Spot pricing of electricity and ancillary services in a competitive California market

Typically, in competitive electricity markets, the vertically integrated utilities that were responsible for ensuring system reliability in their own service territories, or groups of territories, cease to exist. The burden falls to an independent system operator (ISO) to ensure that enough ancillary services (AS) are available for safe, stable, and reliable operation of the grid, typically defined, in part, as compliance with officially approved engineering specifications for minimum levels of AS. In order to characterize the behavior of market participants (generators, retailers, and an ISO) in a competitive electricity market with reliability requirements, spot markets for both electricity and AS are modeled. By assuming that each participant seeks to maximize its wealth and that all markets clear, we solve for the optimal quantities of electricity and AS traded in the spot market by all participants, as well as the market clearing prices for each

South American species <i>Solanum alandiae</i> Card. and <i>S. okadae</i> Hawkes et Hjerting as potential sources of genes for potato late blight resistance

For several decades, wild species of Solanum L. section Petota Dumort. have been involved in potato cultivar breeding for robust resistance to pests and diseases. Potato late blight (LB) is caused by oomycete Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, and the genes for race-specific resistance to P. infestans (Rpi genes) have been introgressed into cultivated potatoes by remote crosses and trans- or cisgenesis, first from S. demissum Buk. and, more recently, from other wild species, such as S. bulbocastanum Dun., S. stoloniferum Schlechtd. et Bché, and S. venturii Hawkes et Hjerting (according to the nomenclature by Hawkes, 1990). Most wild species already involved in breeding for LB resistance came from North and Central Americas: series Bulbocastana (Rydb.) Hawkes, Demissa Buk. and Longipedicellata Buk., and some Rpi genes of these species have been already characterized in much detail. Rpi genes of South American species, including the series Tuberosa (Rydb.) Hawkes, have not been sufficiently investigated. Among the latter, this study focuses on the Rpi genes of S. alandiae Card. and S. okadae Hawkes et Hjerting. Four accessions of S. alandiae, one accession of S. okadae and 11 clones of interspecific potato hybrids comprising S. alandiae germplasm from the VIR collection were PCR-screened using specific SCAR (Sequence Characterized Amplified Region) markers for eight Rpi genes. SCAR amplicons of five Rpi genes registered in this study were validated by comparing their sequences with those of prototype genes deposited in the NCBI Genbank. Among the structural homologues of Rpi genes found in S. alandiae and S. okadae, of special interest are homologues of CC-NB-LRR resistance genes with broad specificity towards P. infestans races, in particular R2=Rpi-blb3, R8, R9a, Rpi-vnt1 and Rpi-blb2 (94–99, 94–99, 86–89, 92–98 and 91% identity with the prototype genes, respectively). Our data may help to better understand the process of Rpi gene divergence along with the evolution of tuberbearing Solanum species, particularly in the series Tuberosa

Combination Breeding and Marker-Assisted Selection to Develop Late Blight Resistant Potato Cultivars

(1) Background: Although resistance to pathogens and pests has been researched in many potato cultivars and breeding lines with DNA markers, there is scarce evidence as to the efficiency of the marker-assisted selection (MAS) for these traits when applied at the early stages of breeding. A goal of this study was to estimate the potential of affordable DNA markers to track resistance genes that are effective against the pathogen Phytophthora infestans (Rpi genes), as a practical breeding tool on a progeny of 68 clones derived from a cross between the cultivar Sudarynya and the hybrid 13/11-09. (2) Methods: this population was studied for four years to elucidate the distribution of late blight (LB) resistance and other agronomical desirable or simple to phenotype traits such as tuber and flower pigmentation, yield capacity and structure. LB resistance was phenotypically evaluated following natural and artificial infection and the presence/absence of nine Rpi genes was assessed with 11 sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers. To validate this analysis, the profile of Rpi genes in the 13/11-09 parent was established using diagnostic resistance gene enrichment sequencing (dRenSeq) as a gold standard. (3) Results: at the early stages of a breeding program, when screening the segregation of F1 offspring, MAS can halve the workload and selected SCAR markers for Rpi genes provide useful tools

A Model-Based Methodology for Spray-Drying Process Development

Solid amorphous dispersions are frequently used to improve the solubility and, thus, the bioavailability of poorly soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Spray-drying, a well-characterized pharmaceutical unit operation, is ideally suited to producing solid amorphous dispersions due to its rapid drying kinetics. This paper describes a novel flowchart methodology based on fundamental engineering models and state-of-the-art process characterization techniques that ensure that spray-drying process development and scale-up are efficient and require minimal time and API. This methodology offers substantive advantages over traditional process-development methods, which are often empirical and require large quantities of API and long development times. This approach is also in alignment with the current guidance on Pharmaceutical Development Q8(R1). The methodology is used from early formulation-screening activities (involving milligrams of API) through process development and scale-up for early clinical supplies (involving kilograms of API) to commercial manufacturing (involving metric tons of API). It has been used to progress numerous spray-dried dispersion formulations, increasing bioavailability of formulations at preclinical through commercial scales

