Application of heat pumps and thermal storage systems for improved control and performance of microgrids

The high penetration of renewable energy sources (RES), in particular, the rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems in power systems, causes rapid ramps in power generation to supply load during peak-load periods. Residential and commercial buildings have considerable potential for providing load exibility by exploiting energy-e_cient devices like ground source heat pump (GSHP). The proper integration of PV systems with the GSHP could reduce power demand from demand-side. This research provides a practical attempt to integrate PV systems and GSHPs e_ectively into buildings and the grid. The multi-directional approach in this work requires an optimal control strategy to reduce energy cost and provide an opportunity for power trade-o_ or feed-in in the electricity market. In this study, some optimal control models are developed to overcome both the operational and technical constraints of demand-side management (DSM) and for optimum integration of RES. This research focuses on the development of an optimal real-time thermal energy management system for smart homes to respond to DR for peak-load shifting. The intention is to manage the operation of a GSHP to produce the desired amount of thermal energy by controlling the volume and temperature of the stored water in the thermal energy storage (TES) while optimising the operation of the heat distributors to control indoor temperature. This thesis proposes a new framework for optimal sizing design and real-time operation of energy storage systems in a residential building equipped with a PV system, heat pump (HP), and thermal and electrical energy storage systems. The results of this research demonstrate to rooftop PV system owners that investment in combined TSS and battery can be more profitable as this system can minimise life cycle costs. This thesis also presents an analysis of the potential impact of residential HP systems into reserve capacity market. This research presents a business aggregate model for controlling residential HPs (RHPs) of a group of houses that energy aggregators can utilise to earn capacity credits. A control strategy is proposed based on a dynamic aggregate RHPs coupled with TES model and predicting trading intervals capacity requirements through forecasting demand and non-scheduled generation. RHPs coupled with TES are optimised to provide DSM reserve capacity. A rebound effect reduction method is proposed that reduces the peak rebound RHPs power

The Differentiating Characteristics of Societal Cultures: An Examination of Societal Values, Practices and Potential for Change

This paper explores the difference between societal cultural practices (the way societal culture is perceived to be, or “as is”) and cultural values (the way societal culture “should be”) using the GLOBE project’s (House et al, 2004) published data and findings from 62 societies. The difference between cultural practices and values is referred to as ‘cultural differentiation’. The paper suggests that cultural differentiation can be an indicator for potential for societal change. GLOBE’s overall data as well as those for selected countries are examined. The latter is done by focusing on several developed countries from Europe and several developing societies from the Middle East and by measuring and comparing their cultural differentiation scores and their potential for and patterns of change. The implications of this approach to cultural differentiation for societal change and for leadership and organizational practices across cultures are discussed

Real-Life Incentives Driving Public-Private Partnership in Diagnostic Services

BACKGROUND: Diagnostic services are highly critical in the success of treatment processes, overly costly nonetheless. Accordingly, hospitals generally seek the private partnership in the provision of such services. This study intends to explore the incentives owned by both public and private sector in their joint provision of diagnostic services under the public-private partnership agreement.METHOD: A qualitative, exploratory study was employed in Tehran hospitals from October 2017 to March 2018. Around 25 face-to-face, semi structured interviews were conducted with the purposively recruited hospital managers, heads of diagnostic services and managers of private companies. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using conventional content analysis, assisted by "MAXQDA-12".RESULTS: Three main categories and nine sub-categories represented the incentives of public sector, and four main categories and seven sub-categories signified those of private sector. The incentives of public sector included the status-quo remediation, upstream requirements, and personal reasons. As such, the individual, social and economic incentives and legal constraints were driving the behavior of the private sector.CONCLUSIONS: Financial problem and gain were the most noted incentives by the partners. Attention to the either side’s incentives and aims is likely to ensure the durability and effectiveness of such partnerships in the health sector

Optimal sizing design and operation of electrical and thermal energy storage systems in smart buildings

Photovoltaic (PV) systems in residential buildings require energy storage to enhance their productivity; however, in present technology, battery storage systems (BSSs) are not the most cost-effective solutions. Comparatively, thermal storage systems (TSSs) can provide opportunities to enhance PV self-consumption while reducing life cycle costs. This paper proposes a new framework for optimal sizing design and real-time operation of energy storage systems in a residential building equipped with a PV system, heat pump (HP), thermal and electrical energy storage systems. For simultaneous optimal sizing of BSS and TSS, a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is applied to minimize daily electricity and life cycle costs of the smart building. A model predictive controller is then developed to manage energy flow of storage systems to minimize electricity costs for end-users. The main objective of the controller is to optimally control HP operation and battery charge/discharge actions based on a demand response program. The controller regulates the flow of water in the storage tank to meet designated thermal energy requirements by controlling HP operation. Furthermore, the power flow of battery is controlled to supply all loads during peak-load hours to minimize electricity costs. The results of this paper demonstrate to rooftop PV system owners that investment in combined TSS and BSS can be more profitable as this system can minimize life cycle costs. The proposed methods for optimal sizing and operation of electrical and thermal storage system can reduce the annual electricity cost by more than 80% with over 42% reduction in the life cycle cost. Simulation and experimental results are presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed framework and controller

Resilience and anxiety in nurses in a hospital in Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

