Modeling and Simulation of a Vertical Wind Power Plant in Dymola/Simulink

A small wind power plant connected to the grid has been modeled in Modelica/ Dymola and controlled using external controllers written in C++. The small wind power plant consists of three wind power units with a nominal power of 3kW and one grid connection interconnected with an internal DCgrid. All the controls needed for control and optimization for the operation of the individual parts in the plant was developed and implemented. Apart from this a managing control for the entire plant was developed and implemented. The control developed in this project was implemented using an external static library interconnected with Dymola, the External Object approach of implementing objects in Modelica was also tested. The optimization algorithms developed for the wind turbine was done in a way so that no measurements of the wind speed is needed. The controls was developed so that they can achieve a number of different tasks such as Reactive Power Compensation and Island Control. The modeling was done in Modelica using Dymola. In order to model the power electronics involved in the system the Spot library has been utilized. Models for the wind turbine was developed and tested. The models and control algorithms were tested by running different test cases. The test cases involves both normal operation and island operation. The results was compared with grid codes from Denmark and Sweden

Bacteria Penetrate the Inner Mucus Layer before Inflammation in the Dextran Sulfate Colitis Model

Protection of the large intestine with its enormous amount of commensal bacteria is a challenge that became easier to understand when we recently could describe that colon has an inner attached mucus layer devoid of bacteria (Johansson et al. (2008) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105, 15064-15069). The bacteria are thus kept at a distance from the epithelial cells and lack of this layer, as in Muc2-null mice, allow bacteria to contact the epithelium. This causes colitis and later on colon cancer, similar to the human disease Ulcerative Colitis, a disease that still lacks a pathogenetic explanation. Dextran Sulfate (DSS) in the drinking water is the most widely used animal model for experimental colitis. In this model, the inflammation is observed after 3-5 days, but early events explaining why DSS causes this has not been described.When mucus formed on top of colon explant cultures were exposed to 3% DSS, the thickness of the inner mucus layer decreased and became permeable to 2 microm fluorescent beads after 15 min. Both DSS and Dextran readily penetrated the mucus, but Dextran had no effect on thickness or permeability. When DSS was given in the drinking water to mice and the colon was stained for bacteria and the Muc2 mucin, bacteria were shown to penetrate the inner mucus layer and reach the epithelial cells already within 12 hours, long before any infiltration of inflammatory cells.DSS thus causes quick alterations in the inner colon mucus layer that makes it permeable to bacteria. The bacteria that reach the epithelial cells probably trigger an inflammatory reaction. These observations suggest that altered properties or lack of the inner colon mucus layer may be an initial event in the development of colitis

Agreement of site and central readings of ileocolonoscopic scores in Crohn's disease: comparison using data from the EXTEND trial

Background and AimsCentralized endoscopic scoring may reduce variability, but evidence is lacking in patients with Crohn’s disease. We assessed the agreement of endoscopic scorings between site endoscopists and one central reader by using data from the adalimumab Crohn’s disease clinical trial EXTEND.MethodsAgreement between readers for Crohn’s Disease Endoscopic Index of Severity (CDEIS)–scored endoscopies from 6 sites and Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s Disease (SES-CD)–scored endoscopies from 19 sites in EXTEND was evaluated at baseline and weeks 12 and 52. Agreement on total scores was calculated by using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Kappa statistic or Spearman correlation coefficient measured the agreement between readers for each ileocolonic segment on CDEIS variables including deep ulceration, surface involved, and ulcerated surface and SES-CD variables including ulcerated surface, size of ulcers, and affected surface.ResultsICCs on mean scores at baseline and weeks 12 and 52 were 0.78, 0.92, and 0.86 (CDEIS), and 0.77, 0.86, and 0.82 (SES-CD), respectively. Site endoscopists consistently reported higher scores. High agreement was observed for most segments and all time points for CDEIS variables and SES-CD large ulcers. Weak agreement occurred for the right side of the colon at all time points for CDEIS deep ulceration and SES-CD large ulcers and at baseline and week 12 for CDEIS ulcerated surface. Fair/moderate agreement occurred for SES-CD ulcerated surface and moderate/high agreement for affected surface for all segments and time points.ConclusionsSite and central readers showed high agreement on total CDEIS and SES-CD scores overall, whereas variability for individual segments was observed. Weakest agreement occurred at baseline, with a greater difference for SES-CD than for CDEIS score. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT00348283.

