaq; Rao, Masood Hussain; Aftab, Anum; Hanif, Maliha; Ahmed, Alina; Khan, Agha Muhammad Hammad

2013-01-01

Energy drink is a type of beverage which contains stimulant drugs chiefly caffeine and marketed as mental and physical stimulator. Coffee, tea, soft drinks and other caffeinated beverages are not considered as energy drinks. Purpose of our study was to evaluate the awareness of medical students regarding energy drinks and their pattern and reason of energy drinks consumption. This was a cross sectional and observational study conducted during the period of January - December 2012 at four Medical Colleges (Dow Medical College, Sindh Medical College, Jinnah Medical College and Liaquat National Medical College) of Karachi, Pakistan. Over all 900 M.B.B.S students were invited to participate after taking written consent but viable questionnaire was submitted by 866 students, estimated response rate of 96%. All data was entered and analyzed through SPSS version 19. Out of 866 participants, majority were females 614 (70.9%) and only 252 (28.5%) were males, with a mean age of 21.43 ± 1.51 years. Energy drinks users were 350 (42.89%) and non users were 516 (59.58%). Only 102 (29.3%) users and 159 (30.7%) non users know the correct definition of Energy drinks. Regarding awareness, mostly user and non users thought that usage of energy drinks had been on rise due to its usefulness in reducing sleep hours [users193 (43.9%), nonusers 247 (56.1%) (p < 0.05)], for studying or completing major projects [users184 (45.0%), nonusers 225 (55.0%) (p < 0.05)] and for refreshment purposes [users179 (44.9%), nonusers 220 (55.1%) (p < 0.05)]. Two main reasons of not using energy drinks by non-users were "awareness from its side effects" 247 (47.8%) and "have no specific reason" 265 (51.3%). Most common side effects reported by users were fatigue 111 (31.7%) and weight gain 102 (29.4%). In sum, the fact that despite serious side effects of weight gaining and fatigue, practice of consuming energy drinks is highly prevalent among medical students, particularly because they are ever ready to boost their energy level and reduce sleep hours due to stress of exams and projects. This warrants the creation of continued public health awareness about the appropriate use of caffeinated beverages, their potential benefits, side effects and correction of wrong perceptions.

Assessment of pattern for consumption and awareness regarding energy drinks among medical students

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Energy drink is a type of beverage which contains stimulant drugs chiefly caffeine and marketed as mental and physical stimulator. Coffee, tea, soft drinks and other caffeinated beverages are not considered as energy drinks. Purpose of our study was to evaluate the awareness of medical students regarding energy drinks and their pattern and reason of energy drinks consumption. Methods This was a cross sectional and observational study conducted during the period of January – December 2012 at four Medical Colleges (Dow Medical College, Sindh Medical College, Jinnah Medical College and Liaquat National Medical College) of Karachi, Pakistan. Over all 900 M.B.B.S students were invited to participate after taking written consent but viable questionnaire was submitted by 866 students, estimated response rate of 96%. All data was entered and analyzed through SPSS version 19. Result Out of 866 participants, majority were females 614 (70.9%) and only 252 (28.5%) were males, with a mean age of 21.43 ± 1.51 years. Energy drinks users were 350 (42.89%) and non users were 516 (59.58%). Only 102 (29.3%) users and 159 (30.7%) non users know the correct definition of Energy drinks. Regarding awareness, mostly user and non users thought that usage of energy drinks had been on rise due to its usefulness in reducing sleep hours [users193 (43.9%), nonusers 247 (56.1%) (p < 0.05)], for studying or completing major projects [users184 (45.0%), nonusers 225 (55.0%) (p < 0.05)] and for refreshment purposes [users179 (44.9%), nonusers 220 (55.1%) (p < 0.05)]. Two main reasons of not using energy drinks by non-users were “awareness from its side effects” 247 (47.8%) and “have no specific reason” 265 (51.3%). Most common side effects reported by users were fatigue 111 (31.7%) and weight gain 102 (29.4%). Conclusion In sum, the fact that despite serious side effects of weight gaining and fatigue, practice of consuming energy drinks is highly prevalent among medical students, particularly because they are ever ready to boost their energy level and reduce sleep hours due to stress of exams and projects. This warrants the creation of continued public health awareness about the appropriate use of caffeinated beverages, their potential benefits, side effects and correction of wrong perceptions. PMID:24351105

Water-food-energy nexus with changing agricultural scenarios in India during recent decades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barik, Beas; Ghosh, Subimal; Saheer Sahana, A.; Pathak, Amey; Sekhar, Muddu

2017-06-01

Meeting the growing water and food demands in a densely populated country like India is a major challenge. It requires an extensive investigation into the changing patterns of the checks and balances behind the maintenance of food security at the expense of depleting groundwater, along with high energy consumption. Here we present a comprehensive set of analyses which assess the present status of the water-food-energy nexus in India, along with its changing pattern, in the last few decades. We find that with the growth of population and consequent increase in the food demands, the food production has also increased, and this has been made possible with the intensification of irrigation. However, during the recent decade (after 1996), the increase in food production has not been sufficient to meet its growing demands, precipitating a decline in the per-capita food availability. We also find a statistically significant declining trend of groundwater storage in India during the last decade, as derived from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite datasets. Regional studies reveal contrasting trends between northern and western-central India. North-western India and the middle Ganga basin show a decrease in the groundwater storage as opposed to an increasing storage over western-central India. Comparison with well data reveals that the highest consistency of GRACE-derived storage data with available well measurements is in the middle Ganga basin. After analysing the data for the last 2 decades, we further showcase that, after a drought, the groundwater storage drops but is unable to recover to its original condition even after good monsoon years. The groundwater storage reveals a very strong negative correlation with the electricity consumption for agricultural usage, which may also be considered as a proxy for groundwater pumped for irrigation in a region. The electricity usage for agricultural purposes has an increasing trend and, interestingly, it does not have any correlation with the monsoon rainfall as computed with the original or de-trended variables. This reveals an important finding that the irrigation has been intensified irrespective of rainfall. This also resulted in a decreasing correlation between the food production and monsoon rainfall, revealing the increasing dependency of agricultural activities on irrigation. We conclude that irrigation has now become essential for agriculture to meet the food demand; however, it should be judiciously regulated and controlled, based on the water availability from monsoon rainfall, specifically after the drought years, as it is essential to recover from the deficits suffered previously.

Energy optimization system

DOEpatents

Zhou, Zhi; de Bedout, Juan Manuel; Kern, John Michael; Biyik, Emrah; Chandra, Ramu Sharat

2013-01-22

A system for optimizing customer utility usage in a utility network of customer sites, each having one or more utility devices, where customer site is communicated between each of the customer sites and an optimization server having software for optimizing customer utility usage over one or more networks, including private and public networks. A customer site model for each of the customer sites is generated based upon the customer site information, and the customer utility usage is optimized based upon the customer site information and the customer site model. The optimization server can be hosted by an external source or within the customer site. In addition, the optimization processing can be partitioned between the customer site and an external source.

Security in Wireless Sensor Networks Employing MACGSP6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nitipaichit, Yuttasart

2010-01-01

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have unique characteristics which constrain them; including small energy stores, limited computation, and short range communication capability. Most traditional security algorithms use cryptographic primitives such as Public-key cryptography and are not optimized for energy usage. Employing these algorithms for the…

Energy Management of the Multi-Mission Space Exploration Vehicle Using a Goal-Oriented Control System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braman, Julia M. B.; Wagner, David A.

2010-01-01

Safe human exploration in space missions requires careful management of limited resources such as breathable air and stored electrical energy. Daily activities for astronauts must be carefully planned with respect to such resources, and usage must be monitored as activities proceed to ensure that they can be completed while maintaining safe resource margins. Such planning and monitoring can be complex because they depend on models of resource usage, the activities being planned, and uncertainties. This paper describes a system - and the technology behind it - for energy management of the NASA-Johnson Space Center's Multi-Mission Space Exploration Vehicles (SEV), that provides, in an onboard advisory mode, situational awareness to astronauts and real-time guidance to mission operators. This new capability was evaluated during this year's Desert RATS (Research and Technology Studies) planetary exploration analog test in Arizona. This software aided ground operators and crew members in modifying the day s activities based on the real-time execution of the plan and on energy data received from the rovers.

Development and evaluation of a prototype concentrating solar collector with thermocline based thermal energy storage for residential thermal usage

DOE PAGES

Kumar, Vinod; Afrin, Samia; Ortega, Jesus; ...

2013-09-01

A prototype of a concentrating solar collector (CSC) receiver was designed, built, and evaluated on-sun at the University of Texas at El Paso in El Paso, TX. This prototype receiver consists of two parabolic trough-reflectors but, in principle, the design can be efficiently extended to multiple units for achieving a higher temperature throughput. Each reflector has a vacuum tube collector at the focal point of the trough. The solar collector system was combined with a single-tank thermocline thermal energy storage (TES) for off-solar thermal usage. The main goal of this study is to develop an advanced solar hot water systemmore » for most residential applications. The focus of this study is to investigate the feasibility and performance of the solar thermal system by employing the recent advancement in the TES—a thermocline based TES—system for the concentrating solar power technologies developed by the Sandia National Laboratories and National Renewable Energy Laboratories for electricity production. A CSC when combined with TES has potential to provide uninterrupted thermal energy for most residential usages. This paper presents a detailed description of prototype design and materials required. The thermal energy storage tank utilizes an insulated 170 l (45 gal) galvanized steel tank. In order to maintain thermocline in the TES tank, with hot water on top and cold water at the bottom, two plate distributors are installed in the tank. The data showed a significant enhancement in thermal energy generation. This thermocline based single tank presented a thermal energy storage potential for at least three days (with diminishing storage capacity) that test were performed. The whole prototype was made for approximately USD 355 (excludes any labor costs) and hence also has strong potential for supplying clean thermal energy in most developing countries. As a result, tests of the prototype were conducted in November 2011.« less

TEP Power Partners Project [Tucson Electric Power

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

2014-02-06

The Arizona Governor’s Office of Energy Policy, in partnership with Tucson Electric Power (TEP), Tendril, and Next Phase Energy (NPE), formed the TEP Power Partners pilot project to demonstrate how residential customers could access their energy usage data and third party applications using data obtained from an Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) network. The project applied for and was awarded a Smart Grid Data Access grant through the U.S. Department of Energy. The project participants’ goal for Phase I is to actively engage 1,700 residential customers to demonstrate sustained participation, reduction in energy usage (kWh) and cost ($), and measure relatedmore » aspects of customer satisfaction. This Demonstration report presents a summary of the findings, effectiveness, and customer satisfaction with the 15-month TEP Power Partners pilot project. The objective of the program is to provide residential customers with energy consumption data from AMR metering and empower these participants to better manage their electricity use. The pilot recruitment goals included migrating 700 existing customers from the completed Power Partners Demand Response Load Control Project (DRLC), and enrolling 1,000 new participants. Upon conclusion of the project on November 19, 2013; 1,390 Home Area Networks (HANs) were registered; 797 new participants installed a HAN; Survey respondents’ are satisfied with the program and found value with a variety of specific program components; Survey respondents report feeling greater control over their energy usage and report taking energy savings actions in their homes after participating in the program; On average, 43 % of the participants returned to the web portal monthly and 15% returned weekly; and An impact evaluation was completed by Opinion Dynamics and found average participant savings for the treatment period1 to be 2.3% of their household use during this period.2 In total, the program saved 163 MWh in the treatment period of 2013.« less

The Internet: Trends and Directions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Byron

1996-01-01

Examines current trends and directions in information technology and telecommunications. Discusses legislation; mergers and acquisitions; Internet service providers; fiscal control in libraries and the pooling of electronic information access through consortiums; demand for more bandwidth; technology selection; Internet usage patterns; the…

Quantitative estimates of dietary intake with special emphasis on snacking pattern and nutritional status of free living adults in urban slums of Delhi: impact of nutrition transition

PubMed Central

Singh, Archna; Gupta, Vidhu; Ghosh, Arpita; Lock, Karen; Ghosh-Jerath, Suparna

2016-01-01

Background The nutritional landscape of India is experiencing the fallout of urbanization and globalization. The changes are manifest in dietary patterns as well as health outcomes. The study aimed at assessing household dietary intake pattern with special emphasis on snacking pattern, anthropometric and lipid profiles in low socio-economic status households in an urban slum of Delhi. Methods Community based cross-sectional study in 260 households of a purposively selected urban slum in North-East district of Delhi, India. Family dietary surveys including consumption pattern of commercial food products rich in Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (PHVOs), 24 h dietary recall and assessment of dietary diversity using Household Diet Diversity Scores (HDDS) were done. Assessment of nutritional status using anthropometric and lipid profile on a subsample (n =130) were also conducted. Results Median energy and fat intake were adequate. Micronutrient intake was found to be inadequate for vitamin A, riboflavin, calcium and folate. PHVO usage was low (<20 % households). Milk (39 %), green leafy vegetables (25 %) and fruits (25 %) intake were below recommendations. Mean HDDS was 7.87. Prevalence of overweight/obesity was high (66.7 %). Lipid profile showed mean HDL-C levels lower than recommendations for females. Conclusion Community based awareness programs for prevention of non-communicable diseases should incorporate healthy diet and lifestyle practices with emphasis on quantity and quality of nutrient intake. This must be considered as an integral part of chronic disease prevention strategy for underprivileged communities in urban India. PMID:26918196

Quantitative estimates of dietary intake with special emphasis on snacking pattern and nutritional status of free living adults in urban slums of Delhi: impact of nutrition transition.

