The 'Portuguese Forestry Community' and Research Fellows abroad between 1915 and 1945

One of the areas of greatest interest to a researcher in the field of the history of technology are studies done on the process of appropriating new scientific theories and technologies in countries that can be classified as peripheral in terms of their scientific output. Peripheral countries have been usually classified as those whose academic community is distanced from advanced centers in terms of the research they produce and that have participated to a lesser extent in the process of technical development [SAIZ 2003, 223-245]. This article will attempt to reflect on the process of international technology transfer in the 20th Century, specifically between 1915 and 1946. During this period, the achievement and spread of technological innovations were vital to the development of Portuguese forestry. In less developed European countries such as Portugal, the transfer of foreign technical knowledge was more important than that generated within the nation itself. External technological transfer became an essential factor, without which there would have been no push toward the professionalization of this new profession. Portugal was a country in the periphery of European science and technology. This situation has translated into an external technological dependence in several economic sectors. Reports on travels of learning have become one of the main sources for research in Science and Technology History. The new works of these young engineers will be taken as a valid, albeit only partial, indicator of the direction and structure of the processes of innovation in the Portuguese forestry. Among other things, the degree of Portuguese dependence upon external technology, as well as which countries played an essential role in the transfer of technology; and which scientific specialties depended most on foreign technology can be ascertained. One of the most serious problems confronting any researcher interested in forestry innovation is the evaluation of travels’ importance as a technological indicator of investment tendencies in new technologies. The various means of innovation in an economy are well-known: advances in productive processes can be invented and incorporated, just as they can be imported directly from another country using foreign technicians in their construction. Only innovations that are applied, put into practice and remain productive can be considered as such. From our point of view, new technologies brought by forestry students from abroad are not only a partial technical indicator, but are also, depending on whether or not they are put in practice, an important indicator of those tendencies in new technologies. In general, the decision to send Portuguese students to international technological centers is based on expected profits from the new techniques to be imported, and how complex the new technology is. Taking into account the advantage that travels of learning provide as a source of study (as a consequence of the existence of some kind of travel reports), it is surprising that they have not been used more often as raw material for forest history research. Here, as already mentioned, we can draw valid conclusions and extrapolate them to the process of forestry renewal in Portugal. This permits an understanding of the nature and direction of technological changes, the structure of the transfer and the importance of outside technology. This study is based on a sample of articles found in various agronomy and forestry reviews. Bulletins has served, from its inception, as the agronomy and forestry students' official bulletin (Boletim Agros), in which travel reports were customarily published. With time we will look for all the foresters’ information in the Arquivo Histórico do Instituto Camões. We will study the cases of the following fellows: Mário Azevedo Gomes (USA, 1915), Joaquim Vieira Natividade (UK, 1931), Francisco Santos Hall (USA and Germany, 1931), Francisco Caldeira Cabral (Germany, 1936), Francisco Mimoso Flores (USA, 1936) and Carlos Manuel Baeta Neves (Spain, 1946)

La crisis energética y el carbón térmico

A través de este artículo, analizaremos la situación actual del mercado de la energía y la posibilidad jurídica y económica de recuperar el carbón como fuente de energía. Desde el Departamento de Energía de Lupicinio International Law Firm, se ha estado asesorando en los últimos años a empresas concesionarias que explotan carbón, en todos sus ámbitos operativos, desde la obtención de las concesiones de explotación u otro tipo de permisos y autorizaciones, al transporte y comercialización de carbón térmico nacional, pasando por la aprobación de los correspondientes planes de labores o la obtención de subvenciones de distinta índol

Forecasting Recharging Demand to Integrate Electric Vehicle Fleets in Smart Grids

Electric vehicle fleets and smart grids are two growing technologies. These technologies provided new possibilities to reduce pollution and increase energy efficiency. In this sense, electric vehicles are used as mobile loads in the power grid. A distributed charging prioritization methodology is proposed in this paper. The solution is based on the concept of virtual power plants and the usage of evolutionary computation algorithms. Additionally, the comparison of several evolutionary algorithms, genetic algorithm, genetic algorithm with evolution control, particle swarm optimization, and hybrid solution are shown in order to evaluate the proposed architecture. The proposed solution is presented to prevent the overload of the power grid

