Scenari di riferimento per la simulazione ed analisi di reti elettriche di distribuzione attive

Lo sviluppo di questa tesi si basa sulla modellizzazione di reti elettriche per la simulazione e analisi di problematiche derivanti dall’integrazione in rete della generazione distribuita con la possibilità di rappresentare scenari futuri mediante l’utilizzo di software di simulazione basati sul calcolo di load flow su periodo. Nel Primo capitolo si presenta il progetto UKGDS, riguardante lo sviluppo di modelli di reti di distribuzione rappresentative del Regno Unito. Più precisamente si descrive come sono stati ricavati i modelli e come sono strutturati. Nel Secondo capitolo si descrive brevemente il software di simulazione sviluppato in ambiente Matlab e le sue principali funzioni. Nel Terzo capitolo si presentano i modelli LABSEE (Laboratorio di Sistemi elettrici per l’Energia) e i procedimenti che si sono resi necessari per il loro ottenimento. Inoltre sono definiti i profili di carico e di generazione per entrambi i formati. Nel Quarto capitolo è descritto un altro progetto per la definizione di modelli di reti realizzato dal CIGRE’ e le operazioni necessarie per ottenere i modelli LABSEE. Inoltre si presentano degli esempi di simulazione su una rete di riferimento Europea in media tensione con e senza integrazione di generazione distribuita. Nel Quinto capitolo si descrivono le modifiche effettuate al programma di simulazione durante lo sviluppo di questa tesiope

Genome sequence analysis of the first human West Nile virus isolated in Italy in 2009.

In 2009, six new human cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) were identified in Veneto region, following the six cases already reported in 2008. A human West Nile virus (WNV) isolate was obtained for the first time from an asymptomatic blood donor. Whole genome sequence of the human WNV isolate showed close phylogenetic relatedness to the Italy-1998-WNV strain and to other WNV strains recently isolated in Europe, with the new acquisition of the NS3-Thr249Pro mutation, a trait associated with avian virulence, increased virus transmission, and the occurrence of outbreaks in humans

Clinical and virological findings in the ongoing outbreak of West Nile virus Livenza strain in northern Italy, July to September 2012.

Binary file ES_Abstracts_Final_ECDC.txt matche

Citrate high volume on-line hemodiafiltration modulates serum Interleukin-6 and Klotho levels: the multicenter randomized controlled study \u201cHephaestus

Background: Studies addressing the anti-inflammatory properties of citrate dialysate enrolled patients in both hemodialysis (HD) and hemodiafiltration (HDF), the latter not adjusted for adequate convective exchange. This is a potential source of confounding in that HDF itself has anti-inflammatory effects regardless of the buffer, and optimal clinical outcomes are related to the amount of convection. Methods: To distinguish the merits of the buffer from those of convection, we performed a 6-month, prospective, randomized, crossover AB-BA study. Comparisons were made during the 3-month study period of on-line HDF with standard dialysate containing three mmol of acetic acid (OL-HDFst) and the 3-month of OL-HDF with dialysate containing one mmol of citric acid (OL-HDFcit). Primary outcome measure of the study was interleukin-6 (IL-6). Klotho, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), fetuin and routine biochemical parameters were also analyzed. Results: We analyzed 47 patients (mean age 64 years, range 27-84 years) enrolled in 10 participating Nephrology Units. Convective volumes were around 25 L/session with 90 percent of sessions > 20 L and f2-microglobulin reduction rate 76% in both HDFs. Baseline median IL-6 values in OL-HDFst were 5.6 pg/ml (25:75 interquartile range IQR 2.9:10.6) and in OL-HDFcit 6.6 pg/ml (IQR 3.4:11.4 pg/ml). The difference was not statistically significant (p 0.88). IL-6 values were lower during OL-HDFcit than during OL-HDFst, both when analyzed as the median difference of overall IL-6 values (p 0.02) and as the median of pairwise differences between the baseline and the 3-month time points (p 0.03). The overall hsCRP values too, were lower during OL-HDFcit than during OL-HDFst (p 0.01). Klotho levels showed a time effect (p 0.02) and the increase was significant only during OL-HDFcit (p 0.01). Conclusions: Citrate buffer modulated IL-6, hsCRP and Klotho levels during high volume OL-HDF. These results are not attributable to differences in the dialysis schedule and may suggest a potential anti-inflammatory and anti-senescent effect of citrate even in dialysis patients with low grade inflammatio

Whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of West Nile virus lineage 1 and lineage 2 from human cases of infection, Italy, August 2013.

