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An approach to automatically generate a dynamic energy simulation model in Modelica for a single existing building is presented. It aims at collecting data about the status quo in the preparation of energy retrofits with low effort and costs. The proposed method starts from a polygon model of the outer building envelope obtained from photogrammetrically generated point clouds. The open-source tools TEASER and AixLib are used for data enrichment and model generation. A case study was conducted on a single-family house. The resulting model can accurately reproduce the internal air temperatures during synthetical heating up and cooling down. Modelled and measured whole building heat transfer coefficients (HTC) agree within a 12% range. A sensitivity analysis emphasises the importance of accurate window characterisations and justifies the use of a very simplified interior geometry. Uncertainties arising from the use of archetype U-values are estimated by comparing different typologies, with best- and worst-case estimates showing differences in pre-retrofit heat demand of about ±20% to the average; however, as the assumptions made are permitted by some national standards, the method is already close to practical applicability and opens up a path to quickly estimate possible financial and energy savings after refurbishment.
Reliable automation of the labor-intensive manual task of scoring animal sleep can facilitate the analysis of long-term sleep studies. In recent years, deep-learning-based systems, which learn optimal features from the data, increased scoring accuracies for the classical sleep stages of Wake, REM, and Non-REM. Meanwhile, it has been recognized that the statistics of transitional stages such as pre-REM, found between Non-REM and REM, may hold additional insight into the physiology of sleep and are now under vivid investigation. We propose a classification system based on a simple neural network architecture that scores the classical stages as well as pre-REM sleep in mice. When restricted to the classical stages, the optimized network showed state-of-the-art classification performance with an out-of-sample F1 score of 0.95 in male C57BL/6J mice. When unrestricted, the network showed lower F1 scores on pre-REM (0.5) compared to the classical stages. The result is comparable to previous attempts to score transitional stages in other species such as transition sleep in rats or N1 sleep in humans. Nevertheless, we observed that the sequence of predictions including pre-REM typically transitioned from Non-REM to REM reflecting sleep dynamics observed by human scorers. Our findings provide further evidence for the difficulty of scoring transitional sleep stages, likely because such stages of sleep are under-represented in typical data sets or show large inter-scorer variability. We further provide our source code and an online platform to run predictions with our trained network.
Modern industry and multi-discipline projects require highly trained individuals with resilient science and engineering back-grounds. Graduates must be able to agilely apply excellent theoretical knowledge in their subject matter as well as essential practical “hands-on” knowledge of diverse working processes to solve complex problems. To meet these demands, university education follows the concept of Constructive Alignment and thus increasingly adopts the teaching of necessary practical skills to the actual industry requirements and assessment routines. However, a systematic approach to coherently align these three central teaching demands is strangely absent from current university curricula. We demonstrate the feasibility of implementing practical assessments in a regular theory-based examination, thus defining the term “blended assessment”. We assessed a course for natural science and engineering students pursuing a career in biomedical engineering, and evaluated the benefit of blended assessment exams for students and lecturers. Our controlled study assessed the physiological background of electrocardiograms (ECGs), the practical measurement of ECG curves, and their interpretation of basic pathologic alterations. To study on long time effects, students have been assessed on the topic twice with a time lag of 6 months. Our findings suggest a significant improvement in student gain with respect to practical skills and theoretical knowledge. The results of the reassessments support these outcomes. From the lecturers ́ point of view, blended assessment complements practical training courses while keeping organizational effort manageable. We consider blended assessment a viable tool for providing an improved student gain, industry-ready education format that should be evaluated and established further to prepare university graduates optimally for their future careers.
The paper presents the derivation of a new equivalent skin friction coefficient for estimating the parasitic drag of short-to-medium range fixed-wing unmanned aircraft. The new coefficient is derived from an aerodynamic analysis of ten different unmanned aircraft used for surveillance, reconnaissance, and search and rescue missions. The aircraft is simulated using a validated unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes approach. The UAV’s parasitic drag is significantly influenced by the presence of miscellaneous components like fixed landing gears or electro-optical sensor turrets. These components are responsible for almost half of an unmanned aircraft’s total parasitic drag. The new equivalent skin friction coefficient accounts for these effects and is significantly higher compared to other aircraft categories. It is used to initially size an unmanned aircraft for a typical reconnaissance mission. The improved parasitic drag estimation yields a much heavier unmanned aircraft when compared to the sizing results using available drag data of manned aircraft.
Background:
Additional stabilization of the “comma sign” in anterosuperior rotator cuff repair has been proposed to provide biomechanical benefits regarding stability of the repair.
Purpose:
This in vitro investigation aimed to investigate the influence of a comma sign–directed reconstruction technique for anterosuperior rotator cuff tears on the primary stability of the subscapularis tendon repair.
Study Design:
Controlled laboratory study.
