Software and hardware platform for testing of Automatic Generation Control algorithms

Development and implementation of new Automatic Generation Control (AGC) algorithms requires testing them on a model that adequately simulates primary energetic, information and control processes. In this article an implementation of a test platform based on HRTSim (Hybrid Real Time Simulator) and SCADA CK-2007 (which is widely used by the System Operator of Russia) is proposed. Testing of AGC algorithms on the test platform based on the same SCADA system that is used in operation allows to exclude errors associated with the transfer of AGC algorithms and settings from the test platform to a real power system. A power system including relay protection, automatic control systems and emergency control automatics can be accurately simulated on HRTSim. Besides the information commonly used by conventional AGC systems HRTSim is able to provide a resemblance of Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) measurements (information about rotor angles, magnitudes and phase angles of currents and voltages etc.). The additional information significantly expands the number of possible AGC algorithms so the test platform is useful in modern AGC system developing. The obtained test results confirm that the proposed system is applicable for the tasks mentioned above

Робочий зошит до конспекту лекцій з дисциплін “Основи побудови мікропроцесорних систем керування”, “Мікропроцесорна техніка”, “Програмні засоби систем керування” для студентів спеціальностей АГ – 8.092501 Автоматизоване управління технологічними процесами; АТ,ME – 8.091401 Системи управління й автоматики; СМ – 8.091501 Комп`ютерні системи та мережі

Дані методичні вказівки призначуються для вивчення апаратних та програмних засобів мікропроцесорних систем управління (МПС). У процесі вивчення дисципліни "Мікропроцесорні системи" студенти вивчають структуру, архітектуру, сигнали та системи команд однокристального мікроконтролера К1816 ВЕ51. Розглянуті питання організації паралельного та послідовного вводу- виводу, оганізація мікропроцесорних контролерів МПК). Схемні рішення, які приведені у методичних вказівках можуть бути використані при виконанні курсових і дипломних проектів студентами спеціальностей "Комп’ютеризовані системи управління і автоматики" (АТ) і "Автоматизація технологічних процесів гірничих підприємств" (АГ) та "Комп’ютерні системи та мережі" (СМ)

Current allergy educational needs in primary care. Results of the EAACI working group on primary care survey exploring the confidence to manage and the opportunity to refer patients with allergy

The aim of this survey was to explore the specific educational needs of a cohort of European GPs with regards to allergy training so that future educational initiatives may better support the delivery of allergy services in primary care. Method: This study took the form of a cross-sectional observational study in which a structured electronic questionnaire was distributed to primary care providers, in eight languages, across 8 European countries between September 2019 and November 2019. Data associated with demographic parameters, professional qualifications, type of employment, level of confidence regarding competencies for diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases, referral of patients to allergist and preferred method of learning and assessment were collected. A 5-point Likert scale was used to assess level of confidence. Exploratory analysis was carried out. Results: A total of 687 responses were available for analysis, with 99.3% of responders working within Europe. 70.1% of participants were female; and 48.0% and 48.0% of participants respectively had received some undergraduate and/or postgraduate allergy education. Confidence in dealing with different aspect of allergy management differed between countries. The main reason for specialist referral was a perceived need for tertiary assessment (54.3%), and the main barrier for referral was the consideration that the patient's condition could be appropriately diagnosed and treated in a primary care facility. Up to 44.7% and 55.3% of participants reported that they preferred e-Learning over traditional learning. Conclusions: This study identified the specific areas of skills training and educational needs of GPs in managing allergic conditions in primary care, and provided insights into possible strategies for more feasible and cost-effective approaches

Spatially-resolved Assessment of Land and Water Use Scenarios for Shale Gas Development: Poland and Germany

