Inorganic carbon limitations on nitrification: experimental assessment and modelling

Nitrification is a two-step process that involves two different biomass populations: ammonia oxidising biomass (AOB) and nitrite oxidising biomass (NOB). Both populations are autotrophic (i.e. their carbon source is inorganic). Therefore, a deficit of this substrate should result in a decrease of the process rate. Recent technology advances such as the SHARON process have brought new scenarios in biological nitrogen removal where these limitations should be considered. Hence, this work examines the inorganic carbon limitation using respirometric and titrimetric techniques. For this aim, the nitrification rate was measured at different total inorganic carbon (TIC) concentrations. The experimental results obtained show that AOB was limited at TIC concentrations lower than 3mmol CL(-1). At the same time, no carbon source limitation for NOB was observed in spite of the low TIC concentrations attained (lower than 0.1mmol CL(-1)). The AOB limitation could be successfully modelled using Monod, Tessier and sigmoidal kinetics. The best fit was obtained with sigmoidal kinetics. However, unexpected biomass activity (oxygen consumption) was observed despite a very low TIC concentration (lower than 0.1mmol CL(-1)).     

Simulating the variability of dispersed large PV plants

A model to simulate the fluctuations generated by a fleet of dispersed photovoltaic (PV) plants solely based on irradiance data measured at one single location is proposed. This simple model has been satisfactorily tested to quantify the power variability of a generic PV fleet, simply by defining two parameters: mean PV plant size and the number of plants in the PV fleet. Specifically, the model provides series of simulated power outputs that may be used in the grid operator simulation programmes, reproducing critical parameters, such as daily maximum fluctuation or the reserves required to offset these fluctuations. The model is created and validated against experimental 1‐s data collected throughout 2013 at six PV plants in Spain dispersed over 1100 km², totaling 17 MWp. Likewise, the model has been succesfully tested against another irradiance dataset, four sites across the state of Colorado, USA, and spread over 2400 km². Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic modeling of a dual active bridge DC to DC converter with average current control and load‐current feed‐forward

Bidirectional power flow is needed in many power conversion systems like energy storage systems, regeneration systems, power converters for improvement of the power quality and some DC‐DC applications where bidirectional high power conversion and galvanic isolation are required. The dual active bridge (DAB) is an isolated, high voltage ratio DC‐DC converter suitable for high power density and high power applications, being a key interface between renewable energy sources and energy storage devices. This paper is focused on the modeling and control design of a DC‐DC system with battery storage based on a DAB converter with average current mode control of the output current and output voltage control. The dynamic response of the output voltage to load steps is improved by means of an additional load‐current feed‐forward control loop. An analytical study of the load‐current feed‐forward is presented and validated by means of both simulations and experimental results. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Harmonic modelling of PV systems for probabilistic harmonic load flow studies

Probabilistic harmonic load flow (HLF) is currently enjoying renewed popularity. This is not surprising since in the near future, thousands of photovoltaic (PV) systems will be integrated into distribution systems. However, as yet, there is no model capable of explaining PV harmonic current behaviour in probabilistic HLF studies. To fill this gap, the harmonic modelling of PV systems proposed in this paper has three key points. First, it provides an effective model of the relationship between PV harmonic current emission and background harmonic voltages. Second, it statistically characterises PV harmonic currents (relative magnitude and phase angle) at different fundamental‐frequency current output intervals using historical time‐series data. In this statistical characterisation, the first fifth moments of each PV harmonic current are used to accurately approximate the raw probability density function (PDF) by means of the Legendre series. Finally, the third key point of this harmonic modelling is a method capable of determining the distribution functions of PV harmonic currents (absolute magnitude and phase angle), based on the statistical characterisation and a fundamental‐frequency probabilistic PV model. The numerical results obtained confirm the effectiveness of this PV model. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Small‐b and Fixed‐b Asymptotics for Weighted Covariance Estimation in Fractional Cointegration

In a standard cointegrating framework, Phillips (1991) introduced the weighted covariance (WC) estimator of cointegrating parameters. Later, Marinucci (2000) applied this estimator to fractional circumstances and, like Phillips (1991), analysed the so‐called small‐b asymptotic approximation to its sampling distribution. Recently, an alternative limiting theory (fixed‐b asymptotics) has been successfully employed to approximate sampling distributions. With the purpose of comparing both approaches, we derive here the fixed‐b limit of WC estimators in a fractional setting, filling also some gaps in the traditional (small‐b) theory. We also provide some Monte Carlo evidence that suggests that the fixed‐b limit is more accurate.     

Cellular Antisense Activity of PNA–Oligo(bicycloguanidinium) Conjugates Forming Self‐Assembled Nanoaggregates

A series of peptide nucleic acid–oligo(bicycloguanidinium) (PNA–BG_n) conjugates were synthesized and characterized in terms of cellular antisense activity by using the pLuc750HeLa cell splice correction assay. PNA–BG₄ conjugates exhibited low micromolar antisense activity, and their cellular activity required the presence of a hydrophobic silyl terminal protecting group on the oligo(BG) ligand and a minimum of four guanidinium units. Surprisingly, a nonlinear dose–response with an activity threshold around 3–4 μM , indicative of large cooperativity, was observed. Supported by light scattering and electron microscopy analyses, we propose that the activity, and thus cellular delivery, of these lipo‐PNA–BG₄ conjugates is dependent on self‐assembled nanoaggregates. Finally, cellular activity was enhanced by the presence of serum. Therefore we conclude that the lipo‐BG‐PNA conjugates exhibit an unexpected mechanism for cell delivery and are of interest for further in vivo studies.     

Glycans in Medicinal Chemistry: An Underexploited Resource

The biological relevance of glycans as mediators of key physiological processes, including disease‐related mechanisms, makes them attractive targets for a wide range of medical applications. Despite their important biological roles, especially as molecular recognition elements, carbohydrates have not been fully exploited as therapeutics mainly due to the scarcity of structure–activity correlations and their non‐drug‐like properties. A more detailed understanding of the complex carbohydrate structures and their associated functions should contribute to the development of new glycan‐based pharmaceuticals. Recent significant progress in oligosaccharide synthesis and chemical glycobiology has renewed the interest of the medicinal chemistry community in carbohydrates. This promises to increase our possibilities to harness them in drug discovery efforts for the development of new and more effective, synthetic glycan‐based therapeutics and vaccines.     

Novel Tacrine‐Grafted Ugi Adducts as Multipotent Anti‐Alzheimer Drugs: A Synthetic Renewal in Tacrine–Ferulic Acid Hybrids

Herein we describe the design, multicomponent synthesis, and biological, molecular modeling and ADMET studies, as well as in vitro PAMPA‐blood–brain barrier (BBB) analysis of new tacrine–ferulic acid hybrids (TFAHs). We identified (E)‐3‐(hydroxy‐3‐methoxyphenyl)‐N‐{8[(7‐methoxy‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroacridin‐9‐yl)amino]octyl}‐N‐[2‐(naphthalen‐2‐ylamino)2‐oxoethyl]acrylamide (TFAH 10 n ) as a particularly interesting multipotent compound that shows moderate and completely selective inhibition of human butyrylcholinesterase (IC₅₀=68.2 nM ), strong antioxidant activity (4.29 equiv trolox in an oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay), and good β‐amyloid (Aβ) anti‐aggregation properties (65.6 % at 1:1 ratio); moreover, it is able to permeate central nervous system (CNS) tissues, as determined by PAMPA‐BBB assay. Notably, even when tested at very high concentrations, TFAH 10 n easily surpasses the other TFAHs in hepatotoxicity profiling (59.4 % cell viability at 1000 μM ), affording good neuroprotection against toxic insults such as Aβ_1–40, Aβ_1–42, H₂O₂, and oligomycin A/rotenone on SH‐SY5Y cells, at 1 μM . The results reported herein support the development of new multipotent TFAH derivatives as potential drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer′s disease.     

The Fuzzy Project Scheduling Problem with Minimal Generalized Precedence Relations

In scheduling, estimations are affected by the imprecision of limited information on future events, and the reduction in the number and level of detail of activities. Overlapping of processes and activities requires the study of their continuity, along with analysis of the risks associated with imprecision. In this line, this article proposes a fuzzy heuristic model for the Project Scheduling Problem with flows and minimal feeding, time and work Generalized Precedence Relations with a realistic approach to overlapping, in which the continuity of processes and activities is allowed in a discretionary way. This fuzzy algorithm handles the balance of process flows, and computes the optimal fragmentation of tasks, avoiding the interruption of the critical path and reverse criticality. The goodness of this approach is tested on several problems found in the literature; furthermore, an example of a 15‐story building was used to compare the better performance of the algorithm implemented in Visual Basic for Applications (Excel) over that same example input in Primavera© P6 Professional V8.2.0, using five different scenarios.