Open Data-Driven Automation of Residential Distribution Grid Modeling with Minimal Data Requirements

In the present paper, we introduce a new method for the automated generation of residential distribution grid models based on novel building load estimation methods and a two-stage optimization for the generation of the 20 kV and 400 V grid topologies. Using the introduced load estimation methods, various open or proprietary data sources can be utilized to estimate the load of residential buildings. These data sources include available building footprints from OpenStreetMap, 3D building data from OSM Buildings, and the number of electricity meters per address provided by the respective distribution system operator (DSO). For the evaluation of the introduced methods, we compare the resulting grid models by utilizing different available data sources for a specific suburban residential area and the real grid topology provided by the DSO. This evaluation yields two key findings: First, the automated 20 kV network generation methodology works well when compared to the real network. Second, the utilization of public 3D building data for load estimation significantly increases the resulting model accuracy compared to 2D data and enables results similar to models based on DSO-supplied meter data. This substantially reduces the dependence on such normally proprietary data.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures, submitted to IEEE Transactions on Smart Gri

Universities And Business: Partnering for the Knowledge Society

Preface by Luc E. Weber and James J. Duderstadt Contributors and participants PART I: THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES, BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF SOCIETY Chapter 1, European Strategy to promote the Knowledge Society as a Source of renewed economic Dynamism and of social Cohesion Luc E. WEBER Chapter 2, University-Industry-Government Partnerships for a 21st century Global, Knowledge-Driven Economy: An American Perspective James J. DUDERSTADT Chapter 3, War and peace: how did we get here in HE-business relations? Alice FOSTER and Howard NEWBY Chapter 4, Strategic Alliances between Universities and their Communities Brenda M. GOURLEY and John L. BRENNAN Chapter 5, Higher Education Systems Dynamics and Useful Knowledge Creation Frans van VUGHT PART II: KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER Chapter 6, European Research Policy: Towards Knowledge and Innovation or Trivial Pursuit Bertil ANDERSSON Chapter 7, Knowledge Diffusion: The Prospects for More Productive University-Industry Partnerships Anita JONES Chapter 8, The Collaboration Imperative Wayne C. JOHNSON Chapter 9, Global Networks and Knowledge Diffusion: the Quantum physics model of the 21st century University William R. BRODY Chapter 10, Innovation and wealth creation Dennis TSICHRITZIS and Michael-Alexander KREYSEL PART III: THE EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE Chapter 11, The EPFL approach to Innovation Hervé LEBRET, Jan-Anders MANSON and Patrick AEBISCHER Chapter 12, Developing ongoing Research and Learning Relationships between Business Firms and Academic Institutions Sigvald HARRYSON and Peter LORANGE Chapter 13, Best Practice in Business-University Collaboration Richard LAMBERT Chapter 14, Obstacles to University–Industry Relations Horst SOBOLL Chapter 15, University-Industry Collaborations: a Source of Continuous Mutual Stimulation and Inspiration Klaus MUELLER PART IV: THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Chapter 16, Universities, Businesses and Public Authorities — the Inclusive Development of Society Marye Anne FOX Chapter 17, Lessons about Regional Economic Development from the Austin Story Larry FAULKNER Chapter 18, Challenges in University-Industry Collaborations Wayne C. JOHNSON Chapter 19, Effective Knowledge Transfer: from Research Universities to Industry Thomas CONNELLY PART V: HUMAN CAPITAL Chapter 20, Declining Demand among Students for Science and Engineering? Georg WINCKLER and Martin FIEDER Chapter 21, Declining Interest in Engineering Studies at a Time of Increased Business Need Wayne C. JOHNSON and Russel C. JONES Chapter 22, A Mosaic of Problems Wm. A. WULF Chapter 23, Best Practices in Knowledge Transfer Charles M. VEST PART VI: SUMMARY Chapter 24, Universities and business — a view from a food company Peter BRABECK-LETMATHE Chapter 25, University-Business Partnership for a Knowledge Society James J. DUDERSADT and Luc E. WEBERGlion Colloquiumhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/57289/1/jjd_Universities And Business Partnering for the Knowledge Society.pd

Fetal trans-apical stent delivery into the pulmonary artery: prospects for prenatal heart-valve implantation

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to assess the technical feasibility of a fetal trans-apical stent delivery into the pulmonary artery using a novel hybrid-intervention technique as a possible route for prenatal minimally invasive heart-valve-implantation approaches. METHODS Pregnant Pre-Alp sheep between 122 and 128 days' gestation (n=3) underwent a midline laparotomy. The fetus was left in utero or partially externalized and its chest was opened via a left-sided minithoracotomy. The fetal heart was cannulated and a guide wire was introduced through the ductus arteriosus into the aorta. A 14-French delivery system was then mounted onto the guide wire and advanced to the landing zone in the pulmonary artery, where the stent was deployed. The position of the stent was confirmed using echocardiography, angiography as well as computed tomography. RESULTS The trans-apical implantation was successful in all animals. However, at necropsy in one animal, the stent was found to partly occlude one of the pulmonary valvular leaflets. Bleeding at the antero-apical incision occurred in all animals but could be managed without fetal demise. No fetal cardiopulmonary bypass was performed. In all animals, contrast angiography displayed normal perfusion of the pulmonary vasculature as well as the ductus arteriosus. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates the principal technical feasibility of a prenatal stent delivery into the pulmonary artery using a novel trans-apical hybrid-intervention technique. This approach demonstrates the first step towards possible future minimally invasive prenatal heart-valve-implantation procedure