PubMed

Singh, Archna; Gupta, Vidhu; Ghosh, Arpita; Lock, Karen; Ghosh-Jerath, Suparna

2015-10-14

The nutritional landscape of India is experiencing the fallout of urbanization and globalization. The changes are manifest in dietary patterns as well as health outcomes. The study aimed at assessing household dietary intake pattern with special emphasis on snacking pattern, anthropometric and lipid profiles in low socio-economic status households in an urban slum of Delhi. Community based cross-sectional study in 260 households of a purposively selected urban slum in North-East district of Delhi, India. Family dietary surveys including consumption pattern of commercial food products rich in Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (PHVOs), 24 h dietary recall and assessment of dietary diversity using Household Diet Diversity Scores (HDDS) were done. Assessment of nutritional status using anthropometric and lipid profile on a subsample ( n =130) were also conducted. Median energy and fat intake were adequate. Micronutrient intake was found to be inadequate for vitamin A, riboflavin, calcium and folate. PHVO usage was low (<20 % households). Milk (39 %), green leafy vegetables (25 %) and fruits (25 %) intake were below recommendations. Mean HDDS was 7.87. Prevalence of overweight/obesity was high (66.7 %). Lipid profile showed mean HDL-C levels lower than recommendations for females. Community based awareness programs for prevention of non-communicable diseases should incorporate healthy diet and lifestyle practices with emphasis on quantity and quality of nutrient intake. This must be considered as an integral part of chronic disease prevention strategy for underprivileged communities in urban India.

Is health literacy related to health behaviors and cell phone usage patterns among the text4baby target population?

PubMed

Poorman, Elisabeth; Gazmararian, Julie; Elon, Lisa; Parker, Ruth

2014-01-01

Text4baby provides educational text messages to pregnant and postpartum women and targets underserved women. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the health behaviors and cell phone usage patterns of a text4baby target population and the associations with health literacy. Pregnant and postpartum women were recruited from two Women, Infant and Children clinics in Atlanta. Women were asked about their demographics, selected pregnancy or postpartum health behaviors, and cell phone usage patterns. Health literacy skills were measured with the English version of the Newest Vital Sign. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine health behaviors and cell usage patterns by health literacy classification, controlling for commonly accepted confounders. Four hundred sixty-eight women were recruited, and 445 completed the Newest Vital Sign. Of these, 22% had inadequate health literacy, 50% had intermediate health literacy, and 28% had adequate health literacy skills. Compared to adequate health literacy, limited literacy was independently associated with not taking a daily vitamin during pregnancy (OR 3.6, 95% CI: 1.6, 8.5) and never breastfeeding their infant (OR 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.8). The majority (69.4%) of respondents received nine or more text messages a day prior to enrollment, one in four participants (24.6%) had changed their number within the last six months, and 7.0% of study participants shared a cell phone. Controlling for potentially confounding factors, those with limited health literacy were more likely to share a cell phone than those with adequate health literacy (OR 2.57, 95% CI: 1.79, 3.69). Text4baby messages should be appropriate for low health literacy levels, especially as this population may have higher prevalence of targeted unhealthy behaviors. Text4baby and other mhealth programs targetting low health literacy populations should also be aware of the different ways that these populations use their cell phones, including: sharing cell phones, which may mean participants will not receive messages or have special privacy concerns; frequently changing cell phone numbers which could lead to higher drop-off rates; and the penetrance of text messages in a population that receives many messages daily.

Intelligent data processing of an ultrasonic sensor system for pattern recognition improvements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Na, Seung You; Park, Min-Sang; Hwang, Won-Gul; Kee, Chang-Doo

1999-05-01

Though conventional time-of-flight ultrasonic sensor systems are popular due to the advantages of low cost and simplicity, the usage of the sensors is rather narrowly restricted within object detection and distance readings. There is a strong need to enlarge the amount of environmental information for mobile applications to provide intelligent autonomy. Wide sectors of such neighboring object recognition problems can be satisfactorily handled with coarse vision data such as sonar maps instead of accurate laser or optic measurements. For the usage of object pattern recognition, ultrasonic senors have inherent shortcomings of poor directionality and specularity which result in low spatial resolution and indistinctiveness of object patterns. To resolve these problems an array of increased number of sensor elements has been used for large objects. In this paper we propose a method of sensor array system with improved recognition capability using electronic circuits accompanying the sensor array and neuro-fuzzy processing of data fusion. The circuit changes transmitter output voltages of array elements in several steps. Relying upon the known sensor characteristics, a set of different return signals from neighboring senors is manipulated to provide an enhanced pattern recognition in the aspects of inclination angle, size and shift as well as distance of objects. The results show improved resolution of the measurements for smaller targets.

Quantifying Wikipedia Usage Patterns Before Stock Market Moves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moat, Helen Susannah; Curme, Chester; Avakian, Adam; Kenett, Dror Y.; Stanley, H. Eugene; Preis, Tobias

2013-05-01

Financial crises result from a catastrophic combination of actions. Vast stock market datasets offer us a window into some of the actions that have led to these crises. Here, we investigate whether data generated through Internet usage contain traces of attempts to gather information before trading decisions were taken. We present evidence in line with the intriguing suggestion that data on changes in how often financially related Wikipedia pages were viewed may have contained early signs of stock market moves. Our results suggest that online data may allow us to gain new insight into early information gathering stages of decision making.

Quantifying Wikipedia Usage Patterns Before Stock Market Moves

PubMed Central

Moat, Helen Susannah; Curme, Chester; Avakian, Adam; Kenett, Dror Y.; Stanley, H. Eugene; Preis, Tobias

2013-01-01

Financial crises result from a catastrophic combination of actions. Vast stock market datasets offer us a window into some of the actions that have led to these crises. Here, we investigate whether data generated through Internet usage contain traces of attempts to gather information before trading decisions were taken. We present evidence in line with the intriguing suggestion that data on changes in how often financially related Wikipedia pages were viewed may have contained early signs of stock market moves. Our results suggest that online data may allow us to gain new insight into early information gathering stages of decision making.

An intertemporal decision framework for electrochemical energy storage management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Guannan; Chen, Qixin; Moutis, Panayiotis; Kar, Soummya; Whitacre, Jay F.

2018-05-01

Dispatchable energy storage is necessary to enable renewable-based power systems that have zero or very low carbon emissions. The inherent degradation behaviour of electrochemical energy storage (EES) is a major concern for both EES operational decisions and EES economic assessments. Here, we propose a decision framework that addresses the intertemporal trade-offs in terms of EES degradation by deriving, implementing and optimizing two metrics: the marginal benefit of usage and the average benefit of usage. These metrics are independent of the capital cost of the EES system, and, as such, separate the value of EES use from the initial cost, which provides a different perspective on storage valuation and operation. Our framework is proved to produce the optimal solution for EES life-cycle profit maximization. We show that the proposed framework offers effective ways to assess the economic values of EES, to make investment decisions for various applications and to inform related subsidy policies.

RNA-sequence analysis of gene expression from honeybees (Apis mellifera) infected with Nosema ceranae

PubMed Central

Fougeroux, André; Petit, Fabien; Anselmo, Anna; Gorni, Chiara; Cucurachi, Marco; Cersini, Antonella; Granato, Anna; Cardeti, Giusy; Formato, Giovanni; Mutinelli, Franco; Giuffra, Elisabetta; Williams, John L.; Botti, Sara

2017-01-01

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are constantly subjected to many biotic stressors including parasites. This study examined honeybees infected with Nosema ceranae (N. ceranae). N. ceranae infection increases the bees energy requirements and may contribute to their decreased survival. RNA-seq was used to investigate gene expression at days 5, 10 and 15 Post Infection (P.I) with N. ceranae. The expression levels of genes, isoforms, alternative transcription start sites (TSS) and differential promoter usage revealed a complex pattern of transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulation suggesting that bees use a range of tactics to cope with the stress of N. ceranae infection. N. ceranae infection may cause reduced immune function in the bees by: (i)disturbing the host amino acids metabolism (ii) down-regulating expression of antimicrobial peptides (iii) down-regulation of cuticle coatings and (iv) down-regulation of odorant binding proteins. PMID:28350872

Attractor neural networks with resource-efficient synaptic connectivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pehlevan, Cengiz; Sengupta, Anirvan

Memories are thought to be stored in the attractor states of recurrent neural networks. Here we explore how resource constraints interplay with memory storage function to shape synaptic connectivity of attractor networks. We propose that given a set of memories, in the form of population activity patterns, the neural circuit choses a synaptic connectivity configuration that minimizes a resource usage cost. We argue that the total synaptic weight (l1-norm) in the network measures the resource cost because synaptic weight is correlated with synaptic volume, which is a limited resource, and is proportional to neurotransmitter release and post-synaptic current, both of which cost energy. Using numerical simulations and replica theory, we characterize optimal connectivity profiles in resource-efficient attractor networks. Our theory explains several experimental observations on cortical connectivity profiles, 1) connectivity is sparse, because synapses are costly, 2) bidirectional connections are overrepresented and 3) are stronger, because attractor states need strong recurrence.

Proximity correction of high-dosed frame with PROXECCO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisenmann, Hans; Waas, Thomas; Hartmann, Hans

1994-05-01

Usefulness of electron beam lithography is strongly related to the efficiency and quality of methods used for proximity correction. This paper addresses the above issue by proposing an extension to the new proximity correction program PROXECCO. The combination of a framing step with PROXECCO produces a pattern with a very high edge accuracy and still allows usage of the fast correction procedure. Making a frame with a higher dose imitates a fine resolution correction where the coarse part is disregarded. So after handling the high resolution effect by means of framing, an additional coarse correction is still needed. Higher doses have a higher contribution to the proximity effect. This additional proximity effect is taken into account with the help of the multi-dose input of PROXECCO. The dose of the frame is variable, depending on the deposited energy coming from backscattering of the proximity. Simulation proves the very high edge accuracy of the applied method.

Words vs. deeds: Americans' energy concerns and implementation of green energy policies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brinker, Garrett C.

As the effects of climate change become increasingly clear, nations, international organizations, and corporations are working together to help mitigate these negative effects before they become irreversible. The United States, as the world's largest emitter per capita, has a responsibility to take quick and decisive action to decrease carbon emissions. And while an overwhelming majority of Americans believe that green energy policies are the right step forward, few have taken meaningful steps to actually implement these policies. Green and energy efficient technologies such as hybrid and electric cars, smart meters, and solar panels---technologies that would reduce our carbon footprint---are currently purchased or used by very few households. There is a clear gap between our words and deeds. Using the University of Texas at Austin Energy Poll dataset, this paper examines this gap and analyzes how income may influence what people say, versus how they act, seeking to better understand how income influences peoples' energy behaviors. Previous literature suggests that income has proven to be an inconsistent measure of concern for energy use. Through two OLS models, this paper finds that income is negatively correlated with Americans' concern for energy usage, while finding that there is a positive correlation between income and Americans' implementation of energy efficient technologies. Further, there is a nonlinear relationship between income groups and how Americans both think about their energy usage and actually implement more energy efficient measures.

Associations among personal care product use patterns and exogenous hormone use in the NIEHS Sister Study.

PubMed

Taylor, Kyla W; Baird, Donna D; Herring, Amy H; Engel, Lawrence S; Nichols, Hazel B; Sandler, Dale P; Troester, Melissa A

2017-09-01

It is hypothesized that certain chemicals in personal care products may alter the risk of adverse health outcomes. The primary aim of this study was to use a data-centered approach to classify complex patterns of exposure to personal care products and to understand how these patterns vary according to use of exogenous hormone exposures, oral contraceptives (OCs) and post-menopausal hormone therapy (HT). The NIEHS Sister Study is a prospective cohort study of 50,884 US women. Limiting the sample to non-Hispanic blacks and whites (N=47,019), latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify groups of individuals with similar patterns of personal care product use based on responses to 48 survey questions. Personal care products were categorized into three product types (beauty, hair, and skincare products) and separate latent classes were constructed for each type. Adjusted prevalence differences (PD) were calculated to estimate the association between exogenous hormone use, as measured by ever/never OC or HT use, and patterns of personal care product use. LCA reduced data dimensionality by grouping of individuals with similar patterns of personal care product use into mutually exclusive latent classes (three latent classes for beauty product use, three for hair, and four for skin care. There were strong differences in personal care usage by race, particularly for haircare products. For both blacks and whites, exogenous hormone exposures were associated with higher levels of product use, especially beauty and skincare products. Relative to individual product use questions, latent class variables capture complex patterns of personal care product usage. These patterns differed by race and were associated with ever OC and HT use. Future studies should consider personal care product exposures with other exogenous exposures when modeling health risks.

Associations among personal care product use patterns and exogenous hormone use in the NIEHS Sister Study

PubMed Central

Taylor, Kyla W.; Baird, Donna D.; Herring, Amy H.; Engel, Lawrence S.; Nichols, Hazel B.; Sandler, Dale P.; Troester, Melissa A.