A human outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV) infection caused by WNV lineage 2 is ongoing in northern Italy. Analysis of six WNV genome sequences obtained from clinical specimens demonstrated similarities with strains circulating in central Europe and Greece and the presence of unique amino acid changes that identify a new viral strain. In addition, WNV lineage 1 Livenza, responsible for a large outbreak in north-eastern Italy in 2012, was fully sequenced from a blood donor during this 2013 outbreak

Scenari di riferimento per la simulazione ed analisi di reti elettriche di distribuzione attive

Lo sviluppo di questa tesi si basa sulla modellizzazione di reti elettriche per la simulazione e analisi di problematiche derivanti dall’integrazione in rete della generazione distribuita con la possibilità di rappresentare scenari futuri mediante l’utilizzo di software di simulazione basati sul calcolo di load flow su periodo. Nel Primo capitolo si presenta il progetto UKGDS, riguardante lo sviluppo di modelli di reti di distribuzione rappresentative del Regno Unito. Più precisamente si descrive come sono stati ricavati i modelli e come sono strutturati. Nel Secondo capitolo si descrive brevemente il software di simulazione sviluppato in ambiente Matlab e le sue principali funzioni. Nel Terzo capitolo si presentano i modelli LABSEE (Laboratorio di Sistemi elettrici per l’Energia) e i procedimenti che si sono resi necessari per il loro ottenimento. Inoltre sono definiti i profili di carico e di generazione per entrambi i formati. Nel Quarto capitolo è descritto un altro progetto per la definizione di modelli di reti realizzato dal CIGRE’ e le operazioni necessarie per ottenere i modelli LABSEE. Inoltre si presentano degli esempi di simulazione su una rete di riferimento Europea in media tensione con e senza integrazione di generazione distribuita. Nel Quinto capitolo si descrivono le modifiche effettuate al programma di simulazione durante lo sviluppo di questa tes

Multiple signalling pathways redundantly control GLUT4 gene transcription in skeletal muscle

Increased glucose transporter GLUT4 expression in skeletal muscle is an important benefit of regular exercise, resulting in improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. The Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII), calcineurin and AMPK pathways have been implicated in GLUT4 gene regulation based on pharmacological evidence. Here, we have used a more specific genetic approach to establish the relative role of the three pathways in fast and slow muscles. Plasmids coding for protein inhibitors of CaMKII or calcineurin were co-transfected in vivo with a GLUT4 enhancer-reporter construct either in normal mice or in mice expressing a kinase dead (KD) AMPK mutant. GLUT4 reporter activity was not inhibited in the slow soleus muscle by blocking either CaMKII or calcineurin alone, but was inhibited by blocking both pathways. GLUT4 reporter activity was likewise unchanged in the soleus of KD-AMPK mice, but was significantly reduced by incapacitation of either CaMKII or calcineurin in these mice. On the other hand, in the fast tibialis anterior (TA) muscle, calcineurin appears to exert a prominent role in the control of GLUT4 reporter activity, independent of CaMKII and AMPK. The results point to a muscle type-specific and redundant regulation of GLUT4 enhancer based on the interplay of multiple signalling pathways, all of which are known to affect myocyte enhancing factor 2 (MEF2) transcriptional activity, a point of convergence of different pathways on muscle gene regulation

