| 1. |
- Haycock, Philip C., et al.
(author)
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Association Between Telomere Length and Risk of Cancer and Non-Neoplastic Diseases A Mendelian Randomization Study
- 2017
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In: JAMA Oncology. - : American Medical Association. - 2374-2437 .- 2374-2445. ; 3:5, s. 636-651
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- IMPORTANCE: The causal direction and magnitude of the association between telomere length and incidence of cancer and non-neoplastic diseases is uncertain owing to the susceptibility of observational studies to confounding and reverse causation. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a Mendelian randomization study, using germline genetic variants as instrumental variables, to appraise the causal relevance of telomere length for risk of cancer and non-neoplastic diseases. DATA SOURCES: Genomewide association studies (GWAS) published up to January 15, 2015. STUDY SELECTION: GWAS of noncommunicable diseases that assayed germline genetic variation and did not select cohort or control participants on the basis of preexisting diseases. Of 163 GWAS of noncommunicable diseases identified, summary data from 103 were available. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Summary association statistics for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are strongly associated with telomere length in the general population. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for disease per standard deviation (SD) higher telomere length due to germline genetic variation. RESULTS: Summary data were available for 35 cancers and 48 non-neoplastic diseases, corresponding to 420 081 cases (median cases, 2526 per disease) and 1 093 105 controls (median, 6789 per disease). Increased telomere length due to germline genetic variation was generally associated with increased risk for site-specific cancers. The strongest associations (ORs [ 95% CIs] per 1-SD change in genetically increased telomere length) were observed for glioma, 5.27 (3.15-8.81); serous low-malignant-potential ovarian cancer, 4.35 (2.39-7.94); lung adenocarcinoma, 3.19 (2.40-4.22); neuroblastoma, 2.98 (1.92-4.62); bladder cancer, 2.19 (1.32-3.66); melanoma, 1.87 (1.55-2.26); testicular cancer, 1.76 (1.02-3.04); kidney cancer, 1.55 (1.08-2.23); and endometrial cancer, 1.31 (1.07-1.61). Associations were stronger for rarer cancers and at tissue sites with lower rates of stem cell division. There was generally little evidence of association between genetically increased telomere length and risk of psychiatric, autoimmune, inflammatory, diabetic, and other non-neoplastic diseases, except for coronary heart disease (OR, 0.78 [ 95% CI, 0.67-0.90]), abdominal aortic aneurysm (OR, 0.63 [ 95% CI, 0.49-0.81]), celiac disease (OR, 0.42 [ 95% CI, 0.28-0.61]) and interstitial lung disease (OR, 0.09 [ 95% CI, 0.05-0.15]). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: It is likely that longer telomeres increase risk for several cancers but reduce risk for some non-neoplastic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases.
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| 2. |
- Abazov, V. M., et al.
(author)
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The upgraded DO detector
- 2006
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In: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-9002 .- 1872-9576. ; 565:2, s. 463-537
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The DO experiment enjoyed a very successful data-collection run at the Fermilab Tevatron collider between 1992 and 1996. Since then, the detector has been upgraded to take advantage of improvements to the Tevatron and to enhance its physics capabilities. We describe the new elements of the detector, including the silicon microstrip tracker, central fiber tracker, solenoidal magnet, preshower detectors, forward muon detector, and forward proton detector. The uranium/liquid -argon calorimeters and central muon detector, remaining from Run 1, are discussed briefly. We also present the associated electronics, triggering, and data acquisition systems, along with the design and implementation of software specific to DO.
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| 4. |
- Castro Flores, José Fiacro, et al.
(author)
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Conceptual study of a solar-assisted low-temperature district heating substation
- 2015
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In: Book of abstracts: International Conference on Smart EnergySystems and 4th Generation District Heating. - Copenhagen, DK : Aalborg Universitetsforlag.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- At present, the viability of Low-Temperature District Heating (LTDH) systems has already been tested and demonstrated. Even so, for LTDH to be successfully implemented, further ideas are needed in order to improve the flexibility and effectiveness. In this study, we analyze the performance of a local LTDH network for a multi-dwelling low-energy building supplied by both a roof-mounted solar collector and the conventional DH network via a LTDH substation. The DH network serves as a short-term storage buffer, so no heat storages are required. The collector’s size is chosen based on the available roof area, independently from the building’s loads, and three possible connection configurations were simulated. A mix of both the existing DH forward and return flows are used as thermal energy sources. The results show that more than 15% of the summer heat demand in the LTDH network can be covered by the roof-mounted solar collector. With a feed-in contract, heat costs savings range 3-6% annually according to the Swedish system. System integration in LTDH from the design phase has the potential to enhance the recovery of solar thermal energy, increase its conversion efficiency, and in general, to improve the utilization of low-grade thermal energy sources.
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| 5. |
- Castro Flores, José Fiacro, et al.
