In natural gas markets, demand exhibits low price elasticity, while supply follows the market price; a phenomenon typically observed in markets for indispensable goods. A significant portion of gas consumption is due to heating and increasingly power generation, which sets a typical demand pattern: high in winter and summer ('high' seasons) and low in shoulder months ('low' seasons). Thus, the ...

The debate over the best electric grid topology for an all electric ship has provoked discussion on a wide range of topics, spanning interconnection issues, transmission losses, and power preferences of electronic components, radar ranges, and propulsion motors. Surprisingly, these issues are peripheral to the real issue. The primary driver in this debate is the power source, presently the gas ...

INTRODUCTION With the 3100B high-frequency oscillatory ventilator (SensorMedics, Yorba Linda, CA, USA), patients' spontaneous breathing efforts result in a high level of imposed work of breathing (WOB). Therefore, spontaneous breathing often has to be suppressed during high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV). A demand-flow system was designed to reduce imposed WOB. METHODS An external g...

Demand for business intelligence solutions continues to grow in the industry at record rates to combat competitive pressures and to attain business agility. Still organizations continue to struggle on how to implement successful business intelligence solutions. Despite its growing popularity and maturity as a field, it appears that organizations follow key guidelines that ensure the failure of ...

We focus on residential electricity and gas demand, and ask three research questions. First, how does residential energy use respond to prices? We specifically wish to examine whether ownand cross-price elasticities have changed in recent years, given the evolution of the energy market. Second, is such responsiveness sensitive to equipment and energy choices that are not easily reversed (e.g., ...

A pilot scale wastewater treatment plant was designed, constructed and operated on site to treat wastewater from a combined effluent drain. The activated sludge process (ASP) was used at three different hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 12, 10 and 8 hrs at an average MLSS concentration of 3500 mg/L. Under each HRT, the pilot plant was operated for a period of 10-12 weeks. Chemical oxygen deman...

The efforts of modern civilization to create an environment to meet human aspirations have successfully resulted in constant improvements of our lifestyle, but it has increased risks to human and ecological health. This situation has motivated many scientists throughout the world to analyze the environmental factors that can affect our health or ecology and to calculate the levels of risk. In B...

Without significant intervention, demand for crude oil could rise by a further 25% by 2035, stemming from its use for transportation, particularly road transport. Many technologies for alternative fuels and substitute transport energy carriers are being researched, but successful implementation of these technologies at scale will require attention to consumer-behavioural and policy challenges a...

OBJECTIVE to evaluate the association between psychological demands, control over the work and the reduction of work ability of nursing professionals. METHOD this cross-sectional study involved 498 nursing professionals of a university hospital in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Data collection was carried out in 2009 using the Brazilian versions of the Work Ability Index and Job Stre...

Effluent discharge from septic tanks is affecting the environment in developing countries. The most challenging issue facing these countries is the cost of inadequate sanitation, which includes significant economic, social, and environmental burdens. Although most sanitation facilities are evaluated based on their immediate costs and benefits, their long-term performance should also be investig...