Smart grid

All over the world, electrical power systems are encountering radical change stimulated by the urgent need to decarbonize electricity supply, to swap aging resources and to make effective application of swiftly evolving information and communication technologies (ICTs). All of these goals converge toward one direction; ‘Smart Grid.’ The Smart Grid can be described as the transparent, seamless, and instantaneous two-way delivery of energy information, enabling the electricity industry to better manage energy delivery and transmission and empowering consumers to have more control over energy decisions. Basically, the vision of Smart Grid is to provide much better visibility to lower-voltage networks as well as to permit the involvement of consumers in the function of the power system, mostly through smart meters and Smart Homes. A Smart Grid incorporates the features of advanced ICTs to convey real-time information and facilitate the almost instantaneous stability of supply and demand on the electrical grid. The operational data collected by Smart Grid and its sub-systems will allow system operators to quickly recognize the best line of attack to protect against attacks, susceptibility, and so on, sourced by a variety of incidents. However, Smart Grid initially depends upon knowing and researching key performance components and developing the proper education program to equip current and future workforce with the knowledge and skills for exploitation of this greatly advanced system. The aim of this chapter is to provide a basic discussion of the Smart Grid concept, evolution and components of Smart Grid, environmental impacts of Smart Grid and then in some detail, to describe the technologies that are required for its realization. Even though the Smart Grid concept is not yet fully defined, the chapter will be helpful in describing the key enabling technologies and thus allowing the reader to play a part in the debate over the future of the Smart Grid. The chapter concludes with the experimental description and results of developing a hybrid prediction method for solar power which is applicable to successfully implement the ‘Smart Grid.’

International housing market analysis based on housing commencements

Additions to the aggregate housing stock are a broad measure of the state of an economy and overall level of confidence in a particular region over a designated period. This is due to the direct and indirect effect (e.g. employment in the housing construction industry) upon on the local economy and is linked to the confidence of local households in the future direction of housing investment, the level of housing affordability by households as related to employment levels and the relationship between supply and demand in each region. Another consideration is the ability of the government to monitor and successfully intervene in the operation of the household market (e.g. mortgage interest rates) with the intent of restricting an over-supply situation which may take years to fully recover. The analysis in this section examines new housing commencements for Scotland, Australia, USA and Canada over an extended time period with the specific focus placed on the periods before, during and after the high profile global financial crisis in 2007-2008. The graph in Figure 1 was adapted from data sourced from The Scottish Government (2013) and covers the 15-year period between 1998 and 2012. With the exception of 1999 there were been relatively few years with substantial additions to the housing market. However, the effect of the GFC can clearly be observed post 2007 although by 2012 there was relatively change from the previous year.

Digital systems for open access to formal and informal learning

 Today, Digital Systems and Services for Technology Supported Learning and Education are recognized as the key drivers to transform the way that individuals, groups and organizations “learn” and the way to “assess learning” in 21st Century. These transformations influence: Objectives - moving from acquiring new “knowledge” to developing new and relevant “competences”; Methods – moving from “classroom” based teaching to “context-aware” personalized learning; and Assessment – moving from “life-long” degrees and certifications to “on-demand” and “in-context” accreditation of qualifications. Within this context, promoting Open Access to Formal and Informal Learning, is currently a key issue in the public discourse and the global dialogue on Education, including Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and Flipped School Classrooms.

Psychosocial and other working conditions in relation to body mass index in a representative sample of Australian workers

Background The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between psychosocial and other working conditions and body-mass index (BMI) in a working population. This study contributes to the approximately dozen investigations of job stress, which have demonstrated mixed positive and negative results in relation to obesity, overweight and BMI. Methods A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted among working Australians in the state of Victoria. Participants were contacted by telephone from a random sample of phone book listings. Information on body mass index was self-reported as were psychosocial work conditions assessed using the demand/control and effort/reward imbalance models. Other working conditions measured included working hours, shift work, and physical demand. Separate linear regression analyses were undertaken for males and females, with adjustment for potential confounders. Results A total of 1101 interviews (526 men and 575 women) were completed. Multivariate models (adjusted for socio-demographics) demonstrated no associations between job strain, as measured using the demand/control model, or ERI using the effort/reward imbalance model (after further adjustment for over commitment) and BMI among men and women. Multivariate models demonstrated a negative association between low reward and BMI among women. Among men, multivariate models demonstrated positive associations between high effort, high psychological demand, long working hours and BMI and a negative association between high physical demand and BMI. After controlling for the effort/reward imbalance or the demand/control model, the association between physical demand and working longer hours and BMI remained. Conclusion Among men and women the were differing patterns of both exposures to psychosocial working conditions and associations with BMI. Among men, working long hours was positively associated with higher BMI and this association was partly independent of job stress. Among men physical demand was negatively associated with BMI and this association was independent of job stress.

