Energieinformatik

Due to the increasing importance of producing and consuming energy more sustainably, Energy Informatics (EI) has evolved into a thriving research area within the CS/IS community. The article attempts to characterize this young and highly dynamic field of research by describing current EI research topics and methods and provides an outlook of how the field might evolve in the future. It is shown that two general research questions have received the most attention so far and are likely to dominate the EI research agenda in the coming years: How to leverage information and communication technology (ICT) to (1) improve energy efficiency, and (2) to integrate decentralized renewable energy sources into the power grid. Selected EI streams are reviewed, highlighting how the respective research questions are broken down into specific research projects and how EI researchers have made contributions based on their individual academic background.     

Behavioral analysis of client learning style during counseling.

Examined differences in the verbal behavior of 17 undergraduates classified as deep–elaborative learners and 13 undergraduates classified as shallow–reiterative learners on the basis of their scores on the Inventory of Learning Processes. Ss discussed personal problems in 2 30-min interviews with 1 of 2 female counselors. Verbal behavior of deep–elaborative Ss was rated as clearer, deeper, and more conclusion-oriented and personal than that of shallow–reiterative Ss by 2 male trained raters. Solely on the basis of this verbal behavior, both the raters and the counselors correctly identified the information-processing group to which each S belonged. There were no differences between groups on counseling satisfaction. Discussion of relationship problems was rated most deep–elaborative and discussion of academic problems most shallow–reiterative. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The value of different sources of information in evaluating psychiatric disorders in adolescence--a comparison of parental judgment and self-assessment by adolescents

Data from the national representative epidemiologic survey (PAK-KID-study) assessed by the German versions of Achenbach'S Child Behavior Checklist and Youth Self-Report of N = 1757 parents and their children aged 11 to 18 years are compared by using the corresponding Cross-Informant-Scales. On all problem scales adolescents report more problems than parents. For some scales the differences between girls and their parents are higher than between boys and their parents (social withdrawal, somatic complaints, anxious/depressed, attention problems, internalizing and total score). Averaged Pearson correlations of the eight subscales are in a moderate rage (r < 0.50). For all problem scales an agreement of 30% in the area of high problems (> PR95) is found. If one informant scores above PR95 the Relative Risk of the other one scoring in this range too is significantly higher than one for nearly all scales.     

On Enforced Convergence of ACO and its Implementation on the Reconfigurable Mesh Architecture Using Size Reduction Tasks

In this paper we show that size reduction tasks can be used for executing iterative randomized metaheuristics on runtime reconfigurable architectures so that an improved throughput and better solution qualities are obtained compared to conventional architectures that do not allow runtime reconfiguration. In particular, the problem of executing ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithms on a dynamically reconfigurable mesh architecture is studied. It is shown how ACO can be implemented such that the convergence behavior of the algorithm can be used to dynamically reduce the size of the submesh that is needed for execution. Furthermore we propose a method to enforce the convergence of ACO leading to a faster reduction process. This increases the throughput of ACO algorithms on runtime reconfigurable meshes. The increased throughput is used for repeated runs of ACO algorithms on a given set of problem instances which significantly improves the obtained solution quality.     

Experimental study and correlation of the viscosity of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE)-water mixtures

The kinematic viscosity of pure 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, water, and their mixtures was measured with Ubbelohde capillary viscometers at ambient pressure. The study covers the full range of compositions in the liquid region between the bubble and the freezing line. The viscosity was found to vary by a factor of 280 from 0.30 to 87.2 cSt. It exhibits a pronounced maximum at high H₂O mole fractions and a flat minimum at high TFE concentrations. The temperature dependence of viscosity was correlated individually for each composition and three mixing rules were tested which are widely used for alcohol-water mixtures. The data were represented best with Dizechi's equation.Paper presented at the Tenth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, June 20–23, 1988, Gaithersburg, Maryland, U.S.A.Formerly National Bureau of Standards     

Efficient implementation of an active set algorithm for large-scale portfolio selection

This paper deals with the efficient implementation of parametric quadratic programming that is specialized for large-scale mean-variance portfolio selection with a dense covariance matrix. The aim is to calculate the whole Pareto front of solutions that represent the trade-off between maximizing expected return and minimizing variance of return.We describe and compare in a uniform framework several techniques to speed up the necessary matrix operations, namely the initial matrix decomposition, the solution process in each iteration, and the matrix updates. Techniques considered include appropriate ordering of the matrix rows and columns, reducing the size of the system of linear equations, and dividing the system into two parts. Regarding implementation, we suggest to simultaneously use two different matrix representations that are specifically adapted to certain parts of the algorithm and propose a technique that prevents algorithm stalling due to numerical errors. Finally, we analyse and compare the runtime of these algorithm variants on a set of benchmark problems. As we demonstrate, the most sophisticated variant is several orders of magnitude faster than the standard implementation on all tested problem instances.     

The significance of endothelin for physiologic and pathophysiologic processes of the lung

The endothelins (ETs) are a family of three vasoactive peptides (ET-1, ET-2, ET-3) that were first described in 1988. ETs have a wide range of action including vasoconstriction, vasodilatation, bronchoconstriction, and mitogenesis. Two types of ET receptors, classified as ETA and ETB receptors, have been identified in gene technology. Endothelins are produced by endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and bronchial epithelial cells. Their vasoactive effects contribute not only to homoeostasis but ETs seem also to be involved in several pulmonary diseases. Elevated ET plasma levels have been found in patients suffering from asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, and acute lung injury. This review gives a short summary of the actual facts in endothelin research, focussing on the effects of ET-1 in pulmonary circulation.     

Behavioral symptoms of children and adolescents in Germany, the Netherlands and USA. A cross-cultural study with the Child Behavior Checklist

The goal of the study was a cross-cultural comparison of the parent ratings of behavior problems of children and adolescents aged 4-18 years in Germany, The Netherlands and the United States using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The analyses were undertaken in a German community sample (n = 1622) and a Dutch community sample (n = 2076). The results were compared with the data published by Achenbach for the national US sample. The analyses were based on the scales of the 1991 CBCL version and were performed for four age and sex groups (4- to 11-year-old boys/girls and 12- to 18-year-old boys/girls). In general, relatively minor differences could be detected between the three random samples. The range in the different samples was between -0.04 and 0.35, which is in line with other cross-cultural analyses using the CBCL. As long as no representative norms for Germany are available, the American norms can serve as an orientation for German studies using the CBCL.     

In silico ADMET traffic lights as a tool for the prioritization of HTS hits

The need for in silico characterization of HTS hit structures as part of a data-driven hit-selection process is demonstrated. A solution is described in the form of an in silico ADMET traffic light and PhysChem scoring system. This has been extensively validated with in-house data at Bayer, published data, and a collection of launched small-molecule oral drugs.