Smart grid architecture for rural distribution networks: application to a Spanish pilot network

This paper presents a novel architecture for rural distribution grids. This architecture is designed to modernize traditional rural networks into new Smart Grid ones. The architecture tackles innovation actions on both the power plane and the management plane of the system. In the power plane, the architecture focuses on exploiting the synergies between telecommunications and innovative technologies based on power electronics managing low scale electrical storage. In the management plane, a decentralized management system is proposed based on the addition of two new agents assisting the typical Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system of distribution system operators. Altogether, the proposed architecture enables operators to use more effectively—in an automated and decentralized way—weak rural distribution systems, increasing the capability to integrate new distributed energy resources. This architecture is being implemented in a real Pilot Network located in Spain, in the frame of the European Smart Rural Grid project. The paper also includes a study case showing one of the potentialities of one of the principal technologies developed in the project and underpinning the realization of the new architecture: the so-called Intelligent Distribution Power Router.Postprint (published version

Mean field theory of chaotic insect swarms

The harmonically confined Vicsek model displays qualitative and quantitative features observed in natural insect swarms. It exhibits a scale-free transition between single and multicluster chaotic phases. Finite-size scaling indicates that this unusual phase transition occurs at zero confinement [Phys. Rev. E 107, 014209 (2023)]. While the evidence of the scale-free-chaos phase transition comes from numerical simulations, here we present its mean-field theory. Analytically determined critical exponents are those of the Landau theory of equilibrium phase transitions plus dynamical critical exponent z = 1 and a new critical exponent φ = 0.5 for the largest Lyapunov exponent. The phase transition occurs at zero confinement and noise in the mean-field theory. The noise line of zero largest Lyapunov exponents informs observed behavior: (i) the qualitative shape of the swarm (on average, the center of mass rotates slowly at the rate marked by the winding number and its trajectory fills compactly the space, similarly to the observed condensed nucleus surrounded by vapor) and (ii) the critical exponents resemble those observed in natural swarms. Our predictions include power laws for the frequency of the maximal spectral amplitude and the winding number.This work has been supported by the FEDER/Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades-Agencia Estatal de Investigación Grants No. PID2020-112796RB-C21 ( R.G.-A.) and No. PID2020-112796RB-C22 (L.L.B.), by the Madrid Government (Comunidad de Madrid-Spain) under the Multiannual Agreement with UC3M in the line of Excellence of University Professors (EPUC3M23), and in the context of the V PRICIT (Regional Programme of Research and Technological Innovation). R.G.-A. acknowledges support from the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of Spain through the Formación de Doctores program Grant No. PRE2018-083807 cofinanced by the European Social Fund

Synthesis, characterization and performance of robust poison-resistant ultrathin film yttria stabilized zirconia – nickel anodes for application in solid electrolyte fuel cells

We report on the synthesis of undoped ∼5 μm YSZ-Ni porous thin films prepared by reactive pulsed DC magnetron sputtering at an oblique angle of incidence. Pre-calcination of the amorphous unmodified precursor layers followed by reduction produces a film consisting of uniformly distributed tilted columnar aggregates having extensive three-phase boundaries and favorable gas diffusion characteristics. Similarly prepared films doped with 1.2 at.% Au are also porous and contain highly dispersed gold present as Ni-Au alloy particles whose surfaces are strongly enriched with Au. With hydrogen as fuel, the performance of the undoped thin film anodes is comparable to that of 10–20 times thicker typical commercial anodes. With a 1:1 steam/carbon feed, the un-doped anode cell current rapidly falls to zero after 60 h. In striking contrast, the initial performance of the Au-doped anode is much higher and remains unaffected after 170 h. Under deliberately harsh conditions the performance of the Au-doped anodes decreases progressively, almost certainly due to carbon deposition. Even so, the cell maintains some activity after 3 days operation in dramatic contrast with the un-doped anode, which stops working after only three hours of use. The implications and possible practical application of these findings are discussed.European Union 298300Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad MAT2013‐40852R, 201560E05

Las guías de práctica clínica de manejo de la dislipemia. Una visión transatlántica.Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Dyslipidemia. Transatlantic Perspectives

