Challenges and Technical Requirements for Integration of Renewable Energy Sources in Cuban Electric System

The decision of the Cuban Government to massively introduce Renewable Energy Sources (RES) as a way to change the energy matrix, and in particular, the electricity matrix, is presented as an opportunity to introduce not only sources of energy friendly with the environment, but also make the contributions that, without limiting the development of the country, respond to the UN Millennium Development Goals (UNMDG). However, the large-scale use of RESs in an electrical system such as Cuba, isolated and not interconnected to other systems, can have a group of challenges that must be taken into consideration when it is exploited, since it does not incorporate only new technologies, some of which depend on weather conditions such as solar, wind and hydro technology for the production of electricity, but allow us to think about the introduction of emerging technologies that can increase the penetration of RES in the electrical system and introduce new management concepts, both territorially and nationally. The present work reflects on this, from some experiences that have been analyzed in different research works carried out at CIPEL, plus other International experiences

Caracterização físico-química e determinação de compostos bioativos em casca de bacuri.

O bacuri é um fruto típico da região Amazônica, de grande apelo comercial, mas que apresenta baixo rendimento em polpa. A maior parte do fruto é composta pela casca que é tratada como resíduo agroindustrial. O objetivo desse trabalho foi caracterizar físico-quimicamente a casca do bacuri, assim como também avaliar a presença de compostos bioativos. Utilizou-se o processo de liofilização como forma de preservar esses compostos para as análises e os resultados indicaram que a casca apresentou valores significativos na composição centesimal, destacando-se fibras (23,07%). Em termos de compostos bioativos, compostos fenólicos (1734,8 mg ácido gálico/100 g ) foi o destaque, embora as demais determinações também tenham sido significativas. Dessa forma, pode-se concluir que a casca do bacuri tem um enorme potencial para agregação de valor

OH spectral evolution of oxygen-rich late-type stars

We investigated the main-line spectral evolution with shell thickness of oxygen rich AGB stars. The study is based on a sample of 30 sources distributed along the IRAS colour-colour diagram. The sources were chosen to trace the Miras with thick shells and the whole range of OH/IR stars. The Miras exhibit a 1665 MHz emission strength comparable to that at 1667 MHz. Even though the Miras of the study have quite thick shells, their spectral characteristics in both main lines attest to a strong heterogeneity in their OH shell with, in particular, the presence of significant turbulence and acceleration. The expansion velocity has been found to be about the same at 1665 and 1667 MHz, taking into account a possible velocity turbulence of 1-2km/s at the location of the main-line maser emission. An increase in the intensity ratio 1667/1665 with shell thickness has been found. A plausible explanation for such a phenomenon is that competitive gain in favour of the 1667 MHz line increases when the shell is getting thicker. There is an evolution in the spectral profile shape with the appearance of a substantial inter-peak signal when the shell is getting thicker. Also, inter-peak components are found and can be as strong as the external standard peaks when the shell is very thick. This trend for an increase of the signal in between the two main peaks is thought to be the result of an increase of the saturation with shell thickness. All sources but two - a Mira and an OH/IR star from the lower part of the colour-colour diagram - are weakly polarized. The strong polarization observed for those two particular objects is thought to be the result of perturbations in their shells.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Avaliação de híbridos comerciais de milho para utilização na forma de silagem na Mesorregião do Leste Alagoano.

Teve-se o objetivo de avaliar o comportamento produtivo de híbridos de milho para uso na forma de silagem no Leste Alagoano. Vinte híbridos comerciais de milho destinados a Região Nordeste do Brasil foram avaliados em dois locais na Mesorregião do Leste Alagoano, Rio Largo e Teotônio Vilela, nas safras agrícolas de 2002 a 2004. Foi utilizado o delineamento de blocos casualizados com três repetições e as características avaliadas foram à produtividade de matéria seca (PMS) e o potencial de produção de leite da silagem produzida. Verificou-se a existência de variabilidade no potencial de utilização dos híbridos comerciais de milho para o emprego na alimentação animal, na forma de silagem. A amplitude de variação observada entre as médias dos híbridos foi de 2,6 t de MS/ha e de 1.397 Kg de leite/ha, respectivamente, para a PMS e o potencial de produção de leite. Na média de três anos de avaliação em dois locais, os híbridos TORK, DAS8480, AG4051, FORT, DAS657 e XB8010 foram os melhores tanto para produtividade de matéria seca quanto para o potencial de produção de leite por hectare

Assessment of pediatric asthma drug use in three European countries; a TEDDY study.

Asthma drugs are amongst the most frequently used drugs in childhood, but international comparisons on type and indication of use are lacking. The aim of this study was to describe asthma drug use in children with and without asthma in the Netherlands (NL), Italy (IT), and the United Kingdom (UK). We conducted a retrospective analysis of outpatient medical records of children 0-18 years from 1 January 2000 until 31 December 2005. For all children, prescription rates of asthma drugs were studied by country, age, asthma diagnosis, and off-label status. One-year prevalence rates were calculated per 100 children per patient-year (PY). The cohort consisted of 671,831 children of whom 49,442 had been diagnosed with asthma at any time during follow-up. ß2-mimetics and inhaled steroids were the most frequently prescribed asthma drug classes in NL (4.9 and 4.1/100 PY), the UK (8.7 and 5.3/100 PY) and IT (7.2 and 16.2/100 PY), respectively. Xanthines, anticholinergics, leukotriene receptor antagonists, and anti-allergics were prescribed in less than one child per 100 per year. In patients without asthma, ß2-mimetics were used most frequently. Country differences were highest for steroids, (Italy highest), and for ß2-mimetics (the UK highest). Off-label use was low, and most pronounced for ß2-mimetics in children <18 months (IT) and combined ß2-mimetics + anticholinergics in children <6 years (NL). CONCLUSION: This study shows that among all asthma drugs, ß2-mimetics and inhaled steroids are most often used, also in children without asthma, and with large variability between countries. Linking multi-country databases allows us to study country specific pediatric drug use in a systematic manner without being hampered by methodological differences. This study underlines the potency of healthcare databases in rapidly providing data on pediatric drug use and possibly safety