Benchmarking of different BIPV solutions

This study, titled "Benchmarking of different T-BIPV solutions" focuses on the application of Transparent Building Integrated Photovoltaics (T-BIPV) solutions in building design. Using a sensitivity-based approach, the study explores the intricate connections between geometry, window technology, and climate factors to unlock optimal energy performance and enhance sustainability and energy efficiency in buildings. The research aims to provide valuable insights to industry professionals and decision-makers regarding the potential of T-BIPV solutions in achieving sustainable and energy- efficient buildings. The initial part of the project is dedicated to identifying and explaining the key parameters that influence the overall energy balance of a building model. It begins with an analysis of five climates, focusing on annual temperatures, humidity, and zenith angle. Subsequently, the relevant parameters for geometry and window properties are explained, accompanied by numerical values of interest for the modelled windows. Emphasis is placed on the two Transparent Photovoltaic (TPV) technologies studied. Next, the comprehensive model is described in detail, shedding light on the specific software employed, the pre-simulation processes conducted, and the subsequent steps followed during the simulation phase. A wealth of data was generated for comprehensive analysis and interpretation. The findings reveal that implementing T-BIPV is preferable in terms of energy balance compared to using reference windows without it. The impact of geometry, technology, and climate is separately analyzed before determining the optimal building model for each climate scenario. Particular attention has been dedicated to the development of a detailed annual performance analysis of Barcelona’s optimal building model. Finally, an overall analysis is conducted, encompassing an environmental impact assessment, as well as optical and thermal comfort analyses, and an economic assessment. These analyses show the main limitation of the study: considering the current stage of development, the implantation of TPVs may not be financially viable, presenting a notable drawback in terms of cost-effectiveness. These limitations underscore the importance of ongoing research and development efforts to address these challenges and enhance the practicality and feasibility of T-BIPV solutions. This study contributes to the understanding of the composition of T-BIPV solutions, their impact on energy performance, and their implications for environmental sustainability, comfort, and economic considerations in building designAquest estudi, titulat "Benchmarking of different T-BIPV solutions", es centra en l'aplicació de solucions de Fotovoltaica Integrada Transparent en l'Edificació (T-BIPV) en el disseny d’edificacions. L'estudi explora la sensibilitat del balanç energètic respecte la geometria, la tecnologia de finestres i els factors climàtics per trobar un rendiment energètic òptim i millorar la sostenibilitat en els edificis. La recerca té com a objectiu proporcionar idees valuoses als professionals del sector sobre el potencial de les solucions de T-BIPV per aconseguir construccions sostenibles i eficients energèticament. La part inicial del projecte està dedicada a identificar i explicar els paràmetres clau que influeixen en el balanç energètic global d'un edifici modelat de referència. Comença amb una anàlisi de cinc climes, centrant-se en les temperatures anuals, la humitat i l'angle zenital. A continuació, s'expliquen els paràmetres rellevants de la geometria i les propietats de les finestres, acompanyats de valors numèrics d'interès per a les finestres modelades. A més a més, s’expliquen amb profunditat les dues tecnologies de Fotovoltaica Transparent (TPV) estudiades. Després, es descriu detalladament el model global definint el programari específic utilitzat, els processos de pre-simulació realitzats i els passos seguits durant la fase de simulació. Com a resultat, es va generar una gran quantitat de dades per a un anàlisi i interpretació exhaustius. Els resultats revelen que la implementació de T-BIPV és preferible en termes de balanç energètic en comparació amb l'ús de finestres de referència sense aquesta tecnologia. L'impacte de la geometria, el tipus de finestra i el clima s'analitzen per separat abans de determinar el model d'edifici òptim per a cada escenari climàtic. S'ha dedicat una atenció especial a l'elaboració d'un anàlisi detallat del rendiment anual del model d'edifici òptim de Barcelona. Finalment, es realitza una anàlisi global, que inclou una avaluació de l'impacte ambiental, així com anàlisis de comfort òptic i tèrmic, i una avaluació econòmica. Aquest anàlisis exposa la major limitació de l'estudi: tenint en compte l'estat actual de desenvolupament, la implementació de les tecnologies de T-BIPV pot no ser viable des del punt de vista financer, presentant un notable inconvenient en termes de relació cost-efectivitat. Aquestes limitacions posen en manifest la importància de continuar amb esforços de recerca i desenvolupament per abordar aquests reptes i millorar la practicitat i viabilitat de les solucions de T-BIPV. Aquest estudi contribueix a la comprensió de la composició de les solucions de T-BIPV, el seu impacte en el rendiment energètic i les seves implicacions en la sostenibilitat ambiental, el comfort i les consideracions econòmiques en el disseny d'edificisEste estudio, titulado "Benchmarking de diferentes soluciones T-BIPV", se centra en la aplicación de soluciones Fotovoltaica Integrada Transparente en la Edificación (T-BIPV) en el diseño de edificaciones. El estudio explora la sensibilidad del balance energético respecto a la geometría, la tecnología de ventanas y los factores climáticos para encontrar un rendimiento energético óptimo y mejorar la sostenibilidad en los edificios. La investigación tiene como objetivo proporcionar ideas valiosas a los profesionales del sector sobre el potencial de las soluciones T-BIPV para lograr construcciones sostenibles y eficientes energéticamente. La parte inicial del proyecto está dedicada a identificar y explicar los parámetros clave que influyen en el balance energético global de un edificio modelado de referencia. Comienza con un análisis de cinco climas, centrándose en las temperaturas anuales, la humedad y el ángulo cenital. A continuación, se explican los parámetros relevantes de la geometría y las propiedades de las ventanas, acompañados de valores numéricos de interés para las ventanas modeladas. Además, se explican en profundidad las dos tecnologías de TPV (Fotovoltaica Transparente) estudiadas. Luego, se describe detalladamente el modelo global definiendo el software específico utilizado, los procesos de pre-simulación realizados y los pasos seguidos durante la fase de simulación. Como resultado, se generó una gran cantidad de datos para un análisis e interpretación exhaustivos. Los resultados revelan que la implementación de T-BIPV es preferible en términos de balance energético en comparación con el uso de ventanas de referencia sin esta tecnología. El impacto de la geometría, el tipo de ventana y el clima se analizan por separado antes de determinar el modelo de edificio óptimo para cada escenario climático. Se ha dedicado una atención especial a la elaboración de un análisis detallado del rendimiento anual del modelo de edificio óptimo de Barcelona. Finalmente, se realiza un análisis global, que incluye una evaluación del impacto ambiental, así como análisis de confort óptico y térmico, y una evaluación económica. Estos análisis exponen la mayor limitación del estudio: teniendo en cuenta el estado actual de desarrollo, la implementación de las tecnologías de T-BIPV puede no ser viable desde el punto de vista financiero, presentando una notable desventaja en términos de relación coste-efectividad. Estas limitaciones exponen la importancia de continuar con la investigación y desarrollo para abordar estos desafíos y mejorar la practicidad y viabilidad de las soluciones de T-BIPV. Este estudio contribuye a la comprensión de la composición de las soluciones de T-BIPV, su impacto en el rendimiento energético y sus implicaciones en la sostenibilidad ambiental, el confort y las consideraciones económicas en el diseño de edificio

