Incorporating appliance usage patterns for non-intrusive load monitoring and load forecasting

This paper proposes a novel Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM) method which incorporates appliance usage patterns (AUPs) to improve performance of active load identi- fication and forecasting. In the first stage, the AUPs of a given residence were learnt using a spectral decomposition based standard NILM algorithm. Then, learnt AUPs were utilized to bias the priori probabilities of the appliances through a specifically constructed fuzzy system. The AUPs contain likelihood measures for each appliance to be active at the present instant based on the recent activity/inactivity of appliances and the time of day. Hence, the priori probabilities determined through the AUPs increase the active load identification accuracy of the NILM algorithm. The proposed method was successfully tested for two standard databases containing real household measurements in USA and Germany. The proposed method demonstrates an improvement in active load estimation when applied to the aforementioned databases as the proposed method augments the smart meter readings with the behavioral trends obtained from AUPs. Furthermore, a residential power consumption forecasting mechanism, which can predict the total active power demand of an aggregated set of houses, five minutes ahead of real time, was successfully formulated and implemented utilizing the proposed AUP based technique

Protein quality of foods made incorporating Cycas circinalis seed flour

Among the cycad species Cycas circinalis and Cycas zeylanica are native to Sri Lanka. Foods such as pittu and roti made by incorporating Cycas circinalis seed flour are consumed by Sri Lankans living in areas where the plant grows. Although previously reported data indicate that the content of protein in C. circinalis seeds is comparable to that of wheat flour, no data is available on the quality of cycad seed proteins. The present study was aimed at evaluating the quality of proteins in C. circinalis seed flour, pittu and roti made by incorporating cycas seed flour.The moisture, insoluble (IDF) and soluble dietary fibres (SDF), crude protein and digestible carbohydrate contents were measured by AOAC official methods (1984), method of Asp et al, Lowry’s method/ Folin Ceocalteau method and Holm’s method respectively. Quality of proteins was estimated by AOAC Official method 960.48, using an animal bioassay.Digestible carbohydrate content was highest in soaked seed flour (50.0±2.03). Among the cycad foods, highest protein content (10.3±0.01) and total dietary fibre content (7.7) were in roti and this could be due to the addition of wheat flour to roti instead of rice flour in pittu. Highest weight gain was observed in reference group fed with casein containing diet. The significantly high weight gain in the seed flour fed group compared to roti and pittu fed groups may be due to the high feed intake. No significant weight gain difference was observed between roti and pittu fed groups. Protein quality of C. circinalis seeds was comparable with that of common maize but all protein quality parameters [Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER), Food Efficiency Ratio (FER), Net Protein Retention (NPR) and Protein Retention Efficiency (PRE)] were significantly low compared to the reference protein diet. Although not significant, NPR and PRE values in roti (1.4±0.6 and 8.5±3.7) were higher than test food made with pittu or raw seed flour.Key words: protein quality, Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER), Food Efficiency Ratio (FER), Net Protein Retention (NPR) and Protein Retention Efficiency (PRE

Antidiabetic Compounds in Syzygium cumini

Herbal beverages with desirable sensory attributes are an ideal way to offer consumers with phytochemicals having specific health promoting functionalities. Syzygium cumini bark decoction is used in treating diabetes mellitus in Ayurveda medicine. This work attempted to prove the presence of antidiabetic compounds in the S. cumini decoction and the ready to serve (RTS) herbal drink developed using the decoction. Activity guided fractionation of the decoction of the S. cumini was carried out by sequential extraction with organic solvents of different polarities. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) with authentic compounds and HPLC were performed for identification and confirmation of the compounds in the decoction and the RTS herbal drink. Presence of gallic and ellagic acids in the decoction and RTS herbal drink was proven and confirmed with HPLC. The LC UV-VIS spectra of the two compounds were identical with the corresponding spectra of the library. Further, gallic acid and umbelliferone were determined as the active compounds in the decoction by TLC and were confirmed by cochromatography with authentic compounds. The present investigation confirmed the presence of gallic acid, ellagic acid, and umbelliferone which are proven to have antidiabetic activities in the decoction and the RTS herbal drink prepared with the decoction

EQ-5D-3L Derived Population Norms for Health Related Quality of Life in Sri Lanka

Background Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) is an important outcome measure in health economic evaluation that guides health resource allocations. Population norms for HRQoL are an essential ingredient in health economics and in the evaluation of population health. The aim of this study was to produce EQ-5D-3L-derived population norms for Sri Lanka. Method A population sample (n =  780) was selected from four districts of Sri Lanka. A stratified cluster sampling approach with probability proportionate to size was employed. Twenty six clusters of 30 participants each were selected; each participant completed the EQ-5D-3L in a face-to-face interview. Utility weights for their EQ-5D-3L health states were assigned using the Sri Lankan EQ-5D-3L algorithm. The population norms are reported by age and socio-economic variables. Results The EQ-5D-3L was completed by 736 people, representing a 94% response rate. Sixty per cent of the sample reported being in full health. The percentage of people responding to any problems in the five EQ-5D-3L dimensions increased with age. The mean EQ-5D-3L weight was 0.85 (SD 0.008; 95%CI 0.84-0.87). The mean EQ-5D-3L weight was significantly associated with age, housing type, disease experience and religiosity. People above 70 years of age were 7.5 times more likely to report mobility problems and 3.7 times more likely to report pain/discomfort than those aged 18-29 years. Those with a tertiary education were five times less likely to report any HRQoL problems than those without a tertiary education. A person living in a shanty was 4.3 more likely to have problems in usual activities than a person living in a single house. Conclusion The population norms in Sri Lanka vary with socio-demographic characteristics. The socioeconomically disadvantaged have a lower HRQoL. The trends of population norms observed in this lower middle income country were generally similar to those previously reported in high income countries