Methods:
A total of 18 fresh-frozen cadaveric shoulders were used in this study. Anterosuperior rotator cuff tears (complete full-thickness tear of the supraspinatus and subscapularis tendons) were created, and supraspinatus repair was performed with a standard suture bridge technique. The subscapularis was repaired with either a (1) single-row or (2) comma sign technique. A high-resolution 3D camera system was used to analyze 3-mm and 5-mm gap formation at the subscapularis tendon-bone interface upon incremental cyclic loading. Moreover, the ultimate failure load of the repair was recorded. A Mann-Whitney test was used to assess significant differences between the 2 groups.
Results:
The comma sign repair withstood significantly more loading cycles than the single-row repair until 3-mm and 5-mm gap formation occurred (P≤ .047). The ultimate failure load did not reveal any significant differences when the 2 techniques were compared (P = .596).
Conclusion:
The results of this study show that additional stabilization of the comma sign enhanced the primary stability of subscapularis tendon repair in anterosuperior rotator cuff tears. Although this stabilization did not seem to influence the ultimate failure load, it effectively decreased the micromotion at the tendon-bone interface during cyclic loading.
Clinical Relevance:
The proposed technique for stabilization of the comma sign has shown superior biomechanical properties in comparison with a single-row repair and might thus improve tendon healing. Further clinical research will be necessary to determine its influence on the functional outcome.
This study focuses on thermoelectric elements (TEE) as an alternative for room temperature control. TEE are semi-conductor devices that can provide heating and cooling via a heat pump effect without direct noise emissions and no refrigerant use. An efficiency evaluation of the optimal operating mode is carried out for different numbers of TEE, ambient temperatures, and heating loads. The influence of an additional heat recovery unit on system efficiency and an unevenly distributed heating demand are examined. The results show that TEE can provide heat at a coefficient of performance (COP) greater than one especially for small heating demands and high ambient temperatures. The efficiency increases with the number of elements in the system and is subject to economies of scale. The best COP exceeds six at optimal operating conditions. An additional heat recovery unit proves beneficial for low ambient temperatures and systems with few TEE. It makes COPs above one possible at ambient temperatures below 0 ∘C. The effect increases efficiency by maximal 0.81 (from 1.90 to 2.71) at ambient temperature 5 K below room temperature and heating demand Q˙h=100W but is subject to diseconomies of scale. Thermoelectric technology is a valuable option for electricity-based heat supply and can provide cooling and ventilation functions. A careful system design as well as an additional heat recovery unit significantly benefits the performance. This makes TEE superior to direct current heating systems and competitive to heat pumps for small scale applications with focus on avoiding noise and harmful refrigerants.
This paper introduces a new maritime search and rescue system based on S-band illumination harmonic radar (HR). Passive and active tags have been developed and tested while attached to life jackets and a small boat. In this demonstration test carried out on the Baltic Sea, the system was able to detect and range the active tags up to a distance of 5800 m using an illumination signal transmit-power of 100 W. Special attention is given to the development, performance, and conceptual differences between passive and active tags used in the system. Guidelines for achieving a high HR dynamic range, including a system components description, are given and a comparison with other HR systems is performed. System integration with a commercial maritime X-band navigation radar is shown to demonstrate a solution for rapid search and rescue response and quick localization.
We consider a binary multivariate regression model where the conditional expectation of a binary variable given a higher-dimensional input variable belongs to a parametric family. Based on this, we introduce a model-based bootstrap (MBB) for higher-dimensional input variables. This test can be used to check whether a sequence of independent and identically distributed observations belongs to such a parametric family. The approach is based on the empirical residual process introduced by Stute (Ann Statist 25:613–641, 1997). In contrast to Stute and Zhu’s approach (2002) Stute & Zhu (Scandinavian J Statist 29:535–545, 2002), a transformation is not required. Thus, any problems associated with non-parametric regression estimation are avoided. As a result, the MBB method is much easier for users to implement. To illustrate the power of the MBB based tests, a small simulation study is performed. Compared to the approach of Stute & Zhu (Scandinavian J Statist 29:535–545, 2002), the simulations indicate a slightly improved power of the MBB based method. Finally, both methods are applied to a real data set.
Test-retest reliability of the internal shoulder rotator muscles' stretch reflex in healthy men
(2021)
Until now the reproducibility of the short latency stretch reflex of the internal rotator muscles of the glenohumeral joint has not been identified. Twenty-three healthy male participants performed three sets of external shoulder rotation stretches with various pre-activation levels on two different dates of measurement to assess test-retest reliability. All stretches were applied with a dynamometer acceleration of 104°/s2 and a velocity of 150°/s. Electromyographical response was measured via surface EMG. Reflex latencies showed a pre-activation effect (ƞ2 = 0,355). ICC ranged from 0,735 to 0,909 indicating an overall “good” relative reliability. SRD 95% lay between ±7,0 to ±12,3 ms.. The reflex gain showed overall poor test-retest reproducibility. The chosen methodological approach presented a suitable test protocol for shoulder muscles stretch reflex latency evaluation. A proof-of-concept study to validate the presented methodical approach in shoulder involvement including subjects with clinically relevant conditions is recommended.
