This paper develops an energy management system with integration of smart meters for electricity consumers in a smart grid context. The integration of two types of smart meters (SM) are developed: (i) consumer owned SM and (ii) distributor owned SM. The consumer owned SM runs over a wireless platform–ZigBee protocol and the distributor owned SM uses the wired environment–ModBus protocol. The SM are connected to a SCADA system (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) that supervises a network of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC). The SCADA system/PLC network integrates different types of information coming from several technologies present in modern buildings.The developed control strategy implements a hierarchical cascade controller where inner loops are performed by local PLCs, and the outer loop is managed by a centralized SCADA system, which interacts with the entire local PLC network.In order to implement advanced controllers, a communication channel was developed to allow the communication between the SCADA system and the MATLAB software

To prospectively compare laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) flaps created with a femtosecond laser or a mechanical microkeratome and analyze the effect of the postoperative measurement interval on estimated femtosecond flap thickness using ultrasound (US) pachymetry. Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Coimbra, and Coimbra Surgical Centre, Coimbra, Portugal. Flaps were created with a Hansatome Zero Compression microkeratome (Group 1), Zyoptix XP keratome (Group 2), or IntraLase 60 kHz femtosecond laser (Groups 3 and 4). Flap thickness was determined by intraoperative US pachymetry immediately after flap creation in Groups 1, 2, and 3. In Group 4, pachymetry was performed 20 minutes after the laser treatment. The main outcome measures were flap thickness and deviation from the target value. Eighty patients had LASIK for myopia or myopic astigmatism. The mean flap thickness was 149.1 microm +/- 24.9 (SD) in Group 1, 124.7 +/- 23.8 microm in Group 2, 143.1 +/- 18.4 microm in Group 3, and 115.5 +/- 12.5 microm in Group 4. The difference in flap thickness between Group 3 and Group 4 was statistically significant (P<.01). The flap thickness deviation from the target value was 22.8 microm in Group 1, 19.0 microm in Group 2, 26.1 microm in Group 3, and 10.4 microm in Group 4. Results indicate that the time of measurement after femtosecond affects the estimated flap thickness. Waiting 20 minutes after laser treatment permitted easier separation and may eliminate the effect of variable corneal dehydration on flap measurement by subtraction pachymetry.

Purpose. To evaluate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways in pterygium and pterygium-free conjunctivas. Methods. Primary pterygia (n = 21), ipsilateral superior-temporal bulbar conjunctivas (n = 8), and healthy conjunctival (n = 5) biopsy specimens were analyzed. Total and phosphorylated (phospho) levels of extracellular-regulated 1/2 (ERK1/2), p38, and c-jun N-terminal (JNK) MAPKs and NF-κB inhibitor-alpha (IκΒ-α) were analyzed by immunobead-based assay. Tissue phospho-, total protein, and activation values determined by phospho/total ratios were compared. Correlation among those values and clinical parameters were determined. Average-linkage hierarchical cluster analysis identified patients with similar protein activation values. The k-nearest neighbor classifier predicted the origin of specimens based on protein levels. Results. Pterygium samples had significantly lower total JNK and IκΒ-α levels than did healthy conjunctivas. Decreased total JNK and IκΒ-α and increased phospho-IκΒ-α levels and phospho/total ratio of JNK and IκΒ-α were present in ipsilateral conjunctivas compared with healthy conjunctivas. Protein levels were correlated among them in pterygium, ipsilateral, and healthy conjunctivas and with sun exposure, pterygium grade, and pterygium measurements. Cluster analysis of activation values and ratios in pterygium and ipsilateral-conjunctiva revealed different groups of patients with similar values. Prediction accuracy was 70% to 80% for the classifiers phospho- and total protein levels and phospho/total ratio. Conclusions. Pterygium and pterygium-free ipsilateral conjunctivas had alterations in MAPK and NF-κB pathways not present in healthy conjunctivas. The high prediction accuracy based on phospho- and total protein levels and phospho/total ratio of ERK1/2, p38, JNK, and IκB-α suggests these molecules as potential biomarkers of inflammation in pterygia.

This paper focuses on demand response in a smart grid scope using a fuzzy subtractive clustering technique for modeling demand response. Domestic consumption is classified into profiles in order to favorable cover the adequate modeling. The fuzzy subtractive clustering technique is applied to a case study of domestic consumption demand response with three scenarios and a comparison of the results is presented. The demand response developed model intends to support consumer's decisions given a compromise between the consumption imperative needs and possible economical benefits due to reshape and reschedule

Новые педагогические подходы для достижения целей устойчивого развития