A multiobjective optimization approach to the operation and investment of the national energy and transportation systems

Most U.S. energy usage is for electricity production and vehicle transportation, two interdependent infrastructures. The strength and number of the interdependencies will increase rapidly as hybrid electric transportation systems, including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and hybrid electric trains, become more prominent. There are several new energy supply technologies reaching maturity, accelerated by public concern over global warming. The National Energy and Transportation Planning Tool (NETPLAN) is the implementation of the long-term investment and operation model for the transportation and energy networks. An evolutionary approach with underlying fast linear optimization are in place to determine the solutions with the best investment portfolios in terms of cost, resiliency and sustainability, i.e., the solutions that form the Pareto front. The popular NSGA-II algorithm is used as the base for the multiobjective optimization and metrics are developed for to evaluate the energy and transportation portfolios. An integrating approach to resiliency is presented, allowing the evaluation of high-consequence events, like hurricanes or widespread blackouts. A scheme to parallelize the multiobjective solver is presented, along with a decomposition method for the cost minimization program. The modular and data-driven design of the software is presented. The modeling tool is applied in a numerical example to optimize the national investment in energy and transportation in the next 40 years

Resilience and robustness in long-term planning of the national energy and transportation system

The most significant energy consuming infrastructures and the greatest contributors to greenhouse gases for any developed nation today are electric and freight/passenger transportation systems. Technological alternatives for producing, transporting, and converting energy for electric and transportation systems are numerous. Addressing costs, sustainability, and resilience of electric and transportation needs requires long-term assessment since these capital-intensive infrastructures take years to build with lifetimes approaching a century. Yet, the advent of electrically driven transportation, including cars, trucks, and trains, creates potential interdependencies between the two infrastructures that may be both problematic and beneficial. We are developing modeling capability to perform long-term electric and transportation infrastructure design at a national level, accounting for their interdependencies. The approach combines network flow modeling with a multiobjective solution method. We describe and compare it to the state of the art in energy planning models. An example is presented to illustrate important features of this new approach

Hallazgos histológicos en biopsia por protocolo asociados con reducción en función renal 12 meses postrasplante, en receptores de trasplante renal con bajo riesgo inmunológico, recibiendo inducción con basiliximab

Introduction: Identifying factors that are associated of allograft function loss might be an important step toward prolonging kidney allograft survival. Purpose: In this study we found to determine the association between histologic changes on 1-year surveillance biopsies and changes in graft function. Methods: Recipients of kidneys from deceased donors (95%) or living donors (5%) trasplanted between 2007 and 2012. The primary end point was reduction in calculated glomerular filtration rate (Cockroft anf Gault) higher 5ml/min 12 months post transplant vs calculated glomerular filtration rate previous surveillance biopsie. Results: This analysis included 114 adults, recipients of kidneys with low immunological risk receiving basiliximab induction from deceased donors (95%) or living donors (5%), transplanted between august 2007 and july 2012. The primary end point was reduction in calculated glomerular filtration rate (Cockroft & Gault) higher 5ml/min 12 months post trasplant . 25 of 114 patientes showing reduction; The histologic changes associated with renal function reduction were glomerulitis (p=0,024), interstitial inflamation (p=0,001), tubulitis (p=0,001), capilaritis (p=0,001), glomerulitis + capilaritis (p=0,001), polyoma virus nephropathy (p=0,04) and subclinical rejection (p=0,015). By regression analyses, interstitial inflamation (OR = 2,11; IC 95%: 1,13-3,95) and capilaritis (0R=7,12; IC 95%:1,57-32,27) were associated with renal function redcution 12 month post-transplant. Conclusion: inflammation and capilaritis in protocol biopsies in first year post-transplant predict loss of graft function and independently of other variables.Introducción: Identificar factores asociados con pérdida de la función del injerto puede ser un paso importante hacia la prolongacion de la sobrevida del injerto renal. Objetivo: Determinar la asociacion entre cambios histológicos presentes en las biopsias por protocolo en el primer año post trasplante en receptores de bajo riesgo inmunológico recibiendo inducción con basiliximab y pérdida en la función del injerto 12 meses post trasplante. Métodos: Se incluyeron pacientes receptores de riñones de donante cadavérico (95%) o donante vivo (5%) trasplantados entre agosto de 2007 y julio de 2012. El desenlace primario fue pérdida en la tasa de filtración glomerular calculada (Cockroft & Gault) mayor a 5ml/min 12 meses post trasplante en comparacion con la función renal previa a la biopsia por protocolo. Resultados: La cohorte de estudio estuvo conformada por 114 pacientes, de los cuales 25 presentaron el desenlace principal. Los hallazgos asociados con pérdida de función fueron glomerulitis (p=0,024), inflamacion intersticial (p=0,001), tubulitis (p=0,001), capilaritis (p=0,001), glomerulitis + capilaritis (p=0,001), nefropatía por polioma virus (p=0,04) y la presencia de rechazo subclinico (p=0,015). Por analisis de regression logística la presencia de inflamacion intersticial (OR = 2,11; IC 95%: 1,13-3,95) y capilaritis (0R=7,12; IC 95%:1,57-32,27) fueron las variables asociadas con pérdida de función del injerto renal 12 meses post trasplante renal. Conclusión: La inflamación intersticial y capilaritis son variables histológicas asociadas con pérdida de función del injerto renal 12 meses post trasplante independiente de otras variables

