Understanding the energy consumption and occupancy of a multi-purpose academic building

AbstractBuilding energy use associated with non-domestic buildings accounts for approximately 19% of the total UK CO2 emissions. Energy consumption in a non-domestic building is a complex issue due to a wide variety of uses and energy services and therefore the energy demand of individual buildings need to be understood. A pilot study was undertaken to analyse the relationship between the electrical energy demand profiles and user activities for a university building. To gain insight into how the building is used, operated and managed on a daily basis, an online questionnaire was distributed to staff and students as well as interviews conducted with key management personnel. Analysis was performed on the half-hourly electrical demand data for the case-study building to identify key trends and patterns in energy use. The shape and magnitude of energy demand profiles show a significant trend which does not seem to be strongly connected to occupancy patterns. It was found that the building was mostly controlled by a building management system (BMS) where building users have minimal access to the controls. However, it was interesting to find that the detailed information on the occupancy patterns could help the management team to redesign control strategies for optimum energy performance of the building

Design of Rectangular Patch Wi-Fi Antenna using Coaxial Feed

In this Paper, a rectangular patch Wi-Fi antenna using coaxial feed is designed, with complete mathematical calculations and the results are simulated using IE3D software with an operating frequency of 2.4nbsp GHz. Wi-Fi is a wirelessnbspnbspnbspnbspnbsp networking technology that allows computers and other devices to communicate over a wireless signal, it is also used to create a wireless LAN .Wi-Fi antenna are used at both 2.4GHz and 5 GHz. The Wi-Fi frequency is highest frequency on the mobile phone among all the application frequency. As the Microstrip patch antennas are small in size, light weight and integrated easily on device. the antenna performance is measured on IE3D software and we get optimum result

Interface induced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Co/CoO/Co thin film structure: An in-situ MOKE investigation

Co /CoO/Co polycrystalline film was grown on Si (001) substrate and magnetic properties have been investigated using in-situ magneto-optic Kerr effect during growth of the sample. Magnetic anisotropy with easy axis perpendicular to the film surface has been observed in top Co layer, whereas bottom layer was found to be soft with in-plane magnetization without any influence of top layer. Ex-situ in-plane and out-of-plane diffraction measurements revealed that the growth of Co on oxidized interface takes place with preferential orientation of c-axis perpendicular to the film plane, which results in the observed perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Texturing of the c-axis is expected to be a result of minimization of the interface energy due to hybridization between Co and oxygen at the interface.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, under review in IOP journa

Trends in Characteristics, Mortality, and Other Outcomes of Patients With Newly Diagnosed Cirrhosis

Importance: Changes in the characteristics of patients with cirrhosis are likely to affect future outcomes and are important to understand in planning for the care of this population. Objective: To identify changes in demographic and clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed cirrhosis. Design, Setting, and Participants: A retrospective cohort study of patients with a new diagnosis of cirrhosis was conducted using the Indiana Network for Patient Care, a large statewide regional health information exchange, between 2004 and 2014. Patients with at least 1 year of continuous follow-up before the cirrhosis diagnosis were followed up through August 1, 2015. The analysis was conducted from December 2018 to January 2019. Exposures: Age, cause of cirrhosis, and year of diagnosis. Main Outcomes and Measures: Overall rates for mortality, liver transplant, hepatocellular carcinoma, and hepatic decompensation (composite of ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, or variceal bleeding). Results: A total of 9261 patients with newly diagnosed cirrhosis were identified (mean [SD] age, 57.9 [12.6] years; 5109 [55.2%] male). A 69% increase in new diagnoses occurred over the course of the study period (620 in 2004 vs 1045 in 2014). The proportion of those younger than 40 years increased by 0.20% per year (95% CI, 0.04% to 0.36%; P for trend = .02), and the proportion of those aged 65 years and older increased by 0.81% per year (95% CI, 0.51% to 1.11%; P for trend < .001). The proportion of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis increased by 0.80% per year (95% CI, 0.49% to 1.12%), and the proportion with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis increased by 0.59% per year (95% CI, 0.30% to 0.87%), whereas the proportion with viral hepatitis decreased by 1.36% per year (95% CI, -1.68% to -1.03%) (P < .001 for all). In patients younger than 40 years, 40 to 64 years, and 65 years and older, mortality rates were 6.4 (95% CI, 5.4 to 7.6), 9.9 (95% CI, 9.5 to 10.4), and 16.2 (95% CI, 15.2 to 17.2) per 100 person-years, respectively (P < .001). Mortality rates decreased during the study period (11.9 [95% CI, 10.7-13.1] per 100 person-years in 2004 vs 10.0 [95% CI, 8.1-12.2] per 100 person-years in 2014; annual adjusted hazard ratio, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.86 to 0.88]) and were lower in those with alcoholic cirrhosis compared with patients with viral hepatitis (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.80 to 0.98]). Rates of hepatocellular carcinoma were low in patients younger than 40 years (0.5 [95% CI, 0.2 to 0.9] per 100 person-years). Liver transplant rates were low throughout the study period (0.3 [95% CI, 0.3-0.4] per 100 person-years). In patients with compensated cirrhosis, rates of hepatic decompensation were lower in patients younger than 40 years (adjusted subhazard ratio 0.78; 95% CI, 0.62 to 0.99) and in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (adjusted subhazard ratio, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.60). Conclusions and Relevance: The population of patients with newly diagnosed cirrhosis in Indiana has experienced changes in the age distribution and cause of cirrhosis, with decreasing mortality rates. These findings support investment in the prevention and treatment of alcoholic liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, particularly in younger and older patients. Additional study is needed to identify the reasons for decreasing mortality rates

