Benchmarking Approach for Empirical Comparison of Pricing Models in DRMS

emand response management systems often involve the use of pricing schemes to motivate the efficient use of electrical power. Achieving this efficiency requires the detection of electrical power patterns. The detection of these patterns normally involves use of non-linear, quasi-non-linear, and at times linear data pattern detection models. The behavioural disparities of these models and specifically when used for a specific set of data make it hard to select the most efficient model. The contribution of this study is devising an empirical benchmark (reference) ( perfect ) control pricing (PCP) model through which various models are compared in order to select the most efficient model. In this study, the authors elect neural networks, sliding window–multiple linear regression, and a proportional controller models to be representative of non-linear, quasi-non-linear, and linear models, respectively, in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of PCP. The dataset used for demonstrating both the operation of PCP and the elected models for comparisons is collected from Green Button project and Pacific Gas and Electric

An HDAC9-MALAT1-BRG1 complex mediates smooth muscle dysfunction in thoracic aortic aneurysm

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) has been associated with mutations affecting members of the TGF-β signaling pathway, or components and regulators of the vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) actomyosin cytoskeleton. Although both clinical groups present similar phenotypes, the existence of potential common mechanisms of pathogenesis remain obscure. Here we show that mutations affecting TGF-β signaling and VSMC cytoskeleton both lead to the formation of a ternary complex comprising the histone deacetylase HDAC9, the chromatin-remodeling enzyme BRG1, and the long noncoding RNA MALAT1. The HDAC9–MALAT1–BRG1 complex binds chromatin and represses contractile protein gene expression in association with gain of histone H3-lysine 27 trimethylation modifications. Disruption of Malat1 or Hdac9 restores contractile protein expression, improves aortic mural architecture, and inhibits experimental aneurysm growth. Thus, we highlight a shared epigenetic pathway responsible for VSMC dysfunction in both forms of TAA, with potential therapeutic implication for other known HDAC9-associated vascular diseases

Dynamic Modeling and Control of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems based on Amplitude-Phase Transformation

A voltage source inverter (VSI) is widely used as an interface for distributed generation (DG) systems. However, high-power applications with increasing voltage levels require an extra power converter to reduce costs and complications. Thus, a current source inverter (CSI) is used. This study presents a precise phasor modeling and control details for a VSI-based system for DG and compares it with a CSI-based system. First, the dynamic characteristics of the system based on amplitude-phase transformation are investigated via small signal analysis in the synchronous reference frame. Moreover, the performance of the grid-connected system is determined by adopting the closed-loop control method based on the obtained dynamic model. The control strategies employ an outer active-power loop cascaded with an inner reactive-power loop, which the inner loop is a single-input single-output system without coupling terms. The sensitivity analysis of the linearized model indicates the dynamic features of the system. The simulation results for the different conditions confirm proposed model and design of the controller

Effects of mannan oligosaccharide and <i>Curcuma xanthorrhiza</i> essential oil on the intestinal morphologyand stress indicators of broilers subjected to cyclic heat stress

An experiment was carried out that was intended to explore the growth performance, nutrient retention, and heat stress biomarkers of finishing broilers under cyclic heat stress (HS) as modulated by the supplementation of mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) and <i>Curcuma xanthorrhiza</i> essential oil (CXEO). Two hundred and forty 21-day-old Ross 308 male broilers were allocated to four experimental treatments, each of which was replicated six times with 10 broilers per replicate. The diets included a control (CON), CON + 5 g of MOS kg⁻¹, CON + 400 mg of CXEO kg⁻¹ of feed, and CON + 5 g of MOS kg⁻¹ + 400 mg of CXEO kg⁻¹. From day 22 to 42, birds were subjected to cyclic HS by exposing them to 33 °C for 10 h (from 07:00 to 17:00 LT) and 22 °C from 17:00 to 07:00. Dietary treatments did not have an effect on average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, the duodenal histomorphology, and relative visceral weights. Body weight, average daily gain, villus length, crypt depth, and the villus-length-to-crypt-depth ratio in the jejunum were significantly increased in birds fed MOS or MOS + CXEO diets (<i>p</i>&thinsp;&lt;&thinsp;0.05). The relative bursa weight of the control birds was lower (<i>p</i>&thinsp;&lt;&thinsp; 0.05) compared to those fed the MOS diet. Compared with CON, dietary treatments reduced corticosterone and creatine kinase levels, the heterophile-to-lymphocyte ratio, and mRNA levels of heat shock protein 70 in the breast muscle and jejunum (<i>p</i>&thinsp;&lt;&thinsp;0.05). It was concluded that dietary supplementation of either MOS or CXEO alone or in combination may reduce some of the harmful effects of HS in broiler chickens

Heat shock protein 70 mRNA expression and immune response of heat-stressed finishing broilers fed propolis (bee glue) supplementation

This 2&times;2 factorial experiment investigated the efficacy of propolis (bee glue; BG) in ameliorating heat-stress-induced impairment of growth performance, the hematological profile, intestinal morphology, and biomarkers of heat stress in broilers. Two hundred and forty 21-day old Ross 308 male broiler chicks were allocated to four experimental treatments in six replicates of 10 birds each. The main factors were composed of diet (basal diet or addition of 3 g kg⁻¹ of BG) and temperature (thermoneutral or heat stress). Broilers subjected to heat stress had reduced average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI); a higher heterophil level and heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and a lower lymphocyte level; upregulated mRNA expression of 70 kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) levels in heart, kidney, and breast muscle; and shorter jejunal villus height, deeper crypt depth, and a lower ratio of villus-height-to-crypt-depth compared with those broilers raised in thermoneutral conditions. Supplemental BG increased ADG, jejunal villus height, and the villus-height-to-crypt-depth ratio and decreased the feed-to-gain ratio and creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase levels in breast muscle compared with the birds who received control diets. The inclusion of BG in diets significantly decreased the mRNA expression of HSP70 levels in heart, kidney, and breast muscle in birds subjected to heat challenge. These results indicate that the BG-supplemented diet was effective in partially ameliorating adverse effects in resistance to heat stress in broiler chickens

Achieving an exceptional ductility at room temperature in a low SFE copper alloy fabricated by severe plastic deformation

Low stacking fault energy alloys often exhibit low ductility. However, sometimes these alloys show unusual mechanical behavior following specific processing parameters. In this study, a low stacking fault energy α+β brass was processed by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) at 350 °C in ‘route C’ through three passes. Room temperature tensile testing showed that ductility, surprisingly, reached ~80%, whilst good tensile strength was maintained. Investigation of alloy microstructure revealed a combination of deformation mechanisms, including slip and twinning, accompanied by grain boundary serration and grain fragmentation. It is suggested that these deformation modes triggered these unexpected mechanical properties in this intrinsically brittle alloy. The required energy for discontinuous recrystallization was supplied after only one pass in the α phase, and three passes in the β phase, which then prompted good ductility. In order to study texture evolution, the macro-texture was measured. A high fraction of recrystallized grains and change in strain path fostered the development of Goss, Rotated Goss and Rotated Cube components in the α phase. While in the β phase {011} and Goss components were dominant. Despite the high Schmid factor, Hall-Petch effects and work hardening led to increase of strength and hardness after the final pass