Promoting behaviour change through personalized energy feedback in offices

A body of research suggests that the provision of energy feedback information to building users can elicit significant energy reductions through behaviour change. However, most studies have focused on energy use in homes and the assessment of interventions and technologies, to the neglect of the non-domestic context and broader issues arising from the introduction of feedback technologies. To address this gap, a non-domestic case study explores the delivery of personalized energy feedback to office workers through a novel system utilizing wireless technologies. The research demonstrates advantages of monitoring occupancy and quantifying energy use from specific behaviours as a basis for effective energy feedback; this is particularly important where there are highly disaggregated forms of energy use and a range of locations for that activity to take place. Quantitative and qualitative data show that personalized feedback can help individuals identify energy reduction opportunities. However, the analysis also highlights important contextual barriers and issues that need to be addressed when utilizing feedback technologies in the workplace. If neglected, these issues may limit the effective take-up of feedback interventions.

Improvement and sensitivity analysis of thermal thin-ice thickness retrievals

Considering the sea ice decline in the Arctic during the last decades, polynyas are of high research interest since these features are core areas of new ice formation. The determination of ice formation requires accurate retrieval of polynya area and thin-ice thickness (TIT) distribution within the polynya.We use an established energy balance model to derive TITs with MODIS ice surface temperatures (Ts) and NCEP/DOE Reanalysis II in the Laptev Sea for two winter seasons. Improvements of the algorithm mainly concern the implementation of an iterative approach to calculate the atmospheric flux components taking the atmospheric stratification into account. Furthermore, a sensitivity study is performed to analyze the errors of the ice thickness. The results are the following: 1) 2-m air temperatures (Ta) and Ts have the highest impact on the retrieved ice thickness; 2) an overestimation of Ta yields smaller ice thickness errors as an underestimation of Ta; 3) NCEP Ta shows often a warm bias; and 4) the mean absolute error for ice thicknesses up to 20 cm is ±4.7 cm. Based on these results, we conclude that, despite the shortcomings of the NCEP data (coarse spatial resolution and no polynyas), this data set is appropriate in combination with MODIS Ts for the retrieval of TITs up to 20 cm in the Laptev Sea region. The TIT algorithm can be applied to other polynya regions and to past and future time periods. Our TIT product is a valuable data set for verification of other model and remote sensing ice thickness data.

Energy

The impact of energy policy measures has been assessed with various appraisal and evaluation tools since the 1960s. Decision analysis, environmental impact assessment and strategic environmental assessment are all notable examples of progenitors of Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) in the assessment of energy policies, programmes and projects. This chapter provides overview of policy tools which have been historically applied to assess the impacts of energy policies, programmes and projects. It focuses on the types of data and models that typically inform RIAs for energy policies; the organisations involved; and issues of data exchange between energy companies and policy-makers. Examples are derived from the European Commission, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands and France. It is concluded that the technical and economic analysis underpinning RIAs on energy policy and regulation varies significantly depending on the type of organisation carrying them out.

Analysis of the genetic diversity and structure across a wide range of germplasm reveals prominent gene flow in apple at the European level

Abstract Background: The amount and structure of genetic diversity in dessert apple germplasm conserved at a European level is mostly unknown, since all diversity studies conducted in Europe until now have been performed on regional or national collections. Here, we applied a common set of 16 SSR markers to genotype more than 2,400 accessions across 14 collections representing three broad European geographic regions (North+East, West and South) with the aim to analyze the extent, distribution and structure of variation in the apple genetic resources in Europe. Results: A Bayesian model-based clustering approach showed that diversity was organized in three groups, although these were only moderately differentiated (FST=0.031). A nested Bayesian clustering approach allowed identification of subgroups which revealed internal patterns of substructure within the groups, allowing a finer delineation of the variation into eight subgroups (FST=0.044). The first level of stratification revealed an asymmetric division of the germplasm among the three groups, and a clear association was found with the geographical regions of origin of the cultivars. The substructure revealed clear partitioning of genetic groups among countries, but also interesting associations between subgroups and breeding purposes of recent cultivars or particular usage such as cider production. Additional parentage analyses allowed us to identify both putative parents of more than 40 old and/or local cultivars giving interesting insights in the pedigree of some emblematic cultivars. Conclusions: The variation found at group and sub-group levels may reflect a combination of historical processes of migration/selection and adaptive factors to diverse agricultural environments that, together with genetic drift, have resulted in extensive genetic variation but limited population structure. The European dessert apple germplasm represents an important source of genetic diversity with a strong historical and patrimonial value. The present work thus constitutes a decisive step in the field of conservation genetics. Moreover, the obtained data can be used for defining a European apple core collection useful for further identification of genomic regions associated with commercially important horticultural traits in apple through genome-wide association studies.

