Technical and economical analysis of isolated microgrids

Con el fin de lograr que las microrredes puedan alcanzar más integración hoy en día, con un modo de funcionamiento seguro y estable, varios problemas técnicos y económicos necesitan ser resueltos. Algunos de estos problemas son la naturaleza intermitente de las unidades de generación, que dependen del clima y no son despachables, y la falta de más standares que regulen la operación de microrredes en modo autónomo. El principal objetivo de esta tesis es llevar a cabo algunos de estos análisis, técnicos y económicos, en microrredes. Así, algunos aspectos fundamentales que se tratan son el análisis del factor de capacidad en microrredes con regulación tipo droop y alimentadas por generación eólica, y la optimización de la producción de energía por un lado, y del coste por otro. Esto se aplica al estudio de estabilidad por medio de análisis de estabilidad de pequeña señal. Para investigar la idoneidad de la ubicación de microrredes alimentadas por generación eólica, se emplea el análisis del factor de capacidad en distintos escenarios. Más aún, el objetivo de buscar la mejor ubicación unido a la viabilidad económica, se emplean en la optimización de la energía producida y del coste. Finalmente, los objetivos de la optimización de la energía producida y de la viabilidad económica, son extendidos para la definición de restricciones adicionales en la microrred, de manera que se asegure un flujo de cargas estable. Para el estudio de la fiabilidad de la microrred se utilizan técnicas eficientes de muestreo para definir la función de distribución del viento, así como una técnica de correlación de variables entre distintas turbinas eólicas. Se estudian distintos escenarios desde el punto de vista económico, para seleccionar los que aseguran la mayor energía producida al menor coste. Por último, se determinan las variables que más afectan a la estabilidad de la microrred

Effect of Deep Tissue Massage on Alleviating Pain Among Breast & Lung Cancer Patients at a Selected University Hospital-Egypt

Background: Cancer increased worldwide. Pain is the most significant problem related for such patients; it affects all aspects of life. Aim of the current study was to examine the effect of deep tissue massage on alleviating pain among breast & lung cancer patients at a selected university hospital, Egypt. Design: A quazi-experimental design was utilized, the study conducted at the Nuclear Medicine Unit at Kasr Al-Aini Educational Hospital, affiliated to Cairo-University. Research questions: 1-Is massage significantly decreased the mean pain intensity scores among study group when compared to control group among patients with breast and lung cancer? 2-Is massage significantly decreased the mean pain quality scores among study group when compared to control group among patients with breast and lung cancer? 3-Is massage significantly decreased the mean sleeping difficulty scores among study group when compared to control group among patients with breast and lung cancer? 4-Is massage significantly decreased the mean symptom burden scores among study group when compared to control group among patients with breast and lung cancer? Sample: A convenient sample of 60 adult male and female patients with breast and lung cancer over 6 consecutive months were randomly assigned into two equal groups, 30 patients each, the control group received only the routine hospital pain management and the study group received deep tissue massage in addition to the hospital routine pain management. Tools: Five tools were utilized to gather data as follow: 1) Demographic data sheet, numeric pain rating scale, pain quality assessment scale, the memorial symptom assessment scale and the difficulty sleeping scale. The study group received 3 sessions of massage per week for about 15 minutes each. All patients were followed up for 6 weeks. Results: The study results concluded that there was no statistical significant difference between study and control groups in relation to demographic variables, intensity and quality of pain, sleeping difficulties and symptom burden in the 1st reading as both groups were homogeneous, while by the end of the 6th week, there was a statistical significant difference between the study & control groups regarding intensity, quality of pain, sleeping difficulties and symptom burden. Conclusion: The study concluded that deep tissue massage is an effective method to decrease pain intensity; improve quality of pain; symptom burden as well as sleeping difficulties. Key words: Lung/breast cancer, massage, Knuckle technique, pain & sleeping difficulty. 

