A New Approach to Estimate from Monitored Demand Data the Limit of the Coverage of Electricity Demand through Photovoltaics in Large Electricity Grids.

In a traditional large electricity grid without storage, there is a limit to the maximum photovoltaic energy that can be consumed as the demand and generation may not match, either in magnitude or in time. This paper aims to provide a new method to estimate the limit of the coverage of electricity demand by photovoltaics in large electricity grids. This new method eliminates the random and the periodic variability over time as it is based either on the load duration curve for demand and the output duration curve for PV generation.

Diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is part of the clinical spectrum of venous thromboembolism disease (VTE), whose estimated annual incidence rate is 1-2 episodes per 1000 individuals and represents the third leading cause of cardiovascular mortality in developed countries. Establishing an accurate diagnosis of DVT is essential for preventing acute complications (such as pulmonary embolism) and chronic complications associated with post-thrombotic syndrome. Currently, there are well-established diagnostic algorithms for lower extremity DVT, which include clinical probability models that help establish the risk of experiencing the disease based on the patients' history, clinical findings, D dimer measurements, fibrin degradation product tests with a high negative predictive value and imaging tests to confirm the diagnosis.

Improvements in Performance Analysis of Photovoltaic Systems: Array Power Monitoring in Pulse Width Modulation Charge Controllers.

Various challenges should be considered when measuring photovoltaic array power and energy in pulse width modulation (PWM) charge controllers. These controllers are frequently used not only in stand-alone photovoltaic (SAPV) systems, but may also be found in photovoltaic (PV) self-consumption systems with battery storage connected to the electricity grid. An acceptable solution may be reached using expensive data acquisition systems (DASs), although this could be generally disproportionate to the relatively low cost of SAPV systems.

A prognostic score to identify low-risk outpatients with acute deep vein thrombosis in the upper extremity.

Background: No studies have identified which patients with upper-extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) are at low risk for adverse events within the first week of therapy.

Methods: We used data from Registro Informatizado de la Enfermedad TromboEmbólica to explore in patients with upper-extremity DVT a prognostic score that correctly identified patients with lower limb DVT at low risk for pulmonary embolism, major bleeding, or death within the first week.

Results: As of December 2014, 1135 outpatients with upper-extremity DVT were recruited.

Clinical significance of acquired activated protein C resistance in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) may induce acquired activated protein C resistance (acquired APCR). The role of acquired APCR in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is not well known. To evaluate the prevalence of acquired APCR and its association with clinical manifestations we studied 103 consecutive SLE patients and 103 matched controls.

[Valvular heart disease in patients with anti-phospholipid syndrome].

Introduction: Anti-phospholipid antibodies (APA) may involve heart and valvular heart disease seems to be the most common clinical manifestation.

Objectives: To study the prevalence and characteristics of valvular heart disease in a large patient population with anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) and also to analyze the clinical and immunological profile of patients with valvular involvement compared with those without involvement. Patients and methods.

Myelodysplastic and myeloproliferative syndromes associated with giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica: a coincidental coexistence or a causal relationship?

A variety of systemic autoimmune disorders have been reported in patients with myelodysplastic and myeloproliferative syndromes. A possible association with polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis has also been recognised. We report another case of polymyalgia rheumatica and one of giant cell arteritis associated with a myelodysplastic syndrome and the two first cases of giant cell arteritis associated with essential thrombocytaemia and chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia, respectively.

Antiphospholipid antibodies and thrombophilic factors in giant cell arteritis.

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of thrombophilic risk factors known to induce intravascular clotting and to assess their relationship with ischemic manifestations in giant cell arteritis (GCA).

Methods: Eighty consecutive patients with established GCA were included: 36 with isolated temporal arteritis (TA), 14 with isolated polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), and 30 with TA and PMR. Forty-four patients (67%) had ischemic phenomena due to GCA.

[The treatment and prognosis of sarcoidosis. Apropos 53].