The analysis presented in this report focuses specifically on two issues of potential concern with respect to shale gas development in EU member states using hydraulic fracturing technologies: pressure on freshwater resources, and land use competition. Potential alternative technologies, such as “dry fracking”, are not considered, because they are still at the research and development stage. We reviewed available literature in order to identify important variables that may influence the land and water requirements associated with shale gas development. We further derived a range of representative values spanning worst-, average- and best-case scenarios for each variable. We then coupled specific technology scenarios (incorporating these variables) regarding water and land use requirements for shale gas development from 2013-2028 with spatially-resolved water and land availability/demand modeling tools (i.e. using the European Land Use Modelling Platform (LUMP)). Scenario analyses (intended to represent worst-, average- and best-case assumptions) were subsequently implemented that incorporate a subset of the identified variables for shale gas development in the Lower Paleozoic Baltic-Podlasie-Lublin basin in Poland and for Germany as a whole from 2013-2028. In addition, we undertook a screening-level risk assessment of potential human and ecosystem health impacts attributable to accidental or operational release of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing of shale formations, as well as the average gaseous emissions (per active well) associated with shale gas development activities that might be anticipated within a shale play. Finally, we developed a qualitative discussion of necessary considerations to support future air quality impact assessments for shale gas development activities.JRC.H.8-Sustainability Assessmen

EU Wide Monitoring Survey on Waste Water Treatment Plant Effluents

In the year 2010, effluents from 90 European waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) were collected and analysed in total for 160 organic chemicals and 20 inorganic trace elements. The analyses were complemented by applying also effect-based monitoring approaches aiming at estrogenicity and dioxin-like toxicity analysed by in vitro reporter gene bioassays, and yeast and diatom culture acute toxicity optical bioassays. The analytical work was performed in six European expert laboratories. This European-wide monitoring study on the occurrence of micropollutants in WWTP effluents represents the largest EU wide monitoring survey on WWTP effluents ever performed. It produced a comprehensive data set on many so far only locally investigated “emerging” compound classes including pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), veterinary (antibiotic) drugs, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), organophosphate ester flame retardants, pesticides (and some metabolites) or industrial chemicals such as benzotriazoles (corrosion inhibitors), polycyclic musk fragrances, x-ray contrast agents, Gadolinium compounds, and siloxanes. The obtained results show the presence of 131 target organic compounds in European wastewater effluents, in concentrations ranging from low nanograms to milligrams per liter. These results obtained from 90 different European WWTPs allow the calculation of a European median level for the chemicals investigated. The most relevant compounds identified in the effluent water samples in terms of frecquency of detection, maximum, average and median concentration levels were Sucralose, Acesulfame K (artificial sweeteners), PFOA, PFHxA, PFHpA, PFOS (perfluoroalkyl substances), N,N’-Diethyltoluamide (DEET; insect repellent), Benzotriazoles (corrosion inhibitors), the pharmaceuticals Bisoprolol, Carbamazepine, Ciprofloxacine, Citaprolam, Clindamycine, Codeine, Diltiazem, Diphenhydramin, Eprosartan, Fexofenadine, Flecainide, Gemfibrozil, Fluconazole, Haloperidol, Ibersartan, Ibuprofen, Ketoprofen, Oxazepam, Risperidone, Sulfamethoxazole, Telmisartan, Tramadol, Trimethoprim, Venlafaxin, the organo-phosphate ester flame retardants Tri-iso-butylphosphate (TIBP), Tributylphosphate (TBP), Tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (TCEP), Tris(2-chloroisopropyl)phosphate (TCPP), Tris(2-butoxyethyl)phosphate (TDCP), Tris(2-butoxyethyl)phosphate (TBEP), Triphenyl-phosphate (TPP), 2-Ethylhexyldiphenyl-phosphate (EHDPP), the x-ray contrast media Amidotrizoic acid, Iohexol, Iopromid, Iomeprol, Iopamidol, the pesticides Terbutylazine, Terbutylazine-desethyl (metabolite), MCPA, Mecoprop, Diuron, Triclosan (antibacterial), and Gadolinium (from magnetic resonance imaging contrast media used in hospitals).JRC.H.1-Water Resource

