scholarly journals Active Participation of Buildings in the Energy Networks: Dynamic/Operational Models and Control Challenges

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (21) ◽  
pp. 7220
Author(s):  
Saman Nikkhah ◽  
Adib Allahham ◽  
Janusz W. Bialek ◽  
Sara L. Walker ◽  
Damian Giaouris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Question ◽  
Citation Network ◽  
Active Participation ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Energy Networks ◽  
Study Selection ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Optimisation Methods ◽  
Selection Methodology ◽  
And Control

New advances in small-scale generation and consumption technologies have shifted conventional buildings’ functionality towards energy-efficient active buildings (ABs). Such developments drew the attention of researchers all around the world, resulting in a variety of publications, including several review papers. This study conducts a systematic literature review so as to analyse the concepts/factors enabling active participation of buildings in the energy networks. To do so, a relatively large number of publications devoted to the subject are identified, introducing the taxonomy of control and optimisation methods for the ABs. Then, a study selection methodology is proposed to nominate potential literature that has investigated the role of ABs in the energy networks. The modelling approaches in enabling flexible ABs are identified, while the potential challenges have been highlighted. Furthermore, the citation network of included papers is illustrated by Gephi software and analysed using “ForceAtlas2” and “Yifan Hu Proportional” algorithms so as to analyse the insights and possibilities for future developments. The survey results provide a clear answer to the research question around the potential flexibility that can be offered by ABs to the energy grids, and highlights possible prospective research plans, serving as a guide to research and industry.

Präzisions-Forstwirtschaft – was ist das? | Precision forestry – what's that?

2007 ◽  
Vol 158 (8) ◽  
pp. 235-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Rudolf Heinimann
Keyword(s):  
Business Processes ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Supply Chain Coordination ◽  
Sensor Technology ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Soil Physics ◽  
Coordination Problem ◽  
Precision Engineering ◽  
Precision Forestry ◽  
And Control

The term «precision forestry» was first introduced and discussed at a conference in 2001. The aims of this paper are to explore the scientific roots of the precision concept, define «precision forestry», and sketch the challenges that the implementation of this new concept may present to practitioners, educators, and researchers. The term «precision» does not mean accuracy on a small scale, but instead refers to the concurrent coordination and control of processes at spatial scales between 1 m and 100 km. Precision strives for an automatic control of processes. Precision land use differs from precision engineering by the requirements of gathering,storing and managing spatio-temporal variability of site and vegetation parameters. Practitioners will be facing the challenge of designing holistic, standardized business processes that are valid for whole networks of firms,and that follow available standards (e.g., SCOR, WoodX). There is a need to educate and train forestry professionals in the areas of business process re-engineering, computer supported management of business transactions,methods of remote sensing, sensor technology and control theory. Researchers will face the challenge of integrating plant physiology, soil physics and production sciences and solving the supply chain coordination problem (SCCP).

The Artificial Pancreas in Cyborg Bodies

2020 ◽  
pp. 412-430
Author(s):  
Anthony Ryan Hatch ◽  
Julia T. Gordon ◽  
Sonya R. Sternlieb
Keyword(s):  
Glucose Sensor ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Infusion Pump ◽  
Artificial Pancreas ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Glucose Levels ◽  
Loop Design ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Do It Yourself ◽  
And Control

The new artificial pancreas system includes a body-attached blood glucose sensor that tracks glucose levels, a worn insulin infusion pump that communicates with the sensor, and features new software that integrates the two systems. The artificial pancreas is purportedly revolutionary because of its closed-loop design, which means that the machine can give insulin without direct patient intervention. It can read a blood sugar and administer insulin based on an algorithm. But, the hardware for the corporate artificial pancreas is expensive and its software code is closed-access. Yet, well-educated, tech-savvy diabetics have been fashioning their own fully automated do-it-yourself (DIY) artificial pancreases for years, relying on small-scale manufacturing, open-source software, and inventive repurposing of corporate hardware. In this chapter, we trace the corporate and DIY artificial pancreases as they grapple with issues of design and accessibility in a content where not everyone can become a diabetic cyborg. The corporate artificial pancreas offers the cyborg low levels of agency and no ownership and control over his or her own data; it also requires access to health insurance in order to procure and use the technology. The DIY artificial pancreas offers patients a more robust of agency but also requires high levels of intellectual capital to hack the devices and make the system work safely. We argue that efforts to increase agency, radically democratize biotechnology, and expand information ownership in the DIY movement are characterized by ideologies and social inequalities that also define corporate pathways.

