Optimal sizing of a hybrid grid-connected photovoltaic–wind–biomass power system

Hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) are a trendy alternative to enhance the renewable energy deployment worldwide. They effectively take advantage of scalability and flexibility of these energy sources, since combining two or more allows counteracting the weaknesses of a stochastic renewable energy source with the strengths of another or with the predictability of a non-renewable energy source. This work presents an optimization methodology for minimum life cycle cost of a HRES based on solar photovoltaic, wind and biomass power. Biomass power seeks to take advantage of locally available forest wood biomass in the form of wood chips to provide energy in periods when the PV and wind power generated are not enough to match the existing demand. The results show that a HRES combining the selected three sources of renewable energy could be installed in a rural township of about 1300 dwellings with an up-front investment of US $7.4 million, with a total life cycle cost of slightly more than US$30 million. Such a system would have benefits in terms of energy autonomy and environment quality improvement, as well as in term of job opportunity creation

Optimal sizing of a hybrid grid-connected photovoltaic and wind power system

Hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) have been widely identified as an efficient mechanism to generate electrical power based on renewable energy sources (RES). This kind of energy generation systems are based on the combination of one or more RES allowing to complement the weaknesses of one with strengths of another and, therefore, reducing installation costs with an optimized installation. To do so, optimization methodologies are a trendy mechanism because they allow attaining optimal solutions given a certain set of input parameters and variables. This work is focused on the optimal sizing of hybrid grid-connected photovoltaic-wind power systems from real hourly wind and solar irradiation data and electricity demand from a certain location. The proposed methodology is capable of finding the sizing that leads to a minimum life cycle cost of the system while matching the electricity supply with the local demand. In the present article, the methodology is tested by means of a case study in which the actual hourly electricity retail and market prices have been implemented to obtain realistic estimations of life cycle costs and benefits. A sensitivity analysis that allows detecting to which variables the system is more sensitive has also been performed. Results presented show that the model responds well to changes in the input parameters and variables while providing trustworthy sizing solutions. According to these results, a grid-connected HRES consisting of photovoltaic (PV) and wind power technologies would be economically profitable in the studied rural township in the Mediterranean climate region of central Catalonia (Spain), being the system paid off after 18 years of operation out of 25 years of system lifetime. Although the annual costs of the system are notably lower compared with the cost of electricity purchase, which is the current alternative, a significant upfront investment of over $10 M - roughly two thirds of total system lifetime cost - would be required to install such system. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Postprint (author's final draft

Barcelona Rocks, A mobile App to learn Geology in your city.

Barcelona Rocks is an application for personal mobile devices suitable for secondary and high school students as well as the general public without a solid background in Earth Sciences

Beyond group classification: Probabilistic differential diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease with MRI and CSF biomarkers

Neuroimaging and fluid biomarkers are used to differentiate frontotemporal dementia (FTD) from Alzheimer's disease (AD). We implemented a machine learning algorithm that provides individual probabilistic scores based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) data. We investigated whether combining MRI and CSF levels could improve the diagnosis confidence. 215 AD patients, 103 FTD patients, and 173 healthy controls (CTR) were studied. With MRI data, we obtained an accuracy of 82 % for AD vs. FTD. A total of 74 % of FTD and 73 % of AD participants have a high probability of accurate diagnosis. Adding CSF-NfL and 14-3-3 levels improved the accuracy and the number of patients in the confidence group for differentiating FTD from AD. We obtain individual diagnostic probabilities with high precision to address the problem of confidence in the diagnosis. We suggest when MRI, CSF, or the combination are necessary to improve the FTD and AD diagnosis. This algorithm holds promise towards clinical applications as support to clinical findings or in settings with limited access to expert diagnoses

Frequency and clinical impact of CDKN2A/ARF/CDKN2B gene deletions as assessed by in-depth genetic analyses in adult T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

© The Author(s).Recurrent deletions of the CDKN2A/ARF/CDKN2B genes encoded at chromosome 9p21 have been described in both pediatric and adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), but their prognostic value remains controversial, with limited data on adult T-ALL. Here, we investigated the presence of homozygous and heterozygous deletions of the CDKN2A/ARF and CDKN2B genes in 64 adult T-ALL patients enrolled in two consecutive trials from the Spanish PETHEMA group. Alterations in CDKN2A/ARF/CDKN2B were detected in 35/64 patients (55%). Most of them consisted of 9p21 losses involving homozygous deletions of the CDKNA/ARF gene (26/64), as confirmed by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays and interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (iFISH). Deletions involving the CDKN2A/ARF/CDKN2B locus correlated with a higher frequency of cortical T cell phenotype and a better clearance of minimal residual disease (MRD) after induction therapy. Moreover, the combination of an altered copy-number-value (CNV) involving the CDKN2A/ARF/CDKN2B gene locus and undetectable MRD (≤ 0.01%) values allowed the identification of a subset of T-ALL with better overall survival in the absence of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.This project was supported by the Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer, AECC (project ref.: GC16173697BIGA), by CERCA Program/Generalitat de Catalunya, the Catalan Government: 2014-SGR225 (GRE), Obra Social “La Caixa” and by Celgene Spain. E. Genescà is the recipient of agrant from the Spanish Health Ministry (ISCIII, CA12/00468) and an unrestricted grant from Gilead.A. Gonzalez-Perez is supported by a Ramon y Cajal fellowship (RYC-2013-14554) of the Educational Ministry (Madrid, Spain). This work was also partially supported by FEDER funds from the ISCIII (PT13/0010/0026, CIBERONC (CB16/12/00284 and CB16/12/00400), Madrid, Spain)

