Analysis of the economic feasibility and reduction of a building’s energy consumption and emissions when integrating hybrid solar thermal/PV/micro-CHP systems

The aim of this paper is to assess the performance of several designs of hybrid systems composed of solar thermal collectors, photovoltaic panels and natural gas internal combustion engines. The software TRNSYS 17 has been used to perform all the calculations and data processing, as well as an optimisation of the tank volumes through an add-in coupled with the GENOPT® software. The study is carried out by analysing the behaviour of the designed systems and the conventional case in five different locations of Spain with diverse climatic characteristics, evaluating the same building in all cases. Regulators, manufacturers and energy service engineers are the most interested in these results. Two major contributions in this paper are the calculations of primary energy consumption and emissions and the inclusion of a Life Cycle Cost analysis. A table which shows the order of preference regarding those criteria for each considered case study is also included. This was fulfilled in the interest of comparing between the different configurations and climatic zones so as to obtain conclusions on each of them. The study also illustrates a sensibility analysis regarding energy prices. Finally, the exhaustive literature review, the novel electricity consumption profile of the building and the illustration of the influence of the cogeneration engine working hours are also valuable outputs of this paper, developed in order to address the knowledge gap and the ongoing challenges in the field of distributed generation

La hierba de Santiago, medicina natural en el Camino

La Hierba de Santiago es una de las plantas silvestres cuyas propiedades curativas han sido aprovechadas durante siglos por peregrinos e instituciones para intentar sanar las posibles dolencias de los caminantes. Se encuentra ampliamente distribuida por toda Europa, creciendo en los márgenes de los caminos, a disposición de quienquiera que pase por su lado. Curiosamente se trata de una planta tóxica, debido a su alta concentración de alcaloides pirrolicidínicos, y en la actualidad está prohibida su comercialización. Tanto su nombre vulgar como científico hacen alusión directa al Camino de Santiago, por lo que forma parte de la simbología imprescindible en la peregrinación hacia el Apóstol

La concha del peregrino (Pecten jacobaeus), símbolo del Camino de Santiago

La vieira común (Pecten jacobaeus), molusco bivalvo pectínido, está vinculada, hasta en su nombre científico, al Camino de Santiago. Llamada también concha del peregrino, constituye uno de los símbolos por excelencia del Camino jacobeo, bien como insignia portada en el equipamento de los peregrinos bien como representación continua en fachadas de edificios emblemáticos situados a lo largo del Camino. La simbología existente alrededor de este bivalvo es muy rica, con sentidos muy diversos, y está asociada a la realización de obras buenas -por su parecido a los dedos de una mano-, al renacimiento personal -en torno al símbolo de Venus-, a la iniciación de un camino -por su similitud con una pata palmeada de oca- o, más claramente, en la ruta jacobea, a la culminación de la peregrinación. Todas estos sentidos confluyen para explicar la consolidación de este símbolo hasta nuestros días, de forma que la concha significa para muchos la espiritualidad-religión presente a lo largo del Camin

La teoría de la graduación de las sanciones en relación con las causas legales del despido disciplinario (Artículo 54.2 ET).

El objeto de dicho trabajo versa sobre el análisis de las causas legales del Artículo 54.2 ET y la aplicación de la teoría o doctrina gradualista en relación con cada una de ellas, causas que recogen los supuestos de incumplimientos contractuales merecedores de la sanción de despido disciplinario, sanción que deberá graduarse a través de una tarea individualizadora y exhaustiva, valorando todos aquellos elementos subjetivos y objetivos que rodean el supuesto fáctico en cuestión

Pyridine Based Antitumour Compounds Acting at the Colchicine Site

[EN]Antimitotics binding at the colchicine site of tubulin are important antitumour and vascular disrupting agents. Pyridines and azines are privileged scaffolds in medicinal chemistry and in recent years many colchicine site ligands (CSL) have incorporated them into their structures with the aim of improving their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics properties. CSL have been classified according to their chemical structures and the chemical structures of the pyridine and azine containing antimitotic compounds are described. The design principles behind the structural modifications and the achieved effect on the biological activity upon inclusion of these heterocycles are also discussed. Lessons from the achievements and failures have been extracted and future perspectives delineated

Clinical Performance of a New Hybrid Contact Lens for Keratoconus

OBJECTIVES: To compare the clinical performance of the Clearkone hybrid contact lens for the treatment of keratoconus against the habitual contact lens of the patients. METHODS: A total of 33 eyes from 18 patients were fitted with the Clearkone. High- and low-contrast visual acuity (HCVA and LCVA), central corneal thickness (CCT), and contrast sensitivity acuity (CSF) were recorded with habitual lenses (prestudy visit) and after 1 week, 15 days, and 1 month of wear of prescribed Clearkone. Subjective vision and comfort were rated using visual analogue scales (VAS). RESULTS: Three patients discontinued the study, one because of diffuse corneal staining after 1 day of use and the other two because of extreme discomfort. The rest of the patients completed the 1-month study. High contrast visual acuity and LCVA (logMAR) improved significantly from 0.16 ± 0.12 and 0.44 ± 0.22, respectively, with the patient's habitual contact lenses to -0.006 ± 0.058 and 0.23 ± 0.13 after 1 day wearing Clearkone, remaining significant during all follow-up visits (P<0.001; repeated measures analysis of variance [RM-ANOVA]). There were no statistically significant differences in the mean CCT. The improvement of CSF was statistically significant with hybrid contact lenses prescribed compared with the patient's habitual contact lenses (P<0.001; RM-ANOVA test). Improvement in VAS score, with prescribed Clearkone, was statistically significant for comfort (P=0.043; RM-ANOVA test), but not for the subjective vision (P=0.759; RM-ANOVA test). CONCLUSIONS: Clearkone provides an improvement in visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and subjective comfort in patients with keratoconus when compared with other contact lens options. However, clinicians must get specific training to fit the lens and be aware of potential adverse events

Profesionales que intervienen en el tratamiento de la violencia de género en Andalucía

El presente capítulo tiene como objetivo explorar el papel de las y los profesionales que trabajan en el ámbito de la violencia de género, así como la presencia o ausencia de estas figuras en la intervención puede estar relacionado con la forma en que esta violencia incide en el círculo más cercano de las víctimas. Para ello se utiliza una metodología etnográfica consistente en entrevistas en profundidad a profesionales y familiares (N=25) de Andalucía. Los resultados describen la intervención de profesionales con las víctimas y sus familias. Se discuten los hallazgos encontrados y se proponen nuevos enfoques para la intervención social, contribuyendo a que sean tomados en consideración en mayor medida a la hora de orientar las prácticas preventivas y las políticas sociales.The purpose of this chapter is to explore the role of professionals working in the field of professionals working in the field of gender-based violence, as well as the presence or absence how the presence or absence of these figures in the intervention can be related to the way in which this violence the way in which this violence affects the victims' closest circle. For this purpose, an ethnographic methodology is used consisting of in-depth interviews with professionals and family members (N=25) in Andalusia The results describe the intervention of professionals with the victims and their families. The findings are discussed and new approaches to social intervention are proposed, contributing to their being taken into consideration to a greater extent when orienting preventive practices and social policies