Surrogate-based optimization of tidal turbine arrays: a case study for the Faro-Olhão inlet

This paper presents a study for estimating the size of a tidal turbine array for the Faro-Olhão Inlet (Potugal) using a surrogate optimization approach. The method compromises problem formulation, hydro-morphodynamic modelling, surrogate construction and validation, and constraint optimization. A total of 26 surrogates were built using linear RBFs as a function of two design variables: number of rows in the array and Tidal Energy Converters (TECs) per row. Surrogates describe array performance and environmental effects associated with hydrodynamic and morphological aspects of the multi inlet lagoon. After validation, surrogate models were used to formulate a constraint optimization model. Results evidence that the largest array size that satisfies performance and environmental constraints is made of 3 rows and 10 TECs per row.Eduardo González-Gorbeña has received funding for the OpTiCA project (http://msca-optica.eu/) from the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions of the European Union's H2020-MSCA-IF-EF-RI-2016 / GA#: 748747. The paper is a contribution to the SCORE pro-ject, funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT–PTDC/AAG-TEC/1710/2014). André Pacheco was supported by the Portuguese Foun-dation for Science and Technology under the Portuguese Researchers’ Programme 2014 entitled “Exploring new concepts for extracting energy from tides” (IF/00286/2014/CP1234).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Seismic Forces in Ancillary Components Supported on Piers and Wharves

This paper presents a simple procedure to estimate seismic forces in ancillary components (secondary systems) supported on marine structures such as piers, wharves, and marine oil terminals (primary systems). Since many such marine structures can be idealized as single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) systems, this study uses a simple linear-elastic model with two DOF, one representing the marine structure and the other representing the ancillary component. This study shows that acceleration at the base of the secondary system is approximately equal to spectral acceleration at the fundamental period of the primary system. It also proposes a formula, which is an improvement over current ASCE 7-10 recommendations, to estimate acceleration amplification in the secondary system due to its flexibility when mass and period ratios of the secondary and primary systems are known. The procedure in this paper is strictly applicable to marine structures for which primarily a single mode contributes to seismic response

Combining solid phase synthesis and chromatographic purification for efficient peptide manufacture

In recent years, peptides have gained an important position in the drug arena for a variety of treatments. Solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) continues to have a significant impact in both R&D as well as in production of commercial peptides. The combination of SPPS with reverse-phase (RP) chromatographic separations allowed for the peptides to be purified to levels suitable for drug usage. Thanks to their chemical and physical stability to high pressure, chemicals, temperature and oxidising reagents, polystyrene / divinyl benzene (PS/DVB) resins are the main solid support for peptide synthesis as well as being suitable for the chromatographic purification of the peptides by RP and ion exchange (IEX). Depending on the application, the optimal cross-linking changes, as do the optimal particle size, the uniformity in particle size distribution and the porosity of the resin. The characteristics and applications of the PS/DVB resins are explored in this paper for the synthesis and purification of peptides of commercial interest

New manufacturing process to produce highly uniform resins with excellent performances in Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis

Peptides are an important class of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients. Thanks to the implementation of the solid phase synthesis methodology pioneered by the Nobel Laureate R. Bruce Merrifield in the 20th century, it is now possible to synthesize peptides with up to forty amino acids in a multi- kilogram scale. Herein, we describe a new manufacturing process to produce highly uniform resins that can be successfully applied to solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS). The resins were employed for the synthesis of between 5 and 28mer peptides using either automatic heat-assisted microwave systems or manual mode. Excellent results are reported when PuroSynth™ CTC/S, PuroSynth™ Wang/S, PuroSynth™ Rink Amide/S and PuroSynth™ MBHA/S are used for SPPS

Jetting manufacturing of resins for solid-phase peptide synthesis

Peptides are an important class of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients. Indeed, it is now feasible to synthesize peptides of up to forty amino acids in a multi-kilogram scale. This achievement has been made thanks to the implementation of the solid-phase synthesis methodology described by the Nobel Laureate R. Bruce Merrifield in 1963. Successful solid-phase peptide synthesis depends directly on the quality of the polymeric support, namely the resin. Here we describe new polystyrene in-house resins produced by 'Jetting' technology. The excellent properties (swelling, loading, particle size distribution, morphological structure) of these resins assure the quality of the final peptide

The vacuolar channel VvALMT9 mediates malate and tartrate accumulation in berries of Vitis vinifera

Vitis vinifera L. represents an economically important fruit species. Grape and wine flavour is made from a complex set of compounds. The acidity of berries is a major parameter in determining grape berry quality for wine making and fruit consumption. Despite the importance of malic and tartaric acid (TA) storage and transport for grape berry acidity, no vacuolar transporter for malate or tartrate has been identified so far. Some members of the aluminium-activated malate transporter (ALMT) anion channel family from Arabidopsis thaliana have been shown to be involved in mediating malate fluxes across the tonoplast. Therefore, we hypothesised that a homologue of these channels could have a similar role in V. vinifera grape berries. We identified homologues of the Arabidopsis vacuolar anion channel AtALMT9 through a TBLASTX search on the V. vinifera genome database. We cloned the closest homologue of AtALMT9 from grape berry cDNA and designated it VvALMT9. The expression profile revealed that VvALMT9 is constitutively expressed in berry mesocarp tissue and that its transcription level increases during fruit maturation. Moreover, we found that VvALMT9 is targeted to the vacuolar membrane. Using patch-clamp analysis, we could show that, besides malate, VvALMT9 mediates tartrate currents which are higher than in its Arabidopsis homologue. In summary, in the present study we provide evidence that VvALMT9 is a vacuolar malate channel expressed in grape berries. Interestingly, in V. vinifera, a tartrate-producing plant, the permeability of the channel is apparently adjusted to TA