Structural changes in residential energy demand

Power resources ; Petroleum industry and trade ; Electric utilities ; Gas industry

Learning an Orchestra Conductor's Technique Using a Wearable Sensor Platform

Our study focuses on finding new input devices for a system allowing users with any skill to configure and conduct a virtual orchestra in real-time. As a first step, we conducted a user study to learn more about the interaction between a conductor's gestures and the orchestra 's reaction. During an orchestra rehearsal session, we observed a conductor's timing and gestures using the eWatch, a wrist-worn wearable computer and sensor platform. The gestures are analyzed and compared to the music of the orchestra

Diophantine problems in variables restricted to the values 0 and 1

AbstractLet Fx1,…,xs be a form of degree d with integer coefficients. How large must s be to ensure that the congruence F(x1,…,xs) ≡ 0 (mod m) has a nontrivial solution in integers 0 or 1? More generally, if F has coefficients in a finite additive group G, how large must s be in order that the equation F(x1,…,xs) = 0 has a solution of this type? We deal with these questions as well as related problems in the group of integers modulo 1 and in the group of reals

Investigating the role of calibration of hygrothermal simulations in the low carbon retrofit of solid walls

Solid masonry buildings account for around 20% of the UK building stock. As a traditional building material in the UK, stone could enhance the architectural style of buildings and last for thousands of years. However, historic buildings inevitably face the issue of diminished performance over hundreds or thousands of years. For these historic buildings whose appearance is protected, internal wall insulation (IWI) is a possible solution for protecting the façade while saving energy, improving indoor thermal comfort, and reducing carbon emissions. Of concern is that IWI could alter the drying capacity of the structure, thereby increasing moisture accumulation and causing durability issues such as freeze-thaw damage and mould growth. Hygrothermal simulations is one of the most commonly used methods to compare the performance and feasibility of different IWI assemblies. However, an inadequate assessment could lead to the specification of inappropriate IWI, prompting an incorrect choice of retrofit strategy. This study investigates the role of calibration in the assessment of moisture risks and durability of a solid masonry wall. The calibration of a hygrothermal model was performed using in-situ monitoring data; the model can be used for the comparison of IWI systems. According to the results, the selection of material properties had the highest impact in the calibration

19th century excavations, research program, geophysical survey and archaeological investigation: converge, complete and reinterpret

We used GPR to delineate a building excavated in the 19th century. Data from old excavations and geophysical surveys are incorporated in the methodology applied to developer-led archaeology in France. The case study exemplifies the benefits of a cross-disciplinary approach as to allow a better interpretation of archaeological data

The relation between memory and decision-making in Multiple Sclerosis patients

Background. Impairments in long-term and working memory are widespread in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), setting on in early disease stages. These memory impairments may limit patients’ ability to take informed and competent medical decisions, too. In healthy populations, memory abilities predict decision quality across a wide range of tasks. These studies suggest that higher working memory capacity supports decisions in cognitively taxing tasks, whereas better semantic memory facilitates decisions in tasks requiring knowledge retrieval. In individuals with MS, previous studies have linked less accurate decisions to memory deficits and reduced executive functioning, too. However, these studies focussed on decisions under risk and did not broadly assess decision making skills. We aimed to fill this gap in a cross-sectional study. Methods. Hundred thirty-seven participants with MS were recruited during their stay in an MS specialized rehabilitation centre. In a first test session, participants completed a standardized test battery for working memory and semantic memory, the inventory for memory diagnostics. In a second test session, participants filled out the Adult Decision Making Competence battery (A-DMC). This version of the A-DMC measured decision making competence on five subscales: Resistance to Framing Effects, Under/Overconfidence, Applying Decision Rules, Consistency in Risk Perception, and Resistance to Sunk Cost Effects. In addition, participants were screened for depression and cognitive fatigue. Results. Working memory was impaired in most participants, whereas semantic memory was not impaired. To understand which memory abilities underlie distinct components of decision making in people with MS, we used structural equation modelling. Replicating previous findings in a healthy sample, working memory capacity was associated with the ability to recall semantic knowledge. Participants with lower working memory capacity were less resistant to framing effects and adhered to decision rules less. In contrast, participants with worse semantic memory assessed their own knowledge less accurately, perceived risks less consistently, and made more errors in applying decision rules. Cognitive fatigue and depression unlikely explain these relationships. Conclusions. Taken together, our study suggests that the memory problems, frequently reported in MS patients, may reach out to higher-order cognitive functions, such as decision making skills. Supporting shared decision-making and patient autonomy within MS thus requires to take memory impairments into account and to match the information provided to the patient’s memory abilities

Effects of Gaseous Pollution and Thermal Conditions on the Corrosion Rates of Copper and Silver in Data Centre Environment: A Literature Review

The objectives of the present review are to: 1) summarize the existing knowledge on the mechanisms of the corrosion, identify and analyze the major factors affecting the corrosion of copper and silver; 2) compare various measurement techniques for the study of atmospheric corrosion and models of corrosion; 3) identify knowledge gaps for atmospheric corrosion; 4) recommend “realistic worst case” pollution levels for laboratory testing of humidity and temperature effects on corrosion and assessment of datacom equipment reliability in data centers. This review focuses on the five pollutants: SO2, NO2, H2S, O3 and Cl2. Results of the review include: the pollution levels and thermal environmental conditions in data centers; fundamental mechanisms of corrosion; current knowledge of the major factors affecting the corrosion rates of copper and silver; the techniques (QCM, Coulometric Reduction, SEM, XPS, FTIR and EIS) for the measurement of corrosion levels. It was found that the “realistic worst-case” concentrations for H2S, NO2, SO2, Cl2 and O3 are 10 ppb, 80 ppb, 40 ppb, 2 ppb and 60 ppb, respectively. Different levels and combinations of contaminants, temperature, relative humidity and air velocity cause different corrosion on the metal. Chloride, Nitrogen dioxide and Sulfur dioxide are the common corrosive gases for the datacom equipment. Hydrogen sulfides and ozone are very important gaseous contamination in data center environment. Each of them alone can damage the equipment, and their synergistic effects with the other compounds and humidity can cause significantly more damages, but a mechanistic model is lacking for predicting the synergistic effects and better design of the thermal environment to ensure equipment reliability while improve the energy efficiency through the use of outdoor air for free cooling

„Sinnmaschine“ evangelische Jugendarbeit: Potenziale lebensweltlicher Theologie

In dieser konzeptionellen Untersuchung von evangelischer Kinder- und Jugendarbeit nutzt Roger Schmidt psychologische Sinnforschung, um zu verstehen, wie junge Menschen Sinn konstruieren und erleben können. Er argumentiert, dass die Elemente von Sinn wie Zugehörigkeit, Orientierung, Kohärenz, Bedeutsamkeit und transzendente Verbundenheit sich als Elemente auch in den Konzeptionen evangelischer Kinder- und Jugendarbeit finden lassen. Nutzt Jugendarbeit diese Potenziale, wird sie zur Sinnmaschine. In this study of the Protestant Church’s children’s and youth ministry, the author uses psychological research to understand how young people construct and experience meaning. He argues that elements of meaning like belonging, orientation, coherence, efficacy and transcendence can also be found in the concepts of the Protestant Church’s children’s and youth ministry. If youth ministry uses these potentials, it can become a meaning machine