Symptoms-Related Distress among Patients Receiving Adjuvant Therapy: Radical Mastectomy versus Lumpectomy

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Although adjuvant therapy after breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy reduces the risk of breast cancer coming back but it induces many of physiological and psychological effects. The aim of the current study was to compare the Symptoms-related distress among patients receiving adjuvant therapy: Radical Mastectomy versus Lumpectomy at a University Hospital. Research Questions: Q1: What are the symptoms related distresses among radical mastectomy and lumpectomy patients receiving adjuvant therapy? Q2: Is there a difference in symptoms related distress between radical mastectomy and lumpectomy patients receiving adjuvant therapy? Design: A comparative descriptive -non-experimental design was utilized to achieve the aim of the current study. Tools: I) Socio-demographic and medical data sheet: It included data related to the studied subjects such as age, gender, marital status, types of received chemotherapy,…..etc. Tool II: Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL); it is useful in measuring the symptoms reported by cancer patients. It aims to enhance the insight into the consequences of the disease and its treatment. Setting: The study was conducted at the Nuclear Medicine Unit at Kasr Al-Aini Educational Hospital; affiliated to Cairo-University-Egypt. Subjects: A convenient sample of 60 adult female patients divided into two equal groups, patients with radical mastectomy (n=30) and patients with lumpectomy (n=30) both groups received chemotherapy after surgery. Results: 80% of mastectomy and lumpectomy cases overall their age was between 40 and less than 60 years old. 33.3% of the study sample can read and write. The study pointed out that 48.3% of the sample had breast cancer between 2 and less than 6 months. While 50% of them between 6 to less than 12 months with Mean+SD= 5.65+2.There was a perfect correlation between total score of RSCL and physical total score =0.826, 0.829 & 0.828 for patients overall cases, mastectomy cases only & lumpectomy cases only respectively. Also there was a strong correlation between the RSCL total score and psychological total score=0.705, 0.747 & 0.668 for the patients overall cases, mastectomy cases only & lumpectomy cases only respectively. Conclusion: The lumpectomy cases scored generally their physical, psychological & activity level impairment status much better than the mastectomy cases. Also lumpectomy cases their general QOl was better than the mastectomy cases. Recommendation of the study: 1-More close physical, psychological support must endorse in nursing care for patients with mastectomy. 2-QOL advanced tool is recommended on survey scale to evaluate patients' condition with mastectomy & lumpectomy. 3-All patients with breast cancer must join a rehabilitation program before & after proceed in either mastectomy or lumpectomy surgical management. Keywords: Adjuvant therapy, Mastectomy, lumpectomy, symptoms related distress

Profiling of nosocomial infection in hepatic patients

Background: Nosocomial infection (NCI) is a problem with global concern due to increasing morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. Chronic liver disease increases the chance of NCI by suppressing cell and antibody mediated immunity. Aim: We aimed in this study to visualize the problem of NCI in hepatic patients regarding organisms causing it, pattern of resistance and possible device associated with its existence. Methods: End stage chronic hepatitis C patients who admitted to the National Liver Institute Hospital, Menoufia University, were enrolled in this observational study. Different samples from alleged sites further processed by conventional culture and sensitivity techniques and confirmed by VITEK2C2 system. Antibiotic resistance pattern of isolates was assessed.  Pan drug resistance  (PDR) Acinetobacter baumannii to Omp A, bap, and Csu E virulence genes was further processed by Multiplex PCR.  Results: Gram- negative pathogens were significantly higher in CAUTI. The most predominant nosocomial organism was Pseudomonas aeruginosa which represent 19% (32 from 168), followed by Staph aureus that account for 17.86% (30 from 168), Acinetobacter baumannii signify 14.2%, Klebsiella pneumonia form 11.9%. MDR represents 123 isolates from 168 with 73.2% percentage, while XDR represents 23.8% of total isolates.  Pan drug resistance Acinetobacter baumannii represents 5 from 24 isolates. It was associated with CAUTI and CLBSI but non-significant. 4 PDR isolates show Prescence of Omp A, Csu E, and bap biofilm forming genes. Conclusions: MDR NCI in hepatic patients need more attention regarding rational use of antibiotics especially with appearance of PDR Acinetobacter baumannii carrying Omp A, Csu E, and bap biofilm forming genes

