A Bi-Objective Approach for Optimizing the Installation of PATs in Systems of Transmission Mains

This paper proposes the bi‐objective optimization for the installation of pumps operating as turbines (PATs) in systems of transmission mains, which typically operate at steady flow conditions to cater to tanks in the service of water distribution networks. The methodology aims to find optimal solutions in the trade‐off between installation costs and generated hydropower, which are to be minimized and maximized, respectively. While the bi‐objective optimization is carried out by means of a genetic algorithm, an inner optimization sub‐algorithm provides for the regulation of PAT settings. The applications concerned a real Italian case study, made up of nine systems of transmission mains. The methodology proved able to thoroughly explore the trade‐off between the two objective functions, offering solutions able to recover hydropower up to 83 KW. In each system considered, the optimal solutions obtained were postprocessed in terms of long‐life net profit. Due to the large geodesic elevation variations available in the case study, this analysis showed that, in all systems, the optimal solution with the highest value of generated hydropower was the most profitable under usual economic scenarios, with payback periods always lower than 3 years

Une approche simplifiée pour la conception de tranchées d'infiltration

Colloque avec actes et comité de lecture. Internationale.International audienc

Benefits and medium-term outcome of the Sorin Pericarbon Freedom stentless aortic prosthesis in cases of acute bacterial endocarditis

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to evaluate the ease of use and the advantages of Sorin Pericarbon Freedom (SPF) stentless valve in cases of acute bacterial endocarditis and to check the intermediate-term results after the implant of SPF with respect to resistance to infection, valve deterioration and durability. METHODS Between June 2003 and February 2015, 26 patients with active aortic valve bacterial endocarditis underwent aortic valve replacement with SPF pericardial stentless aortic prosthesis. The mean age was 57 \ub1 18 years; 73% of the patients were in preoperative NYHA class III and VI. Mean Logistic EuroSCORE was 14.2 \ub1 12.7. Endocarditis occurred in 18 patients with native valves, and in 9 patients with prosthetic valves (4 mechanical aortic valve prostheses; 5 aortic bioprostheses). Aortic root abscesses were observed in 16 cases (61.5%). Surgery was emergent in 3 cases (11.5%). Redo surgery was performed in 9 cases (35%). Cumulative follow-up was 126.8 patient-years (mean 4.9 \ub1 3.3 years). RESULTS Operative hospital mortality was 0% for all patients. Residual mean prosthetic gradient at discharge was 9.4 \ub1 3.6 mmHg. Neither residual aortic incompetence nor residual abscess cavity was observed at discharge. Mean ejection fraction at discharge was 54 \ub1 8% (Min; Max: 35%; 65%). A total of 4 patients died at follow-up, all for non-cardiac causes. One patient was lost to follow-up. Two patients (8%) underwent non-valve-related reoperation with 0% mortality. Residual mean gradient at follow-up was 7.2 \ub1 2.1 mmHg. Three patients (17%) presented with mild/moderate aortic incompetence and 89% of patients were in NYHA Class I-II at follow-up. At 9 years, actuarial freedom from valve-related reoperation and from structural valve deterioration was 100%. CONCLUSIONS The SPF aortic prosthesis is a true pericardial stentless prosthesis suitable for the treatment of acute bacterial endocarditis. Intermediate-time results in terms of freedom from reoperation, structural valve deterioration and resistance to infections are satisfactory. Haemodynamic performances are excellent since a complete exclusion of aortic root abscesses is achieved without any reduction of the aortic annular diameter, usually due to marsupialization or patch closure of the infected cavities

Rainwater harvesting systems reduce detergent use

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Purpose: Due to population growth, urban water demand is expected to increase significantly, as well as the environmental and economic costs required to supply it. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems can play a key role in helping cities meet part of their water demand as an alternative to conventional water abstraction and treatment. This paper presents an environmental and economic analysis of RWH systems providing households with water for laundry purposes in a life cycle thinking perspective. Conclusions: LCA and LCC present better results for high-density scenarios. Overall, avoided environmental and economic impacts from detergent reduction clearly surpass environmental impacts (in all categories except terrestrial acidification) and economic cost of the RWHsystem in most cases (except two scenarios). Another important finding is that 80%of the savings are achieved by minimizing detergent and fabric softener by using soft rainwater; and the remaining 20% comes from replacing the use of tap water

Early Pleistocene large mammals from Maka’amitalu, Hadar, lower Awash Valley, Ethiopia

The Early Pleistocene was a critical time period in the evolution of eastern African mammal faunas, but fossil assemblages sampling this interval are poorly known from Ethiopia's Afar Depression. Field work by the Hadar Research Project in the Busidima Formation exposures (similar to 2.7-0.8 Ma) of Hadar in the lower Awash Valley, resulted in the recovery of an early Homo maxilla (A.L. 666-1) with associated stone tools and fauna from the Maka'amitalu basin in the 1990s. These assemblages are dated to similar to 2.35 Ma by the Bouroukie Tuff 3 (BKT-3). Continued work by the Hadar Research Project over the last two decades has greatly expanded the faunal collection. Here, we provide a comprehensive account of the Maka'amitalu large mammals (Artiodactyla, Carnivora, Perissodactyla, Primates, and Proboscidea) and discuss their paleoecological and biochronological significance. The size of the Maka'amitalu assemblage is small compared to those from the Hadar Formation (3.45-2.95 Ma) and Ledi-Geraru (2.8-2.6 Ma) but includes at least 20 taxa. Bovids, suids, and Theropithecus are common in terms of both species richness and abundance, whereas carnivorans, equids, and megaherbivores are rare. While the taxonomic composition of the Maka'amitalu fauna indicates significant species turnover from the Hadar Formation and Ledi-Geraru deposits, turnover seems to have occurred at a constant rate through time as taxonomic dissimilarity between adjacent fossil assemblages is strongly predicted by their age difference. A similar pattern characterizes functional ecological turnover, with only subtle changes in dietary proportions, body size proportions, and bovid abundances across the composite lower Awash sequence. Biochronological comparisons with other sites in eastern Africa suggest that the taxa recovered from the Maka'amitalu are broadly consistent with the reported age of the BKT-3 tuff. Considering the age of BKT-3 and biochronology, a range of 2.4-1.9 Ma is most likely for the faunal assemblage.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio