Proposed shunt rounding technique for large-scale security constrained loss minimization

The official published version can be obtained from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 IEEE.Optimal reactive power flow applications often model large numbers of discrete shunt devices as continuous variables, which are rounded to their nearest discrete value at the final iteration. This can degrade optimality. This paper presents novel methods based on probabilistic and adaptive threshold approaches that can extend existing security constrained optimal reactive power flow methods to effectively solve large-scale network problems involving discrete shunt devices. Loss reduction solutions from the proposed techniques were compared to solutions from the mixed integer nonlinear mathematical programming algorithm (MINLP) using modified IEEE standard networks up to 118 buses. The proposed techniques were also applied to practical large-scale network models of Great Britain. The results show that the proposed techniques can achieve improved loss minimization solutions when compared to the standard rounding method.This work was supported in part by the National Grid and in part by the EPSRC. Paper no. TPWRS-00653-2009

A microfluidic chip based model for the study of full thickness human intestinal tissue using dual flow

© 2016 Author(s). The study of inflammatory bowel disease, including Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease, has relied largely upon the use of animal or cell culture models; neither of which can represent all aspects of the human pathophysiology. Presented herein is a dual flow microfluidic device which holds full thickness human intestinal tissue in a known orientation. The luminal and serosal sides are independently perfused ex vivo with nutrients with simultaneous waste removal for up to 72 h. The microfluidic device maintains the viability and integrity of the tissue as demonstrated through Haematoxylin & Eosin staining, immunohistochemistry and release of lactate dehydrogenase. In addition, the inflammatory state remains in the tissue after perfusion on the device as determined by measuring calprotectin levels. It is anticipated that this human model will be extremely useful for studying the biology and tes ting novel interventions in diseased tissue

Studies in the Treatment of Malaria: XXIII. Oral Administration of Quinine Sulphate Grains 30 on Each of Two Consecutive Days Weekly, Over a Period of Five Weeks, in Malignant Tertian Malaria

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Studies in the Treatment of Malaria: XIII.—Oral Administration of Quinine Sulphate Grains 90 on Two Consecutive Days Only, in Simple Tertian Malaria[Second Series]

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Was Adam Smith an individualist?

Smith is generally regarded as an individualist without qualification. This article argues that his predominantly individualist policy prescription is rooted in a more complex philosophy. He sees nature, including human nature, as a vast machine supervised by God and designed to maximize human happiness. Human weaknesses, as well as strengths, display the wisdom of God and play their part in this scheme. While Smith pays lip-service to justice, it is really social order that preoccupies him, and, within that, the defence of property. Individuals are valued as bearers of property. As persons, individuals are deceived by nature into acting in a socially beneficial way. In different ways Smith systematically denies the autonomy of the individual with respect to the whole of which he or she is part. For Smith, individual liberty is not the end, but the means, of sustaining social order and property

Lignes directrices pour de meilleures pratiques en matière de suivi de la santé et de contrôle des maladies des populations de grands singes

Ces lignes directrices ont pour objectif de fournir aux gouvernements, aux décideurs politiques, aux acteurs de la conservation, aux chercheurs, aux professionnels du tourisme de vision des grands singes et aux bailleurs de fonds des recommandations en terme de meilleures pratiques pour le suivi sanitaire des grands singes et la prévention des maladies. Ces recommandations reprennent et mettent à jour, le cas échéant, les normes antérieures de protection sanitaire recommandées par Homsy (1999). Tout en reconnaissant que le risque zéro de maladie n’existe pas et que les mesures de prévention ou de contrôle de la propagation des maladies n’élimineront jamais le risque, ces recommandations visent principalement à minimiser, plutôt qu’à tenter d’éliminer la menace de transmission de maladies des hommes aux grands singes. L’application des meilleures pratiques présentées ici devrait réduire substantiellement les risques que les activités humaines peuvent poser à la santé des grands singes, et ce faisant, envoyer un signal clair d’engagement vis-à-vis de la conservation des grands singes

Best Practice Guidelines for Health Monitoring and Disease Control in Great Ape Populations

First paragraph: Due to their phylogenetic relatedness, great apes and humans share susceptibility to many infectious diseases, and the potential for new diseases to be transmitted to wild great apes is of particular concern (Calvignac-Spencer et al. 2012). As great ape tourism becomes more popular, great ape research more imperative, and landscape conversion more rampant, the risk that human pathogens will be introduced to immunologically naïve wild populations becomes greater, and this could result in catastrophic losses of great apes. Therefore, it is critical that tourism and research projects involving close proximity1 between great apes and people assess the risks entailed, and establish and implement disease prevention and control measures. Disease prevention should be regarded as a top priority, recognising that it is easier and more economical to prevent the introduction of an infectious agent into a great ape population, than to attempt to treat, control or eradicate a health problem once introduced. Disease prevention programmes should be centred on monitoring health parameters, and modifying human activities accordingly, in order to reduce the risk of disease transmission to great apes. By design, such programmes will also minimise the risk of disease transfer from great apes to humans, and even from humans to other humans. Continual monitoring of the health of great apes forms the basis for establishing what is normal and abnormal and thus improves our understanding of great ape population health, allows us to determine the effectiveness of disease prevention and health management strategies, and provides a basis for conducting responsible and reasonable health interventions when needed.  To access this book go to: https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/4579

Best Practice Guidelines for Health Monitoring and Disease Control in Great Ape Populations

First paragraph: Due to their phylogenetic relatedness, great apes and humans share susceptibility to many infectious diseases, and the potential for new diseases to be transmitted to wild great apes is of particular concern (Calvignac-Spencer et al. 2012). As great ape tourism becomes more popular, great ape research more imperative, and landscape conversion more rampant, the risk that human pathogens will be introduced to immunologically naïve wild populations becomes greater, and this could result in catastrophic losses of great apes. Therefore, it is critical that tourism and research projects involving close proximity1 between great apes and people assess the risks entailed, and establish and implement disease prevention and control measures. Disease prevention should be regarded as a top priority, recognising that it is easier and more economical to prevent the introduction of an infectious agent into a great ape population, than to attempt to treat, control or eradicate a health problem once introduced. Disease prevention programmes should be centred on monitoring health parameters, and modifying human activities accordingly, in order to reduce the risk of disease transmission to great apes. By design, such programmes will also minimise the risk of disease transfer from great apes to humans, and even from humans to other humans. Continual monitoring of the health of great apes forms the basis for establishing what is normal and abnormal and thus improves our understanding of great ape population health, allows us to determine the effectiveness of disease prevention and health management strategies, and provides a basis for conducting responsible and reasonable health interventions when needed.  To access this book go to: https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/4579

Can information affect sensory perceptions? Evidence from a survey on Italian organic food consumers

This paper aims to investigate the influence of information on consumers’ preferences and sensory perceptions of organic food using a sample of 301 Italian organic food consumers. Consumers stated their preferences for “core organic” attributes, labels and information on food products and performed blind and informed tests on strawberry yoghurts and cookies. Data were analysed using descriptive analysis, Mann-Whitney U tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results revealed that consumers appreciate “core organic” attributes, like artisanal production and variability of sensory attributes. Comparing blind and informed tests, results showed that information affects the overall liking of products and consumers’ perception of product-specific sensory attributes. However, the influence of information on sensory perceptions depends on the product category, sensory attributes and the type of information provided