2017-01-01

It is hypothesized that certain chemicals in personal care products may alter the risk of adverse health outcomes. The primary aim of this study was to use a data-centered approach to classify complex patterns of exposure to personal care products and to understand how these patterns vary according to use of exogenous hormone exposures, oral contraceptives (OCs) and post-menopausal hormone therapy (HT). The NIEHS Sister Study is a prospective cohort study of 50,884 US women. Limiting the sample to non-Hispanic blacks and whites (N = 47,019), latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify groups of individuals with similar patterns of personal care product use based on responses to 48 survey questions. Personal care products were categorized into three product types (beauty, hair, and skincare products) and separate latent classes were constructed for each type. Adjusted prevalence differences (PD) were calculated to estimate the association between exogenous hormone use, as measured by ever/never OC or HT use, and patterns of personal care product use. LCA reduced data dimensionality by grouping of individuals with similar patterns of personal care product use into mutually exclusive latent classes (three latent classes for beauty product use, three for hair, and four for skin care. There were strong differences in personal care usage by race, particularly for haircare products. For both blacks and whites, exogenous hormone exposures were associated with higher levels of product use, especially beauty and skincare products. Relative to individual product use questions, latent class variables capture complex patterns of personal care product usage. These patterns differed by race and were associated with ever OC and HT use. Future studies should consider personal care product exposures with other exogenous exposures when modeling health risks. PMID:28120835

Structural Rearrangement of Energetic Materials under an External Electric Field: A Case Study of Nitromethane.

PubMed

Liu, Yingzhe; Ma, Yiding; Yu, Tao; Lai, Weipeng; Guo, Wangjun; Ge, Zhongxue; Ma, Zhinan

2018-03-01

As a significant stimulus, the external electric field (EEF) can change the decomposition mechanism and energy release of energetic materials (EMs). Hence, understanding the response of EMs to an EEF is greatly meaningful for their safe usage. Herein, the structural arrangement, a crucial factor in the impact sensitivity and detonation performance of EMs, under the EEF ranging from 0.0 to 0.5 V/Å was investigated via molecular dynamics simulation. Nitromethane (NM) was taken as a case study due to the simple structure. The simulation results show that there exists a critical EEF strength between 0.2 and 0.3 V/Å, which can induce the transition of NM molecules from relatively disordered distribution to solidlike ordered and compacted arrangement with a large density. In this ordered structure, NM dipoles are aligned in a head-to-tail pattern parallel to the EEF direction because of the favored dipole-dipole interactions and weak C-H···O hydrogen bonds. As the EEF strength is enhanced, the potential energy and cohesive energy density of the NM system gradually decrease and increase, respectively, indicative of high thermodynamics stability of ordered arrangement. The results reported here also shed light on the potential of the EEF to induce the nucleation and crystallization to explore new polymorphs of EMs.

Effect of fee-for-service air-conditioning management in balancing thermal comfort and energy usage.

PubMed

Chen, Chen-Peng; Hwang, Ruey-Lung; Shih, Wen-Mei

2014-11-01

Balancing thermal comfort with the requirement of energy conservation presents a challenge in hot and humid areas where air-conditioning (AC) is frequently used in cooling indoor air. A field survey was conducted in Taiwan to demonstrate the adaptive behaviors of occupants in relation to the use of fans and AC in a school building employing mixed-mode ventilation where AC use was managed under a fee-for-service mechanism. The patterns of using windows, fans, and AC as well as the perceptions of students toward the thermal environment were examined. The results of thermal perception evaluation in relation to the indoor thermal conditions were compared to the levels of thermal comfort predicted by the adaptive models described in the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers Standard 55 and EN 15251 and to that of a local model for evaluating thermal adaption in naturally ventilated buildings. A thermal comfort-driven adaptive behavior model was established to illustrate the probability of fans/AC use at specific temperature and compared to the temperature threshold approach to illustrate the potential energy saving the fee-for-service mechanism provided. The findings of this study may be applied as a reference for regulating the operation of AC in school buildings of subtropical regions.

Energy study of rail passenger transportation. Volume 4. Efficiency improvements and industry future. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Henderson, C.; Wilhelm, J.P.

1979-08-01

Measures that offer promise of efficiency improvements or economy in energy usage in rail passenger transportation are identified and described; the future of rail passenger transportation in the US is discussed; and possible future roles of Federal agencies are discussed.

Energy Efficient Storage and Transfer of Cryogens

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fesmire, James E.

2013-01-01

Cryogenics is globally linked to energy generation, storage, and usage. Thermal insulation systems research and development is an enabling part of NASA's technology goals for Space Launch and Exploration. New thermal testing methodologies and materials are being transferred to industry for a wide range of commercial applications.

Collection and dissemination of thermal energy storage system information for the pulp and paper industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edde, H.

1981-01-01

The collection and dissemination of thermal energy storage (TES) system technology for the pulp and paper industry with the intent of reducing fossil fuel usage is discussed. The study plan is described and a description presented of example TES systems.

Senior High School Students' Preference and Reasoning Modes about Nuclear Energy Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Fang-Ying; Anderson, O. Roger

2003-01-01

Examines senior high school students' cognitive orientation toward scientific or social information, designated as information preference, and associated preferential reasoning modes when presented with an environmental issue concerning nuclear energy usage. Investigates the association of information preference variable with academic and personal…

Will Your Battery Survive a World With Fast Chargers?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neubauer, J. S.; Wood, E.

Fast charging is attractive to battery electric vehicle (BEV) drivers for its ability to enable long-distance travel and quickly recharge depleted batteries on short notice. However, such aggressive charging and the sustained vehicle operation that result could lead to excessive battery temperatures and degradation. Properly assessing the consequences of fast charging requires accounting for disparate cycling, heating, and aging of individual cells in large BEV packs when subjected to realistic travel patterns, usage of fast chargers, and climates over long durations (i.e., years). The U.S. Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Office has supported the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's development ofmore » BLAST-V-the Battery Lifetime Analysis and Simulation Tool for Vehicles-to create a tool capable of accounting for all of these factors. We present on the findings of applying this tool to realistic fast charge scenarios. The effects of different travel patterns, climates, battery sizes, battery thermal management systems, and other factors on battery performance and degradation are presented. We find that the impact of realistic fast charging on battery degradation is minimal for most drivers, due to the low frequency of use. However, in the absence of active battery cooling systems, a driver's desired utilization of a BEV and fast charging infrastructure can result in unsafe peak battery temperatures. We find that active battery cooling systems can control peak battery temperatures to safe limits while allowing the desired use of the vehicle.« less

Integrating an object system into CLIPS: Language design and implementation issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Auburn, Mark

1990-01-01

This paper describes the reasons why an object system with integrated pattern-matching and object-oriented programming facilities is desirable for CLIPS and how it is possible to integrate such a system into CLIPS while maintaining the run-time performance and the low memory usage for which CLIPS is known. The requirements for an object system in CLIPS that includes object-oriented programming and integrated pattern-matching are discussed and various techniques for optimizing the object system and its integration with the pattern-matcher are presented.

Development of a Short-Duration Drive Cycle to Represent Long-Term Measured Drive Cycle Data: Evaluation of Truck Efficiency Technologies in Class 8 Tractor Trailers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

LaClair, Tim; Gao, Zhiming; Fu, Joshua

Quantifying the fuel savings and emissions reductions that can be achieved from truck fuel efficiency technologies for a fleet's specific usage allows the fleet to select a combination of technologies that will yield the greatest operational efficiency and profitability. An accurate characterization of usage for the fleet is critical for such an evaluation; however, short-term measured drive cycle data do not generally reflect overall usage very effectively. This study presents a detailed analysis of vehicle usage in a commercial vehicle fleet and demonstrates the development of a short-duration synthetic drive cycle with measured drive cycle data collected over an extendedmore » period of time. The approach matched statistical measures of the vehicle speed with acceleration history and integrated measured grade data to develop a compressed drive cycle that accurately represents total usage. Drive cycle measurements obtained during a full year from six tractor trailers in normal operations in a less-than-truckload carrier were analyzed to develop a synthetic drive cycle. The vehicle mass was also estimated to account for the variation of loads that the fleet experienced. These drive cycle and mass data were analyzed with a tractive energy analysis to quantify the benefits in terms of fuel efficiency and reduced carbon dioxide emissions that can be achieved on Class 8 tractor trailers by using advanced efficiency technologies, either individually or in combination. Although differences exist between Class 8 tractor trailer fleets, this study provides valuable insight into the energy and emissions reduction potential that various technologies can bring in this important trucking application. Finally, the methodology employed for generating the synthetic drive cycle serves as a rigorous approach to develop an accurate usage characterization that can be used to effectively compress large quantities of drive cycle data.« less

Development of a Short-Duration Drive Cycle to Represent Long-Term Measured Drive Cycle Data: Evaluation of Truck Efficiency Technologies in Class 8 Tractor Trailers

DOE PAGES

LaClair, Tim; Gao, Zhiming; Fu, Joshua; ...

2014-12-01

Quantifying the fuel savings and emissions reductions that can be achieved from truck fuel efficiency technologies for a fleet's specific usage allows the fleet to select a combination of technologies that will yield the greatest operational efficiency and profitability. An accurate characterization of usage for the fleet is critical for such an evaluation; however, short-term measured drive cycle data do not generally reflect overall usage very effectively. This study presents a detailed analysis of vehicle usage in a commercial vehicle fleet and demonstrates the development of a short-duration synthetic drive cycle with measured drive cycle data collected over an extendedmore » period of time. The approach matched statistical measures of the vehicle speed with acceleration history and integrated measured grade data to develop a compressed drive cycle that accurately represents total usage. Drive cycle measurements obtained during a full year from six tractor trailers in normal operations in a less-than-truckload carrier were analyzed to develop a synthetic drive cycle. The vehicle mass was also estimated to account for the variation of loads that the fleet experienced. These drive cycle and mass data were analyzed with a tractive energy analysis to quantify the benefits in terms of fuel efficiency and reduced carbon dioxide emissions that can be achieved on Class 8 tractor trailers by using advanced efficiency technologies, either individually or in combination. Although differences exist between Class 8 tractor trailer fleets, this study provides valuable insight into the energy and emissions reduction potential that various technologies can bring in this important trucking application. Finally, the methodology employed for generating the synthetic drive cycle serves as a rigorous approach to develop an accurate usage characterization that can be used to effectively compress large quantities of drive cycle data.« less

A review on potential use of low-temperature water in the urban environment as a thermal-energy source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laanearu, J.; Borodinecs, A.; Rimeika, M.; Palm, B.

2017-10-01

The thermal-energy potential of urban water sources is largely unused to accomplish the up-to-date requirements of the buildings energy demands in the cities of Baltic Sea Region. A reason is that the natural and excess-heat water sources have a low temperature and heat that should be upgraded before usage. The demand for space cooling should increase in near future with thermal insulation of buildings. There are a number of options to recover heat also from wastewater. It is proposed that a network of heat extraction and insertion including the thermal-energy recovery schemes has potential to be broadly implemented in the region with seasonally alternating temperature. The mapping of local conditions is essential in finding the suitable regions (hot spots) for future application of a heat recovery schemes by combining information about demands with information about available sources. The low-temperature water in the urban environment is viewed as a potential thermal-energy source. To recover thermal energy efficiently, it is also essential to ensure that it is used locally, and adverse effects on environment and industrial processes are avoided. Some characteristics reflecting the energy usage are discussed in respect of possible improvements of energy efficiency.

Issues in International Energy Consumption Analysis: Electricity Usage in India’s Housing Sector

EIA Publications

2014-01-01

India offers a unique set of features for studying electricity use in the context of a developing country. First, it has a rapidly developing economy with high yearly growth rates in gross domestic product (GDP). Second, it has the second -largest population in the world and is likely to have the largest population in the future. Third, its electric system is maturing—with known difficulties (outages, shortages, issues with reliability and quality) that are characteristic of a developing country. This article focuses on electricity use in the residential sector of India and discusses key trends and provides an overview of available usage estimates from various sources. Indian households are an interesting environment where many of India’s unique features interact. The recent economic gains correlate with rising incomes and possible changes in living standards, which could affect electricity or other energy use within households. Additionally, the maturing electric system and large population in India both offer opportunities to study a range of interactions between electrification and electricity usage in a developing country.

Climate change impact on wave energy in the Persian Gulf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamranzad, Bahareh; Etemad-Shahidi, Amir; Chegini, Vahid; Yeganeh-Bakhtiary, Abbas

2015-06-01

Excessive usage of fossil fuels and high emission of greenhouse gases have increased the earth's temperature, and consequently have changed the patterns of natural phenomena such as wind speed, wave height, etc. Renewable energy resources are ideal alternatives to reduce the negative effects of increasing greenhouse gases emission and climate change. However, these energy sources are also sensitive to changing climate. In this study, the effect of climate change on wave energy in the Persian Gulf is investigated. For this purpose, future wind data obtained from CGCM3.1 model were downscaled using a hybrid approach and modification factors were computed based on local wind data (ECMWF) and applied to control and future CGCM3.1 wind data. Downscaled wind data was used to generate the wave characteristics in the future based on A2, B1, and A1B scenarios, while ECMWF wind field was used to generate the wave characteristics in the control period. The results of these two 30-yearly wave modelings using SWAN model showed that the average wave power changes slightly in the future. Assessment of wave power spatial distribution showed that the reduction of the average wave power is more in the middle parts of the Persian Gulf. Investigation of wave power distribution in two coastal stations (Boushehr and Assalouyeh ports) indicated that the annual wave energy will decrease in both stations while the wave power distribution for different intervals of significant wave height and peak period will also change in Assalouyeh according to all scenarios.

Roadway usage patterns : urban case studies - final report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-01-01

The Orlando Test Network Study was one of a series of investigations conducted as part of the TravTek operational test of an advanced traveler information and traffic management system (ATIS/ATMS). The TravTek system consisted of the Orlando Traffic ...