(author)
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Energetic and exergetic analysis of alternative low-temperature based district heating substation arrangements
- 2016
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In: International Journal of Thermodynamics. - : International Centre for Applied Thermodynamics (ICAT). - 1301-9724 .- 2146-1511. ; 19:2, s. 71-80
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- District Heating (DH) technology is an efficient and cost-effective solution to provide heating services to the built environment. However, the existing DH technology may not be technically and economically effective to service buildings with low energy demands. Here, low-temperature based district heating (LTDH) can provide a better match between supply and demand in terms of energy quality and quantity. This paper deals with the energy and exergy analyses of a LTDH substation supplying a secondary LTDH network as a subnet of the existing DH system. In order to improve the temperature match, a mix of supply and return streams from the main DH network are used to supply the substation. Based on modelling and simulation, an energy and exergy analysis is employed to compare the performance of two proposed substation configurations to that of a conventional DH substation operating at low temperatures. The results of this analysis show that the proposed LTDH substation reduced the share of energy demand covered by the main DH supply by 20% to 25%. Likewise, by using the flow from the main DH return pipe, the final exergy efficiency of the overall system increased by 5% on average. The exergy destruction occurring at the system components was also identified and compared: during high heat demands the substation heat exchanger is responsible for the largest share of exergy destruction, whereas for low heat demands, it is due to the pumping effort. Based on these results, the proposed system is seen as an effective approach to increase the quality and quantity match between the low-temperature network and the conventional supply.
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| 6. |
- Castro Flores, José Fiacro, et al.
(author)
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Study of a district heating substation using the return water of the main system to service a low-temperature secondary network
- 2014
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In: Proceedings of The 14th International Symposium on District Heating and Cooling. - Stockholm, SE : Swedish District Heating Association. - 9789185775248
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The development of district heating (DH) systems is facing the challenge of servicing areas with lower energy demands whose connection might not be either effective or profitable if the conventional DH technology is used. The purpose of this paper is to propose a complementary approach on how to effectively service low-energy building (LEB) areas using the existing DH networks. The proposed solution consists in supplying a secondary low-temperature (LT) network by means of a ‘low temperature’ substation that uses the return water from the main DH network as a substitute for the primary energy source, together with a minor portion of the main DH supply. Two types of LT substations are proposed and compared to a reference substation: First, a one-stage heat exchanger that uses a mixture of the main DH network return and supply flows as thermal energy source. Second, a two-stage heat exchanger that is fed by both the main DH return and supply flows. The system subject to this study consists on the LT substation with supply/return temperatures at 55/25 °C average. The system energetic performance is analysed though thermodynamic simulation. Outdoor ambient temperatures variations throughout the year are considered for two specific locations, assuming full and partial load operation. The results show that it is possible to supply 20-50% of the total annual heat demand of a LTDH network using the return flow from the main DH network. The solution presented in this paper is seen as being of potential interest to deliver thermal energy services to LEB areas.
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| 7. |
- Chiu, NingWei Justin, et al.
(author)
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Environomic Assessment of Industrial Surplus Heat Transportation
- 2015
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In: Smart Energy Infrastructure and Storage Options.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The fourth generation low temperature district heating network (LTDH) has to meet challenges in supplying low temperature heat, achieving low grid losses, integrating renewable heat sources, assimilating smart energy system and ensuring suitable planning structure. The new generation LTDH has promising potential in utilizing low grade waste heat where heat at temperature of as low as 55°C can be injected into the system. Industry generated surplus heat is often released to the ambient environment due to their remote location from end users. A solution is presented here to exploit the potential of recycling low grade industrial surplus heat for use in LTDH network.Mobile Thermal Energy Storage (M-TES) is used for shifting thermal energy to meet supply and demands that occur in different locations and that are shifted in time. M-TES technology is explored in this paper for utilization of industrial surplus heat in LTDH. Technical feasibility has been previously established with finned pipe and tube & shell type heat exchangers, however the economic justification is not always demonstrated. In this paper, parametric study on operating conditions, operating strategies and component costs will be performed. Furthermore, environmental impact from CO2 emissions due to different transportation means production will be evaluated against other heat production possibilities, such as conventional natural gas boilers. The results of the study show the optimal transportation distance, transportation means, partial/full storage operating conditions, storage means and power to energy ratio (PER) under which M-TES are technically, economically and environmentally sound for transportation of industrial surplus heat for use in the 4th generation LTDH network.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Flores, Olivier, et al.
(author)
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An evolutionary perspective on leaf economics : phylogenetics of leaf mass per area in vascular plants
- 2014
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In: Ecology and Evolution. - : Wiley. - 2045-7758. ; 4:14, s. 2799-2811
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In plant leaves, resource use follows a trade-off between rapid resource capture and conservative storage. This worldwide leaf economics spectrum consists of a suite of intercorrelated leaf traits, among which leaf mass per area, LMA, is one of the most fundamental as it indicates the cost of leaf construction and light-interception borne by plants. We conducted a broad-scale analysis of the evolutionary history of LMA across a large dataset of 5401 vascular plant species. The phylogenetic signal in LMA displayed low but significant conservatism, that is, leaf economics tended to be more similar among close relatives than expected by chance alone. Models of trait evolution indicated that LMA evolved under weak stabilizing selection. Moreover, results suggest that different optimal phenotypes evolved among large clades within which extremes tended to be selected against. Conservatism in LMA was strongly related to growth form, as were selection intensity and phenotypic evolutionary rates: woody plants showed higher conservatism in relation to stronger stabilizing selection and lower evolutionary rates compared to herbaceous taxa. The evolutionary history of LMA thus paints different evolutionary trajectories of vascular plant species across clades, revealing the coordination of leaf trait evolution with growth forms in response to varying selection regimes.
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