Cooperative Simulation Tool with the Energy Management System for the Storage of Electricity Surplus through Hydrogen

The INGRID project aims at demonstrating the effective usage of safe, high-density, solid-state hydrogen storage systems for power supply and demand balancing within active power distribution grids with high penetration of intermittent Distributed Generation (Renewable Energy Sources in particular.) The INGRID simulator is divided in two main blocks: the first one represents the Energy Management System, the second one includes the Green Energy Storage System (water electrolyzer, hydrogen solid-storage systems and fuel cell) created to simulate the plant. This paper describes the modules of INGRID simulator and the transient responses of the system for an energy management system virtual according to the power prediction of renewable energy sources, hydrogen demand and the power demand of electric vehiclesEuropean Commission's FP

Simulation Platform for Coordinated Charging of Electric Vehicles

EMERALD is a project funded by the European Commission under the FP7 program focusing on energy use optimization on the integration of the FEVs into the transport and energy infrastructure. Between the objectives of EMERALD, enhanced power demand prediction and power flow support management system uses the power flow demand simulation platform considered in this paper. The power flow demand simulation platform is a software tool that defines the estimation of FEVs power demand according to different conditions as, arrival and departure curves, the estimation of power production based on renewable energy sources and the electricity cost. The tool coordinates scheduling for charging of FEVs in order to minimize the recharging cost, considering the energy balance between the generation and demand powerEuropean commission's FP

SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Multiple Sclerosis

To understand COVID-19 characteristics in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and identify high-risk individuals due to their immunocompromised state resulting from the use of disease-modifying treatments. Retrospective and multicenter registry in patients with MS with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis and available disease course (mild = ambulatory; severe = hospitalization; and critical = intensive care unit/death). Cases were analyzed for associations between MS characteristics and COVID-19 course and for identifying risk factors for a fatal outcome. Of the 326 patients analyzed, 120 were cases confirmed by real-time PCR, 34 by a serologic test, and 205 were suspected. Sixty-nine patients (21.3%) developed severe infection, 10 (3%) critical, and 7 (2.1%) died. Ambulatory patients were higher in relapsing MS forms, treated with injectables and oral first-line agents, whereas more severe cases were observed in patients on pulsed immunosuppressors and critical cases among patients with no therapy. Severe and critical infections were more likely to affect older males with comorbidities, with progressive MS forms, a longer disease course, and higher disability. Fifteen of 33 patients treated with rituximab were hospitalized. Four deceased patients have progressive MS, 5 were not receiving MS therapy, and 2 were treated (natalizumab and rituximab). Multivariate analysis showed age (OR 1.09, 95% CI, 1.04-1.17) as the only independent risk factor for a fatal outcome. This study has not demonstrated the presumed critical role of MS therapy in the course of COVID-19 but evidenced that people with MS with advanced age and disease, in progressive course, and those who are more disabled have a higher probability of severe and even fatal diseas

Differential clinical characteristics and prognosis of intraventricular conduction defects in patients with chronic heart failure

Intraventricular conduction defects (IVCDs) can impair prognosis of heart failure (HF), but their specific impact is not well established. This study aimed to analyse the clinical profile and outcomes of HF patients with LBBB, right bundle branch block (RBBB), left anterior fascicular block (LAFB), and no IVCDs. Clinical variables and outcomes after a median follow-up of 21 months were analysed in 1762 patients with chronic HF and LBBB (n = 532), RBBB (n = 134), LAFB (n = 154), and no IVCDs (n = 942). LBBB was associated with more marked LV dilation, depressed LVEF, and mitral valve regurgitation. Patients with RBBB presented overt signs of congestive HF and depressed right ventricular motion. The LAFB group presented intermediate clinical characteristics, and patients with no IVCDs were more often women with less enlarged left ventricles and less depressed LVEF. Death occurred in 332 patients (interannual mortality = 10.8%): cardiovascular in 257, extravascular in 61, and of unknown origin in 14 patients. Cardiac death occurred in 230 (pump failure in 171 and sudden death in 59). An adjusted Cox model showed higher risk of cardiac death and pump failure death in the LBBB and RBBB than in the LAFB and the no IVCD groups. LBBB and RBBB are associated with different clinical profiles and both are independent predictors of increased risk of cardiac death in patients with HF. A more favourable prognosis was observed in patients with LAFB and in those free of IVCDs. Further research in HF patients with RBBB is warranted

