Renewable and Conventional Energy Sources, Cross-Border Interactions, and Electricity Prices within the Nord Pool Market

The Lisbon Treaty grants permission to each European Union Member to determine which energy sources shall be used to supply its electricity. While EU members may act independently in this regard, since 1996 when Directive 96/92/EC went into effect, actions have been taken to create a Pan-European electricity market. In this setting, national electricity markets become integrated by operating under a single pricing solution. Recognizing this, there were two main goals in this research. The first aim was to perform a long-term study that estimated how changes in different Nordic countries’ generation supply affected its national neighbors’ day-ahead electricity prices in the Nord Pool market. The second aim was to estimate the effect of cross-border energy trading and wind generation on price differences between western Denmark and its Nordic trading partners. The results from the first analysis showed that changes in the energy sources used to supply electricity had varying impacts on the electricity price of different Nordic countries, showing, for example, that average annual prices were affected more when there was a decrease in nuclear production levels rather than an increase. The results from the second analysis showed that planned cross-border energy flow can have a large effect on price differences with the effects also varying across trading partners. It has been shown here that unilateral decisions made by an individual country in an integrated market can have spillover effects, affecting other countries differently. To reduce the negative impacts associated with spillover effects, more harmonization in energy policies between countries is suggested.Lisbon samningurinn veitir sérhverju aðildarríki Evrópusambandsins rétt til að ákveða hvaða orkuauðlindir eru notað til að framleiða raforku. Frá 1996 við gildistöku ákvörðunar 96/92/EC hafa verið tekin skref til þess að mynda samevrópskan raforkumarkað, þó svo aðildarríkin hafi haft fullan sjálfsákvörðunarrétt gagnvart stjórnun eigin raforkumarkaðar. Raforkumarkaðir margra aðildarlandanna hafa verið samþættir í þeim tilgangi að verðmyndun verði einsleitari. Sú rannsókn sem hér er kynnt hafði tvö megin markmið. Fyrra markmiðið var að framkvæma langtíma rannsókn sem kannaði áhrif breytinga á framboði rafmagnsframleiðslu tiltekinna Norðurlanda með tilliti til uppruna raforkunnar á næsta-dags raforkuverð í nágrannalöndum á Nord Pool raforkumarkaðnum. Seinna markmiðið var að meta áhrif af millilanda orkuviðskiptum og raforkuframleiðslu með vindorku á mun raforkuverðs á milli vestur Danmerkur og viðskiptasvæða þess svæðis á Norræna markaðinum Nord Pool. Niðurstöður fyrri greiningarinnar sýndu að breytingar á uppruna raforku höfðu margvísleg áhrif á raforkuverð þjóðanna, meðal annars þannig að ársmeðaltöl raforkuverðs breyttust meira þegar rafmagnsframleiðsla með kjarnorku drógst saman en þegar slík framleiðsla jókst. Niðurstöður seinni greiningarinnar sýndu að áætluð millilandaviðskipti með raforku gátu haft mikil áhrif á verðmun milli landa og að áhrifin voru breytileg eftir löndum. Þessi rannsókn sýnir að einhliða ákvarðanir einstakra landa geta í samtvinnuðum markaði haft áhrif á raforkuverð annarra landa á sama markaði en að áhrifin eru mismunandi. Til að draga úr neikvæðum þáttum slíkra áhrifa er ráðlagt að samræma betur raforkustefnur á milli landa.University of Iceland Research Fund. Reykjavik Energy, Environment and Energy Research Fund

In vivo measurement of afferent activity with axon-specific calcium imaging.

In vivo calcium imaging from axons provides direct interrogation of afferent neural activity, informing the neural representations that a local circuit receives. Unlike in somata and dendrites, axonal recording of neural activity-both electrically and optically-has been difficult to achieve, thus preventing comprehensive understanding of neuronal circuit function. Here we developed an active transportation strategy to enrich GCaMP6, a genetically encoded calcium indicator, uniformly in axons with sufficient brightness, signal-to-noise ratio, and photostability to allow robust, structure-specific imaging of presynaptic activity in awake mice. Axon-targeted GCaMP6 enables frame-to-frame correlation for motion correction in axons and permits subcellular-resolution recording of axonal activity in previously inaccessible deep-brain areas. We used axon-targeted GCaMP6 to record layer-specific local afferents without contamination from somata or from intermingled dendrites in the cortex. We expect that axon-targeted GCaMP6 will facilitate new applications in investigating afferent signals relayed by genetically defined neuronal populations within and across specific brain regions

Integration of gene expression, clinical, and epidemiologic data to characterize Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

BACKGROUND: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has no diagnostic clinical signs or diagnostic laboratory abnormalities and it is unclear if it represents a single illness. The CFS research case definition recommends stratifying subjects by co-morbid conditions, fatigue level and duration, or functional impairment. But to date, this analysis approach has not yielded any further insight into CFS pathogenesis. This study used the integration of peripheral blood gene expression results with epidemiologic and clinical data to determine whether CFS is a single or heterogeneous illness. RESULTS: CFS subjects were grouped by several clinical and epidemiological variables thought to be important in defining the illness. Statistical tests and cluster analysis were used to distinguish CFS subjects and identify differentially expressed genes. These genes were identified only when CFS subjects were grouped according to illness onset and the majority of genes were involved in pathways of purine and pyrimidine metabolism, glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, and glucose metabolism. CONCLUSION: These results provide a physiologic basis that suggests CFS is a heterogeneous illness. The differentially expressed genes imply fundamental metabolic perturbations that will be further investigated and illustrates the power of microarray technology for furthering our understanding CFS

Bioelectronic DNA detection of human papillomaviruses using eSensor™: a model system for detection of multiple pathogens

BACKGROUND: We used human papillomaviruses (HPV) as a model system to evaluate the utility of a nucleic acid, hybridization-based bioelectronic DNA detection platform (eSensor™) in identifying multiple pathogens. METHODS: Two chips were spotted with capture probes consisting of DNA oligonucleotide sequences specific for HPV types. Electrically conductive signal probes were synthesized to be complementary to a distinct region of the amplified HPV target DNA. A portion of the HPV L1 region that was amplified by using consensus primers served as target DNA. The amplified target was mixed with a cocktail of signal probes and added to a cartridge containing a DNA chip to allow for hybridization with complementary capture probes. RESULTS: Two bioelectric chips were designed and successfully detected 86% of the HPV types contained in clinical samples. CONCLUSIONS: This model system demonstrates the potential of the eSensor platform for rapid and integrated detection of multiple pathogens

Exercise responsive genes measured in peripheral blood of women with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and matched control subjects

BACKGROUND: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is defined by debilitating fatigue that is exacerbated by physical or mental exertion. To search for markers of CFS-associated post-exertional fatigue, we measured peripheral blood gene expression profiles of women with CFS and matched controls before and after exercise challenge. RESULTS: Women with CFS and healthy, age-matched, sedentary controls were exercised on a stationary bicycle at 70% of their predicted maximum workload. Blood was obtained before and after the challenge, total RNA was extracted from mononuclear cells, and signal intensity of the labeled cDNA hybridized to a 3800-gene oligonucleotide microarray was measured. We identified differences in gene expression among and between subject groups before and after exercise challenge and evaluated differences in terms of Gene Ontology categories. Exercise-responsive genes differed between CFS patients and controls. These were in genes classified in chromatin and nucleosome assembly, cytoplasmic vesicles, membrane transport, and G protein-coupled receptor ontologies. Differences in ion transport and ion channel activity were evident at baseline and were exaggerated after exercise, as evidenced by greater numbers of differentially expressed genes in these molecular functions. CONCLUSION: These results highlight the potential use of an exercise challenge combined with microarray gene expression analysis in identifying gene ontologies associated with CFS

Reporting and Assessing the Quality of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies for Cervical Cancer Screening and Management.