Disruptive technologies for Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority business strategy exploration.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-04-01

There are three tasks for this research : 1. Methodology to extract Road Usage Patterns from Phone Data: We combined the : most complete record of daily mobility, based on large-scale mobile phone data, with : detailed Geographic Information System (...

Study of Manpower Requirements by Occupation for Alternative Technologies in the Energy-Related Industries, 1970-1990. Volumes I, IIA, and III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutmanis, Ivars; And Others

The report presents the methodology used by the National Planning Association (NPA), under contract to the Federal Energy Administration (FEA), to estimate direct labor usage coefficients in some sixty different occupational categories involved in construction, operation, and maintenance of energy facilities. Volume 1 presents direct labor usage…

Cars and Kinetic Energy--Some Simple Physics with Real-World Relevance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parthasarathy, Raghuveer

2012-01-01

Understanding energy usage is crucial to understanding modern civilization, as well as many of the challenges it faces. Energy-related issues also offer real-world examples of important physical concepts, and as such have been the focus of several articles in "The Physics Teacher" in the past few decades (e.g., Refs. 1-5, noted further below).…

A spatial approach for the epidemiology of antibiotic use and resistance in community-based studies: the emergence of urban clusters of Escherichia coli quinolone resistance in Sao Paulo, Brasil

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Population antimicrobial use may influence resistance emergence. Resistance is an ecological phenomenon due to potential transmissibility. We investigated spatial and temporal patterns of ciprofloxacin (CIP) population consumption related to E. coli resistance emergence and dissemination in a major Brazilian city. A total of 4,372 urinary tract infection E. coli cases, with 723 CIP resistant, were identified in 2002 from two outpatient centres. Cases were address geocoded in a digital map. Raw CIP consumption data was transformed into usage density in DDDs by CIP selling points influence zones determination. A stochastic model coupled with a Geographical Information System was applied for relating resistance and usage density and for detecting city areas of high/low resistance risk. Results E. coli CIP resistant cluster emergence was detected and significantly related to usage density at a level of 5 to 9 CIP DDDs. There were clustered hot-spots and a significant global spatial variation in the residual resistance risk after allowing for usage density. Conclusions There were clustered hot-spots and a significant global spatial variation in the residual resistance risk after allowing for usage density. The usage density of 5-9 CIP DDDs per 1,000 inhabitants within the same influence zone was the resistance triggering level. This level led to E. coli resistance clustering, proving that individual resistance emergence and dissemination was affected by antimicrobial population consumption. PMID:21356088

Energy on the Home Front

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Thomas W.

2011-11-01

This article explores a variety of ways to measure, adjust, and augment home energy usage. Particular examples of using electricity and gas utility meters, power/energy meters for individual devices, whole-home energy monitoring, infrared cameras, and thermal measurements are discussed—leading to a factor-of-four reduction in home energy use in the case discussed. The net efficiency performance of a stand-alone photovoltaic system is also presented. Ideas for reducing one's energy/carbon footprint both within the home and in the larger community are quantitatively evaluated.

Extracellular synthesis of mycogenic silver nanoparticles by Cylindrocladium floridanum and its homogeneous catalytic degradation of 4-nitrophenol.

PubMed

Narayanan, Kannan Badri; Park, Hyun Ho; Sakthivel, Natarajan

2013-12-01

Green synthesis of extracellular mycogenic silver nanoparticles using the fungus, Cylindrocladium floridanum is reported. The synthesized mycogenic silver nanoparticles were characterized using UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The nanoparticles exhibit fcc structure with Bragg's reflections of (111), (200), (220) and (311) was evidenced by XRD pattern, high-resolution TEM lattice fringes and circular rings in selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern. The morphology of nanoparticles was roughly spherical in shape with an average size of ca. 25 nm. From FTIR spectrum, it was found that the biomolecules with amide I and II band were involved in the stabilization of nanoparticles. These mycogenic silver nanoparticles exhibited the homogeneous catalytic potential in the reduction of pollutant, 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) using sodium borohydride, which followed a pseudo-first-order kinetic model. Thus, the synthesis of metal nanoparticles using sustainable microbial approach opens up possibilities in the usage of mycogenic metal nanoparticles as catalysts in various chemical reactions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Smart Grid Adoption Likeliness Framework: Comparing Idaho and National Residential Consumers' Perceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baiya, Evanson G.

New energy technologies that provide real-time visibility of the electricity grid's performance, along with the ability to address unusual events in the grid and allow consumers to manage their energy use, are being developed in the United States. Primary drivers for the new technologies include the growing energy demand, tightening environmental regulations, aging electricity infrastructure, and rising consumer demand to become more involved in managing individual energy usage. In the literature and in practice, it is unclear if, and to what extent, residential consumers will adopt smart grid technologies. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationships between demographic characteristics, perceptions, and the likelihood of adopting smart grid technologies among residential energy consumers. The results of a 31-item survey were analyzed for differences within the Idaho consumers and compared against national consumers. Analysis of variance was used to examine possible differences between the dependent variable of likeliness to adopt smart grid technologies and the independent variables of age, gender, residential ownership, and residential location. No differences were found among Idaho consumers in their likeliness to adopt smart grid technologies. An independent sample t-test was used to examine possible differences between the two groups of Idaho consumers and national consumers in their level of interest in receiving detailed feedback information on energy usage, the added convenience of the smart grid, renewable energy, the willingness to pay for infrastructure costs, and the likeliness to adopt smart grid technologies. The level of interest in receiving detailed feedback information on energy usage was significantly different between the two groups (t = 3.11, p = .0023), while the other variables were similar. The study contributes to technology adoption research regarding specific consumer perceptions and provides a framework that estimates the likeliness of adopting smart grid technologies by residential consumers. The study findings could assist public utility managers and technology adoption researchers as they develop strategies to enable wide-scale adoption of smart grid technologies as a solution to the energy problem. Future research should be conducted among commercial and industrial energy consumers to further validate the findings and conclusions of this research.

From Tragedy to Triumph - Rebuilding Green Homes after Disaster (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2009-04-01

Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Fact Sheets, No. 1. Series to include practical, useful info to help people change their behavior around energy usage and "greenness". Greensburg is hanging its future on sustainable development; these fact sheet sheets should help citizens understand what they can do to be a part of that focus. Fact Sheets cover: saving energy and water, using renewable energy (particular interest in small wind), driving "green", general sustainability, living green.

Smart energy management system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desai, Aniruddha; Singh, Jugdutt

2010-04-01

Peak and average energy usage in domestic and industrial environments is growing rapidly and absence of detailed energy consumption metrics is making systematic reduction of energy usage very difficult. Smart energy management system aims at providing a cost-effective solution for managing soaring energy consumption and its impact on green house gas emissions and climate change. The solution is based on seamless integration of existing wired and wireless communication technologies combined with smart context-aware software which offers a complete solution for automation of energy measurement and device control. The persuasive software presents users with easy-to-assimilate visual cues identifying problem areas and time periods and encourages a behavioural change to conserve energy. The system allows analysis of real-time/statistical consumption data with the ability to drill down into detailed analysis of power consumption, CO2 emissions and cost. The system generates intelligent projections and suggests potential methods (e.g. reducing standby, tuning heating/cooling temperature, etc.) of reducing energy consumption. The user interface is accessible using web enabled devices such as PDAs, PCs, etc. or using SMS, email, and instant messaging. Successful real-world trial of the system has demonstrated the potential to save 20 to 30% energy consumption on an average. Low cost of deployment and the ability to easily manage consumption from various web enabled devices offers gives this system a high penetration and impact capability offering a sustainable solution to act on climate change today.

Contraception in Japan: Current trends.

PubMed

Yoshida, Honami; Sakamoto, Haruka; Leslie, Asuka; Takahashi, Osamu; Tsuboi, Satoshi; Kitamura, Kunio

2016-06-01

High proportion of Japanese uses condoms; lower proportion uses oral contraceptive pills (OCPs). We examined the longitudinal patterns for contraceptive usage in Japan and evaluated differences before and after OCP government approval. We accessed nationally representative survey data for women aged 16-49years from 1950 to 2014. Usage of condoms and OCP was 83.4% and 3.0%, respectively in 2014. OCP use before (1.21%) and after (1.97%) government approval did not differ significantly (p=.58). The prevalence of OCP usage remains low in Japan. A wide gap in use between Japan and other developed countries exists. Through a wide gap in OCP use between Japan and other countries, we revealed how choices of contraceptive methods and their benefits could be openly available for women of reproductive age, and how health care professionals disseminate appropriate knowledge about contraception for women in need. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing usage patterns of electronic clinical documentation templates.

PubMed

Vawdrey, David K

2008-11-06

Many vendors of electronic medical records support structured and free-text entry of clinical documents using configurable templates. At a healthcare institution comprising two large academic medical centers, a documentation management data mart and a custom, Web-accessible business intelligence application were developed to track the availability and usage of electronic documentation templates. For each medical center, template availability and usage trends were measured from November 2007 through February 2008. By February 2008, approximately 65,000 electronic notes were authored per week on the two campuses. One site had 934 available templates, with 313 being used to author at least one note. The other site had 765 templates, of which 480 were used. The most commonly used template at both campuses was a free text note called "Miscellaneous Nursing Note," which accounted for 33.3% of total documents generated at one campus and 15.2% at the other.

Long-term engagement with a mobile self-management system for people with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Tatara, Naoe; Arsand, Eirik; Skrøvseth, Stein Olav; Hartvigsen, Gunnar

2013-03-27

In a growing number of intervention studies, mobile phones are used to support self-management of people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, it is difficult to establish knowledge about factors associated with intervention effects, due to considerable differences in research designs and outcome measures as well as a lack of detailed information about participants' engagement with the intervention tool. To contribute toward accumulating knowledge about factors associated with usage and usability of a mobile self-management application over time through a thorough analysis of multiple types of investigation on each participant's engagement. The Few Touch application is a mobile-phone-based self-management tool for patients with T2DM. Twelve patients with T2DM who have been actively involved in the system design used the Few Touch application in a real-life setting from September 2008 until October 2009. During this period, questionnaires and semistructured interviews were conducted. Recorded data were analyzed to investigate usage trends and patterns. Transcripts from interviews were thematically analyzed, and the results were further analyzed in relation to the questionnaire answers and the usage trends and patterns. The Few Touch application served as a flexible learning tool for the participants, responsive to their spontaneous needs, as well as supporting regular self-monitoring. A significantly decreasing (P<.05) usage trend was observed among 10 out of the 12 participants, though the magnitude of the decrease varied widely. Having achieved a sense of mastery over diabetes and experiences of problems were identified as reasons for declining motivation to continue using the application. Some of the problems stemmed from difficulties in integrating the use of the application into each participant's everyday life and needs, although the design concepts were developed in the process where the participants were involved. The following factors were identified as associated with usability and/or usage over time: Integration with everyday life; automation; balance between accuracy and meaningfulness of data with manual entry; intuitive and informative feedback; and rich learning materials, especially about foods. Many grounded design implications were identified through a thorough analysis of results from multiple types of investigations obtained through a year-long field trial of the Few Touch application. The study showed the importance and value of involving patient-users in a long-term trial of a tool to identify factors influencing usage and usability over time. In addition, the study confirmed the importance of detailed analyses of each participant's usage of the provided tool for better understanding of participants' engagement over time.

Spatial Distribution of Partner-Seeking Men Who Have Sex With Men Using Geosocial Networking Apps: Epidemiologic Study

PubMed Central

Algarin, Angel B; Ward, Patrick J; Christian, W Jay; Rudolph, Abby E; Holloway, Ian W

2018-01-01

Background Geosocial networking apps have made sexual partner-seeking easier for men who have sex with men, raising both challenges and opportunities for human immunodeficiency virus and sexually transmitted infection prevention and research. Most studies on men who have sex with men geosocial networking app use have been conducted in large urban areas, despite research indicating similar patterns of online- and app-based sex-seeking among men who have sex with men in rural and midsize cities. Objective The goal of our research was to examine the spatial distribution of geosocial networking app usage and characterize areas with increasing numbers of partner-seeking men who have sex with men in a midsize city in the South. Methods Data collection points (n=62) were spaced in 2-mile increments along 9 routes (112 miles) covering the county encompassing the city. At each point, staff logged into 3 different geosocial networking apps to record the number of geosocial networking app users within a 1-mile radius. Data were collected separately during weekday daytime (9:00 AM to 4:00 PM) and weekend nighttime (8:00 PM to 12:00 AM) hours. Empirical Bayesian kriging was used to create a raster estimating the number of app users throughout the county. Raster values were summarized for each of the county's 208 Census block groups and used as the outcome measure (ie, geosocial networking app usage). Negative binomial regression and Wilcoxon signed rank sum tests were used to examine Census block group variables (eg, median income, median age) associated with geosocial networking app usage and temporal differences in app usage, respectively. Results The number of geosocial networking app users within a 1-mile radius of the data collection points ranged from 0 to 36 during weekday daytime hours and 0 to 39 during weekend nighttime hours. In adjusted analyses, Census block group median income and percent Hispanic ethnicity were negatively associated with geosocial networking app usage for all 3 geosocial networking apps during weekday daytime and weekend nighttime hours. Population density and the presence of businesses were positively associated with geosocial networking app usage for all 3 geosocial networking apps during both times. Conclusions In this midsize city, geosocial networking app usage was highest in areas that were more population-dense, were lower income, and had more businesses. This research is an example of how geosocial networking apps’ geospatial capabilities can be used to better understand patterns of virtual partner-seeking among men who have sex with men. PMID:29853441

Patterns of Chemotherapy Use in a U.S.-Based Cohort of Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer.

