In this paper, a quantitative model is implemented with the main goal of building a decision support tool to assess the feasibility of applying a Vehicle-To-Grid (V2G) service by a company operating ...a fleet of electric buses. The proposed model can calculate the energy that a vehicle within a depot can deliver back to the grid during periods of peak energy demand, based on the operational schedule that must be guaranteed (number of buses in service). After a presentation of the main features of V2G and the main benefits this technology can bring to the transportation company, the model structure, and related algorithms, as well as input and output data, are presented and discussed. To verify the effectiveness and validity of the proposed model, a case study related to the company that manages public transportation in the city of Milan, Italy, is described. 2 depots were analyzed considering the energy load during peak hours and the energy that could be injected into the grid considering the vehicles parked in the depot. From a quantitative point of view, V2G could feed about 7 MW to 10 MW into the grid, depending on the day of the week and time of day. Considering an average connection of 3 kW for a household, between 2,300 and 3,300 households could be served. In addition, an economic evaluation was performed considering energy trading: monthly, total revenues are 45,922 € and total costs are 42,848 €; the economic benefit can be estimated at about 6.7% of total monthly revenues.
Blockchain Startups and Prospectus Regulation Boreiko, Dmitri; Ferrarini, Guido; Giudici, Paolo
European business organization law review,
12/2019, Volume:
20, Issue:
4
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Initial coin offerings are a new way for blockchain startups to finance project development by issuing coins or tokens in exchange for fiat money or Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. In this ...article, we start from the current distinction between different types of tokens and argue that it can create confusion and should be at least partially abandoned. We believe that the conceptual difference between a currency token and a tradable utility token is just the dimension of the crypto environment in which the token is spent. More specifically, ‘utility tokens’ combine the customer payment mechanism with the utility component and, when tradable on a secondary market, the investment one. We argue that they blur the traditional distinctions between currencies, financial assets and consumption goods. Moreover, we stress the increasing importance of online crypto exchanges. Recently some exchanges have also taken up the role of trusted intermediaries and staked their reputation on token offerings, which are termed initial exchange offerings and have gained in popularity. We therefore argue that the crypto market increasingly looks like a segment of the capital market and behaves as such. Given that tokens have a clear investment component, we show that they are tradable securities under the Prospectus Regulation. We compare the European securities regulation with its US counterpart and focus on prospectus exemptions, highlighting the great differences between Europe and the US which make Europe less amicable to blockchain startups.
Tsavorite is the trade name for the green vanadium–chromium variety of grossular occurring in the Precambrian terrains in the areas of Merelani Hills (Tanzania) and Tsavo Park (Kenya) which are by ...far the most important source of gem grade specimens of tsavorite used for high jewellery. The tsavorite crystals from Merelani Hills exhibit a pink-red and yellow fluorescence when irradiated by common portable UV lamp, an unusual phenomenon among members of the garnet group. The electron density map calculated from the diffraction data and plotted against a grossular standard shows that an excess of negative charge is clearly pinpointed in the crystallographic site occupied by Al
3+
. The bulk elemental analysis shows that the most represented end-member, besides grossular, is the vanadium-bearing goldmanite garnet (3.82–4.08 mol %). The fluorometry with an excitation beam at 408 nm indicates a complex emission pattern with the most intense emissions at 701 and 716 nm and subordinately at 592 nm. The colour perception is dominated by the emission yellow band at 592 nm while the contribution of the red band modulates the colour ranging from bright orange to pink-red. The attribution of the emission at 592 nm is related to Mn
2+
while the emissions at 701 and 716 nm could be related to the chromium content and/or to a possible fraction of vanadium as V
2+
. Because of the characteristic colour perceived under UV light, the use of a common led lamp can be useful as a diagnostic tool to easily identify tsavorite.
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BIOMASS is ESA’s seventh Earth Explorer mission, scheduled for launch in 2022. The satellite will be the first P-band SAR sensor in space and will be operated in fully polarimetric interferometric ...and tomographic modes. The mission aim is to map forest above-ground biomass (AGB), forest height (FH) and severe forest disturbance (FD) globally with a particular focus on tropical forests. This paper presents the algorithms developed to estimate these biophysical parameters from the BIOMASS level 1 SAR measurements and their implementation in the BIOMASS level 2 prototype processor with a focus on the AGB product. The AGB product retrieval uses a physically-based inversion model, using ground-canceled level 1 data as input. The FH product retrieval applies a classical PolInSAR inversion, based on the Random Volume over Ground Model (RVOG). The FD product will provide an indication of where significant changes occurred within the forest, based on the statistical properties of SAR data. We test the AGB retrieval using modified airborne P-Band data from the AfriSAR and TropiSAR campaigns together with reference data from LiDAR-based AGB maps and plot-based ground measurements. For AGB estimation based on data from a single heading, comparison with reference data yields relative Root Mean Square Difference (RMSD) values mostly between 20% and 30%. Combining different headings in the estimation process significantly improves the AGB retrieval to slightly less than 20%. The experimental results indicate that the implemented retrieval scheme provides robust results that are within mission requirements.
