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At operational level, fossil fuel phase-out and high shares of non-dispatchable renewable energy resources (RES) will challenge the system operator's (SO) ability to balance generation, and the demand at any time. The variability of RES output ranges from one hour to a season, and critical events such as low supply and high demand might occur more frequently and for more extended periods. When evaluating the role of Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) in this context, the need for a long time scope to capture the different RES variabilities must be reconciled with the need for modeling the hourly chronology. This paper presents a medium-term operation planning model, addressing both the energy dispatch and the balancing services. This study shows that representing the combined chronological variability of demand and RES production is essential to properly assess the roles of different kinds of ESSs in the future 2030 electricity mix. Otherwise, it would not be possible to appropriately capture the frequency, depth, and length of events for which ESSs are activated. The analysis also highlights the importance of considering balancing services, given the significant contribution of batteries to the reserve market. Finally, the results show that batteries and Pumped Storage Hydro (PSH) have different roles in the Spanish electricity system with a high renewable penetration. While PSH is mainly used to provide energy during critical periods, batteries mostly provide balancing services. © 2022 The Author(s) This research has been carried out thanks to the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness MINECO through BC3 Mar?a de Maeztu excellence accreditation MDM-2017-0714 Maria de Maeztu Grant. The research has also benefited from the funding of the RETOS COLABORACI?N program of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the Spanish State Research Agency (project ?Platform of innovative models to accelerate the energy decarbonization of the economy (MODESC)?, with reference number RTC2019- 007315-3). The authors would also like to acknowledge the Iberdrola Chair of Energy and Innovation for their helpful comments.

Using technology to create new types of questions is important, but also exploring new types of test representations or analyzing the most adequate technological device to support a specific assessment activity based on tests. This paper presents a conceptual model that defines and relates three dimensions to be considered for advancing on Computing-Based Testing (CBT): the Question-item, the Test and the Activity. The framework assists in the categorization and design of advanced CBT scenarios and opens a new domain for questions and tests supported by ICT. Besides, the paper proposes two models for the technological design and implementation of the Test and Question-item dimensions. The models represent an extension of the IMS Question and Test Interoperability standard. They are platform-independent models (PIMs) that formulate the elements that can be mapped to platform-specific models (PSMs) for implementing advanced CBT solutions. To show the relevance, value and usability of the contributions, the paper also describes the application of the framework and PIMs to design and implement three exemplary CBT scenarios with their corresponding CBT-PSMs. Within the global scope of the CBT conceptual model, the first scenario shows how question-items can be enriched with specific multimedia information (web maps). The second scenario illustrates another particular case of the CBT domain where a test can be augmented with real physical elements. And finally, the third scenario describes an implementation that combines advanced question-items and tests using virtual worlds. This work has been partially sponsored by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation Learn3 Project, TIN2008-05163/TSI and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation EEE Project TIN2011-28308-C03-03.

Considering an infinite linear elastic isotropic solid in antiplane shear, the Mode III crack-tip solution for a semi-infinite crack located in a straight spring interface is systematically studied for the first time. A new analytic expression for this crack-tip solution is given in the form of a double asymptotic series of the main and the so-called associated shadow terms. It is shown that the series of the shadow terms associated with a main term is infinite, and all shadow terms include logarithmic terms. Thus, although the interface tractions are bounded, the linear elastic solution at this crack-tip has a logarithmic stress singularity which is comprehensively analysed. Noteworthy, the character of this stress singularity is very different from the well-known square root singularity at the crack tip in the classical fracture mechanics. A key advantage of the present approach is its simplicity, as only elementary mathematical tools are employed, and also its easy implementation in a computer algebra software. The latter fact is very relevant because the expressions of higher-order shadow terms become increasingly complicated, so their generation by a computer code becomes crucial. The present results allow the implementation of new enriched or singular crack-tip finite elements for such cracks, and the automatic generation of analytic solutions for benchmark problems for testing the finite-element codes using these special elements. Such codes can be applied to efficient numerical modelling of interface cracks, e.g., in adhesively bonded joints with a thin adhesive layer.

Background: Correct functioning of the reward processing system is critical for optimizing decision-making as well as preventing the development of addictions and/or neuropsychiatric symptoms such as depression, apathy, and anhedonia. Consequently, patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy due to unilateral hippocampal sclerosis (mTLE-UHS) represent an excellent opportunity to study the brain networks involved in this system. Objective: The aim of the current study was to evaluate decision-making and the electrophysiological correlates of feedback processing in a sample of mTLE-UHS patients, compared to healthy controls. In addition, we assessed the impact of mesial temporal lobe surgical resection on these processes, as well as general, neuropsychological functioning. Method: 17 mTLE-UHS patients and 17 matched healthy controls completed: [1] a computerized version of the Game of Dice Task, [2] a Standard Iowa Gambling Task, and [3] a modified ERP version of a probabilistic gambling task coupled with multichannel electroencephalography. Neuropsychological scores were also obtained both pre- and post-surgery. Results: Behavioral analyses showed a pattern of increased risk for the mTLE-UHS group in decision-making under ambiguity compared to the control group. A decrease in the amplitude of the Feedback Related Negativity (FRN), a weaker effect of valence on delta power, and a general reduction of delta and theta power in the mTLE-UHS group, as compared to the control group, were also found. The beta-gamma activity associated with the delivery of positive reward was similar in both groups. Behavioral performance and electrophysiological measures did not worsen post-surgery. Conclusions: Patients with mTLE-UHS showed impairments in decision-making under ambiguity, particularly when they had to make decisions based on the outcomes of their choices, but not in decision-making under risk. No group differences were observed in decision-making when feedbacks were random. These results might be explained by the abnormal feedback processing seen in the EEG activity of patients with mTLE-UHS, and by concomitant impairments in working memory, and memory. These impairments may be linked to the disruption of mesial temporal lobe networks. Finally, feedback processing and decision-making under ambiguity were already affected in mTLE-UHS patients pre-surgery and did not show evidence of clear worsening post-surgery.

High dimensional datasets usually suffer from curse of dimensionality which may increase the classification time and decrease the classification accuracy beyond a certain dimensionality. Thus, feature selection is used to discard redundant features for improving classification. Nonetheless, there is not a single feature selection method which could deal with all datasets. Thus, this paper proposes an automatic hybrid feature selection incorporating both filter and wrapper methods called Extended Mutual Congestion-Discrete Weighted Evolution Strategy (EMC-DWES). First, Extended Mutual Con-gestion (EMC) is proposed as a frequency-based filter ranker to discard irrelevant and redundant features using intrinsic statistics of features. Second, Discrete Weighted Evolution Strategy (DWES) is applied on the remaining features selected by EMC to perform the final automatic feature selection within a wrapper method. DWES clusters the features and applies mutation both to select the most relevant feature in each cluster at a time and to avoid selecting redundant features simultaneously through assigning greater weights to most informative clusters. The performance of EMC-DWES (in maximizing classification accuracy and minimizing the selected subset length) is investigated using benchmark high dimensional medical datasets including Covid-19. Likewise, the superiority of EMC-DWES in comparison with state-of-the-art is also evaluated in all datasets. The implementation of EMC-DWES is available on https://github.com/KhaosResearch/EMC-DWES.(c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Introduction: The objective of the present work is to investigate the prospective associations between physical fitness components (cardiorespiratory fitness, motor fitness, and muscular strength) and two domains of executive function (working memory and inhibitory control) in adolescents. Methods: A total of 422 Spanish adolescents (13.35 ± 1.54 years, at baseline) from the UP&DOWN study with assessments at baseline and at 2-year follow-up were included in the analysis. Physical fitness was assessed using the ALPHA Fitness Test Battery. Working memory was measured by the n-back task and inhibitory control by the go/no-go task. Relationships of physical fitness components with working memory and inhibitory control were examined using linear regression models, adjusted for confounders. Results: Higher baseline levels of the three physical fitness components (cardiorespiratory fitness, motor fitness, and muscular strength) individually predicted better performance on the working memory (βranged, from .159 to .207; all p < .012) and inhibitory control (βranged, from 0.168 to 0.263; all p < .004) tasks at the 2-year follow-up. Muscular strength was the only component associated with inhibitory control independent of the other 2 physical fitness components (β = 0.266; p = .005). Conclusions: All components of adolescents’ physical fitness at baseline were individually associated with better working memory and inhibitory control at 2-year follow-up. Specifically, our results revealed that muscular strength was the component showing the strongest association with executive function, and even the only fitness component associated with inhibitory control independent of the other fitness components. These findings may have important public health and educational implication, since promoting exercise programs that improve physical fitness, and particularly, muscular strength, may positively influence cognitive health., Spanish Government DEP 2010-21662-C04-00 CAS19/00265 RYC2019-027287-I, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia APP 1176885 Spanish Government IJC2018-038008-I

International audience; Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) remarkably attracted global media attention, but the spotlight has been concentrated on a handful of English-language providers. While Coursera, edX, Udacity, and FutureLearn received most of the attention and scrutiny, an entirely new ecosystem of local MOOC providers was growing in parallel. This ecosystem is harder to study than the major players: they are spread around the world, have less staff devoted to maintaining research data, and operate in multiple languages with university and corporate regional partners. To better understand how online learning opportunities are expanding through this regional MOOC ecosystem, we created a research partnership among 15 different MOOC providers from nine countries. We gathered data from over eight million learners in six thousand MOOCs, and we conducted a large-scale survey with more than 10 thousand participants. From our analysis, we argue that these regional providers may be better positioned to meet the goals of expanding Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) remarkably attracted global media attention, but the spotlight has been concentrated on a handful of English-language providers. While Coursera, edX, Udacity, and FutureLearn received most of the attention and scrutiny, an entirely new ecosystem of local MOOC providers was growing in parallel. This ecosystem is harder to study than the major players: they are spread around the world, have less staff devoted to maintaining research data, and operate in multiple languages with university and corporate regional partners. To better understand how online learning opportunities are expanding through this regional MOOC ecosystem, we created a research partnership among 15 different MOOC providers from nine countries. We gathered data from over eight million learners in six thousand MOOCs, and we conducted a large-scale survey with more than 10 thousand participants. From our analysis, we argue that these regional providers may be better positioned to meet the goals of expanding