The lack of any definitive treatment or prevention of COVID-19 disease has created a lot of stress and anxiety in societies. This study aimed to evaluate the resilience and anxiety of COVID-19 in nurses of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Jiroft and their relationship with demographic variables from April to August 2020. The present study is descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional. To select the statistical sample, the census method was used so that 80 nurses working in different wards of the hospital were selected and included in the study. The resilience measurement tool is the Connor-Davidson Resilience Questionnaire (CD-RIS). COVID-19 anxiety was assessed using a comprehensive national questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics Chi-square, Independent two-sample parametric t-test, and ANOVA through SPSS 20. The level of COVID-19 anxiety in nurses was moderate (19.3±11.64) and the rate of resilience was low (36.7±16.65). There is a statistically significant difference between resilience in nurses and age (p = 0.003). There was no statistically significant relationship between the rate of resilience in nurses and gender (p = 0.13), the unit of service (p = 0.87), marital status (p = 0.98), work experience (p = 0.06), and the level of education (p = 0.63). There was no statistically significant relationship between anxiety in nurses and age (p = 0.53), gender (p = 0.59), the unit of work (p = 0.48), marital status (p = 0.90), work experience (p = 0.40), and level of education (p = 0.60). The results of multivariate analysis showed that, work experience, and place of work have a statistically significant relationship with resilience and anxiety of COVID-19 in nurses, respectively (p <0.05).The level of COVID-19 anxiety in nurses is moderate and the rate of resilience is high. Given the current high-risk situation, it is important to identify nurses prone to psychological disorders to maintain and improve their mental health with appropriate strategies and techniques

Increasing the Number of Adverse Drug Reactions Reporting: the Role of Clinical Pharmacy Residents

Abstract Detection of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in hospitals provides an important measure of the burden of drug related morbidity on the healthcare system. Spontaneous reporting of ADRs is scare and several obstacles to such reporting have been identified formerly. This study aimed to determine the role of clinical pharmacy residents in ADR reporting within a hospital setting.Clinical pharmacy residents were trained to report all suspected ADRs through ADRreporting yellow cards. The incidence, pattern, seriousness, and preventability of the reported ADRs were analyzed. During the period of 12 months, for 8559 patients, 202 ADR reports were received. The most frequently reported reactions were due to anti-infective agents (38.38%). Rifampin accounted for the highest number of the reported ADRs among anti-infective agents. The gastro-intestinal system was the most frequently affected system (21.56%) of all reactions. Fifty four of the ADRs were reported as serious reactions. Eighteen of the ADRs were classified as preventable. Clinical pharmacy residents involvement in the ADR reporting program could improve the ADR reporting system

AhR controls redox homeostasis and shapes the tumor microenvironment in BRCA1-associated breast cancer

Cancer cells have higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) than normal cells, due to genetic and metabolic alterations. An emerging scenario is that cancer cells increase ROS to activate protumorigenic signaling while activating antioxidant pathways to maintain redox homeostasis. Here we show that, in basal-like and BRCA1-related breast cancer (BC), ROS levels correlate with the expression and activity of the transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Mechanistically, ROS triggers AhR nuclear accumulation and activation to promote the transcription of both antioxidant enzymes and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligand, amphiregulin (AREG). In a mouse model of BRCA1-related BC, cancer-associated AhR and AREG control tumor growth and production of chemokines to attract monocytes and activate proangiogenic function of macrophages in the tumor microenvironment. Interestingly, the expression of these chemokines as well as infiltration of monocyte-lineage cells (monocyte and macrophages) positively correlated with ROS levels in basal-like BC. These data support the existence of a coordinated link between cancer-intrinsic ROS regulation and the features of tumor microenvironment. Therapeutically, chemical inhibition of AhR activity sensitizes human BC models to Erlotinib, a selective EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, suggesting a promising combinatorial anticancer effect of AhR and EGFR pathway inhibition. Thus, AhR represents an attractive target to inhibit redox homeostasis and modulate the tumor promoting microenvironment of basal-like and BRCA1-associated BC

A new correlation based on artificial neural networks for predicting the natural gas compressibility factor

Maryam Baniasadi, A. Mohebbi, and Mehdi Baniasad

Debatten om Fadime : Orientalism och kulturrasism?

När Fadime Sahindal mördades av sin far i Uppsala startades en debatt om ”hedersmord” som i en nästan lavinartad form spred sig över hela landet. Debatten, som fördes i hela det mediala Sverige, fick snabbt uppdelning mellan två inriktningar vilka var en kulturbetonande samt en icke-kulturbetonande. Den kulturbetonande inriktningen menade att kulturella skillnader var det viktiga att fokusera på annars skulle invandrarkvinnors specifika problem osynliggöras, medan den icke-kulturbetonande inriktningen menade att ett universellt patriarkalt förtryck skulle vara i fokus, annars skulle vi spela främlingsfientliga krafter i händerna. Debatten låstes fast i denna polarisering mellan dessa två inriktningar. Syftet med denna uppsats är att, genom att studera debattens första fem månader, söka efter föreställningar som kan härledas till ett orientalistiskt ”vi” och ”dom” –tänkande för att finna inom ramen för vilken inriktning, kulturbetonad/icke-kulturbetonad, dessa föreställningar återfinns. Vidare har uppsatsen till syfte att se vilken relation dessa inriktningar har haft till varandra och vad i denna relation som föranlett en låsning i debatten. Uppsatsen tar sin utgångspunkt i Saids Orientalism och de föreställningar som ryms inom ramen för denna. Samt diskursanalysens metodologiska tillvägagångssätt. Föreställningar som kan härledas till traditionella föreställningar inom Orientalism återfanns i båda kategorierna och är inte förbehållna den ena eller andra inriktningen, däremot återfanns majoriteten inom ramen för den kulturbetonande inriktningen. Relationen mellan de två inriktningarna präglades av en polemik där den ena inriktningens anhängare beskyller den andra inriktningens anhängare för att missgynna invandrare och vise versa. Inom denna relation har det uppstått en paradox där de båda inriktningarna lyckats trassla in sig och ej ta sig loss. Och det har varit detta som föranlett debattens låsning i dessa två inriktningar

Microsoft Word - Format

Abstract In this work we introduce a histor