This paper presents a new SIMO radar system based on a harmonic radar (HR) stepped frequency continuous wave (SFCW) architecture. Simple tags that can be electronically individually activated and deactivated via a DC control voltage were developed and combined to form an MO array field. This HR operates in the entire 2.45 GHz ISM band for transmitting the illumination signal and receives at twice the stimulus frequency and bandwidth centered around 4.9 GHz. This paper presents the development, the basic theory of a HR system for the characterization of objects placed into the propagation path in-between the radar and the reflectors (similar to a free-space measurement with a network analyzer) as well as first measurements performed by the system. Further detailed measurement series will be made available later on to other researchers to develop AI and machine learning based signal processing routines or synthetic aperture radar algorithms for imaging, object recognition, and feature extraction. For this purpose, the necessary information is published in this paper. It is explained in detail why this SIMO-HR can be an attractive solution augmenting or replacing existing systems for radar measurements in production technology for material under test measurements and as a simplified MIMO system. The novel HR transfer function, which is a basis for researchers and developers for material characterization or imaging algorithms, is introduced and metrologically verified in a well traceable coaxial setup.
Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is a standard technique for cardiac surgery, but comes with the risk of severe neurological complications (e.g. stroke) caused by embolisms and/or reduced cerebral perfusion. We report on an aortic cannula prototype design (optiCAN) with helical outflow and jet-splitting dispersion tip that could reduce the risk of embolic events and restores cerebral perfusion to 97.5% of physiological flow during CPB in vivo, whereas a commercial curved-tip cannula yields 74.6%. In further in vitro comparison, pressure loss and hemolysis parameters of optiCAN remain unaffected. Results are reproducibly confirmed in silico for an exemplary human aortic anatomy via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Based on CFD simulations, we firstly show that optiCAN design improves aortic root washout, which reduces the risk of thromboembolism. Secondly, we identify regions of the aortic intima with increased risk of plaque release by correlating areas of enhanced plaque growth and high wall shear stresses (WSS). From this we propose another easy-to-manufacture cannula design (opti2CAN) that decreases areas burdened by high WSS, while preserving physiological cerebral flow and favorable hemodynamics. With this novel cannula design, we propose a cannulation option to reduce neurological complications and the prevalence of stroke in high-risk patients after CPB.
An acetoin biosensor based on a capacitive electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor (EIS) structure modified with the enzyme acetoin reductase, also known as butane-2,3-diol dehydrogenase (Bacillus clausii DSM 8716ᵀ), is applied for acetoin detection in beer, red wine, and fermentation broth samples for the first time. The EIS sensor consists of an Al/p-Si/SiO₂/Ta₂O₅ layer structure with immobilized acetoin reductase on top of the Ta₂O₅ transducer layer by means of crosslinking via glutaraldehyde. The unmodified and enzyme-modified sensors are electrochemically characterized by means of leakage current, capacitance–voltage, and constant capacitance methods, respectively.
Plant viruses are major contributors to crop losses and induce high economic costs worldwide. For reliable, on-site and early detection of plant viral diseases, portable biosensors are of great interest. In this study, a field-effect SiO2-gate electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) sensor was utilized for the label-free electrostatic detection of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) particles as a model plant pathogen. The capacitive EIS sensor has been characterized regarding its TMV sensitivity by means of constant-capacitance method. The EIS sensor was able to detect biotinylated TMV particles from a solution with a TMV concentration as low as 0.025 nM. A good correlation between the registered EIS sensor signal and the density of adsorbed TMV particles assessed from scanning electron microscopy images of the SiO2-gate chip surface was observed. Additionally, the isoelectric point of the biotinylated TMV particles was determined via zeta potential measurements and the influence of ionic strength of the measurement solution on the TMV-modified EIS sensor signal has been studied.
Plant virus-like particles, and in particular, tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) particles, are increasingly being used in nano- and biotechnology as well as for biochemical sensing purposes as nanoscaffolds for the high-density immobilization of receptor molecules. The sensitive parameters of TMV-assisted biosensors depend, among others, on the density of adsorbed TMV particles on the sensor surface, which is affected by both the adsorption conditions and surface properties of the sensor. In this work, Ta₂O₅-gate field-effect capacitive sensors have been applied for the label-free electrical detection of TMV adsorption. The impact of the TMV concentration on both the sensor signal and the density of TMV particles adsorbed onto the Ta₂O₅-gate surface has been studied systematically by means of field-effect and scanning electron microscopy methods. In addition, the surface density of TMV particles loaded under different incubation times has been investigated. Finally, the field-effect sensor also demonstrates the label-free detection of penicillinase immobilization as model bioreceptor on TMV particles.