Cadmium in the environment and high risk population groups

Cadmium has been widely used in various industries for the past fifty years, with current world production standing at around 16,755 tonnes per year. Very little cadmium is ever recycled and the ultimate fate of all cadmium is the environment. In view of reports that cadmium in the environment is increasing, this thesis aims to identify population groups 'at risk' of receiving dietary intakes of cadmium up to or above the current Food and Agricultural Organisation/World Health Organisation maximum tolerable intake of 70 ug/day. The study involves the investigation of one hundred households (260 individuals) who grow a large proportion of their vegetable diet in garden soils in the Borough of Walsall, part of an urban/industrial area in the United Kingdom. Measurements were made of the cadmium levels in atmospheric deposition, soil, house dust, diet and urine from the participants. Atmospheric deposition of cadmium was found to be comparable with other urban/industrial areas in the European Community, with deposition rates as high as 209 g ha-1 yr-1. The garden soils of the study households were found to contain up to 33 mg kg-1 total cadmium, eleven times the highest level usually found in agricultural soils. Dietary intakes of cadmium by the residents from food were calculated to be as high as 68 ug/day. It is suggested that with intakes from other sources, such as air, adventitious ingestion, smoking and occupational exposure, total intakes of cadmium may reach or exceed the FAO/WHO limit. Urinary excretion of cadmium amongst a non-smoking, non-occupationally exposed sub-group of the study population was found to be significantly higher than that of a similar urban population who did not rely on home-produced vegetables. The results from this research indicate that present levels of cadmium in urban/industrial areas can increase dietary intakes and body burdens of cadmium. As cadmium serves no useful biological function and has been found to be highly toxic, it is recommended that policy measures to reduce human exposure on the European scale be considered.

CamSim:a distributed smart camera network simulator

Smart cameras allow pre-processing of video data on the camera instead of sending it to a remote server for further analysis. Having a network of smart cameras allows various vision tasks to be processed in a distributed fashion. While cameras may have different tasks, we concentrate on distributed tracking in smart camera networks. This application introduces various highly interesting problems. Firstly, how can conflicting goals be satisfied such as cameras in the network try to track objects while also trying to keep communication overhead low? Secondly, how can cameras in the network self adapt in response to the behavior of objects and changes in scenarios, to ensure continued efficient performance? Thirdly, how can cameras organise themselves to improve the overall network's performance and efficiency? This paper presents a simulation environment, called CamSim, allowing distributed self-adaptation and self-organisation algorithms to be tested, without setting up a physical smart camera network. The simulation tool is written in Java and hence allows high portability between different operating systems. Relaxing various problems of computer vision and network communication enables a focus on implementing and testing new self-adaptation and self-organisation algorithms for cameras to use.

Optimising market share and profit margin:SMDP-based tariff pricing under the smart grid paradigm

Smart grid technologies have given rise to a liberalised and decentralised electricity market, enabling energy providers and retailers to have a better understanding of the demand side and its response to pricing signals. This paper puts forward a reinforcement-learning-powered tool aiding an electricity retailer to define the tariff prices it offers, in a bid to optimise its retail strategy. In a competitive market, an energy retailer aims to simultaneously increase the number of contracted customers and its profit margin. We have abstracted the problem of deciding on a tariff price as faced by a retailer, as a semi-Markov decision problem (SMDP). A hierarchical reinforcement learning approach, MaxQ value function decomposition, is applied to solve the SMDP through interactions with the market. To evaluate our trading strategy, we developed a retailer agent (termed AstonTAC) that uses the proposed SMDP framework to act in an open multi-agent simulation environment, the Power Trading Agent Competition (Power TAC). An evaluation and analysis of the 2013 Power TAC finals show that AstonTAC successfully selects sell prices that attract as many customers as necessary to maximise the profit margin. Moreover, during the competition, AstonTAC was the only retailer agent performing well across all retail market settings.

Smart Portable Fluorometer for Express-Diagnostics of Photosynthesis: Principles of Operation and Results of Experimental Researches

In the Institute of Cybernetics of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine the smart portable fluorometer for express-diagnostics of photosynthesis was designed. The device allows easy to estimate the level of influence of natural environment and pollutions to alive plants. The device is based on real time processing of the curve of chlorophyll fluorescent induction. The principles of operation and results of experimental researches of device are described in the article.

