This work concerns a methodology for PV-H2 hybrid system design that consider the weather data and the electrical variables of the subsystems to perform energy balances and to assess the systems in ...terms of the capacity and operation of the components, and the resulting costs.
Two configurations (with and without batteries) and two locations (Madrid and Fisciano) were studied to find the best trade-off between the efficiency and sizes of the subsystems. Directly connected systems operate at intersection points between the PV output and electrolyzer (EL) input curves for different solar irradiance levels, while the battery assisted systems reduce the sizes of EL at the expense of higher energy loss and additional cost of batteries (B). It was found how is not convenient to operate the EL at fixed rate, resulting in high PV and B sizes, as well as power unbalances in winter and summer. Solutions are to run the EL at a minimal load at night and change the intensity of daytime operations to achieve null cumulative energy each season.
The H2 supplied by these systems has the merit of being sustainable (renewable) and autonomous (avoiding power constraints in off-grid locations), and the costs are around 6–7 €/kgH2.
•A novel methodology for PV-H2 hybrid system design is presented, used and discussed.•Two configurations (direct coupling and battery assisted electrolysis) are compared.•The battery reduces the size of electrolyzer at the expense of higher energy loss.•Changing the electrolyzer operations optimize cumulative energy each season.•The H2 supplied has the merit of being sustainable at costs around 6–7 €/kgH2.
CheckMate 568 is an open-label phase II trial that evaluated the efficacy and safety of nivolumab plus low-dose ipilimumab as first-line treatment of advanced/metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer ...(NSCLC). We assessed the association of efficacy with programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and tumor mutational burden (TMB).
Two hundred eighty-eight patients with previously untreated, recurrent stage IIIB/IV NSCLC received nivolumab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks plus ipilimumab 1 mg/kg every 6 weeks. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR) in patients with 1% or more and less than 1% tumor PD-L1 expression. Efficacy on the basis of TMB (FoundationOne CDx assay) was a secondary end point.
Of treated patients with tumor available for testing, 252 patients (88%) of 288 were evaluable for PD-L1 expression and 98 patients (82%) of 120 for TMB. ORR was 30% overall and 41% and 15% in patients with 1% or greater and less than 1% tumor PD-L1 expression, respectively. ORR increased with higher TMB, plateauing at 10 or more mutations/megabase (mut/Mb). Regardless of PD-L1 expression, ORRs were higher in patients with TMB of 10 or more mut/Mb (n = 48: PD-L1, ≥ 1%, 48%; PD-L1, < 1%, 47%) versus TMB of fewer than 10 mut/Mb (n = 50: PD-L1, ≥ 1%, 18%; PD-L1, < 1%, 5%), and progression-free survival was longer in patients with TMB of 10 or more mut/Mb versus TMB of fewer than 10 mut/Mb (median, 7.1
2.6 months). Grade 3 to 4 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 29% of patients.
Nivolumab plus low-dose ipilimumab was effective and tolerable as a first-line treatment of advanced/metastatic NSCLC. TMB of 10 or more mut/Mb was associated with improved response and prolonged progression-free survival in both tumor PD-L1 expression 1% or greater and less than 1% subgroups and was thus identified as a potentially relevant cutoff in the assessment of TMB as a biomarker for first-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab.
Indoor person tracking attracts a considerable effort from the research community as it allows to perform Human Behaviour Analysis tasks, where wireless technologies play a key role. However, complex ...signal propagation effects in indoor environments are the main issue to face when performing accurate indoor positioning and tracking. The advances in machine and deep learning models, applied to improve the estimation of the position captured by wireless sensors, can provide a more precise tracking and positioning, an open field for research which has been used to improve the prior art. In this paper, a novel framework for Adaptive Indoor Tracking using Recurrent models, in combination with Generative networks for new data generation (recovery), is presented (RecTrack-GAN). Firstly, a Received Signal Strength Indicator RSSI Fingerprinting database is collected. Secondly, a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) takes as input the RSSI parameters collected by a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) and estimates of both orientation and velocity using devices equipped with Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors, and learns to model the human movement based on these parameters. Thirdly, a Conditional Generative Adversarial Network (CGAN) is used to perform data recovering when no measurements are received and to update the Fingerprinting database taking into account the day time. The experiments performed showed that RecTrack-GAN improves accuracy performance and reduces error deviation for tracking up to 15% compared to the prior art in the literature.