Symmetric approximations of pseudo-Boolean functions with applications to influence indexes

We introduce an index for measuring the influence of the k-th smallest variable on a pseudo-Boolean function. This index is defined from a weighted least squares approximation of the function by linear combinations of order statistic functions. We give explicit expressions for both the index and the approximation and discuss some properties of the index. Finally, we show that this index subsumes the concept of system signature in engineering reliability and that of cardinality index in decision making

Histoire sociale et politique des populations

Paul-André Rosental, directeur d’études Population et histoire politique au XXe siècle Le séminaire a poursuivi son étude des fondements politiques des dynamiques démographiques dans la France du XXe siècle, en se centrant sur l’histoire de la médecine du travail. La crise que connaît, depuis sa création officielle en 1942 et sa confirmation à la Libération, cette spécialité dominée, interroge le rôle de l’État, des partenaires sociaux, des médecins et des entreprises. Les employeurs voient d..

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation using anatomically oriented, marrow stromal cell-based, stented, tissue-engineered heart valves: technical considerations and implications for translational cell-based heart valve concepts

OBJECTIVES While transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has rapidly evolved for the treatment of aortic valve disease, the currently used bioprostheses are prone to continuous calcific degeneration. Thus, autologous, cell-based, living, tissue-engineered heart valves (TEHVs) with regeneration potential have been suggested to overcome these limitations. We investigate the technical feasibility of combining the concept of TEHV with transapical implantation technology using a state-of-the-art transcatheter delivery system facilitating the exact anatomical position in the systemic circulation. METHODS Trileaflet TEHVs fabricated from biodegradable synthetic scaffolds were sewn onto self-expanding Nitinol stents seeded with autologous marrow stromal cells, crimped and transapically delivered into the orthotopic aortic valve position of adult sheep (n = 4) using the JenaValve transapical TAVI System (JenaValve, Munich, Germany). Delivery, positioning and functionality were assessed by angiography and echocardiography before the TEHV underwent post-mortem gross examination. For three-dimensional reconstruction of the stent position of the anatomically oriented system, a computed tomography analysis was performed post-mortem. RESULTS Anatomically oriented, transapical delivery of marrow stromal cell-based TEHV into the orthotopic aortic valve position was successful in all animals (n = 4), with a duration from cell harvest to TEHV implantation of 101 ± 6 min. Fluoroscopy and echocardiography displayed sufficient positioning, thereby entirely excluding the native leaflets. There were no signs of coronary obstruction. All TEHV tolerated the loading pressure of the systemic circulation and no acute ruptures occurred. Animals displayed intact and mobile leaflets with an adequate functionality. The mean transvalvular gradient was 7.8 ± 0.9 mmHg, and the mean effective orifice area was 1.73 ± 0.02 cm². Paravalvular leakage was present in two animals, and central aortic regurgitation due to a single-leaflet prolapse was detected in two, which was primarily related to the leaflet design. No stent dislocation, migration or affection of the mitral valve was observed. CONCLUSIONS For the first time, we demonstrate the technical feasibility of a transapical TEHV delivery into the aortic valve position using a commercially available and clinically applied transapical implantation system that allows for exact anatomical positioning. Our data indicate that the combination of TEHV and a state-of-the-art transapical delivery system is feasible, representing an important step towards translational, transcatheter-based TEHV concept

Four quasars above redshift 6 discovered by the Canada-France High-z Quasar Survey

The Canada-France High-z Quasar Survey (CFHQS) is an optical survey designed to locate quasars during the epoch of reionization. In this paper we present the discovery of the first four CFHQS quasars at redshift greater than 6, including the most distant known quasar, CFHQS J2329-0301 at z=6.43. We describe the observational method used to identify the quasars and present optical, infrared, and millimeter photometry and optical and near-infrared spectroscopy. We investigate the dust properties of these quasars finding an unusual dust extinction curve for one quasar and a high far-infrared luminosity due to dust emission for another. The mean millimeter continuum flux for CFHQS quasars is substantially lower than that for SDSS quasars at the same redshift, likely due to a correlation with quasar UV luminosity. For two quasars with sufficiently high signal-to-noise optical spectra, we use the spectra to investigate the ionization state of hydrogen at z>5. For CFHQS J1509-1749 at z=6.12, we find significant evolution (beyond a simple extrapolation of lower redshift data) in the Gunn-Peterson optical depth at z>5.4. The line-of-sight to this quasar has one of the highest known optical depths at z~5.8. An analysis of the sizes of the highly-ionized near-zones in the spectra of two quasars at z=6.12 and z=6.43 suggest the IGM surrounding these quasars was substantially ionized before these quasars turned on. Together, these observations point towards an extended reionization process, but we caution that cosmic variance is still a major limitation in z>6 quasar observations.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, AJ, in press, minor changes to previous versio