EFFECT OF NATURAL ANTIOXIDANT OF CAKE QUALITY DURING STORAGE

In this study, both the methanol extraction of sage leaves and clove buds were added as natural antioxidant at concentraction 100, 200 and 300 ppm from butter weight using in cake production. The cake produced was storage at room tempera-ture for 8 weeks. Butter stability was measured by Rancimat apparatus. Also, perox-ide value, acid value and thiobarbituric acid value were measured. Sensory evalua-tion was measured directly after baking (before storage) and at the end of storage pe-riod. Rancimat results showed that increasing natural antioxidant concentration led to longer butter stability and retarded rancidity than control. At the same time sage leaves extraction was much effectiveness for period long butter stability compared to clove buds extraction. Also the results revealed that the more concentration of natural antioxidants increased the peroxide value, acid value and thiobarbituric aicd value decreased compared to control. Sensory evaluation in zero time indicated im-provement in taste, flavor, texture and tenderness while color values were decreased with increasing sage and clove extraction compared to control. After 8 weeks of storage sensory evaluation scores were generally decreased

Captan utilization by a soil bacterium Planomicrobium flavidum strain EF

The fungicide captan, which is commonly used to control fungal diseases in many plants, causes soil infertility and cancer to human beings. Hence, this fungicide was tested for utilization as a sole carbon source by a newly soil isolate, Planomicrobium flavidum strain EF. This bacterium resists captan up to 2000 ppm and showed higher growth patterns in minimum salt medium supplemented with captan only, if compared with minimum salt medium without captan. Moreover, almost 77.5% of captan has been utilized by Planomicrobiu flavidum after only 2 h of growth under shaking conditions and only 0.8% of the fungicide was remained after 24 h of bacterial growth. Captan residues in both soil samples and minimal salt medium were accurately estimated using GC-ECD (gas chromatography - electron detector) and GC-MS/MS (gas chromatography - mass spectrum) technologies. According to current results, Planomicrobium flavidum strain EF is highly recommended for captan and may be other fungicides bioremediation

Preparation and Biological Evaluation of 99mtc-Sarafloxacin and 99mtc- Danofloxacin Complexes as a Model for Infection Imaging

Infection and inflammation remain a major cause of mortality and morbidity globally. This promotes research into better and more accurate diagnostic and therapeutic methods. This investigation focused on the labeling of sarafloxacin and danofloxacin for infection imaging. The radiolabeled antibiotic 99mTc-sarafloxacin and 99mTc-danofloxacin were assessed as an infection imaging agent in a mouse model. 99mTc-sarafloxacin and 99mTc-danofloxacin were obtained at pH 11 with a radiochemical yield of 96, 90%, respectively by adding 99mTc to 1 mg sarafloxacin or danofloxacin in the presence of 50 μg SnCl2.2H2O. Biodistribution studies in mice were carried out in experimentally induced infection in the left thigh using Staphylococcus aureus. Both thighs of the mice were dissected and counted, and the ratio of bacterial infected thigh/contralateral thigh was then evaluated. 99mTc-sarafloxacin and 99mTc-danofloxacin showed high uptake (T/NT=3.8±0.1 and 4.9±0.1, respectively) in the infectious lesion and abscess to normal muscle ratio indicating that 99mTcsarafloxacin and 99mTc-danofloxacin could be used for infection imaging

Preparation and Biological Evaluation of 99mtc-Sarafloxacin and 99mtc- Danofloxacin Complexes as a Model for Infection Imaging

