Advanced Control Strategies with Simulations for a Typical District Heating System to Approaching Energy Efficiency Buildings

District heating systems (DHSs) are very common and important in cold areas in the world not only because of the huge energy consumption including kinds of fuel, electricity and water but also due to thermal comfort of all customers. To increase the energy efficiency and improve heating quality within the operational period, suitable and optimal control strategy should be applied for the DHSs. Thus, in this chapter, a typical DHS is designed. Based on the DHS information, a dynamic model is developed by using thermodynamic principles and corrected according to the measured operational data from real systems. The DHS properties are simulated by utilizing the open-loop tests (OLTs) of the developed actual dynamic model. System performance of operation, energy consumption and zone air temperature are addressed for several control strategies. Based on the energy consumed and indoor air temperature response, average water temperature set point corrected by equivalent outside air temperature (Case 4) and indoor air temperature control directly (Case 5) are considered, which are the best cases of optimal operation in the DHS

Dynamic modeling, intelligent control and diagnostics of hot water heating systems

Heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems have been extensively used to provide desired indoor environment in buildings. It is well acknowledged that 25-35% of the total energy use is consumed by buildings, and space heating systems account for 50-60% of the building energy consumption. Furthermore, roughly half of the energy consumed goes to operation of heating systems. In the past few years the energy use has shown rapid growth. Therefore, it is necessary to design and operate HVAC systems to reduce energy consumption and improve occupant comfort. To improve energy efficiency, HVAC systems should be optimally controlled and operated. This study focuses on developing advanced control strategies and fault tolerant control (FTC) using information from fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) for hot water heating (HWH) systems. To begin with, HWH system dynamic models are developed based on mass, momentum and energy balance principles. Then, embedded intelligent control strategies: fuzzy logic control and fuzzy logic adaptive control are designed for the overall system to achieve better performance and energy efficiency. Moreover, in designing the advanced control strategies, the parameter uncertainty and noise from measurement and process are taken into account. The extended Kalman filter (EKF) technique is utilized to handle system uncertainty and measurement noise, and to improve system control performance. After that, a supervisory control strategy for the HWH system is designed and simulated to achieve optimal operation. Finally, model-based FDD methods were developed by using fuzzy logic to detect and isolate measurement and process faults occurring in HWH systems. The FDD information was employed to design model-based FTC systems for various faults and to extend the operating range under failure situations. The contributions of this study include the development of a large scale dynamic model of a HWH system for a high-rise building; design of fuzzy logic adaptive control strategies to improve energy efficiency of heating systems and design of model-based FTC systems by using FDD information

catena-Poly[[dichloridozinc(II)]-μ-[1,1′-(butane-1,4-di­yl)diimidazole-κ2 N 3:N 3′]]

The title one-dimensional coordination polymer, [ZnCl2(C10H14N4)]n, was synthesized by hydro­thermal methods from ZnCl2 and 1,1′-(butane-1,4-di­yl)diimidazole. The Zn atom is coordinated by two chloride ions and two N atoms from two symmetry-independent organic ligands and shows a distorted tetra­hedral coordination geometry. The 1,1′-(butane-1,4-di­yl)diimidazole ligands are located around two sets of inversion centers and bridge ZnII ions, forming a zigzag polymeric chain. C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonding results in the formation of a three-dimensional supra­molecular networ

The relationship between father absence and hostility among Chinese depressed youths: A serial mediation model and the role of self-esteem and frustration tolerance

BackgroundWhile the association between father absence and youth hostility has been well-documented among depressed youths, there is a lack of research on the potential mechanism underlying such an association. This study aimed to test a serial mediation model of self-esteem and frustration tolerance on the link between father absence and youth hostility.MethodsA total of 137 Chinese youths with major depressive disorder were recruited from Wuhan Mental Health Center. They completed a survey including the Father Absence Questionnaire to measure father absence, the Chinese Hostility Inventory (CHI) to measure hostility, the Psychological Endurance Questionnaire to measure frustration tolerance, and the Self-esteem Scale (SES) to measure self-esteem. A series of multiple linear regression models were employed to assess the associations among father absence, self-esteem, frustration tolerance, and hostility.ResultsAlthough father absence was modestly associated with hostility (r = 0.30, p < 0.001), subsequent serial mediation analysis showed that father absence was not directly related to hostility (β = 0.06, p = 0.29) when self-esteem and frustration tolerance were included in the model. High levels of father absence had an adverse effect on levels of self-esteem, which decreased levels of frustration tolerance, and thus higher levels of hostility among depressed youths. The indirect effects of father absence on hostility through self-esteem, frustration tolerance, as well as through self-esteem and frustration tolerance serially accounted for 28%, 24%, and 24% of the total effect, respectively.ConclusionOur study tested a serial mediation model of self-esteem and frustration tolerance as mediators between father absence and hostility among depressed youths. The findings strengthened our understanding of the potential mechanism underlying the association between self-esteem and frustration tolerance, which may provide useful guidance for future intervention programs

Electroacupuncture Treatment Normalized Sleep Disturbance in Morphine Withdrawal Rats

Sleep disturbance is considered as an important symptom of acute and protracted opiate withdrawal. Current results suggest that sleep disturbance may be taken as a predictor of relapse. Appropriate sleep enhancement therapy will be in favor of the retention in treatment for opiate addicts. Our previous studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) is effective in suppressing morphine withdrawal syndrome. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of 2 and 100 Hz EA on the sleep disturbance during morphine withdrawal. Rats were made dependent on morphine by repeated morphine injections (escalating doses of 5–80 mg kg−1, subcutaneously, twice a day) for 5 days. EA of 2 or 100 Hz was given twice a day for 3 days, starting at 48 h after the last morphine injection. Electroencephalogram and electromyogram were monitored at the end of the first and the last EA treatments, respectively. Results showed that non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, REM sleep and total sleep time decreased dramatically, while the sleep latency prolonged significantly during acute morphine withdrawal. Both 2 and 100 Hz EA produced a significant increase in NREM sleep, REM sleep and total sleep time. It was suggested that EA could be a potential treatment for sleep disturbance during morphine withdrawal

Research on work zone vehicle queuing behavior based on cellular automata

A model is proposed to estimate the work zone queue length, and the cellular automata based on empirical data is used for model validation. This estimation model can be applied to work zone organization and management to improve work zone capacity and security. Relationship between the average queue length and the warning zone length can be found, and the appropriate warning zone length can be determined according to design flow. Moreover, the appropriate work zone lane-changing strategies under different design flows are found through the estimation model

Chromosomal aberrations in pediatric patients with moderate/severe developmental delay/intellectual disability with abundant phenotypic heterogeneities: A single-center study

Background: This study aimed to examine the clinical usefulness of chromosome microarray (CMA) for selective implementation in patients with unexplained moderate or severe developmental delay/intellectual disability (DD/ID) and/or combined with different dysphonic features in the Han Chinese population. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data on 122 pediatric patients with unexplained isolated moderate/severe DD/ID with or without autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, dystonia, and congenital abnormalities from a single-center neurorehabilitation clinic in southern China. Results: A total of 46 probands (37.7%) had abnormal CMA results among the 122 study patients. With the exclusion of aneuploidies, uniparental disomies, and multiple homozygotes, 37 patients harbored 39 pathogenic copy number variations (pCNVs) (median [interquartile range] size: 3.57 [1.6 to 7.1] Mb; 33 deletions and 6 duplications), enriched in chromosomes 5, 7, 15, 17, and 22, with a markedly high prevalence of Angelman/Prader-Willi syndrome (24.3% [nine of 37]). Three rare deletions in the regions 5q33.2q34, 17p13.2, and 13q33.2 were reported, with specific delineation of clinical phenotypes. The frequencies of pCNVs were 18%, 33.3%, 38.89%, 41.67%, and 100% for patients with 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 study phenotypes, respectively; patients with more concomitant abnormalities in the heart, brain, craniofacial region, and/or other organs had a higher CMA diagnostic yield and pCNV prevalence (P \u3c 0.05). Conclusions: Clinical application of CMA as a first-tier test among patients with moderate/severe DD/ID combined with congenital structural anomalies improved diagnostic yields and the quality of clinical management in this series of patients

A novel ZRS variant causes preaxial polydactyly type I by increased sonic hedgehog expression in the developing limb bud.

PurposePreaxial polydactyly (PPD) is a common congenital hand malformation classified into four subtypes (PPD I-IV). Variants in the zone of polarizing activity regulatory sequence (ZRS) within intron 5 of the LMBR1 gene are linked to most PPD types. However, the genes responsible for PPD I and the underlying mechanisms are unknown.MethodsA rare large four-generation family with isolated PPD I was subjected to genome-wide genotyping and sequence analysis. In vitro and in vivo functional studies were performed in Caco-2 cells, 293T cells, and a knockin transgenic mouse model.ResultsA novel g.101779T>A (reference sequence: NG_009240.2; position 446 of the ZRS) variant segregates with all PPD I-affected individuals. The knockin mouse with this ZRS variant exhibited PPD I phenotype accompanying ectopic and excess expression of Shh. We confirmed that HnRNP K can bind the ZRS and SHH promoters. The ZRS mutant enhanced the binding affinity for HnRNP K and upregulated SHH expression.ConclusionOur results identify the first PPD I disease-causing variant. The variant leading to PPD I may be associated with enhancing SHH expression mediated by HnRNP K. This study adds to the ZRS-associated syndromes classification system for PPD and clarifies the underlying molecular mechanisms