Price forecasting in the day-ahead Iberian electricity market using a conjectural variations Arima model

Price forecast is a matter of concern for all participants in electricity markets, from suppliers to consumers through policy makers, which are interested in the accurate forecast of day-ahead electricity prices either for better decisions making or for an improved evaluation of the effectiveness of market rules and structure. This paper describes a methodology to forecast market prices in an electricity market using an ARIMA model applied to the conjectural variations of the firms acting in an electricity market. This methodology is applied to the Iberian electricity market to forecast market prices in the 24 hours of a working day. The methodology was then compared with two other methodologies, one called naive and the other a direct forecast of market prices using also an ARIMA model. Results show that the conjectural variations price forecast performs better than the naive and that it performs slightly better than the direct price forecast

Using the post‐operative quality recovery scale to evaluate recovery with different neuromuscular blocking reversal agentsin the Portuguese population ‐ interim analysis results: 1AP3‐8

Background and Goal of Study: Post-operative Quality Recovery Scale (PQRS), is the first scale evaluating several domains of postoperative recovery. The objectives of this study were to compare overal and physiologic, cognitive, and functional domains of post-operative recovery af ter elective surgical procedures using neostigmine or sugammadex as neuromuscular blocking (NMB) reversal agents, to validate the use of PQRS in the Portuguese population and to objectively assess muscular strength recovery. Materials and Methods: Prospective multicenter observational study comparing postoperative recovery between 2 cohorts of 50 adult patients submitted to elective surgical procedures with general anesthesia using Nondepolarizing Muscle Relaxants and NMB reversal with neostigmine or sugammadex. Measurements obtained using Portuguese version of PQRS at dif ferent timepoint: baseline,15 minutes (T15), 40 minutes (T40), one and three days af ter surgery. Full recovery defined as return to values identical or higher than those measured at baseline, prior to surgery. Muscular strength measured with KERN- MAP® Dynamometer. Ethics Committees approval was obtained. Statistics used linear T-Test, Qui Square and Fisher exact test, data presented as mean±SD for continuous variables. Interim analysis results presented Results and Discussion: Thirty patients received neostigmine and 21 sugammadex. Age and BMI 50.4±11.8 and 28.6±5.6 in the neostigmine group and 38.2±12.7 and 24.7± 4.5 in the sugammadex group (p< 0,001). Overall response rate at T15 was 86% for neostigmine and 95% for sugammadex (p= 0.22). Dif ferences in favor of sugammadex group noted in nociceptive and emotional domains, 80 vs 100% respectively (p=0.04). Overall response rate at T40 was 80% for neostigmine and 65% for sugammadex (p=0.33), primarily reflecting constraints on activities of daily life. Muscular strength did not dif fer. Improvements in recovery scores from T15 to T40 were observed in both groups, without significant dif ferences . Postoperative assessments were feasible using PQRS at T15 and T40 and seem appropriate for comparisons between postoperative recovery domains and overall recovery . These preliminary results suggest nociceptive and emotional domains recovery at T15 may be faster with sugammadex. Conclusion: The results support the adopted PQRS validation process and the potential of this scale as a tool for the evaluation of post operative recovery evaluation in the Portuguese populatio

Pigment Epithelium Macroadenoma Mimicking Iris or Ciliary Body Melanoma

This is a Photo Essay and does not have an abstract. Please download the PDF or view the article HTML

Efficacy And Safety Of Implantable Loop Recorder: Experience Of A Center

Introduction: Symptoms like syncope or palpitations frequently present a diagnostic challenge. An implantable loop recorder (ILR) is an important aid in the management of these patients. Methods: A retrospective study of patients that underwent ILR implantation from November 2007 to 2014. For each patient the indication for implantation, baseline characteristics, previous study, complications, recorded tracing and interventions were evaluated. Results: A total of 62 patients were included, 50% men, with a mean age of 62.5±18.8 years old. Previously to ILR implantation 88.7% of patients had performed Holter, 17.7% external events recorder, 33.9% Tilt test and 29% an electrophysiological study. The implantation indications were recurrent syncope in 90.3%, palpitations 8.1% and ischemic stroke in one patient. Mean follow-up time was 17.1±16.3 months. Symptoms were reported in 66.1% of the patients, 46.8% of those yielding a diagnostic finding. In all cases of palpitation complaints with diagnosis we found atrial fibrillation (AF). In patients with syncope atrioventricular conduction disturbance was demonstrated in 19.6%, sinus node dysfunction in 16.1%, paroxysmal supra-ventricular tachycardia 7.1% and AF in 1.8%. These finding resulted in 19 pacemaker and one CRT-D implantation, introduction of anticoagulation in five patients and one ablation of accessory pathway. There were no major complications. Conclusion: ILR proved to be safe and efficient. It has enabled the identification or exclusion of serious rhythm disturbances in more than half of patients and provided a targeted therapeutic intervention.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An automated multiwell plate reading film microscope for live cell autofluorescence lifetime assays

Fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) is increasingly used to read out cellular autofluorescence originating from the coenzyme NADH in the context of investigating cell metabolic state. We present here an automated multiwell plate reading FLIM microscope optimized for UV illumination with the goal of extending high content fluorescence lifetime assays to readouts of metabolism. We demonstrate its application to automated cellular autofluorescence lifetime imaging and discuss the key practical issues associated with its implementation. In particular, we illustrate its capability to read out the NADH-lifetime response of cells to metabolic modulators, thereby illustrating the potential of the instrument for cytotoxicity studies, assays for drug discovery and stratified medicine

A ferrous oxalate mediated photo-Fenton system: Toward an increased biodegradability of indigo dyed wastewaters

This study assessed the applicability of a ferrous oxalate mediated photo-Fenton pretreatment for indigo-dyed wastewaters as to produce a biodegradable enough effluent, likely of being derived to conventional biological processes. The photochemical treatment was performed with ferrous oxalate and hydrogen peroxide in a Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) under batch operation conditions. The reaction was studied at natural pH conditions (5–6) with indigo concentrations in the range of 6.67–33.33 mg L−1, using a fixed oxalate-to-iron mass ratio (C2O42−/Fe2+ = 35) and assessing the system's biodegradability at low (257 mg L−1) and high (1280 mg L−1) H2O2 concentrations. In order to seek the optimal conditions for the treatment of indigo dyed wastewaters, an experimental design consisting in a statistical surface response approach was carried out. This analysis revealed that the best removal efficiencies for Total Organic Carbon (TOC) were obtained for low peroxide doses. In general it was observed that after 20 kJ L−1, almost every treated effluent increased its biodegradability from a BOD5/COD value of 0.4. This increase in the biodegradability was confirmed by the presence of short chain carboxylic acids as intermediate products and by the mineralization of organic nitrogen into nitrate. Finally, an overall decrease in the LC50 for Artemia salina indicated a successful detoxification of the effluent

Data for: Safety evaluation of Artemisia annua extract in acute, short term and genotoxicity studies

The data show the raw data for acute toxicity test and 28-days toxicity test for Artemisia annua extract. Acute toxicity test was conducted at dose of 2000 mg/kg by oral gavage and recorder change of body weight. Twenty-eight days toxicity was assayed at oral doses of 100, 300 and 1000 mg/kg/day. The raw data included animal body weight, food intake, hematological and biochemical parameters and selected organs weights

Data for: Safety evaluation of the venom from scorpion Rhopalurus junceus: assessment of oral short term, subchronic toxicity and teratogenic effect

Data for short-term, subchronic toxicity and the teratogenic potential of Rhopalurus junceus scorpion venom by oral route in mice. Short-term oral toxicity was test in both sexes NMRI mice that received 100 mg/kg/day of scorpion venom extract for 28 days. For the subchronic study, mice were administered with three doses (0.1, 10, and 100 mg/kg) by oral route for 90 days. Teratogenic potential was tested in pregnant mice administered from day 6 to 15 post conception. Significant differences were observed in body weight and food intake of animal treated for short-term and subchronic assays. Variations in serum urea and cholesterol were observed after 90 days oral treatment. Spontaneous findings not related to the treatment were reveal in histology evaluation. Exposure in pregnant mice did not produce maternal toxicity. Signs of embryo-fetal toxicity were not observed. The current study provides evidence that exposure to low or moderate dose of Rhopalurus junceus scorpion venom by oral route did not affect health of animals and has low impact on reproductive physiology