Metoprolol exerts a non-class effect against ischaemia-reperfusion injury by abrogating exacerbated inflammation.

Clinical guidelines recommend early intravenous β-blockers during ongoing myocardial infarction; however, it is unknown whether all β-blockers exert a similar cardioprotective effect. We experimentally compared three clinically approved intravenous β-blockers. Mice undergoing 45 min/24 h ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) received vehicle, metoprolol, atenolol, or propranolol at min 35. The effect on neutrophil infiltration was tested in three models of exacerbated inflammation. Neutrophil migration was evaluated in vitro and in vivo by intravital microscopy. The effect of β-blockers on the conformation of the β1 adrenergic receptor was studied in silico. Of the tested β-blockers, only metoprolol ameliorated I/R injury [infarct size (IS) = 18.0% ± 0.03% for metoprolol vs. 35.9% ± 0.03% for vehicle; P < 0.01]. Atenolol and propranolol had no effect on IS. In the three exacerbated inflammation models, neutrophil infiltration was significantly attenuated only in the presence of metoprolol (60%, 50%, and 70% reductions vs. vehicle in myocardial I/R injury, thioglycolate-induced peritonitis, and lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury, respectively). Migration studies confirmed the particular ability of metoprolol to disrupt neutrophil dynamics. In silico analysis indicated different intracellular β1 adrenergic receptor conformational changes when bound to metoprolol than to the other two β-blockers. Metoprolol exerts a disruptive action on neutrophil dynamics during exacerbated inflammation, resulting in an infarct-limiting effect not observed with atenolol or propranolol. The differential effect of β-blockers may be related to distinct conformational changes in the β1 adrenergic receptor upon metoprolol binding. If these data are confirmed in a clinical trial, metoprolol should become the intravenous β-blocker of choice for patients with ongoing infarction.Ministry of Science and Innovation (‘RETOS 2019’ grant N_ PID2019-107332RB-I00), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII; PI16/02110), and European Regional Development Fund (# AC16/00021), Comunidad de Madrid (S2017/BMD-3867 RENIM-CM). B.I. is supported by an ERCCoG grant (819775). E.O. is supported by funds from the Comunidad de Madrid Programa de Atraccion de Talento (2017-T1/BMD-5185). A.C-M. and R.V-G are supported by fellowships from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (MCN) and ISCIII (FPU2017/01932 and PFIS FI17/00045). D.V.L. is supported by an Iniciativa de Empleo Juvenil grant (PEJ-2017-TL/BMD-6463) from the Comunidad de Madrid. The CNIC is supported by the ISCIII, the MCN, and the Pro CNIC Foundation and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (SEV-2015-0505).S

