Streaming GNSS data via internet using Ntrip protocol

The article presents a means of GNSS data transfer\ud via internet by using the Ntrip protocol. Ntrip is used\ud for streaming data in the standard RTCM form, but it\ud also supports any other data form. The basic elements\ud and the basis of Ntrip operation are presented. Use of\ud Ntrip is related to mobile internet, especially to packet\ud data transfer GPRS. The article discusses the use of\ud Ntrip and GPRS data transfer from user’s perspective\ud in the Slovenian GNSS network SIGNAL

Development of GNSS data processing procedures for pedestrian navigation in challenging environments

High sensitivity GPS receivers have expanded the use of the GNSS to areas with difficult reception of the signals from the satellites. Difficult conditions indicate attenuation and reflection of the signals. Receivers achieve higher sensitivity of signal reception by larger number of correlators and longer integration time. The present doctoral dissertation deals with classical methods of observation processing in normal conditions used for observation processing in challenging environments. Some of the methods are more effective in difficult conditions than others. Processing of observation data in dynamic and quick changing conditions requires careful and consistent treatment. Otherwise a gross error in position determination can occur. Multipath has the biggest influence on final results and has a special effect on code observations. Therefore, Doppler observations are also included in the position determination. The custom developed procedure of positioning in challenging environments beside well known and established methods includes additional methods which assure higher accuracy and reliability of the determined position. Processing procedures have been tested in different conditions in static and kinematic cases. The acquired results have been compared to those processed inside the receiver. A so-called conditional DGPS has been developed, which determines the position differentially by using only data from strong signals.

What about topography? Status and quality of topographic data in Slovenia

Topographic data, an important part of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure, have been given serious attention since Slovenia's independence. It has become publicly available, updated and harmonised. Financing of topographic data in Slovenia has significantly decreased over the previous decade. As a result, the present status is far from acceptable or expected. The current status of the topographic data, as well as its quality and usability for potential users is discussed in this article. The overview starts with basic source data, aerial surveys, photographs and orthophotos. The quality of orthophotos largely depends on the DTM quality. Topographic data is nowadays organised in thematic datasets (geographical names, building cadastre, etc.) or joined in datasets of different levels of accuracy and details. The status in Slovenia is compared to those in some neighbouring and other comparable countries

Sturdy Positioning with High Sensitivity GPS Sensors Under Adverse Conditions

High sensitivity GPS receivers have extended the use of GNSS navigation to environments which were previously deemed unsuitable for satellite signal reception. Under adverse conditions the signals become attenuated and reflected. High sensitivity receivers achieve signal reception by using a large number of correlators and an extended integration time. Processing the observation data in dynamic and rapidly changing conditions requires a careful and consistent treatment. Code-based autonomous solutions can cause major errors in the estimated position, due primarily to multipath effects. A custom procedure of autonomous GPS positioning has been developed, boosting the positioning performance through appropriate processing of code and Doppler observations. Besides the common positioning procedures, robust estimation methods have been used to minimise the effects of gross observation errors. In normal conditions, differential GNSS yields good results, however, under adverse conditions, it fails to improve significantly the receiver’s position. Therefore, a so-called conditional DGPS has been developed which determines the position differentially by using data from the strong signals only. These custom-developed procedures have been tested in different conditions in static and kinematic cases and the results have been compared to those processed by the receiver

Improvement of lipid profile by probiotic/protective cultures: study in a non-carcinogenic small intestinal cell model.

