Dynamic stochastic joint expansion planning of power systems, natural gas networks, and electrical and natural gas storage

Over the last decades, electricity generation from natural gas has substantially increased, mostly driven by low natural gas prices due to fracturing and lower extraction costs. The geographic distance between natural gas resources and load centers calls for a holistic tool for joint expansion of power systems and natural gas networks. In this paper, a Dynamic Stochastic Joint Expansion Planning (DSJEP) of power systems and natural gas networks is proposed to minimize the investment and operational costs of power and natural gas systems. Electrical and natural gas storage (ENGS) are considered as an option for decision-makers in the DSJEP problem. The proposed approach takes into account long-term uncertainties in natural gas prices and electric and natural gas demands through scenario realizations. In dynamic planning, more scenario needs more time for computation; therefore, scenario reduction is implemented to eschew unnecessary scenarios. The proposed formulation is implemented on a four-bus electricity system with a five-node natural gas network. To demonstrate the efficiency and scalability of the proposed approach, it is also tested on the IEEE 118-bus system with a 14-node natural gas network. The numerical results demonstrate that ENGS can reduce the total investment cost, up to 52% in the test cases, and operational cost, up to 3%. In this paper, co-planning of power and natural gas systems considering natural gas and electrical storage is represented. Also, electrical and natural gas load growth uncertainties are taken into account to model the real situations. The purpose of the model is to minimize investing and operational costs

Cancer risk among patients with multiple sclerosis: A cohort study in Isfahan, Iran

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS), a central nervous system (CNS) autoimmune disorder, affects 2.3 million people around the world. Cancer kills around 7.5 million people annually. Both diseases have similar risks and intertwining molecular causes. Most studies focusing on MS and cancer have found an insignificant difference or reduction in the amount of cancer found in the MS community. Methods: We performed a cohort study using data from Isfahan Multiple Sclerosis Society (IMSS) and Isfahan cancer society and followed-up for 8 years on average (2006-2014). All of the 1718 MS patients were diagnosed according to McDonald's criteria, then standardized incidence ratio and the numbers of expected cancer case were calculated. Results: While patients had an insignificant change in cancer prevalence, men had fewer cancer cases and women showed an increased prevalence of cancer. Certain types of cancer proved statistically significant. Breast cancer, nervous system cancers, and lymphoma were elevated in the cohort. Conclusion: Our results support the hypothesis that MS significantly affects certain cancers in a protective or associative manner. All cancer rates, except breast cancer, cancers located in the nervous system, and lymphomas were reduced in cohort, suggesting that unregulated immune function may provide protective effects to MS patients against cancer

Expression of OX40 Gene and its Serum Levels in Neuromyelitis Optica Patients

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO), also known as Devic's disease, is an autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) in which immune system cells and antibodies primarily attack the optic nerves and the spinal cord. OX40 (CD134) is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-receptor family member expressed primarily on activated CD4 + and CD8 + T-cells. In an autoimmune disease, OX40 is typically up-regulated at sites of inflammation, and increases in the number of peripheral CD4 + T-cells expressing OX40. OX40 and its ligand OX40L are key TNF members that augment T-cell expansion, cytokine production, and promote T-cell survival. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare of OX40 gene expression and its serum levels in patients with NMO and healthy controls. Twenty sex-/age-matched healthy controls (HC) (median age = 32 years, 15 females/5 males) were engaged for the present study. Expression of OX40 at the transcript level and serum protein levels were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, respectively. The results indicated OX40 expression in patients was significantly lower than in healthy controls (p = 0.001). However, the serum level of OX40 was not significantly different between groups (p = 0.37). In addition, the results indicated that CD134 expression was not age-related (p = 0.041). Overall, this study suggests to us that OX40 levels are not a suitable marker for diagnosis or treatment of NMO. © 2019 Parya Alidadiani et al., published by De Gruyter

OX40 Gene Expression and its Serum Levels in New Cases of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of human central nervous system (CNS). OX40 (CD134) is a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family. Ligation of OX40 is crucial for clonal expansion of antigen-specific T-cells as well as survival and generation of T-cell memory. Soluble OX40 is the soluble form of OX40 and it has been demonstrated that it is correlated with some autoimmune disorders. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate serum levels and gene expression of OX40 as a paraclinical marker in MS patients compared to the healthy control group. METHODS: In this research, 40 new cases of MS patients and 40 healthy people as control group were investigated. After extracting RNA from peripheral blood and cDNA synthesis, we examined gene expression using real-time PCR technique, and serum level of soluble OX40 was measured by commercially available ELISA kit. Additionally, Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the gene expression and serum levels between two groups. RESULTS: We did not find any significant correlation between OX40 gene expression and MS disease (p=0.715). Soluble OX40 serum levels of MS patients were not significantly different from the control group (P=0.409). CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of the current study, expression of OX40 gene as an inflammatory factor in peripheral blood and also serum levels of OX40 could not be considered paraclinical markers of this disease. © 2018 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved

OX40 Gene Expression and its Serum Levels in New Cases of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of human central nervous system (CNS). OX40 (CD134) is a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family. Ligation of OX40 is crucial for clonal expansion of antigen-specific T-cells as well as survival and generation of T-cell memory. Soluble OX40 is the soluble form of OX40 and it has been demonstrated that it is correlated with some autoimmune disorders. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate serum levels and gene expression of OX40 as a paraclinical marker in MS patients compared to the healthy control group. METHODS: In this research, 40 new cases of MS patients and 40 healthy people as control group were investigated. After extracting RNA from peripheral blood and cDNA synthesis, we examined gene expression using real-time PCR technique, and serum level of soluble OX40 was measured by commercially available ELISA kit. Additionally, Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the gene expression and serum levels between two groups. RESULTS: We did not find any significant correlation between OX40 gene expression and MS disease (p=0.715). Soluble OX40 serum levels of MS patients were not significantly different from the control group (P=0.409). CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of the current study, expression of OX40 gene as an inflammatory factor in peripheral blood and also serum levels of OX40 could not be considered paraclinical markers of this disease. © 2018 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved