197,340 research outputs found
Techno-economic analysis of a novel retrofit solution for the domestic hot water system: A comparative study
No full textThe retrofit solution for domestic hot water (DHW) system in existing buildings requires to ensure the long-term energy security and efficiency as well as to minimise occupants’ disturbance, construction works and installation costs. In this regard, the present study performs a techno-economic evaluation on a novel retrofit solution for DHW production in a pilot building. The proposed solution appoints a substantial role to the thermal energy storage through a 2-pipe hot water network utilisable for both DHW and heating purposes. The first storage level is provided by a centralised buffer storage supplied by a PV-BESS-driven heat pump while the second level consists of decentralised modular tanks installed in each dwelling for the production and storage of hot water. Firstly, experimental thermal performance of the proposed decentralised storages is investigated. By developing a dynamic simulation code, the energy efficiency of the proposed solution is compared to that of the existing system in the pilot building as well to that of a typical centralised system as a benchmark solution. Finally, economic analysis of the retrofit solution is performed to address capital expenditures of the system, including purchasing and installation costs, as well as its life cycle cost (LCC). The obtained results indicate that the proposed system reduces the annual energy consumption for DHW production more than 7,200 kWh, with respect to the existing DHW system. Furthermore, it is shown that, in the proposed system, the fraction of thermal loss from piping network decreases by 31.5%, compared to a typical DHW centralised system. Economic assessment of the proposed solution implies that this system, in terms of both mechanical and electrical components, requires 13.7% lower initial investment than a typical centralised system. However, the cost of control systems in this system is higher since it is inherently a control-based system
Editorial: On the relation of dynamics and structure in brain networks
No full textDespite more than a century-long effort, the functioning
of the few-pound lump of white and grey matter that forms
the brain remains at least partially a mystery. Physicists have
made some significant contributions to the understanding of
brain physiology, none perhaps more notable than Hodgkin
and Huxley’s, who discovered the ionic basis of nerve cell
conduction. But could they also help shedding light on how
large numbers of neurons interact to give rise to sophisti-
cated behaviour?
Although complex, a neural system is in fact essentially
a physical device meant to perform specific functions. As
such, brain design must obey general engineering principles,
which shape it at all scales from neuronal sub-components to
the whole system scales.
1
Observable anatomy and physiology
of the brain can be thought of as resulting from selective
evolutionary pressures that managed trade-offs between
energy consumption and adaptiveness, favouring energyefficient
wiring and coding patterns 2,3 and ultimately resulting
in a non-random spatial and temporal structure of brain
anatomy and dynamics. Making sense of this structure is
therefore key to our understanding of the emergence of brain
function
Modern methods of stimulation of angiogenesis in patients with critical limb ischemia (review).
No full textKryvoruchko I. A., Goni S.- K. T., Goni S.- A. T., Antonova M. S., Sykal M. A., Alexandrov M. A. Modern methods of stimulation of angiogenesis in patients with critical limb ischemia (review). Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2017;7(4):733-745. eISSN 2391-8306. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.580797
http://ojs.ukw.edu.pl/index.php/johs/article/view/4464
The journal has had 7 points in Ministry of Science and Higher Education parametric evaluation. Part B item 1223 (26.01.2017).
1223 Journal of Education, Health and Sport eISSN 2391-8306 7
© The Author (s) 2017;
This article is published with open access at Licensee Open Journal Systems of Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, Poland
Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original author(s) and source are credited. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial License
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted, non commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.
This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted, non commercial
use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper.
Received: 12.04.2017. Revised: 10.04.2017. Accepted: 25.04.2017.
MODERN METHODS OF STIMULATION OF ANGIOGENESIS IN PATIENTS WITH CRITICAL LIMB ISCHEMIA (REVIEW)
I. A. Kryvoruchko, S.- K. T. Goni, S.- A. T. Goni, M. S. Antonova, M. A. Sykal,
M. A. Alexandrov
Kharkov National Medical University, Ukraine
Department of Surgery №2
Abstract
The term "critical ischemia of extremities" (critical limb ischemia) was first introduced by P.R.F. Bell in 1982 to refer to a group of diseases accompanied by pain in the legs at rest, trophic ulcers and distal necroses of the lower limbs. Critical ischemia of the lower limbs is a condition of almost complete cessation of arterial blood flow to the tissues of the lower limbs.
If the arterial blood supply is not improved, limb amputation becomes inevitable for all patients. Treatment of ischemia of the lower extremities should be complex and differentiated depending on the stage and features of the course of the disease. Modern approaches to the therapy of lower limb ischemia include conservative and surgical methods of treatment, all of which are aimed at improving blood flow in the affected limbs. In the article modern methods of stimulating angiogenesis in patients with lower limb ischemia and results are shown.
Keywords: critical limb ischemia, cell therapy, gene therapy, angiogenesis stimulatio
PENGARUH PERLAKUAN ALKALI DAN WATER ABSORPTION TERHADAP SIFAT MEKANIS KOMPOSIT BERPENGUAT KARUNG GONI MENGGUNAKAN METODE VACUUM INFUSION
No full textBanyaknya serat alam yang belum dimanfaatkan menjadi suatu hal yang
bernilai jual. Salah satu serat alam yang melimpah yaitu serat rami dalam bentuk
karung goni. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisa pengaruh perlakuan alkali
dan water absorption terhadap sifat mekanik komposit berpenguat karung goni
dengan metode vacuum infusion. Bahan yang digunakan yaitu serat goni, resin
vinylester Ripoxy R-804 J500, katalis MEKP-MEPOXE M dan promotor P-Ex
M1E010158. Proses perlakuan alkali meliputi perendaman dengan larutan NaOH
4% dan 6% selama 1 jam, kemudian dinetralkan menggunakan aquadest, dan
dikeringkan di udara terbuka selama 48 jam. Metode manufaktur menggunakan
metode vacuum infusion. Pengujian mekanik dilakukan berupa uji impak dan
bending yang dilakukan sebelumdan sesudah perlakuan water absorption.
Pengujian water absorption dilakukan selama 15 hari dengan menggunakan
media pelarut air laut pada suhu ruangan. Spesimen impak menggunakan standar
ASTM D5942, spesimen uji bending menggunakan standar ASTM D670, dan
spesimenwater absorption menggunakan standar ASTM D570. Hasil penelitian
menunjukkan bahwa perlakuan alkali dan water absorption berpengaruh terhadap
sifat mekanik komposit berpenguat serat goni. Kekuatan impak tertinggi
diperolehpada spesimen 6% NaOH 3 lapis sebesar 86,6 kJ/m2
. Kekuatan bending
tertinggi diperoleh pada spesimen 4% NaOH 5 lapis sebesar 395,6 Mpa. Setelah
spesimen diberikan perendaman air laut, nilai kekuatan mekanik dari komposit itu
mengalami penurunan, yang disebabkan masuknya air kedalam spesimen yang
mengakibatkan penurunan nilai kekuatan mekaniknya. Kekuatan impak tertinggi
diperoleh pada spesimen 6% NaOH 3 lapis serat sebesar 48,6 kJ/m2
. Kekuatan
bending tertinggi diperoleh pada spesimen 4% NaoH 5 lapis sebesar 368,7 Mpa.
Kata Kunci : Komposit, serat rami (karung goni), vacuum infusion, uji impak,
bending, water absorptio
Novel Non-Steroidal Facial Cream Demonstrates Antifungal and Anti-Inflammatory Properties in Ex Vivo Model for Seborrheic Dermatitis
No full textIntroduction: Seborrheic dermatitis (SEBD) is a chronic, recurrent skin disorder that typically occurs as an inflammatory response to fungi of the genus Malassezia. The development of an ex vivo model that mimics the fungal proliferation and skin inflammation of SEBD would play an important role in screening formulations for their efficacy in treating SEBD. Methods: An ex vivo model for SEBD using human skin explants that had been mechanically manipulated to facilitate colonization of Malassezia furfur was developed. This model was used to evaluate the efficacy of a novel non-steroidal facial cream (NSFC) in inhibiting M. furfur proliferation and reducing inflammatory cytokine levels. Results: This model reproduced some of the key pathological features of SEBD, including M. furfur proliferation and inflammatory cytokine production. Topical application of NSFC facial cream reduced M. furfur counts by 92% (p < 0.05) and levels of interleukin 8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) by 82% and 40%, respectively (p < 0.05, both). Conclusion: The proposed ex vivo model for SEBD could be a useful tool to evaluate topical antifungal treatments. The novel NSFC tested in this study reduced M. furfur proliferation and inflammatory cytokine levels following topical application and may be helpful in the management of SEBD. Funding: ISDIN
Equity and efficiency priorities within the Spanish health system: A discrete choice experiment eliciting stakeholders preferences
No full textBackground: The trade-off between efficiency and equity has been largely studied in the health economics literature and for countries with different types of health systems. Even if efficiency and equity are desired, it is not always feasible to attain both simultaneously. In Spain, the National Health System has historically been recognized for its universal access and free of charge provision, with good health outcomes. However, the recent increase in health expenditures together with the economic cycle has turned the orientation of health policy implementation towards efficiency, threatening universality and equity in the access to healthcare. Methods: A Discrete Choice Experiment was carried out to weigh priorities of policy-makers from different regions in Spain. A total of 69 valid questionnaires were collected and the preferences towards equity and/or efficiency criteria were evaluated. Composite League Tables (CLTs) were used to rank hypothetical health interventions based on their attributes. Results: The Spanish health policy-makers, managers and other stakeholder displayed a stronger preference for severity of disease, high individual benefits, a large number of beneficiaries and proven cost-effectiveness criteria in decision making. The priority interventions targeted severe mental disorders, i.e. major depressive disorders and suicides (or suicidal attempts), especially for young and middle age categories across the three regions under study. Conclusion: In times of economic crisis, health policy-makers, managers and other stakeholder value, in moderation, efficiency over equity. The impact of austerity measures on populations’ socio-economic wellbeing seems correlated with the preference for mental health interventions
Dr. Duane M. Jackson, Morehouse College, July 2011
No full textThis video is a conversation with Dr. Duane M. Jackson. Dr. Jackson talks about his paper, "Recall and the Serial Position Effect: The Role of Primacy and Recency on Accounting Students' Performance." Jackie Daniel, AUC Woodruff Library, is the interviewer
"Reflections on the subject of Emigration from Europe with a view to Settlement in the United States" By M. Carey.
No full text"Reflections on the subject of Emigration from Europe with a view to Settlement in the United States: containing bried sketches of the moral and political character of those states.
By M. Carey, member of the American philosophical, and of the American Antiquarian Society, and author of The Olive Branch, Cindiciae Hibernicae, essays on banking, on political economy, and on internal improvement.
To which are now added the English editor's comments on the subject; together with Important Advice to Emigrants, and Cautions Against Impositions Practiced in the Outports
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
No full textWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
European Governments’ Fiscal Behaviour and Public Debt Holders: What Is the Financial Connection?
No full textClaeys P, Bökemeier B, Owusu BK, Equiza Goni J, Stoian A, Stierle M. European Governments’ Fiscal Behaviour and Public Debt Holders: What Is the Financial Connection?. European Economy Discussion Papers. Vol 218. Brussels: Publications Office - European Commission’s Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs; 2025
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