Enhanced connectivity and QoE through LTE-WiFi interworking in Smart Cities

Mobile communication and networking infrastructures play an important role in the development of smart cities, to support real-time information exchange and management required in modern urbanization. Mobile WiFi devices that help offloading data traffic from the macro-cell base station and serve the end users within a closer range can significantly improve the connectivity of wireless communications between essential components including infrastructural and human devices in a city. However, this offloading function through interworking between LTE and WiFi systems will change the pattern of resource distributions operated by the base station. In this paper, a resource allocation scheme is proposed to ensure stable service coverage and end-user quality of experience (QoE) when offloading takes place in a macro-cell environment. In this scheme, a rate redistribution algorithm is derived to form a parametric scheduler to meet the required levels of efficiency and fairness, guided by a no-reference quality assessment metric. We show that the performance of resource allocation can be regulated by this scheduler without affecting the service coverage offered by the WLAN access point. The performances of different interworking scenarios and macro-cell scheduling policies are also compared.

Close-Up of Charles and Betty Perry in their Palm Beach Home

Close-Up of Charles and Betty Perry in their Palm Beach Home. Charles Edward Perry (Chuck), 1937-1999, was the founding president of Florida International University in Miami, Florida. He grew up in Logan County, West Virginia and received his bachelor's and masters's degrees from Bowling Green State University. He married Betty Laird in 1960. In 1969, at the age of 32, Perry was the youngest president of any university in the nation. The name of the university reflects Perry’s desire for a title that would not limit the scope of the institution and would support his vision of having close ties to Latin America. Perry and a founding corps opened FIU to 5,667 students in 1972 with only one large building housing six different schools. Perry left the office of President of FIU in 1976 when the student body had grown to 10,000 students and the university had six buildings, offered 134 different degrees and was fully accredited. Charles Perry died on August 30, 1999 at his home in Rockwall, Texas. He is buried on the FIU campus in front of the Graham Center entrance. Betty Laird Perry was born Betty Laird in Ashland, Ohio. She attended Akron General Hospital School of Nursing, where she was the president of the Akron, Ohio TriCity Student Government Association. She received a 3 year diploma in nursing in 1960 and took her state board exams for licensure as an RN that same year. Ultimately, she became licensed in Ohio, Florida and Texas. She met Charles Perry in 1959 and the couple married on September 17, 1960, in Ashland, Ohio; the same week of her graduation. Betty began her nursing career at the Bowling Green State University campus Health Center while Chuck worked on the Admissions staff. In 1974, Mrs. Perry received her BSN from Florida International University and in 1985 she earned a Master's Degree in Healthcare Policy and Planning from Georgia State University. She went on to start her own business, BC Golf, Ltd., in 1992 where she was recognized by Cambridge’s Who's Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in business management. Betty’s passion for art is reflected in the Student Art Award at Florida International University which she and Charles Perry started. In 2010-2011, Betty made a generous donation to the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum Building Fund at Florida International University where she has a gallery named in her honor that is dedicated to student, faculty, and alumni exhibitions.

Charles and Betty Perry in their Palm Beach Home.

Charles and Betty Perry in their Palm Beach home. Charles Edward Perry (Chuck), 1937-1999, was the founding president of Florida International University in Miami, Florida. He grew up in Logan County, West Virginia and graduated from Bowling Green State University. He married Betty Laird in 1960. In 1969, at the age of 32, Perry was the youngest president of any university in the nation. The name of the university reflects Perry’s desire for a title that would not limit the scope of the institution and would support his vision of having close ties to Latin America. Perry and a founding corps opened FIU to 5,667 students in 1972 with only one large building housing six different schools. Perry left the office of President of FIU in 1976 when the student body had grown to 10,000 students and the university had six buildings, offered 134 different degrees and was fully accredited. Charles Perry died on August 30, 1999 at his home in Rockwall, Texas. He is buried on the FIU campus in front of the Graham Center entrance. Betty Laird Perry was born Betty Laird in Ashland, Ohio. She attended Akron General Hospital School of Nursing, where she was the president of the Akron, Ohio TriCity Student Government Association. She received a 3 year diploma in nursing in 1960 and took her state board exams for licensure as an RN that same year. Ultimately, she became licensed in Ohio, Florida and Texas. She met Charles Perry in 1959 and the couple married on September 17, 1960, in Ashland, Ohio; the same week of her graduation. Betty began her nursing career at the Bowling Green State University campus Health Center while Chuck worked on the Admissions staff. In 1974, Mrs. Perry received her BSN from Florida International University and in 1985 she earned a Master's Degree in Healthcare Policy and Planning from Georgia State University. She went on to start her own business, BC Golf, Ltd., in 1992 where she was recognized by Cambridge’s Who's Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in business management. Betty’s passion for art is reflected in the Student Art Award at Florida International University which she and Charles Perry started. In 2010-2011, Betty made a generous donation to the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum Building Fund at Florida International University where she has a gallery named in her honor that is dedicated to student, faculty, and alumni exhibitions.