PubMed

Abrams, Thomas A; Meyer, Gary; Meyerhardt, Jeffrey A; Wolpin, Brian M; Schrag, Deborah; Fuchs, Charles S

2017-08-01

Few population studies have examined patterns of systemic therapy administration in metastatic pancreatic cancer (MPC) or the predictors associated with specific treatment choices. We assessed 4,011 consecutive MPC patients who received chemotherapy between January 2005 and December 2015 at academic, private, and community-based oncology practices subscribing to a U.S.-wide chemotherapy order entry system capturing disease, patient, provider, and treatment data. Multivariate analyses of these prospectively recorded characteristics identified significant predictors of specific therapeutic choices. Overall, 100 different regimens were used in first-line treatment of MPC. First-line gemcitabine monotherapy usage fell steadily from 72% in 2006 to 16% in 2015. This steep decline mirrored increases in first-line usage of both 5 fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan and oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX) and gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel. Younger male patients were more likely to receive FOLFIRINOX as first-line treatment, whereas patients treated at community practices and by oncologists with lower MPC patient volume were more likely to receive gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (all p  ≤ .05). Among all patients receiving first-line chemotherapy for MPC, 49% went on to receive second-line therapy and 19% received third-line therapy; administration of second- and third-line therapies increased steadily over the time course of follow-up. Younger patients and those treated by oncologists with higher MPC patient volume were more likely to receive second- and third-line therapies. This population-based study provides insight into treatment patterns of MPC in the U.S. Usage patterns varied greatly according to patient and provider characteristics. This study examined real world metastatic pancreatic cancer treatment patterns in the United States with the goals of understanding changes in chemotherapy treatment frequencies over time and determining the individual predictors that underlie the chemotherapy choices oncologists make for their patients. Our data set is unique in that it captured not only patient-level data, but also oncologist-level data. It also captured data from private and community practices as well as academic centers. To our knowledge, this is the only data set that can give this degree of insight into oncologist decision making practices. © AlphaMed Press 2017.

HEP Outreach, Inreach, and Web 2.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldfarb, Steven

2011-12-01

I report on current usage of multimedia and social networking "Web 2.0" tools for Education and Outreach in high-energy physics, and discuss their potential for internal communication within large worldwide collaborations, such as those of the LHC. Following a brief description of the history of Web 2.0 development, I present a survey of the most popular sites and describe their usage in HEP to disseminate information to students and the general public. I then discuss the potential of certain specific tools, such as document and multimedia sharing sites, for boosting the speed and effectiveness of information exchange within the collaborations. I conclude with a brief discussion of the successes and failures of these tools, and make suggestions for improved usage in the future.

Treatment preferences amongst physical therapists and chiropractors for the management of neck pain: results of an international survey.

PubMed

Carlesso, Lisa C; Macdermid, Joy C; Gross, Anita R; Walton, David M; Santaguida, P Lina

2014-03-24

Clinical practice guidelines on the management of neck pain make recommendations to help practitioners optimize patient care. By examining the practice patterns of practitioners, adherence to CPGs or lack thereof, is demonstrated. Understanding utilization of various treatments by practitioners and comparing these patterns to that of recommended guidelines is important to identify gaps for knowledge translation and improve treatment regimens. To describe the utilization of interventions in patients with neck pain by clinicians. A cross-sectional international survey was conducted from February 2012 to March 2013 to determine physical medicine, complementary and alternative medicine utilization amongst 360 clinicians treating patients with neck pain. The survey was international (19 countries) with Canada having the largest response (38%). Results were analyzed by usage amongst physical therapists (38%) and chiropractors (31%) as they were the predominant respondents. Within these professions, respondents were male (41-66%) working in private practice (69-95%). Exercise and manual therapies were consistently (98-99%) used by both professions but tests of subgroup differences determined that physical therapists used exercise, orthoses and 'other' interventions more, while chiropractors used phototherapeutics more. However, phototherapeutics (65%), Orthoses/supportive devices (57%), mechanical traction (55%) and sonic therapies (54%) were not used by the majority of respondents. Thermal applications (73%) and acupuncture (46%) were the modalities used most commonly. Analysis of differences across the subtypes of neck pain indicated that respondents utilize treatments more often for chronic neck pain and whiplash conditions, followed by radiculopathy, acute neck pain and whiplash conditions, and facet joint dysfunction by diagnostic block. The higher rates of usage of some interventions were consistent with supporting evidence (e.g. manual therapy). However, there was moderate usage of a number of interventions that have limited support or conflicting evidence (e.g. ergonomics). This survey indicates that exercise and manual therapy are core treatments provided by chiropractors and physical therapists. Future research should address gaps in evidence associated with variable practice patterns and knowledge translation to reduce usage of some interventions that have been shown to be ineffective.

Treatment preferences amongst physical therapists and chiropractors for the management of neck pain: results of an international survey

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Clinical practice guidelines on the management of neck pain make recommendations to help practitioners optimize patient care. By examining the practice patterns of practitioners, adherence to CPGs or lack thereof, is demonstrated. Understanding utilization of various treatments by practitioners and comparing these patterns to that of recommended guidelines is important to identify gaps for knowledge translation and improve treatment regimens. Aim To describe the utilization of interventions in patients with neck pain by clinicians. Methods A cross-sectional international survey was conducted from February 2012 to March 2013 to determine physical medicine, complementary and alternative medicine utilization amongst 360 clinicians treating patients with neck pain. Results The survey was international (19 countries) with Canada having the largest response (38%). Results were analyzed by usage amongst physical therapists (38%) and chiropractors (31%) as they were the predominant respondents. Within these professions, respondents were male (41-66%) working in private practice (69-95%). Exercise and manual therapies were consistently (98-99%) used by both professions but tests of subgroup differences determined that physical therapists used exercise, orthoses and ‘other’ interventions more, while chiropractors used phototherapeutics more. However, phototherapeutics (65%), Orthoses/supportive devices (57%), mechanical traction (55%) and sonic therapies (54%) were not used by the majority of respondents. Thermal applications (73%) and acupuncture (46%) were the modalities used most commonly. Analysis of differences across the subtypes of neck pain indicated that respondents utilize treatments more often for chronic neck pain and whiplash conditions, followed by radiculopathy, acute neck pain and whiplash conditions, and facet joint dysfunction by diagnostic block. The higher rates of usage of some interventions were consistent with supporting evidence (e.g. manual therapy). However, there was moderate usage of a number of interventions that have limited support or conflicting evidence (e.g. ergonomics). Conclusions This survey indicates that exercise and manual therapy are core treatments provided by chiropractors and physical therapists. Future research should address gaps in evidence associated with variable practice patterns and knowledge translation to reduce usage of some interventions that have been shown to be ineffective. PMID:24661461

Meeting the Energy Challenges of the 1990s. Experts Define the Key Policy Issues.

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-01

Forecast of Low Emission Fuel Usage-Liquid 79 Fuels Figure 2.10: Forecast of Low Emission Fuel Usage- 81 Gaseous Fuels Figure 2.11: Global Warming From...environmental problems caused by acid rain, smog, and global warming , he said. According to Mr. Lovins, utilities as well as their customers benefit from...made in relation to these effects. The panel- ists addressed the links between global warming and the fossil fuels that now produce nearly 90 percent

CO2 laser arthroscopy-through the arthroscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garrick, James G.

1990-06-01

Orthopedists have been among the last of the specialists to utilize lasers in surgery. Even today, laser usage in orthopedics is almost exclusively limited to arthroscopy procedures. Although other types of lasers have been approved for use in orthopedics, nearly all laser-assisted arthroscopic procedures have involved the carbon dioxide laser in the knee. These techniques involve skills and problems not previously encountered. In an attempt to simplify the usage and circumvent some of the problems, we describe a means of laser energy delivery through the arthroscope.

Influences of water quality and climate on the water-energy nexus: A spatial comparison of two water systems.

PubMed

Stang, Shannon; Wang, Haiying; Gardner, Kevin H; Mo, Weiwei

2018-07-15

As drinking water supply systems plan for sustainable management practices, impacts from future water quality and climate changes are a major concern. This study aims to understand the intraannual changes of energy consumption for water treatment, investigate the relative importance of water quality and climate indicators on energy consumption for water treatment, and predict the effects of climate change on the embodied energy of treated, potable water at two municipal drinking water systems located in the northeast and southeast US. To achieve this goal, a life cycle assessment was first performed to quantify the monthly energy consumption in the two drinking water systems. Regression and relative importance analyses were then performed between climate indicators, raw water quality indicators, and chemical and energy usages in the treatment processes to determine their correlations. These relationships were then used to project changes in embodied energy associated with the plants' processes, and the results were compared between the two regions. The projections of the southeastern US water plant were for an increase in energy demand resulted from an increase of treatment chemical usages. The northeastern US plant was projected to decrease its energy demand due to a reduced demand for heating the plant's infrastructure. The findings indicate that geographic location and treatment process may determine the way climate change affects drinking water systems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Creating context for the experiment record. User-defined metadata: investigations into metadata usage in the LabTrove ELN.

PubMed

Willoughby, Cerys; Bird, Colin L; Coles, Simon J; Frey, Jeremy G

2014-12-22

The drive toward more transparency in research, the growing willingness to make data openly available, and the reuse of data to maximize the return on research investment all increase the importance of being able to find information and make links to the underlying data. The use of metadata in Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELNs) to curate experiment data is an essential ingredient for facilitating discovery. The University of Southampton has developed a Web browser-based ELN that enables users to add their own metadata to notebook entries. A survey of these notebooks was completed to assess user behavior and patterns of metadata usage within ELNs, while user perceptions and expectations were gathered through interviews and user-testing activities within the community. The findings indicate that while some groups are comfortable with metadata and are able to design a metadata structure that works effectively, many users are making little attempts to use it, thereby endangering their ability to recover data in the future. A survey of patterns of metadata use in these notebooks, together with feedback from the user community, indicated that while a few groups are comfortable with metadata and are able to design a metadata structure that works effectively, many users adopt a "minimum required" approach to metadata. To investigate whether the patterns of metadata use in LabTrove were unusual, a series of surveys were undertaken to investigate metadata usage in a variety of platforms supporting user-defined metadata. These surveys also provided the opportunity to investigate whether interface designs in these other environments might inform strategies for encouraging metadata creation and more effective use of metadata in LabTrove.

Population trends, bend use relative to available habitat and within-river-bend habitat use of eight indicator species of Missouri and Lower Kansas River benthic fishes: 15 years after baseline assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wildhaber, Mark L.; Yang, Wen-Hsi; Arab, Ali

2016-01-01

A baseline assessment of the Missouri River fish community and species-specific habitat use patterns conducted from 1996 to 1998 provided the first comprehensive analysis of Missouri River benthic fish population trends and habitat use in the Missouri and Lower Yellowstone rivers, exclusive of reservoirs, and provided the foundation for the present Pallid Sturgeon Population Assessment Program (PSPAP). Data used in such studies are frequently zero inflated. To address this issue, the zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) model was applied. This follow-up study is based on PSPAP data collected up to 15 years later along with new understanding of how habitat characteristics among and within bends affect habitat use of fish species targeted by PSPAP, including pallid sturgeon. This work demonstrated that a large-scale, large-river, PSPAP-type monitoring program can be an effective tool for assessing population trends and habitat usage of large-river fish species. Using multiple gears, PSPAP was effective in monitoring shovelnose and pallid sturgeons, sicklefin, shoal and sturgeon chubs, sand shiner, blue sucker and sauger. For all species, the relationship between environmental variables and relative abundance differed, somewhat, among river segments suggesting the importance of the overall conditions of Upper and Middle Missouri River and Lower Missouri and Kansas rivers on the habitat usage patterns exhibited. Shoal and sicklefin chubs exhibited many similar habitat usage patterns; blue sucker and shovelnose sturgeon also shared similar responses. For pallid sturgeon, the primary focus of PSPAP, relative abundance tended to increase in Upper and Middle Missouri River paralleling stocking efforts, whereas no evidence of an increasing relative abundance was found in the Lower Missouri River despite stocking.

Health information exchange technology on the front lines of healthcare: workflow factors and patterns of use

PubMed Central

Johnson, Kevin B; Lorenzi, Nancy M

2011-01-01

Objective The goal of this study was to develop an in-depth understanding of how a health information exchange (HIE) fits into clinical workflow at multiple clinical sites. Materials and Methods The ethnographic qualitative study was conducted over a 9-month period in six emergency departments (ED) and eight ambulatory clinics in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Data were collected using direct observation, informal interviews during observation, and formal semi-structured interviews. The authors observed for over 180 h, during which providers used the exchange 130 times. Results HIE-related workflow was modeled for each ED site and ambulatory clinic group and substantial site-to-site workflow differences were identified. Common patterns in HIE-related workflow were also identified across all sites, leading to the development of two role-based workflow models: nurse based and physician based. The workflow elements framework was applied to the two role-based patterns. An in-depth description was developed of how providers integrated HIE into existing clinical workflow, including prompts for HIE use. Discussion Workflow differed substantially among sites, but two general role-based HIE usage models were identified. Although providers used HIE to improve continuity of patient care, patient–provider trust played a significant role. Types of information retrieved related to roles, with nurses seeking to retrieve recent hospitalization data and more open-ended usage by nurse practitioners and physicians. User and role-specific customization to accommodate differences in workflow and information needs may increase the adoption and use of HIE. Conclusion Understanding end users' perspectives towards HIE technology is crucial to the long-term success of HIE. By applying qualitative methods, an in-depth understanding of HIE usage was developed. PMID:22003156

Proteome Adaptation to High Temperatures in the Ectothermic Hydrothermal Vent Pompeii Worm

PubMed Central

Jollivet, Didier; Mary, Jean; Gagnière, Nicolas; Tanguy, Arnaud; Fontanillas, Eric; Boutet, Isabelle; Hourdez, Stéphane; Segurens, Béatrice; Weissenbach, Jean; Poch, Olivier; Lecompte, Odile

2012-01-01

Taking advantage of the massive genome sequencing effort made on thermophilic prokaryotes, thermal adaptation has been extensively studied by analysing amino acid replacements and codon usage in these unicellular organisms. In most cases, adaptation to thermophily is associated with greater residue hydrophobicity and more charged residues. Both of these characteristics are positively correlated with the optimal growth temperature of prokaryotes. In contrast, little information has been collected on the molecular ‘adaptive’ strategy of thermophilic eukaryotes. The Pompeii worm A. pompejana, whose transcriptome has recently been sequenced, is currently considered as the most thermotolerant eukaryote on Earth, withstanding the greatest thermal and chemical ranges known. We investigated the amino-acid composition bias of ribosomal proteins in the Pompeii worm when compared to other lophotrochozoans and checked for putative adaptive changes during the course of evolution using codon-based Maximum likelihood analyses. We then provided a comparative analysis of codon usage and amino-acid replacements from a greater set of orthologous genes between the Pompeii worm and Paralvinella grasslei, one of its closest relatives living in a much cooler habitat. Analyses reveal that both species display the same high GC-biased codon usage and amino-acid patterns favoring both positively-charged residues and protein hydrophobicity. These patterns may be indicative of an ancestral adaptation to the deep sea and/or thermophily. In addition, the Pompeii worm displays a set of amino-acid change patterns that may explain its greater thermotolerance, with a significant increase in Tyr, Lys and Ala against Val, Met and Gly. Present results indicate that, together with a high content in charged residues, greater proportion of smaller aliphatic residues, and especially alanine, may be a different path for metazoans to face relatively ‘high’ temperatures and thus a novelty in thermophilic metazoans. PMID:22348046

Proteome adaptation to high temperatures in the ectothermic hydrothermal vent Pompeii worm.

PubMed

Jollivet, Didier; Mary, Jean; Gagnière, Nicolas; Tanguy, Arnaud; Fontanillas, Eric; Boutet, Isabelle; Hourdez, Stéphane; Segurens, Béatrice; Weissenbach, Jean; Poch, Olivier; Lecompte, Odile

2012-01-01

Taking advantage of the massive genome sequencing effort made on thermophilic prokaryotes, thermal adaptation has been extensively studied by analysing amino acid replacements and codon usage in these unicellular organisms. In most cases, adaptation to thermophily is associated with greater residue hydrophobicity and more charged residues. Both of these characteristics are positively correlated with the optimal growth temperature of prokaryotes. In contrast, little information has been collected on the molecular 'adaptive' strategy of thermophilic eukaryotes. The Pompeii worm A. pompejana, whose transcriptome has recently been sequenced, is currently considered as the most thermotolerant eukaryote on Earth, withstanding the greatest thermal and chemical ranges known. We investigated the amino-acid composition bias of ribosomal proteins in the Pompeii worm when compared to other lophotrochozoans and checked for putative adaptive changes during the course of evolution using codon-based Maximum likelihood analyses. We then provided a comparative analysis of codon usage and amino-acid replacements from a greater set of orthologous genes between the Pompeii worm and Paralvinella grasslei, one of its closest relatives living in a much cooler habitat. Analyses reveal that both species display the same high GC-biased codon usage and amino-acid patterns favoring both positively-charged residues and protein hydrophobicity. These patterns may be indicative of an ancestral adaptation to the deep sea and/or thermophily. In addition, the Pompeii worm displays a set of amino-acid change patterns that may explain its greater thermotolerance, with a significant increase in Tyr, Lys and Ala against Val, Met and Gly. Present results indicate that, together with a high content in charged residues, greater proportion of smaller aliphatic residues, and especially alanine, may be a different path for metazoans to face relatively 'high' temperatures and thus a novelty in thermophilic metazoans.

EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TRUCK EFFICIENCY TECHNOLOGIES IN CLASS 8 TRACTOR-TRAILERS BASED ON A TRACTIVE ENERGY ANALYSIS USING MEASURED DRIVE CYCLE DATA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

LaClair, Tim J; Gao, Zhiming; Fu, Joshua S.

2014-01-01

Quantifying the fuel savings that can be achieved from different truck fuel efficiency technologies for a fleet s specific usage allows the fleet to select the combination of technologies that will yield the greatest operational efficiency and profitability. This paper presents an analysis of vehicle usage in a commercial vehicle fleet and an assessment of advanced efficiency technologies using an analysis of measured drive cycle data for a class 8 regional commercial shipping fleet. Drive cycle measurements during a period of a full year from six tractor-trailers in normal operations in a less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier were analyzed to develop amore » characteristic drive cycle that is highly representative of the fleet s usage. The vehicle mass was also estimated to account for the variation of loads that the fleet experienced. The drive cycle and mass data were analyzed using a tractive energy analysis to quantify the fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions benefits that can be achieved on class 8 tractor-trailers when using advanced efficiency technologies, either individually or in combination. Although differences exist among class 8 tractor-trailer fleets, this study provides valuable insight into the energy and emissions reduction potential that various technologies can bring in this important trucking application.« less

Awareness and Misconceptions of High School Students about Renewable Energy Resources and Applications: Turkey Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tortop, Hasan Said

2012-01-01

Turkey is the one of the countries in the world which has potential of renewable energy resource because of its geographical position. However, being usage of renewable energy resources and applications (RERAs) is low, it shows that awareness and consciousness of RERAs is very low too. Education must play a key role in growing out of an energy…

Study of the Potential Energy Consumption Impacts of Connected and Automated Vehicles

EIA Publications

2017-01-01

A new study commissioned by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, finds that the introduction of connected and automated vehicle technologies have the potential to affect vehicle energy consumption, travel, usage, vehicle design and attributes, and personal ownership rates. Rate of technology development, consumer acceptance, and regulatory support and oversight will affect the rate of market penetration of these vehicle technologies.

Analysis of Non-Tactical Vehicle Utilization at Fort Carson Colorado

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

regenerative braking energy recovery. The mass of the vehicles monitored in this study was not known. However, some useful information may be... regenerative energy recovery potential for specific duty cycles was also quantified through a cumulative assessment of the number and severity of deceleration...extracted on usage time, distance, vehicle speed and geographic location in order to compare vehicle driving profiles. The regenerative energy recovery

Improved Planning and Programming for Energy Efficient New Army Facilities

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-10-01

setpoints to occupant comfort must be considered carefully. Cutting off the HVAC system to the bedrooms during the day produced only small savings...functions of a building and minimizing the energy usage through optimization . It includes thermostats, time switches, programmable con- trollers...microprocessor systems, computers, and sensing devices that are linked with control and power components to manage energy use. This system optimizes load

Waste to Energy at SUNY Cobleskill

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-10

Overview on Army Net Zero Concepts • Gasification Intro. • SUNY Cobleskill Center for Environmental Science and Technology. • TURNW2E™ Gasification ...5 GASIFICATION A TECHNOLOGY 2-fer • Waste Reduction • Reduced Logistics for Waste Transportation • Reduced environmental and personnel impact... GASIFICATION Ash ENERGYWaste T ~ 800oC Partial Combustion O/C ~1/3 • Energy Production • Reduced Fuel Usage for transportation • Increased Energy

Facility Energy Decision System (FEDS) Assessment Report for US Army Garrison, Japan - Honshu Installations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kora, Angela R.; Brown, Daryl R.; Dixon, Douglas R.

2010-03-09

This report documents an assessment was performed by a team of engineers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) under contract to the Installation Management Command (IMCOM) Pacific Region Office (PARO). The effort used the Facility Energy Decision System (FEDS) model to determine how energy is consumed at five U.S. Army Garrison-Japan (USAG-J) installations in the Honshu area, identify the most cost-effective energy retrofit measures, and calculate the potential energy and cost savings.

Analysis of pathology department Web sites and practical recommendations.

PubMed

Nero, Christopher; Dighe, Anand S

2008-09-01

There are numerous customers for pathology departmental Web sites, including pathology department staff, clinical staff, residency applicants, job seekers, and other individuals outside the department seeking department information. Despite the increasing importance of departmental Web sites as a means of distributing information, no analysis has been done to date of the content and usage of pathology department Web sites. In this study, we analyzed pathology department Web sites to examine the elements present on each site and to evaluate the use of search technology on these sites. Further, we examined the usage patterns of our own departmental Internet and internet Web sites to better understand the users of pathology Web sites. We reviewed selected departmental pathology Web sites and analyzed their content and functionality. Our institution's departmental pathology Web sites were modified to enable detailed information to be stored regarding users and usage patterns, and that information was analyzed. We demonstrate considerable heterogeneity in departmental Web sites with many sites lacking basic content and search features. In addition, we demonstrate that increasing the traffic of a department's informational Web sites may result in reduced phone inquiries to the laboratory. We propose recommendations for pathology department Web sites to maximize promotion of a department's mission. A departmental pathology Web site is an essential communication tool for all pathology departments, and attention to the users and content of the site can have operational impact.

TOXBASE: Poisons information on the internet

PubMed Central

Bateman, D; Good, A; Laing, W; Kelly, C

2002-01-01

Objectives: To assess the uptake, usage and acceptability of TOXBASE, the National Poisons Information Service internet toxicology information service. Methods: An observational study of database usage, and a questionnaire of users were undertaken involving users of TOXBASE within the UK between August 1999, when the internet site was launched, and May 2000. The main outcome measures were numbers of registered users, usage patterns on the database, responses to user satisfaction questionnaire. Results: The number of registered users increased from 567 to 1500. There was a 68% increase in accident and emergency departments registered, a 159% increase in general practitioners, but a 324% increase in other hospital departments. Between January 2000 and the end of May there had been 60 281 accesses to the product database, the most frequent to the paracetamol entry (7291 accesses). Ecstasy was the seventh most frequent entry accessed. Altogether 165 of 330 questionnaires were returned. The majority came from accident and emergency departments, the major users of the system. Users were generally well (>95%) satisfied with ease and speed of access. A number of suggestions for improvements were put forward. Conclusions: TOXBASE has been extensively accessed since being placed on the internet (http://www.spib.axl.co.uk). The pattern of enquiries mirrors clinical presentation with poisoning. The system seems to be easily used. It is a model for future delivery of treatment guidelines at the point of patient care. PMID:11777868

Do we really need to use our smartphones while driving?

PubMed

Musicant, Oren; Lotan, Tsippy; Albert, Gila

2015-12-01

Smartphone usage while driving, a prominent type of driver distraction, has become a major concern in the area of road safety. Answers to an internet survey by 757 Israeli drivers who own smartphones were analyzed with focus on two main purposes: (1) to gain insights regarding patterns of smartphone usage while driving and its motivation, (2) to probe drivers' views on the perceived risk and the need to use smartphones while driving, as well as their willingness to use blocking apps that limit such usages. Phone calls and texting were found to be the most common usages while driving, hence, both were chosen to be further analyzed. 73% (N=551) of the respondents make phone calls while driving and almost half of them may be considered frequent callers as they admit to do it intensively while driving. As for texting, 35% of the respondents (N=256) text while driving and a quarter of them do so frequently. While phone calls were perceived to compromise safety by 34% of the users, texting was perceived to compromise safety by 84% of the users. However, we found that drivers place limitations on themselves as more than 70% avoid texting when they think they need to devote attention to driving. A logistic regression model indicates that perceived need and perceived safety are significant factors associated with being a frequent smartphone phone calls user, but only perceived need significantly predicts being a frequent texting user. Approximately half of all the respondents are willing to try an app which blocks smartphone usage while driving. The willingness to use such technology was found to be related primarily to perceived need. Less significant factors are work-related usage and perceived safety. Frequency of usage was not found to affect this willingness, indicating that it should not be a factor in designing and implementing interventions to limit smartphone usage while driving. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors associated with mobile health information seeking among Singaporean women.

PubMed

Chang, Leanne; Chiuan Yen, Ching; Xue, Lishan; Choo Tai, Bee; Chuan Chan, Hock; Been-Lirn Duh, Henry; Choolani, Mahesh

2017-01-01

This study examined effects of age and social psychological factors on women's willingness to be mobile health information seekers. A national survey of 1,878 Singaporean women was conducted to obtain information on women's mobile phone usage, experiences of health information seeking, and appraisals of using mobile phones to seek health information. Results showed that young, middle-aged, and older women exhibited distinct mobile phone usage behaviors, health information-seeking patterns, and assessments of mobile health information seeking. Factors that accounted for their mobile information-seeking intention also varied. Data reported in this study provide insights into mobile health interventions in the future.

