Artificial Neural Networks for Short-Term Load Forecasting in Microgrids Environment Energy

The adaptation of energy production to demand has been traditionally very important for utilities in order to optimize resource consumption. This is especially true also in microgrids where many intelligent elements have to adapt their behaviour depending on the future generation and consumption conditions. However, traditional forecasting has been performed only for extremely large areas, such as nations and regions. This work aims at presenting a solution for short-term load forecasting (STLF) in microgrids, based on a three-stage architecture which starts with pattern recognition by a self-organizing map (SOM), a clustering of the previous partition via k-means algorithm, and finally demand forecasting for each cluster with a multilayer perceptron. Model validation was performed with data from a microgrid-sized environment provided by the Spanish company Iberdrola. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Hernandez, L.; Baladron, C.; Aguiar, JM.; Carro, B.; Sanchez-Esguevillas, A.; Lloret, J. (2014). Artificial Neural Networks for Short-Term Load Forecasting in Microgrids Environment Energy. Energy. 75:252-264. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2014.07.065S2522647

GLOBAL TRADE AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE IN ROOTS AND TUBERS: THE CASE OF PUERTO RICO

Roots and Tubers have been until recently a major component of local diets in the Tropics. Their production has been mostly for household consumption and local markets, exporting only a relatively small proportion of produce. In spite of a long term agricultural decline, self-sufficiency in roots and tubers was the norm in Puerto Rico until the early 1980s. From then onwards, production declined significantly as imports experienced more than concomitant increases. This paper by examining global and local production and trade statistics since 1964, local agricultural and marketing developments, and the available technological literature on roots and tubers explores the interface between global processes and local conditions. Preliminary results suggest that changes in the global and local marketing of food crops have been more responsible for the current status of roots and tubers production in Puerto Rico than technological change

INSTITUCIONE S CENTENARIAS: LA ESTACIÔN EXPERIMENTAL AGRÎCOLA DE PUERTO RICO EN EL CONTEXTO CARIBENO

Fundada en el 1910 por la Asociaciôn de Productores del Azùcar pero posteriormente traspasada a la Universidad de Puerto Rico, la Estacion Experimental Agricola (EEA) de Puerto Rico es una de las instituciones pùblicas de investigation agricola mâs antiguas del Caribe. En sus tien anos de historia ha alcanzado grandes logros de impacto para la agricultura de esta isla y aportado significativamente al desarrollo del pensamiento cientifico agricola de la region. Este cartel resena algunas de estas contribuciones destacando el roi que los cientificos afiliados a la institution han tenido en promover colaboraciones mâs alla de las fronteras nationales para lograr un desarrollo agricola regional basado en investigaciones cientificas. Utilizando libros histôricos, revistas de investigation y popularization de tecnologias agricolas, actas publicadas de congresos y documentos primarios en los archivos de la institution, se ofrece una vision panorâmica de la proyecciôn international alcanzada por la EEA en momentos importantes de su historia y de los cientificos mâs prominentes asociados a estas gestiones

Huge subcutaneous extraperitoneal pseudocyst after migration of the ventriculoperitoneal shunt catheter.

The formation of an intraperitoneal pseudocyst as a complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunts is well known. However, the formation of a pseudocyst at the subcutaneous extraperitoneal abdominal space is unusual and likely secondary to the migration of the peritoneal catheter. We present a 53-year-old male who had placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt for hydrocephalus secondary to a vestibular schwannoma. Five months later, he presented with an enormously distended abdomen. Investigations showed the peritoneal catheter in the extraperitoneal space within a large right lower quadrant abdominal wall pseudocyst. The patient was taken to the operating theatre, and the shunt was externalised at the original abdominal incision. Approximately 3 L of cerebrospinal fluid were aspirated from the distal peritoneal catheter. After negative cultures, a new peritoneal catheter was placed intraperitoneally at the contralateral lower abdominal quadrant. The contralateral quadrant was utilised to prevent fluid accumulation into the old extraperitoneal cavity

Significant mitral regurgitation worsens the prognosis and favors the decision of conservative treatment in octogenarians with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis

Introduction: The coexistence of significant mitral regurgitation (MR) and severe aortic stenosis is prevalent, has a prognostic impact and makes treatment in the elderly population a complex issue. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of significant MR among a population of octogenarians and its influence on treatment and prognosis. Methods: We used the data from PEGASO (Pronóstico de la Estenosis Grave Aórtica Sintomática del Octogenario), a prospective registry that consecutively included 928 patients aged ≥80 years with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis. Results: The prevalence of significant MR was 8.5% (79 patients) and independently associated with the decision to treat conservatively (odds ratio = 2.28, 95% confidence interval: 1.31–3.95, p = 0.003). The group of patients with significant MR had higher overall mortality at 12 months follow-up (51.9% vs 25%, p < 0.001), which remained on division into subgroups based on the presence of comorbidities (Charlson<5: 49.2% vs 21.9%, p < 0.001; and Charlson ≥5: 62.5% vs 41.7%, p = 0.07). Within the group of patients in whom conservative treatment was performed, those with significant MR had higher mortality at one year (62.7% vs 35%, p < 0.001). MR was a significant independent predictor of overall mortality at 12-month follow-up (hazard ratio = 1.87, 95% confidence interval: 1.09–3.18, p = 0.022). Conclusions: Significant MR has a high prevalence and worsens the prognosis of octogenarian patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis, especially in patients with conservative treatment, independently of the existence of comorbidities.Sin financiación3.660 JCR (2018) Q1, 27/160 Medicine, General & Internal1.076 SJR (2018) Q1, 33/141 Internal MedicineNo data IDR 2018UE

From cancer genomes to oncogenic drivers, tumour dependencies and therapeutic targets

The analysis of human cancer by genome sequencing and various types of arrays has proved that many tumours harbour hundreds of genes that are mutated or substantially altered by copy number changes. But how many of these changes are meaningful? And how can we exploit these massive data sets to yield new targets for cancer treatment? In this Opinion article, we describe emerging approaches that aim to determine which altered genes are actually contributing to cancer, as well as their potential as therapeutic targets