Relationship between learning and healthy habits in Early Childhood Education

Health and learning are, among others, elements on which to structure the teaching-learning process of Early Childhood Education students, in this sense a study is proposed with the objectives of describing and comparing the sociodemographic levels, of healthy habits and learning of schoolchildren in the second stage of Early Childhood Education. 95 Students, from the second cycle of Early Childhood Education, from the capital of Granada, have participated in this work. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Questionnaire (KIDMED) and the Preschool Learning Behavior Scale (PLBS) were used for data collection. As main results, it is obtained that an optimal diet appears in most of the participants and similar figures in the three dimensions of learning behaviours. Regarding gender, girls obtained lower values in optimal diet, as opposed to learning behaviours where their data are higher. No relationships were found between the Mediterranean Diet and learning.La salud y el aprendizaje son, entre otros, elementos sobre los que estructurar el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de los escolares de Educación Infantil, en este sentido se plantea un estudio con los objetivos de describir y comparar los niveles sociodemográficos, de hábitos saludables y aprendizaje de escolares en la segunda etapa de Educación Infantil. En este trabajo han participado 95 alumnos, del segundo ciclo de Educación Infantil, de la capital de Granada. Se han utilizado para la recogida de datos un cuestionario sociodemográfico, el cuestionario de adherencia a la Dieta Mediterránea (KIDMED) y la Escala Preescolar de Conductas de Aprendizaje (PLBS). Como principales resultados se obtiene que aparece una dieta óptima en la mayoría de los participantes y cifras similares en las tres dimensiones de conductas de aprendizaje. En cuanto al género, las chicas obtuvieron valores más bajos en dieta óptima, en contraposición a las conductas de aprendizaje donde sus datos son superiores. No se encontraron relaciones entre Dieta Mediterránea y aprendizaje

Effect of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Pulmonary Circulation. The Particular Scenario of Precapillary Pulmonary Hypertension.

The Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has supposed a global health emergency affecting millions of people, with particular severity in the elderly and patients with previous comorbidities, especially those with cardiovascular disease. Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) could represent an especially vulnerable population because of the high mortality rates reported for respiratory infections. However, the number of COVID-19 cases reported among PAH and CTEPH patients is surprisingly low. Furthermore, the clinical picture that has been described in these patients is far from the severity that experts would expect. Endothelial dysfunction is a common feature between patients with PAH/CTEPH and COVID-19, leading to ventilation/perfusion mismatch, vasoconstriction, thrombosis and inflammation. In this picture, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 plays an essential role, being directly involved in the pathophysiology of both clinical entities. Some of these common characteristics could explain the good adaptation of PAH and CTEPH patients to COVID-19, who could also have obtained a benefit from the disease's specific treatments (anticoagulant and pulmonary vasodilators), probably due to its protective effect on the endothelium. Additionally, these common features could also lead to PAH/CTEPH as a potential sequelae of COVID-19. Throughout this comprehensive review, we describe the similarities and differences between both conditions and the possible pathophysiological and therapeutic-based mechanisms leading to the low incidence and severity of COVID-19 reported in PAH/CTEPH patients to date. Nevertheless, international registries should look carefully into this population for better understanding and management.J.N. is recipient of a predoctoral grant (Jordi Soler Soler) through CIBERCV. E.O. is a recipient of funds from “Programa de Atracción de Talento” (2017-T1/BMD-5185) of Comunidad de Madrid. The CNIC is supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and the Pro CNIC Foundation and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (SEV-2015-0505). This work was supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (COV20/00181) and co-financed by the European Development Regional Fund “A way to achieve Europe”.S

R2 prime (R2') magnetic resonance imaging for post-myocardial infarction intramyocardial haemorrhage quantification.