Monitoring and Fault Location Sensor Network for Underground Distribution Lines

One of the fundamental tasks of electric distribution utilities is guaranteeing a continuous supply of electricity to their customers. The primary distribution network is a critical part of these facilities because a fault in it could affect thousands of customers. However, the complexity of this network has been increased with the irruption of distributed generation, typical in a Smart Grid and which has significantly complicated some of the analyses, making it impossible to apply traditional techniques. This problem is intensified in underground lines where access is limited. As a possible solution, this paper proposes to make a deployment of a distributed sensor network along the power lines. This network proposes taking advantage of its distributed character to support new approaches of these analyses. In this sense, this paper describes the aquiculture of the proposed network (adapted to the power grid) based on nodes that use power line communication and energy harvesting techniques. In this sense, it also describes the implementation of a real prototype that has been used in some experiments to validate this technological adaptation. Additionally, beyond a simple use for monitoring, this paper also proposes the use of this approach to solve two typical distribution system operator problems, such as: fault location and failure forecasting in power cables.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Government of Spain project Sistema Inteligente Inalámbrico para Análisis y Monitorización de Líneas de Tensión Subterráneas en Smart Grids (SIIAM) TEC2013-40767-RMinisterio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, Government of Spain, for the funding of the scholarship Formación de Profesorado Universitario 2016 (FPU 2016

Increasing the Efficiency of Rule-Based Expert Systems Applied on Heterogeneous Data Sources

Nowadays, the proliferation of heterogeneous data sources provided by different research and innovation projects and initiatives is proliferating more and more and presents huge opportunities. These developments create an increase in the number of different data sources, which could be involved in the process of decisionmaking for a specific purpose, but this huge heterogeneity makes this task difficult. Traditionally, the expert systems try to integrate all information into a main database, but, sometimes, this information is not easily available, or its integration with other databases is very problematic. In this case, it is essential to establish procedures that make a metadata distributed integration for them. This process provides a “mapping” of available information, but it is only at logic level. Thus, on a physical level, the data is still distributed into several resources. In this sense, this chapter proposes a distributed rule engine extension (DREE) based on edge computing that makes an integration of metadata provided by different heterogeneous data sources, applying then a mathematical decomposition over the antecedent of rules. The use of the proposed rule engine increases the efficiency and the capability of rule-based expert systems, providing the possibility of applying these rules over distributed and heterogeneous data sources, increasing the size of data sets that could be involved in the decision-making process

Gestión activa de la demanda - casos de estudio: proyectos OPENADR4CHILE y G.R.A.C.I.O.S.A.

Actualmente, las Redes Eléctricas Inteligentes (Smart Grids) presentan una integración de recursos energéticos distribuidos (fundamentalmente renovables) cada vez mayor. Esta tendencia, unida a mayores exigencias de calidad de servicio, hacen esencial la inclusión de nuevos sistemas de gestión que garanticen su estabilidad e interoperabilidad. Una posible solución respondería al paradigma de gestión activa de la demanda (Demand-Side Management, DSM) donde el cliente ahora es un activo controlable. Este cambio beneficia a dos actores: A) las compañías eléctricas (Utilities), cuyo interés radica en un mecanismo de ajuste del consumo. B) los clientes: que persiguen la optimización energética y económica, pudiendo reducir y modificar su perfil de consumo. Ambos enfoques plantean estrategias Win-to-Win cliente/operador. Esta comunicación expone dos proyectos demostradores DSM reales, donde el TIC-150 ha colaborado activamente en su desarrollo con Endesa/Enel: 1) OpenADR4Chile: donde por parte de la utility se plantea una arquitectura OpenADR para la gestión de programas de capacidad. Adicionalmente, este trabajo se complementa con la creación un Living-Lab en la EPS. 2) G.R.A.C.I.O.S.A. donde la actividad del grupo se ha centrado en la definición/ implementación de una métrica o conjunto de indicadores clave de desempeño (KPIs) para la valoración de las políticas de gestión energética de los clientes.Nowadays, Smart Grids (SG) tend to incorporate distributed energy resources (mainly renewable) more and more. This tendency and the rising exigency level on service quality, make the inclusion of new management systems essential, to guarantee stability and interoperability. A possible solution could be reached applying the paradigm of Demand-Side Management (DSM), where customers become controllable actives. This change benefits both parts: A) Utilities, who interest is centered into consumption adjustment skills. B) Customers, who follow energy and economic optimization, being able to reduce and modify their consumption profile. Both points of view propose Win-to- Win strategies for customer/utility. This work shows two use-cases of DSM strategies in which the TIC-150 has collaborated actively in their developing with Endesa/Enel: 1) OpenADR4Chile: it proposes the use of and OpenADR architecture for capacity program management. This allowed also creating a Living-Lab in the Escuela Politécnica Superior. 2) G.R.A.C.I.O.S.A., in which the TIC-150 has defined/implemented a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to check and evaluate energy management politics applied by the customers.Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (España) beca Formación Profesorado Universitario (FPU

