Computations for Sustainability

Parallel to the need for new technologies and renewable energy resources to address sustainability, the emerging field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has experienced continuous high-speed growth in the application of its capabilities of modelling, managing, processing, and making sense of data in the entire areas related to the production and management of energy. Moreover, the current trend indicates that the energy supply and management process will eventually be controlled by autonomous smart systems that optimize energy distribution operations based on integrative data-driven Machine Learning (ML) techniques or other types of computational methods

A Markov state modeling analysis of sliding dynamics of a 2D model

Non-equilibrium Markov State Modeling (MSM) has recently been proposed by Pellegrini et al. [Phys. Rev. E 94, 053001 (2016)] as a possible route to construct a physical theory of sliding friction from a long steady state atomistic simulation: the approach builds a small set of collective variables, which obey a transition-matrix-based equation of motion, faithfully describing the slow motions of the system. A crucial question is whether this approach can be extended from the original 1D small size demo to larger and more realistic size systems, without an inordinate increase of the number and complexity of the collective variables. Here we present a direct application of the MSM scheme to the sliding of an island made of over 1000 harmonically bound particles over a 2D periodic potential. Based on a totally unprejudiced phase space metric and without requiring any special doctoring, we find that here too the scheme allows extracting a very small number of slow variables, necessary and sufficient to describe the dynamics of island sliding

Pre-operational short-term forecasts for Mediterranean Sea biogeochemistry

Operational prediction of the marine environment is recognised as a fundamental research issue in Europe. We present a pre-operational implementation of a biogeochem- ical model for the pelagic waters of the Mediterranean Sea, developed within the framework of the MERSEA-IP Euro- pean project. The OPATM-BFM coupled model is the core of a fully automatic system that delivers weekly analyses and forecast maps for the Mediterranean Sea biogeochem- istry. The system has been working in its current configura- tion since April 2007 with successful execution of the fully automatic operational chain in 87% of the cases while in the remaining cases the runs were successfully accomplished af- ter operator intervention. A description of the system devel- oped and also a comparison of the model results with satel- lite data are presented, together with a measure of the model skill evaluated by means of seasonal target diagrams. Future studies will address the implementation of a data assimila- tion scheme for the biogeochemical compartment in order to increase the skill of the model’s performance

Long-term evaluation of infliximab in the treatment of persistently active juvenile idiopathic arthritis refractory to conventional therapy

Objectives: To evaluate, in long-term open label prospective study, infliximab as therapeutic choice for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) non responsive to conventional therapy. Methods: We enrolled to treat with infliximab 78 JIA patients (66 females, 12 males): the mean age was 20.7±7.1 years (median 20.9, range 5.4-34.9); mean JIA duration was 13.6±7.6 years (median 13.5, range 0.4-31.4). Infliximab, at dose of 3-10 mg/kg/infusion added to weekly subcutaneous Methotrexate or other previous DMARDs, was administered by intravenous infusions at weeks 0, 2, 6 and every 8 weeks thereafter. Chest X-ray, Mantoux's test, electrocardiogram were performed at baseline; laboratory tests and clinical evaluation were performed at each infusion. Response was evaluated according to ACR improvement criteria. Results: Mean treatment period was 21.6 months±18.8 (median 14.7, range 1.4-72.4). Just after first infusion most of patients reported significant improvement in pain, fatigue, morning stiffness. Infliximab is still successfully administered to 23 patients (29.5%); 55 (70.5%) patients suspended because of: inefficacy (7), infusion reactions (17), adverse events (9), disease flare-up after a period of effectiveness on synovitis, pain, and morning stiffness (19), remission (2), lack of compliance to treatment (1). Infusion reactions, like dyspnea, flushing, chills, headache, hypotension, anxiety, throat oedema, were observed in 29 patients (34.5%). Anti-DNA antibodies were present in 7 patients (none developed Systemic Lupus Eritematous). Conclusions: Infliximab showed impressive effectiveness treating refractory JIA, although most of patients had to discontinue treatment because of disease flare-up or adverse events. Infliximab may represent a good therapeutic choice in patients non-responders to Methotrexate

Specification and site control of the permeability of the cover concrete: the Swiss approach

It is recognized that most damage to reinforced concrete structures is caused by insufficient durability rather than by low strength. In most cases, the quality and thickness of the cover concrete (covercrete) determine the service life of the structure. Since the quality of the covercrete is influenced, not only by the mix composition, but also by the placing and curing conditions, it is appropriate to measure the achieved properties on the structure rather than just on separately cast specimens. Swiss Standard SIA 262 on Concrete Construction recommends checking the impermeability of the cover concrete on site. With that aim, a non-destructive method to measure the air-permeability on site has been standardized (SIA 262/1 Annex E). A team of Swiss experts was appointed by the Swiss Federal Highway Administration (ASTRA) to prepare recommendations for specifying, measuring, and assessing the conformity of the air-permeability kT. This paper describes these recommendations covering: (a) specification of limiting values of kT as function of the exposure class; (b) sampling of the measurement points; (c) testing (including suitable temperature and moisture conditions); (d) evaluation of conformity with specified values; (e) expected impact on service life

P2396Stress computed tomographic perfusion improve diagnostic accuracy of coronary computed tomographic angiography in intermediate to high risk patients for coronary artery disease

n/