Maritime Location Decisions for Lng Bunkering Facilities

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is one of the upcoming fuels to be used for more sustainable shipping activities in the maritime sector. For a widespread adoption by end-users, a refuelling network requiring capital intensive investments, needs to be in place. From a macro perspective of suppliers of LNG, it makes sense to develop the infrastructure at strategic locations that capture as many vessels and ships as possible. The goal of this research is to develop a facility location model that can contribute to the location selection of LNG facilities in a new fuelling network. The new model will fit the maritime sector and specifically the LNG transition. Experiments, with data obtained from expert interviews, have been performed to study facility location decisions in the North Sea areas

Patch behaviour and predictability properties of modelled finite-amplitude sand ridges on the inner shelf

The long-term evolution of shoreface-connected sand ridges is investigated with a nonlinear spectral model which governs the dynamics of waves, currents, sediment transport and the bed level on the inner shelf. Wave variables are calculated with a shoaling-refraction model instead of using a parameterisation. The spectral model describes the time evolution of amplitudes of known eigenmodes of the linearised system. Bottom pattern formation occurs if the transverse bottom slope of the inner shelf, β, exceeds a critical value β<sub>c</sub>. For fixed model parameters the sensitivity of the properties of modelled sand ridges to changes in the number (<i>N</i>−1) of resolved subharmonics (of the initially fastest growing mode) is investigated. For any <i>N</i> the model shows the growth and subsequent saturation of the height of the sand ridges. The saturation time scale is several thousands of years, which suggests that observed sand ridges have not reached their saturated stage yet. The migration speed of the ridges and the average longshore spacing between successive crests in the saturated state differ from those in the initial state. Analysis of the potential energy balance of the ridges reveals that bed slope-induced sediment transport is crucial for the saturation process. In the transient stage the shoreface-connected ridges occur in patches. The overall characteristics of the bedforms (saturation time, final maximum height, average longshore spacing, migration speed) hardly vary with <i>N</i>. However, individual time series of modal amplitudes and bottom patterns strongly depend on <i>N</i>, thereby implying that the detailed evolution of sand ridges can only be predicted over a limited time interval. Additional experiments show that the critical bed slope β<sub>c</sub> increases with larger offshore angles of wave incidence, larger offshore wave heights and longer wave periods, and that the corresponding maximum height of the ridges decreases whilst the saturation time increases

Patch behaviour and predictability propierties of modelled finite-amplitude sand ridges on the inner shelf

The long-term evolution of shoreface-connected sand ridges is investigated with a nonlinear spectral model which governs the dynamics of waves, currents, sediment transport and the bed level on the inner shelf. Wave variables are calculated with a shoaling-refraction model instead of using a parameterisation. The spectral model describes the time evolution of amplitudes of known eigenmodes of the linearised system. Bottom pattern formation occurs if the transverse bottom slope of the inner shelf, β, exceeds a critical value βc. For fixed model parameters the sensitivity of the properties of modelled sand ridges to changes in the number (N−1) of resolved subharmonics (of the initially fastest growing mode) is investigated. For any N the model shows the growth and subsequent saturation of the height of the sand ridges. The saturation time scale is several thousands of years, which suggests that observed sand ridges have not reached their saturated stage yet. The migration speed of the ridges and the average longshore spacing between successive crests in the saturated state differ from those in the initial state. Analysis of the potential energy balance of the ridges reveals that bed slope-induced sediment transport is crucial for the saturation process. In the transient stage the shoreface-connected ridges occur in patches. The overall characteristics of the bedforms (saturation time, final maximum height, average longshore spacing, migration speed) hardly vary with N. However, individual time series of modal amplitudes and bottom patterns strongly depend on N, thereby implying that the detailed evolution of sand ridges can only be predicted over a limited time interval. Additional experiments show that the critical bed slope βc increases with larger offshore angles of wave incidence, larger offshore wave heights and longer wave periods, and that the corresponding maximum height of the ridges decreases whilst the saturation time increases.Postprint (published version

T-profiler: scoring the activity of predefined groups of genes using gene expression data

One of the key challenges in the analysis of gene expression data is how to relate the expression level of individual genes to the underlying transcriptional programs and cellular state. Here we describe T-profiler, a tool that uses the t-test to score changes in the average activity of predefined groups of genes. The gene groups are defined based on Gene Ontology categorization, ChIP-chip experiments, upstream matches to a consensus transcription factor binding motif or location on the same chromosome. If desired, an iterative procedure can be used to select a single, optimal representative from sets of overlapping gene groups. T-profiler makes it possible to interpret microarray data in a way that is both intuitive and statistically rigorous, without the need to combine experiments or choose parameters. Currently, gene expression data from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans are supported. Users can upload their microarray data for analysis on the web at