Hur bygger användare tillit till autonoma enheter i en hemmiljö?

Digitaliseringen av hemmet gör att autonoma enheter blir allt mer vanliga i våra vardagliga liv. Hemmet, som tidigare har varit en privat och personlig plats, blir nu ett centrum för digitala enheter vilket i sig skapar nya teknologiska möjligheter. Det smarta hemmet är en av dessa möjligheter då det erbjuder användaren trygghet och säkerhet samtidigt som enheterna i hemmet kan hjälpa oss med både dagliga problem och långsiktiga utmaningar. En autonom enhet i hemmet kan göra allt ifrån att styra musik till att hålla koll på energiförbrukning. Den gemensamma nämnaren de autonoma enheterna har är att människor tar in dem i sina hem; deras privata sfär, därför blir frågan vi ställer oss följande: Hur bygger en användare tillit mot autonoma enheter i en hemmiljö?The digitization of the home makes automated systems more common in our everyday lives. The home, which used to be a private and personal place, now becomes a center for digital devices, which in itself creates new technological opportunities. The smart home is one of these opportunities as it offers the user safety and security while the units in the home can help us with both daily problems and long-term challenges. An autonomous unit in a home environment can do everything from controlling music to keeping track of energy consumption. The common denominator the autonomous units have is that people take them into their homes; their private sphere, therefore, the question we ask ourselves becomes the following: How does a user build trust against autonomous units in a home environment

Exploring Designer's challenges in working with digital self-assessment tools for mental healthcare

The digitalization of the healthcare sector has expanded and changed how actors in a healthcare journey experience mental healthcare. One significant change is how symptom assessment is conducted, specifically the digital transformation of self-assessment tools and models. New ways of assessing symptoms elicit challenges for designers working with digital mental healthcare. Challenges exist in developing and transforming self-assessment tools to fit a digital environment. This study takes a qualitative approach to explore what challenges designers might face while working with digital self-assessment tools. The study method consists of seven open interviews where thematic analysis was used to interpret themes representing design challenges. The identified themes are immutable tools and models, limited user involvement in design, regulatory barriers and official requirements, and multiple actors in design work. The themes highlight design challenges working with self-assessment tools and are represented through data extracts and discussed with identified relevant literature. Understanding design challenges could help designers make informed decisions while working with digital self-assessment services and tool

Exploring Designer's challenges in working with digital self-assessment tools for mental healthcare

The digitalization of the healthcare sector has expanded and changed how actors in a healthcare journey experience mental healthcare. One significant change is how symptom assessment is conducted, specifically the digital transformation of self-assessment tools and models. New ways of assessing symptoms elicit challenges for designers working with digital mental healthcare. Challenges exist in developing and transforming self-assessment tools to fit a digital environment. This study takes a qualitative approach to explore what challenges designers might face while working with digital self-assessment tools. The study method consists of seven open interviews where thematic analysis was used to interpret themes representing design challenges. The identified themes are immutable tools and models, limited user involvement in design, regulatory barriers and official requirements, and multiple actors in design work. The themes highlight design challenges working with self-assessment tools and are represented through data extracts and discussed with identified relevant literature. Understanding design challenges could help designers make informed decisions while working with digital self-assessment services and tool

