El pícaro en la novela la vida inútil de Pito Pérez de José Rúben Romero

El presente trabajo de investigación parte de la siguiente pregunta: ¿Qué rasgos físicos y psicológicos presenta Pito Pérez, personaje principal de la obra La vida inútil de Pito Pérez, del pícaro español y cuáles son los rasgos propios del pícaro mexicano? La respuesta hipotética es la siguiente: afirmo que Pito Pérez es un personaje pícaro por vestir de forma andrajosa y mugrosa, ya que se halla en un bajo nivel social. Además es un personaje débil y poco fornido. Asumo que ofrece el servicio a varios amos para engañarlos y sobresalir de la clase que se encuentra; asimismo, es una persona vagabunda, es decir, no permanece en un solo lugar, pues desde pequeño no está apegado a su familia. Manifiesto que debe presentar ciertas particularidades que lo identifican como pícaro mexicano, por ejemplo, el lenguaje. Mi objetivo consistió en identificar qué rasgos físicos y psicológicos adquiere Pito Pérez, del pícaro español, basándome en los autores y en las obras que se ocupan sobre el personaje. Una vez identificados, procedí a compararlos con el personaje motivo de investigación. Finalmente, se analizó cuáles son los rasgos propios del pícaro mexicano. Para ello es fundamental el uso de citas textuales

An Alternative Internet-of-Things Solution Based on LoRa for PV Power Plants: Data Monitoring and Management

This paper proposes a wireless low-cost solution based on long-range (LoRa) technology able to communicate with remote PV power plants, covering long distances with minimum power consumption and maintenance. This solution includes a low-cost open-source technology at the sensor layer and a low-power wireless area network (LPWAN) at the communication layer, combining the advantages of long-range coverage and low power demand. Moreover, it offers an extensive monitoring system to exchange data in an Internet-of-Things (IoT) environment. A detailed description of the proposed system at the PV module level of integration is also included in the paper, as well as detailed information regarding LPWAN application to the PV power plant monitoring problem. In order to assess the suitability of the proposed solution, results collected in real PV installations connected to the grid are also included and discussed.This work was partially supported by the Spanish agreement (2017) between the Institute for Development of the Region of Murcia (INFO) and the Technological Center for Energy and Environment (CETENMA). The paper includes results of activities conducted under the Research Program for Groups of Scientific Excellence at Region of Murcia (Spain), the Seneca Foundation, and the Agency for Science and Technology of the Region of Murcia (Spain). This work was also supported by project AIM, Ref. TEC2016-76465-C2-1-R (AEI/FEDER, UE). The authors thank the staff of the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (Spain) for services and facilities provided

Nested shallow geothermal systems

The long-term sustainability of shallow geothermal systems in dense urbanized areas can be potentially compromised by the existence of thermal interfaces. Thermal interferences between systems have to be avoided to prevent the loss of system performance. Nevertheless, in this work we provide evidence of a positive feedback from thermal interferences in certain controlled situations. Two real groundwater heat pump systems were investigated using real exploitation data sets to estimate the thermal energy demand bias and, by extrapolation, to assess the nature of thermal interferences between the systems. To do that, thermal interferences were modelled by means of a calibrated and validated 3D city-scale numerical model reproducing groundwater flow and heat transport. Results obtained showed a 39% (522 MWh·yr−1) energy imbalance towards cooling for one of the systems, which generated a hot thermal plume towards the downgradient and second system investigated. The nested system in the hot thermal plume only used groundwater for heating, thus establishing a positive symbiotic relationship between them. Considering the energy balance of both systems together, a reduced 9% imbalance was found, hence ensuring the long-term sustainability and renewability of the shallow geothermal resource exploited. The nested geothermal systems described illustrate the possibilities of a new management strategy in shallow geothermal energy governanc

A characterization of metrics for comparing satellite-based and ground-measured global horizontal irradiance data: a principal component analysis application