Critical Raw Materials and the Circular Economy – Background report

This report is a background document used by several European Commission services to prepare the EC report on critical raw materials and the circular economy, a commitment of the European Commission made in its Communication ‘EU action plan for the Circular Economy’. It represents a JRC contribution to the Raw Material Initiative and to the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. It combines the results of several research programmes and activities of the JRC on critical raw materials in a context of circular economy, for which a large team has contributed in terms of data and knowledge developments. Circular use of critical raw materials in the EU is analysed, also taking a sectorial perspective. The following sectors are analysed in more detail: mining waste, landfills, electric and electronic equipment, batteries, automotive, renewable energy, defence and chemicals and fertilisers. Conclusions and opportunities for further work are also presented.JRC.D.3-Land Resource

Wernicke-Kleist-Leonhard phenotypes of endogenous psychoses: a review of their validity .

While the ICD-DSM paradigm has been a major advance in clinical psychiatry, its usefulness for biological psychiatry is debated. By defining consensus-based disorders rather than empirically driven phenotypes, consensus classifications were not an implementation of the biomedical paradigm. In the field of endogenous psychoses, the Wernicke-Kleist-Leonhard (WKL) pathway has optimized the descriptions of 35 major phenotypes using common medical heuristics on lifelong diachronic observations. Regarding their construct validity, WKL phenotypes have good reliability and predictive and face validity. WKL phenotypes come with remarkable evidence for differential validity on age of onset, familiality, pregnancy complications, precipitating factors, and treatment response. Most impressive is the replicated separation of high- and low-familiality phenotypes. Created in the purest tradition of the biomedical paradigm, the WKL phenotypes deserve to be contrasted as credible alternatives with other approaches currently under discussion.

Critical raw materials and the circular economy

This report is a background document used by several European Commission services to prepare the EC report on critical raw materials and the circular economy, a commitment of the European Commission made in its Communication ‘EU action plan for the Circular Economy’. It represents a JRC contribution to the Raw Material Initiative and to the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. It combines the results of several research programmes and activities of the JRC on critical raw materials in a context of circular economy, for which a large team has contributed in terms of data and knowledge developments. Circular use of critical raw materials in the EU is analysed, also taking a sectorial perspective. The following sectors are analysed in more detail: extractive waste, landfills, electric and electronic equipment, batteries, automotive, renewable energy, defence and chemicals and fertilisers. Conclusions and opportunities for further work are also presented

Feasibility of a Monitoring Mechanism Supporting a Watch List under the Water Framework Directive

This report describes work conducted by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in the context of its support to the implementation of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC. The work aimed at the feasibility assessment of an experimental monitoring exercise in support to a so-called Watch List Mechanism in a collaborative design involving EU Member States laboratories and some 200 official monitoring station operated by the Member States. The report includes all details on sampling stations, performance of analytical methods as well as the results of the analyses of all samples with regard to the occurrence and levels of 20 compounds of concern. In total, 219 whole water samples originating from 25 EU Member States and 2 other European countries, were assessed for contents of acesulfame, glyphosate and its metabolite AMPA, 1H-Benzotriazole and tolyltriazoles, bisphenol A, triclosan and triclocarban, carbamazepine and its metabolite 10,11-dihydro-10,11-dihydroxycarbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole, perfluoropropionic acid, tris-2-chloropropyl phosphate, methyl tert-butyl ether, silver, boron and chloride (Cl-) in water. Furthermore, 23 sediment samples were analysed for decabromodiphenylethane and decabromodiphenyl ether. The underlying analytical methods are carefully documented with regards to their performance characteristics. Obtained results are assessed statistically and where possible compared to other findings. Although the analysed single samples are insufficient to make any statement on the performance of the treatment processes leading to the compost, the collective of data allows having a glance at the pan-European situation as regards the studies compounds. Background information from literature describing the situation before the survey is included, too. The report is divided into a core part and two annexes. For practical reasons, the report is split into two volumes: Volume 1 contains the report and the single analytical results; volume 2 contains the documentation of the sampling stations.JRC.H.1-Water Resource