Search

This paper proposes a method for reducing the environmental impact of sewer network (SN) overflows. The main objective of the paper is to minimize the wastewater quantity and the pollutant loads that overflow from the SN. The proposed algorithm to achieve this goal is Model Predictive Control using Particle Swarm Optimization as optimization method. It was tested in simulation using a simplified model of the network based on Benchmark Simulation Modelsewer as prediction model, and a forecasted influent. Three cases have been considered: (a) the fitness function is defined as the global yearly overflow volume calculated using equal weights for each tank; (b) the fitness function uses different weights for each tank depending on the medium loads and (c) integrating a penalty term related to the system state at the end of the prediction horizon in the previous fitness function. The simplified model determined a significant reduction of the integration time minimizing the optimization time. Key Points: Model Predictive Control is used to reduce pollution caused by sewer network (SN) overflowsSimplified SN flow model decreases the optimization time of the control algorithmPollutant loads are assessed by the control algorithm by weighting overflow volumes with values calculated based on offline measurements [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sport teaches you to fight for your goal and not to be harmed in the moments of balance. The psyche feeds on the desire for recognition, self-transcendence and progress; consequently, once the taste for small victories has settled and the desire to overcome barriers exists, the ambition to achieve the set goals appears. Ambition means pursuing a goal and the desire to do everything in your power to achieve it. In the paper "The role of players as innovators" we aimed to present first of all the social dimension of sport, why it has become so important nowadays, as well as the reasons why we consider athletes to be innovative. In the last part are presented a series of athletes considered innovators or pioneers, each in the sport they practice, because they managed to stand out and have exceptional results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sport and the athlete have inspired a lot of admiration among people. With the passing of the years and the improvement of knowledge about the human body and its capabilities, most believed that their abilities could not be improved. But with the advancement of modern technology, this has changed. The modern athlete uses all the help he can get; from specialized coaching to dieticians, to the best and latest technologies. The data gathered through technology is used to dissect the athlete's performance, identifying exactly where improvement is needed and where the focus is needed. In the paper "The use of technological innovations in sport" we make a presentation on how technology has taken over the sports field and produced numerous improvements in various equipments, how this technological development has affected the sports products market and a small analysis of the global sports equipment market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Objectives. Results after external beam radiotherapy have significantly improved through dose escalation and the use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term urinary, bowel, and sexual functions after image guided radiotherapy (IGRT). Materials and Methods. Our study group included 85 men with localized prostate cancer (clinical classification T1-3 N0 (pN0) M0) treated with external beam radiotherapy guided on intraprostatic fiducial gold markers, between 2012 and 2017. The radiation dose ranged from 74 to 78 Gy (mean dose of 77,9 Gy); 72 men had received ADT for 6 to 36 months. Functional status was assessed at baseline every three months in the first year, and every six months from two to five years. Results. After five years of follow up, 83% of patients presented with no symptoms of late rectal toxicity. Grade 2 gastrointesitanl (GI) toxicity was present in 12 patients (14,11%). Grade 3 proctitis was reported for two patients (2.4%). Comparing the urinary status before radiotherapy and two and five years after completing radiotherapy, 68%, respectively 61% of patients reported improvement of symptoms. One patient developed urethral stricture seven months after completion of radiotherapy. Erectile function defined as the ability to achieve an erection adequate for intromission was present in 62 patients (73%) before treatment. Out of these, 33 (53%) presented with erectile dysfunction 4 years after the treatment. There were no Grade 4 or fatal toxicity encountered. Conclusion. In the modern era, treatment consisting of high-dose radiotherapy delivered with advanced radiotherapy techniques (intensity-modulated radiation therapy and image-guided radiation therapy) which significantly improve tumor control, can contribute to reduction of late toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sports betting is the oldest form of gambling in the world. In the beginning, it was simply a leisure activity. We are currently talking about a multi-billion-euro deal. The sports betting industry has changed more in 15 years than in the last 50 years. In the 1950s, sports betting began to enter the world and almost nothing changed until the beginning of the 21st century. However, with the onset of the new millennium, online betting has changed the landscape dramatically, and is now developing at a fast pace than ever before. The future is always unpredictable, but we will try to imagine it based on current trends in sports betting. The paper "The impact of the betting industry on sports" aims to present a series of aspects regarding the history of sports games, the types of sports games existing today, a brief highlight of the Romanian sports games market and a short presentation of the positive and negative effects on sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our days building a brand means that you start getting visitors to the site who have no reason to be there, except that part of the brain is connected with the company name. In the long run, this situation becomes paramount to expanding the brand. Because it is a first choice, people think about the name of the business and will tell or recommend the services / product to their peers. In the paper " Building the brand of Romanian sports teams from handball" we initially sought to present the theoretical aspects of the brand term, an introduction to the history of Romanian handball, presentation of the results and medals won by the Romanian teams and the strategy used so far that led to the transformation of Romanian handball into a brand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feasibility of manufacturing phosphate bonded wood composite board products from four locally occurring invasive acacia tree species (Acacia cyclops, A. saligna, A. mearnsii and A. longifolia) was studied using a formulated magnesium oxide (MgO) and monopotassium phosphate (KH2PO4) binder system. The optimization for the manufacturing process was studied using a central composite statistical design, whereupon the following factors were considered, i.e. KH2PO4: MgO ratio, the fly ash content as partial replacement for the binder and the wood content as a ratio of wood to the total inorganic content. A fitted response surface plot was used to show the effect of the main factors and their interactions on the measured board properties. A response surface model was developed to predict the parameters leading to the best board properties. All physical properties evaluated met or exceeded the minimum requirements for low density particleboards. The results showed that the variables considered have significant effects on the physical properties of the boards. The optimum composite manufacturing process for making durable products within the scope of the studied species was found to be a KH2PO4/MgO ratio of 1.66, an ash content of 2.7% and a wood/inorganic ratio of 0.96 for the selected wood species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]