Power to Synthetic-Natural-Gas (SNG) technology combining grid electrolysis, methanation and final energy use is assessed taking into account technical, economic and environmental aspects. This ...evaluation is based on electrolyzer performance during long-term operation at large-scales, with datasheets from previous studies where a specific framework for hydrogen energy storage and electric grid load balancing matching with the Spanish power system was thoroughly defined. To go further, mass and energy balances, preliminary design of main unit processes, as well as efficiencies, costs and impact potentials are investigated in this study. It proves the feasibility for power management using gas storage, while reducing conventional capacity, with high utilization of technologies and increasing the contributions of renewable energies, at the same time that producing clean fuels for the hydrogen economy. The cumulative efficiency is mainly caped by the electrolytic processes, whereas the methanation steps remove all material issues related to transport by pipelines or end-use applications. The production costs of hydrogen, methane and electricity are estimated in 0.5 €/kgH2, 0.26 €/Nm3SNG and 51 €/MWhe, considering a zero price for ‘surplus energy’ and future costs of the components; electrolysis accounts for 60% of total expenses, methanation 30% and re-electrification 10%, while the primary energy price becomes dominant (e.g., 25 €/MWhe translates to 133 €/MWhe of regenerated power) due to the low global energy yield (30.8%). Finally, the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (35 gCO2,eq/kWhe) are low as far as the primary input is mainly surplus renewable energy and processes are basically cyclic.
•Alternative energy systems based on RES needs reliable long-term storage (i.e. PtG).•Full PtG assessment combining grid electrolysis, methanation and final energy uses.•System modeling using the power grid (variable sources and must-run electricity).•The cumulative efficiencies are mainly caped by the electrolytic processes.•Methanation leads to directly achievable pipeline gas quality (95% CH4).
This study proposes an original approach for predicting shallow translational slide hazards, which are triggered by irregular rainfall events, via the method of zonation at a regional scale in ...emergency situations. The proposed model incorporates the infinite slope method in a GIS platform to assess hazard and risk associated with slope instability. This application can be integrated into the emergency management software SIMGE 1.0., SGE 2.0. The objective of the work is to provide a quick tool for managing emergencies and predicting shallow rainfall-induced landslides (RILs). The originality of this approach includes the relationship between two variables (m, Z)—with m being a hydrological pattern of steady state simulating the effects of rain that cause translational slides and Z being the characteristic sliding depth based on the bounded lithological unit. This method provides hazard maps, including zonation based on a factor of safety towards shallow landslides, where stable and unstable conditions (depending on precipitation) are determined for managing emergencies. This approach was applied in the Guadalmansa River basin, in Benahavis, Málaga (Andalusia), where numerous shallow landslides occurred in 2010, caused by extreme rainfall events, and a lithological unit has been isolated for this research (Alpujarride schist). The results obtained through this method have been verified after analysing the studied area's landslide inventory.
•Determinist methodology to predict stable and unstable areas of shallow slopes.•Evaluation of Rainfall infiltration triggering unstable areas.•Characterization and geomechanical study of the failure of the top-soil mica-schist Alpujarride.
The hybridization of hydrogen and solar energy technologies is an interesting option to satisfy power demands in locations that are isolated from the electric grid. The main advantage of the ...photovoltaic (PV)-H2 hybrid system is the possibility of power storage by means of an electrolyzer (EL) which transforms the electricity into hydrogen (H2).