The increasing integration of photovoltaic (PV) power plants into power systems demands a high accuracy of yield prediction and measurement. With this aim, different global horizontal irradiance (GHI) estimations based on new-generation geostationary satellites have been recently proposed, providing a growing number of solutions and databases, mostly available online, in addition to the many ground-based irradiance data installations currently available. According to the specific literature, there is a lack of agreement in validation strategies for a bankable, satellite-derived irradiance dataset. Moreover, different irradiance data sources are compared in recent contributions based on a diversity of arbitrary metrics. Under this framework, this paper describes a characterization of metrics based on a principal component analysis (PCA) application to classify such metrics, aiming to provide non-redundant and complementary information. Therefore, different groups of metrics are identified by applying the PCA process, allowing us to compare, in a more extensive way, different irradiance data sources and exploring and identifying their differences. The methodology has been evaluated using satellite-based and ground-measured GHI data collected for one year in seven different Spanish locations, with a one-hour sample time. Data characterization, results, and a discussion about the suitability of the proposed methodology are also included in the paper.The paper includes results of activities conducted under the Research Program for Groups of Scientific Excellence at Region of Murcia (Spain), the Seneca Foundation, and the Agency for Science and Technology of the Region of Murcia (Spain). This work was also supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the European Union–FEDER Funds, ENE2016-78214–C2-1-R

Sensitive parameter analysis for solar irradiance short-term forecasting: application to LoRa-based monitoring technology

Due to the relevant penetration of solar PV power plants, an accurate power generation forecasting of these installations is crucial to provide both reliability and stability of current grids. At the same time, PV monitoring requirements are more and more demanded by different agents to provide reliable information regarding performances, efficiencies, and possible predictive maintenance tasks. Under this framework, this paper proposes a methodology to evaluate different LoRa-based PV monitoring architectures and node layouts in terms of short-term solar power generation forecasting. A random forest model is proposed as forecasting method, simplifying the forecasting problem especially when the time series exhibits heteroscedasticity, nonstationarity, and multiple seasonal cycles. This approach provides a sensitive analysis of LoRa parameters in terms of node layout, loss of data, spreading factor and short time intervals to evaluate their influence on PV forecasting accuracy. A case example located in the southeast of Spain is included in the paper to evaluate the proposed analysis. This methodology is applicable to other locations, as well as different LoRa configurations, parameters, and networks structures; providing detailed analysis regarding PV monitoring performances and short-term PV generation forecasting discrepancies.This research was funded by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional/Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación–Agencia Estatal de Investigación (FEDER/MICINN-AEI), project RTI2018–099139–B–C21

Effects of overliming on the nutritional status of grapevines with special reference to micronutrient content

[EN] Aluminium plays a central role in soil acidity, which is one of the main constraints on grape production in humid, northern temperate viticultural regions. To decrease the acidity of vineyard soil, it is usually amended with alkaline materials that provide conjugate bases to weak acids (liming). However, one practical consideration is the danger of overliming, which has potential implications in terms of yield reduction and decreased bioavailability of several mineral nutrients. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of overliming using dolomitic lime on grapevines growing on acid soil. The effects on the topsoil fertility parameters (0–30 cm), petiole and berry nutrient levels, berry weight and must quality properties were studied in a vineyard planted with Vitis vinifera L. cv. Mencía for three years (2014–2016). Data analysis performed using a mixed model that took into account both random effects (year of sampling) and fixed effects (liming treatments) showed that overliming decreased the manganese content in both leaf and berry tissues. Until now, nothing was known about the effects of overliming on both vine nutritional status and harvest quality properties, thus this study fills an important knowledge gap.SIThe authors are most grateful to Losada Vinos de Finca, S.A., for assisting with this research project

Tocilizumab for the treatment of adult-onset Still's disease

Adult-onset Still´s disease (AOSD) is a systemic inflammatory condition that affects mainly young people. The clinical course consists of two distinctive patterns: one with a predominance of systemic symptoms and another manifested by progressive chronic polyarthritis. Glucocorticoids remain the mainstay in the treatment of AOSD. However, biologic therapies are often required to achieve clinical remission and allow glucocorticoid discontinuation. Areas covered: The review summarizes the main retrospective and prospective studies, and case series on the use of the anti-interleukin (IL)-6 receptor tocilizumab in AOSD. Expert opinion: Since IL-6 serum levels are highly increased in both active systemic and polyarticular phenotypes, IL-6 blockade was considered to be a plausible therapeutic option for the management of AOSD. Tocilizumab, the only anti-IL-6-receptor antagonist currently available for AOSD, has proved to be effective for the management of refractory AOSD patients, including those with life-threatening complications. Nevertheless, there are some reports describing patients who are refractory to any therapy. Future research should focus on the identification of prognostic biomarkers that help us to tailor an individualized treatment for each type of patient and in the search of new disease activity indices that help us to monitor the response to the therapy more closely

Fibromyalgia and quality of life: mapping the revised fibromyalgia impact questionnaire to the preference-based instruments

ANTECEDENTES La versión revisada del Cuestionario de Impacto de Fibromialgia (FIQR) es uno de los cuestionarios específicos más utilizados en estudios de FM. Sin embargo, este cuestionario no permite el cálculo de los AVAC, ya que no es una medida basada en preferencias. El objetivo de este estudio fue desarrollar un algoritmo de mapeo que permita que los puntajes de FIQR se transformen en puntajes de utilidad que se pueden usar en los análisis de costo de utilidad. METODOS Se realizó una encuesta transversal. Se pidió a ciento 92 mujeres españolas con fibromialgia que completaran cuatro cuestionarios generales de calidad de vida, es decir, EQ-5D-5 L, 15D, AQoL-8D y SF-12, y un instrumento específico para la enfermedad, el FIQR. Se adoptó un enfoque de mapeo directo para derivar algoritmos de mapeo entre el FIQR y cada uno de los cuatro instrumentos de utilidad de atributos múltiples (MAU). La utilidad del estado de salud se trató como la variable dependiente en el análisis de regresión, mientras que la puntuación de FIQR y la edad fueron factores predictivos. RESULTADOS Las puntuaciones medias de utilidad oscilaron entre 0,47 (AQoL-8D) y 0,69 (15D). Todas las correlaciones entre la puntuación total de FIQR y las puntuaciones de utilidad de los instrumentos de MAU fueron altamente significativas (p <0,0001) con magnitudes mayores que 0,5. Aunque se encontraron diferencias muy leves en el error absoluto promedio entre el estimador de mínimos cuadrados ordinarios (OLS) y el modelo lineal generalizado (GLM), los modelos basados en GLM fueron mejores para EQ-5D-5 L, AQoL-8D y 15D. CONCLUSIÓN Los algoritmos de mapeo desarrollados en este estudio permiten la estimación de valores de utilidad a partir de puntajes en un cuestionario específico de fibromialgia.BACKGROUND The revised version of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR) is one of the most widely used specific questionnaires in FM studies. However, this questionnaire does not allow calculation of QALYs as it is not a preference-based measure. The aim of this study was to develop mapping algorithm which enable FIQR scores to be transformed into utility scores that can be used in the cost utility analyses. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted. One hundred and 92 Spanish women with Fibromyalgia were asked to complete four general quality of life questionnaires, i.e. EQ-5D-5 L, 15D, AQoL-8D and SF-12, and one specific disease instrument, the FIQR. A direct mapping approach was adopted to derive mapping algorithms between the FIQR and each of the four multi-attribute utility (MAU) instruments. Health state utility was treated as the dependent variable in the regression analysis, whilst the FIQR score and age were predictors. RESULTS The mean utility scores ranged from 0.47 (AQoL-8D) to 0.69 (15D). All correlations between the FIQR total score and MAU instruments utility scores were highly significant (p < 0.0001) with magnitudes larger than 0.5. Although very slight differences in the mean absolute error were found between ordinary least squares (OLS) estimator and generalized linear model (GLM), models based on GLM were better for EQ-5D-5 L, AQoL-8D and 15D. CONCLUSION Mapping algorithms developed in this study enable the estimation of utility values from scores in a fibromyalgia specific questionnaire.• Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Becas DEP2012–39828 y DEP2015–70356 (I+D+i) • Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte. Beca PRX14 / 00751, para Narcis Gusi Fuertes • Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte. Beca FPU14 / 01283, para Daniel Collado Mateo • Fundación Tatiana Pérez de Guzmán el Bueno. Beca predoctoral para Daniel Collado MateopeerReviewe