QuWi: Quality Control in Wikipedia

We propose and evaluate QuWi (Quality in Wikipedia), a framework for quality control in Wikipedia. We build upon a previous proposal by Mizzaro [11], who proposed a method for substituting and/or complementing peer review in schol- arly publishing. Since articles in Wikipedia are never fin- ished, and their authors change continuously, we define a modified algorithm that takes into account the different do- main, with particular attention to the fact that authors con- tribute identifiable pieces of information that can be further modified by other authors. The algorithm assigns quality scores to articles and con- tributors. The scores assigned to articles can be used, for instance, to let the reader understand how reliable are the articles he or she is looking at, or to help contributors in identifying low quality articles to be enhanced. The scores assigned to users measure the average quality of their con- tributions to Wikipedia and can be used, for instance, for conflict resolution policies based on the quality of involved users. Our proposed algorithm is experimentally evaluated by analyzing the obtained quality scores on articles for deletion and featured articles, also on six temporal Wikipedia snap- shots. Preliminary results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm seems to appropriately identify high quality and low quality articles, and that good quality authors produce more long-lived contributions than low quality authors

Human cytomegalovirus productively infects adrenocortical cells and induces an early cortisol response.

Following our recent findings on the presence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in the normal human adrenal cortex and in adrenocortical tumors, especially in cortisol-secreting tumors, aim of the present study was to investigate the direct effects of HCMV infection on human adrenocortical cells. To this aim, both clinical isolates and laboratory strains of HCMV were used to assess the early effects of infection on human adrenocortical cell morphology, proliferation, gene expression, and steroidogenic function. Both clinical and laboratory HCMV strains could infect and replicate in primary human adrenocortical cell cultures and in adrenocortical carcinoma cell lines, leading to cytopathic changes. Most importantly, in the first hours post-infection (p.i.), adrenocortical cells showed a significant increase of cortisol and estrogen production, paralleled by up-regulation of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and expression of steroidogenic enzymes involved in the last steps of adrenal steroidogenesis. This effect was probably due to HCMV immediate-early gene expression, since it was most evident in the early phases p.i. and UV-inactivated viral particles did not affect hormone production. Moreover, the effect on steroidogenesis was HCMV specific, since it was not observed after infection with herpes simplex virus. These data suggest that human adrenocortical cells are permissive to HCMV infection and acutely respond to infection with increased cortisol production. An acute glucocorticoid response is typically triggered by infections and is considered to be critical to host defense against pathogens, although, in the case of HCMV infection, it might also enhance viral replication and reactivation from latency. J. Cell. Physiol. 221: 629-641, 2009. (C) 2009 Wiley-Liss, In

Multiple signalling pathways redundantly control glucose transporter GLUT4 gene transcription in skeletal muscle

Increased glucose transporter GLUT4 expression in skeletal muscle is an important benefit of regular exercise, resulting in improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. The Ca2+–calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII), calcineurin and AMPK pathways have been implicated in GLUT4 gene regulation based on pharmacological evidence. Here, we have used a more specific genetic approach to establish the relative role of the three pathways in fast and slow muscles. Plasmids coding for protein inhibitors of CaMKII or calcineurin were co-transfected in vivo with a GLUT4 enhancer-reporter construct either in normal mice or in mice expressing a kinase dead (KD) AMPK mutant. GLUT4 reporter activity was not inhibited in the slow soleus muscle by blocking either CaMKII or calcineurin alone, but was inhibited by blocking both pathways. GLUT4 reporter activity was likewise unchanged in the soleus of KD-AMPK mice, but was significantly reduced by incapacitation of either CaMKII or calcineurin in these mice. On the other hand, in the fast tibialis anterior (TA) muscle, calcineurin appears to exert a prominent role in the control of GLUT4 reporter activity, independent of CaMKII and AMPK. The results point to a muscle type-specific and redundant regulation of GLUT4 enhancer based on the interplay of multiple signalling pathways, all of which are known to affect myocyte enhancing factor 2 (MEF2) transcriptional activity, a point of convergence of different pathways on muscle gene regulation