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11C-choline positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has been used for patients with some types of tumors, but few data are available for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We queried ...our prospective database for patients with HCC staged with 11C-choline PET/CT to assess the clinical impact of this imaging modality. Seven parameters were recorded: maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean), liver standardized uptake value (SUVliver), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), photopenic area, metabolic tumor burden (MTB = MTVxSUVmean), and SUVratio (SUVmax/SUVliver). Analysis was performed to identify parameters that could be predictors of overall survival (OS). Sixty patients were analyzed: fourteen (23%) were in stage 0-A, 37 (62%) in stage B, and 9 (15%) in stage C of the Barcelona classification. The Cox regression for OS showed that Barcelona stages (HR = 2.94; 95%CI = 1.41–4.51; p = 0.003) and MTV (HR = 2.11; 95%CI = 1.51–3.45; p = 0.026) were the only factors independently associated with OS. Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis revealed MTV ability in discriminating survival (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.77; 95%CI = 0.57–097; p < 0.001: patients with MTV ≥ 380 had worse OS (p = 0.015)). The use of 11C-choline PET/CT allows for better prognostic refinement in patients undergoing hepatectomy for HCC. Incorporation of such modality into HCC staging system should be considered.
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Background
Systemic and local inflammation plays an important role in many cancers and colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). While the role of local immune response mediated by CD3+ tumour-infiltrating ...lymphocytes is well-established, new evidence on systemic inflammation and cancer, such as neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), is emerging. The aim of this study is to seek an association between the CD3+ lymphocytes and NLR with patients’ prognosis and possibly stratifying it accordingly.
Methods
From January 2005 to January 2013, 128 consecutive patients affected by CRLM and treated with chemotherapy and surgery were included in the study. Different cutoff levels were calculated with ROC curves for each of the biomarkers, and their relative outcome in terms of overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) was determined. Associating the two biomarkers, three risk groups were determined: low risk (two protective biomarkers), intermediate risk (one protective biomarker) and high risk (no protective biomarker).
Results
After a median follow-up of 45 months, median OS and RFS were 44 and 9 months, respectively. For OS, 29 (22.66%), 59 (46.09%) and 40 (31.25%) patients were in the low, intermediate and high-risk groups, respectively. Adjusted Cox regression analysis showed an increased risk of death in the intermediate group (HR 2.67
p
= 0.007 95% CI 1.31–5.42) and high-risk group (HR 2.86
p
= 0.005 95% CI 1.37–5.99) compared to the low-risk group (reference).
Conclusion
Systemic and local immune response index allows stratification of patients in different OS and RFS risk groups.
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Vascular ageing, characterized by structural and functional changes in blood vessels of which arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction are key components, is associated with increased risk of ...cardiovascular and other age-related diseases. As the global population continues to age, understanding the underlying mechanisms and developing effective therapeutic interventions to mitigate vascular ageing becomes crucial for improving cardiovascular health outcomes. Therefore, this review provides an overview of the current knowledge on pharmacological modulation of vascular ageing, highlighting key strategies and promising therapeutic targets. Several molecular pathways have been identified as central players in vascular ageing, including oxidative stress and inflammation, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, cellular senescence, macroautophagy, extracellular matrix remodelling, calcification, and gasotransmitter-related signalling. Pharmacological and dietary interventions targeting these pathways have shown potential in ameliorating age-related vascular changes. Nevertheless, the development and application of drugs targeting vascular ageing is complicated by various inherent challenges and limitations, such as certain preclinical methodological considerations, interactions with exercise training and sex/gender-related differences, which should be taken into account. Overall, pharmacological modulation of endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness as hallmarks of vascular ageing, holds great promise for improving cardiovascular health in the ageing population. Nonetheless, further research is needed to fully elucidate the underlying mechanisms and optimize the efficacy and safety of these interventions for clinical translation.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most common leukemia in Western countries, is a mature B-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by the accumulation of neoplastic CD5+ B ...lymphocytes, functionally incompetent and usually monoclonal in origin, in bone marrow, lymph nodes and blood. Diagnosis occurs predominantly in elderly patients, with a median age reported between 67 and 72 years. CLL has a heterogeneous clinical course, which can vary from indolent to, less frequently, aggressive forms. Early-stage asymptomatic CLL patients do not require immediate therapeutic intervention, but only observation; treatment is necessary for patients with advanced disease or when "active disease" is observed. The most frequent autoimmune cytopenia (AIC) is autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AHIA). The main mechanisms underlying the appearance of AIC in CLL are not fully elucidated, the predisposition of patients with CLL to suffering autoimmune complications is variable and autoimmune cytopenia can precede, be concurrent, or follow the diagnosis of CLL.
