Technical versus socio-economic and environmental criteria in power transmission projects

In recent years, the efforts of countries to reach agreements on the development of cross-border electricity interconnection have intensified because they optimize energy resources and constitute the most significant instantaneous support for the security and continuity of electricity supply. In addition, interconnections play a key role in the integration of electricity markets. However, the planning of European electricity infrastructures constitutes complex analyses due to the large number of factors involved. This article applies a multicriteria methodology for the evaluation and prioritization of cross-border interconnection projects with the simulation of different scenarios, in total 12 scenarios, to study the effect of changes in the selected criteria on the results obtained. To test the defined methodology, the variation in the weight of different criteria in the assessment of a new cross-border electrical interconnection project between Spain and France is studied. It was verified that the tool is coherent and that the analysis developed improves the understanding of such large and complex projects and can facilitate the prioritization of project portfolios with a clear and explicit method

Time-delay and Doppler tests of the Lorentz symmetry of gravity

Modifications to the classic time-delay effect and Doppler shift in General Relativity (GR) are studied in the context of the Lorentz-violating Standard-Model Extension (SME). We derive the leading Lorentz-violating corrections to the time-delay and Doppler shift signals, for a light ray passing near a massive body. It is demonstrated that anisotropic coefficients for Lorentz violation control a time-dependent behavior of these signals that is qualitatively different from the conventional case in GR. Estimates of sensitivities to gravity-sector coefficients in the SME are given for current and future experiments, including the recent Cassini solar conjunction experiment.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, references added, matches PRD versio

Phasing out steam methane reformers with water electrolysis in producing renewable hydrogen and ammonia: A case study based on the Spanish energy markets

Deploying renewable hydrogen presents a significant challenge in accessing off-takers who are willing to make long-term investments. To address this challenge, current projects focus on large-scale deployment to replace the demand for non-renewable hydrogen, particularly in ammonia synthesis for fertiliser production plants. The traditional process, involving Steam Methane Reformers (SMR) connected to Haber-Bosch synthesis, could potentially transition towards decarbonisation by gradually integrating water electrolysis. However, the coexistence of these processes poses limitations in accommodating the integration of renewable hydrogen, thereby creating operational challenges for industrial hubs. To tackle this issue, this paper proposes an optimal dispatch model for producing green hydrogen and ammonia while considering the coexistence of different processes. Furthermore, the objective is to analyse external factors that could determine the appropriate regulatory and pricing framework to facilitate the phase-out of SMR in favour of renewable hydrogen production. The paper presents a case study based in Spain, utilising data from 2018, 2022 and 2030 perspectives on the country's renewable resources, gas and electricity wholesale markets, pricing ranges, and regulatory constraints to validate the model. The findings indicate that carbon emissions taxation and the availability and pricing of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) will play crucial roles in this transition - the carbon emission price required for total phasing out SMR with water electrolysis would be around 550 EUR/ton CO2

Occupations and Morbidity Pattern in a North Indian Site: Need for Focused Health Services for House Wife, Pensioners and Unemployed

Background: Morbidity has factors related to occupational status, however information from community based study is seldom available in India. This article uses self reported morbidity in the community from one North Indian sites and effect of occupational status on morbidity.Methods: An ICMR Task force study of health accounting, collected different health related parameters at baseline. Under the study thousand households (500 rural, 500 urban) were surveyed during 2012-13by door to door survey using pretested questionnaire after availing written informed consent. This information reflects the distribution of demographic and occupation profile in relation to morbidities.Results: Overall self reported morbidity prevalence was nearly sixteen percent (821 out of 5279, 15.8%). 766 individuals provided details, among them 530 (12%) were considered as corroborative evidence to support disease diagnosis. Nearly 32% suffered from communicable and 67% suffered from non-communicable diseases. Among different occupations, pensioners had highest morbidities (24.5%) followed by unemployed (20.5%) and housewives (21.4%).Conclusion: Morbidity profile and effect of occupation/ work status is evident from the study. There is need of targeted services for these groups and periodic feedback or impact assessment from consumers themselves will be more authentic for appropriate policy formulation

Nociceptive Sensory Neurons Drive Interleukin-23 Mediated Psoriasiform Skin Inflammation

The skin has a dual function as a barrier and a sensory interface between the body and the environment. To protect against invading pathogens, the skin harbors specialized immune cells, including dermal dendritic cells (DDCs) and interleukin (IL)-17 producing γδ T cells (γδT17), whose aberrant activation by IL-23 can provoke psoriasis-like inflammation1–4. The skin is also innervated by a meshwork of peripheral nerves consisting of relatively sparse autonomic and abundant sensory fibers. Interactions between the autonomic nervous system and immune cells in lymphoid organs are known to contribute to systemic immunity, but how peripheral nerves regulate cutaneous immune responses remains unclear5,6. Here, we have exposed the skin of mice to imiquimod (IMQ), which induces IL-23 dependent psoriasis-like inflammation7,8. We show that a subset of sensory neurons expressing the ion channels TRPV1 and NaV1.8 is essential to drive this inflammatory response. Imaging of intact skin revealed that a large fraction of DDCs, the principal source of IL-23, is in close contact with these nociceptors. Upon selective pharmacological or genetic ablation of nociceptors9–11, DDCs failed to produce IL-23 in IMQ exposed skin. Consequently, the local production of IL-23 dependent inflammatory cytokines by dermal γδT17 cells and the subsequent recruitment of inflammatory cells to the skin were dramatically reduced. Intradermal injection of IL-23 bypassed the requirement for nociceptor communication with DDCs and restored the inflammatory response12. These findings indicate that TRPV1+NaV1.8+ nociceptors, by interacting with DDCs, regulate the IL-23/IL-17 pathway and control cutaneous immune responses

Warm-water Dasycladaceae algae from the Late Ordovician of the Parahio Valley, Spiti, India

Warm-water Dasycladaceae algae Mastopora and Cyclocrinites were for the first time recorded from the Takche Formation (Upper Ordovician–lower Silurian), Parahio Valley, Spiti, India. They are preserved as external and internal moulds of the non-globular or possibly bulb-like cortical skeleton showing flattened thalli with a high degree of compaction. The occurrence of abundant cyclocrinitid remains in the Takche Formation indicates that the Spiti region of the northwestern Himalaya must have been located at about 30° palaeolatitude during the Late Ordovician and early Silurian. The cyclocrinitids were warm-water algae and their extinction at the end of the Ordovician is related to cooling and glaciations. The cyclocrinitids in the Ordovician are known from several localities in central and southern Asia, including Kazakhstan and western China

Competencias profesionales y su desarrollo mediante aprendizaje-servicio en la universidad: perspectiva de los empleadores

Introducirse en el mundo laboral es costoso y uno de los primeros obstáculos es el déficit competencial que, en ocasiones, presentan los universitarios. Para subsanar el exceso de una teoría descontextualizada, el EEES (Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior) ha auspiciado un cambio metodológico que fomenta una docencia más práctica, ya que el aprendizaje más efectivo es activo y está conectado con la experiencia. De este modo, la enseñanza universitaria se enfoca, entre otros aspectos, en la consecución de resultados de aprendizaje en forma de competencias asociadas al mercado laboral. En este contexto se están ensayando en la universidad [española] metodologías más prácticas y aplicadas, entre ellas, el Aprendizaje-Servicio. El objetivo de este trabajo es conocer si para los empleadores participantes en nuestro estudio, los universitarios que participan en actividades de Aprendizaje-Servicio desarrollan el perfil competencial que buscan, haciéndoles candidatos más atractivos en los procesos de selección, mejorando en consecuencia su empleabilidad. Para ello, se desarrolló una investigación cualitativa genérica. Se realizaron tres grupos focales en los que participaron por muestreo intencional trece empleadores de egresados de distintas facultades de la universidad, pertenecientes a distintos sectores. La guía temática incluía preguntas sobre las competencias más demandadas por los empleadores, el Aprendizaje-Servicio y su influencia en el perfil profesional. La transcripción textual fue analizada mediante análisis de contenido inductivo por dos investigadores. En el apartado de resultados y discusión se constató que, para los empleadores consultados, los alumnos que participan en actividades de Aprendizaje- Servicio en la universidad, desarrollan algunas de las competencias profesionales más demandadas en el mundo laboral, incidiendo positivamente en su empleabilidad.Entering the labour force is onerous and one of the first obstacles is, on occasion, the competence shortcomings of university students. To correct the excess of a decontextualized theory, the EHEA (European Higher Education Area) has sponsored a methodological change that encourages more practical teaching, since the most effective learning is active and connected with experience. In this way, university teaching focuses, among other aspects, on achieving learning results in the form of competences associated with the labour market. In this context, more practical and applied methodologies are being tested at the university, including Service-Learning. The objective of this study is to find out whether, for the employers participating in our study, the university students who participate in these Service-Learning activities develop the competency profile they are looking for, making them more attractive candidates in the selection processes, consequently improving their employability. Generic quantitative research has been carried out. A purposive sampling of the employers of graduates from different university faculties was adopted. Three focal groups were formed using a topic guide, which addressed: the professional competences most demanded by employers; the repercussion of the teaching focus on employability; the social involvement capacity of their employees; Service-Learning and its influence on professional profile. 13 employers from different fields participated. Audio clips of the focal groups were recorded and their transcription was analysed by two researchers using content analysis. In the view of the employers consulted, students who participate in Service-Learning activities at the university develop some of the most in-demand professional competences, which positively affect their employability

Effective Menin inhibitor-based combinations against AML with MLL rearrangement or NPM1 mutation (NPM1c)

Treatment with Menin inhibitor (MI) disrupts the interaction between Menin and MLL1 or MLL1-fusion protein (FP), inhibits HOXA9/MEIS1, induces differentiation and loss of survival of AML harboring MLL1 re-arrangement (r) and FP, or expressing mutant (mt)-NPM1. Following MI treatment, although clinical responses are common, the majority of patients with AML with MLL1-r or mt-NPM1 succumb to their disease. Pre-clinical studies presented here demonstrate that genetic knockout or degradation of Menin or treatment with the MI SNDX-50469 reduces MLL1/MLL1-FP targets, associated with MI-induced differentiation and loss of viability. MI treatment also attenuates BCL2 and CDK6 levels. Co-treatment with SNDX-50469 and BCL2 inhibitor (venetoclax), or CDK6 inhibitor (abemaciclib) induces synergistic lethality in cell lines and patient-derived AML cells harboring MLL1-r or mtNPM1. Combined therapy with SNDX-5613 and venetoclax exerts superior in vivo efficacy in a cell line or PD AML cell xenografts harboring MLL1-r or mt-NPM1. Synergy with the MI-based combinations is preserved against MLL1-r AML cells expressing FLT3 mutation, also CRISPR-edited to introduce mtTP53. These findings highlight the promise of clinically testing these MI-based combinations against AML harboring MLL1-r or mtNPM1