Aspectes metodològics i tècnica d'anàlisi de les dades per a l'estudi dels grups i les classes socials a la Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona

En aquest article es presenta el procés metodològic, com també les tècniques d'anàlisi de dades, que s'ha utilitzat en l'anàisi dels grups socials mitjançant la informació d'una gran enquesta sobre hàbits i condicions de vida.L'anàlisi dels grups socials des d'una perspectiva globalitzadora i estructuradora de les condicions de vida, tenint en compte com aquests sorgeixen mitjançant I 'associació i la coherència entre múltiples característiques. Les tècniques d'anàlisi de dades que s'han utilitzat han estat l'anàlisi de correspondències múltiples i l'anàlisi de classificació.In this article we present the methodological process and the techniques of data analysis we have used in the social groups analysis through a great survey of habits and conditions of life. The analysis of social groups is done from an overall and structural perspective of the conditions of life. It is very important to emphasize the point that the social groups come out from the association and coherence between multiple attributes among thern. Multiple Correspondence and Classification Analysis are the techniques of data analysis we have used

Are the Accompanying Cations of Doping Anions Influential in Conducting Organic Polymers? The Case of the Popular PEDOT

"This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: I. Fuentes, M. J. Mostazo-López, Z. Kelemen, V. Compañ, A. Andrio, E. Morallón, D. Cazorla-Amorós, C. Viñas, F. Teixidor, Chem. Eur. J. 2019, 25, 14308. , which has been published in final form at ttps://doi.org/10.1002/chem.201902708. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving."[EN] Conducting organic polymers (COPs) are made of a conjugated polymer backbone supporting a certain degree of oxidation. These positive charges are compensated by the doping anions that are introduced into the polymer synthesis along with their accompanying cations. In this work, the influence of these cations on the stoichiometry and physicochemical properties of the resulting COPs have been investigated, something that has previously been overlooked, but, as here proven, is highly relevant. As the doping anion, metallacarborane [Co(C2B9H11)(2)](-) was chosen, which acts as a thistle. This anion binds to the accompanying cation with a distinct strength. If the binding strength is weak, the doping anion is more prone to compensate the positive charge of the polymer, and the opposite is also true. Thus, the ability of the doping anion to compensate the positive charges of the polymer can be tuned, and this determines the stoichiometry of the polymer. As the polymer, PEDOT was studied, whereas Cs+, Na+, K+, Li+, and H+ as cations. Notably, with the [Co(C2B9H11)(2)](-) anions, these cations are grouped into two sets, Cs+ and H+ in one and Na+, K+, and Li+ in the second, according to the stoichiometry of the COPs: 2:1 EDOT/[Co(C2B9H11)(2)](-) for Cs+ and H+, and 3:1 EDOT/[Co(C2B9H11)(2)](-) for Na+, K+, and Li+. The distinct stoichiometries are manifested in the physicochemical properties of the COPs, namely in the electrochemical response, electronic conductivity, ionic conductivity, and capacitance.We gratefully acknowledge the Spanish Ministerio de Economa y Competitividad (MINECO; projects ENE/2015-69203-R and CTQ2016-75150-R) and the Generalitat de Catalunya (2014/SGR/149) for financial support. I.F. is enrolled in the Ph.D. program of the UAB. Z.K. is grateful for the general support of the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program through a Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant (MSCA-IF-2016-751587).Fuentes, I.; Mostazo-Lopez, MJ.; Kelemen, Z.; Compañ Moreno, V.; Andrio, A.; Morallon, E.; Cazorla-Amoros, D.... (2019). Are the Accompanying Cations of Doping Anions Influential in Conducting Organic Polymers? The Case of the Popular PEDOT. Chemistry - A European Journal. 25(63):14308-14319. https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.201902708S14308143192563Gracia, R., & Mecerreyes, D. 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The Pure Virtual Braid Group Is Quadratic

If an augmented algebra K over Q is filtered by powers of its augmentation ideal I, the associated graded algebra grK need not in general be quadratic: although it is generated in degree 1, its relations may not be generated by homogeneous relations of degree 2. In this paper we give a sufficient criterion (called the PVH Criterion) for grK to be quadratic. When K is the group algebra of a group G, quadraticity is known to be equivalent to the existence of a (not necessarily homomorphic) universal finite type invariant for G. Thus the PVH Criterion also implies the existence of such a universal finite type invariant for the group G. We apply the PVH Criterion to the group algebra of the pure virtual braid group (also known as the quasi-triangular group), and show that the corresponding associated graded algebra is quadratic, and hence that these groups have a (not necessarily homomorphic) universal finite type invariant.Comment: 53 pages, 15 figures. Some clarifications added and inaccuracies corrected, reflecting suggestions made by the referee of the published version of the pape

Improved prediction of mortality by combinations of inflammatory markers and standard clinical scores in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure and acute decompensation

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) as a sinister prognosis and there is a need for accurate biomarkers and scoring systems to better characterize ACLF patients and predict prognosis. Systemic inflammation and renal failure are hallmarks in ACLF disease development and progression. We hypothesized that the combination of specific inflammatory markers in combination with clinical scores are better predictors of survival than the originally developed CLIF-C acute decompensation (AD) and CLIF-C ACLF scores. METHODS: We re-evaluated all previously measured inflammatory markers in 522 patients from the CANONIC study, 342 without and 180 with ACLF. We used the Harrell's C-index to determine the best marker alone or in combination with the original scores and calculated new scores for prediction of mortality in the original CANONIC cohort. RESULTS: The best markers to predict 90-day mortality in patients without ACLF were the plasma macrophage activation markers soluble (s)CD163 and mannose receptor (sMR). Urinary neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (UNGAL) and sCD163 were predictors for 28-day mortality in patients with ACLF. The new developed CLIF-C AD+sMR score in patients without ACLF improved 90-days mortality prediction compared to the original CLIF-C AD score (C-index 0.82(0.78-0.86) vs. 0.74(0.70-0.78, P=0.004). Further, the new CLIF-C ACLF+sCD163+UNGAL improved the original CLIF-C ACLF score for 28-days mortality (0.85(0.79-0.91) vs. 0.75(0.70-0.80), P=0.039). CONCLUSIONS: The capability of these inflammatory markers to improve the original prognostic scores in cirrhosis patients without and with ACLF points to a key role of macrophage activation and inflammation in the development and progression of AD and ACLF