BCN Rocks: aprendiendo geología urbana a través de una aplicación App interactiva.

Barcelona Rocks (BCN Rocks) es una aplicación (App) para dispositivos móviles personales (con versiones para Android y iOS) apta para ser utilizada por estudiantes de Enseñanza Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO) y Bachillerato, y para el público en general, con el objetivo de aprender geología a partir de recursos didácticos proporcionados por las rocas de las fachadas y pavimentos de dos zonas emblemáticas y céntricas de la ciudad de Barcelona como son el Passeig de Gràcia y el Barri Gòtic. La aplicación presenta tres grandes apartados "ELEMENTOS", "EXPLORA" y "LABORATORIO" que pretenden satisfacer diversas facetas del usuario. En el apartado Elementos, el usuario encontrará el conjunto de edificios que contiene la aplicación, toda la información sobre las rocas que los forman, así como una breve explicación sobre la historia y arquitectura de cada uno de ellos. Con el apartado Explora, se pretende despertar la curiosidad o la parte más expedicionaria del usuario. Para ello se proponen una serie de rutas que pueden realizarse siguiendo, bien el criterio de posición geográfica de los edificios incluidos en la App, bien teniendo en cuenta la antigüedad de las construcciones (desde la Barcino romana hasta la Barcelona actual). Finalmente, el partado Laboratorio, permite al usuario investigar distintos aspectos geológicos mediante experimentos interactivos

Frequency and clinical impact of CDKN2A/ARF/CDKN2B gene deletions as assessed by in-depth genetic analyses in adult T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Altres ajuts: This project was supported by the Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer, AECC (project ref.: GC16173697BIGA), Obra Social "La Caixa" and by Celgene Spain. A. Gonzalez-Perez is supported by a Ramon y Cajal fellowship (RYC-2013-14554) of the Educational Ministry (Madrid, Spain). This work was also partially supported by FEDER funds from CIBERONC (CB16/12/00284 and CB16/12/00400), Madrid, Spain).Recurrent deletions of the CDKN2A/ARF/CDKN2B genes encoded at chromosome 9p21 have been described in both pediatric and adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), but their prognostic value remains controversial, with limited data on adult T-ALL. Here, we investigated the presence of homozygous and heterozygous deletions of the CDKN2A/ARF and CDKN2B genes in 64 adult T-ALL patients enrolled in two consecutive trials from the Spanish PETHEMA group. Alterations in CDKN2A/ARF/CDKN2B were detected in 35/64 patients (55%). Most of them consisted of 9p21 losses involving homozygous deletions of the CDKNA/ARF gene (26/64), as confirmed by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays and interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (iFISH). Deletions involving the CDKN2A/ARF/CDKN2B locus correlated with a higher frequency of cortical T cell phenotype and a better clearance of minimal residual disease (MRD) after induction therapy. Moreover, the combination of an altered copy-number-value (CNV) involving the CDKN2A/ARF/CDKN2B gene locus and undetectable MRD (≤ 0.01%) values allowed the identification of a subset of T-ALL with better overall survival in the absence of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Com trobar elements rars de la taula periòdica a Catalunya?

Hi ha molts mecanismes de concentració d'elements químics a partir de la seva dispersió geoquímica per tal de formar dipòsits minerals d'interès econòmic. La diversitat de processos geològics que han configurat el subsòl de Catalunya permet esperar una gran diversitat de recursos, molts d'ells explotats ja de fa segles. En aquest treball es discuteixen les possibilitats que alguns recursos d'elements rars, mai investigats en detall, es puguin trobar a Catalunya, i es conclou que hi ha recursos potencials en aquests elements formats per processos de fraccionament magmàtic, hidrotermal i supergènic

Com fer un article divulgatiu. Integrant coneixements i desenvolupant competències

Activitat dissenyada per proporcionar als estudiants uns fonaments clars per escriure bones memòries, informes o articles en el seu futur professional. Neix de la necessitat de millorar la seva competència comunicativa escrita, i es basa en la redacció conjunta (professors + estudiants de diferent nivell) d'un article divulgatiu, amb revisió externa, i en la seva posterior presentació i divulgació. Es pretén també fomentar la metodologia docent d'Aprenentatge-Servei (ApS) entre els estudiant

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality