Pragmatic oriented data interoperability for smart healthcare information systems

Smart healthcare is a complex domain for systems integration due to human and technical factors and heterogeneous data sources involved. As a part of smart city, it is such a complex area where clinical functions require smartness of multi-systems collaborations for effective communications among departments, and radiology is one of the areas highly relies on intelligent information integration and communication. Therefore, it faces many challenges regarding integration and its interoperability such as information collision, heterogeneous data sources, policy obstacles, and procedure mismanagement. The purpose of this study is to conduct an analysis of data, semantic, and pragmatic interoperability of systems integration in radiology department, and to develop a pragmatic interoperability framework for guiding the integration. We select an on-going project at a local hospital for undertaking our case study. The project is to achieve data sharing and interoperability among Radiology Information Systems (RIS), Electronic Patient Record (EPR), and Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS). Qualitative data collection and analysis methods are used. The data sources consisted of documentation including publications and internal working papers, one year of non-participant observations and 37 interviews with radiologists, clinicians, directors of IT services, referring clinicians, radiographers, receptionists and secretary. We identified four primary phases of data analysis process for the case study: requirements and barriers identification, integration approach, interoperability measurements, and knowledge foundations. Each phase is discussed and supported by qualitative data. Through the analysis we also develop a pragmatic interoperability framework that summaries the empirical findings and proposes recommendations for guiding the integration in the radiology context.

Fabrication and testing of a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) microvalve for gas flow control

A microactuator made from poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), a piezoelectric polymer, was fabricated to control the gas flow rate through a glass micronozzle. The actuator was formed by gluing together two PVDF sheets with opposite polarization directions. The sheets were covered with thin conducting films on one side, that were then used as electrodes to apply an electric field to move the valve. The actuator has a rectangular shape, 3 mm x 6 mm. The device was incorporated with a micronozzle fabricated by a powder blasting technique. Upon applying a DC voltage across the actuator electrodes, one sheet expands while the other contracts, generating an opening motion. A voltage of +300 V DC was used to open the device by moving the actuator 30 mu m, and a voltage of -200 V DC was used to close the device by moving the actuator 20 mu m lower than the relaxed position. Flow measurements were performed in a low-pressure vacuum system, maintaining the microvalve inlet pressure constant at 266 Pa. Tests carried out with the actuator in the open position and with a pressure ratio (inlet pressure divided by outlet pressure) of 0.5, indicated a flow rate of 0.36 sccm. In the closed position, and with a pressure ratio of 0.2, a flow rate of 0.32 sccm was measured.

Soil greenhouse gas emissions and their relations to soil attributes in a sugarcane area

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Dal biogas al biometano, analisi tecnico-economica di un'applicazione su scala reale e prospettive di sviluppo. Studio di fattibilita per l'impianto di digestione anaerobica di Etra S.P.A.

L’emanazione del Decreto 5 dicembre 2013, ha inaugurato una nuova stagione per il settore energetico italiano, dando vita anche in Italia, in linea con gli altri paesi europei, alla possibilità di valorizzare il biogas, prodotto a seguito di un processo di digestione anaerobica, come biometano, un gas con maggiore contenuto energetico che a seguito di opportuni trattamenti, può essere paragonabile al gas naturale. Il lavoro svolto pertanto si pone come obiettivo quello di individuare gli elementi peculiari che potrebbero favorire lo sviluppo e la crescita del biometano nel contesto italiano.

Maxima of interstitial water and gas parameters in ODP Leg 182 sediments

During the drilling of the southern Australian continental margin (Leg 182 of the Ocean Drilling Program), fluids with unusually high salinities (to 106?) were encountered in Miocene to Pleistocene sediments. At three sites (1127, 1129, and 1131), high contents of H2S (to 15%), CH4 (50%), and CO2 (70%) were also encountered. These levels of H2S are the highest yet reported during the history of either the Deep Sea Drilling Project or the Ocean Drilling Program. The high concentrations of H2S and CH4 are associated with anomalous Na+/Cl- ratios in the pore waters. Although hydrates were not recovered, and despite the shallow water depth of these sites (200-400 m) and relative warm bottom water temperatures (11-14°C), we believe that these sites possess disseminated H2S-dominated hydrates. This contention is supported by calculations using the measured gas concentrations and temperatures of the cores, and depths of recovery. High concentrations of H2S necessary for the formation of hydrates under these conditions were provided by the abundant (SO4)2- caused by the high salinities of the pore fluids, and the high concentrations of organic material. One hypothesis for the origin of these fluids is that they were formed on the adjacent continental shelf during previous lowstands of sea level and were forced into the sediments under the influence of hydrostatic head.

Acoustic multi-frequency indicator of four major groups on a spatial grid in the Bay of Biscay

The first data set contains the mean and cofficient of variation (standard deviation divided by mean) of a multi-frequency indicator I derived from ER60 acoustic information collected at five frequencies (18, 38, 70, 120, and 200 kHz) in the Bay of Biscay in May of the years 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 (Pelgas surveys). The multi-frequency indicator was first calculated per voxel (20 m long × 5 m deep sampling unit) and then averaged on a spatial grid (approx. 20 nm × 20 nm) for five 5-m depth layers in the surface waters (10-15m, 15-20m, 20-25m, 25-30m below sea surface); there are missing values in particular in the shallowest layer. The second data set provides for each grid cell and depth layer the proportion of voxels for which the multi-frequency indicator I was indicative of a certain group of organisms. For this the following interpretation was used: I < 0.39 swim bladder fish or large gas bubbles, I = 0.39-0.58 small resonant bubbles present in gas bearing organisms such as larval fish and phytoplankton, I = 0.7-0.8 fluidlike zooplankton such as copepods and euphausiids, and I > 0.8 mackerel. These proportions can be interpreted as a relative abundance index for each of the four organism groups.

Maps and acoustic profiles of free gas distribution, Western Baltic Sea and Kattgat-Skagerrak area

A shallow gas depth-contour map covering the Skagerrak-western Baltic Sea region has been constructed using a relatively dense grid of existing shallow seismic lines. The digital map is stored as an ESRI shape file in order to facilitate comparison with other data from the region. Free gas usually occurs in mud and sandy mud but is observed only when sediment thickness exceeds a certain threshold value, depending on the water depth of the area in question. Gassy sediments exist at all water depths from approx. 20 m in the coastal waters of the Kattegat to 360 m in the Skagerrak. In spite of the large difference in water depths, the depth of free gas below seabed varies only little within the region, indicating a relatively fast movement of methane in the gas phase towards the seabed compared to the rate of diffusion of dissolved methane. Seeps of old microbial methane occur in the northern Kattegat where a relatively thin cover of sandy sediments exists over shallow, glacially deformed Pleistocene marine sediments. Previous estimates of total methane escape from the area may be correct but the extrapolation of local methane seepage rate data to much larger areas on the continental shelf is probably not justified. Preliminary data on porewater chemistry were compared with the free gas depth contours in the Aarhus Bay area, which occasionally suffers from oxygen deficiency, in order to examine if acoustic gas mapping may be used for monitoring the condition of the bay.

Gestión del boil off gas en la planta de regasificación de Cartagena

Este proyecto trata sobre la gestión del boil-off gas, o BOG (vapor de gas natural que se produce en las instalaciones de gas natural licuado de las plantas de regasificación), generado en la planta de regasificación de Gas Natural Licuado de Cartagena, tanto en las situaciones en las que se opera por debajo del mínimo técnico, como en las cargas y descargas de buques, en las cuales se ha de gestionar una cantidad del boil-off adicional. Para recuperar el boil-off, las plantas cuentan con un relicuador (intercambiador de calor) en el que el BOG es relicuado por el GNL que se envía a los vaporizadores para ser regasificado y emitido a la red. De forma complementaria cuentan también con una antorcha/venteo donde se quema el exceso de boil-off que no puede ser tratado por el relicuador. Se procede a un análisis de la situación actual, y de cómo la baja demanda de regasificación dificulta la gestión del boil-off. Se simula el proceso de relicuación actual en distintas situaciones de operación. Ante la situación de baja demanda, ha aumentado considerablemente el número de días en los que las plantas españolas en general, y la planta de Cartagena en particular, operan por debajo del mínimo técnico, que es el nivel de producción mínimo para recuperar todo el boil-off generado en cualquier situación de operación al tiempo que mantiene en frío todas las instalaciones, y garantiza el 100% de disponibilidad inmediata del resto de los equipos en condiciones de seguridad de funcionamiento estable. Esta situación supone inconvenientes tanto operativos como medioambientales y acarrea mayores costes económicos, a los cuales da solución el presente proyecto, decidiendo qué alternativa técnica es la más adecuada y definiéndola. Abstract This project is about the management of the boil-off gas (BOG), natural vapour gas that is produced in liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification plants. Specifically, the study is focused on the LNG regasification plant located in Cartagena, when it operates both below the technical minimum level of regasification and in the loading/unloading of LNG carriers, situations when it is needed to handle additional BOG. In order to make the most of BOG, the plants have a re-condenser (heat exchanger). Here, the BOG is re-liquefied by the LNG that is submitted to the vaporizers and delivered to the grid. The plants also have a flare/vent where the excess of BOG that cannot be treated by the re-condenser is burned. An analysis of the current situation of the demand is performed, evaluating how low markets demand for regasification difficult the BOG management. Besides, it is simulated the current re-liquefaction operating in different environments. Due to the reduction of the demand for natural gas, the periods when Spanish LNG regasification plants (and particularly the factory of Cartagena) are operating below the technical minimum level of regasification are more usual. This level is the minimum production to recover all the BOG generated in any operating situation while maintaining cold all facilities, fully guaranteeing the immediate availability from other equipment in a safely and stable operation. This situation carries both operational and environmental drawbacks, and leads to higher economic costs. This project aims to solve this problem, presenting several technical solutions and deciding which is the most appropriate.