Plasma lipid levels are important risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Previous findings have shown that probiotic bacteria exert positive effects on hypercholesterolemia by lowering serum cholesterol and improving lipid profile that, in turn, leads to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis. Most of these studies were carried out with tumoral cell lines that have a metabolism quite different from that of normal cells and may thus respond differently to various stimuli. Here, we demonstrate the beneficial effects of some probiotics on cholesterol levels and pathways in normal small intestinal foetal epithelial tissue cells. The results show that Lactobacillus plantarum strain PCS 26 efficiently removes cholesterol from media, exhibits bile salt hydrolase activity, and up-regulates several genes involved in cholesterol metabolism. This study suggests that Lactobacillus plantarum PCS 26 might act as a liver X receptor agonist and help to improve lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic patients or even dislipidemias in complex diseases such as the metabolic syndrome

Endokanabinoidni sistem pri bolnikih z astmo in vpliv kanabinoidov na modulacijo vnetnega odziva.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition characterised by intermittent and reversible airflow obstruction caused by inflammation, bronchospasm, and increased airway secretions. Questions about the endocannabinoid system’s function in asthma pathogenesis have arisen as evidence grows, demonstrating it is a native modulator of immune functions. The main goal of this study was to genetically characterise the endocannabinoid system in naive asthma patients and determine if there is a relationship between endogenous cannabinoids and their inflammatory response. We studied a case-control cohort of 353 patients with mild/moderate persistent asthma and 276controls. The mRNA expression levels of the selected genes were quantified in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) quantified from plasma samples. Our results revealed that the genes for CB1 (CNR1) andCB2 (CNR2), along with genes for the enzymes NAPE-PLD (NAPEPLD), Abhd4(ABHD4) and MAGL (MGLL) were up-regulated in asthma patients and associated with their clinical and inflammatory condition. In addition, two of the genotyped polymorphisms located in the CNR2 gene were also associated with worse clinical symptoms. Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) levels were lower and significantly different between allergic asthma patients and the control group and associated with worse clinical symptoms. Furthermore, our findings indicate that asthma patients with highCNR1mRNA expression levels at the time of diagnosis, treated with LTA, have better treatment response, while asthma patients with highCNR1mRNA expression levels, treated with ICS, had worse treatment response. Long-term ICS or LTRA therapy reduced mRNA expression ofCNR1together withIL4andIL5.It is evident from these findings that the endocannabinoid system plays a role in asthma, but it is not possible to determine whether this up-regulation is a cause or a result of the condition. Nonetheless, our findings add to a better understanding of the endocannabinoid system’s significance in asthma pathogenesis.Astma je kronično vnetno obolenje, za katero je značilna občasna in reverzibilna obstrukcija dihalnih poti, ki jo povzročajo vnetje, bronhospazem in povečano izločanje v dihalnie poti. Vprašanja o delovanju endokanabinoidnega sistema v patogenezi astme so se pojavila z vse številčnejšimi dokazi o tem, da je le-ta naravni modulator imunskih funkcij. Glavni cilj te študije je bil na genetski ravni opisati endokanabinoidni sistem pri naivnih bolnikih z astmo in ugotoviti, ali obstaja povezava med endogenimi kanabinoidi in njihovim vnetnim odzivom. Proučevali smo kohorto s 353 bolniki z blago/zmerno persistentno astmo in 276 zdravih kontrol. Ravni izražanja mRNA so bile kvantificirane v mononuklearnih celicah periferne krvi (PBMC), N-aciletanolamin (NAE) pa je bil kvantificiran v vzorcih krvne plazme. Naši rezultati so pokazali, da je izražanje CB1 (CNR1) in CB2 (CNR2), kot tudi genov za encime NAPE-PLD (NAPEPLD), ABHD4 ( ABHD4) in MAGL (MGLL), povečano pri bolnikih z astmo in povezano z njihovim kliničnim in vnetnim stanjem. Poleg tega sta bila genotipizirana dva polimorfizma, ki se nahajata v genu CNR2, povezana tudi s slabšimi kliničnimi simptomi. Ravni palmitoiletanolamida (PEA) so nižje in so se značilno razlikovale med bolniki z alergijsko astmo in kontrolno skupino ter so povezane s slabšimi kliničnimi simptomi. Poleg tega naše ugotovitve kažejo na to, da imajo bolniki z astmo zdravljeni z LTRA in z visoko ravnjo izražanja mRNA CNR1 v času diagnoze, boljši odziv na zdravljenje, medtem ko imajo bolniki z astmo z visokimi ravnmi izražanja mRNA CNR1 slabši odziv na zdravljenje z ICS. Dolgotrajna terapija z ICS ali LTRA je zmanjšala izražanje mRNA CNR1 kot tudi z IL4 in IL5. Iz teh ugotovitev sledi, da ima endokanabinoidni sistem vlogo pri astmi, vendar ni mogoče ugotoviti, ali je to povečano izražanje vzrok ali posledica obolenja. Kljub temu naše ugotovitve prispevajo k boljšemu razumevanju pomena endokanabinoidnega sistema v patogenezi astme