Objective: We retrospectively studied 53 cases of sarcoidosis which have been diagnosed at our service during de last 14 years. The criteria for starting therapy with corticosteroids and recurrences were analyzed.

Method: The patients mean (SD) age was 42 (15) years old (range 16-76) and the majority were female (72%).

The 4G/5G polymorphism of the type 1 plasminogen activator inhibitor gene and thrombosis in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the 4G/5G polymorphism of the type 1 plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) gene and thrombotic manifestations in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).

Methods: We studied a total of 247 patients included in the following 4 groups: 70 patients with primary APS, 104 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (40 with antiphospholipid antibodies [aPL] and clinical [secondary] APS, 13 with aPL but without clinical APS, and 51 with neither detectable aPL nor a history of thrombosis), 14 asymptomatic individuals with aPL, and 59 patients with thrombosis but without known thrombosis risk factors. A control group of 100 healthy individuals was also analyzed.

Prevalence and clinical significance of antiprothrombin antibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus or with primary antiphospholipid syndrome.

Background And Objective: Antibodies to prothrombin (aII) have been identified in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies, but their clinical significance is not well known. The aim of our study was to investigate their prevalence and association with clinical manifestations of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) in patients with primary APS or with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Design And Methods: A series of 177 patients with autoimmune diseases was studied: 70 with primary APS and 107 with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Clinical study and follow-up of 100 patients with the antiphospholipid syndrome.

Objectives: To study the clinical characteristics at diagnosis and during follow-up of patients with the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and to analyze the influence of treatment on their outcome.

Patients: One hundred patients with APS were included (86% female and 14% male; mean age, 36 years). Sixty-two percent had primary APS and 38% had APS associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome.

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and clinical significance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients with the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).

Methods: A series of 88 consecutive patients (78 female and 10 male), with a mean age of 39 years (range 15-79), was prospectively studied. All patients had been diagnosed with APS: 54 (61%) primary APS and 34 (39%) APS associated with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome. Clinical and laboratory features of 50 patients.

We analyzed the clinical and laboratory characteristics of 50 patients with catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) (5 from our clinics and 45 from a MEDLINE computer-assisted review of the literature from 1992 through 1996). Thirty-three (66%) patients were female and 17 (34%) were male. Twenty-eight (56%) patients had primary APS, 15 (30%) had defined systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 6 (12%) had "lupus-like" syndrome, and 1 (2%) had rheumatoid arthritis.

Lack of correlation between tumor markers (CA 125 and SCC) and systemic lupus erythematosus activity.

Background: Recently, tumor markers (CA 125 and SCC) have been suggested as possible activity markers of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but study results have been contradictory.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible relationship between CA 125 and SCC serum levels and SLE activity.

Patients And Methods: Serum levels of CA 125 from 59 patients and levels of SCC from 53 patients with SLE were analyzed.

Optic neuropathy in the "primary" antiphospholipid syndrome: report of a case and review of the literature.

Several visual disturbances have been associated with the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies, including vaso-occlusive retinopathy and ischaemic optic neuropathy. The latter has been rarely described in patients with "primary" antiphospholipid syndrome, and, when present, is generally associated with neurological disorders. We describe the case of a patient presenting with optic neuropathy in whom a "primary" antiphospholipid syndrome was diagnosed, and review all previously reported similar cases.

Pleural and peritoneal leishmaniasis in an AIDS patient.

The case of an AIDS patient who developed pleuritis and peritonitis in the course of relapsing visceral leishmaniasis is reported. Visceral leishmaniasis, considered an opportunistic infection in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who live in endemic areas, has a chronic relapsing course. Typical manifestations such as fever, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, weight loss, or pancytopenia are not specific in advanced HIV infection.

Shrinking lungs syndrome in systemic lupus erythematosus: improvement with inhaled beta-agonist therapy.

The pathogenesis and therapy of shrinking lungs syndrome in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus remains controversial. It has been previously reported that corticosteroid treatment can be effective. We report a patient with shrinking lungs syndrome who presented a good response to inhaled beta-agonist therapy.