The work described here concerns a methodology to design PV-H2 hybrid systems that considers the weather data and the electrical variables of the components to perform energy balances and to assess the system in terms of the load requirements, the levels of energy stored and the resulting costs. Two electrolytic systems (water splitting and ethanol electrochemical reforming) were studied in an attempt to find a best trade-off between the size and voltages of ELs. Ethanol reduced the energy requirements of EL at the expense of reagent consumption and lower current density. The energy supplied by these systems costs 0.28 €/kWh (i.e., roughly the same as power prices paid by domestic customers in Spain), but they have the merit of being autonomous and hydrogen has the capacity for seasonal energy storage ‒ thus avoiding electrification constraints in off-grid locations and limitations of short-term electrical energy storages.
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•A novel model for PV-electrolyzer direct coupling is presented, used and discussed.•Two systems (water splitting and ethanol electrochemical reforming) are compared.•The energy supplied costs roughly the same as power prices paid by grid customers.•The systems have the merit of autonomy and capacity for seasonal energy storage.
Water is becoming an increasingly scarce resource due to growing multi-sector demand and the effects of climate change. During droughts, the proportional rule is the most widespread water allocation ...method applied in irrigation systems. However, this method fails to guarantee efficient water allocation or to provide a fair method of water allocation. This paper aims to verify whether by replacing the water allocation methods based on a proportional rule with methods based on a priority rule could improve the allocation of water resources and minimize the negative economic impacts of water shortages. The ultimate objective of this research is to design a water pricing scheme capable of guaranteeing efficient water reallocation during drought conditions. Therefore, an experiment was carried out for the largest irrigated area in southern Italy, covered by the Capitanata Reclamation and Irrigation board (CBC). A positive mathematical programming model was implemented in order to simulate the effects of the proposed mechanism. The findings show that priority mechanisms have the potential to improve overall economic efficiency in the event of water shortages. However, results also point to the need for optimal design of a differentiated water pricing scheme.
To offer a comprehensive review of the available data regarding non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy and its phenocopies, focusing on the current evidence to support the different ...existing aetiopathogenic hypotheses for the development of these conditions.
Due to the limited array of responses of the neural tissue and other retinal structures, different aetiopathogenic mechanisms may result in a similar clinical picture. Moreover, when the insult occurs within a confined space, such as the optic nerve or the optic nerve head, in which different tissues (neural, glial, vascular) are highly interconnected and packed together, determining the primary noxa can be challenging and may lead to misdiagnosis. Anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy is a condition most clinicians will face during their everyday work, and it is important to correctly differentiate among resembling pathologies affecting the optic nerve to avoid unnecessary diagnostic procedures. Combining a good clinical history and multimodal imaging can assist diagnosis in most cases. The key remains to combine demographic data (e.g. age), with ophthalmic data (e.g. refractive error), systemic data (e.g. comorbidities and medication), imaging data (e.g. retinal OCT) with topographic signs (e.g. focal neurology).
Papers relevant for this work were obtained from the MEDLINE and Embase databases by using the PubMed search engine. One author (MPMG) performed the search and selected only publications with relevant information about the aetiology, pathogenic mechanisms, risk factors as well as clinical characteristics of phenocopies (such as vitreopapillary traction, intrapapillary haemorrhage with adjacent peripapillary subretinal haemorrhage or diabetic papillopathy) of non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION). The terms "non-arteritic ischaemic optic neuropathy/NAION", "vitreopapillary traction", "vitreopapillary traction AND non-arteritic ischaemic optic neuropathy/NAION", "posterior vitreous detachment AND non-arteritic ischaemic optic neuropathy/NAION", "central retinal vein occlusion AND non-arteritic ischaemic optic neuropathy/NAION", "disc oedema/disc oedema", "diabetes mellitus AND non-arteritic ischaemic optic neuropathy/NAION" and "diabetic papillopathy" were searched on PubMed. From each of these searches, publications were selected based on their title, obtaining a total of 115 papers. All papers not written in English were then excluded, and those whose abstracts were not deemed relevant for our review, according to the aforementioned criteria. Subsequent scrutiny of the main text of the remaining publications led us (MPMG, AP, ZS) to include references which had not been selected during our first search, as their titles did not contain the previously mentioned MeSH terms, due to their significantly relevant contents for our work. A total of 62 publications were finally consulted for our review. The literature review was last updated on 24-Aug-2022.
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