Método de priorización de carga para la integración de flotas de vehículos eléctricos en smart grids

Las flotas de vehículos eléctricos y las Smart Grids son dos tecnologías emergentes muy prometedoras que han provisto nuevas formas de reducir la polución e incrementar la eficiencia energética. Naturalmente, estos elementos aumentan la complejidad de gestión del sistema eléctrico puesto que dichos vehículos pueden ser considerados como cargas móviles, aumentando así su carácter distribuido. El presente trabajo propone una metodología de priorización de carga distribuida basada en el concepto de virtual power plant y el uso de algoritmos de computación evolutiva. Adicionalmente, para evaluar la arquitectura propuesta, se comparan varios de dichos algoritmos, como el genético, genético con control evolutivo, particle swarm optimization y una solución híbrida. La solución propuesta se presenta como una forma de evitar la sobrecarga de la red planificando la priorización de la carga

Host virus and pneumococcus-specific immune responses in high-count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis and chronic lymphocytic leukemia: implications for disease progression

[EN]Patients diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) display a high incidence of infections due to an associated immunodeficiency that includes hypogammaglobulinemia. A higher risk of infections has also been recently reported for high-count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis, while no information is available in low-count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis. Here, we evaluated the status of the humoral immune system in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (n=58), as well as in low- (n=71) and high- (n=29) count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis versus healthy donors (n=91). Total free plasma immunoglobulin titers and specific levels of antibodies against cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, influenza and S.pneumoniae were measured by nephelometry and ELISA-based techniques, respectively. Overall, our results show that both CLL and high-count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis patients, but not low-count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis subjects, present with relatively high levels of antibodies specific for the latent viruses investigated, associated with progressively lower levels of S.pneumoniae-specific immunoglobulins

Low-count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis persists after seven years of follow up and is associated with a poorer outcome

[EN]Low-count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis is defined by the presence of very low numbers of circulating clonal B cells, usually phenotypically similar to chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells, whose biological and clinical significance remains elusive. Herein, we re-evaluated 65/91 low-count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis cases (54 chronic lymphocytic leukemia-like and 11 non-chronic lymphocytic leukemialike) followed-up for a median of seven years, using high-sensitivity flow cytometry and interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization. Overall, the clone size significantly increased in 69% of low-count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis cases, but only one subject progressed to high-count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis. In parallel, the frequency of cytogenetic alterations increased over time (32% vs. 61% of cases, respectively). The absolute number of the major T-cell and natural killer cell populations also increased, but only among chronic lymphocytic leukemia-like cases with increased clone size vs. age- and sex-matched controls. Although progression to chronic lymphocytic leukemia was not observed, the overall survival of low-count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis individuals was significantly reduced vs. non-monoclonal Bcell lymphocytosis controls (P=0.03) plus the general population from the same region (P≤0.001), particularly among females (P=0.01); infection and cancer were the main causes of death in low-count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis. In summary, despite the fact that mid-term progression from low-count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis to high-count monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis and chronic lymphocytic leukemia appears to be unlikely, these clones persist at increased numbers, usually carrying more genetic alterations, and might thus be a marker of an impaired immune system indirectly associated with a poorer outcome, particularly among females

Impact of somatic and germline mutations on the outcome of systemic mastocytosis

[EN]Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a highly heterogeneous disease with indolent and aggressive forms, with the mechanisms leading to malignant transformation still remaining to be elucidated. Here, we investigated the presence and frequency of genetic variants in 34 SM patients with multilineal KIT D816V mutations. Initial screening was performed by targeted sequencing of 410 genes in DNA extracted from purified bone marrow cells and hair from 12 patients with nonadvanced SM and 8 patients with advanced SM, followed by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in 4 cases. Somatic mutations were further investigated in another 14 patients with advanced SM. Despite the fact that no common mutation other than KIT D816V was found in WGS analyses, targeted next-generation sequencing identified 67 nonsynonymous genetic variants involving 39 genes. Half of the mutations were somatic (mostly multilineal), whereas the other half were germline variants. The presence of ≥1 multilineal somatic mutation involving genes other than KIT D816V, ≥3 germline variants, and ≥1 multilineal mutation in the SRSF2, ASXL1, RUNX1, and/or EZH2 genes (S/A/R/E genes), in addition to skin lesions, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, low hemoglobin levels, and increased alkaline phosphatase and β2-microglobulin serum levels, were associated with a poorer patient outcome. However, the presence of ≥1 multilineal mutation, particularly involving S/A/R/E genes, was the only independent predictor for progression-free survival and overall survival in our cohort