Infection and inflammation remain a major cause of mortality and morbidity globally. This promotes research into better and more accurate diagnostic and therapeutic methods. This investigation focused on the labeling of sarafloxacin and danofloxacin for infection imaging. The radiolabeled antibiotic 99mTc-sarafloxacin and 99mTc-danofloxacinwere assessed as an infection imaging agent in a mouse model. 99mTc-sarafloxacin and 99mTc-danofloxacin were obtained at pH 11 with a radiochemical yield of 96, 90%, respectively by adding 99mTc to 1 mg sarafloxacin or danofloxacin in the presence of 50 μg SnCl2.2H2O. Biodistribution studies in mice were carried out in experimentally induced infection in the left thigh using Staphylococcus aureus. Both thighs of the mice were dissected and counted and the ratio of bacterial infected thigh/contralateral thigh was then evaluated. 99mTc-sarafloxacin and 99mTc-danofloxacin showed high uptake (T/NT=3.8±0.1 and 4.9±0.1, respectively) in the infectious lesion and abscess to normal muscle ratio indicating that 99mTcsarafloxacin and 99mTc-danofloxacin could be used for infection imaging.Key words: sarafloxacin/ danofloxacin/ Technetium-99m/ Infection/ inflammation/ Diagnosi

Food Technology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt

Day by day increase the importance of using the natural food additives. Hence in this study, the phenolic extracted from basil leaves, spearmint leaves and fennel seeds, as natural antioxidants, were added at concentrations 200, 400 and 600 ppm from fat weight using in biscuit production. Biscuit was stored at room temperature for 8 months. Induction period was measured by Rancimat apparatus. Total phenolic and phenolic acids were determined. Peroxide value, acid value, thiobarbituric acid and refractive index were measured during storage. Antimicrobial activity of phenolic extraction were examined after 8 months. Sensory evaluation was measured directly after baking. The results showed that total phenolic content in basil leaves, spearmint leaves and fen-nel seeds were 3.97, 1.91 and 1.53 mg/g as caffeic acid equivalents respectively. Five phenolic acids were found in both basil leaves and spearmint leaves, while four phenolic acids were found in fennel seeds as determined by using HPLC. Rancimat results showed that induction period for phenolic herbs could be ranked as follow: basil leaves > spearmint leaves > fennel seeds. The re-sults elucidated that the best concentration from natural additives as antioxidants activity were 400 and 600 ppm compared with BHT. The results revealed that with increasing the concentration of natural antioxidants increased, the more peroxide value, acid value, thiobarbituric acid and refractive index were decreased. Total bacterial count and (yeast & mold) count were decreased with increas-ing the concentration phenolic additives. Sensory evaluation indicated that addition of different anti-oxidants showed no significant differences be-tween control and biscuit sample

Influence of Nanosilver Synthesis Conditions on its Architecture

Silver nitrate reduction in presence of Ethylene glycol (EG) and Polyethylene glycol (PEG) represents one from the simplest techniques for silver nano-powder fabrication. Where EG act as reducing agent and PEG act as stabilizing agent. The impact of presence either the reducing agent or the stabilizing agent at the reaction media on the properties of synthesized silver were recorded. Regarding to the chain length of PEG was discovered to play the key role in the formation of nano-silver. Accordingly, the variation in the stabilizing agent (PEG) molecular weight on the morphological structures of produced silver was recorded. The formation of nano-silver was confirmed using UV–Vis spectroscopy. The UV–visible scanning results for the aqueous reaction medium containing silver ion has been demonstrated characteristics peak at 420nm that corresponding to the plasmon absorbance of silver nanoparticle. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was utilized to determine the crystalline structure of the prepared silver nano-powders. The crystalline structure of prepared nano-silver was produced in hexagonal, cubic crystal and face centered cubic configurations with different plane of orientation. Scanning electron micrographs of synthesized silver indicated that nano-silver were prepared in morphological structures as nanoparticle