A Technical Review of Efficient and High Speed Adders for Vedic Multipliers

In the VLSI system design, the main regions of research are the reduced size & increase speed path logic systems. A fundamental requirement of high speed, addition and multiplication is always needed for the high performance digital processors. In the digital system, the speed of addition depend on the propagation of carry, which is generated successively, after the previous bit has been summed & carry is propagated, into the next location. There are numerous types of adders available likes Ripple Carry Adder, Carry Look Ahead Adder, Carry Save Adder, Carry Avoid Adder, and Carry Select Adder, which have their own benefits and drawbacks. With the advances technology, proposal of Carry select adder (CSA) which deals either of the high speed, low power consumption, regularity of layout a smaller amount area and compact VLSI design implementation. Researchers justify that Ripple Carry Adder had a lesser area but having lesser in speed, in comparing with Carry Select Adders are fastest speed but possess a larger area. The Carry Look Ahead Adder is in between the spectrum having proper trade-offs between time and area complexities

Hypoglycemic activity of Pterocarpus marsupium in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic disorder, and it requires drug treatment over a long period of time. Apart from synthetic drugs available in the market for the management of diabetes, there is voluminous literature pouring on indigenous medicine with claim for the utility in diabetes mellitus. Pterocarpus marsupium is one of the traditional medicinal plants with hypoglycemic activity, used by a lot of patients on a large scale. The objectives of the study were to compare the blood glucose lowering effect of P. marsupium as add-on therapy with oral hypoglycemic drugs in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and to determine adverse events (if any).Methods: The study was carried out at tertiary care hospital of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. Total of 56 old uncontrolled hyperglycemic (Type 2 diabetes mellitus) patients already taking oral hypoglycemic drugs were enrolled on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The duration of treatment with P. marsupium as add-on therapy with glimepiride+metformin or glimepiride+metformin+pioglitazone was 12 weeks with 4 weekly clinical attendances for review and collection of the drug. It was prospective, open, non-randomized, interventional, efficacy, and safety type of study, the dosage of P. marsupium wood powder being 2-4 g/day.Results: At the end of treatment (12 weeks) with P. marsupium as add-on therapy, mean fasting blood glucose, postprandial blood glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin were compared with baseline using student’s paired t-test. Calculated p value for all parameter is <0.05, i.e., it is statistically significant.Conclusions: P. marsupium is highly effective blood glucose lowering Indian traditional plant agent, its glycemic effect being comparable as add-on therapy in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and free from any adverse event

Anatomical variations of sphenoid sinus on multi-detector computed tomography and its usefulness in trans-sphenoidal endoscopic skull base surgery

Background: Knowledge of sphenoid bone and sinus anatomy and its variations is of central importance in transsphenoidal endoscopic skull base surgery. It allows endoscopic surgeon to safely approach the sella turcica, anterior skull base and orbit. The aim of the study was to evaluate the different anatomical variations of the sphenoid sinus that are relevant to trans-sphenoid endoscopic skull base surgery on multi-detector computed tomography.Methods: A prospective observational study of the CT analysis of the anatomical variations and various dimensions of sphenoid sinus relevant to trans-sphenoidal endoscopic neurosurgery was performed in 260 patients (173 male; 87 female).Results: The average presellar width of sphenoid sinus on axial CT scan images was 11.75mm (7.2 to 18.6mm). Average value of maximum width of sphenoid sinus was 30.52 mm (13.1 to 42.2 mm). The most common pattern of inter-sphenoid septum was single septum which was present in 207 patients (79.61%); double inter sphenoid septum in 47 patients (18.1%) and diverging septa in 13 patients (5%). 138 out of 260 subjects (53%) showed at least one septum attached to either carotid protuberance. Most common pattern of pneumatization in sphenoid sinus was sellar type (63.46%). Average suprasellar depth was 10.78 (5.4 to 18.7mm). Average presellar depth of sphenoid sinus was 13.47mm (8.1 to 22.5mm). Average infrasellar depth of sphenoid sinus was 25.46mm (11.9 to 37.9mm). Average presellar height of sphenoid sinus was 21.27mm (13 to 27.6mm).Conclusions: A preoperative review of the sphenoid sinus anatomy by CT allows safer endoscopic management of skull base pathology preventing injury to vital structures surrounding the sphenoid sinus

Geomapping Telehealth Access to Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics

Background: Geographic information systems (GIS) mapping is fairly novel in describing utilization of health services. Our study is the first to use GIS to demonstrate that telehealth pediatric specialty service access would create substantial savings in travel time and distance compared with accessing a tertiary-care center for similar service. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review of telehealth encounters and geocoding of patients\u27 address were done with actual travel along road calculations to estimate travel time and distance for a visit, compared with a hypothetical visit to the nearest tertiary-care site for the similar service. Results: Over a 2-year period, 255 telehealth visits by 171 patients with a variety of developmental and behavioral diagnoses were made to five telehealth sites. The median travel time and distance saved by accessing a telehealth site were 66.9 min and 63.8 miles, respectively. Of these patients, 12.3% had a median negative estimated savings of 52.7 min and 39.0 miles, which was associated with longer travel burden. Using the straight-line method underestimated the total time and distance traveled by approximately one-quarter of the actual distance (median distance of 20.5 miles underestimate relative to the median distance of 100.7 miles). Conclusions: Telehealth patients experienced significant reduction in travel times and distances. Patients/families would accept an increased burden of spatial accessibility in exchange for reduced burdens in other aspects of access, such as accommodation or acceptability when engaging telehealth services. Using a road network-based method is more accurate than previously used straight-line methods in calculating distance impedance

Remote work might unlock solar PV\u27s potential of cracking the \u27Duck Curve\u27

Integrating renewable energy technologies into a decentralised smart grid presents the ‘Duck Curve’ challenge — the disparity between peak demand and solar photovoltaic (PV) yield. Smart grid operators still lack an effective solution to this problem, resulting in the need to maintain standby fossil fuel-fired plants. The COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdowns necessitated a shift to remote work (work-from-home) and home-based education. The primary objective of this study was to explore mitigating strategies for the duck curve challenge by investigating this notable shift in behaviour by examining the effect of remote work and education on grid and decentralised solar PV electricity use in 100 households with battery energy storage in the southwest of the UK. This study examined 1-min granular grid electricity and decentralised solar energy consumption data for April–August 2019 and 2020. The findings revealed statistically significant disparities in energy demand. Notably, there was a 1.4—10% decrease in average electricity consumption from April to August 2020 (during and following the lockdown) compared to the corresponding months of 2019. Furthermore, household grid electricity consumption was reduced by 24—25%, while self-consumption from solar PV systems increased by 7—8% during the lockdown in April and May 2020 compared to 2019. This increase in self-consumption was particularly prominent in the morning and afternoon, possibly attributed to the growing prevalence of work-from-home and home-based education. The dynamic shifts in energy consumption patterns emphasised the role of decentralised solar PV energy in meeting the evolving needs of households during unprecedented societal changes. Additionally, remote work might unlock decentralised solar PV\u27s potential in resolving the ‘Duck Curve’, urging further investigation into the implications for energy infrastructure and policy development

A data-driven framework for modelling community energy demand

Data driven models that integrate advanced analytics involving statistical and machine learning algorithms are widely applied for simulating and predicting energy demand at the community level. These models are used to inform various energy efficiency measures, infrastructure development, planning and investment decision. The paper presents an innovative framework for simulating and projecting climate change impacts on the future dynamics of community energy demand. The modelling framework selectively couples some of the most advanced analytical approaches and its potential are demonstrated using a case study community “Auroville” located in India