ObjectiveWe adapted the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) tool for studies of cervical cancer screening and management and used the adapted tool to evaluate the quality of studies included in a systematic review supporting the 2019 Risk-Based Management Consensus Guidelines.MethodsWe evaluated the quality of all studies included in our systematic review for postcolposcopy (n = 5) and posttreatment (n = 23) surveillance using QUADAS-2 criteria. Subsequently, we adapted signaling questions to indications of cervical cancer screening and management. An iterative process was carried out to evaluate interrater agreement between 2 study authors (M.A.C. and N.W.). Discrepant ratings were discussed, and criteria were adapted accordingly. We also evaluated the influence of study quality on risk estimates and between study variation using stratified subgroup meta-analyses.ResultsTwelve signaling questions for bias assessment that were adapted to or newly developed for cervical cancer screening and management are described here. Interrater agreement on bias assessment increased from 70% to 83% during the adaptation process. Detailed assessment of bias and applicability showed that all studies on postcolposcopy management and 90% of studies on posttreatment management had high risk of bias in at least 1 domain. Most commonly, high risk of bias was observed for the patient selection domain, indicating the heterogeneity of study designs and clinical practice in reported studies.ConclusionsThe adapted QUADAS-2 will have broad application for researchers, evidence evaluators, and journals who are interested in designing, conducting, evaluating, and publishing studies for cervical cancer screening and management

A population-based study of the clinical course of chronic fatigue syndrome

BACKGROUND: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) presents a challenge for patients, health care providers, and health insurance groups because of its incapacitating nature, unknown cause, and poorly understood prognosis. We conducted a longitudinal population-based study to characterize the clinical course of CFS. METHODS: Sixty-five CFS subjects were identified from a random-digit-dialing survey of Wichita, Kansas residents and followed for up to 3 years. We evaluated changes in CFS classification (partial or total remission, alternative medical or psychiatric diagnoses), CFS case-defining criteria, wellness scores, hours of activities and sleep, and treatments used to reduce fatigue. Associations between risk factors and outcomes were determined by use of logistic regression and generalized estimating equations models. RESULTS: Only 20%-33% of the subjects were classified as having CFS at follow-up, 56.9% ever experienced partial or total remission, 10% sustained total remission, and 23.1% received alternative diagnoses, of which 20% were sleep disorders. Higher fatigue severity scores and total number of symptoms were negatively associated with ever remitting. Duration of illness ≤ 2 years was positively associated with sustained remission. Unrefreshing sleep persisted in at least 79% of the subjects across all periods but, as with most of the CFS symptoms, tended to be less frequent over time. The number of activities affected by fatigue decreased over time, while wellness scores increased. At any follow-up, more than 35% of subjects reporting reduced fatigue used complementary and alternative medicine therapies, and of those subjects, at least 50% thought these therapies were responsible for reducing their fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical course of CFS was characterized by an intermittent pattern of relapse and remission. Remission rates documented by our population-based study were similar to those reported in clinical studies. Shorter illness duration was a significant predictor of sustained remission, and thus early detection of CFS is of utmost importance. The persistence of sleep complaints and identification of sleep disorders suggest that CFS subjects be evaluated for sleep disturbances, which could be treated

Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences and circulating cell-free DNA from plasma of chronic fatigue syndrome and non-fatigued subjects

BACKGROUND: The association of an infectious agent with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has been difficult and is further complicated by the lack of a known lesion or diseased tissue. Cell-free plasma DNA could serve as a sentinel of infection and disease occurring throughout the body. This type of systemic sample coupled with broad-range amplification of bacterial sequences was used to determine whether a bacterial pathogen was associated with CFS. Plasma DNA from 34 CFS and 55 non-fatigued subjects was assessed to determine plasma DNA concentration and the presence of bacterial 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences. RESULTS: DNA was isolated from 81 (91%) of 89 plasma samples. The 55 non-fatigued subjects had higher plasma DNA concentrations than those with CFS (average 151 versus 91 ng) and more CFS subjects (6/34, 18%) had no detectable plasma DNA than non-fatigued subjects (2/55, 4%), but these differences were not significant. Bacterial sequences were detected in 23 (26%) of 89. Only 4 (14%) CFS subjects had 16S rDNA sequences amplified from plasma compared with 17 (32%) of the non-fatigued (P = 0.03). All but 1 of the 23 16S rDNA amplicon-positive subjects had five or more unique sequences present. CONCLUSIONS: CFS subjects had slightly lower concentrations or no detectable plasma DNA than non-fatigued subjects. There was a diverse array of 16S rDNA sequences in plasma DNA from both CFS and non-fatigued subjects. There were no unique, previously uncharacterized or predominant 16S rDNA sequences in either CFS or non-fatigued subjects