To assess whether R2* is more accurate than T2* for the detection of intramyocardial haemorrhage (IMH) and to evaluate whether T2' (or R2') is less affected by oedema than T2* (R2*), and thus more suitable for the accurate identification of post-myocardial infarction (MI) IMH. Reperfused anterior MI was performed in 20 pigs, which were sacrificed at 120 min, 24 h, 4 days, and 7 days. At each time point, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) T2- and T2*-mapping scans were recorded, and myocardial tissue samples were collected to quantify IMH and myocardial water content. After normalization by the number of red blood cells in remote tissue, histological IMH increased 5.2-fold, 10.7-fold, and 4.1-fold at Days 1, 4, and 7, respectively. The presence of IMH was correlated more strongly with R2* (r = 0.69; P = 0.013) than with T2* (r = -0.50; P = 0.085). The correlation with IMH was even stronger for R2' (r = 0.72; P = 0.008). For myocardial oedema, the correlation was stronger for R2* (r = -0.63; P = 0.029) than for R2' (r = -0.50; P = 0.100). Multivariate linear regressions confirmed that R2* values were significantly explained by both IMH and oedema, whereas R2' values were mostly explained by histological IMH (P = 0.024) and were little influenced by myocardial oedema (P = 0.262). Using CMR mapping with histological validation in a pig model of reperfused MI, R2'more accurately detected IMH and was less influenced by oedema than R2* (and T2*). Further studies are needed to elucidate whether R2' is also better suited for the characterization of post-MI IMH in the clinical setting.This study was partially supported by a competitive grant from the Carlos III Institute of Health-Fondo de Investigacion Sanitaria and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/FEDER) (PI16/02110), the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU), ERDF/FEDER SAF2013-49663-EXP, by the Comunidad de Madrid (S2017/BMD-3867 RENIM-CM) and cofunded with European structural and investment funds. This study forms part of a Master Research Agreement between the CNIC and Philips Healthcare. This research program is part of an institutional agreement between FIIS Fundacion Jimenez Diaz and the CNIC. The CNIC is supported by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities MICIU the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCiii), and the Pro CNIC Foundation, and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (award SEV-2015-0505). X.R. has received support from the DYSEC-CNIC CARDIOJOVEN fellowship program. R.F.-J. is a recipient of funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie (Agreement No. 707642).S

Endemic Circulation of European Bat Lyssavirus Type 1 in Serotine Bats, Spain

To determine the presence of European bat lyssavirus type 1 in southern Spain, we studied 19 colonies of serotine bats (Eptesicus isabellinus), its main reservoir, during 1998–2003. Viral genome and antibodies were detected in healthy bats, which suggests subclinical infection. The different temporal patterns of circulation found in each colony indicate independent endemic circulation

Metoprolol blunts the time-dependent progression of infarct size.

Early metoprolol administration protects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, but its effect on infarct size progression (ischemic injury) is unknown. Eight groups of pigs (total n = 122) underwent coronary artery occlusion of varying duration (20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, or 60 min) followed by reperfusion. In each group, pigs were randomized to i.v. metoprolol (0.75 mg/kg) or vehicle (saline) 20 min after ischemia onset. The primary outcome measure was infarct size (IS) on day7 cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) normalized to area at risk (AAR, measured by perfusion computed tomography [CT] during ischemia). Metoprolol treatment reduced overall mortality (10% vs 26%, p = 0.03) and the incidence and number of primary ventricular fibrillations during infarct induction. In controls, IS after 20-min ischemia was ≈ 5% of the area AAR. Thereafter, IS progressed exponentially, occupying almost all the AAR after 35 min of ischemia. Metoprolol injection significantly reduced the slope of IS progression (p = 0.004 for final IS). Head-to-head comparison (metoprolol treated vs vehicle treated) showed statistically significant reductions in IS at 30, 35, 40, and 50-min reperfusion. At 60-min reperfusion, IS was 100% of AAR in both groups. Despite more prolonged ischemia, metoprolol-treated pigs reperfused at 50 min had smaller infarcts than control pigs undergoing ischemia for 40 or 45 min and similar-sized infarcts to those undergoing 35-min ischemia. Day-45 LVEF was higher in metoprolol-treated vs vehicle-treated pigs (41.6% vs 36.5%, p = 0.008). In summary, metoprolol administration early during ischemia attenuates IS progression and reduces the incidence of primary ventricular fibrillation. These data identify metoprolol as an intervention ideally suited to the treatment of STEMI patients identified early in the course of infarction and requiring long transport times before primary angioplasty.This study received funding from the Ministry of Science and Innovation (“RETOS 2019” Grant no. PID2019-107332RB-I00), from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII; PI16/02110) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) “A way of making Europe” (# AC16/00021), and from the Spanish Society of Cardiology through a 2017 Translational Research grant. BI has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (ERC-Consolidator Grant agreement no. 819775). M.L received support from a 2015 Severo Ochoa CNIC intramural grant. X.R. received support from the SEC-CNIC CARDIOJOVEN fellowship program. R.F-J is a recipient of funding from the Carlos III Institute of Health-Fondo de Investigacion Sanitaria (PI19/01704) and has received funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 707642. EO is recipient of funds from Programa de Atracción de Talento (2017-T1/BMD-5185) of Comunidad de Madrid. The CNIC is supported by the ISCIII, the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN) and the Pro CNIC Foundation, and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (SEV-2015-0505).S