This paper analyses both the attributes of carsharing transport modes (station-based and free-floating) and their relationship with other transport modes. Users' and stakeholders’ perspectives are synthesized from in-depth interviews in Spain. The elicitation of the comparative advantages of the two carsharing modes with respect to public transport and private vehicles helps identifying factors such as availability of parking, road pricing and convenience that drive the complementary and substitution property of carsharing with other transport modes. Interviews show the limited complementarity of carsharing with public transport, as well as the limited substitutability with private vehicles. Potential policy instruments to make carsharing coexist with public transport are discussed. The authors acknowledge support from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovations programme under grant agreement N?727524, Project: ?Enabling the Energy Union through understanding the drivers of individual and collective energy choices, in Europe?. This research is also supported by the Spanish State Research Agency through Mar?a de Maeztu Excellence Unit accreditation 2018?2022 (Ref. MDM-2017-0714); and by the Basque Government through the BERC 2018?2021 program. Alberto Ansuategi gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (grant RTI2018-093352-B-100) and the UPV/EHU (grant GIC18/29). Ibon Galarraga also wishes to acknowledge the financial support from the Government of Spain and the European Regional Development Fund through grant RTI2018-093692-B-I00.

The zebrafish embryo is a highly interesting biological model with applications in different scientific fields, such as biomedicine, pharmacology and toxicology. In this study, we used liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation-linear ion trap quadrupole-Orbitrap-mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS) to identify the polyphenol compounds in a red wine extract and zebrafish embryos. Phenolic compounds and anthocyanin metabolites were determined in zebrafish embryos previously exposed to the red wine extract. Compounds were identified by injection in a high-resolution system (LTQ-Orbitrap) using accurate mass measurements in MS, MS(2) and MS(3) modes. To our knowledge, this research constitutes the first comprehensive identification of phenolic compounds in zebrafish by HPLC coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry.

A real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay was developed to detect and quantify Ochroconis lascauxensis in the Lascaux Cave in France. This fungus is the principal causal agent of the black stains threatening the Paleolithic paintings of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The black stains outbreak could not be stopped in spite of using intensive biocide treatments. A sensitive and time-saving protocol is needed for determining the extent of the colonization. Sets of primers that target the ITS and RPB2 regions were designed and evaluated for specificity against O. lascauxensis. Genomic DNA extracted from five species of Ochroconis and 13 other fungal species frequently isolated from caves were used to test the specificity of each primer set. The specific and sensitive real-time PCR assay using the primers 347F/493R targeting a 147-bp fragment from the RPB2 gene was useful for quantifying the presence of O. lascauxensis in the stains on the walls, sediments and air of the cavity. The results confirmed the association of this fungus with the black stains and its wide dissemination in all cave compartments. The suitability of this method for monitoring fungal outbreaks in cave environments is discussed., This work was supported by the Ministry of Culture and Communication, France, project “Ecologie microbienne de la grotte de Lascaux” and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, “Research Programme in Technologies for the Assessment and Conservation of Cultural Heritage”, TCP CSD2007-00058.

International audience; Specific sites and sequences in collagen to which cells can attach, either directly or through protein intermediaries, were identified using Toolkits of 63-amino acid triple-helical peptides and specific shorter GXX'GEX″ motifs, which have different intrinsic affinity for integrins that mediate cell adhesion and migration. We have previously reported that collagen type I (COL-I) was able to prime in vitro the respiratory burst and induce a specific set of immune- and extracellular matrix-related molecules in phagocytes of the teleost fish gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.). It was also suggested that COL-I would provide an intermediate signal during the early inflammatory response in gilthead seabream. Since fibroblasts are highly involved in the initiation of wound repair and regeneration processes, in the present study SAF-1 cells (gilthead seabream fibroblasts) were used to identify the binding motifs in collagen by end-point and real-time cell adhesion assays using the collagen peptides and Toolkits. We identified the collagen motifs involved in the early magnesium-dependent adhesion of these cells. Furthermore, we found that peptides containing the GFOGER and GLOGEN motifs (where O is hydroxyproline) present high affinity for SAF-1 adhesion, expressed as both cell number and surface covering, while in cell suspensions, these motifs were also able to induce the expression of the genes encoding the proinflammatory molecules interleukin-1β and cyclooxygenase-2. These data suggest that specific collagen motifs are involved in the regulation of the inflammatory and healing responses of teleost fish.