Enhanced Removal of Nutrients, Heavy Metals, and PAH from Synthetic Stormwater by Incorporating Different Adsorbents into a Filter Media

Stormwater harvesting and reuse is an attractive option to lower the demand placed on other sources of water supply. However, it contains a wide range of pollutants that need to be removed before it can be reused or even discharged to the waterways and receiving waters. An experimental protocol to estimate the efficiency of a soil-based-filter medium for the treatment of stormwater pollutants from 1 to 3 years rainfall experienced in the field was developed using a laboratory column-set-up over short-term duration. The filter removed substantial amounts of PO -P and NH -N for up to 8 h at a flow velocity of 100 mm/h which is a 1-year time-equivalent of rainfall at a locality in Sydney, Australia. An addition of 10% zeolite to the soil-based filter extended the column saturation period to 24 h. The breakthrough data for PO -P and NH -N were satisfactorily described by the Thomas model. The majority of the nine heavy metals tested were removed by more than 50% for up to 4 h in the soil-based filter. This level of removal increased to 16 h when 10% zeolite was added to the filter. The column with the soil-based filter + 10% zeolite had higher affinity for Pb, Cu, Zn, and As than Ni, with Pb having the highest percentage removal. Soil-based filter + 10% zeolite removed considerable amounts of 3 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (30–50%), while soil-based filter + 10% zeolite + 0.3% granular activated carbon removed 65 to > 99% of the PAHs at 24-h operation. 4 4 4

City refuse compost and sodium dodecyl sulphate as modifiers of diazinon leaching in soil

Spanish "Comisi6n Interminterial de Ciencia y Tecnologia" (Projet AMB94-0688). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC.Peer reviewe

Implications of Electronics Constraints for Solid-State Quantum Error Correction and Quantum Circuit Failure Probability

In this paper we present the impact of classical electronics constraints on a solid-state quantum dot logical qubit architecture. Constraints due to routing density, bandwidth allocation, signal timing, and thermally aware placement of classical supporting electronics significantly affect the quantum error correction circuit's error rate. We analyze one level of a quantum error correction circuit using nine data qubits in a Bacon-Shor code configured as a quantum memory. A hypothetical silicon double quantum dot quantum bit (qubit) is used as the fundamental element. A pessimistic estimate of the error probability of the quantum circuit is calculated using the total number of gates and idle time using a provably optimal schedule for the circuit operations obtained with an integer program methodology. The micro-architecture analysis provides insight about the different ways the electronics impact the circuit performance (e.g., extra idle time in the schedule), which can significantly limit the ultimate performance of any quantum circuit and therefore is a critical foundation for any future larger scale architecture analysis.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, 3 table

ASSESSMENT OF BIODIVERSITY IN THE MUTHURAJAWELA WETLAND SANCTUARY

Muthurajawela wetland. located as the west coast of Sri Lanka is the largestcoastal peal bag of the island. At present. the biodiversity of Muthurajawela isthreatened by unplanned development activities and growing human population.Therefore, an ecological survey was carried out in order to assess the presentstatus of biodiversity in Muthurajawela, and also to identify critical habitats forthe conservation and sustence of biodiversity. Field monitoring of fauna and florawas carried out at fortnightly intervals, using scientifically accepted rapidbiodiversity assessment techniques (fauna - line transects; flora - plots, Braun-Blanquet cover), The data was analysed using ecological indices(diversity/species richness), and critical habitats were identified using avifauna asa correlate of biodiversity. Ground truthing of vegetation maps was carried out todocument changes of major vegetation communities.The study enabled to identify 192 species of flora, distributed over seven majorvegetation communities at Muthurajawela; marsh, lentic flora, reed swamp, shortgrassland, scrubland, stream bank flora and mangrove swamp. The vertebratefauna documented included 40 species of fish, 14 species of amphibians, 31species of reptiles, 102 species of birds and 22 species of mammals. Among thetotal vertebrate species documented, 17 are endemic, 26 are considered asnationally threatened, while 36 are new records to Muthurajawela. The selectedinvertebrate species documented consisted of 48 species of butterflies and 22species odonates, the latter which turned out to be a useful indicator of habitatquality. The threats documented included direct exploitation (poaching, cutting oftrees), habitat degradation/modification (land reclamation, dumping of garbage,clearing of natural vegetation, pollution and eutrophication) and the spread ofseveral alien invasive species (including unmanaged domestic animals). Thenorthern part of the marsh serve as an ecotone, with a mixture of the above plantcommunities/habitat types which were relatively undisturbed. Analysis carriedout using ecological indices highlighted the northern region as a high biodiversityzone, which is critical for the conservation and future sustenance of biodiversity atMuthurajawela. Ground truthing of vegetation maps, supported with results of thevegetation survey showed that the composition of dominant flora has changedover a period of 10 years, in most places in the Muthurajawela Wetland, as aresult of human disturbances. Data on the avifauna also highlighted aconsiderable decrease in migrant birds at Muthurajawela, possibly due to habitatdeterioration.The findings have important conservation and managementimplications, in particular greater emphasis need to be placed on the more ciritcalareas of the marsh. An important policy implication would be the need

Antimicrobial activity of some Sri Lankan Rubiaceae and Meliaceae

Ninety solvent extracts (n-hexane, dichloromethane and methanol) obtained from the leaves, bark and stem of 13 Sri Lankan Rubiaceae and two Sri Lankan Meliaceae plants have been screened for antibacterial and antifungal activities. Morinda tinctoria, Mussaenda frondosa, Psychotria gardneri and Psychotria stenophylla displayed the widest spectrum of antibacterial activity