Overcoming the Difficulties of Developing and Transferring an Input- Output Model for Electricity Consumption Forecasts to the Users

Abstract This paper relates an ongoing experience of developing and transferring the knowledge required to understand and operate a regionally disaggregated supply and use input-output model. This R&D project is financed by ANEEL, the Brazilian regulatory agency for electricity generation and distribution, and it is conducted in partnership between an electricity utility company, CPFL, and the Department of Economics at the University of São Paulo (FEA/USP) in Brazil. A brief account of the model theoretical structure is provided, from which three major improvements are expected: a) a better impact assessment of structural economic changes on the consumption of electricity; b) analyses tailored to the specific regional boundaries of the CPFL area of operation; and c) the identification of direct and indirect changes on electricity consumption accruing from regional development. In order to establish an in-company team capable of applying the model in response to their day to day managerial demands, a training program was devised in order to make them as familiar as possible with the necessary input-output theoretical background, and also skillful enough so as to efficiently apply the model. The paper relates the challenges that have been found in doing so, which means not only transferring academic knowledge to an audience not familiarized to input-output economics within a time schedule severely constrained by the pressure of daily work, but also to match this knowledge to the company technical interests.

Overcoming the difficulties of developing and transferring an input-output model for electricity consumption forecasts to the users

This paper relates an ongoing experience of developing and transferring the knowledge required to understand and operate a regionally disaggregated supply and use input-output model. This R&D project is financed by ANEEL, the Brazilian regulatory agency for electricity generation and distribution, and it is conducted in partnership between an electricity utility company, CPFL, and the Department of Economics at the University of São Paulo (FEA/USP) in Brazil. A brief account of the model theoretical structure is provided, from which three major improvements are expected: a) a better impact assessment of structural economic changes on the consumption of electricity; b) analyses tailored to the specific regional boundaries of the CPFL area of operation; and c) the identification of direct and indirect changes on electricity consumption accruing from regional development. In order to establish an in-company team capable of applying the model in response to their day to day managerial demands, a training program was devised in order to make them as familiar as possible with the necessary input-output theoretical background, and also skillful enough so as to efficiently apply the model. The paper relates the challenges that have been found in doing so, which means not only transferring academic knowledge to an audience not familiarized to input-output economics within a time schedule severely constrained by the pressure of daily work, but also to match this knowledge to the company technical interests

Overcoming the difficulties of developing and transferring an input-output model for electricity consumption forecasts to the users

This paper relates an ongoing experience of developing and transferring the knowledge required to understand and operate a regionally disaggregated supply and use input-output model. This R&D project is financed by ANEEL, the Brazilian regulatory agency for electricity generation and distribution, and it is conducted in partnership between an electricity utility company, CPFL, and the Department of Economics at the University of São Paulo (FEA/USP) in Brazil. A brief account of the model theoretical structure is provided, from which three major improvements are expected: a) a better impact assessment of structural economic changes on the consumption of electricity; b) analyses tailored to the specific regional boundaries of the CPFL area of operation; and c) the identification of direct and indirect changes on electricity consumption accruing from regional development. In order to establish an in-company team capable of applying the model in response to their day to day managerial demands, a training program was devised in order to make them as familiar as possible with the necessary input-output theoretical background, and also skillful enough so as to efficiently apply the model. The paper relates the challenges that have been found in doing so, which means not only transferring academic knowledge to an audience not familiarized to input-output economics within a time schedule severely constrained by the pressure of daily work, but also to match this knowledge to the company technical interests

Growth factors and steroidogenesis in the bovine placenta

The control of placental hormone biosynthesis is critical during gestation, since their coordinated action is essential for the normal progress of pregnancy. Hormonal synthesis regulation in placenta is still not elucidated and differs from that observed in other steroidogenic tissues since specific tropic hormones have not yet been identified. Cellular localization of growth factors in the placenta, including VEGF, EGVEGF and bFGF, points that these factors have additional roles in the organ besides their well known modulation on cell proliferation and angiogenesis. In vitro experiments bring new evidence that growth factors play regulatory roles modulating processes related to steroid hormone secretion in the placenta. Importance of local estrogen function has been highlighted and a key enzyme for its synthesis is aromatase cytochrome P450. The objective of this review was to describe some aspects of placental steroidogenesis, mainly focusing on aromatase cytochrome P450 steroidogenic enzyme expression and growth factors as others potential modulators of hormonal synthesis in the orga

Effects of dominant follicle aspiration and treatment with recombinant bovine somatotropin (BST) on ovarian follicular development in Nelore (Bos indicus) heifers

