Microgrids & District Energy: Pathways To Sustainable Urban Development

A microgrid is an energy system specifically designed to meet some of the energy needs of a group of buildings, a campus, or an entire community. It can include local facilities that generate electricity, heating, and/or cooling; store energy; distribute the energy generated; and manage energy consumption intelligently and in real time. Microgrids enable economies of scale that facilitate local production of energy in ways that can advance cost reduction, sustainability, economic development, and resilience goals. As they often involve multiple stakeholders, and may encompass numerous distinct property boundaries, municipal involvement is often a key factor for successful implementation. This report provides an introduction to microgrid concepts, identifies the benefits and most common road blocks to implementation, and discusses proactive steps municipalities can take to advance economically viable and environmentally superior microgrids. It also offers advocacy suggestions for municipal leaders and officials to pursue at the state and regional level. The contents are targeted to municipal government staff but anyone looking for introductory material on microgrids should find it useful

Guidelines on Interaction: An exploration into implementing secondary screen experiences on mobile devices

With the advent of devices such as tablets and smartphones, there has been a substantial impact on the way we interact with computers and other technologies, as well as one another, owing to the ability to multitask on such 'second screens'. Second screen applications often provide additional or related content that can enhance user experiences in many environments. Portable devices such as mobile phones and tablets are now frequently used to interact with primary screens such as televisions and many apps have been developed to enhance a user's experience, often for entertainment or educational purposes. There are many applications that fall short of user needs however, and therefore in order for more useful second screen experiences to be created, increased guidance is required. This project therefore investigates four popular environments for second screen use: television, gaming, classrooms and museums, consequently identifying types of interaction and functionality that facilitate interesting second screen experiences in these areas. A user study was conducted to substantiate this research and from these findings a set of guidelines for second screen applications was produced. Using these guidelines, a television-based second screen app was designed and prototyped for the television show "Game of Thrones". Through a second user study, the prototype was subsequently evaluated in terms of how useful and engaging an experience it provided and as a result how successfully the guidelines had been put into practice

Epidemiological information in sheep health management

We use epidemiology whenever we consider the management of sheep health. To measure a disease, we need a precise and unique case definition and we often use diagnostic tests to assist in defining a disease. Diagnostic tests are not always accurate. Thus, it is necessary to consider the decisions that will be taken, based on the result of testing, in order to decide the most useful approach to interpret a test based on its test sensitivity and specificity and the prevalence of the disease in a flock. This is particularly important when decisions on culling or selection of sheep to attain, e.g. freedom from disease, are made on the basis of test results. Infectious diseases spread within and between flocks in a variety of ways; brought-in sheep are the most likely source for introduction of a new pathogen or strain of a pathogen. When a pathogen enters a naïve flock, it spreads through susceptible sheep and persists in the flock, whilst there are susceptible sheep that can be infected. Pathogens use a variety of techniques to persist, including changes in the pathogen itself, alterations in infected hosts enabling them to remain infectious for prolonged periods or to be re-infected, persistence in other host species or in the environment. We need to consider these strategies to decide whether elimination or control of a particular pathogen is more likely to be effective. Whatever the flock control strategy, treatment of diseased individuals is essential for their welfare and can also protect the rest of the flock, if treatment reduces the infectious period. Decisions on management of disease are based on our knowledge of the flock and its management and the evidence base for various control strategies. There are now formal techniques for evaluating the evidence base that can assist in evaluating evidence. One area where we need to evaluate evidence is on cause. It is not possible to prove anything, but we can use the weight of evidence to evaluate likely cause. There are nine aspects of association with which we can evaluate a piece of evidence; these are: strength, consistency, specificity, temporality, dose–response, plausibility, coherence, experiment and analogy

Radiation‐Induced Oral Mucositis Hamster Model Using a Linear Accelerator Enhances Clinical Relevance of Preclinical Studies for Treatment Strategy Investigation

Translational animal models for oral mucositis (OM) are necessary to simulate and assess the bioclinical effects and response in humans. These models should simulate high levels of radiation exposure that leads to oxidative stress and inflammatory‐initiated tissue changes. Hamster models have been extensively studied to observe pathological effects of radiation exposure and help in the development of effective treatments. To successfully evaluate the potential for treatment regimens with consistency and relevance, a radiation‐induced OM hamster model was developed using a clinical linear accelerator utilized by cancer patients daily. The dose exposure to the isolated, everted cheek pouch of a hamster, as well as the progression of injury, pro‐inflammatory marker, histological, and elasticity analyses of the buccal pouch were conducted to verify replicability and reproducibility of the injury model. The findings from this model demonstrated its ability to consistently induce injury and resolution over 28 days using an acute dose of 60 Gy. This model was developed to enhance clinical relevance when evaluating potential efficacious treatments and can now be utilized in efficacy studies to better evaluate developed therapeutics in a preclinical model that is easy to translate to clinical studies

Enhancing the cellular uptake of Py–Im polyamides through next-generation aryl turns