ПОСЛЕОПЕРАЦИОННЫЕ ОСЛОЖНЕНИЯ РЕКОНСТРУКТИВНО-ВОССТАНОВИТЕЛЬНЫХ ОПЕРАЦИЙ У БОЛЬНЫХ ОПУХОЛЯМИ ГОЛОВЫ И ШЕИ

The main goal of reconstructive surgery is to improve the quality of life of patients who have undergone surgery. However, recurrences and postoperative complications after such surgeries pose a serious challenge.The purpose of the study was to evaluate immediate surgical outcomes in head and neck cancer patients who underwent reconstructive surgery following tumor resection, as well as to analyze the causes of postoperative complications.Material and Methods. Immediate treatment outcomes were analyzed in 272 head and neck cancer patients, who were treated from 2008 to 2018. All patients were divided into 2 groups. Group I consisted of 172 patients, who underwent radical surgery and reconstruction. Group II comprised 100 patients, who underwent radical surgery alone. The groups were matched by stage, gender, age, previous treatment, and tumor location.Results. The incidence of recurrence was lower in Group I than in Group II (19 % versus 32 %, p&gt;0,05). Postoperative complications occurred in 14 % of patients who underwent reconstruction of postoperative defects with rotation flaps and in 35 % of patients who underwent reconstruction with free revascularized flaps (p&lt;0,05). The rate of complications was higher in patients undergoing maxillary and mandibular reconstructions (39,6 %) than in patients undergoing reconstructions of the other parts of the head and neck (23,7 %) (p&lt;0,05). Patients who received chemoradiotherapy had higher rate of postoperative complications than those who had no neoadjuvant treatment (37 % versus 22 %, p&gt;0,05).Conclusion. Knowledge of the factors that have a significant impact on the likelihood of developing postoperative complications after reconstructive surgeries makes it possible to take measures to prevent  them. Основной целью реконструктивно-пластических операций является улучшение качества жизни прооперированных больных. Однако возникающие рецидивы и  послеоперационные осложнения при подобных операциях являются значимой проблемой и требуют дальнейшего изучения. Целью исследования явились оценка непосредственных результатов хирургического лечения больных злокачественными новообразованиями головы и шеи с реконструктивно-пластическим компонентом и анализ причин возникновения  послеоперационных осложнений. Материал и методы. Проведен анализ непосредственных результатов лечения 272 больных злокачественными опухолями головы и шеи за период с 2008 по 2018 г., которые были разделены на 2 группы. В первую группу (n=172) вошли больные,  которым вместе с радикальным удалением опухоли был выполнен реконструктивно- пластический этап; во вторую группу (n=100) – пациенты, которым проведена радикальная операция без пластического этапа. Группы были сопоставимы по стадии, полу, возрасту, предшествующему лечению и локализации опухолевого процесса. Результаты. По данным исследования отмечена меньшая частота продолженного роста опухоли в группе с реконструктивно-пластическим этапом – 19 % больных, по  сравнению с контрольной группой – 32 % (p&gt;0,05). Установлено, что при использовании ротированных лоскутов послеоперационные осложнения возникли в 14  %, а свободных реваскуляризированных лоскутов – в 35 % случаев (p&lt;0,05). Реконструкция верхней и нижней челюсти сопровождается более частым развитием осложнений (39,6 %), чем устранение дефектов в других областях головы и шеи (23,7 %) (p&lt;0,05). У больных, получивших химиолучевое лечение, послеоперационные  осложнения наблюдались чаще, чем у пациентов без неоадъювантного лечения, – в 37 % и 22 % случаев соответственно (p&gt;0,05). Заключение. Знание факторов, оказывающих значимое влияние на вероятность развития послеоперационных осложнений при реконструктивно-пластических операциях, дает возможность проводить эффективные мероприятия по их профилактике

Ancillary services market in California

This report includes sections on the following topics: (1) California restructured electricity system overview; (2) Reliability criteria; (3) Design of the California ISO ancillary services market; (4) Operation of ancillary services markets; (5) Ancillary services markets redesign; and (6) Conclusions

Prospects of fermented milk products in children with primary hypolactasia of the adult type

Lactose (β-galactosyl-1,4 glucose) is milk sugar, the main disaccharide of human and other mammalian breast milk. Lactase is intestinal disaccharidase that catalyzes the lactose hydrolysis. The lactase gene LCT controls biological function of the enzyme. The age-related genetically determined feature of disaccharide expression, epigenetic factors, and natural selection with persistent tolerance to milk sugar throughout lifetime has divided the human population according to the LCT gene into two phenotypes: lactase persistent and lactase non-persistent. There is conflicting evidence that the latter phenotype is associated with low calcium absorption and the development of osteoporosis. The regular use of fermented probiotic dairy products by individuals with the lactase non-persistence phenotype ensures the accumulation of peak bone mineralization and prevents osteoporosis