Generic Battery Model based on a Parametric Implementation

Batteries are a common element used in many electronic applications. Therefore, the analysis and simulation of these applications requires a battery model in order to validate the behavior of the whole system. Since batteries are based on different technologies, a modeling approach valid for any technology is a potential good alternative. Since there are similarities among the different technologies, it is possible to address the modeling of batteries as generic energy storage elements with particular differences. This work presents a battery model valid for different technologies based on a parametric implementation

Efficacy of baths with mineral-medicinal water in patients with fibromyalgia: a randomized clinical trial

The layout of this study, designed as a randomized crossover clinical trial, is to evaluate the efficacy of an intervention with mineral-medicinal water from As Burgas (Ourense) in patients suffering from fibromyalgia. Pre-intervention: randomization of group A and group B. Intervention: Phase 1: Group A: 14 baths in thermal water for a month and standard pharmacological treatment; group B, standard pharmacological treatment. Rest period, 3 months. Phase 2: Gruop A, standard treatment and Grou B, 14 baths in thermal water for a month plus standard treatment. The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) was used; this grades from 1 (minimum) to 10 (maximum) the impact of the illness, which was measured in both phases. 25 patients were included in each group and the study was concluded with 20 patients in group A and 20 in group B. The intervention group obtained, once the baths finished, a mean score of 60,3 (±11,8) and the control group of 70,8 (±13,0) (p <0,001). Three months later, the intervention group presented a mean score of 64,4 (±10,6) and the control group of 5,0 (±11,3) (p <0,001). We can therefore conclude that the simple baths with mineral-medicinal water from As Burgas can make an improvement on the impact caused by fibromyalgia

Study of the Multipactor Effect in Groove Gap Waveguide Technology

This paper presents a theoretical and experimental comparative study of the different multipactor threshold values obtained in rectangular waveguide (RW) and groove gap waveguide (GGW). To this end, the multipactor effect has been first analysed in a RW with a recently developed theoretical model. Then, the multipactor breakdown power levels in the equivalent GGW have been predicted with an accurate electron tracking code, showing a significant increment compared with the RW case. In order to validate these results, two E-plane WR-90 rectangular waveguide transformers have been designed with a full-wave electromagnetic simulation tool. The central sections of these transformers have been implemented in RW and GGW, respectively, and their multipactor breakdown power levels have also been predicted. The two designed transformers have been fabricated in aluminium, and then measured in terms of electrical response (scattering parameters) and RF multipactor effect (power threshold values). All the experimental results agree well with the set of simulated data, thus fully validating the performed study

Association of Salivary Human Papillomavirus Infection and Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been recognized as an important risk factor in cancer. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the prevalence and effect size of association between salivary HPV DNA and the risk of developing oral and oropharyngeal cancer. METHODS: A systematic literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, LILACS, Scopus and the Cochrane Library was performed, without language restrictions or specified start date. Pooled data were analyzed by calculating odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). RESULTS: A total of 1672 studies were screened and 14 met inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. The overall prevalence of salivary HPV DNA for oral and oropharyngeal carcinoma was 43.2%, and the prevalence of salivary HPV16 genotype was 27.5%. Pooled results showed a significant association between salivary HPV and oral and oropharyngeal cancer (OR = 4.94; 2.82-8.67), oral cancer (OR = 2.58; 1.67-3.99) and oropharyngeal cancer (OR = 17.71; 6.42-48.84). Significant associations were also found between salivary HPV16 and oral and oropharyngeal cancer (OR = 10.07; 3.65-27.82), oral cancer (OR = 2.95; 1.23-7.08) and oropharyngeal cancer (OR = 38.50; 22.43-66.07). CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis demonstrated the association between salivary HPV infection and the incidence of oral and oropharyngeal cancer indicating its value as a predictive indicator

A MSFD complementary approach for the assessment of pressures, knowledge and data gaps in Southern European Seas : the PERSEUS experience

PERSEUS project aims to identify the most relevant pressures exerted on the ecosystems of the Southern European Seas (SES), highlighting knowledge and data gaps that endanger the achievement of SES Good Environmental Status (GES) as mandated by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). A complementary approach has been adopted, by a meta-analysis of existing literature on pressure/impact/knowledge gaps summarized in tables related to the MSFD descriptors, discriminating open waters from coastal areas. A comparative assessment of the Initial Assessments (IAs) for five SES countries has been also independently performed. The comparison between meta-analysis results and IAs shows similarities for coastal areas only. Major knowledge gaps have been detected for the biodiversity, marine food web, marine litter and underwater noise descriptors. The meta-analysis also allowed the identification of additional research themes targeting research topics that are requested to the achievement of GES. 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license.peer-reviewe

Temperature influence and CO2 transport in foaming processes of poly(methyl methacrylate)-block copolymer nanocellular and microcellular foams

Fabricated by high-pressure or supercritical CO2 gas dissolution foaming process, nanocellular and microcellular polymer foams based on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA homopolymer) present a controlled nucleation mechanism by the addition of a methylmethacrylate-butylacrylate-methylmethacrylate block copolymer (MAM), leading to defined nanocellular morphologies templated by the nanostructuration of PMMA/MAM precursor blends. Influence of the CO2 saturation temperature on the foaming mechanism and on the foam structure has been studied in 90/10 PMMA/MAM blends and also in the neat (amorphous) PMMA or (nanostructured) MAM polymers, in order to understand the role of the MAM nanostructuration in the cell growth and coalescence phenomena. CO2 uptake and desorption measurements on series of block copolymer/homopolymer blend samples show a competitive behavior of the soft, rubbery, and CO2-philic block of PBA (poly(butyl acrylate)) domains: fast desorption kinetics but higher initial saturation. This competition nevertheless is strongly influenced by the type of dispersion of PBA (e.g. micellar or lamellar) and a very consequent influence on foaming.CO2 sorption and desorption were characterized in order to provide a better understanding of the role of the block copolymer on the foaming stages. Poly(butyl acrylate) blocks are shown to have a faster CO2 diffusion rate than poly(methyl methacrylate) but are more CO2-philic. Thus gas saturation and cell nucleation (heterogeneous) are more affected by the PBA block while cell coalescence is more affected by the PMMA phases (in the copolymer blocks + in the matrix). (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Nanocellular CO2 foaming of PMMA assisted by block copolymer nanostructuration

Polymer foams with closed cells in the range of 90-200 nm and relative densities between 0.4 and 0.6 have been produced by CO2 gas dissolution foaming from neat poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and blends of PMMA and a triblock copolymer [poly(methyl methacrylate)-block poly(butyl acrylate)-block poly(methyl methacrylate), MAM]. Foams produced from these PMMA/MAM blends present a clear heterogeneous nucleation mechanism showing a clear relationship between the nanostructuration of the solid blend precursors and the nucleation efficiency of block copolymers during the saturation-expansion process. This paper discusses the role of the nanostructuration pattern of PMMA/MAM blends on the cells nucleation mechanism, showing that nucleation takes place preferably on the MAM nanostructures due to a combination of their high CO2-philicity, surface tension and morphology