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Background: We initially reported on the cost-effectiveness of a 6-month randomized controlled implementation trial which evaluated Health TAPESTRY, a primary care program for older adults, at the McMaster Family Health Team (FHT) site and 5 other FHT sites in Ontario, Canada. While there were no statistically significant between-group differences in outcomes at month 6 post randomization, positive outcomes were observed at the McMaster FHT site, which recruited 40% (204/512) of the participants. The objective of this post-hoc study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of Health TAPESTRY based on data from the McMaster FHT site. Methods: Costs included the cost to implement Health TAPESTRY at McMaster as well as healthcare resource consumed, which were costed using publicly available sources. Health-related-quality-of-life was evaluated with the EQ-5L-5L at baseline and at month 6 post randomization. Quality-adjusted-life-years (QALYs) were calculated under an-area-under the curve approach. Unadjusted and adjusted regression analyses (two independent regression analyses on costs and QALYs, seemingly unrelated regression [SUR], net benefit regression) as well as difference-in-difference and propensity score matching (PSM) methods, were used to deal with the non-randomized nature of the trial. Sampling uncertainty inherent to the trial data was estimated using non-parametric bootstrapping. The return on investment (ROI) associated with Health TAPESTRY was calculated. All costs were reported in 2021 Canadian dollars. Results: With an intervention cost of $293/patient, Health TAPESTRY was the preferred strategy in the unadjusted and adjusted analyses. The results of our bootstrap analyses indicated that Health TAPESTRY was cost-effective compared to usual care at commonly accepted WTP thresholds. For example, if decision makers were willing to pay $50,000 per QALY gained, the probability of Health TAPESTRY to be cost effective compared to usual care varied from 0.72 (unadjusted analysis) to 0.96 (SUR) when using a WTP of $50,000/QALY gained. The DID and ROI analyses indicated that Health Tapestry generated a positive ROI. Conclusion: Health TAPESTRY was the preferred strategy when implemented at the McMaster FHT. We caution care in interpreting the results because of the post-hoc nature of the analyses and limited sample size based on one site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal response tests conducted to assess the subsurface thermal conductivity for the design of geothermal heat pumps are most commonly limited to a single test per borefield, although the subsurface properties can spatially vary. The test radius of influence is additionally restricted to 1–2 m, even though the thermal conductivity assessment is used to design the complete borefield of a system covering at least tens of squared meters. This work objective was therefore to develop a method to extend the subsurface thermal conductivity assessment obtained from a thermal response test to another ground heat exchanger located on the same site by analyzing temperature profiles in equilibrium with the subsurface. The measured temperature profiles are reproduced with inverse numerical simulations of conductive heat transfer to assess the site basal heat flow, at the location of the thermal response test, and evaluate the subsurface thermal conductivity, beyond the thermal response test. Paleoclimatic temperature changes and topography at surface were considered in the model that was validated by comparing the thermal conductivity estimate obtained from the optimization process to that of a conventional thermal response test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Heat injection with the proposed method is achieved with heating cable sections. [•] Late recovery temperatures are reproduced with a finite heat source solution. [•] Numerical simulations have been carried out to validate the proposed method. [•] Temperature can be analyzed for thermal conductivity since it becomes uniform. [•] The main advantage of the proposed method is to use a low power source. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A conventional thermal response test (TRT) provides a bulk estimate of the subsurface and borehole thermal properties over the length of the ground heat exchanger (GHE). The measurement of temperature inside the borehole during a TRT can be carried out to further determine thermal properties at different depths. The analysis of the transient temperature response is commonly performed with an analytical solution assuming a constant heat injection rate, which does not reproduce the effect of water flow along the pipe of the GHE. This heat transport mechanism can induce a temporal variation of the heat injection rate at depth although heat injection remains constant at the surface. Analysis of synthetic data generated with numerical simulations of TRTs in a layered subsurface was consequently carried out to verify this analytical approach. The program MLU was selected for analyzing the TRTs because of its capacity to take into account multiple layers. Results indicated that the analysis can be improved by accounting for variable heat injection rates determined inside the GHE. Estimation of both the subsurface thermal conductivity and the borehole thermal resistance was within 20% of the expected values, except when the thermal conductivity of the subsurface is low. For a simulation case carried out with a subsurface layer that had a thermal conductivity as low as 1Wm−1 K−1, the borehole thermal resistance could not be determined with significant accuracy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Women with severe premenstrual symptoms, who tend to have more mood changes during the late luteal phase of their cycle than do women with few or no symptoms, often complain of having unpleasant dreams. This study examined whether these women experienced more intense negative dream emotions during the late luteal phase of their cycle compared with women with minimal symptoms. It also examined whether there was a relationship between presleep mood and dream affect. Seventeen women participated in the study (9 with severe symptoms, 8 with minimal symptoms). Analyses of variance revealed an increase in negative dream affect and misfortunes during the late luteal phase (p < .05) for both groups. Aggressive interactions occurred only in the dreams of that phase, suggesting an impact of hormonal fluctuations on dreams. The severity of premenstrual symptoms, however, did not have a specific impact on dreams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a numerical method for investigating the thermal behavior of a wind turbine nacelle operating in a Nordic climate. External air flow around the nacelle and rotor as well as internal air flow through the nacelle are described using the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. The energy equation is used to account for heat transfer effects. The standard k - ε model is chosen for the closure of time-averaged turbulent flow equations. The rotor is modeled using the actuator-disk concept. An unstructured control-volume finite-element method is employed to solve the resulting governing equations. This article focuses on the effects of external air temperature, wind velocity, and the heat rate released by an electrical generator on the spatial distribution of the temperature inside the nacelle. It is found that, to maintain an acceptable temperature level within the nacelle during summer, the amount of air mass rate flowing through the nacelle should be adjusted properly as a function of wind velocity and external temperature. During winter, the nacelle should be well insulated and the air should be well stirred to obtain nearly uniform temperature distribution within the nacelle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]