Optimized Configuration of Diesel Engine-Fuel Cell-Battery Hybrid Power Systems in a Platform Supply Vessel to Reduce CO₂ Emissions

The main objective of this paper is to select the optimal configuration of a ship’s power system, considering the use of fuel cells and batteries, that would achieve the lowest CO2 emissions also taking into consideration the number of battery cycles. The ship analyzed in this work is a Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) used to support oil and gas offshore platforms transporting goods, equipment, and personnel. The proposed scheme considers the ship’s retrofitting. The ship’s original main generators are maintained, and the fuel cell and batteries are installed as complementary sources. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis is pursued on the ship’s demand curve. The simulations used to calculate the CO2 emissions for each of the new hybrid configurations were developed using HOMER software. The proposed solutions are auxiliary generators, three types of batteries, and a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with different sizes of hydrogen tanks. The PEMFC and batteries were sized as containerized solutions, and the sizing of the auxiliary engines was based on previous works. Each configuration consists of a combination of these solutions. The selection of the best configuration is one contribution of this paper. The new configurations are classified according to the reduction of CO2 emitted in comparison to the original system. For different demand levels, the results indicate that the configuration classification may vary. Another valuable contribution of this work is the sizing of the battery and hydrogen storage systems. They were installed in 20 ft containers, since the installation of batteries, fuel cells and hydrogen tanks in containers is widely used for ship retrofit. As a result, the most significant reduction of CO2 emissions is 10.69%. This is achieved when the configuration includes main generators, auxiliary generators, a 3,119 kW lithium nickel manganese cobalt (LNMC) battery, a 250 kW PEMFC, and 581 kg of stored hydrogen

Wake transition in the flow around two circular cylinders in staggered arrangements

Accepted versio

Dating stalagmite from Caverna do Diabo (Devil'S Cave) by TL and EPR techniques

A cylindrical fragment of stalagmite from Caverna do Diabo, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, has been studied and dated by thermoluminescence and electron paramagnetic resonance techniques. The thermoluminescence glow curves of stalagmite samples and subsequently gamma irradiated, have shown rise of three peaks at 135, 180 and 265 degrees C. From electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of stalagmite was possible to clearly identify three paramagnetic centers in the g = 2.0 region: Centers I, II and III are due to, CO3- and CO33-, respectively. The additive method was applied to calculate the accumulated dose using thermoluminescence peak at 265 degrees C and the electron paramagnetic resonance signal at g = 1.9973 of CO2- radical. The ages of the different slices of stalagmite were determined from the D-ac-values and D-an-value, obtaining an average of 86410 for central slice, 53421 for second slice, 31490 for third slice and 46390 years B.P. for the central region of upper end.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Fis, Rua Matao,187 Cidade Univ, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Mar, Rua Doutor Carvalho de Mendonca 144, BR-11070100 Santos, SP, BrazilIPEN CNEN SP, Inst Pesquisas Energet & Nucl, Av Prof Lineu Prestes,2242 Cidade Univ, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Nacl San Agustin, Fac Ciencias Nat & Formales, Escuela Profes Fis, Av Independencia S-N, Arequipa, PeruUniv Sao Paulo, Escola Politecn, Dept Engn Met & Mat, Av Prof Mello Moraes 2463, BR-05508030 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilDepartamento de Ciências do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Doutor Carvalho de Mendonça, 144, 11070-100 Santos, SP, BrazilFAPESP: 2014/03085-0CAPES: BEX-9612130Web of Scienc

