Evaluation of a heat pump system for greenhouse heating

Greenhouse heating costs for some commercial growers in southern Australia are now a significant production cost. This is particularly the case for those operators who installed heating systems using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) when this fuel was relatively inexpensive. Heat pump systems used in various configurations have been suggested as an option for reducing energy use and costs for greenhouse heating, particularly if off-peak electricity is used. This paper investigates the financial and environmental viability of an air-to-water heat pump system for a 4000 m2 greenhouse, located 120 km north of Melbourne, Victoria. The simulation software, TRNSYS, was used to predict the performance of the system. The heat pump system was found to have a simple payback period of approximately six years and reduce LPG consumption by 16%. Greenhouse gas emissions were 3% higher using the heat pump system, compared to the existing LPG boiler.<br /

NON-LINEAR, ELASTIC - PLASTIC RESPONSE OF STEEL FIBRE REINFORCED SHOTCRETE TO UNIAXIAL AND TRIAXIAL COMPRESSION TESTING

Understanding the complete stress-strain behavior of shotcrete is extremely important in ground support design; especially in cases where large deformations are expected such as around mine excavations at great depth. The application of non-linear numerical modeling to mining industry problems has increased in recent years. More realistic stress-strain response and failure criteria in complex plasticity models are also being used in the design of the larger, deeper mines. One of the factors to improve the reliability of numerical modeling is to properly define geotechnical parameters for both the rock mass and shotcrete surface support. Uniaxial and triaxial compression tests on steel fibre reinforced shotcrete (SFRS) have been used to quantify elastic-plastic response behaviour for both the peak and post-peak regions. The laboratory tests were conducted with a servo-controlled testing machine to obtain complete stress-strain curves. The test results include unconfined and triaxial compressive strength, shear strength and tensile strength together with the elastic and plastic mechanical properties of SFRS. A method is also suggested for obtaining the plasticity parameters for non-linear modeling of SFRS

Planet Four: Terrains - Discovery of Araneiforms Outside of the South Polar Layered Deposits

We present the results of a systematic mapping of seasonally sculpted terrains on the South Polar region of Mars with the Planet Four: Terrains (P4T) online citizen science project. P4T enlists members of the general public to visually identify features in the publicly released Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter CTX images. In particular, P4T volunteers are asked to identify: 1) araneiforms (including features with a central pit and radiating channels known as 'spiders'); 2) erosional depressions, troughs, mesas, ridges, and quasi-circular pits characteristic of the South Polar Residual Cap (SPRC) which we collectively refer to as 'Swiss cheese terrain', and 3) craters. In this work we present the distributions of our high confidence classic spider araneiforms and Swiss cheese terrain identifications. We find no locations within our high confidence spider sample that also have confident Swiss cheese terrain identifications. Previously spiders were reported as being confined to the South Polar Layered Deposits (SPLD). Our work has provided the first identification of spiders at locations outside of the SPLD, confirmed with high resolution HiRISE imaging. We find araneiforms on the Amazonian and Hesperian polar units and the Early Noachian highland units, with 75% of the identified araneiform locations in our high confidence sample residing on the SPLD. With our current coverage, we cannot confirm whether these are the only geologic units conducive to araneiform formation on the Martian South Polar region. Our results are consistent with the current CO2 jet formation scenario with the process exploiting weaknesses in the surface below the seasonal CO2 ice sheet to carve araneiform channels into the regolith over many seasons. These new regions serve as additional probes of the conditions required for channel creation in the CO2 jet process. (Abridged)Comment: accepted to Icarus - Supplemental data files are available at https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/mschwamb/planet-four-terrains/about/results - Icarus print version available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001910351730055

Інформаційно-аналітична підтримка прийняття управлінських рішень

Розглянуто питання інформаційно-аналітичної підтримки прийняття управлінських рішень, застосування сучасних інформаційних технологій і організації інформаційного забезпечення аналітичної обробки інформації у корпоративних організаціях.Рассмотрены вопросы информационно-аналитической поддержки принятия управленческих решений, применения современных информационных технологий и организации информационного обеспечения аналитической обработки информации в корпоративных организациях.The questions of information-analytical support of administrative decision-making, application of modern information technologies and organization of information maintenance of analytical processing of the information in corporate organizations are considered

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and glial integrity: an exploration of associations of cytokines and kynurenine metabolites with symptoms and attention

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In contrast to studies of depression and psychosis, the first part of this study showed no major differences in serum levels of cytokines and tryptophan metabolites between healthy children and those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder of the combined type (ADHD). Yet, small decreases of potentially toxic kynurenine metabolites and increases of cytokines were evident in subgroups. Therefore we examined predictions of biochemical associations with the major symptom clusters, measures of attention and response variability.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We explored systematically associations of 8 cytokines (indicators of pro/anti-inflammatory function) and 5 tryptophan metabolites with symptom ratings (e.g. anxiety, opposition, inattention) and continuous performance test (CPT) measures (e.g. movement, response time (RT), variability) in 35 ADHD (14 on medication) and 21 control children. Predictions from linear regressions (controlled by the false discovery rate) confirmed or disconfirmed partial correlations accounting for age, body mass and socio-economic status.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><b>(1) </b>Total symptom ratings were associated with increases of the interleukins IL-16 and IL-13, where relations of IL-16 (along with decreased S100B) with hyperactivity, and IL-13 with inattention were notable. Opposition ratings were predicted by increased IL-2 in ADHD and IL-6 in control children. <b>(2) </b>In the CPT, IL-16 related to motor measures and errors of commission, while IL-13 was associated with errors of omission. Increased RT variability related to lower TNF-α, but to higher IFN-γ levels. <b>(3) </b>Tryptophan metabolites were not significantly related to symptoms. But increased tryptophan predicted errors of omission, its breakdown predicted errors of commission and kynurenine levels related to faster RTs.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Many associations were found across diagnostic groups even though they were more marked in one group. This confirms the quantitative trait nature of these features. Conceptually the relationships of the pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines distinguished between behaviours associated more with cognitive or more with motor control respectively. Further study should extend the number of immunological and metabolic markers to confirm or refute the trends reported here and examine their stability from childhood to adolescence in a longitudinal design.</p

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and glial integrity: S100B, cytokines and kynurenine metabolism--effects of medication

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show a marked temporal variability in their display of symptoms and neuropsychological performance. This could be explained in terms of an impaired glial supply of energy to support neuronal activity

Characterising indoor air temperature and humidity in Australian homes

Information about indoor air temperatures in residential buildings is of interest for a range of reasons, e.g. the health and comfort of occupants, energy demand for space heating and cooling. To date there have been few long term studies that measure and characterise indoor air temperatures in Australian homes. New primary research undertaken by the authors measured temperatures in 273 homes over the period 2011 to 2014 in seven climate zones, from Melbourne in the south to Cairns in the north of Australia. Humidity data was also collected in 20 homes. This paper is a description of the data collected and the subsequent analysis.Indoor temperatures were compared with outdoor temperatures and a mathematical model was fitted to the data. In general, monthly average indoor temperatures were found to be 2 degreesC higher than monthly average outdoor temperatures, apart from periods with consistently cold weather, where the monthly average outdoor temperature was less than 20 degreesC, which were found to have larger differences. The indoor temperature model developed has been compared with data measured by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in 438 homes in three Australian cities. The model developed using project measurements are highly consistent with the CSIRO data.Further data collection compared indoor and outdoor humidity in 20 houses in Sydney and Melbourne. The indoor humidity ratio was found to be, on average, slightly higher than outdoors, but indoor levels generally track outdoor levels quite closely. This is likely due to the high air exchange rate in most houses

Soy isoflavones improve cardiovascular disease risk markers in women during 1 the early menopause 2 1

BackgroundHormone replacement therapy may be beneficial for cardiovascular disease risk (CVR) in post-menopausal women. Soy isoflavones may act as selective estrogen receptor modulators. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether soy isoflavones had an effect on CVR markers.MethodsThe expected 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality were calculated as a secondary endpoint from a double blind randomised parallel study involving 200 women (mean age 55 years, Caucasian, Hull, UK, 2012) in the early menopause who were randomised to 15 g soy protein with 66 mg isoflavone (SPI) or 15 g soy protein alone (depleted of all isoflavones; SP) given as a snack bar between meals daily for 6 months. Age, diabetes, smoking, blood pressure and lipid profiles were used to calculate CVR using the Framingham CVR engine.ResultsSPI treatment resulted in a significant reduction in the metabolic parameters and systolic blood pressure compared to SP (p < 0.01). There were no changes in fasting lipid profile and diastolic blood pressure with either treatment. At 6 months, changes in these parameters with SPI treatment were reflected in a calculated 27% (p < 0.01) reduction in 10 year coronary heart disease risk, a 37% (p < 0.01) reduction in myocardial infarction risk, a 24% (p < 0.04) reduction in cardiovascular disease and 42% (p < 0.02) reduction in cardiovascular disease death risk.ConclusionsSupplementation with soy protein with isoflavones for 6 months significantly improved CVR markers and calculated CVR at 6 months during early menopause compared to soy protein without isoflavones

Forecasting the price of gold

This article seeks to evaluate the appropriateness of a variety of existing forecasting techniques (17 methods) at providing accurate and statistically significant forecasts for gold price. We report the results from the nine most competitive techniques. Special consideration is given to the ability of these techniques to provide forecasts which outperforms the random walk (RW) as we noticed that certain multivariate models (which included prices of silver, platinum, palladium and rhodium, besides gold) were also unable to outperform the RW in this case. Interestingly, the results show that none of the forecasting techniques are able to outperform the RW at horizons of 1 and 9 steps ahead, and on average, the exponential smoothing model is seen providing the best forecasts in terms of the lowest root mean squared error over the 24-month forecasting horizons. Moreover, we find that the univariate models used in this article are able to outperform the Bayesian autoregression and Bayesian vector autoregressive models, with exponential smoothing reporting statistically significant results in comparison with the former models, and classical autoregressive and the vector autoregressive models in most cases