Energy management in metro-transit systems: An innovative proposal toward an integrated and sustainable urban mobility system including plug-in electric vehicles

The energy consumptions growth, the upward interest for environmental sustainability and the technological evolution carry to the necessity to review the planning criteria of urban mobility systems in large cities and metropolitan areas. With this aim, new studies and projects are in progress, especially dealing with the power systems for metro-transit lines and surface electric vehicles. In this framework, the authors perform a study that, from an overview about the main energy management issues connected to the city transport, provides an innovative proposal for the design of sustainable urban mobility system: the integration of the metro-lines with surface plug-in electric vehicles. The present paper includes the energy analysis results, obtained by an application on a real case study of an home-made simulation software, describes the proposal in terms of power systems architecture and business models, pointing out the potential advantages that its implementation could give in terms of energy saving, environmental sustainability and reduced economic impact, as a result of the maximum exploitation of existing electric power plant.     

Architecture reviews: practice and experience

Architecture reviews have evolved over the past decade to become a critical part of our continuing efforts to improve the state of affairs. We use them to identify project problems before they become costly to fix and to provide timely information to upper management so that they can make better-informed decisions. It provides the foundation for reuse, using commercially available software, and getting to the marketplace fast. The reviews also help identify best practices to projects and socialize such practices across the organization, thereby improving the organization's quality and operations.     

TMEM106B Acts as a Modifier of Cognitive and Motor Functions in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

The transmembrane protein 106B (TMEM106B) gene is a susceptibility factor and disease modifier of frontotemporal dementia, but few studies have investigated its role in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The aim of this work was to assess the impact of the TMEM106B rs1990622 (A–major risk allele; G–minor allele) on phenotypic variability of 865 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Demographic and clinical features were compared according to genotypes by additive, dominant, and recessive genetic models. Bulbar onset was overrepresented among carriers of the AA risk genotype, together with enhanced upper motor neuron involvement and poorer functional status in patients harboring at least one major risk allele (A). In a subset of 195 patients, we found that the homozygotes for the minor allele (GG) showed lower scores at the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Screen, indicating a more severe cognitive impairment, mainly involving the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-specific cognitive functions and memory. Moreover, lower motor neuron burden predominated among patients with at least one minor allele (G). Overall, we found that TMEM106B is a disease modifier of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, whose phenotypic effects encompass both sites of onset and functional status (major risk allele), motor functions (both major risk and minor alleles), and cognition (minor allele).     

Adjuvant radio-chemotherapy in cancer of the rectum treated with radical surgery and with high risk of recurrence. Preliminary results of a prospective study

INTRODUCTION MATERIAL AND METHODS: From January, 1990, to December, 1995, 138 consecutive patients with radically resected stage II and III rectal and rectosigmoid cancers were treated with adjuvant radiochemotherapy. Eighty-one patients with 24 months' follow-up were assessable. Low anterior resection (LAR) was performed in 64 (79%) patients and abdominoperineal resection (APR) in 17 (21%). Twentynine (36%) stage II and 52 (64%) stage III patients entered the study. Within 45-60 days from surgery all patients received 5-Fluorouracil chemotherapy at the dose of 500 mg/m2/iv/d 1-5, every 4 weeks, for six cycles. Chemotherapy cycles 3 and 4 were administered at the same daily dose on radiotherapy days 1-3 and 29-31. Radiotherapy total dose consisted of 45 Gy/1.8 Gy/day administered in 5 weeks with 18 MV photon beam to the pelvis with the four field "box" technique. Perineal scar was encompassed only after APR. A boost dose of 5.4 Gy to the tumor bed was given in 3 fractions of 1.8 Gy. Median follow-up was 37 months (range: 24-74 months). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Overall recurrent disease was reported in 28 of 81 patients (34%): local, systemic and both local and systemic relapses in 9 (11%), 14 (17%) and 5 (6%) cases, respectively. According to local extension, recurrence rates were 10% and 48% in stages II and III, respectively. Five-year overall and disease-free actuarial survivals were 64% and 61%, respectively. Median time to relapse was 15 months (range: 7-43 months). Significant prognostic factors for better tumor control were: stage (II vs III), disease site (proximal vs distal rectum), the surgical procedure (LAR vs APR), the number of involved nodes (< or = 4 vs > 4) and no extracapsular node invasion. The recommended dose of combined radiochemotherapy regimen used in this trial was generally well tolerated. The incidence of any grade > or = 3 acute toxicity (according to WHO grading) was 20% diarrhea, 6% tenesmus and 4% myelosuppression. Five (6%) patients had cronic diarrhea and other 3 (4%) radiotherapy-related severe late toxicity which required surgery. CONCLUSIONS: This study seems to provide similar survival and recurrence notes to other radio-chemotherapy regimens published in the literature. However, a more aggressive approach is warranted in stage III patients considering the low 5-year survival recorded.     

Allogeneic matched T-cell-depleted bone marrow transplantation for acute leukemia patients

It has been shown that high doses of human recombinant erythropoietin (r epo) increase haemoglobin levels by augmentation of F-cells, and Hb-F production in animal models and in human trials. In this study, r epo was used in patients with beta thalassemia intermedia. Our purpose was to improve haemoglobin levels by at least 2 g and maintain an average level between 10 and 12 g/dl. Ten patients aged 6-29 years (mean 14 +/- 7.6 years) with thalassemia intermedia were treated with r epo. It was given subcutaneously in rising doses from 500 to 1000 U/kg three times weekly for 3 months. During r epo therapy eight cases (80 per cent) showed an increase in haemoglobin, haematocrit, and reticulocyte levels, and an increase of at least 2 g of haemoglobin was obtained. Blood transfusion was not needed during the study except in one case. Five cases (50 per cent) improved life quality with therapy. Hb levels of all patients returned to baseline values over 1 or 2 months after r epo was discontinued. There was no significant change in absolute Hb-F, F-cells, and ferritin levels during treatment. Generally, the drug was well tolerated. No patient had hypertension. Recombinant erythropoietin seems to be an effective treatment for anaemia of beta-thalassemia intermedia, but longer term randomized trials are needed especially in patients with beta thalassemia major.     

一个夜店的哲学

如果非要用哲学这个字眼来对一个时尚夜店进行注解，相信很多人都会选择”享乐主义”．不过，前不久新开业的The Double Club将告诉你另一种可能。在这个由伦敦Angel地铁站旁边的旧式维多利亚仓库改造而成的俱乐部中，艺术家Carsten Holler通过两种对等的文化共存的设计思路，提出一种新的世界观。