David Meets Goliath on the Information Superhighway: Venezuela in the Context of the Electronic Communication Networks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez-Vegas, Saadia

1995-01-01

Discusses Venezuela's information and communications technology infrastructure and usage patterns; examines future networking plans; and addresses political and economic considerations linked to the information and technology problems in Venezuela and in Latin America in general. (LRW)

Metadata: Pure and Simple, or Is It?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chalmers, Marilyn

2002-01-01

Discusses issues concerning metadata in Web pages based on experiences in a vocational education center library in Queensland (Australia). Highlights include Dublin Core elements; search engines; controlled vocabulary; performance measurement to assess usage patterns and provide quality control over the vocabulary; and considerations given the…

Pattern and frequency of use of complementary and alternative medicine among patients with epilepsy in the midwestern United States.

PubMed

Liow, Kore; Ablah, Elizabeth; Nguyen, John C; Sadler, Toni; Wolfe, Deborah; Tran, Ky-Dieu; Guo, Lisa; Hoang, Tina

2007-06-01

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is recognized to be commonly used by patients, yet there have been few studies regarding the scope of CAM use by patients with epilepsy. This study assessed usage and perceptions of CAM by patients with epilepsy in the midwest of the United States. A 25-item survey was administered to adult patients with epilepsy, and data were collected from 228 patients. The survey collected demographics, specific CAM usage, adverse effects of CAM therapy, and perceptions of the effectiveness of CAM. Thirty-nine percent reported using CAM; 25% reported using CAM specifically for their epilepsy. Prayer/spirituality was the most commonly used form of CAM (46%), followed by "mega" vitamins (25%), chiropractic care (24%), and stress management (16%). CAM use is common among midwestern patients with epilepsy, although the pattern of use may be slightly different than in other regions of the United States and elsewhere.

Analysis of prescription database extracted from standard textbooks of traditional Dai medicine

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Traditional Dai Medicine (TDM) is one of the four major ethnomedicine of China. In 2007 a group of experts produced a set of seven Dai medical textbooks on this subject. The first two were selected as the main data source to analyse well recognized prescriptions. Objective To quantify patterns of prescriptions, common ingredients, indications and usages of TDM. Methods A relational database linking the prescriptions, ingredients, herb names, indications, and usages was set up. Frequency of pattern of combination and common ingredients were tabulated. Results A total of 200 prescriptions and 402 herbs were compiled. Prescriptions based on "wind" disorders, a detoxification theory that most commonly deals with symptoms of digestive system diseases, accounted for over one third of all prescriptions. The major methods of preparations mostly used roots and whole herbs. Conclusion The information extracted from the relational database may be useful for understanding symptomatic treatments. Antidote and detoxification theory deserves further research. PMID:22931752

Development and Early Usage Patterns of a Consumer-Facing Family Health History Tool

PubMed Central

Hulse, Nathan C.; Ranade-Kharkar, Pallavi; Post, Herman; Wood, Grant M.; Williams, Marc S.; Haug, Peter J.

2011-01-01

Personalized medicine will require detailed clinical patient profiles, and a particular focus on capturing data that is useful in forecasting risk. A detailed family health history is considered a critical component of these profiles, insomuch that it has been coined as ‘the best genetic test available’. Despite this, tools aimed at capturing this information for use in electronic health records have been characterized as inadequate. In this manuscript we detail the creation of a patient-facing family health history tool known as OurFamilyHealth, whose long-term emphasis is to facilitate risk assessment and clinical decision support. We present the rationale for such a tool, describe its development and release as a component of Intermountain Healthcare’s patient portal, and detail early usage statistics surrounding the application. Data derived from the tool since its release are also compared against family history charting patterns in Intermountain’s electronic health records, revealing differences in data availability. PMID:22195113

Virtualized healthcare delivery: understanding users and their usage patterns of online medical consultations.

PubMed

Jung, Changmi; Padman, Rema

2014-12-01

Virtualization of healthcare delivery via patient portals has facilitated the increasing interest in online medical consultations due to its benefits such as improved convenience and flexibility, lower cost, and time savings. Despite this growing interest, adoption by both consumers and providers has been slow, and little is known about users and their usage and adoption patterns. To learn characteristics of online healthcare consumers and understand their patterns of adoption and usage of online clinical consultation services (or eVisits delivered via the portal) such as adoption time for portal users, whether adoption hazard changes over time, and what factors influence patients to become early/late adopters. Using online medical consultation records between April 1, 2009 and May 31, 2010 from four ambulatory practices affiliated with a major healthcare provider, we conduct simple descriptive analysis to understand the users of online clinical consults and their usage patterns. Multilevel Logit regression is employed to measure the effect of patient and primary care provider characteristics on the likelihood of eVisit adoption by the patient, and survival analysis and Ordered Logit regression are applied to study eVisit adoption patterns that delineate elements describing early or late adopters. On average, eVisit adopters are younger and predominantly female. Their primary care providers participate in the eVisit service, highlighting the importance of physician's role in encouraging patients to utilize the service. Patients who are familiar with the patient portal are more likely to use the service, as are patients with more complex health issues. Younger and female patients have higher adoption hazard, but gender does not affect the decision of adopting early vs. late. These adopters also access the patient portal more frequently before adoption, indicating that they are potentially more involved in managing their health. The majority of eVisits are submitted during business hours, with female physicians responding faster (from submission to reply), on average. This study addresses virtualization of primary care delivery via patient portals and online clinical consultations and examines factors that distinguish eVisit adopters from patient portal users. Among many delineating characteristics, it is particularly significant that familiarity with the patient portal service and participation of primary care provider are found to be key elements that motivate patients to become an eVisit user and early/late adopter. These findings can be used by provider organizations to design and implement strategies to improve uptake of online medical consultations to complement traditional office visits. Offering such alternative channels of care delivery may potentially improve access, efficiency and outcomes for both patients and providers alike. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy Information Abstracts Annual 1988. Volume 13.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuster, Leigh C., Ed.; And Others

This publication is a compilation of information and resource material concerning energy for the year 1988. The first section details the coverage and usage of this volume. Section 2 contains a review of events in 1988, a compilation of statistical information, an article concerning coal flyash utilization, and a listing of conferences and events…

77 FR 33106 - Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedure for Microwave Ovens

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-05

... due to the different masses and shapes of the potatoes. DOE observed, similar to the tests for... consumer use, (2) the repeatability of energy use measurements using different food loads, and (3) consumer... ``normal usage'' and the water temperature rise of 50 degrees Celsius ([deg]C) achieves eating temperature...

Potential for Knowledge in Action? An Analysis of Korean Green Energy Related K3-12 Curriculum and Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gress, Douglas R.; Shin, Jungyeop

2017-01-01

While understanding green energy development and what drives it are important, there is increasing consensus that sustainability transitions concerning usage need to be viewed in terms of the place specific contexts, including education, that critically mold them. In order to "support" sustainability transitions, information and…

Kansas Department of Transportation enterprise energy and carbon accounting and utility usage research phase 2B : improving energy and fuel efficiencies in KDOT operations.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-01-01

Reducing the environmental impact of facilities and operations has become an important function for many organizations. In many : cases, such as utility and fuel use, reducing these impacts can also be coupled to financial savings. The Kansas Departm...

76 FR 33768 - Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-09

... inability to pay energy bills; (3) increase the efficiency of energy usage by low-income families, helping... hours Total burden respondents respondent per response hours REACH Model Plan 51 1 72 3,672 Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,672. In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the...

Energy Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Group of Eight (NJ1), 2010

2010-01-01

The Group of Eight (Go8) is a coalition of leading Australian universities, intensive in research and comprehensive in general and professional education. The Go8 member universities recognise that the issue of energy usage and transformation is one of vital importance not only to Australia but to the world as a whole. The universities aim to make…

"Simplify, Simplify."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stump, William P.

1983-01-01

An integrated electronic system combines individual monitoring and control functions into one economical unit that earns a rapid payback by automatically managing and controlling energy usage, building systems, and security and maintenance tasks. (MLF)

Quantifying a cellular automata simulation of electric vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, Graeme; Bell, Margaret; Blythe, Phil

2014-12-01

Within this work the Nagel-Schreckenberg (NS) cellular automata is used to simulate a basic cyclic road network. Results from SwitchEV, a real world Electric Vehicle trial which has collected more than two years of detailed electric vehicle data, are used to quantify the results of the NS automata, demonstrating similar power consumption behavior to that observed in the experimental results. In particular the efficiency of the electric vehicles reduces as the vehicle density increases, due in part to the reduced efficiency of EVs at low speeds, but also due to the energy consumption inherent in changing speeds. Further work shows the results from introducing spatially restricted speed restriction. In general it can be seen that induced congestion from spatially transient events propagates back through the road network and alters the energy and efficiency profile of the simulated vehicles, both before and after the speed restriction. Vehicles upstream from the restriction show a reduced energy usage and an increased efficiency, and vehicles downstream show an initial large increase in energy usage as they accelerate away from the speed restriction.

Energy and environmental evaluation of combined cooling heating and power system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bugaj, Andrzej

2017-11-01

The paper addresses issues involving problems of implementing combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) system to industrial facility with well-defined demand profiles of cooling, heating and electricity. The application of CCHP system in this particular industrial facility is being evaluated by comparison with the reference system that consists of three conventional methods of energy supply: (a) electricity from external grid, (b) heat from gas-fired boilers and (c) cooling from vapour compression chillers run by electricity from the grid. The CCHP system scenario is based on the combined heat and power (CHP) plant with gas turbine-compressor arrangement and water/lithium bromide absorption chiller of a single-effect type. Those two scenarios are analysed in terms of annual primary energy usage as well as emissions of CO2. The results of the analysis show an extent of primary energy savings of the CCHP system in comparison with the reference system. Furthermore, the environmental impact of the CCHP usage, in the form of greenhouse gases emission reductions, compares quite favourably with the reference conventional option.

Patterns of home and community care service delivery to culturally and linguistically diverse residents of rural Victoria.

PubMed

Ward, Bernadette M; Anderson, Karen S; Sheldon, Maria S

2005-12-01

To describe and compare patterns of Home and Community Care (HACC) utilisation among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) people and Australian-born residents of rural Victoria. The HACC Minimum Data Set provides information regarding levels of service provision and coverage in Victoria. Data from January to June 2002 were analysed to provide a profile of client characteristics and service usage in rural Victoria. Patterns of service utilisation were compared with the profile of the CALD population in the 2001 Census. The proportion of CALD residents who are HACC clients is consistent with demographic profiles. However, their extent of service usage is not consistent with patterns of use by Australian-born residents. HACC clients born in non-English-speaking countries, receive 35% less hours of HACC service than their Australian-born counterparts. HACC clients born overseas in English-speaking countries receive nine per cent less hours of HACC service than the Australian-born group (F = 8.9, P = 0.00). Both groups of overseas-born clients use a smaller range of HACC services (F = 1.9, P = 0.16). Planners and service providers need to monitor levels of HACC service delivery among population groups to ensure that CALD population groups receive equitable levels of HACC services. The HACC Minimum Data Set is one source of data that can assist in this process.

Codon usage bias in phylum Actinobacteria: relevance to environmental adaptation and host pathogenicity.

PubMed

Lal, Devi; Verma, Mansi; Behura, Susanta K; Lal, Rup

2016-10-01

Actinobacteria are Gram-positive bacteria commonly found in soil, freshwater and marine ecosystems. In this investigation, bias in codon usages of ninety actinobacterial genomes was analyzed by estimating different indices of codon bias such as Nc (effective number of codons), SCUO (synonymous codon usage order), RSCU (relative synonymous codon usage), as well as sequence patterns of codon contexts. The results revealed several characteristic features of codon usage in Actinobacteria, as follows: 1) C- or G-ending codons are used frequently in comparison with A- and U ending codons; 2) there is a direct relationship of GC content with use of specific amino acids such as alanine, proline and glycine; 3) there is an inverse relationship between GC content and Nc estimates, 4) there is low SCUO value (<0.5) for most genes; and 5) GCC-GCC, GCC-GGC, GCC-GAG and CUC-GAC are the frequent context sequences among codons. This study highlights the fact that: 1) in Actinobacteria, extreme GC content and codon bias are driven by mutation rather than natural selection; (2) traits like aerobicity are associated with effective natural selection and therefore low GC content and low codon bias, demonstrating the role of both mutational bias and translational selection in shaping the habitat and phenotype of actinobacterial species. Copyright © 2016 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Experiences from the Consumer Behavior Studies on Engaging Customers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cappers, Peter; Scheer, Richard

2014-09-01

One of the most important aspects for the successful implementation of customer-facing programs is to better understand how to engage and communicate with consumers. Customer-facing programs include time-based rates, information and feedback, load management, and energy efficiency. This report presents lessons learned by utilities through consumer behavior studies (CBS) conducted as part of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Smart Grid Investment Grant (SGIG) program. The SGIG CBS effort presents a unique opportunity to advance the understanding of consumer behaviors in terms of customer acceptance and retention, and electricity consumption and peak demand impacts. The effort includes eleven comprehensive studies withmore » the aim of evaluating the response of residential and small commercial customers to time-based rate programs implemented in conjunction with advanced metering infrastructure and customer systems such as in-home displays, programmable communicating thermostats, and web portals. DOE set guidelines and protocols that sought to help the utilities design studies that would rigorously test and more precisely estimate the impact of time-based rates on customers’ energy usage patterns, as well as identify the key drivers that motivate behavioral changes.« less

Pawnee Nation Energy Option Analyses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matlock, M.; Kersey, K.; Riding In, C.