Optimisation of power of turbines in hydro power plant

Potrebe po proizvodnji električne energije se z razvojem industrije in tehnologije nenehno povečujejo, zato je gradnja elektrarn nujno potrebna. Pri izgradnji elektrarne moramo upoštevati več faktorjev, ki bodo prispevali k ekonomsko upravičeni izgradnji in čim bolj optimalnem obratovanju. Ker je vrst in tipov elektrarn veliko, sem se v diplomski nalogi osredotočil na hidroelektrarno pretočno akumulacijskega tipa, ki je značilen za verigo hidroelektrarn v spodnjem delu reke Save. Namen naloge je opisati osnovne sestavne komponente pretočno-akumulacijske hidroelektrarne in preučiti obratovanje hidroagregatov ob različnih pretokih reke ter s pomočjo programa določiti energetsko najugodnejše obratovanje agregatov pri danem pretoku. V prvem delu so opisani posamezni prostori hidroelektrarne s pripadajočo hidromehansko opremo in elektroenergetskimi komponentami. Ti se navezujejo na HE Krško, kjer sem opravljal praktično izobraževanje. Sledi opis lastnega programa v Excel VBA, ki je služil za pomoč pri izračunih. Nato sledi prikaz izračuna srednjega pretoka reke Save za merilno mesto Čatež ob Savi, ki je tudi osnova za analizo velikosti in moči agregatov elektrarne. Nato sledi analiza obratovanja agregatov v odvisnosti od števila agregatov, moči agregatov in pretoka reke na izbranem merilnem mestu. V analizi ni upoštevano čiščenje vtočnih rešetk agregatov zaradi smeti in plavja ter ekonomski vidik pri nabavi in izgradnji hidroagregatov. Rezultati so predstavljeni za posamezno velikost in število agregatov. Rezultati kažejo, kako je z agregati najbolje obratovati za doseganje čim večje moči elektrarne.The need to produce electrical power is increasing with the growth of industry and technology that is why the construction of the power plants is necessary. For the construction of a power plant, many factors that will contribute to economical justified building and to optimal operating of the plant itself should be considered. I focused on run off river power plant with pondage type which is typical for the chain of hydro power plants on the low current of the Sava. The goal of my research is to describe the main parts of the run of power plant with pondage, to study work of hydro aggregates at different values of water flow and, with the help of the computer programme, to define the most economic run of hydro aggregates at the given water flow. The descriptions of different places with main electro energetic and hydro mechanical components of the selected hydro power plant are presented in the first part. Descriptions are related to the hydro power plant Krško, where I was doing my practical education. A short description of the computer programme in Excel VBA, which used for all the calculations, is presented, as well. A demonstration of calculating the medial value of water flow on the Sava for the measuring spot called Čatež ob Savi, which is also a base to analyse the number and power of hydro aggregates, follows. Thirdly, the analysis about the number and the power of hydro aggregates depending on given water flow for the selected measuring spot is given. The calculations do not consider cleaning the front grids of turbines as the results of trash and economical aspect of buying and purchasing selected aggregate into the power plant. The results are shown for each combination of aggregates power and number. The results show, how the aggregates should operate in order to achieve the maximal power plant power