ENFISEMA SUBCUTANEO MACIÇO ASSOCIADO A LESÃO DE VIA AEREA, APÓS TRAUMA TORÁCICO: RELATO DE CASO

O objetivo do presente estudo é apresentar um caso clínico de enfisema subcutâneo maciço após trauma torácico com possível lesão de via aérea inferior não diagnosticada devido a impossibilidade de realizar o exame de broncoscopia. Materiais e métodos- Foi realizado um relato de caso retrospectivo sobre enfisema subcutâneo importante após trauma de tórax associado à lesão de via aérea. A pesquisa foi realizada no Hospital Escola Luiz Giuseffi Jannuzzi. Resultados- Pela apresentação ectoscopica do paciente, foi pensado no diagnostico de anafilaxia devido a presença de inchaço periorbitario e lábios, característico de angioedema, sendo realizada abordagem para anafilaxia. O sintoma mais sugestivo foi o acometimento de arvore brônquica e aparelho respiratório devido ao deslocamento brusco dos pulmões pelo trauma direto do acidente, evoluindo com enfisema subcutâneo. Foi utilizado dreno torácico fechado na tentativa de reduzir o enfisema subcutâneo, tendo essa terapia apresentado bons resultados na redução do quadro. Apesar de o paciente evoluir com um pneumotórax, identificado pela TC de tórax que foi solicitado para confirmar o diagnostico de enfisema subcutâneo, a provável causa para tal complicação foi o uso dos drenos bilaterais, mostrados no laudo a tomografia e confirmado pela esofagografia realizada durante a internação na UTI. Compreende-se que o pneumomediastino caracterizou-se como um achado importante na tomografia, corroborando com a hipótese da presença de lesão em via área inferior como causa do enfisema subcutâneo. Conclusão- Concluímos que são precários os números de casos de enfisema subcutâneo descritos na literatura quando associado diretamente ao trauma torácico

Rab27a and Rab27b control different steps of the exosome secretion pathway

Exosomes are secreted membrane vesicles that share structural and biochemical characteristics with intraluminal vesicles of multivesicular endosomes (MVEs). Exosomes could be involved in intercellular communication and in the pathogenesis of infectious and degenerative diseases. The molecular mechanisms of exosome biogenesis and secretion are, however, poorly understood. Using an RNA interference (RNAi) screen, we identified five Rab GTPases that promote exosome secretion in HeLa cells. Among these, Rab27a and Rab27b were found to function in MVE docking at the plasma membrane. The size of MVEs was strongly increased by Rab27a silencing, whereas MVEs were redistributed towards the perinuclear region upon Rab27b silencing. Thus, the two Rab27 isoforms have different roles in the exosomal pathway. In addition, silencing two known Rab27 effectors, Slp4 (also known as SYTL4, synaptotagmin-like 4) and Slac2b (also known as EXPH5, exophilin 5), inhibited exosome secretion and phenocopied silencing of Rab27a and Rab27b, respectively. Our results therefore strengthen the link between MVEs and exosomes, and introduce ways of manipulating exosome secretion in vivo

Imaging breast cancer using hyperpolarized carbon-13 MRI.

Our purpose is to investigate the feasibility of imaging tumor metabolism in breast cancer patients using 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) of hyperpolarized 13C label exchange between injected [1-13C]pyruvate and the endogenous tumor lactate pool. Treatment-naïve breast cancer patients were recruited: four triple-negative grade 3 cancers; two invasive ductal carcinomas that were estrogen and progesterone receptor-positive (ER/PR+) and HER2/neu-negative (HER2-), one grade 2 and one grade 3; and one grade 2 ER/PR+ HER2- invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). Dynamic 13C MRSI was performed following injection of hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate. Expression of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), which catalyzes 13C label exchange between pyruvate and lactate, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF1α), and the monocarboxylate transporters MCT1 and MCT4 were quantified using immunohistochemistry and RNA sequencing. We have demonstrated the feasibility and safety of hyperpolarized 13C MRI in early breast cancer. Both intertumoral and intratumoral heterogeneity of the hyperpolarized pyruvate and lactate signals were observed. The lactate-to-pyruvate signal ratio (LAC/PYR) ranged from 0.021 to 0.473 across the tumor subtypes (mean ± SD: 0.145 ± 0.164), and a lactate signal was observed in all of the grade 3 tumors. The LAC/PYR was significantly correlated with tumor volume (R = 0.903, P = 0.005) and MCT 1 (R = 0.85, P = 0.032) and HIF1α expression (R = 0.83, P = 0.043). Imaging of hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate metabolism in breast cancer is feasible and demonstrated significant intertumoral and intratumoral metabolic heterogeneity, where lactate labeling correlated with MCT1 expression and hypoxia