Follicle ablation has been recognized as an efficient method of follicular wave synchronization. Treatment with recombinant bovine somatotropin (BST) has been shown to enhance follicular development in Bos taurus. This experiment assessed the effects of these treatments in Nelore (B. indicus) heifers. Eight cycling Nelore heifers were randomly assigned to 3 different treatments. On Day 2 of a synchronized cycle (Day 0 = day of ovulation), heifers assigned to Treatments 1 and 2 received 2 mL of saline, whereas heifers assigned to Treatment 3 received 320 mg of BST. On Day 5, the first-wave dominant follicle was ablated by ultrasound-guided transvaginal aspiration in heifers in Treatments 2 and 3, and all heifers received an injection of prostaglandin on Day 11. Aspiration of the dominant follicle advanced and synchronized (P < 0.05) the day of second-wave emergence (6.9 ± 0.1 vs. 8.4 ± 0.4) and the day of the pre-wave FSH peak (6.0 ± 0.0 vs. 6.9 ± 0.4), and increased FSH peak concentrations (381 ± 21 vs. 292 ± 30; pg/mL; P < 0.01). Recombinant bovine somatotropin treatment caused a two-fold increase in plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations (P < 0.001) and resulted in a 36% increase in the number of small follicles (<5 mm; P < 0.001) compared with saline-treated heifers. In summary, in agreement with previous reports on B. taurus, dominant follicle aspiration synchronized ovarian follicular development, and BST treatment increased peripheral concentrations of IGF-I in Nelore heifers. Recombinant bovine somatotropin also increased the number of small follicles, but this response appeared to be inferior to that reported for B. taurus.Fil: Buratini, José. University of São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilFil: Price, C.A. University of Montreal, St. Hyacinthe, Que., CanadaFil: Visintin, J.A. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; ArgentinaFil: Bó, G.A. Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences, UNESP, Botucatu 18618-000 Sao Paulo, Brazi

Effects of FSH on the expression of receptors for oocyte-secreted factors and members of the EGF-like family during in vitro maturation in cattle

FSH induces expansion of bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) in cattle, which can be enhanced by oocyte-secreted factors (OSFs). In this study it was hypothesised that FSH stimulates COC expansion in part from direct stimulation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like ligands amphiregulin (AREG), epiregulin (EREG) and betacellulin (BTC), but also in part through regulation of OSFs or their receptors in cumulus cells. Bovine COCs were cultured in defined medium with graded doses of FSH. In the absence of FSH, COCs did not expand. FSH caused cumulus expansion, and increased the abundance of AREG and EREG mRNA in a time- and dose-dependent manner, but decreased BTC mRNA levels. FSH had modest stimulatory effects on the levels of mRNA encoding the bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) receptor, BMPR1B, in cumulus cells, but did not alter mRNA expression of the growth and differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) receptor, TGFBR1. More interestingly, FSH dramatically stimulated levels of mRNA encoding two receptors for fibroblast growth factors (FGF), FGFR2C and FGFR3C, in cumulus cells. FSH also stimulated mRNA expression of FGFR1B, but not of FGFR2B in cumulus cells. Based on dose-response studies, FGFR3C was the receptor most sensitive to the influence of FSH. This study demonstrates that FSH stimulates the expression of EGF-like factors in bovine cumulus cells, and provides evidence that FSH differently regulates the expression of distinct receptors for OSFs in cumulus cells. © CSIRO 2013

Envolvimento da subfamília do fator de crescimento fibroblástico 7 (FGF7) no controle da foliculogênese antral em bovinos

The mechanisms that coordinate follicular development are not well known and are, therefore, target of numerous investigations for facilitateing the understanding of physiology or as promising tools for assisted reproduction. Recently, several ovarian peptides with local action have been reported to participate in the control of follicular development in all stages and modulation of gonadotropins andovarian steroid hormones. In this context, fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) have been extensively investigated in different stages of follicular development and seem to control processes such as follicular atresia, steroidogenesis, and pre-antral follicle development, where FGF7 subfamily is one of the most investigated. Therefore, the objective of this review is to summarize the participation of the FGF7 subfamily in the control of bovine antral folliculogenesis.Os mecanismos que coordenam o desenvolvimento folicular ainda não são completamente conhecidos e, portanto, constituem o alvo de numerosas investigações, seja por facilitarem a compreensão da fisiologia ou por serem promissoras ferramentas para a reprodução assistida. Recentemente, diversos peptídeos ovarianos de ação local têm sido descritos por participarem do controle de todas as fases do desenvolvimento folicular, bem como da modulação de hormônios esteróides ovarianos e gonadotrofinas; entre esses peptídeos estão os fatores de crescimento fibroblástico (FGFs). Os FGFs têm sido extensamente investigados em diversas fases do desenvolvimento folicular e parecem controlar processos como atresia folicular, esteroidogênese, bem como o desenvolvimento folicular pré-antral, sendo a subfamília do FGF7 uma das mais investigadas neste contexto. Assim, esta revisão tem como objetivo sumarizar a participação da subfamília do FGF7 no controle da foliculogênese antral de bovinos