On Perception and Consciousness in HPPD:A Systematic Review

Hallucinogen-persisting perception disorder (HPPD) features as a diagnostic category in the DSM-5, ICD-11, and other major classifications, but our knowledge of the phenomenology of the perceptual symptoms involved and the changes in consciousness during the characteristic “flashbacks” is limited. We systematically evaluated original case reports and case series on HPPD to define its phenomenology, associated (psycho)pathology, and course. Our search of PubMed and Embase yielded 66 relevant publications that described 97 people who, together, experienced 64 unique symptoms of HPPD. Of these, 76% concerned symptoms characteristic of Alice in Wonderland syndrome, over 50% non-visual symptoms, and 38% perceptual symptoms not clearly linked to prior intoxication states. This is in contrast with the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for HPPD. Even though less than half of the patients showed a protracted disease course of over a year, a third achieved remission. However, in patients with co-occurring depression (with or without anxiety) HPPD symptoms persisted longer and treatment outcomes were more often negative. Thus, unlike the acute stages of psychedelic drug intoxication, which may be accompanied by altered states of consciousness, HPPD is rather characterized by changes in the content of consciousness and an attentional shift from exogenous to endogenous phenomena. Since HPPD is a more encompassing nosological entity than suggested in the DSM-5, we recommend expanding its diagnostic criteria. In addition, we make recommendations for clinical practice and future research

Adult patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension due to congenital heart disease: a review on advanced medical treatment with bosentan

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease with poor survival outcome. PAH is classified by the 2009 updated clinical classification of pulmonary hypertension and a major subgroup is PAH due to congenital heart disease (CHD) with systemic-to-pulmonary shunt. CHD-PAH is a result of systemic-to-pulmonary shunting and chronic increased flow that ultimately results in adaptations of pulmonary vasculature and endothelial dysfunction. The advanced stage is called Eisenmenger syndrome which forms a small percentage (1%) of all CHD patients. Therapies targeted on PAH symptoms are called primary therapy for PAH, but most CHD-PAH patients progress to advanced therapy which is directed at the PAH itself. In CHD-PAH, advanced therapies are extensively investigated for all three major pathways: endothelin-1 receptor antagonists such as bosentan, prostanoids such as epoprostenol and phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors such as sildenafil. Endpoints in most trials were catheterization hemodynamics, World Health Organization functional class, six-minute walking distance and patient-focused outcomes, based on quality of life questionnaires and Borg dyspnea index. The BREATHE-5 and EARLY study were two important randomized controlled trials showing efficacy of bosentan at short follow-up. Moreover in patients with Eisenmenger syndrome, one recent survival retrospective study with majority of patients on bosentan showed strong survival benefit over conservative therapy. A diversity of prospective cohort and retrospective studies were performed but all with limited data, due to small numbers and heterogeneity of underlying CHD diagnoses. Further larger studies are needed to determine optimal treatment for adults with CHD-PAH. This review focuses on bosentan in CHD-PAH. In particular, we discuss outcome of various clinical trials and compare efficacy and safety of bosentan to other advanced therapies

Growth mode, magnetic and magneto-optical properties of pulsed-laser-deposited Au/Co/Au(111) trilayers

The growth mode, magnetic and magneto-optical properties of epitaxial Au/Co/Au(111) ultrathin trilayers grown by pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) under ultra-high vacuum are presented. Sapphire wafers buffered with a single-crystalline Mo(110) bilayer were used as substrates. Owing to PLD-induced interfacial intermixing at the lower Co/Au(111) interface, a layer-by-layer growth mode is promoted. Surprisingly, despite this intermixing, ferromagnetic behavior is found at room temperature for coverings starting at 1 atomic layer (AL). The films display perpendicular magnetization with anisotropy constants reduced by 50% compared to TD-grown or electrodeposited films, and with a coercivity more than one order of magnitude lower ($\lesssim$ 5 mT). The magneto-optical (MO) response in the low Co thickness range is dominated by Au/Co interface contributions. For thicknesses starting at 3 AL Co, the MO response has a linear dependence with the Co thickness, indicative of a continuous-film-like MO behavior