Comprehensive modeling of ventilation systems for Nearly Zero Energy Buildings

In the present work, a lumped-parameter model of a multifunctional ventilation unit for residential applications was developed in the Simulink environment, also relying on the Simscape toolbox with Moist Air and Two-phase fluid libraries. A simple, yet effective method to analyze and optimize the efficiency of the combined HVAC – air distribution system is proposed. To investigate the impact of boundary conditions on system performance, a parametric study of different installation conditions was also carried out, including outdoor air and indoor air temperature, humidity, static pressure, filter fouling, pressure drop in the intake and distribution ducts. The model highlights a strong decrease in the useful cooling/heating heat flow rate produced by the system as the installation and maintenance conditions become more challenging

Relanzamiento de la Identidad Visual de la marca “Rustica”

El siguiente trabajo profesional corresponde al relanzamiento de la identidad visual de la marca peruana “Rustica”. Esto corresponde a la coyuntura de pandemia por la que pasa el país y la necesidad de posicionar a la marca como una opción con variedad de servicios para las familias peruanas. Es a partir de ello que se busca dar personalidad a cada submarca que presenta la empresa para que el público pueda encontrar en Rustica la mejor opción. Los materiales por entregar son la Estrategia de Comunicación, el nuevo Manual de Identidad y la Campaña Gráfica.The following professional work corresponds to the relaunch of the visual identity of the Peruvian brand "Rustica". This corresponds to the pandemic situation the country is going through and the need to position the brand as an option with a variety of services for Peruvian families. The aim is to give personality to each sub-brand presented by the company so that the public can find the best option in Rustica. The materials to be delivered are the Communication Strategy, the new Identity Manual and the Graphic Campaign

Q-Learnheuristics: towards data-driven balanced metaheuristics

One of the central issues that must be resolved for a metaheuristic optimization process to work well is the dilemma of the balance between exploration and exploitation. The metaheuristics (MH) that achieved this balance can be called balanced MH, where a Q-Learning (QL) integration framework was proposed for the selection of metaheuristic operators conducive to this balance, particularly the selection of binarization schemes when a continuous metaheuristic solves binary combinatorial problems. In this work the use of this framework is extended to other recent metaheuristics, demonstrating that the integration of QL in the selection of operators improves the exploration-exploitation balance. Specifically, the Whale Optimization Algorithm and the Sine-Cosine Algorithm are tested by solving the Set Covering Problem, showing statistical improvements in this balance and in the quality of the solutions

An Ultra-wideband Battery-less Positioning System for Space Applications

An ultra-wide bandwidth (UWB) remote-powered positioning system for potential use in tracking floating objects inside space stations is presented. It makes use of battery-less tags that are powered-up and addressed through wireless power transfer in the UHF band and embed an energy efficient pulse generator in the 3-5 GHz UWB band. The system has been mounted on the ESA Mars Rover prototype to demonstrate its functionality and performance. Experimental results show the feasibility of centimeter-level localization accuracy at distances larger than 10 meters, with the capability of determining the position of multiple tags using a 2W-ERP power source in the UHF RFID frequency band.Comment: Published in: 2019 IEEE International Conference on RFID Technology and Applications (RFID-TA

AVALIAÇÃO DE MÉTODOS DE DEBICAGEM EM POEDEIRAS SEMIPESADAS NA FASE DE RECRIA (2-6 SEMANAS DE IDADE)

A debicagem faz-se necessária nos sistemas produtivos principalmente para evitar o canibalismo e a seleção de grãos pelas aves. Atualmente, existem duas técnicas de debicagem: o primeiro método é o convencional, que consiste no corte e na cauterização do bico da ave com lâmina quente, sendo ideal realizá-los com sete a oito dias de vida, e o segundo baseia-se na técnica de debicagem a laser, realizada no incubatório, no primeiro dia de vida, executada por meio de uma máquina que gera calor mediante o laser produzido, cortando a ponta do bico e fazendo com que ele venha a cair com aproximadamente 10 dias de vida. Dessa forma, realizou-se no setor de avicultura da Unoesc de Xanxerê a presente pesquisa, objetivando-se avaliar a aplicação do método a laser em comparação ao método de lâmina quente. Foram utilizadas 340 aves, na fase de duas a seis semanas de idade, divididas em dois tratamentos e dez repetições, contendo 17 aves cada. Pesaram-se as aves semanalmente, juntamente com as sobras de ração, para análise do ganho de peso, consumo de ração e conversão alimentar. Observou-se no método convencional um ganho de peso por ave de 515,5 g e consumo de ração de 824,3 g, enquanto no método de debicagem a laser o ganho de peso por ave foi de 562,2 g e o consumo de ração foi de 938 g. As aves debicadas a laser apresentaram maior desenvolvimento corporal em comparação às aves debicadas no método convencional. Conclui-se que a debicagem a laser pode ser empregada adequadamente, sem comprometimento do desempenho do lote.Palavras-chave: Avicultura. Bem-estar animal. Canibalismo

Proyecto Health & Mind

Hoy en día estamos viviendo una realidad completamente diferente a la cual estábamos acostumbrados debido al Covid-19. Uno de los cambios más drásticos ha sido que las empresas, universidades y colegios se están realizando de manera remota lo cual ha generado sedentarismo y estrés. Nuestro modelo de negocio se basa en mejorar esta nueva realidad la cual estamos afrontando a través de productos y servicios fisioterapéuticos especiales para la espalda, cuello, entre otros. En Health & Mind consideramos que tu salud es nuestra prioridad por lo cual estamos ofreciendo productos y servicios que te ayuden en tu día a día. Dichos productos y servicios lo pueden encontrar en nuestra plataforma virtual Instagram y página web donde podrán adquirirlos de manera fácil, rápida garantizando la mejor calidad y seguridad. Tu salud es nuestra prioridad, ¿estás listo?Nowadays we are living a new different reality to the one we were used to due to Covid-19. One of the most drastic changes has been that companies, universities and schools are being carried out remotely which has generated sedentary lifestyles and stress. Our business model is based on improving this new reality which we are facing through special physiotherapeutic products and services for the back, neck, among others. In Health & Mind we consider that your health is our priority, so we are offering products and services that help you in your daily life. These products and services can be found on our virtual platform Instagram and website where you can purchase them easily, quickly ensuring the best quality and safety. Your health is our priority, are you ready?Trabajo de investigació

Proyecto para producción y venta de Arroz de Coliflor

El proyecto de “The Coliflower” ha sido desarrollado pensando en aquellas personas que desean cuidar su salud y realizar un cambio de alimentación significativo. En la actualidad, es evidente que el arroz tradicional ha ganado más protagonismo en la mesa familiar y existen pocos alimentos saludables, de buena calidad y con nutrientes que puedan sustituirlo. Por ello, se ha desarrollado un plan de negocio, el cual les brinda a los consumidores la opción de poder reemplazar el arroz convencional por una opción más completa nutricionalmente, de similar sabor y versatilidad en su preparación. Además, “The Coliflower” ha integrado una estrategia de marketing, el cual busca interconectar a los usuarios con las redes sociales del proyecto, como Facebook e Instagram para poder tener una interacción directa, cercana y brindarles toda la información y actualización de los productos. El proyecto incorporara su propio aplicativo móvil, además de una página web, donde las personas tendrán la opción de registrarse y navegar a través del interfaz. Mediante estas plataformas, las personas van a poder adquirir el arroz de coliflor sin la necesidad de salir de su casa, pagando de manera rápida y segura y descubriendo las variedades de platos que se pueden elaborar a base de este producto.The “The Coliflower” project has been developed thinking of people who want to take care of their health and make a significant change in their lives. Nowadays, it is evident that traditional rice is essential in family lunches and there are not many healthy foods, with nutrients that can replace it. For this reason, a business plan has been developed, which offers consumers the option of being able to replace conventional rice with a more nutritious option, with a similar flavor and versatility in its preparation. In addition, "The Coliflower" has integrated a marketing strategy, which seeks to interconnect users with the project's social networks, such as Facebook and Instagram in order to have a direct and close interaction and provide them with all the information and updates of the products. The project will incorporate its own mobile application, as well as a web page, where people will have the option to register and navigate through the interface. Through these platforms, people will be able to buy cauliflower rice without having to leave their home, paying faster and safer and discovering the varieties of dishes that can be made based on this product.Trabajo de investigació

A population of gamma-ray emitting globular clusters seen with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

Globular clusters with their large populations of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are believed to be potential emitters of high-energy gamma-ray emission. Our goal is to constrain the millisecond pulsar populations in globular clusters from analysis of gamma-ray observations. We use 546 days of continuous sky-survey observations obtained with the Large Area Telescope aboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to study the gamma-ray emission towards 13 globular clusters. Steady point-like high-energy gamma-ray emission has been significantly detected towards 8 globular clusters. Five of them (47 Tucanae, Omega Cen, NGC 6388, Terzan 5, and M 28) show hard spectral power indices $(0.7 < \Gamma <1.4)$ and clear evidence for an exponential cut-off in the range 1.0-2.6 GeV, which is the characteristic signature of magnetospheric emission from MSPs. Three of them (M 62, NGC 6440 and NGC 6652) also show hard spectral indices $(1.0 < \Gamma < 1.7)$, however the presence of an exponential cut-off can not be unambiguously established. Three of them (Omega Cen, NGC 6388, NGC 6652) have no known radio or X-ray MSPs yet still exhibit MSP spectral properties. From the observed gamma-ray luminosities, we estimate the total number of MSPs that is expected to be present in these globular clusters. We show that our estimates of the MSP population correlate with the stellar encounter rate and we estimate 2600-4700 MSPs in Galactic globular clusters, commensurate with previous estimates. The observation of high-energy gamma-ray emission from a globular cluster thus provides a reliable independent method to assess their millisecond pulsar populations that can be used to make constraints on the original neutron star X-ray binary population, essential for understanding the importance of binary systems in slowing the inevitable core collapse of globular clusters.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. Corresponding authors: J. Kn\"odlseder, N. Webb, B. Pancraz

Plasma Protein Biomarkers Distinguish Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children From Other Pediatric Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases

Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare but serious hyperinflammatory complication following infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The mechanisms underpinning the pathophysiology of MIS-C are poorly understood. Moreover, clinically distinguishing MIS-C from other childhood infectious and inflammatory conditions, such as Kawasaki disease or severe bacterial and viral infections, is challenging due to overlapping clinical and laboratory features. We aimed to determine a set of plasma protein biomarkers that could discriminate MIS-C from those other diseases. Methods: Seven candidate protein biomarkers for MIS-C were selected based on literature and from whole blood RNA sequencing data from patients with MIS-C and other diseases. Plasma concentrations of ARG1, CCL20, CD163, CORIN, CXCL9, PCSK9 and ADAMTS2 were quantified in MIS-C (n = 22), Kawasaki disease (n = 23), definite bacterial (n = 28) and viral (n = 27) disease and healthy controls (n = 8). Logistic regression models were used to determine the discriminatory ability of individual proteins and protein combinations to identify MIS-C and association with severity of illness. Results: Plasma levels of CD163, CXCL9 and PCSK9 were significantly elevated in MIS-C with a combined area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 85.7% (95% confidence interval: 76.6%–94.8%) for discriminating MIS-C from other childhood diseases. Lower ARG1 and CORIN plasma levels were significantly associated with severe MIS-C cases requiring inotropes, pediatric intensive care unit admission or with shock. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of a host protein biomarker signature for MIS-C and may provide new insight into its pathophysiology