A 74-year-old man was admitted to the emergency room following the finding of severe macrocytic anaemia during blood tests performed that same day, in particular the patient showed a profound asthenia dating back several months. The anamnesis was silent and the patient was not taking any medications. The blood examination showed an extremely high White Blood Cell count and findings of AIHA in CLL-type mature B-cell lymphoproliferative neoplasia. Genetic investigations: Conventional karyotyping was performed and it obtained a trisomy 8 and an unbalanced translocation between the short arm of chromosome 6 and the long arm of chromosome 11, concurrent with interstitial deletions in chromosomes 6q and 11q that could not be defined in detail. Molecular cytogenetics (FISH) analyses revealed Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) monoallelic deletion (with loss of ATM on derivative chromosome 11) and retained signals for TP53, 13q14 and centromere 12 FISH probes. TP53 and IGHV were not mutated. Array-CGH confirmed trisomy of the entire chromosome 8 and allowed us to resolve in detail the nature of the unbalanced translocation, revealing multiple regions of genomic losses on chromosomes 6 and 11.
The present case report is an unusual CLL case with complex karyotype and refinement of all breakpoints at the gene level by the genomic array. From a genetic point of view, the case under study presented several peculiarities.
We report the genetic findings of a CLL patient with abrupt disease onset, so far responding properly to treatments despite the presence of distinct genetic adverse traits including ATM deletion, complex karyotype and chromosome 6q chromoanagenesis event. Our report confirms that interphase FISH alone is not able to provide an overview of the whole genomic landscape in selected CLL cases and that additional techniques are required to reach an appropriate cytogenetic stratification of patients.
Cancer patients may be at high risk of infection and poor outcomes related to SARS-CoV-2. Analyzing their prognosis, examining the effects of baseline characteristics and systemic anti-cancer active ...therapy (SACT) are critical to their management through the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. The AIOM-L CORONA was a multicenter, observational, ambispective, cohort study, with the intended participation of 26 centers in the Lombardy region (Italy). A total of 231
ases were included between March and September 2020. The median age was 68 years; 151 patients (62.2%) were receiving SACT, mostly chemotherapy. During a median follow-up of 138 days (range 12-218), 93 events occurred. Age ≥60 years, metastatic dissemination, dyspnea, desaturation, and interstitial pneumonia were all independent mortality predictors. Overall SACT had a neutral effect (Odds Ratio OR 0.83, 95%Confidence Interval 95%CI 0.32-2.15); however, metastatic patients receiving SACT were less likely to die as compared to untreated counterparts, after adjusting for other confounding variables (OR 0.23, 95%CI 0.11-0.51,
< 0.001). Among cancer patients infected by SARS-CoV-2, those with metastases were most at risk of death, especially in the absence of SACT. During the ongoing pandemic, these vulnerable patients should avoid exposure to SARS-CoV-2, while treatment adjustments and prioritizing vaccination are being considered according to international recommendations.
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Fine-scale heterogeneity of alluvial aquifers controls solute transport in groundwater at the scales relevant for practical applications: the architecture of sedimentary structures might create ...preferential flow paths (PFPs) or hydraulic barriers, which affect the breakthrough curves (BTCs). Objective of this paper was the assessment of the relevance of single- and dual-domain models for different heterogeneity patterns and scale lengths in alluvial sediments. Three case studies have been analysed with a classical single-domain model (SDM) and with three dual-domain models (DDMs): a dual-porosity model (DPorM) and two dual-permeability models (DPerM), which differ for the presence or the absence of solute exchange between the two domains. The first case study includes numerical tracer tests in metre-scale blocks of alluvial sediments; the second is a laboratory experiment of tracer injection in a decimetre-scale column of homogeneous sand; the third is a field tracer test performed at hectometre scale at the Cape Cod site. The relevance of the solute exchange in the DDMs is analysed with the characteristic advection and exchange times and with the Péclet and Damköhler numbers. The SDM is satisfactory for alluvial sediments with unstructured heterogeneity. The uncoupled DPerM is shown to be a better approach than the DPorM in sediments with PFPs; in this case, the coupled DPerM does not improve significantly the results of the uncoupled DPerM. A minor difference between the results of the three DDMs is observed for sediments in which the non-Fickian behaviour is not clearly determined by the presence of PFPs.
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