Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions from Electricity: The Influence of The North Atlantic Oscillation. ESRI WP510. August 2015

The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is a large-scale circulation pattern driving climate variability in north-western Europe. In recent years there has been an increasing deployment of wind-powered generation technology, i.e. wind farms, on electricity networks across Europe. As this deployment increases it is important to understand how climate variability will affect both wind- powered and non-renewable power generation. This study extends the literature by assessing the impact of NAO, via wind-power generation, on carbon dioxide emissions from the wider electricity system. A Monte Carlo approach is used to model NAO phases, generate hourly wind speed time- series data, electricity demand and fuel input data. A unit commitment, least-cost economic dispatch model is used to simulate an entire electricity system, modelled on the all-island Irish electricity system. Our results confirm that the NAO has a significant impact on monthly mean wind speeds, wind power output, and carbon dioxide emissions from the entire electricity system. The impact of NAO on emissions obviously depends on the level of wind penetration within an electricity system but our results indicate that emissions intensity within the Irish electricity system could vary by as much as 10% depending on the NAO phase within the next few years. The emissions intensity of the electricity system will vary with the NAO phase

The Impact of the North Atlantic Oscillation on Electricity Markets: A Case Study on Ireland. ESRI WP509. July 2015

The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is a large-scale circulation pattern driving climate variability in north-western Europe. As the deployment of wind-powered generation expands on electricity networks across Europe the impacts of the NAO on the electricity system will be amplified. This study assesses the impact of NAO, via wind-power generation, on the electricity market considering thermal generation costs, wholesale electricity prices and wind generation subsidies. A Monte Carlo approach is used to model NAO phases and generate hourly wind speed time-series data, electricity demand and fuel input data. A least-cost unit commitment and economic dispatch model is used to simulate an island electricity system, modelled on the all-island Irish electricity system. The impact of NAO obviously depends on the level of wind capacity within an electricity system. Our results indicate that NAO phases can affect thermal generation costs by up to 8%, wholesale electricity prices by as much as €1.5/MWh, and that wind power generators receive on average 12% higher remuneration

Carbon emissions from electricity: The influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation. ESRI Research Bulletin 2015/4/1

The harsh winter of 2009–2010 with an extended period of very cold temperatures and low wind speeds has been attributed to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The NAO is the change in pressure difference between the Azores High and the Icelandic Low pressure systems and it is the main driver of winter climate variability over the North Atlantic region. Positive NAO phases are associated with wet, warm and windy conditions in Ireland and, as in 2009-2010, negative phases with dry, cold conditions and calm winds

Association between orthodontic treatment and the occurrence of temporomandibular disorders : a systematic review and meta-analysis

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are related to a series of clinical manifestations that appear in the form of pain. Currently, there is controversy about the appearance of TMDs after orthodontic treatment. Therefore, the objective of the present study

Albiglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Harmony Outcomes): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists differ in chemical structure, duration of action, and in their effects on clinical outcomes. The cardiovascular effects of once-weekly albiglutide in type 2 diabetes are unknown. We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of albiglutide in preventing cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Methods: We did a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 610 sites across 28 countries. We randomly assigned patients aged 40 years and older with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (at a 1:1 ratio) to groups that either received a subcutaneous injection of albiglutide (30–50 mg, based on glycaemic response and tolerability) or of a matched volume of placebo once a week, in addition to their standard care. Investigators used an interactive voice or web response system to obtain treatment assignment, and patients and all study investigators were masked to their treatment allocation. We hypothesised that albiglutide would be non-inferior to placebo for the primary outcome of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, which was assessed in the intention-to-treat population. If non-inferiority was confirmed by an upper limit of the 95% CI for a hazard ratio of less than 1·30, closed testing for superiority was prespecified. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02465515. Findings: Patients were screened between July 1, 2015, and Nov 24, 2016. 10 793 patients were screened and 9463 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to groups: 4731 patients were assigned to receive albiglutide and 4732 patients to receive placebo. On Nov 8, 2017, it was determined that 611 primary endpoints and a median follow-up of at least 1·5 years had accrued, and participants returned for a final visit and discontinuation from study treatment; the last patient visit was on March 12, 2018. These 9463 patients, the intention-to-treat population, were evaluated for a median duration of 1·6 years and were assessed for the primary outcome. The primary composite outcome occurred in 338 (7%) of 4731 patients at an incidence rate of 4·6 events per 100 person-years in the albiglutide group and in 428 (9%) of 4732 patients at an incidence rate of 5·9 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·78, 95% CI 0·68–0·90), which indicated that albiglutide was superior to placebo (p<0·0001 for non-inferiority; p=0·0006 for superiority). The incidence of acute pancreatitis (ten patients in the albiglutide group and seven patients in the placebo group), pancreatic cancer (six patients in the albiglutide group and five patients in the placebo group), medullary thyroid carcinoma (zero patients in both groups), and other serious adverse events did not differ between the two groups. There were three (<1%) deaths in the placebo group that were assessed by investigators, who were masked to study drug assignment, to be treatment-related and two (<1%) deaths in the albiglutide group. Interpretation: In patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, albiglutide was superior to placebo with respect to major adverse cardiovascular events. Evidence-based glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists should therefore be considered as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. Funding: GlaxoSmithKline

Procesos de (des) subjetivación y resistencia: biopolítica en la literatura chicana

Esta investigación analiza los procesos de subjetivación y resistencia de los chicanos y mexicoamericanos a través de un determinado corpus literario a partir de la teoría biopolítica formulada por el filósofo francés Michael Foucault. El enfoque de la biopolítica permite interpretar políticas encaminadas al control de la vida biológica y a la caracterización y jerarquización de los sujetos, diversas formas de discriminación y exclusión y las causas de la desigualdad económica. Desde la formación de la comunidad mexicoamericana a partir de 1848, las experiencias de los chicanos y mexicoamericanos reflejadas en su literatura muestran una constante resistencia hacia las estructuras totalizantes del biopoder, una voluntad de pertenencia en todos los ámbitos de la sociedad, pero también una exigencia de autodeterminación de sus subjetividades y de respeto hacia sus diferencias culturales y lingüísticas. Por lo tanto, mi estudio examina los procesos de subjetivación y resistencia desde el plano individual, comunitario y de género. En el primer capítulo analizo la construcción de la identidad individual en dos novelas de Ronald Ruiz, Happy Birthday Jesús y Giuseppe Rocco, en las que el autor destaca la marginalización del sujeto mexicoamericano y su difícil trayectoria de crecimiento. El enfoque del segundo capítulo gira en torno de dos novelas de Alejandro Morales, Hombres de ladrillo y Little Nation & Others Stories en las que se analiza el concepto de comunidad y el interés de las políticas sobre la vida en masa que intenta objetivar y deshumanizar a la comunidad mexicoamericana para propósitos de producción y progreso. El último capítulo trata la intersección entre género y biopoder, su interés y control sobre el cuerpo femenino y su diseminación en las estructuras sociales en Rain of Scorpions y Trini de Estela Portillo-Trambley.Hispanic Studies, Department o

A Service of zbw Leibniz-Informationszentrum Wirtschaft Leibniz Information Centre for Economics Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions from Electricity: The Influence of The North Atlantic Oscillation

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden. Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. In recent years there has been an increasing deployment of wind-powered generation technology, i.e. wind farms, on electricity networks across Europe. As this deployment increases it is important to understand how climate variability will affect both windpowered and non-renewable power generation. This study extends the literature by assessing the impact of NAO, via wind-power generation, on carbon dioxide emissions from the wider electricity system. A Monte Carlo approach is used to model NAO phases, generate hourly wind speed timeseries data, electricity demand and fuel input data. A unit commitment, least-cost economic dispatch model is used to simulate an entire electricity system, modelled on the all-island Irish electricity system. Our results confirm that the NAO has a significant impact on monthly mean wind speeds, wind power output, and carbon dioxide emissions from the entire electricity system. The impact of NAO on emissions obviously depends on the level of wind penetration within an electricity system but our results indicate that emissions intensity within the Irish electricity system could vary by as much as 10% depending on the NAO phase within the next few years. The emissions intensity of the electricity system will vary with the NAO phase. Terms of use: Documents i

A 34-year simulation of wind generation potential for Ireland and the impact of large-scale atmospheric pressure patterns

To study climate-related aspects of power system operation with large volumes of wind generation, data with sufficiently wide temporal and spatial scope are required. The relative youth of the wind industry means that long-term data from real systems are not available. Here, a detailed aggregated wind power generation model is developed for the Republic of Ireland using MERRA reanalysis wind speed data and verified against measured wind production data for the period 2001–2014. The model is most successful in representing aggregate power output in the middle years of this period, after the total installed capacity had reached around 500 MW. Variability on scales of greater than 6 h is captured well by the model; one additional higher resolution wind dataset was found to improve the representation of higher frequency variability. Finally, the model is used to hindcast hypothetical aggregate wind production over the 34-year period 1980–2013, based on existing installed wind capacity. A relationship is found between several of the production characteristics, including capacity factor, ramping and persistence, and two large-scale atmospheric patterns – the North Atlantic Oscillation and the East Atlantic Pattern.Science Foundation IrelandUniversity College DublinMarie Skłodowska-Curie FP7-PEOPLE-2013-COFUN

Rationale, design, and baseline characteristics in Evaluation of LIXisenatide in Acute Coronary Syndrome, a long-term cardiovascular end point trial of lixisenatide versus placebo

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Furthermore, patients with T2DM and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have a particularly high risk of CV events. The glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist, lixisenatide, improves glycemia, but its effects on CV events have not been thoroughly evaluated. METHODS: ELIXA (www.clinicaltrials.gov no. NCT01147250) is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter study of lixisenatide in patients with T2DM and a recent ACS event. The primary aim is to evaluate the effects of lixisenatide on CV morbidity and mortality in a population at high CV risk. The primary efficacy end point is a composite of time to CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for unstable angina. Data are systematically collected for safety outcomes, including hypoglycemia, pancreatitis, and malignancy. RESULTS: Enrollment began in July 2010 and ended in August 2013; 6,068 patients from 49 countries were randomized. Of these, 69% are men and 75% are white; at baseline, the mean ± SD age was 60.3 ± 9.7 years, body mass index was 30.2 ± 5.7 kg/m(2), and duration of T2DM was 9.3 ± 8.2 years. The qualifying ACS was a myocardial infarction in 83% and unstable angina in 17%. The study will continue until the positive adjudication of the protocol-specified number of primary CV events. CONCLUSION: ELIXA will be the first trial to report the safety and efficacy of a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist in people with T2DM and high CV event risk