Detection of Wind Turbine Failures through Cross-Information between Neighbouring Turbines

In this paper, the time variation of signals from several SCADA systems of geographically closed turbines are analysed and compared. When operating correctly, they show a clear pattern of joint variation. However, the presence of a failure in one of the turbines causes the signals from the faulty turbine to decouple from the pattern. From this information, SCADA data is used to determine, firstly, how to derive reference signals describing this pattern and, secondly, to compare the evolution of different turbines with respect to this joint variation. This makes it possible to determine whether the behaviour of the assembly is correct, because they maintain the well-functioning patterns, or whether they are decoupled. The presented strategy is very effective and can provide important support for decision making in turbine maintenance and, in the near future, to improve the classification of signals for training supervised normality models. In addition to being a very effective system, it is a low computational cost strategy, which can add great value to the SCADA data systems present in wind farms.Peer ReviewedObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::7 - Energia Assequible i No Contaminant::7.a - Per a 2030, augmentar la cooperació internacional per tal de facilitar l’accés a la investigació i a les tecnolo­gies energètiques no contaminants, incloses les fonts d’energia renovables, l’eficiència energètica i les tecnologies de combustibles fòssils avançades i menys contaminants, i promoure la inversió en infraestructures energètiques i tecnologies d’energia no contaminantObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::7 - Energia Assequible i No Contaminant::7.b - Per a 2030, ampliar la infraestructura i millorar la tecnologia per tal d’oferir serveis d’energia moderns i sos­tenibles per a tots els països en desenvolupament, en particular els països menys avançats, els petits estats insulars en desenvolupament i els països en desenvolupament sense litoral, d’acord amb els programes de suport respectiusObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::7 - Energia Assequible i No ContaminantPostprint (published version

Caracterização dos solos em duas toposseqüências sobre diferentes litologias em áreas altimontanas na Serra da Mantiqueira.

Estudo de solos em duas toposseqüências em áreas de preservação ambiental na Serra da Mantiqueira, a primeira localizada no Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca, município de Lima Duarte, MG e a segunda localizada na RPPN do Matutú, município de Aiuruoca, MG.bitstream/CNPS/11573/1/doc57_2003_topossequencias.pd

A Fast Gradient Approximation for Nonlinear Blind Signal Processing

When dealing with nonlinear blind processing algorithms (deconvolution or post-nonlinear source separation), complex mathematical estimations must be done giving as a result very slow algorithms. This is the case, for example, in speech processing, spike signals deconvolution or microarray data analysis. In this paper, we propose a simple method to reduce computational time for the inversion of Wiener systems or the separation of post-nonlinear mixtures, by using a linear approximation in a minimum mutual information algorithm. Simulation results demonstrate that linear spline interpolation is fast and accurate, obtaining very good results (similar to those obtained without approximation) while computational time is dramatically decreased. On the other hand, cubic spline interpolation also obtains similar good results, but due to its intrinsic complexity, the global algorithm is much more slow and hence not useful for our purpose

Parp1 Localizes within the Dnmt1 Promoter and Protects Its Unmethylated State by Its Enzymatic Activity

Aberrant hypermethylation of CpG islands in housekeeping gene promoters and widespread genome hypomethylation are typical events occurring in cancer cells. The molecular mechanisms behind these cancer-related changes in DNA methylation patterns are not well understood. Two questions are particularly important: (i) how are CpG islands protected from methylation in normal cells, and how is this protection compromised in cancer cells, and (ii) how does the genome-wide demethylation in cancer cells occur. The latter question is especially intriguing since so far no DNA demethylase enzyme has been found.Our data show that the absence of ADP-ribose polymers (PARs), caused by ectopic over-expression of poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) in L929 mouse fibroblast cells leads to aberrant methylation of the CpG island in the promoter of the Dnmt1 gene, which in turn shuts down its transcription. The transcriptional silencing of Dnmt1 may be responsible for the widespread passive hypomethylation of genomic DNA which we detect on the example of pericentromeric repeat sequences. Chromatin immunoprecipitation results show that in normal cells the Dnmt1 promoter is occupied by poly(ADP-ribosyl)ated Parp1, suggesting that PARylated Parp1 plays a role in protecting the promoter from methylation.In conclusion, the genome methylation pattern following PARG over-expression mirrors the pattern characteristic of cancer cells, supporting our idea that the right balance between Parp/Parg activities maintains the DNA methylation patterns in normal cells. The finding that in normal cells Parp1 and ADP-ribose polymers localize on the Dnmt1 promoter raises the possibility that PARylated Parp1 marks those sequences in the genome that must remain unmethylated and protects them from methylation, thus playing a role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression

Temporal dynamics of organic matter, hyphomycetes and invertebrate communities in a Brazilian savanna stream

Abstract Leaf litter breakdown is an important process in riparian ecosystems, regulated by the concomitant fluctuations of allochthonous organic matter input (quality and quantity), the environmental conditions, and the decomposer community. Our objective was to assess the effects of temporal variability of litter quantity and quality over the stream's decomposer community. We hypothesized that the litter effects over the decomposer community would be overruled by Cerrado's harsh environmental conditions. Precipitation fluctuations, especially during dry and rain seasons, did modify the litterfall periodicity, but not the average organic matter entering the system or the litterfall triggers. Fifteen riparian species were identified contributing with organic matter into the stream, however, Richeria grandis contributed with 48% of litter biomass, helping explain the nutritional intra-annual balance given by the litter chemistry, that would be determinant for ecosystem stability. Higher aquatic hyphomycetes sporulation rates and invertebrate density during the dry season suggest that the decomposer community required a more stable environment (consistent low current) in order to colonize and exploit leaf litter. Our results point out that physical fragmentation was the predominant driver of litter breakdown for our system, due to high decomposition rates, litter remaining mass correlated negatively with precipitation, and low decomposer abundance and activity. Invertebrate collectors' abundance was negatively correlated with litter remaining mass and showed no temporal variation, suggesting that this functional group may have benefited from the particulate organic matter produced by physical fragmentation. Therefore, annual temporal variations on Brazilian savanna stream systems may drive the functioning of the ecosystem

A Structural Split in the Human Genome

Background: Promoter-associated CpG islands (PCIs) mediate methylation-dependent gene silencing, yet tend to co-locate to transcriptionally active genes. To address this paradox, we used data mining to assess the behavior of PCI-positive (PCI+) genes in the human genome. Results: PCI+ genes exhibit a bimodal distribution: (1) a 'housekeeping-like' subset characterized by higher GC content and lower intron length/number, and (2) a 'pseudogene paralog' subset characterized by lower GC content and higher intron length/number (p<0.001). These subsets are functionally distinguishable, with the former gene group characterized by higher expression levels and lower evolutionary rate (p<0.001). PCI-negative (PCI-) genes exhibit higher evolutionary rate and narrower expression breadth than PCI+ genes (p<0.001), consistent with more frequent tissue-specific inactivation. Conclusions: Adaptive evolution of the human genome appears driven in part by declining transcription of a subset of PCI+ genes, predisposing to both CpG→TpA mutation and intron insertion. We propose a model of evolving biological complexity in which environmentally-selected gains or losses of PCI methylation respectively favor positive or negative selection, thus polarizing PCI+ gene structures around a genomic core of ancestral PCI- genes. © 2007 Tang, Epstein.published_or_final_versio

Advances in using PARP inhibitors to treat cancer

The poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) family of enzymes plays a critical role in the maintenance of DNA integrity as part of the base excision pathway of DNA repair. PARP1 is overexpressed in a variety of cancers, and its expression has been associated with overall prognosis in cancer, especially breast cancer. A series of new therapeutic agents that are potent inhibitors of the PARP1 and PARP2 isoforms have demonstrated important clinical activity in patients with breast or ovarian cancers that are caused by mutations in either the BRCA1 or 2 genes. Results from such studies may define a new therapeutic paradigm, wherein simultaneous loss of the capacity to repair DNA damage may have antitumor activity in itself, as well as enhance the antineoplastic potential of cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents