Abstract: A low-complexity decision model for a Home Energy Management System is proposed to follow demand trajectory sets received from a Demand Side Response aggregator. This model is designed to reduce its computational complexity and being solved by low performance processors using available Single-Board Computers as a proof of concept. To decrease the computational complexity is proposed a two-stage model, where the first stage evaluates the hourly appliance scheduling using a relaxed set of restrictions, and the second stage evaluates a reduced set of appliances in a intra-hourly interval with a detailed characterization of the scheduled appliance properties. Simulations results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm to follow trajectories for different sets of home appliances and operational conditions. For the studied cases, the model presents deviations in the demand for the 3.2% of the cases in the first-stage and a 12% for the second-stage model. Results show that the proposed model can schedule available appliances according to the demand aggregator requirements in a limited solving time with diverse hardware.

Abstract: Glucokinase (GK), the hexokinase involved in glucosensing in pancreatic beta-cells, is also expressed in arcuate nucleus (AN) neurons and hypothalamic tanycytes, the cells that surround the basal third ventricle (3V). Several lines of evidence suggest that tanycytes may be involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis. Tanycytes have extended cell processes that contact the feeding-regulating neurons in the AN, particularly, agouti-related protein (AgRP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), cocaine-and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) and proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons. In this study, we developed an adenovirus expressing GK shRNA to inhibit GK expression in vivo. When injected into the 3V of rats, this adenovirus preferentially transduced tanycytes. qRT-PCR and Western blot assays confirmed GK mRNA and protein levels were lower in GK knockdown animals compared to the controls. In response to an intracerebroventricular glucose injection, the mRNA levels of anorexigenic POMC and CART and orexigenic AgRP and NPY neuropeptides were altered in GK knockdown animals. Similarly, food intake, meal duration, frequency of eating events and the cumulative eating time were increased, whereas the intervals between meals were decreased in GK knockdown rats, suggesting a decrease in satiety. Thus, GK expression in the ventricular cells appears to play an important role in feeding behavior.