Market effects on forecasting construction prices using vector error correction models

Construction price forecasting is an essential component to facilitate decision-making for construction contractors, investors and related financial institutions. Construction economists are increasingly interested in seeking a more analytical method to forecast construction prices. Although many studies have focused on construction price modelling and forecasting, few have considered the impacts of large-scale economic events and seasonality. In this study, an advanced multivariate modelling technique, namely the vector correction (VEC) model with dummy variables, was employed. The impacts of global economic events and seasonality are factored into the model to forecast the construction price in the Australian construction market. Research findings suggest that both long-run and dynamic short-term causal relationships exist among the price and levels of supply and demand in the construction market. These relationships drive the construction price and supply and demand, which interact with one another as a loop system. The reliability of forecasting models was examined by the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and the Theil's inequality coefficient U tests. The test results suggest that the conventional VEC model and the VEC model with dummy variable are both acceptable for forecasting the construction price, while the VEC model considering external impacts achieves higher prediction accuracy than the conventional VEC model. © 2014 © 2014 Taylor & Francis.

Recent advances in omega-3: health benefits, sources, products and bioavailability

The joint symposium of The Omega-3 Centre and the Australasian Section American Oil Chemists Society; Recent Advances in Omega-3: Health Benefits, Sources, Products and Bioavailability, was held November 7, 2013 in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Over 115 attendees received new information on a range of health benefits, aquaculture as a sustainable source of supply, and current and potential new and novel sources of these essential omega-3 long-chain (LC, ≥ C20) polyunsaturated fatty acid nutrients (also termed LC omega-3). The theme of "Food versus Fuel" was an inspired way to present a vast array of emerging and ground breaking Omega-3 research that has application across many disciplines. Eleven papers submitted following from the Omega-3 Symposium are published in this Special Issue volume, with topics covered including: an update on the use of the Omega-3 Index (O3I), the effects of dosage and concurrent intake of vitamins/minerals on omega-3 incorporation into red blood cells, the possible use of the O3I as a measure of risk for adiposity, the need for and progress with new land plant sources of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6ω3), the current status of farmed Australian and New Zealand fish, and also supplements, in terms of their LC omega-3 and persistent organic pollutants (POP) content, progress with cheap carbon sources in the culture of DHA-producing single cell organisms, a detailed examination of the lipids of the New Zealand Greenshell mussel, and a pilot investigation of the purification of New Zealand hoki liver oil by short path distillation. The selection of papers in this Special Issue collectively highlights a range of forward looking and also new and including positive scientific outcomes occurring in the omega-3 field.

A panel vector error correction approach to forecasting demand in regional construction markets

Reliable forecasting as to the level of aggregate demand for construction is of vital importance to developers, builders and policymakers. Previous construction demand forecasting studies mainly focused on temporal estimating using national aggregate data. The construction market can be better represented by a group of interconnected regions or local markets rather than a national aggregate, and yet regional forecasting techniques have rarely been applied. Furthermore, limited research has applied regional variations in construction markets to construction demand modelling and forecasting. A new comprehensive method is used, a panel vector error correction approach, to forecast regional construction demand using Australia’s state-level data. The links between regional construction demand and general economic indicators are investigated by panel cointegration and causality analysis. The empirical results suggest that both long-run and causal links are found between regional construction demand and construction price, state income, population, unemployment rates and interest rates. The panel vector error correction model can provide reliable and robust forecasting with less than 10% of the mean absolute percentage error for a medium-term trend of regional construction demand and outperforms the conventional forecasting models (panel multiple regression and time series multiple regression model). The key macroeconomic factors of construction demand variations across regions in Australia are also presented. The findings and robust econometric techniques used are valuable to construction economists in examining future construction markets at a regional level.