Development and verification of control and protection strategies in hybrid AC/DC power systems for smart grid applications

Modern power networks incorporate communications and information technology infrastructure into the electrical power system to create a smart grid in terms of control and operation. The smart grid enables real-time communication and control between consumers and utility companies allowing suppliers to optimize energy usage based on price preference and system technical issues. The smart grid design aims to provide overall power system monitoring, create protection and control strategies to maintain system performance, stability and security. This dissertation contributed to the development of a unique and novel smart grid test-bed laboratory with integrated monitoring, protection and control systems. This test-bed was used as a platform to test the smart grid operational ideas developed here. The implementation of this system in the real-time software creates an environment for studying, implementing and verifying novel control and protection schemes developed in this dissertation. Phasor measurement techniques were developed using the available Data Acquisition (DAQ) devices in order to monitor all points in the power system in real time. This provides a practical view of system parameter changes, system abnormal conditions and its stability and security information system. These developments provide valuable measurements for technical power system operators in the energy control centers. Phasor Measurement technology is an excellent solution for improving system planning, operation and energy trading in addition to enabling advanced applications in Wide Area Monitoring, Protection and Control (WAMPAC). Moreover, a virtual protection system was developed and implemented in the smart grid laboratory with integrated functionality for wide area applications. Experiments and procedures were developed in the system in order to detect the system abnormal conditions and apply proper remedies to heal the system. A design for DC microgrid was developed to integrate it to the AC system with appropriate control capability. This system represents realistic hybrid AC/DC microgrids connectivity to the AC side to study the use of such architecture in system operation to help remedy system abnormal conditions. In addition, this dissertation explored the challenges and feasibility of the implementation of real-time system analysis features in order to monitor the system security and stability measures. These indices are measured experimentally during the operation of the developed hybrid AC/DC microgrids. Furthermore, a real-time optimal power flow system was implemented to optimally manage the power sharing between AC generators and DC side resources. A study relating to real-time energy management algorithm in hybrid microgrids was performed to evaluate the effects of using energy storage resources and their use in mitigating heavy load impacts on system stability and operational security.

Cultural perceptions of space and place in the South Florida *environment

Public opinion polls in the United States reveal that a great majority of Americans are aware and show concern about ecological issues and the need to preserve natural areas. In South Florida, natural resources have been subjected to enormous strain as the pressure to accommodate a growing population has led to rapid development. Suburbs have been built on areas that were once natural wetlands and farmlands, and the impact today shows a landscape where natural places have all but disappeared. This dissertation examines the intersection between the perceptions that individuals living in the South Florida region have with respect to the natural environment and local ecological problems with where their relationship to nature takes place. ^ The research is based upon both quantitative and qualitative data. The principal methodology used in this research is the ethnographic method, which employed the data gathering techniques of in-depth interviewing and participant observation. The objective of the qualitative portion of the study was to determine how people perceive and relate to their immediate environment. The quantitative portion of the study employed telephone survey data from the FIU/Florida Poll 2000. Data collected through this survey provided the basis to statistically test responses to the research questions. ^ The findings show that people in South Florida have a general idea of the relationship between the human population and the environment but very little knowledge of how they individually affect each other. The experience of private places and public spaces in everyday life permits people to compartmentalize cultural values and understandings of the natural world in separate cognitive schemas. The appreciation of the natural world has almost no connection to their personal sense of obligation to preserve the environment. That obligation is only felt in their home space even though the South Florida environment overall struggles desperately with water shortages, land encroachment, and a rapidly expanding human population whose activities continuously aggravate an already delicate natural balance. ^

Betty Perry in the Perry's Palm Beach Home

Betty Perry in the Perry's Palm Beach Home. Betty Laird Perry was born Betty Laird in Ashland, Ohio. She attended Akron General Hospital School of Nursing, where she was the president of the Akron, Ohio TriCity Student Government Association. She received a 3 year diploma in nursing in 1960 and took her state board exams for licensure as an RN that same year. Ultimately, she became licensed in Ohio, Florida and Texas. She met Charles Perry in 1959 and the couple married on September 17, 1960, in Ashland, Ohio; the same week of her graduation. Betty began her nursing career at the Bowling Green State University campus Health Center while Charles worked on the Admissions staff. In 1974, Mrs. Perry received her BSN from Florida International University and in 1985 she earned a Master's Degree in Healthcare Policy and Planning from Georgia State University. Betty and Charles went on to start their own business , BC Golf, Ltd., in 1992. Betty was later recognized by Cambridge’s Who's Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in business management. Betty’s passion for art is reflected in the Student Art Award at Florida International University which she and Charles Perry started in the 1970's. In 2010-2011, Betty made a generous donation to the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum Building Fund at Florida International University where she has a gallery named in her honor that is dedicated to student, faculty, and alumni exhibitions.