Reducing the impact of EV charging on the electric grid

One of the main objectives of European Commission related to climate and energy is the well-known 20-20-20 targets to be achieved in 2020: Europe has to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of at least 20% below 1990 levels, 20% of EU energy consumption has to come from renewable resources and, finally, a 20% reduction in primary energy use compared with projected levels, has to be achieved by improving energy efficiency. In order to reach these objectives, it is necessary to reduce the overall emissions, mainly in transport (reducing CO2, NOx and other pollutants), and to increase the penetration of the intermittent renewable energy. A high deployment of battery electric (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), with a low-cost source of energy storage, could help to achieve both targets. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) use a combination of a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) with one (or more) electric motor. There are different grades of hybridation from micro-hybrids with start-stop capability, mild hybrids (with kinetic energy recovery), medium hybrids (mild hybrids plus energy assist) and full hybrids (medium hybrids plus electric launch capability). These last types of vehicles use a typical battery capacity around 1-2 kWh. Plug in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) use larger battery capacities to achieve limited electric-only driving range. These vehicles are charged by on-board electricity generation or either plugging into electric outlets. Typical battery capacity is around 10 kWh. Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) are only driven by electric power and their typical battery capacity is around 15-20 kWh. One type of PHEV, the Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV), operates as a BEV until its plug-in battery capacity is depleted; at which point its gasoline engine powers an electric generator to extend the vehicle's range. The charging of PHEVs (including EREVs) and BEVs will have different impacts to the electric grid, depending on the number of vehicles and the start time for charging. Initially, the lecture will start analyzing the electrical power requirements for charging PHEVs-BEVs in Flanders region (Belgium) under different charging scenarios. Secondly and based on an activity-based microsimulation mobility model, an efficient method to reduce this impact will be presented.

3D-based reconstruction using growing neural gas landmark: application to rapid prototyping in shoe last manufacturing

Customizing shoe manufacturing is one of the great challenges in the footwear industry. It is a production model change where design adopts not only the main role, but also the main bottleneck. It is therefore necessary to accelerate this process by improving the accuracy of current methods. Rapid prototyping techniques are based on the reuse of manufactured footwear lasts so that they can be modified with CAD systems leading rapidly to new shoe models. In this work, we present a shoe last fast reconstruction method that fits current design and manufacturing processes. The method is based on the scanning of shoe last obtaining sections and establishing a fixed number of landmarks onto those sections to reconstruct the shoe last 3D surface. Automated landmark extraction is accomplished through the use of the self-organizing network, the growing neural gas (GNG), which is able to topographically map the low dimensionality of the network to the high dimensionality of the contour manifold without requiring a priori knowledge of the input space structure. Moreover, our GNG landmark method is tolerant to noise and eliminates outliers. Our method accelerates up to 12 times the surface reconstruction and filtering processes used by the current shoe last design software. The proposed method offers higher accuracy compared with methods with similar efficiency as voxel grid.

