Unit Commitment in a Competitive and Emission Constrained Environment

This paper is on the unit commitment problem, considering not only the economic perspective, but also the environmental perspective. We propose a bi-objective approach to handle the problem with conflicting profit and emission objectives. Numerical results based on the standard IEEE 30-bus test system illustrate the proficiency of the proposed approach

Nonlinear optimization method for short-term hydro scheduling considering head-dependency

This paper is on the problem of short-term hydro scheduling, particularly concerning head-dependent reservoirs under competitive environment. We propose a new nonlinear optimization method to consider hydroelectric power generation as a function of water discharge and also of the head. Head-dependency is considered on short-term hydro scheduling in order to obtain more realistic and feasible results. The proposed method has been applied successfully to solve a case study based on one of the main Portuguese cascaded hydro systems, providing a higher profit at a negligible additional computation time in comparison with a linear optimization method that ignores head-dependency

A practical approach for profit-based unit commitment with emission limitations

This paper proposes a practical approach for profit-based unit commitment (PBUC) with emission limitations. Under deregulation, unit commitment has evolved from a minimum-cost optimisation problem to a profit-based optimisation problem. However, as a consequence of growing environmental concern, the impact of fossil-fuelled power plants must be considered, giving rise to emission limitations. The simultaneous address of the profit with the emission is taken into account in our practical approach by a multiobjective optimisation (MO) problem. Hence, trade-off Curves between profit and emission are obtained for different energy price profiles, in a way to aid decision-makers concerning emission allowance trading. Moreover, a new parameter is presented, ratio of change, and the corresponding gradient angle, enabling the proper selection of a compromise commitment for the units. A case study based on the standard IEEE 30-bus system is presented to illustrate the proficiency Of Our practical approach for the new competitive and environmentally constrained electricity supply industry

Total costs and benefits of biomass in selected regions of the European Union

The paper describes results of the BioCosts project in which a comprehensive analysis of the economic and environmental performance of the energy use of biomass was carried out for selected existing facilities throughout the European Union. It is demonstrated that the appropriately organized use of biofuels has significant environmental advantages compared to the use of fossil fuels. Mitigation of global warming is the largest single incentive to use biofuels. However, only a few technologies are economically competitive under prevailing conditions, while others lead to up to 100% higher energy production costs than fossil fuels. Employment effects of using biofuels are small but positive.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6V2S-41JM99D-4/1/514a3253589af4590f84544e2966bcb

Antagonismo de leveduras a Botryodiplodia theobromae em frutos de manga.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo selecionar leveduras antagonistas visando reduzir a incidência da doença. Inicialmente foram realizados Isolamentos a partir de frutos sadios de manga e 18 Isolados foram testados contra o patógeno em frutos comercias da variedade Tommy Atkins, provenientes de Petrolina.Suplemento

Synthetic Peptides Mimic gp75 from Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in the Diagnosis of Paracoccidioidomycosis

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic granulomatous disease, endemic in Latin America, caused by the thermal dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. Although some fungal antigens have already been characterized and used for serological diagnosis, cross-reactions have been frequently observed. Thus, the examination of fungal forms in clinical specimens or isolation of P. brasiliensis by culture is still the most frequent method for the diagnosis of this mycosis. In this study, a random peptide phage display library was used to select mimotopes of P. brasiliensis, which were employed as antigens in an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The protective monoclonal antibody against experimental PCM (anti-gp75) was used as molecular target to screen a phage display library. That approach led to a synthetic peptide named P2, which was synthesized and tested against PCM patients’ sera to check whether it was recognized. There was significant recognition of P2 by sera of untreated PCM patients when compared with normal human sera. Sera from treated PCM group, patients with other mycosis or co-infected with HIV had much lower recognition of P2 than untreated patient group. The test showed a sensitivity of 100 and 94.59% of specificity in relation to human sera control. These data indicate a potential use of P2 as diagnostic tool in PCM. Its application for serological diagnosis of PCM may contribute to the development and standardization of simpler, faster and highly reproducible immunodiagnostic tests at low cost

A oposição aos pavilhões do parque Ibirapuera (1950-1954)

Este artigo trata das disputas em torno da realização do parque Ibirapuera, na primeira metade da década de 1950, quando a Prefeitura Municipal de São Paulo, com o apoio do Governo do Estado, decidiu implementá-lo, com o propósito de nele sediar as comemorações do seu 400º aniversário de fundação. O Ibirapuera é considerado o primeiro parque metropolitano de São Paulo. Foi construído em 1954, momento em que a cidade arvorava a condição de "metrópole moderna". Com 1.584.000 m² de área total, localizado junto a bairros nobres, o parque foi equipado com um conjunto de edifícios desenhados por Oscar Niemeyer, destinados a abrigar exposições comemorativas. Sua construção ensejou uma série de manifestações de oposição, consolidadas em torno de um grupo que teve franca representação em diversos meios institucionais e de comunicação. Posteriormente, no entanto, essa oposição foi totalmente silenciada tanto pelos agentes sociais envolvidos no processo quanto pela bibliografia sobre o assunto. Procura-se, aqui, levantar as questões em torno de tal oposição, com vistas a estabelecer um contraponto ao caráter comemorativo da própria fundação da cidade, permitindo a superação do olhar celebratório e de elogio do progresso paulistano. Essa investigação delineia um campo de conflitos e disputas, indicando que, naquele momento, não havia continuidade entre a celebração do aniversário da cidade e a modernidade dos pavilhões do Ibirapuera, mas sim uma série de embates políticos de relevância para o urbanismo em São Paulo, que merecem ser recuperados.This article discusses the disagreements around the construction of Ibirapuera Park in the first half of the 1950s, when the municipal government of São Paulo decided, with support from the state government, to implement the project for the purpose of staging the celebrations of the city's 400th anniversary on its premises. Ibirapuera is regarded as the first metropolitan park in São Paulo. It was built in 1954 as the city laid claim to the title of "modern metropolis". Sprawling across an area of 1,584,000m² in the vicinity of wealthy neighborhoods, the park boasts a complex of buildings designed by Oscar Niemeyer for commemorative exhibitions. Its construction gave rise to a number of protests gathered around a group with direct representation in several institutions and mass media. Subsequently, however, the opposition was completely silenced not only by the social agents involved in the process but also by the literature published on the subject. In this paper, we try to raise a few questions about the said opposition in an effort to set a counterpoint to the commemorative nature of the events associated with the city's foundation, and thereby look beyond the celebration and acclamation of its progress. Our investigation brings to light an arena of conflicts and disputes, suggesting that there was no direct connection between the celebration of the city's anniversary and the modern design of the pavilions in Ibirapuera Park at the time, but rather a series of political clashes of great import for urban planning in São Paulo that are worth revisiting

IL-17 Produced during Trypanosoma cruzi Infection Plays a Central Role in Regulating Parasite-Induced Myocarditis

Chagas disease is caused by the intracellular parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. This infection has been considered one of the most neglected diseases and affects several million people in the Central and South America. Around 30% of the infected patients develop digestive and cardiac forms of the disease. Most patients are diagnosed during the chronic phase, when the treatment is not effective. Here, we showed by the first time that IL-17 is produced during experimental T. cruzi infection and that it plays a significant role in host defense, modulating parasite-induced myocarditis. Applying this analysis to humans could be of great value in unraveling the elements involved in the pathogenesis of chagasic cardiopathy and could be used in the development of alternative therapies to reduce morbidity during the chronic phase of the disease, as well as clinical markers of disease progression. The understanding of these aspects of disease may be helpful in reducing the disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and costs to the public health service in developing countries