Underreporting of Energy Intake in Brazilian Women Varies According to Dietary Assessment: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Doubly Labeled Water

Objective Underreporting of energy intake is prevalent in food surveys, but there is controversy about which dietary assessment method provides greater underreporting rates. Our objective is to compare validity of self-reported energy intake obtained by three dietary assessment methods with total energy expenditure (TEE) obtained by doubly labeled water (DLW) among Brazilian women. Design We used a cross-sectional study. Subjects/setting Sixty-five females aged 18 to 57 years (28 normal-weight, 10 over-weight, and 27 obese) were recruited from two universities to participate. Main outcome measures TEE determined by DLW, energy intake estimated by three 24-hour recalls, 3-day food record, and a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Statistical analyses performed Regression and analysis of variance with repeated measures compared TEE and energy intake values, and energy intake-to-TEE ratios and energy intake-TEE values between dietary assessment methods. Bland and Altman plots were provided for each method. chi(2) test compared proportion of underreporters between the methods. Results Mean TEE was 2,622 kcal (standard deviation [SD] =490 kcal), while mean energy intake was 2,078 kcal (SD=430 kcal) for the diet recalls; 2,044 kcal (SD=479 kcal) for the food record and 1,984 kcal (SD=832 kcal) for the FFQ (all energy intake values significantly differed from TEE; P<0.0001). Bland and Altman plots indicated great dispersion, negative mean differences between measurements, and wide limits of agreement. Obese subjects underreported more than normal-weight subjects in the diet recalls and in the food records, but not in the FFQ. Years of education, income and ethnicity were associated with reporting accuracy. Conclusions The FFQ produced greater under- and overestimation of energy intake. Underreporting of energy intake is a serious and prevalent error in dietary self-reports provided by Brazilian women, as has been described in studies conducted in developed countries.

Under-reporting of energy intake is more prevalent in a healthy dietary pattern cluster

The aim of the present study was to determine whether under-reporting rates vary between dietary pattern Clusters. Subjects were sixty-five Brazilian women. During 3 weeks, anthropometric data were collected. total energy expenditure (TEE) was determined by the doubly labelled water method and diet Was Measured. Energy intake (El) and the daily frequency of consumption per 1000 kJ of twenty-two food groups were obtained from a FFQ. These frequencies were entered into a Cluster analysis procedure in order to obtain dietary patterns. Under-reporters were defined Lis those who did not lose more than 1 kg of body weight during the study and presented EI:TEE less than 0.82. Three dietary pattern clusters were identified and named according to their most recurrent food groups: sweet foods (SW). starchy foods (ST) and health), (H). Subjects from the healthy cluster had the lowest mean EI:TEE (SW = 0.86, ST = 0.71 and H = 0.58: P = 0.003) and EI - TEE (SW = -0.49 MJ, ST = - 3.20 MJ and H = -5.09 MJ; P = 0.008). The proportion of Under-reporters was 45.2 (95 % CI 35.5, 55.0) % in the SW Cluster: 58.3 (95 % CI 48.6, 68.0) % in the ST Cluster and 70.0 (95 % CI 61.0, 79) % in the H cluster (P=0.34). Thus, in Brazilian women, Under-reporting of El is not uniformly distributed among, dietary pattern clusters and tends to be more severe among subjects from the healthy cluster. This cluster is more consistent with both dietary guidelines and with what lay individuals usually consider `healthy eating`.

Thermodynamic and statistical analysis of soybean oil extraction process using renewable solvent

The main goal of this work was to evaluate thermodynamic parameters of the soybean oil extraction process using ethanol as solvent. The experimental treatments were as follows: aqueous solvents with water contents varying from 0 to 13% (mass basis) and extraction temperature varying from 50 to 100 degrees C. The distribution coefficients of oil at equilibrium have been used to calculate enthalpy, entropy and free energy changes. The results indicate that oil extraction process with ethanol is feasible and spontaneous, mainly under higher temperature. Also, the influence of water level in the solvent and temperature were analysed using the response surface methodology (RSM). It can be noted that the extraction yield was highly affected by both independent variables. A joint analysis of thermodynamic and RSM indicates the optimal level of solvent hydration and temperature to perform the extraction process.