Health-related quality of life in Chilean patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

ANTECEDENTES: La enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC) tiene un impacto relevante en la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS). La herramienta de calidad de vida de dimensiones cortas de Forma 6 (SF-6D) permite a los investigadores calcular utilidades basadas en preferencias utilizando datos de los cuestionarios SF-12 o SF-36. OBJETIVO: Proporcionar valores normativos de SF-6D derivados de SF-12 para pacientes chilenos con EPOC. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: El índice de utilidad SF-6D se calculó utilizando datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud de Chile 2009/2010. Sesenta y nueve hombres y 120 pacientes con EPOC participaron en la encuesta. Los datos se estratificaron por género, edad, región, estado civil, estado de fumador, ingresos mensuales, nivel educativo y área. Resultados: La media (± SD) del índice de utilidad SF-6D para pacientes chilenos con EPOC fue de 0,65 ± 0,15. Las puntuaciones para hombres y mujeres fueron de 0,68 ± 0,15 y 0,64 ± 0,15, respectivamente. Los pacientes con altos ingresos y nivel educativo informaron puntuaciones más altas de SF-6D. El efecto techo no fue una limitación cuando se utilizó SF-6D en estos pacientes chilenos. CONCLUSIONES: El estudio actual proporciona valores normativos de SF-6D derivados de SF-12 para pacientes chilenos con EPOC.BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has a relevant impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Short Form 6 dimensions (SF-6D) quality of life tool allows researchers to calculate preference-based utilities using data from SF-12 or SF-36 questionnaires. AIM: To provide normative values of SF-6D derived from SF-12 for Chilean patients with COPD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: SF-6D utility index was calculated using data from the 2009/2010 Chilean National Health Survey. Sixty-nine male and 120 female patients with COPD participated in the survey. Data was stratified by gender, age, region, marital status, smoking status, monthly incomes, educational level and area. Results: The mean (± SD) SF-6D utility index for Chilean patients with COPD was 0.65 ± 0.15. The scores for men and women were 0.68 ± 0.15 and 0.64 ± 0.15, respectively. Patients with high incomes and educational level reported higher SF-6D scores. Ceiling effect was not a limitation when SF-6D was used in these Chilean patients. CONCLUSIONS: The current study provides normative values of SF-6D derived from SF-12 for Chilean patients with COPD.• Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte. Beca FPU14/01283, para Daniel Collado Mateo • Fundación Tatiana Pérez de Guzmán el Bueno. Beca predoctoral para Daniel Collado MateopeerReviewe

Características sólido-fluido en el crisol del horno alto según el modelo de desgaste nodal (MDN)

La porosidad del coque aparece como unas de las variables que más pueden afectar a la producción de arrabio y a la correspondiente corrosión de los revestimientos. Hasta el momento, en la bibliografía existente sobre la corrosión de los revestimientos, siempre se asocia un mayor desgaste con el correspondiente incremento del flujo del fluido (arrabio) en el crisol. No obstante, no se tiene referencia de ningún modelo determinístico que pudiera relacionar, desde el punto de vista teórico, las siguientes variables: corrosión de los revestimientos, porosidad del coque inactivo y flujo del arrabio en el crisol. El Modelo de Desgaste Nodal (MDN), además de justificar los perfiles de corrosión de los revestimientos a lo largo de la campaña, puede ser un instrumento eficaz para interpretar la porosidad del coque y los gradientes de velocidad del arrabio que se generan dentro del criso