Situación de la dislipemia en España. Las guías de práctica clínica (GPC) se han convertido en un instru- mento fundamental en nuestra actividad asistencial. La revisión deta- llada de la evidencia científica disponible permite la elaboración de documentos de recomendaciones diagnósticas y terapéuticas avala- dos por las principales instituciones científicas. A pesar de que habi- tualmente están basadas en los mismos estudios y, por lo tanto, se redactan a partir de los mismos resultados, pueden existir diferentes interpretaciones y distintos enfoques, como ha sucedido reciente- mente en las principales GPC que abordan el manejo de las dislipe- mias. En el año 2011 la Sociedad Europea de Cardiología (ESC) y la European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) publicaron la Guía ESC/EAS para el manejo de las dislipemias1, con unas recomendaciones que se mantienen vigentes y la mayoría de las sociedades científicas de nuestro entorno respaldan. A finales de 2013, el American College of Cardiology (ACC) y la American Heart Association (AHA) hicieron pública su guía sobre el tratamiento del colesterol sanguíneo para reducir el riesgo cardiovascular aterosclerótico en adultos2. Aunque persiguen la misma finalidad, que es la reducción del riesgo cardio- vascular mediante el tratamiento de la dislipemia, lo hacen con una orientación completamente distinta que ha generado un gran debate en el último año y ha hecho correr ríos de tinta, no solo en la literatura médica, sino también en la prensa generalista. En este número de REVISTA ESPAÑOLA DE CARDIOLOGÍA SUPLEMENTOS se revisarán detalladamente ambas GPC, sus fortalezas y sus debilidades. Como sucede la mayoría de las veces, habrá aspectos positivos en una y otra, y no necesariamente debemos elegir entre las dos, sino que tenemos la oportunidad de conocer la visión de las sociedades impli- cadas y hacer un análisis constructivo de sus recomendaciones. En lo que sí hay un acuerdo total en las GPC del manejo de dislipemia es que el tratamiento debe basarse, además de en medidas de estilo de vida, en la utilización de estatinas como fármacos hipolipemiantes de elección cuando esté indicado, en prevención primaria según el nivel de riesgo y siempre en prevención secundaria, salvo contraindicación. Se ha demostrado rotundamente la eficacia de las estatinas en la disminución del colesterol plasmático, con una reducción proporcional de la morbimortalidad cardiovascular. Las estatinas, por su mecanismo de acción, no solo reducen el colesterol plasmático, sino que también poseen otros efectos extrali- pídicos; estas acciones pleotrópicas se están estudiando en diferentes escenarios, tanto clínicos como experimentales, con la finalidad de establecer posibles beneficios de las estatinas más allá de su capacidad hipolipemiante. Este aspecto, así como la utilización de las estatinas en el síndrome coronario agudo y el manejo de la dislipemia de pacientes con cardiopatía isquémica, diabéticos y otros grupos de riesgo, también se abordará en esta monografía. A lo largo de los seis artículos que la componen, expertos en el manejo de la enfermedad cardiovascular en nuestro país ofrecen una puesta al día sobre el manejo de la dislipemia

Colored semi-transparent Cu-Si oxide thin films prepared by magnetron sputtering

Colored semi-transparent Cu-Si oxide thin films have been prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering from a single cathode of copper-silicon composition. Thin films of different composition and optical response were obtained by changing process parameters like the relative amount of copper in the target and the O2/Ar mixture of the reactive plasma gas. The film characteristics were analyzed by several techniques. Their optical properties (refractive index, absorption coefficient, color) have been correlated with the process parameters used in the film preparation as well as with the film stoichiometry and chemistry.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación CEN-20072014, MAT2010-18447, MAT2010-21228, CSD2008–00023Junta de Andalucía P09-TEP5283, CTS-518

Optical refractive index and static permittivity of mixed Zr–Si oxide thin films prepared by ion beam induced CVD

Mixed oxides ZrxSi1−xO2 (0bxb1) thin films have been prepared at room temperature by decomposition of (CH3CH2O)3SiH and Zr[OC (CH3)3]4 volatile precursors induced by mixtures of O2 + and Ar+ ions. The films were flat and amorphous independently of the Si/Zr ratio and did not present phase segregation of the pure single oxides (SiO2 and ZrO2). A 10–23 at.% of H and 1–5 at.% of C atoms remained incorporated in the films depending on the mixture ratio of the Si and Zr precursors and the composition of the bombarding gas used during the deposition process. These impurities are mainly forming hydroxyl and carboxylic groups. Optical refractive index and static permittivity of the films were determined by reflection NIR-Vis spectroscopy and C–V electrical characterization, respectively. It is found that the refractive index increases non-linearly from 1.45 to 2.10 as the Zr content in the thin films increases. The static permittivity also increases non-linearly from ∼4 for pure SiO2 to ∼15 for pure ZrO2. Optical and electrical characteristics of the films are justified by their impurity content and the available theories. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Fracturas periprotésicas de fémur en pacientes portadores de prótesis total de cadera: Tratamiento mediante doble placa

Una técnica de osteosíntesis, combinación de placa metálica atornillada en cara externa del fémur y placa-cerclaje de Partridge en cara anterior, ha sido aplicada con criterio selectivo en 6 pacientes mayores de 60 años con fracturas periprotésicas tipo III de Johanson y vástago femoral estable. En cuatro, la fractura consolidó en un tiempo medio de 4 meses, y los otros dos se produjo una rotura de la placa metálica, que requirió una nueva intervención. Un hecho relevante fue el hallazgo en estos pacientes de una gran reacción fibrosa alrededor de la placa-cerclaje de Partridge, atribuible al nylon con que está fabricado este implante. Por lo que, aunque la asociación de placas, constituya una aportación en el tratamiento de estas fracturas, no recomendamos la utilización de este tipo de implantes. En nuestra serie 5 de las 6 fracturas correspondían a prótesis con vástago cementado, y el tiempo entre el implante de la prótesis y la fractura fue muy corto, entre 1 y 3 meses, inferior al descrito en la literatura; y en todos los casos la fractura se produjo inmediatamente por debajo del tapón para el cemento. Estas observaciones nos hacen considerar la existencia de una posible relación causal.An osteosynthesis technique, combination o fan ASIF plate on the lateral surface of the femur and one Partridge plate on the anterior, has been used with selective criteria in 6 patients over 60 years old with type III Johanson's periprosthetic femoral fracture and stable prosthesis. In four patients, primary union was achieved at an average time of four months, in the other two the plate were broken and a new surgery was needed. A relevant fact was the finding in these patients of a great fibrous reaction around the Partridge plate, attributable to the nylon with which the implant was manufactured. Therefore, although the plates association, constitute a contribution in the treatment of these fractures, we do not recommend the used of this implant. In our series five of the six fractures were corresponding to cemented prostheses, and the time to fracture after implantation was very short, between 1 and 3 months, inferior to the literature have described; and in all cases the fracture was produced immediately below of the cement plug. These observations make us to consider the existence of a possible casual relationship

KIC InnoEnergy Project Neptune: development of a floating LiDAR buoy for wind, wave and current measurements

The KIC-InnoEnergy project “NEPTUNE” develops a floating Lidar buoy and a hindcast- and forecast model for wind- wave- and current measurements of offshore wind farms. In this paper just the lidar buoy is presented and discussed: Main challenges, the design ideas and the steps to develop, test and prototype this product, which – according to the KIC-InnoEnergy project idea – should be commercialized after the project end, foreseen for the end of 2014. KIC-InnoEnergy is funded from the European Institute of Technology, EIT.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Encephalic xanthomas in a large malayan chevrotain (Tragulus napu)

An adult water chevrotain was euthanized due to severe non-responsive pododermatitis. Incidentally, multiple to coalescing cholesterol granulomas were identified within the right diencephalon, characterized by the presence of foamy macrophagesand cholesterol clefts consistent with encephalic xanthomas. No clinical signs or predisposing conditions associated with this findingwere identified. This is the first known report of encephalic xanthomas in this species

Low refractive index SiOF thin films prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering

We have studied low refractive index fluorine doped silica thin films prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering. Two experimental parameters were varied to increase the porosity of the films, the geometry of the deposition process (i.e., the use of glancing angle deposition) and the presence of chemical etching agents (fluorine species) at the plasma discharge during silica film growth. The microstructure, chemistry, optical properties, and porosity of the films have been characterized by scanning electron and atomic force microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-Vis, and spectroscopic ellipsometry. It is found that either the deposition at glancing angles or the incorporation of CFx species in the plasma discharge during film growth produces a decrease in the refractive index of the deposited silica films. The combined effect of the two experimental approaches further enhances the porosity of the silica films. Finally, the films prepared in a glancing geometry exhibit negative uniaxial birefringence