Nitrate, Nitrite and Nitric Oxide in Gastric Mucosal Defense

The human stomach normally contains high levels of bioactive nitric oxide (NO). This NO derives from salivary nitrate (NO3-) that is converted to nitrite (NO2-) by oral bacteria and thereafter non-enzymatically reduced in the acidic gastric lumen to NO. Nitrate is a common component in vegetables, and after ingestion it is absorbed in the small intestine. Interestingly, circulating nitrate is then concentrated by the salivary glands. Hence, intake of nitrate-rich vegetables results in high levels of NO in the stomach. The physiological effects of the high concentration of NO gas normally present in the gastric lumen have been hitherto unknown, and the present investigations were therefore conducted to address this issue. NO produced in the gastric lumen after nitrate ingestion increased gastric mucosal blood flow and the thickness of the firmly adherent mucus layer in the stomach. The blood flow and mucus layer are essential defense mechanisms that protect the mucosa from luminal acid and noxious agents. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) are commonly prescribed and effective drugs for treating pain and inflammation, but are associated with severe gastrointestinal side effects. We demonstrated that a nitrate-rich diet protects against NSAID-induced gastric damage, as a result of the increased formation of NO in the stomach. We also showed that the gastroprotective effect attributed to nitrate depended completely on conversion of nitrate to nitrite by the bacterial flora colonizing the tongue, and that the oral microflora is therefore important in regulating physiological conditions in the stomach. In summary, this thesis challenges the current dogma that nitrate intake is hazardous, and on the contrary suggests that dietary nitrate plays a direct role in regulating gastric homeostasis. It is likely that a sufficient supply of nitrate in the diet together with the oral microflora is essential for preventing pathological conditions in the gastrointestinal tract

En fältstudie av röstanvändning och självskattade röstbesvär hos lärare

Studier har visat att lärare är en yrkeskategori som är överrepresenterad bland patienter med en diagnostiserad röststörning på logopedmottagningar i Sverige. Det beror på den röstbelastning lärare utsätts för i arbetet där rösten är ett viktigt redskap. På logopedmottagningen görs röstinspelningar i en tyst miljö för att kunna analysera röstens kvalitet. För att få en helhetsbild av patienternas röstbeteende har en apparat utvecklats som kan registrera röstbeteende utanför logopedmottagningen, kallad VoxLog. Det är en modern röstackumulator som registrerar grundtonsfrekvens, röststyrka, bakgrundsbuller samt fonationstid hos den enskilde individen. Studiens syfte var att undersöka fyra högstadielärares röstanvändning under en femdagarsperiod med hjälp av VoxLog och låta dem fylla i Rösthandikappindex inklusive halsskalan, RHI-T, i början och slutet av perioden. Resultaten från VoxLog och självskattningsformuläret RHI-T analyserades för att få en bild av lärarnas röstanvändning. I studien ingick fyra högstadielärare som alla jobbar med matematik och NO-ämnen, två män och två kvinnor mellan 38 och 46 år. Deltagarna bar röstackumulatorn VoxLog under en arbetsvecka, måndag till fredag under all vaken tid. Resultaten visade att lärarna i studien använder rösten mer under arbetet jämfört med på fritiden. Bullernivåerna som uppmättes låg under den skadliga nivån på 75 dB hos alla deltagare utom en. Bullernivåerna var emellertid högre på arbetet jämfört med på fritiden. Individuella skillnader i grundtonsfrekvens och röststyrka under femdagarsperioden påvisades även. Bland annat noterades en tendens till förhöjd röststyrka på eftermiddagarna. Ingen av deltagarna skattade sig själva inom den patologiska gränsen på 20 poäng gällande RHI. Den kategori som skattades högst av deltagarna var halsskalan

Riktade statsbidrag – från styrning till hanteringsprocess

Bakgrund och problem: Det kommunala självstyret begränsas genom styrning av staten. Detta görs bland annat med hjälp av riktade statsbidrag som har ökat i omfattning sedan 90-talet. Bidragen skapar osäkerhet och ett flertal problem för kommunerna. Syfte: Att beskriva hur kommunerna hanterar processen från det att kommunen söker ett nytt riktat statsbidrag till att det avslutas. Syftet är även att bidra till en bredare bild av hur kommunernas hanteringsprocesser ser ut. Metod: Kvalitativ undersökningsmetod med semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts i sju kommuner. Det empiriska materialet har analyserats utifrån en teoretisk referensram om begränsad rationalitet. Resultat och slutsats: Hanteringsprocessen sker i tre steg: före, under och efter. Det har visat sig att utformningen av de riktade statsbidragen skapar osäkerhet för kommunerna. Osäkerheten hanteras före och under rekvireringen av statsbidragen, vilket medför att kommunen fattar satisfierande beslut efter avslutandet. Förslag till vidare forskning: Förslag till vidare forskning är att undersöka skillnaden mellan statens vilja att styra och vad den faktiska styreffekten blir. Ett ytterligare förslag är att undersöka hur de riktade statsbidragen kan utformas för att inte skapa osäkerhet och kortsiktighet för kommunerna