Corrections to the SU(3)×SU(3){\bf SU(3)\times SU(3)} Gell-Mann-Oakes-Renner relation and chiral couplings L8rL^r_8 and H2rH^r_2

Next to leading order corrections to the $SU(3) \times SU(3)$ Gell-Mann-Oakes-Renner relation (GMOR) are obtained using weighted QCD Finite Energy Sum Rules (FESR) involving the pseudoscalar current correlator. Two types of integration kernels in the FESR are used to suppress the contribution of the kaon radial excitations to the hadronic spectral function, one with local and the other with global constraints. The result for the pseudoscalar current correlator at zero momentum is $\psi_5(0) = (2.8 \pm 0.3) \times 10^{-3} GeV^{4}$, leading to the chiral corrections to GMOR: $\delta_K = (55 \pm 5)$. The resulting uncertainties are mostly due to variations in the upper limit of integration in the FESR, within the stability regions, and to a much lesser extent due to the uncertainties in the strong coupling and the strange quark mass. Higher order quark mass corrections, vacuum condensates, and the hadronic resonance sector play a negligible role in this determination. These results confirm an independent determination from chiral perturbation theory giving also very large corrections, i.e. roughly an order of magnitude larger than the corresponding corrections in chiral $SU(2) \times SU(2)$. Combining these results with our previous determination of the corrections to GMOR in chiral $SU(2) \times SU(2)$, $\delta_\pi$, we are able to determine two low energy constants of chiral perturbation theory, i.e. $L^r_8 = (1.0 \pm 0.3) \times 10^{-3}$, and $H^r_2 = - (4.7 \pm 0.6) \times 10^{-3}$, both at the scale of the $\rho$-meson mass.Comment: Revised version with minor correction

Under-Reporting of Road Traffic Mortality in Developing Countries: Application of a Capture-Recapture Statistical Model to Refine Mortality Estimates

Road traffic injuries are a major cause of preventable death in sub-Saharan Africa. Accurate epidemiologic data are scarce and under-reporting from primary data sources is common. Our objectives were to estimate the incidence of road traffic deaths in Malawi using capture-recapture statistical analysis and determine what future efforts will best improve upon this estimate. Our capture-recapture model combined primary data from both police and hospital-based registries over a one year period (July 2008 to June 2009). The mortality incidences from the primary data sources were 0.075 and 0.051 deaths/1000 person-years, respectively. Using capture-recapture analysis, the combined incidence of road traffic deaths ranged 0.192–0.209 deaths/1000 person-years. Additionally, police data were more likely to include victims who were male, drivers or pedestrians, and victims from incidents with greater than one vehicle involved. We concluded that capture-recapture analysis is a good tool to estimate the incidence of road traffic deaths, and that capture-recapture analysis overcomes limitations of incomplete data sources. The World Health Organization estimated incidence of road traffic deaths for Malawi utilizing a binomial regression model and survey data and found a similar estimate despite strikingly different methods, suggesting both approaches are valid. Further research should seek to improve capture-recapture data through utilization of more than two data sources and improving accuracy of matches by minimizing missing data, application of geographic information systems, and use of names and civil registration numbers if available

Standalone vertex finding in the ATLAS muon spectrometer

A dedicated reconstruction algorithm to find decay vertices in the ATLAS muon spectrometer is presented. The algorithm searches the region just upstream of or inside the muon spectrometer volume for multi-particle vertices that originate from the decay of particles with long decay paths. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated using both a sample of simulated Higgs boson events, in which the Higgs boson decays to long-lived neutral particles that in turn decay to bbar b final states, and pp collision data at √s = 7 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC during 2011