Reaching home : a novel

This is the coming-of-age story of a twelve-year-old girl who lives in a Florida fishing village in 1968, and is thought to be retarded. On a birthday trip to see dolphins perform at a road side show she learns that they are captives simply because man believes he has the right of dominance over "dumb" animals. This emotionally conquered child develops a feeling of kinship to these dolphins and when, with outside help, she discovers that she is dyslexic, not retarded, it frees her to recognize that errors in thinking may exist at many levels. Her release from the trap of human ignorance allows her to devise a way to free the dolphins and guide them home to the sea.

An evaluation of home range models for marine fish tracking and fine scale habitat use and movement patterns of age 1 Greenland cod (Gadus macrocephalus ogac)

My thesis examines fine-scale habitat use and movement patterns of age 1 Greenland cod (Gadus macrocephalus ogac) tracked using acoustic telemetry. Recent advances in tracking technologies such as GPS and acoustic telemetry have led to increasingly large and detailed datasets that present new opportunities for researchers to address fine-scale ecological questions regarding animal movement and spatial distribution. There is a growing demand for home range models that will not only work with massive quantities of autocorrelated data, but that can also exploit the added detail inherent in these high-resolution datasets. Most published home range studies use radio-telemetry or satellite data from terrestrial mammals or avian species, and most studies that evaluate the relative performance of home range models use simulated data. In Chapter 2, I used actual field-collected data from age-1 Greenland cod tracked with acoustic telemetry to evaluate the accuracy and precision of six home range models: minimum convex polygons, kernel densities with plug-in bandwidth selection and the reference bandwidth, adaptive local convex hulls, Brownian bridges, and dynamic Brownian bridges. I then applied the most appropriate model to two years (2010-2012) of tracking data collected from 82 tagged Greenland cod tracked in Newman Sound, Newfoundland, Canada, to determine diel and seasonal differences in habitat use and movement patterns (Chapter 3). Little is known of juvenile cod ecology, so resolving these relationships will provide valuable insight into activity patterns, habitat use, and predator-prey dynamics, while filling a knowledge gap regarding the use of space by age 1 Greenland cod in a coastal nursery habitat. By doing so, my thesis demonstrates an appropriate technique for modelling the spatial use of fish from acoustic telemetry data that can be applied to high-resolution, high-frequency tracking datasets collected from mobile organisms in any environment.

Human Presence Detection in ambiente Home Manager: sperimentazione su piattaforma Raspberry

Home Manager, è una piattaforma sperimentale per la gestione di Smart Space e in particolare di una casa intelligente immersa in uno ambiente, avente l'ambizione di anticipare le necessità dell'utente. Questa tesi ha due obiettivi fondamentali: in primo luogo, implementare su piattaforma Raspberry la parte di Home Manager relativa allo scenario del riconoscimento delle persone negli ambienti della casa, mediante l'utilizzo del modulo telecamera; in secondo luogo, attraverso le informazioni ricavate precedentemente, implementare e simulare una gestione intelligente e automatica delle luci presenti all'interno della casa, sfruttando a tal fine un modulo relè.

Climate-smart soils

We thank A. Swan for figure design. We thank the following organisations for support: USDA/NIFA (grant number 2011-67003-30205 to K.P. and S.O.); USDA/NRCS (grant number CESU-68-7482-15-507 to K.P.); the NSF (grant number DEB 1027253 to G.P.R.); the US DOE (grant number DE-FCO2-07ER64494 to G.P.R.); NERC (grant number NE/M016900/1 to P.S.); and the Belmont Forum/FACCE-JPI (grant number NE/M021327/1 to P.S.).

Control and prediction for blackouts caused by frequency collapse in smart grids

C.-W.W. is supported by a studentship funded by the College of Physical Sciences, University of Aberdeen. M.S.B. acknowledges EPSRC grant NO. EP/I032606/1.