Phase I study of docetaxel in combination with cyclophosphamide as first-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer

This phase I was study conducted to establish the maximum tolerated dose, dose-limiting toxicity, and recommended dose of docetaxel in combination with cyclophosphamide as first-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer. Twenty-six patients were treated with cyclophosphamide (600 mg m−2, intravenous bolus) followed by docetaxel (60, 75 or 85 mg m−2, 1-h intravenous infusion) every 3 weeks. The maximum tolerated dose was docetaxel 85 mg m−2 with cyclophosphamide 600 mg m−2, the dose-limiting toxicity being febrile neutropenia. Grade 4 neutropenia was experienced by all patients, but was generally brief. Otherwise, the combination was well tolerated with few acute and no chronic non-haematological toxicities of grade 3/4. Activity was observed at all dose levels and disease sites, and the overall response rate was 42% (95% confidence interval 22–61%). The pharmacokinetics of docetaxel were not modified by cyclophosphamide coadministration. These findings establish a recommended dose of docetaxel 75 mg m−2 in combination with cyclophosphamide 600 mg m−2 every three weeks for phase II evaluation

Metabolic syndrome: definitions and controversies

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex disorder defined by a cluster of interconnected factors that increase the risk of cardiovascular atherosclerotic diseases and diabetes mellitus type 2. Currently, several different definitions of MetS exist, causing substantial confusion as to whether they identify the same individuals or represent a surrogate of risk factors. Recently, a number of other factors besides those traditionally used to define MetS that are also linked to the syndrome have been identified. In this review, we critically consider existing definitions and evolving information, and conclude that there is still a need to develop uniform criteria to define MetS, so as to enable comparisons between different studies and to better identify patients at risk. As the application of the MetS model has not been fully validated in children and adolescents as yet, and because of its alarmingly increasing prevalence in this population, we suggest that diagnosis, prevention and treatment in this age group should better focus on established risk factors rather than the diagnosis of MetS

Repositioning of the global epicentre of non-optimal cholesterol

High blood cholesterol is typically considered a feature of wealthy western countries1,2. However, dietary and behavioural determinants of blood cholesterol are changing rapidly throughout the world3 and countries are using lipid-lowering medications at varying rates. These changes can have distinct effects on the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol, which have different effects on human health4,5. However, the trends of HDL and non-HDL cholesterol levels over time have not been previously reported in a global analysis. Here we pooled 1,127 population-based studies that measured blood lipids in 102.6 million individuals aged 18 years and older to estimate trends from 1980 to 2018 in mean total, non-HDL and HDL cholesterol levels for 200 countries. Globally, there was little change in total or non-HDL cholesterol from 1980 to 2018. This was a net effect of increases in low- and middle-income countries, especially in east and southeast Asia, and decreases in high-income western countries, especially those in northwestern Europe, and in central and eastern Europe. As a result, countries with the highest level of non-HDL cholesterol—which is a marker of cardiovascular risk—changed from those in western Europe such as Belgium, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Malta in 1980 to those in Asia and the Pacific, such as Tokelau, Malaysia, The Philippines and Thailand. In 2017, high non-HDL cholesterol was responsible for an estimated 3.9 million (95% credible interval 3.7 million–4.2 million) worldwide deaths, half of which occurred in east, southeast and south Asia. The global repositioning of lipid-related risk, with non-optimal cholesterol shifting from a distinct feature of high-income countries in northwestern Europe, north America and Australasia to one that affects countries in east and southeast Asia and Oceania should motivate the use of population-based policies and personal interventions to improve nutrition and enhance access to treatment throughout the world