Cartografía de coberturas asociadas a las fluctuaciones de la Laguna de Gallocanta

4 Pags.- 3 Figs. Comunicación publicada en Libro de Actas del Congreso (Pags. 399-402).El estudio mediante imágenes satelitales permite identificar las coberturas ligadas al funcionamiento de los humedales. El tratamiento de una serie de imágenes Landsat de la Laguna de Gallocanta y su entorno, tomadas en diferentes estaciones, ha proporcionado criterios útiles para reconocer las áreas funcionales de la laguna. La información extraída de las imágenes, cotejada con registros de agua y otras observaciones de campo, ha permitido formar una cartografía temática básica de este humedal.El presente trabajo, financiado por la Confederación Hidrográfica del Ebro, se inscribe en el Plan Nacional de I+D+I, proyecto REN 2003-00742.Peer reviewe

GEOMORPHOLOGICAL SUBMARINE FEATURES IN THE MENORCA CHANNEL (WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN)

Based on geophysical (multibeam echosounder and very high resolution parametric profiles) and sedimentological (Shipek dredge) data acquired during the INTEMARESCANAL0419 expedition, different geomorphologic features have been identified. The study area is located in the continental shelf of the Menorca Channel between 37 and 116 m water depth (mwd). Shallower zones are dominated by lense shaped bedforms, up to 1 m high. They are characterized by very low backscatter values. Also small circular -or slightly elongated- mounds are very frequent morphologies occurring up to 100 mwd. Their sizes range from 1 to 5 m high and 20 to 80 m of diameter with high backscatter values. The most prominent morphological features at intermediate depths are a set of channels that dig in the shelf from 60 to 90 mwd. They show vertical walls and extend up to several km. In the parametric profiles, paleochannels filled by a sedimentary layer approximately 30 ms (two-way time) thick can be observed. The deepest zones are characterized by an erosive surface covered by a thin layer of no consolidated sediments. A visual analysis of the samples shows that sediments are characterized by coarse sand and gravel mainly composed of biogenic particles (carbonated fragmented bioclasts). Higher values of backscatter correspond to samples with a variable abundance of rhodoliths whereas lower values correspond to sands. The variety of morphological features can be mainly related to erosive and depositional Quaternary processes in the continental. Benthic communities strongly influence sediment composition, which was found to be characterized by a high carbonate content

Trawling footprint and diversity of benthic communities in the Menorca Channel (western Mediterranean).

It is well known that bottom trawling affects the abiotic (seafloor morphology, sediment resuspension, water turbidity) and biotic components (biodiversity, biomass and production) of habitats. However, comparative studies on the effect of trawling on epibenthic communities of sedimentary bottoms are scarce. One of the objectives of LIFE IP INTEMARES project is to assess the impact of bottom trawling on vulnerable benthic habitats of the circalittoral bottoms of the Menorca Channel (western Mediterranean), designated Site of Community Importance (SCI) within the Natura 2000 network. The present study compares the benthic communities of four areas subjected to different bottom trawl fishing intensity levels (null, intermediate and high). The assignment of fishing effort levels was based on the fishing effort distribution in the area calculated from Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) data. The biological samples were collected from 46 beam trawl stations sampled during a scientific survey on April 2019. In order to detect differences related to the different levels of fishing intensity, we calculated four “traditional” diversity indices (i.e. species richness, Margalef’s richness, Pielou’s evenness and Shannon’s diversity), and the recently developed N90 diversity index, which has shown to be useful in the detection of the response of demersal and benthic communities to fishing pressure. Our results show the highest values of all the analyzed indices in the nonimpacted area, suggesting a negative effect of bottom trawling on the benthic communities present in Menorca Channel. However, no clear pattern was observed between different degrees of trawling intensity and diversity values, so other factors such as environmental conditions must be also considered to explain these results

First data about the preimaginal morphology of Austroscaeva occidentalis

Preimaginal morphology of Austroscaeva occidentalis (Shannon, 1927) is described for the first time, and the morphology of larvae and pupae of Dioprosopa clavata (Fabricius, 1794) is updated based on material obtained from captive rearing of wild females from Argentina and Venezuela, respectively. We describe the morphology of the third instar larva, head skeleton and puparium using optical microscopy, cryo-scanning and scanning electron microscope. The immature stages of both New World flower fly species are analysed and compared with the known preimaginal morphology of other taxa that belong to the evolutionary lineage of Eupeodes-Scaeva, where Austroscaeva Láska, Mazánek & Mengual, 2018, and Dioprosopa Hull, 1949, form a Neotropical radiation within, together with the genus Notosyrphus Vockeroth, 1969. Larvae of all members of this lineage have abdominal segments 5 and 6 with the tips of the locomotory prominences facing posteriorly, and the anal segment with a characteristic U-shaped grasping organ. Two other larval synapomorphies of this group of genera are the presence of metathoracic setae accompanying ventral sensilla, and the abdominal segments 1–7 with an extra lobe on each locomotory prominence. These two last characters cannot be assessed for Macrosyrphus Matsumura, 1917, and Lapposyrphus Dušek & Láska, 1967, based on published information on larval descriptions. Despite a similar colouration pattern of the fully grown larvae, larval morphology of A. occidentalis and D. clavata are quite distinct. The preimaginal morphology of A. occidentalis has a mixture of morphological characters from the taxa Scaeva Fabricius, 1805, Semiscaeva Kuznetzov, 1985, and Dioprosopa. The larvae of D. clavata show several unique diagnostic features, such as the presence of a slightly serrate outline due to the great development of the segmental spines and a pinnate ornamentation of the setae of its dorsal and dorsolateral sensilla. Regarding their biological cycle, the length of the preadult stages of A. occidentalis is almost 5 days longer than the length observed for D. clavata. In addition, new DNA barcodes are provided for A. occidentalis.Financial support was provided by the programme ‘Doctorar en el extranjero’ of the National University of Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina

How substandard dwellings and housing affordability problems are associated with poor health in a vulnerable population during the economic recession of the late 2000s

Introduction. Given the increasing number of people in Spain struggling to pay housing-related costs during the economic recession, it is important to assess the health status of these communities as compared to the general population and to better understand the different housing dimensions that are related with poor mental health. This study aims to describe the housing conditions and health status of a sample of people assisted by Caritas Barcelona (Spain) and living in inadequate housing and/or struggling to pay their rent or mortgage, to compare the health outcomes of this population with those of the overall population of Barcelona, and to analyze the association between housing dimensions and mental health./nMethods. We used a cross-sectional design. The participating adults (n = 320) and children (n = 177) were those living in the dioceses of Barcelona, Sant Feliu and Terrassa (Spain) in 2012 and assisted by Cáritas. They were asked to answer to three questionnaires on housing and health conditions. Eight health related variables were used to compare participants with Barcelona’s residents and associations between housing conditions and poor mental health were examined with multivariate logistic regression models./nResults. In Barcelona, people seeking Caritas’s help and facing serious housing problems had a much poorer health status than the general population, even when compared to those belonging to the most deprived social classes. For example, 69.4 % of adult participants had poor mental health compared to 11.5 % male and 15.2 % female Barcelona residents. Moreover, housing conditions were associated with poor mental health./nConclusions. This study has shown how, in a country hit by the financial recession, those people facing housing problems have much worse health compared to the general population.This research was partially supported by the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013, grant agreement number 278173): “Evaluating the impact of structural policies on health inequalities and their social determinants and fostering change (Sophie)” project; and by Contratos para la intensificación de la actividad investigadora en el SNS para 2014, Acción Estratégica en Salud 2013–2016 (INT13/00252 granted to Carme Borrell)