Pyrrole–imidazole (Py–Im) hairpin polyamides are a class of programmable, sequence-specific DNA binding oligomers capable of disrupting protein–DNA interactions and modulating gene expression in living cells. Methods to control the cellular uptake and nuclear localization of these compounds are essential to their application as molecular probes or therapeutic agents. Here, we explore modifications of the hairpin γ-aminobutyric acid turn unit as a means to enhance cellular uptake and biological activity. Remarkably, introduction of a simple aryl group at the turn potentiates the biological effects of a polyamide targeting the sequence 5′-WGWWCW-3′ (W = A/T) by up to two orders of magnitude. Confocal microscopy and quantitative flow cytometry analysis suggest this enhanced potency is due to increased nuclear uptake. Finally, we explore the generality of this approach and find that aryl-turn modifications enhance the uptake of all polyamides tested, while having a variable effect on the upper limit of polyamide nuclear accumulation. Overall this provides a step forward for controlling the intracellular concentration of Py–Im polyamides that will prove valuable for future applications in which biological potency is essential

On a Symmetry Argument for the Guidance Equation in Bohmian Mechanics

Bohmian mechanics faces an underdetermination problem: when it comes to solving the measurement problem, alternatives to the Bohmian guidance equation work just as well as the official guidance equation. Dürr, Goldstein, and Zanghì have argued that of the candidate guidance equations, the official guidance equation is the simplest Galilean‐invariant candidate. This symmetry argument—if it worked—would solve the underdetermination problem. But the argument does not work. It fails because it rests on assumptions about how Galilean transformations (especially boosts) act on the wavefunction that are (in this context) unwarranted. My discussion has larger morals about the physical significance of certain mathematical results (like, for example, Wigner’s theorem) in non‐orthodox interpretations of quantum mechanics

Pre-anthesis ovary development determines genotypic differences in potential kernel weight in sorghum

Kernel weight is an important factor determining grain yield and nutritional quality in sorghum, yet the developmental processes underlying the genotypic differences in potential kernel weight remain unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the stage in development at which genetic effects on potential kernel weight were realized, and to investigate the developmental mechanisms by which potential kernel weight is controlled in sorghum. Kernel development was studied in two field experiments with five genotypes known to differ in kernel weight at maturity. Pre-fertilization floret and ovary development was examined and post-fertilization kernel-filling characteristics were analysed. Large kernels had a higher rate of kernel filling and contained more endosperm cells and starch granules than normal-sized kernels. Genotypic differences in kernel development appeared before stamen primordia initiation in the developing florets, with sessile spikelets of large-seeded genotypes having larger floret apical meristems than normal-seeded genotypes. At anthesis, the ovaries for large-sized kernels were larger in volume, with more cells per layer and more vascular bundles in the ovary wall. Across experiments and genotypes, there was a significant positive correlation between kernel dry weight at maturity and ovary volume at anthesis. Genotypic effects on meristem size, ovary volume, and kernel weight were all consistent with additive genetic control, suggesting that they were causally related. The pre-fertilization genetic control of kernel weight probably operated through the developing pericarp, which is derived from the ovary wall and potentially constrains kernel expansion

Pre-anthesis ovary development determines genotypic differences in potential kernel weight in sorghum

Kernel weight is an important factor determining grain yield and nutritional quality in sorghum, yet the developmental processes underlying the genotypic differences in potential kernel weight remain unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the stage in development at which genetic effects on potential kernel weight were realized, and to investigate the developmental mechanisms by which potential kernel weight is controlled in sorghum. Kernel development was studied in two field experiments with five genotypes known to differ in kernel weight at maturity. Pre-fertilization floret and ovary development was examined and post-fertilization kernel-filling characteristics were analysed. Large kernels had a higher rate of kernel filling and contained more endosperm cells and starch granules than normal-sized kernels. Genotypic differences in kernel development appeared before stamen primordia initiation in the developing florets, with sessile spikelets of large-seeded genotypes having larger floret apical meristems than normal-seeded genotypes. At anthesis, the ovaries for large-sized kernels were larger in volume, with more cells per layer and more vascular bundles in the ovary wall. Across experiments and genotypes, there was a significant positive correlation between kernel dry weight at maturity and ovary volume at anthesis. Genotypic effects on meristem size, ovary volume, and kernel weight were all consistent with additive genetic control, suggesting that they were causally related. The pre-fertilization genetic control of kernel weight probably operated through the developing pericarp, which is derived from the ovary wall and potentially constrains kernel expansion

The Allen Telescope Array: The First Widefield, Panchromatic, Snapshot Radio Camera for Radio Astronomy and SETI

The first 42 elements of the Allen Telescope Array (ATA-42) are beginning to deliver data at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory in Northern California. Scientists and engineers are actively exploiting all of the flexibility designed into this innovative instrument for simultaneously conducting surveys of the astrophysical sky and conducting searches for distant technological civilizations. This paper summarizes the design elements of the ATA, the cost savings made possible by the use of COTS components, and the cost/performance trades that eventually enabled this first snapshot radio camera. The fundamental scientific program of this new telescope is varied and exciting; some of the first astronomical results will be discussed.Comment: Special Issue of Proceedings of the IEEE: "Advances in Radio Telescopes", Baars,J. Thompson,R., D'Addario, L., eds, 2009, in pres

SuperSpec: On-chip spectrometer design, characterization, and performance

SuperSpec is an integrated, on-chip spectrometer for millimeter and sub-millimeter astronomy. SuperSpec is demonstrating a proof-of-principle multi-beam spectrometer on the sky at the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT) in Mexico covering the 200 - 300 GHz frequency range with moderate resolution (R ~ 270 - 290). The dual-polarization, three-pixel instrument will consist of 6 SuperSpec spectrometer chips. We present the design and characterization of the devices being used in the first SuperSpec demonstration along with lab testing of the instrument performance