Miniature Bioreactors for Rapid Bioprocess Development of Mammalian Cell Culture

2012 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohd Helmi Sani ◽  
Frank Baganz
Keyword(s):  
Cell Culture ◽  
Mammalian Cell ◽  
Process Development ◽  
Mammalian Cell Culture ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Cell Culture Process ◽  
Deep Wells ◽  
Working Volume ◽  
Culture Process ◽  
And Control

At present, there are a number of commercial small scale shaken systems available on the market with instrumented controllable microbioreactors such as Micro–24 Microreactor System (Pall Corporation, Port Washington, NY) and M2P Biolector, (M2P Labs GmbH, Aachen, Germany). The Micro–24 system is basically an orbital shaken 24–well plate that operates at working volume 3 – 7 mL with 24 independent reactors (deep wells, shaken and sparged) running simultaneously. Each reactor is designed as single use reactor that has the ability to continuously monitor and control the pH, DO and temperature. The reactor aeration is supplied by sparging air from gas feeds that can be controlled individually. Furthermore, pH can be controlled by gas sparging using either dilute ammonia or carbon dioxide directly into the culture medium through a membrane at the bottom of each reactor. Chen et al., (2009) evaluated the Micro–24 system for the mammalian cell culture process development and found the Micro–24 system is suitable as scaledown tool for cell culture application. The result showed that intra-well reproducibility, cell growth, metabolites profiles and protein titres were scalable with 2 L bioreactors.

scholarly journals Photovoltaics Enabling Sustainable Energy Communities: Technological Drivers and Emerging Markets

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 1862
Author(s):  
Alexandros-Georgios Chronis ◽  
Foivos Palaiogiannis ◽  
Iasonas Kouveliotis-Lysikatos ◽  
Panos Kotsampopoulos ◽  
Nikos Hatziargyriou
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Energy Market ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Local Energy ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Open Research ◽  
Energy Community

In this paper, we investigate the economic benefits of an energy community investing in small-scale photovoltaics (PVs) when local energy trading is operated amongst the community members. The motivation stems from the open research question on whether a community-operated local energy market can enhance the investment feasibility of behind-the-meter small-scale PVs installed by energy community members. Firstly, a review of the models, mechanisms and concepts required for framing the relevant concepts is conducted, while a clarification of nuances at important terms is attempted. Next, a tool for the investigation of the economic benefits of operating a local energy market in the context of an energy community is developed. We design the local energy market using state-of-the-art formulations, modified according to the requirements of the case study. The model is applied to an energy community that is currently under formation in a Greek municipality. From the various simulations that were conducted, a series of generalizable conclusions are extracted.

The Economics of the Soy Kit as an Appropriate Household Technology for Food Entrepreneurs

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-115
Author(s):  
Chungmann Kim ◽  
Peter Goldsmith
Keyword(s):  
International Development ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Resource Base ◽  
Credit Access ◽  
Feed The Future ◽  
High Level

Background: The ability for women to operate as food entrepreneurs presents opportunities to leverage at-home production technologies that not only support family nutrition but also generate income. To these ends, the Feed the Future Malawi Agriculture Diversification Activity recently launched a development project involving a new technology, the Soy Kit. The Activity, a USAID (United States Agency for International Development) funded effort, sought to improve nutrition utilizing an underutilized local and highly nutritious feedstuff, soybean, through a woman’s entrepreneurship scheme. Objective: The USAID funded effort provides the overarching research question, whether the Soy Kit is a sustainable technology for delivering nutrition and income through a women’s entrepreneurship scheme. If true, then development practitioners will have a valuable tool, and the associated evidence, to address the important crosscutting themes, of nutrition, poverty, entrepreneurship, and women’s empowerment. To answer this research question, the research team first evaluates the underlying production economics of the kit to measure profitability, return on investment, and operational performance. Second, the team qualitatively and quantitatively assesses the kit’s overall appropriateness as a technology for the developing world. Methods: The team follows the schema of Bower and Brown and utilizes descriptive statistics, and financial techniques to conduct an assessment of the economics and technical appropriateness of the Soy Kit technology. Results: The results show a high level of appropriateness across a number of metrics. For example, the payback period from cash flow is under 6 months and the annual return on capital is 163% when entrepreneurs utilize a domestically sourced kit valued at US$80. Conclusion: The technology matches well with the rhythm of household economy, in particular women’s labor availability and resource base. Businesses earn significant returns on capital thus appear to be sustainable without donor subsidy. At the same time, available capital to finance kit entrepreneurs appears to be scarce. More research needs to take place to address the credit access question, in order to make small-scale kit entrepreneur truly self-reliant; the effects on poverty reduction at the household and village level; and nutrition improvement among the consumers.

Ethnicity and Antipsychotic Response

1997 ◽  
Vol 31 (11) ◽  
pp. 1360-1369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edyta J Frackiewicz ◽  
John J Sramek ◽  
John M Herrera ◽  
Neil M Kurtz ◽  
Neal R Cutler
Keyword(s):  
African Americans ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Racial Differences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Racial Groups ◽  
Prescribing Practices ◽  
Data Synthesis ◽  
Medline Search ◽  
Study Selection ◽  
And Control

OBJECTIVE: To review the data generated by studies examining interethnic/racial differences in response to antipsychotics. DATA SOURCES: A MEDLINE search (1966-19%) identified all articles examining differences in antipsychotic response among Caucasians, Asians, Hispanics, and African-Americans, as well as articles evaluating postulated mechanisms for these differences. STUDY SELECTION: All abstracts, studies, and review articles were evaluated. DATA SYNTHESIS: Ethnic/racial differences in response to antipsychotic medications have been reported and may be due to genetics, kinetic variations, dietary or environmental factors, or variations in the prescribing practices of clinicians. Studies suggest that Asians may respond to lower doses of antipsychotics due to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic differences. Research relevant to African-Americans is limited, but some studies suggest that differences in this group may be due to clinician biases and prescribing practices, rather than to pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic variability. CONCLUSIONS: Future research directed at validating the hypotheses that different ethnic/racial groups show variations in response to antipsychotics should focus on homogenous ethnic groups, use recent advances in pharmacogenetic testing, and control for such variables as observer bias, gender, disease chronicity, dietary and environmental factors, and exposure to enzyme-inducing and -inhibiting agents. Clinicians should be aware that potential interethnic/racial differences in pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics may exist that can alter response to antipsychotics.

The devil is in the detail: Bourdieu and teachers’ early career learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Kirkby ◽  
Julianne Moss ◽  
Sally Godinho
Keyword(s):  
Beginning Teachers ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Professional Knowledge ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Cultural Learning ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Cultural Reproduction ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present how the social learning theory of Bourdieu (1990; Bourdieu and Passeron, 1990) can be a valuable tool to investigate mentoring relationships of beginning teachers with their more experienced colleagues. Bourdieu’s work provides a lens to magnify the social exchanges that occur during the mentoring relationship, so that what tends to be hidden in the “logic of practice” (Bourdieu, 1990) is drawn into view. The paper shows how the mentor is ascribed power that enables domination, and how this tends to result in cultural reproduction. A case study is used to identify aspects of social and cultural learning that demonstrate this process. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on a year-long narrative inquiry of beginning secondary teachers’ mentoring experiences in the state of Victoria, Australia. The data were generated through in-depth interviews and participants’ diary entries to answer the research question “What personal, professional knowledge is developed through beginning teachers’ early experiences with induction and mentoring?” Findings The researcher found that attention to minutiae of mentor/mentee interactions can suggest how symbolic violence shapes personal, professional knowledge. Research limitations/implications This small-scale study has some limitations. However, as an illustration of organisational learning, with strong connections to Bourdieu’s theoretical work, it can provide some illuminating insights into how policy can be enacted at the micro-level. In particular, there are implications for how mentor teachers engage in their roles and understand the potential impact of their interactions with beginning teachers. Originality/value This study applies Bourdieu’s framework of cultural reproduction as an analysis tool for a qualitative study of the mentoring of beginning teachers.

Intimacies of Exchange

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly O'Neill
Keyword(s):  
Black Sea ◽  
Economic Geography ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Key Sites ◽  
Economic Landscape ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Key Nodes

This chapter examines the flow of goods across and through Crimea in an attempt to understand the impact of Russian rule on the economic landscape. It focuses on the patterns of exchange and consumption, arguing for the significance of small-scale transactions for understanding the economic geography of the region. While Russian officials were eager to facilitate and control Black Sea trade, farmers and gardeners and craftsmen began participating in the system of overland markets and fairs that connected the southern provinces to merchants and consumers everywhere from Kharkov and Moscow to Nizhnii Novgorod and Kazan. The Crimean economy thus moved southward toward Constantinople and northward toward Moscow, yet the towns of the peninsula remained key nodes of consumption and production, the orchards and vineyards key sites of prosperity.

scholarly journals Big data-driven stochastic business planning and corporate valuation

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3-1) ◽  
pp. 189-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Moro Visconti ◽  
Giuseppe Montesi ◽  
Giovanni Papiro
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Predictive Ability ◽  
Cash Flows ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Business Planning ◽  
Information Asymmetries ◽  
Methodological Innovation ◽  
Set Up ◽  
And Control

The research question of this paper is concerned with the investigation of the links between Internet of Things and related big data as input parameters for stochastic estimates in business planning and corporate evaluation analytics. Financial forecasts and company appraisals represent a core corporate ownership and control issue, impacting on stakeholder remuneration, information asymmetries, and other aspects. Optimal business planning and related corporate evaluations derive from an equilibrated mix of top-down and bottom-up approaches. While the former follows a traditional dirigistic methodology where companies set up their strategic goals, the latter are grass-rooted with big data-driven timely evidence. Real options can be embedded in big data-driven forecasting to make expected cash flows more flexible and resilient, improving Value for Money of the investment and reducing its risk profile. More accurate and timely big data-driven predictions reduce uncertainties and information asymmetries, making risk management easier and decreasing the cost of capital. Whereas stochastic modeling is traditionally used for budgeting and business planning, this probabilistic process is seldom nurtured by big data that can refresh forecasts in real time, improving their predictive ability. Combination of big data and stochastic estimates for corporate appraisal and governance issues represents a methodological innovation that goes beyond the traditional literature and practice.

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