Modelling and Control of Collecting Solar Energy for Heating Houses in Norway

In this research, a new model was developed and modified with a combined solar heating system which works with solar radiation and electricity. In order to model the system, the outdoor temperature of the location and solar irradiance has been considered. The case study of this research has been done in Porsgrunn City in the south of Norway. The building which was modelled in this research is a passive solar building which is able to store heat by using phase change materials, which are mounted on the floor and release the heat when the temperature of the house decreases. The model of the house was designed based on some assumptions about ambient temperature, solar collector size, transmitting lines length and some specific properties like air density and specific heat. The results of this research show that a solar heating system which is working with electricity can provide a sufficient temperature for the house in winter time. With using the phase change materials in order to have a passive solar building design, an improvement in the temperature inside the house was seen. Based on the simulation results which were achieved, a solar heating system which works with electricity can be an efficient system to heat the house, especially in the winter times

Dialogic reading of a novel for children: effects on text comprehension

Experimental studies have shown positive effects of dialogic reading of picture books (reading aloud interspersed with prompts and feedback for verbalizations by the listener) on the vocabulary and verbal expression of small children. This study assessed the effect of dialogic reading on the comprehension of a children’s novel by three children aged 7-8 years, using a single-subject reversal design. In Condition A, the text was read without intervention. In Condition B, reading was interspersed with dialogic interventions based on narrative functions. Comprehension was superior in all measures in Condition B for the two participants who underwent the B-A-B design, however, not for the participant who underwent the A-B-A design. We discuss possible interactions of dialogic reading with characteristics of text genre and the need for systematic replications with more sessions and reversals of conditions.Estudios experimentales han demostrado efectos positivos de la lectura dialógica de libros ilustrados (lectura en voz alta intercalada con indicaciones y feedback para verbalizaciones del oyente) sobre el vocabulario y la expresión verbal de niños pequeños. Este estudio investigó efectos de la lectura dialógica sobre la comprensión de una novela infanto-juvenil por tres niños (7-8 años), usando un diseño de sujeto único. En la condición A, el texto fue leído sin intervención. En la condición B (lectura dialógica), la lectura se intercaló con intervenciones dialógicas preparadas a partir de las funciones narrativas presentes en el texto. Las medidas de comprensión mostraron un desempeño superior en la Condición B para los dos participantes sometidos al diseño B-A-B, pero no para el participante sometido al diseño A-B-A. Son discutidas las posibles interacciones de lectura dialógica con características del género textual y la necesidad de repeticiones sistemáticas con un número mayor de sesiones experimentales y de reversiones de las condiciones.Estudos experimentais têm demonstrado efeitos positivos da leitura dialógica de livros ilustrados (leitura em voz alta intercalada com prompts e feedback para verbalizações por parte do ouvinte) sobre o vocabulário e a expressão verbal de crianças pequenas. Este estudo verificou o efeito da leitura dialógica sobre a compreensão textual de um romance infanto-juvenil por três crianças de 7-8 anos, utilizando um delineamento de sujeito único. Na Condição A, o texto era lido sem intervenções. Na Condição B, a leitura era intercalada com intervenções dialógicas baseadas nas funções narrativas presentes no texto. As medidas de compreensão mostraram um desempenho superior na Condição B para os dois participantes submetidos ao delineamento B-A-B, mas não para o participante submetido ao delineamento A-B-A. São discutidas possíveis interações da leitura dialógica com características do gênero textual e a necessidade de replicações sistemáticas com um maior número de sessões e reversões das condições

Covering the Gap Between Advanced Control Theory Design and Real Time Implementation Using Simulink

New developments in sensor technology and control actuators make it viable to monitor and regulate more process variables, providing an opportunity to apply advanced multivariable control techniques. Although modern control techniques allows the implementation of true multiple inputs – multiple output controllers, there has been a big gap between theoretical developments and real life applications. At the University of Southeast Norway, we proposed a bachelor level course aimed to students who have had a previous introductory course to classic control, to teach them the fundamentals of modern multivariable control techniques, including state feedback, LQR and linear MPC. The use of Simulink is integrated with the course, to analyze and design modern controllers for two real multivariable experimental processes. We advocate the use of advanced simulation and data acquisition tools to help to cover the existing gap between the development of modern control algorithms, and their implementation with real processes. The experimental testing and final tuning of the controllers are an important part of the course

Modeling the source of GW150914 with targeted numerical-relativity simulations

In fall of 2015, the two LIGO detectors measured the gravitational wave signal GW150914, which originated from a pair of merging black holes. In the final 0.2 seconds (about 8 gravitational-wave cycles) before the amplitude reached its maximum, the observed signal swept up in amplitude and frequency, from 35 Hz to 150 Hz. The theoretical gravitational-wave signal for merging black holes, as predicted by general relativity, can be computed only by full numerical relativity, because analytic approximations fail near the time of merger. Moreover, the nearly-equal masses, moderate spins, and small number of orbits of GW150914 are especially straightforward and efficient to simulate with modern numerical-relativity codes. In this paper, we report the modeling of GW150914 with numerical-relativity simulations, using black-hole masses and spins consistent with those inferred from LIGO's measurement. In particular, we employ two independent numerical-relativity codes that use completely different analytical and numerical methods to model the same merging black holes and to compute the emitted gravitational waveform; we find excellent agreement between the waveforms produced by the two independent codes. These results demonstrate the validity, impact, and potential of current and future studies using rapid-response, targeted numerical-relativity simulations for better understanding gravitational-wave observations.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Classical and Quantum Gravit