3D model reconstruction using neural gas accelerated on GPU

In this work, we propose the use of the neural gas (NG), a neural network that uses an unsupervised Competitive Hebbian Learning (CHL) rule, to develop a reverse engineering process. This is a simple and accurate method to reconstruct objects from point clouds obtained from multiple overlapping views using low-cost sensors. In contrast to other methods that may need several stages that include downsampling, noise filtering and many other tasks, the NG automatically obtains the 3D model of the scanned objects. To demonstrate the validity of our proposal we tested our method with several models and performed a study of the neural network parameterization computing the quality of representation and also comparing results with other neural methods like growing neural gas and Kohonen maps or classical methods like Voxel Grid. We also reconstructed models acquired by low cost sensors that can be used in virtual and augmented reality environments for redesign or manipulation purposes. Since the NG algorithm has a strong computational cost we propose its acceleration. We have redesigned and implemented the NG learning algorithm to fit it onto Graphics Processing Units using CUDA. A speed-up of 180× faster is obtained compared to the sequential CPU version.

London, England : gas companies' districts, 1884 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Map of London and its environs : shewing the boundary of the jurisdiction of the metropolitan board of work, also the boundaries of the city of London, and the gas companies' districts. It was published by Edward Standford, April 21, 1884. Scale [ca. 1:31,680]. This map is part of a 5 map set showing various thematic districts and boundaries of the London region. The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the British National Grid coordinate system (British National Grid, Airy Spheroid OSGB (1936) Datum). All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as roads, railroads, drainage, selected private and public buildings, towns and villages, cemeteries, parks, farms, gas companies' districts, and more. Relief is shown by hachures. This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from The Harvard Map Collection as part of the Imaging the Urban Environment project. Maps selected for this project represent major urban areas and cities of the world, at various time periods. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features at a large scale. The selection represents a range of regions, originators, ground condition dates, scales, and purposes.

Designing a New EU-Turkey Strategic Gas Partnership. Bruegel Policy Contribution Issue 2015/10 July 2015

Highlights. • The European Commission’s February 2015 Energy Union Communication calls for intensified work on the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) and the establishment of a new strategic energy partnership with Turkey. The presence of the European Union and Turkey in the region is complementary in a number of ways. Building on this could unlock the region’s gas export potential and make gas supplies to the EU and Turkey more secure. • The EU should establish dedicated energy diplomacy taskforces with Turkey and each potential supplier in the region (Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Kurdistan Region of Iraq). This would allow the EU and Turkey to make use of their complementary diplomatic leverages to overcome barriers to regional gas trade. • In parallel, the EU should establish with Turkey a dedicated financing mechanism to facilitate gas infrastructure investments, with a primary focus on the upgrade of the Turkish gas grid. The European Investment Bank might play a role in attracting private and institutional investors through its financing tools. • The four ‘EU-Turkey Energy Diplomacy Taskforces’ and the ‘EU-Turkey Gas Infrastructure Financing Initiative’ would be initiatives of the recently started EU-Turkey Strategic High Level Energy Dialogue. Simone Tagliapietra (simone.tagliapietra@bruegel.org) is Visiting Fellow at Bruegel. Georg Zachmann (georg.zachmann@bruegel.org) is Research Fellow at Bruegel. The authors thank Agata Łoskot-Strachota for comments that helped to improve the paper significantly,

A micro gas turbines for UK domestic combined heat and power

Various micro-radial compressor configurations were investigated using one-dimensional meanline and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques for use in a micro gas turbine (MGT) domestic combined heat and power (DCHP) application. Blade backsweep, shaft speed, and blade height were varied at a constant pressure ratio. Shaft speeds were limited to 220 000 r/min, to enable the use of a turbocharger bearing platform. Off-design compressor performance was established and used to determine the MGT performance envelope; this in turn was used to assess potential cost and environmental savings in a heat-led DCHP operating scenario within the target market of a detached family home. A low target-stage pressure ratio provided an opportunity to reduce diffusion within the impeller. Critically for DCHP, this produced very regular flow, which improved impeller performance for a wider operating envelope. The best performing impeller was a low-speed, 170 000 r/min, low-backsweep, 15° configuration producing 71.76 per cent stage efficiency at a pressure ratio of 2.20. This produced an MGT design point system efficiency of 14.85 per cent at 993 W, matching prime movers in the latest commercial DCHP units. Cost and CO2 savings were 10.7 per cent and 6.3 per cent, respectively, for annual power demands of 17.4 MWht and 6.1 MWhe compared to a standard condensing boiler (with grid) installation. The maximum cost saving (on design point) was 14.2 per cent for annual power demands of 22.62 MWht and 6.1 MWhe corresponding to an 8.1 per cent CO2 saving. When sizing, maximum savings were found with larger heat demands. When sized, maximum savings could be made by encouraging more electricity export either by reducing household electricity consumption or by increasing machine efficiency.