Desenvolupament d'una eina de disseny per al càlcul de costos a parcs fotovoltaics

En els últims anys, l’esgotament dels recursos fòssils utilitzats per a generar energia elèctrica ha incentivat el creixement i l’explotació d’altres tipus de fonts d’energia, principalment de caràcter renovable. Com a causa d’aquest fet, s’han desenvolupat, entre d’altres, eines de caràcter informàtic que faciliten el càlcul i disseny de parcs energètics renovables. A grans trets, el treball exposat es troba dedicat a la millora d’una eina de disseny per a parcs fotovoltaics. Més concretament, es realitza un estudi dels diversos paràmetres que influeixen a l’hora de dissenyar una planta fotovoltaica, proposant simplificacions per al model elèctric que descriu el funcionament del circuit fotovoltaic. A més, a mode d’avaluar l’impacte energètic i econòmic que tenen les idealitzacions proposades es realitza una simulació a un any del funcionament de una instal·lació fotovoltaica, identificant-ne i calculant-ne les pèrdues energètiques a diferents punts de la planta amb el fi d’obtenir l’energia anual generada. Finalment, es realitza un estudi econòmic del cost de l’estació fotovoltaica simulada, analitzant paràmetres com el cost de cicle de vida de la instal·lació o el rati de cost per watt obtingut. Finalment, a mode de millorar l’eina, es dissenyen els models simplificats utilitzant l’eina de càlcul matemàtic MATLAB, per tal de realitzar una comparativa entre els temps de còmput utilitzats per a les diferents propostes de simplificacions, tot establint com a referència el model sense idealitzacions

Induction of calcification by serum depletion in cell culture: a model for focal calcification in aortas related to atherosclerosis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Since aortic calcification has been shown to initiate in the lower zone of well-thickened plaques (LZP) adjacent to the aortic media of rabbits fed supplemental cholesterol diets, a restricted supply of serum to vascular cells could play a role in vascular calcification. This study was designed to use a cell culture model to support this hypothesis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells were grown to confluence in a culture media containing 10 % fetal bovine serum (FBS). The confluent cells were then exposed to the media for 2 hrs with or without serum at a Ca × P ion product range of 4.5–9.4 mM². In contrast to the cells cultured in the presence of FBS, confluent cells in its absence displayed marked mineral-positive alizarin red staining and infrared absorption of mineral phosphate. A kinetic parameter C_1/2was used to designate the concentration of serum or its protein constituents needed to reduce the deposition of Ca and P by half. The C_1/2for FBS and rabbit serum was 0.04–0.07 % The C_1/2value for rabbit serum proteins was 13.5 μg/ml corresponding to the protein concentration in 0.06 % of serum. This C_1/2was markedly smaller than 86.2 μg/ml for bovine serum albumin present in 0.37 % serum (p < 0.05). Serum depletion also caused marked membrane translocation as evidenced through a specific apoptosis dye uptake by cells. The proteomic analysis of calcifying vesicles, which can be released by serum depletion, revealed several calcification-related proteins.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The aortic smooth muscle cell culture model suggests that serum depletion may play a role in the initiation of aortic calcification. The serum exhibits remarkable ability to inhibit cell-mediated calcification.</p

Crisis and neoliberal tourist territorial planning in the Balearic Islands

Algunos de los enclaves turísticos más emblemáticos de las Islas Baleares (Platja de Palma, Magaluf, Platja d’en Bossa y Son Bou) vienen atrayendo en los últimos años el interés de capitales que promueven su restructuración y crecimiento. En este contexto, las administraciones públicas han cedido la orientación de las líneas maestras de la planificación territorial turística y de la reconversión de enclaves maduros a las iniciativas de algunas grandes cadenas hoteleras. Siguiendo este proceso, los inmuebles de alojamiento turístico pueden, mediante su fragmentación y cambio de uso, fluir hacia el circuito secundario de acumulación de capital. Persiste además el desarrollo de nuevos proyectos inmobiliarios, encubiertos de reconversión turística.Some of the most iconic touristic spots of the Balearic Islands (Platja de Palma, Magaluf, Platja d’en Bossa or Son Bou) have been attracting in recent years capital investments which boost their restructuring and transformation. Within this context, the public administration has yielded the strategic orientation of tourism spatial planning and restructuring initiatives to the interests of big hotel chains. Following this process, tourist accommodation can flow –through their fragmentation and change of use– into the secondary circuit of capital accumulation. Furthermore, new urban development projects are linked to tourism restructuration plans.Esta publicación contribuye al proyecto de investigación titulado “Geografías de la crisis: análisis de los territorios urbano-turísticos de las Islas Baleares, Costa del Sol y principales destinos turísticos del Caribe” (CSO2012-30840) del Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad

SAIDE: a Semi-Automated interface for Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry

Comunicaciones a congreso

Linear buckling analysis of perforated cold-formed steel storage rack columns by means of the generalised beam theory

The investigation attempts to adapt a be am finite element procedure based on the Generalised Beam Theory (GBT) to the analysis of perforated columns. The presence of perforations is taken into account through the use of two beam elements with different properties, for the non- perforated and perforated parts of the member. Each part is meshed with its corresponding finite element and, afterwards, they are linked by means of constraint equations . Linear buckling analyses on steel storage rack columns are carried out to demonstrate how the proposed procedure should be applied. Some practical issues are discussed, such as the GBT deformation modes to be included in the analyses, or the optimum finite element discretiz ation. The resulting buckling loads are validated by comparison with the values obtained in anal yses performed using shell finite element models. Finally, it is verified that the buck ling loads produced with the propo sed method are rather accuratePeer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Hegemonía hotelera. El rol del Estado en la reactivación de la tasa de beneficio hotelera tras la crisis de 2008

Se analiza el ejercicio de la hegemonía empresarial hotelera para reactivar su tasa de beneficios tras la crisis de 2008. El Estado –la administración autonómica- apoyó normativamente obras y reformas hoteleras antes prohibidas, abandonando el “contencionismo” y dispensándolas del cumplimiento de ciertos parámetros normativos. Este respaldo de la regulación pública burla la preservación de los principios de igualdad o de prohibición de la arbitrariedad mediante el alegato a la superación de la crisis, desestacionalizar y a la mejora de la sostenibilidad, la accesibilidad y la seguridad. La metodología de trabajo ha consistido en el análisis de la flexibilización normativa en las Islas Baleares y estadístico y cartográfico de los datos disponibles sobre las obras de reforma y ampliación de los hoteles de Mallorca (2009-2021). Los resultados demuestran que el capital fijo inmobiliario de la industria turística de Mallorca se ha renovado y ampliado, con un aumento de 19.434 plazas entre 2010 y 2021 (superior al registrado entre 1999 y 2010, de 16.117 plazas), y el incremento de categorías e inversión en obras de nueva planta y reformas. Dichos proyectos de reforma y ampliación se concentraron en los resorts de sol y playa y la ciudad histórica de Palma. El relanzamiento del ciclo turístico fue acompañado de la rentabilidad en términos de RevPar y de revalorización del capital hotelero. Es decir, se refleja un claro vínculo entre el circuito primario y el secundario

The hegemony of hotels. The role of the State in the reactivation of the profit rate of hotels after the 2008 crisis

Se analiza el ejercicio de la hegemonía empresarial hotelera para reactivar su tasa de beneficios tras la crisis de 2008. El Estado –la administración autonómica- apoyó normativamente obras y reformas hoteleras antes prohibidas, abandonando el “contencionismo” y dispensándolas del cumplimiento de ciertos parámetros normativos. Este respaldo de la regulación pública burla la preservación de los principios de igualdad o de prohibición de la arbitrariedad mediante el alegato a la superación de la crisis, desestacionalizar y a la mejora de la sostenibilidad, la accesibilidad y la seguridad. La metodología de trabajo ha consistido en el análisis de la flexibilización normativa en las Islas Baleares y estadístico y cartográfico de los datos disponibles sobre las obras de reforma y ampliación de los hoteles de Mallorca (2009-2021). Los resultados demuestran que el capital fijo inmobiliario de la industria turística de Mallorca se ha renovado y ampliado, con un aumento de 19.434 plazas entre 2010 y 2021 (superior al registrado entre 1999 y 2010, de 16.117 plazas), y el incremento de categorías e inversión en obras de nueva planta y reformas. Dichos proyectos de reforma y ampliación se concentraron en los resorts de sol y playa y la ciudad histórica de Palma. El relanzamiento del ciclo turístico fue acompañado de la rentabilidad en términos de RevPar y de revalorización del capital hotelero. Es decir, se refleja un claro vínculo entre el circuito primario y el secundario.The exercising of the hegemony of hotels is analyzed to reactivate their profit rate after the 2008 crisis. The State (regional administration) normatively supported previously prohibited hotel works and reforms, abandoning "contentionism" and exempting them from complying with certain regulatory parameters. This support of public regulation circumvents the preservation of the principles of equality or the prohibition of arbitrariness by alleging to overcome the crisis, deseasonalize and improve sustainability, accessibility and safety. Our methodology consists in analyzing the regulatory flexibility in the Balearic Islands and the statistical and cartographic analysis of the available data on the renovation and expansion works of the hotels in Mallorca (2009-2021). The results show that the real estate fixed capital of the tourism industry in Mallorca has been renewed and expanded, with an increase of 19,434 places between 2010 and 2021 (higher than that 16,117 places registered between 1999 and 2010), and an increase in categories and investment in new constructions and reforms. These renovation and expansion projects are focused on the sun and beach tourist resorts and the historic city of Palma. The relaunch of the tourism cycle was accompanied by profitability in terms of RevPar and revaluation of hotel capital. In other words, a clear link is reflected between the primary and secondary circuits.Esta publicación es parte del proyecto de I+D+i RTI2018-094844-B-C31 financiado/a por MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 y por “FEDER Una manera de hacer Europa”, con el apoyo también de la Comunidad Autónoma de las Islas Baleares, a través de la Dirección General de Política Universitaria e Investigación con fondos de la Ley 2/2016, de 30 de marzo, del impuesto sobre estancias turísticas en las Islas Baleares y de medidas de impulso del turismo sostenible (PPDR2020/82 - ITS2017-006)

Pancreatic islet transplantation to treat diabetes - defining molecular tools to select suitable islets [abstract]

Comparative Medicine - OneHealth and Comparative Medicine Poster SessionA complete understanding of pancreatic islet biology is essential to the development of preventive or curative interventions for diabetes. It has been known that subpopulations of islets of different sizes exist; however, whether they are biologically and functionally unique has not been investigated. As an example, our work comparing the biology of large versus small islets isolated from rats showed that small islets were superior to large islets in in vitro function and in transplantation outcomes. These results provided the stimulus for an improved approach to islet transplantation in humans. The work also led to new questions regarding the basic physiology of healthy islets. Through collaboration between our University of Kansas Medical Center and Children's Mercy Hospital teams, we determined that small islets secrete higher amount of insulin in vitro when compared to the large islets. We sought to identify whether the islet subpopulations showed differences at the molecular level and thus we investigated their protein expression profiles using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D PAGE). We found that the protein repertoire in the small and large islets differed significantly. Specifically, some proteins were found only in one type of islets, small or large, while they were missing or their expression levels were different in the other subpopulation. We identified some of the proteins by liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry. Immunofluorescence performed on small and large islets in pancreatic sections, with antibodies against identified proteins, confirmed that the proteins were present in one subpopulation of islets. Of these proteins, at least one was unique to large islets and can potentially be used as a marker to distinguish in vivo between islets that are high-insulin producers and those that fail to secrete significant amounts in insulin. Our long-term goal is to monitor the fate of the different islet populations during diabetes development. In addition, markers like this can be used to determine the best islet subpopulation for transplantation. The data support our hypothesis that integral differences exist between small and large islets that might determine the islets' unique properties under normal conditions and during the development of diabetes. These differences may also influence islet subpopulation behavior in transplantation affecting the outcome

The Proteome of Biologically Active Membrane Vesicles from Piscirickettsia salmonis LF-89 Type Strain Identifies Plasmid-Encoded Putative Toxins

Piscirickettsia salmonis is the predominant bacterial pathogen affecting the Chilean salmonid industry. This bacterium is the etiological agent of piscirickettsiosis, a significant fish disease. Membrane vesicles (MVs) released by P. salmonis deliver several virulence factors to host cells. To improve on existing knowledge for the pathogenicity-associated functions of P. salmonis MVs, we studied the proteome of purified MVs from the P. salmonis LF-89 type strain using multidimensional protein identification technology. Initially, the cytotoxicity of different MV concentration purified from P. salmonis LF-89 was confirmed in an in vivo adult zebrafish infection model. The cumulative mortality of zebrafish injected with MVs showed a dose-dependent pattern. Analyses identified 452 proteins of different subcellular origins; most of them were associated with the cytoplasmic compartment and were mainly related to key functions for pathogen survival. Interestingly, previously unidentified putative virulence-related proteins were identified in P. salmonis MVs, such as outer membrane porin F and hemolysin. Additionally, five amino acid sequences corresponding to the Bordetella pertussis toxin subunit 1 and two amino acid sequences corresponding to the heat-labile enterotoxin alpha chain of Escherichia coli were located in the P. salmonis MV proteome. Curiously, these putative toxins were located in a plasmid region of P. salmonis LF-89. Based on the identified proteins, we propose that the protein composition of P. salmonis LF-89 MVs could reflect total protein characteristics of this P. salmonis type strain