Q-fever and Australian farmers: is the health system paying enough attention? A literature review

Introduction: Q-fever is caused by Coxiella burnetii, a Gram-negative bacterium and Rickettsia-like organism. Transmitted from wild and domestic animals to humans, the most common route is inhalation of contaminated dust; however the oral route can be considered as a second pathway. Aim: to understand the reasons behind not including farming workforce and their families in the national vaccinations program. Discussion: In 1977 Q-fever became a notifiable disease nationally. Australia is the only country to have a registered Q-fever vaccine. As a result of the cost of the vaccine, Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) supply and subsidised program arrangements are based on the active cases count per year (by occupation), rather than for occupations that expose workers to high level of possible "risk". Conclusion: Australian farmers, farm managers, farm workers and their families need to be well educated about Q-fever and included in the national vaccination program.

The role of technology on the dynamics of coal consumption-economic growth: new evidence from China

Coal comprises 70% of primary energy sources and 80% of electricity generation in China. This paper investigates the coal consumption-economic growth nexus in an integrated demand-supply framework over the period from 1978 to 2010. We incorporate the role of coal technology to explain the growth process. Using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag bounds testing approach, we find improvement in the coal-to-electricity efficiency indicator, a proxy for coal technology, causing almost a 35% increase in real GDP in the long run. The Toda-Yamamoto causality test indicates unidirectional causality from coal consumption to economic growth, feedback effects both for coal-to-electricity efficiency indicator to economic growth and coal demand and openness to coal consumption. For a robustness check, we forecast the validity of the causal relationships beyond the sample horizon using the generalised forecast error variance decomposition method. Our analysis suggests that improving overall efficiency in coal sector will continue to play a significant role in maintaining sustainable growth in China in the long run.

Child and adolescent obesity: part of a bigger picture

The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity has risen substantially worldwide in less than one generation. In the USA, the average weight of a child has risen by more than 5 kg within three decades, to a point where a third of the country's children are overweight or obese. Some low-income and middle-income countries have reported similar or more rapid rises in child obesity, despite continuing high levels of undernutrition. Nutrition policies to tackle child obesity need to promote healthy growth and household nutrition security and protect children from inducements to be inactive or to overconsume foods of poor nutritional quality. The promotion of energy-rich and nutrient-poor products will encourage rapid weight gain in early childhood and exacerbate risk factors for chronic disease in all children, especially those showing poor linear growth. Whereas much public health effort has been expended to restrict the adverse marketing of breastmilk substitutes, similar effort now needs to be expanded and strengthened to protect older children from increasingly sophisticated marketing of sedentary activities and energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods and beverages. To meet this challenge, the governance of food supply and food markets should be improved and commercial activities subordinated to protect and promote children's health.

Organização e gerenciamento de frota e terminais em empresas de transporte de carga através de modelos de pesquisa operacional

Este trabalho discute a aplicação de modelos de Pesquisa Operacional como base para o gerenciamento de operações e análise de tecnologias em empresa de transporte de carga. Inicialmente, busca-se contextualizar o escopo deste trabalho dentro do ambiente competitivo atual a fim de que sejam percebidas as conexões entre os sistemas de operações vigentes e os modelos apresentados. Também é feita uma discussão preliminar do conceito de logística, visto que este enseja uma série de acepções para o termo. Em seguida é apresentada uma revisão de algumas ferramentas de modelagem que usualmente são aplicadas a problemas de suprimento, distribuição e transbordo de produtos. Com base nesta revisão é proposta uma abordagem hierarquizada para o tratamento de problemas de logística. Um estudo de caso realizado em uma empresa de transporte de carga busca então aplicar algumas ferramentas de Pesquisa Operacional nos diversos níveis de gerenciamento de operações. Por fim, o trabalho verifica as potencialidades do uso de uma abordagem hierarquizada e a importância da adoção de modelos em empresas de transporte de carga como forma de alavancagem da sua competividade frente as novas exigências do mercado.