Evaluating the use of programmed reinforcement in a correction procedure with children diagnosed with autism

Background: Procedures that reduce errors while learning a repertoire play an important role in Applied Behavior Analysis for people with autism due to the detrimental effects that excessive exposure to error may have on learning. Previous studies have investigated the effects of correction procedures that require active student response after a trial with error. Some intervention manuals recommend against reinforcing responses after correction to prevent the establishment of prompt dependence. This study directly investigated the effect of reinforcement after an active-response correction procedure during tact training in four children with autism. An echoic-to-tact training procedure was used to train tacts. A “no reinforcement after correction” (NRC) condition was compared to a “reinforcement after correction” (RC) condition, using an adapted alternated treatments design. Results: All participants needed less correction trials in RC than in NRC, and considering all 26 sessions in which both training procedures were implemented, participants’ performance was higher with RC than without in 17 sessions and was the same in 3 sessions. Conclusions: We discuss the effectiveness of reinforcing correct responding after an active-response correction procedure, the absence of prompt dependence, and the implications of better correction procedures for applied settings

O Agente Comunitário De Saúde: Uma História Analisada

Trata-se de apresentar um lugar possível de análise do processo de institucionalização do profissional Agente Comunitário da Saúde (ACS) a partir da perspectiva da Análise de Discurso. Procura-se compreender os efeitos da institucionalização do Agente Comunitário da Saúde por meio das leis, normas e documentos produzidos pelo Ministério da Saúde. O problema consiste em dar visibilidade à densa, complexa e contraditória rede de significação que estrutura o percurso de institucionalização desse profissional. Dentro de nossa inquietação sobre os efeitos da institucionalização do agente comunitário de saúde, o que procuramos mostrar foi o fato de que tratar de relações de sentido nos mostra como o discurso funciona, trabalhando em vai-e-vem os processos de significação. O processo de institucionalização do ACS mostra que ele vem sendo silenciado nas suas funções, sofrendo, assim, um processo de apagamento. Isto gera uma insatisfação com o trabalho desenvolvido pelos ACS e um progressivo desaparecimento de sua fala dentro dos processos de troca nas equipes.161173-192Espaços Urbano

Recombinant Proteins as Antigens in Serological Diagnosis of Brucellosis

Brucellosis is considered the major zoonosis in developing countries. In susceptible animal species, diagnosis of brucellosis remains a challenge due to the variety of clinical signs that it shares with a wide range of diseases. At present, isolation of Brucella is considered the gold standard for diagnosis of brucellosis; because of its low sensitivity and becoming potentially hazardous to laboratory technicians, serology is used for the detection of specific antibodies induced by infection. However, since traditional methods commonly show drawbacks and do not differentiate between vaccinated and naturally infected animals, it is necessary to search and test immunoreactive molecules for specific diagnosis of Brucella-infected cattle, thus significantly reducing the killing of suspected herds mainly due to vaccination. Advances in biotechnology have allowed exploring the use of recombinant proteins as antigens to avoid the risk involved in the use of viable Brucella strains. The benefit of using recombinant proteins, such as outer membrane proteins (OMP) and other non-lipopolysaccharide (non-LPS) molecules as antigens, for serological diagnosis is promising, but there are still many concerns about their application. The aim of the present work is to show advances in the use of recombinant antigens and discuss their advantages and potential use as markers for the serological diagnosis in brucellosis

Multiphoton characterization and live cell imaging using fluorescent adenine analogue 2CNqA

Fluorescent nucleobase analogues (FBAs) are established tools for studying oligonucleotide structure, dynamics and interactions, and have recently also emerged as an attractive option for labeling RNA-based therapeutics. A recognized drawback of FBAs, however, is that they typically require excitation in the UV region, which for imaging in biological samples may have disadvantages related to phototoxicity, tissue penetration, and out-of-focus photobleaching. Multiphoton excitation has the potential to alleviate these issues and therefore, in this work, we characterize the multiphoton absorption properties and detectability of the highly fluorescent quadracyclic adenine analogue 2CNqA as a ribonucleotide monomer as well as incorporated, at one or two positions, into a 16mer antisense oligonucleotide (ASO). We found that 2CNqA has a two-photon absorption cross section that, among FBAs, is exceptionally high, with values of & sigma;(2PA)(700 nm) = 5.8 GM, 6.8 GM, and 13 GM for the monomer, single-, and double-labelled oligonucleotide, respectively. Using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, we show that the 2CNqA has a high 2P brightness as the monomer and when incorporated into the ASO, comparing favorably to other FBAs. We furthermore demonstrate the usefulness of the 2P imaging mode for improving detectability of 2CNqA-labelled ASOs in live cells