The energy cycle and structural evolution of cyclones over southeastern South America in three case studies

In this paper, the Lorenz energy cycle over a limited area was applied for three cyclones with different origins and evolutions, where each of them was formed in an important cyclogenetic region near southeastern South America. The synoptic conditions and energetics were analyzed during each system`s life cycle and showed important relationships between their energy cycle and the evolution of their vertical structure. In the case of the weak baroclinic cyclone which formed on Brazil`s south-southeastern coast, the analysis showed that it originated through a midlevel cutoff low with contribution from barotropic instability. Its evolution would indicate potential transition to a hybrid system if the convective activity were stronger. The system that occurred in the La Plata River mouth had features of an oceanic bomb-type cyclogenesis and showed an important contribution from the available potential energy generation term through the latent heat release by the convection. Meanwhile, the system of the southern Argentina coast presented a classical baroclinic development of extratropical cyclogenesis in the energy cycle, from the wave amplification up to the final occlusion of the associated frontal system. These analyses revealed that the development of some cyclones that occur in eastern South America can present different mechanisms that are not related to the classical extratropical cyclogenesis.

An improved estimate of leaf area index based on the histogram analysis of hemispherical photographs

Leaf area index (LAI) is a key parameter that affects the surface fluxes of energy, mass, and momentum over vegetated lands, but observational measurements are scarce, especially in remote areas with complex canopy structure. In this paper we present an indirect method to calculate the LAI based on the analyses of histograms of hemispherical photographs. The optimal threshold value (OTV), the gray-level required to separate the background (sky) and the foreground (leaves), was analytically calculated using the entropy crossover method (Sahoo, P.K., Slaaf, D.W., Albert, T.A., 1997. Threshold selection using a minimal histogram entropy difference. Optical Engineering 36(7) 1976-1981). The OTV was used to calculate the LAI using the well-known gap fraction method. This methodology was tested in two different ecosystems, including Amazon forest and pasturelands in Brazil. In general, the error between observed and calculated LAI was similar to 6%. The methodology presented is suitable for the calculation of LAI since it is responsive to sky conditions, automatic, easy to implement, faster than commercially available software, and requires less data storage. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An analysis of the environmental energetics associated with the transition of the first South Atlantic hurricane

This study presents the first analysis of the energetics associated with a hybrid cyclone`s transition in the Southern Hemisphere, Hurricane Catarina ( March 2004). Catarina has earned a place in history as the first documented South Atlantic hurricane, but its unusual tropical transition is still poorly understood. Here we show that Catarina`s transition was preceded by marked environmental changes in the Lorenz energy cycle, with an abrupt shift from a baroclinic to a predominantly barotropic state. Such changes help to explain the unusual vortex`s growth until its transition was completed. Although the vortex`s energy flux is not explicitly calculated, a likely mechanism linking the environmental energetics with Catarina is the extraction of eddy kinetic energy from horizontal momentum and heat transfers within the through component of the blocking. The results advance the understanding of this rare event and suggest that the technique has a great potential to study transitioning systems in general.

Towards the main sequence: detailed analysis of weak line and post-T Tauri stars

A detailed study was performed for a sample of low-mass pre-main-sequence (PMS) stars, previously identified as weak-line T Tauri stars, which are compared to members of the Tucanae and Horologium Associations. Aiming to verify if there is any pattern of abundances when comparing the young stars at different phases, we selected objects in the range from 1 to 100 Myr, which covers most of PMS evolution. High-resolution optical spectra were acquired at European Southern Observatory and Observatorio do Pico dos Dias. The stellar fundamental parameters effective temperature and gravity were calculated by excitation and ionization equilibria of iron absorption lines. Chemical abundances were obtained via equivalent width calculations and spectral synthesis for 44 per cent of the sample, which shows metallicities within 0.5 dex solar. A classification was developed based on equivalent width of Li I 6708 angstrom and Ha lines and spectral types of the studied stars. This classification allowed a separation of the sample into categories that correspond to different evolutive stages in the PMS. The position of these stars in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram was also inspected in order to estimate their ages and masses. Among the studied objects, it was verified that our sample actually contains seven weak-line T Tauri stars, three are Classical T Tauri, 12 are Fe/Ge PMS stars and 21 are post-T Tauri or young main-sequence stars. An estimation of circumstellar luminosity was obtained using a disc model to reproduce the observed spectral energy distribution. Most of the stars show low levels of circumstellar emission, corresponding to less than 30 per cent of the total emission.

Bayesian analysis and constraints on kinematic models from union SNIa

The kinematic expansion history of the universe is investigated by using the 307 supernovae type Ia from the Union Compilation set. Three simple model parameterizations for the deceleration parameter ( constant, linear and abrupt transition) and two different models that are explicitly parametrized by the cosmic jerk parameter ( constant and variable) are considered. Likelihood and Bayesian analyses are employed to find best fit parameters and compare models among themselves and with the flat Lambda CDM model. Analytical expressions and estimates for the deceleration and cosmic jerk parameters today (q(0) and j(0)) and for the transition redshift (z(t)) between a past phase of cosmic deceleration to a current phase of acceleration are given. All models characterize an accelerated expansion for the universe today and largely indicate that it was decelerating in the past, having a transition redshift around 0.5. The cosmic jerk is not strongly constrained by the present supernovae data. For the most realistic kinematic models the 1 sigma confidence limits imply the following ranges of values: q(0) is an element of [-0.96, -0.46], j(0) is an element of [-3.2,-0.3] and z(t) is an element of [0.36, 0.84], which are compatible with the Lambda CDM predictions, q(0) = -0.57 +/- 0.04, j(0) = -1 and z(t) = 0.71 +/- 0.08. We find that even very simple kinematic models are equally good to describe the data compared to the concordance Lambda CDM model, and that the current observations are not powerful enough to discriminate among all of them.

Fiedler trees for multiscale surface analysis

In this work we introduce a new hierarchical surface decomposition method for multiscale analysis of surface meshes. In contrast to other multiresolution methods, our approach relies on spectral properties of the surface to build a binary hierarchical decomposition. Namely, we utilize the first nontrivial eigenfunction of the Laplace-Beltrami operator to recursively decompose the surface. For this reason we coin our surface decomposition the Fiedler tree. Using the Fiedler tree ensures a number of attractive properties, including: mesh-independent decomposition, well-formed and nearly equi-areal surface patches, and noise robustness. We show how the evenly distributed patches can be exploited for generating multiresolution high quality uniform meshes. Additionally, our decomposition permits a natural means for carrying out wavelet methods, resulting in an intuitive method for producing feature-sensitive meshes at multiple scales. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Upgrading a TCABR data analysis and acquisition system for remote participation using Java, XML, RCP and modern client/server communication/authentication

The TCABR data analysis and acquisition system has been upgraded to support a joint research programme using remote participation technologies. The architecture of the new system uses Java language as programming environment. Since application parameters and hardware in a joint experiment are complex with a large variability of components, requirements and specification solutions need to be flexible and modular, independent from operating system and computer architecture. To describe and organize the information on all the components and the connections among them, systems are developed using the extensible Markup Language (XML) technology. The communication between clients and servers uses remote procedure call (RPC) based on the XML (RPC-XML technology). The integration among Java language, XML and RPC-XML technologies allows to develop easily a standard data and communication access layer between users and laboratories using common software libraries and Web application. The libraries allow data retrieval using the same methods for all user laboratories in the joint collaboration, and the Web application allows a simple graphical user interface (GUI) access. The TCABR tokamak team in collaboration with the IPFN (Instituto de Plasmas e Fusao Nuclear, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa) is implementing this remote participation technologies. The first version was tested at the Joint Experiment on TCABR (TCABRJE), a Host Laboratory Experiment, organized in cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) in the framework of the IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on ""Joint Research Using Small Tokamaks"". (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synchrotron X-ray imaging via ultra-small-angle scattering: principles of quantitative analysis and application in studying bone integration to synthetic grafting materials

Optimized experimental conditions for extracting accurate information at subpixel length scales from analyzer-based X-ray imaging were obtained and applied to investigate bone regeneration by means of synthetic beta-TCP grafting materials in a rat calvaria model. The results showed a 30% growth in the particulate size due to bone ongrowth/ingrowth within the critical size defect over a 1-month healing period.