Impacto da tecnologia da informação nas variáveis estratégicas organizacionais na gestão da cadeia de suprimentos

A gestão da cadeia de suprimentos (SCM) é reconhecida como uma importante área para inovação e investimento em tecnologia da informação (TI). Apesar da importância dos investimentos em TI para a eficiência da SCM, percebe-se a falta de modelos que mensurem os impactos da TI na gestão das cadeias, resultando na oportunidade de pesquisa explorada pelo presente trabalho. O objetivo dessa pesquisa é a identificação dos impactos dos investimentos em TI nas variáveis estratégicas organizacionais na gestão da cadeia de suprimentos no setor metal-mecânico. Para tanto, foram identificadas na literatura as variáveis estratégicas organizacionais impactadas pela TI na SCM e um modelo teórico de pesquisa foi construído. A partir do modelo teórico foi desenvolvido um instrumento de pesquisa do tipo survey que foi validado e refinado seguindo metodologia sugerida pela literatura. Como resultados do estudo destacam-se: (1) a identificação de cinco variáveis impactadas pelo uso da TI na SCM, sendo elas: Integração, Custos de Armazenagem, Custos de Movimentação, Velocidade e Competitividade; (2) um modelo de pesquisa para avaliação do impacto da TI na SCM; (3) um instrumento de pesquisa validado para mensuração dos impactos através da avaliação da percepção dos executivos e (4) a avaliação dos impactos segundo a percepção dos executivos da indústria metal-mecânica de grande porte do RS.

Análise das estratégias de entrada de mercado adotadas por uma organização privada de saúde: o caso Fleury S.A.

Esta dissertação analisa como as estratégias de entrada de mercado adotadas por uma organização privada de saúde contribuíram para a formação dos recursos e capacidades dos seus novos empreendimentos e para o desempenho desses negócios. Para tanto, este trabalho recorre a revisão bibliográfica sobre Entrada de Mercado e Teoria dos Recursos da Firma (RBV) e aplica um estudo de caso no Fleury S.A., apoiado em entrevistas semi-estruturadas com os altos executivos da organização. Os empreendimentos Check-up, Hospital-Dia e a Holding NKB são estudados em profundidade e evidenciam características distintas de entrada, que variam conforme os laços de ligação com o Fleury: por meio do crescimento interno, da formação de uma Joint Venture e da criação de uma Spin-off. Como resultados, verifica-se a convergência da literatura de Entrada de Mercado e RBV, em que os recursos e capacidades do potencial entrante têm um importante impacto no modo de entrada, bem como em sua performance pós-entrada de mercado. Por outro lado, a inexperiência no novo mercado e as analogias equivocadas foram observadas como as principais responsáveis pela entrada inapropriada em um novo mercado.

Mercado de crédito no Brasil: características e respostas a choques

Verifica-se a existência de forte componente auto-regressivo ao se decompor o impacto dos principais componentes na determinação do volume de crédito no Brasil. Tal fato é indicativo de que a política bancária é muito relevante para determinação do volume de crédito no Brasil. Variáveis controladas pelo governo - como taxa básica de juros e depósitos compulsórios - não mostraram grande impacto no total de crédito. A grande proporção de créditos direcionados na economia brasileira, com a contrapartida de ser positiva na formulação de políticas públicas, traz conseqüências negativas como: (i) maior taxa de juros nos empréstimos livre; (ii) dificuldade de construir mercado de empréstimos para prazos mais longos, especialmente para empresas; e (iii) maior inércia à política monetária.

Hysteresis e o comércio exterior de produtos industrializados brasileiros

This article investigates the hypothesis of hysteresis for the Brazilian manufactured exports and imports in recent years. For that it was used an empirical measure of strong hysteresis (macroeconomic) developed by Piscitelli et al. (2000) and tested its significance in sectoral supply and demand equations for exports and in sectoral equations for import demand. The results shows that Brazilian manufactured exports are strongly determined by international demand, being the empirical measure of real exchange rate expressed by the ratio between international prices and export prices nationals the relevant measure to explain the export performance. With respect to the hysteresis hypothesis, it was rejected for the aggregate of manufactures exports, but accepted in some industrial sectors. For imports this hypothesis was accepted for aggregate of manufactured imports and for ten industrial sectors.