2009-07-31

In 2003, the Pawnee Nation leadership identified the need for the tribe to comprehensively address its energy issues. During a strategic energy planning workshop a general framework was laid out and the Pawnee Nation Energy Task Force was created to work toward further development of the tribe’s energy vision. The overarching goals of the “first steps” project were to identify the most appropriate focus for its strategic energy initiatives going forward, and to provide information necessary to take the next steps in pursuit of the “best fit” energy options. Based on the request of Pawnee Nation’s Energy Task Force themore » research team, consisting Tribal personnel and Summit Blue Consulting, focused on a review of renewable energy resource development potential, funding sources and utility organizational along with energy savings options. Elements of the energy demand forecasting and characterization and demand side options review remained in the scope of work, but were only addressed at a high level. Description of Activities Performed Renewable Energy Resource Development Potential The research team reviewed existing data pertaining to the availability of biomass (focusing on woody biomass, agricultural biomass/bio-energy crops, and methane capture), solar, wind and hydropower resources on the Pawnee-owned lands. Using these data, combined with assumptions about costs and revenue streams, the research team performed preliminary feasibility assessments for each resource category. The research team also reviewed available funding resources and made recommendations to Pawnee Nation highlighting those resources with the greatest potential for financially-viable development, both in the near-term and over a longer time horizon. Energy Efficiency Options While this was not a major focus of the project, the research team highlighted common strategies for reducing energy use in buildings. The team also discussed the benefits of adopting a building energy code and introduced two model energy codes Pawnee Nation should consider for adoption. Summary of Current and Expected Future Electricity Usage The research team provided a summary overview of electricity usage patterns in current buildings and included discussion of known plans for new construction. Utility Options Review Pawnee Nation electric utility options were analyzed through a four-phase process, which included: 1) summarizing the relevant utility background information; 2) gathering relevant utility assessment data; 3) developing a set of realistic Pawnee electric utility service options, and 4) analyzing the various Pawnee electric utility service options for the Pawnee Energy Team’s consideration. III. Findings and Recommendations Due to a lack of financial incentives for renewable energy, particularly at the state level, combined mediocre renewable energy resources, renewable energy development opportunities are limited for Pawnee Nation. However, near-term potential exists for development of solar hot water at the gym, and an exterior wood-fired boiler system at the tribe’s main administrative building. Pawnee Nation should also explore options for developing LFGTE resources in collaboration with the City of Pawnee. Significant potential may also exist for development of bio-energy resources within the next decade. Pawnee Nation representatives should closely monitor market developments in the bio-energy industry, establish contacts with research institutions with which the tribe could potentially partner in grant-funded research initiatives. In addition, a substantial effort by the Kaw and Cherokee tribes is underway to pursue wind development at the Chilocco School Site in northern Oklahoma where Pawnee is a joint landowner. Pawnee Nation representatives should become actively involved in these development discussions and should explore the potential for joint investment in wind development at the Chilocco site.« less

Implementation of pattern generation algorithm in forming Gilmore and Gomory model for two dimensional cutting stock problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Octarina, Sisca; Radiana, Mutia; Bangun, Putra B. J.

2018-01-01

Two dimensional cutting stock problem (CSP) is a problem in determining the cutting pattern from a set of stock with standard length and width to fulfill the demand of items. Cutting patterns were determined in order to minimize the usage of stock. This research implemented pattern generation algorithm to formulate Gilmore and Gomory model of two dimensional CSP. The constraints of Gilmore and Gomory model was performed to assure the strips which cut in the first stage will be used in the second stage. Branch and Cut method was used to obtain the optimal solution. Based on the results, it found many patterns combination, if the optimal cutting patterns which correspond to the first stage were combined with the second stage.

Energy and the English Industrial Revolution.

PubMed

Wrigley, E A

2013-03-13

Societies before the Industrial Revolution were dependent on the annual cycle of plant photosynthesis for both heat and mechanical energy. The quantity of energy available each year was therefore limited, and economic growth was necessarily constrained. In the Industrial Revolution, energy usage increased massively and output rose accordingly. The energy source continued to be plant photosynthesis, but accumulated over a geological age in the form of coal. This poses a problem for the future. Fossil fuels are a depleting stock, whereas in pre-industrial time the energy source, though limited, was renewed each year.

Alternative promoter usage generates novel shorter MAPT mRNA transcripts in Alzheimer's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy brains.

PubMed

Huin, Vincent; Buée, Luc; Behal, Hélène; Labreuche, Julien; Sablonnière, Bernard; Dhaenens, Claire-Marie

2017-10-03

Alternative promoter usage is an important mechanism for transcriptome diversity and the regulation of gene expression. Indeed, this alternative usage may influence tissue/subcellular specificity, protein translation and function of the proteins. The existence of an alternative promoter for MAPT gene was considered for a long time to explain differential tissue specificity and differential response to transcription and growth factors between mRNA transcripts. The alternative promoter usage could explain partly the different tau proteins expression patterns observed in tauopathies. Here, we report on our discovery of a functional alternative promoter for MAPT, located upstream of the gene's second exon (exon 1). By analyzing genome databases and brain tissue from control individuals and patients with Alzheimer's disease or progressive supranuclear palsy, we identified novel shorter transcripts derived from this alternative promoter. These transcripts are increased in patients' brain tissue as assessed by 5'RACE-PCR and qPCR. We suggest that these new MAPT isoforms can be translated into normal or amino-terminal-truncated tau proteins. We further suggest that activation of MAPT's alternative promoter under pathological conditions leads to the production of truncated proteins, changes in protein localization and function, and thus neurodegeneration.

Characterisation and optimisation of Ground Penetrating Radar antennas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warren, Craig; Giannopoulos, Antonios

2014-05-01

Research on the characterisation and optimisation of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) antennas will be presented as part of COST Action TU1208 "Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar". This work falls within the remit of Working Group 1 - "Novel GPR instrumentation" which focuses on the design of innovative GPR equipment for Civil Engineering (CE) applications, on the building of prototypes and on the testing and optimisation of new systems. The diversity of applications of GPR has meant there are a number of different GPR antenna designs available to the end-user as well as those being used in the research community. The type and size of a GPR antenna is usually dependent on the application, e.g. low frequency antennas, which are physically larger, are used where significant depth of penetration is important, whereas high frequency antennas, which are physically smaller, are used where less penetration and better resolution are required. Understanding how energy is transmitted and received by a particular GPR antenna has many benefits: it could lead to more informed usage of the antenna in GPR surveys; improvements in antenna design; and better interpretation of GPR signal returns from the ground/structure. The radiation characteristics of a particular antenna are usually investigated by studying the radiation patterns and directivity. For GPR antennas it is also important to study these characteristics when the antenna is in different environments that would typically be encountered in GPR surveys. In this work Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) numerical models of GPR antennas have been developed. These antenna models replicate all the detailed geometry and main components of the real antennas. The models are representative of typical high-frequency, high-resolution GPR antennas primarily used in CE for the evaluation of structural features in concrete: the location of rebar, conduits, and post-tensioned cables, as well as the estimation of material thickness on bridge decks and pavements. Radiation patterns obtained using the antenna models as well as physical measurements have been used to investigate the radiation characteristics of high-frequency GPR antennas. Studies were conducted with homogeneous materials of different dielectric constants (Er=3, 10, 30, & 72) and at a range of observation distances. The first objective was to compare, using the FDTD antenna model, 'traditional' transmitted field patterns with field patterns obtained using responses from a target spaced at regular intervals around the circumference of a circle, i.e. received energy. Our initial results show, for the same dielectric and observation distance, E- and H-field patterns obtained using the received energy approach have a significantly narrower main lobe than the traditional transmitted patterns. This raises the question of which approach is more beneficial for the characterisation of GPR antennas, and hence better interpretation of GPR responses. The second objective was to compare modelled field patterns with measured patterns obtained from a commercial high-frequency GPR antenna using the received energy approach. The measurements were made in different oil-in-water emulsions which were used to simulate materials with different permittivities and conductivities. Initial comparisons of the measured and modelled data show a very good correlation, which validates use of the antenna model for further studies.

Preliminary Study of Perception and Consumer Behaviour Towards Energy Saving for Household Appliances: A Case of Makassar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syam Akil, Yusri; Mangngenre, Saiful; Mawar, Sri; Amar, Kifayah

2018-03-01

Electricity load has tendency to increase over the time. Therefore, efforts to maintain a balance between electricity supply and demand such as increasing energy saving related to the use of home electricity appliances are urgently needed. In general, one of the household appliances which consumes relatively high electricity energy is refrigerator. The purpose of this study is to analyze residential consumers perceptions and their behaviours about electricity energy saving in relation to the usage of household appliances in Makassar, Indonesia particularly for refrigerator. Moreover, typical relationship between perceptions and consumers behaviours is also analyzed by composed two regression models, namely model for usage behaviour (UREFm model) and model for habitual behaviour (HREFm model) by using general perception, specific perception, and external factors as explanation variables. To collect data, a questionnaire was designed for survey which involved 40 respondents as a preliminary study and then statistical tests including regression analysis were applied to analyze usable data. The target of respondent was an owner of a house in Makassar with installed power capacity at least 900 VA. Reliability test shown that all items in the developed questionnaire can be used for main survey as obtained Cronbach’s alpha values were above 0.6. Evaluation for consumers perceptions on energy saving in relation to demographic aspect using mean and Standard Deviation values indicated some significant differences. Other results regarding regression analysis shown that both composed models were well validated and had quite good fitness degree with adjusted R-squared values around 49.31% for UREFm model and 80.90% for HREFm model. Among considered variables, specific perception, and external factors were found have significant influence to the usage and habitual behaviours of consumers as confirmed by their p-values in each model below 0.05. Findings of this research can be used as a reference in developing programs for residential consumers such as electricity energy conservation program.

Incorporating Human Movement Behavior into the Analysis of Spatially Distributed Infrastructure.

PubMed

Wu, Lihua; Leung, Henry; Jiang, Hao; Zheng, Hong; Ma, Li

2016-01-01

For the first time in human history, the majority of the world's population resides in urban areas. Therefore, city managers are faced with new challenges related to the efficiency, equity and quality of the supply of resources, such as water, food and energy. Infrastructure in a city can be viewed as service points providing resources. These service points function together as a spatially collaborative system to serve an increasing population. To study the spatial collaboration among service points, we propose a shared network according to human's collective movement and resource usage based on data usage detail records (UDRs) from the cellular network in a city in western China. This network is shown to be not scale-free, but exhibits an interesting triangular property governed by two types of nodes with very different link patterns. Surprisingly, this feature is consistent with the urban-rural dualistic context of the city. Another feature of the shared network is that it consists of several spatially separated communities that characterize local people's active zones but do not completely overlap with administrative areas. According to these features, we propose the incorporation of human movement into infrastructure classification. The presence of well-defined spatially separated clusters confirms the effectiveness of this approach. In this paper, our findings reveal the spatial structure inside a city, and the proposed approach provides a new perspective on integrating human movement into the study of a spatially distributed system.

Investigating power capping toward energy-efficient scientific applications: Investigating Power Capping toward Energy-Efficient Scientific Applications

DOE PAGES

Haidar, Azzam; Jagode, Heike; Vaccaro, Phil; ...

2018-03-22

The emergence of power efficiency as a primary constraint in processor and system design poses new challenges concerning power and energy awareness for numerical libraries and scientific applications. Power consumption also plays a major role in the design of data centers, which may house petascale or exascale-level computing systems. At these extreme scales, understanding and improving the energy efficiency of numerical libraries and their related applications becomes a crucial part of the successful implementation and operation of the computing system. In this paper, we study and investigate the practice of controlling a compute system's power usage, and we explore howmore » different power caps affect the performance of numerical algorithms with different computational intensities. Further, we determine the impact, in terms of performance and energy usage, that these caps have on a system running scientific applications. This analysis will enable us to characterize the types of algorithms that benefit most from these power management schemes. Our experiments are performed using a set of representative kernels and several popular scientific benchmarks. Lastly, we quantify a number of power and performance measurements and draw observations and conclusions that can be viewed as a roadmap to achieving energy efficiency in the design and execution of scientific algorithms.« less

Investigating power capping toward energy-efficient scientific applications: Investigating Power Capping toward Energy-Efficient Scientific Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haidar, Azzam; Jagode, Heike; Vaccaro, Phil

The emergence of power efficiency as a primary constraint in processor and system design poses new challenges concerning power and energy awareness for numerical libraries and scientific applications. Power consumption also plays a major role in the design of data centers, which may house petascale or exascale-level computing systems. At these extreme scales, understanding and improving the energy efficiency of numerical libraries and their related applications becomes a crucial part of the successful implementation and operation of the computing system. In this paper, we study and investigate the practice of controlling a compute system's power usage, and we explore howmore » different power caps affect the performance of numerical algorithms with different computational intensities. Further, we determine the impact, in terms of performance and energy usage, that these caps have on a system running scientific applications. This analysis will enable us to characterize the types of algorithms that benefit most from these power management schemes. Our experiments are performed using a set of representative kernels and several popular scientific benchmarks. Lastly, we quantify a number of power and performance measurements and draw observations and conclusions that can be viewed as a roadmap to achieving energy efficiency in the design and execution of scientific algorithms.« less

An Intelligent System for Document Retrieval in Distributed Office Environments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mukhopadhyay, Uttam; And Others

1986-01-01

MINDS (Multiple Intelligent Node Document Servers) is a distributed system of knowledge-based query engines for efficiently retrieving multimedia documents in an office environment of distributed workstations. By learning document distribution patterns and user interests and preferences during system usage, it customizes document retrievals for…