Assembly strategies of wind turbine towers for minimum fatigue damage

Nunez-Casado, Cristina,Lopez-Garcia, Oscar,de las Heras, Enrique Gomez,Cuerva-Tejero, Alvaro,Gallego-Castillo, Cristobal Techno-Press 2017 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.25 No.6

The aim of this paper is to present a method to obtain the dynamic response of a wind turbine tower in time domain by means of the generation of time series and to estimate the associated fatigue damage by means of a Rainflow counting algorithm. The proposed method is based on assuming the vortex shedding is a bidimensional phenomena and on following a classical modal superposition method to obtain the structure dynamic response. Four different wind turbine tower geometric configurations have been analyzed in a range of usual wind velocities and covering extreme wind velocities. The obtained results have shown that, depending on the turbulence intensity and the mean wind velocity, there are tower geometric configurations more advantageous from the fatigue load standpoint. Consequently, the presented model can be utilized to define assembly strategies oriented to fatigue damage minimization.

Multidisciplinary Consensus on the Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis and Fragility Fractures in Patients with Prostate Cancer Receiving Androgen-Deprivation Therapy

Enrique Casado,Angel Borque-Fernando,Manuel Caamaño,Jenaro Graña,Jesús Muñoz-Rodríguez,Juan Morote 대한남성과학회 2022 The World Journal of Men's Health Vol.40 No.1

Patients with prostate cancer (PCa) on androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) are at high risk of osteoporosis and fragility fractures. We aimed to provide some practical insights into the delivery of optimal bone health care for PCa patients, particularly those on ADT. An interdisciplinary group of experts, including urologists and rheumatologists developed recommendations based on their expertise, current evidence and guidelines. The multidisciplinary group’s main recommendations are: fragility fracture risk should be assessed in all PCa patient, especially, in those under ADT. FRAX® tool may be incorporated into clinical practice to identify patients at high risk of fracture. Bone mineral density (BMD) should be measured routinely by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in all patients scheduled for or on ADT. Thoracic and lumbar spine X-ray may be performed at the initial evaluation of patients with the diagnosis of osteoporosis and in case of suspected clinical vertebral fracture. Basic laboratory tests are recommended to exclude secondary osteoporosis. Treatment with bisphosphonates or denosumab should be considered in patients on ADT with fragility fracture, osteoporosis (BMD T-score ≤-2.5), or high risk of fracture according to FRAX®. Referral to a bone metabolism specialist should be contemplated in some cases. The recommendations provided in this document, tailored for clinicians treating PCa patients, may be of help to identify and treat patients at high risk of fracture.

The N- and C-terminal domains of parathyroid hormone-related protein affect differently the osteogenic and adipogenic potential of human mesenchymal stem cells

Antonio Casado-Díaz,Raquel Santiago-Mora,José Manuel Quesada 생화학분자생물학회 2010 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.42 No.2

Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) is synthesized by diverse tissues, and its processing produces several fragments, each with apparently distinct autocrine and paracrine bioactivities. In bone, PTHrP appears to modulate bone formation in part through promoting osteoblast differentiation. The putative effect of PTH-like and PTH-unrelated fragments of PTHrP on human mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) is not well known. Human MSCs were treated with PTHrP (1-36)or PTHrP (107-139) or both (each at 10 nM) in osteogenic or adipogenic medium, from the start or after 6days of exposure to the corresponding medium, and the expression of several osteoblastogenic and adipogenic markers was analyzed. PTHrP (1-36) inhibited adipogenesis in MSCs and favoured the expression of osteogenic early markers. The opposite was observed with treatment of MSCs with PTHrP (107-139). Moreover, inhibition of the adipogenic differentiation by PTHrP (1-36) prevailed in the presence of PTHrP (107-139). The PTH/PTHrP type 1 receptor (PTH1R)gene expression was maximum in the earlier and later stages of osteogenesis and adipogenesis, respectively. While PTHrP (107-139) did not modify the PTH1R overexpression during adipogenesis, PTHrP (1-36) did inhibit it; an effect which was partially affected by PTHrP (7-34), a PTH1R antagonist, at 1 μM. These findings demonstrate that both PTHrP domains can exert varying effects on human MSCs differentiation. PTHrP (107-139) showed a tendency to favor adipogenesis,while PTHrP (1-36) induced a mild osteogenic effect in these cells, and inhibited their adipocytic commitment. This further supports the potential anabolic action of the latter peptide in humans.

Assembly strategies of wind turbine towers for minimum fatigue damage

Cristina Nunez-Casado,Oscar Lopez-Garcia,Enrique Gomez de las Heras,Alvaro Cuerva-Tejero,Cristobal Gallego-Castillo 한국풍공학회 2017 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.25 No.6

The aim of this paper is to present a method to obtain the dynamic response of a wind turbine tower in time domain by means of the generation of time series and to estimate the associated fatigue damage by means of a Rainflow counting algorithm. The proposed method is based on assuming the vortex shedding is a bidimensional phenomena and on following a classical modal superposition method to obtain the structure dynamic response. Four different wind turbine tower geometric configurations have been analyzed in a range of usual wind velocities and covering extreme wind velocities. The obtained results have shown that, depending on the turbulence intensity and the mean wind velocity, there are tower geometric configurations more advantageous from the fatigue load standpoint. Consequently, the presented model can be utilized to define assembly strategies oriented to fatigue damage minimization.

Characterization and evaluation of liver fibrosis grade in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection and normal transaminases

( San Juan Lopez Cristina ),( Casado Martin Marta ),( Gonzalez Sanchez Mercedes ),( Porcel Martin Almudena ),( Hernandez Martinez Alvaro ),( Vega Saenz Jose Luis ),( Parron Carreno Tesifon ) 대한간학회 2018 Clinical and Molecular Hepatology(대한간학회지) Vol.24 No.4

Backgrounds/Aims: The objective of our study was to determine the epidemiological, laboratory, and serological characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and normal transaminases. The study also aimed to evaluate liver damage by measuring the liver fibrosis (LF) grade and to identify possible factors associated with the presence of fibrosis. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in patients with chronic HBV infection and classified as inactive carriers or immune-tolerant. Epidemiological variables of age, sex, immigrant, alcohol consumption, and body mass index (BMI), as well as virological variables (HBV DNA) and transaminase level were collected throughout the follow-up. The LF grade was evaluated by transient elastography. The cutoff value for significant fibrosis (SF) was liver stiffness ≥7.9 kPa. Results: A total of 214 patients were included in the analysis, and 62% of them had a BMI ≥25 kg/㎡. During follow-up, 4% of patients showed transaminase elevation (<1.5 times normal). Most patients had a viral DNA level <2,000 IU/mL (83%). Data on LF were available in 160 patients; of these, 14% had SF, 9% F3, and 6% F4. The variables associated with the presence of SF were transaminase alteration during follow-up, as 23% of patients with SF had elevated transaminases versus 3% of patients without SF (P<0.005), and BMI, as the vast majority of patients with SF (88%) had a BMI ≥25 kg/㎡ versus 56% of patients without SF (P<0.05). Conclusions: In patients with chronic HBV infection and normal transaminases, liver damage does not seem to be related to DNA levels, alcohol consumption, or immigrant status. SF seems to be associated with transaminase alteration during follow-up and elevated BMI. It is therefore recommended to measure LF grade with validated non-invasive methods in such patients. (Clin Mol Hepatol 2018;24:384-391)

Characterization of AJH-836, a diacylglycerol-lactone with selectivity for novel PKC isozymes

Cooke, Mariana,Zhou, Xiaoling,Casado-Medrano, Victoria,Lopez-Haber, Cynthia,Baker, Martin J.,Garg, Rachana,Ann, Jihyae,Lee, Jeewoo,Blumberg, Peter M.,Kazanietz, Marcelo G. American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Bi 2018 The Journal of biological chemistry Vol.293 No.22

<P>Diacylglycerol (DAG) is a key lipid second messenger downstream of cellular receptors that binds to the C1 domain in many regulatory proteins. Protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms constitute the most prominent family of signaling proteins with DAG-responsive C1 domains, but six other families of proteins, including the chimaerins, Ras-guanyl nucleotide-releasing proteins (RasGRPs), and Munc13 isoforms, also play important roles. Their significant involvement in cancer, immunology, and neurobiology has driven intense interest in the C1 domain as a therapeutic target. As with other classes of targets, however, a key issue is the establishment of selectivity. Here, using [H-3]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate ([H-3]PDBu) competition binding assays, we found that a synthetic DAG-lactone, AJH-836, preferentially binds to the novel PKC isoforms PKC and PKCE relative to classical PKC and PKCII. Assessment of intracellular translocation, a hallmark for PKC activation, revealed that AJH-836 treatment stimulated a striking preferential redistribution of PKCE to the plasma membrane relative to PKC. Moreover, unlike with the prototypical phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), prolonged exposure of cells to AJH-836 selectively down-regulated PKC and PKCE without affecting PKC expression levels. Biologically, AJH-836 induced major changes in cytoskeletal reorganization in lung cancer cells, as determined by the formation of membrane ruffles, via activation of novel PKCs. We conclude that AJH-836 represents a C1 domain ligand with PKC-activating properties distinct from those of natural DAGs and phorbol esters. Our study supports the feasibility of generating selective C1 domain ligands that promote novel biological response patterns.</P>

Ad-hoc vibration monitoring system for a stress-ribbon footbridge: from design to operation

Iban, Norberto,Soria, Jose M.,Magdaleno, Alvaro,Casado, Carlos,Diaz, Ivan M.,Lorenzana, Antolin Techno-Press 2018 Smart Structures and Systems, An International Jou Vol.22 No.1

Pedro $G{\acute{o}}mez$ Bosque footbridge is a slender and lightweight structure that creates a pedestrian link over the Pisuerga River, Valladolid, Spain. This footbridge is a singular stress ribbon structure with one span of 85 m consisting on a steel plate and precast concrete slabs laying on it. Rubber pavement and a railing made of stainless steel and glass complete the footbridge. Because of its lively dynamics, prone to oscillate, a simple and affordable structural health monitoring system was installed in order to continuously evaluate its structural serviceability and to estimate its modal parameters. Once certain problems (conditioning and 3D orientation of the triaxial accelerometers) are overcome, the monitoring system is validated by comparison with a general purpose laboratory portable analyzer. Representative data is presented, including acceleration magnitudes and modal estimates. The evolution of these parameters has been analysed over one-year time.

Present and Future of Air Navigation: PBN Operations and Supporting Technologies

Manuel López-Lago,José Serna,Rafael Casado,Bermúdez Aurelio 한국항공우주학회 2020 International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sc Vol.21 No.2

The present work reviews the new concept of operation that will be soon implemented in SESAR and NextGen (January 2020) using new state-of-the-art technology mainly based on onboard avionics: data link equipment, broadcast and surveillance systems, and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) area augmentation. One of the main improvements of Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) is the use of satellites and more precise and accurate onboard instruments than current standard avionics related to ground-based navigation aids (VOR, NDB, DME, etc.). Air navigation systems have been without mayor updates for nearly 40 years, when most Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) and Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) systems were implemented worldwide in the civil and military fields, respectively. These standard navigation systems lack new required performance navigation and required big deal of maintenance, especially in redundant systems. Recently, the development of new and precise GNSS and communication systems has allowed their use on different scenarios: Instrumental Flight Rules (IFR) departures, initial and final approaches, etc. Additionally, in several international airports, Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) approaches have been already successfully tested and implemented. Related to GBAS, the Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) is a cooperative technology that enhances pilots and controllers’ situation awareness, since ADS-B broadcasts own and other aircraft position. Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) may be another key element of the PBN concept of operations (CONOPS), since it provides air–ground data communications for the air traffic control (ATC) service and the aircrew, reducing risks associated to human factor: poor speaking, radio congestion, message confusion, standardization, etc. The main goal of this review is to present the PBN concept and the potentially supporting Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) systems, in the context of the NextGen and SESAR Air Traffic Management (ATM) modernization programmes.

Improved Neutron Capture Cross Section Measurements with the n_TOF Total Absorption Calorimeter

E. Mendoza,V. Becares,A. Casado,D. Cano-Ott,M. Fernandez-Ordonez,E. Gonzalez-Romero,C. Guerrero,T. Martinez,J. J. Vidriales,J. Andrzejewski,J. Marganiec,J. Perkowski,L. Audouin,B. Berthier,L. Tassan-G 한국물리학회 2011 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.59 No.23

The n_TOF collaboration operates a Total Absorption Calorimeter (TAC) [1] for measuring neutron capture cross-sections of low-mass and/or radioactive samples. The results obtained with the TAC have led to a substantial improvement of the capture cross sections of ^(237)Np and ^(240)Pu [2].The experience acquired during the first measurements has allowed us to optimize the performance of the TAC and to improve the capture signal to background ratio, thus opening the way to more complex and demanding measurements on rare radioactive materials. The new design has been reached by a series of detailed Monte Carlo simulations of complete experiments and dedicated test measurements. The new capture setup will be presented and the main achievements highlighted. KEYWORDS: ND2010, nuclear data, n\textunderscore TOF, background, Monte Carlo, neutron, time of flight, cross section, calorimeter, shielding, simulation, total absorption, gamma ray, neutron capture.

Ad-hoc vibration monitoring system for a stress-ribbon footbridge: from design to operation

Norberto Iban,Jose M. Soria,Alvaro Magdaleno,Carlos Casado,Ivan M. Diaz,Antolin Lorenzana 국제구조공학회 2018 Smart Structures and Systems, An International Jou Vol.22 No.1

Pedro Gómez Bosque footbridge is a slender and lightweight structure that creates a pedestrian link over the Pisuerga River, Valladolid, Spain. This footbridge is a singular stress ribbon structure with one span of 85 m consisting on a steel plate and precast concrete slabs laying on it. Rubber pavement and a railing made of stainless steel and glass complete the footbridge. Because of its lively dynamics, prone to oscillate, a simple and affordable structural health monitoring system was installed in order to continuously evaluate its structural serviceability and to estimate its modal parameters. Once certain problems (conditioning and 3D orientation of the triaxial accelerometers) are overcome, the monitoring system is validated by comparison with a general purpose laboratory portable analyzer. Representative data is presented, including acceleration magnitudes and modal estimates. The evolution of these parameters has been analysed over one-year time.