Power optimization for a hydrocarbon industrial plant using a genetic algorithm

In this paper, a genetic algorithm (GA) is considered for optimizing electrical power loss for a real hydrocarbon industrial plant as a single objective problem. The subject plant electrical system consists of 275 buses, two gas turbine generators, two steam turbine generators, large synchronous motors, and other rotational and static loads. The minimization of power losses (J1) objective is used to guide the optimization process, and, consequently, the injected power into the grid (PRInject) is increased. The results obtained demonstrate the potential and effectiveness of the proposed approach to optimize the power consumption. Also, in this paper a cost appraisal for the potential daily, monthly and annual cost saving will be addressed

An Atlas of Praxes and Political Possibilities: Radical Collective Action and Urban Transformations

Cities are now front and centre of many community-led radical urban transition and transformation initiatives. They are breeding grounds for multidimensional societal problems spanning environmental degradation, massive greenhouse gas emissions, dispossession and exclusion. As nests of development and crises, they function as arenas of contestation over neoliberal policies that commodify and privatise space and life which in turn reproduce marginality and injustice. Yet at the same time, cities invite a radical openness to transformation (see Yiftachel 2015). This chapter offers a survey of existing transnational initiatives promoting urban trans- formation. Drawing mostly from the Transformative Cities Atlas of Utopias (henceforth TC Atlas) and Fearless Cities, we present cases of community action across the world and consider different praxes that emerge from local movements. In what follows, we highlight that these growing transnational initiatives and trans-solidarity platforms are deeply rooted in local and national movements, and share a fundamental desire to envisage and create people-centred places. Hence, we regard the ‘urban commons’ and transformative cities as praxes of radical urban transformation. But rather than underlining the prospects of replicability and upscaling, we choose instead to unravel parallels between and draw lessons from these praxes. We anchor our analysis of radical urban transformations and alternatives in a critique of capitalism, patriarchy and growth-centred economy

Partial nephrectomy for T1 renal cancer can achieve an equivalent oncological outcome to radical nephrectomy with better renal preservation: the way to go

INTRODUCTION: Patients who undergo partial nephrectomy have been shown to be at decreased risk of renal impairment compared with radical nephrectomy. We examined the oncological outcome of patients in our centre who underwent partial or radical nephrectomy for T1 renal cancer (7 cm or smaller), and compared the likelihood of developing chronic kidney disease. METHODS: This historical cohort study with internal comparison was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Hong Kong. A cohort of 86 patients with solitary T1 renal cancer and a normal contralateral kidney who underwent radical (38 patients) or partial (48 patients) nephrectomy between January 2005 and December 2010 was included. The overall and cancer-free survival, change in glomerular filtration rate, and new onset of chronic kidney disease were compared between the radical and partial nephrectomy groups. RESULTS: A total of 32 (84%) radical nephrectomy patients and 43 (90%) partial nephrectomy patients were alive by 31 December 2012. The mean follow-up was 43.5 (standard deviation, 22.4) months. There was no significant difference in overall survival (P=0.29) or cancer-free survival (P=0.29) between the two groups. Both groups enjoyed good oncological outcome with no recurrence in the partial nephrectomy group. Overall, 18 (21%) patients had pre-existing chronic kidney disease. The partial nephrectomy group had a significantly smaller median reduction in glomerular filtration rate (12.6% vs 35.4%; P<0.001), and radical nephrectomy carried a significantly higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease (hazard ratio=5.44; 95% confidence interval, 1.26-23.55; P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with radical nephrectomy, partial nephrectomy can prevent chronic kidney disease and still achieve an excellent oncological outcome for T1 renal tumours, in particular T1a tumours and tumours with a low R.E.N.A.L. score.published_or_final_versio

The Chinese version of the pelvic pain and urgency / frequency symptom scale: a useful assessment tool for street-ketamine abusers with lower urinary tract symptoms

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of a translated Chinese version of the pelvic pain and urgency/frequency symptom scale as an assessment and prognostic tool to evaluate the severity of street-ketamine-associated lower urinary tract symptoms and their reversibility after abstinence. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: A special designated out-patient clinic in a regional hospital in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS: There were 50 patients with street-ketamine-associated lower urinary tract symptoms and 20 healthy individuals. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Reliability and validity of the questionnaire; frequency of individual lower urinary tract symptoms, cystoscopic, urodynamic and radiological abnormalities, and their correlation with pelvic pain and the urgency/frequency score. RESULTS: The test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.755 (P<0.001). Cronbach's alpha was 0.974. Mann-Whitney U test proved the discriminatory ability of the questionnaire (P<0.001). Patients with specific lower urinary tract symptoms had a higher mean pelvic pain and urgency/frequency total score compared to those without them: frequency (23.8 vs 17.3), nocturia (22.4 vs 14.0), urgency (22.5 vs 15.1), dysuria (22.7 vs 13.3), and haematuria (24.8 vs 16.2). The number of daytime voids and nocturia episodes correlated well with pelvic pain and urgency/frequency scores. With an increasing score, the likelihood of having cystitis changes, urodynamic abnormalities and hydronephrosis increased, while the cystometrically determined bladder capacity decreased. None of the patients with a score of 16 or below had urodynamic abnormality or hydronephrosis. The mean score change in the abstinence group was -4.33, versus +3.33 in their counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: The Chinese version of the pelvic pain and urgency/frequency questionnaire is reliable and valid for assessment in patients with street-ketamine-associated lower urinary tract symptoms. The pelvic pain and urgency/frequency score correlates well with symptom severity as well as endoscopic, urodynamic and radiological abnormalities in patients with street-ketamine-associated lower urinary tract symptoms. A cut-off total pelvic pain and urgency/frequency score of 17 may suggest more serious urological sequelae from ketamine abuse. Abstinence from ketamine reduced lower urinary tract symptoms, but the extent of reversibility of urinary tract damage is yet to be evaluated.published_or_final_versio

Local Moment Instability of Os in Honeycomb Li2.15Os0.85O3.

Compounds with honeycomb structures occupied by strong spin orbit coupled (SOC) moments are considered to be candidate Kitaev quantum spin liquids. Here we present the first example of Os on a honeycomb structure, Li2.15(3)Os0.85(3)O3 (C2/c, a = 5.09 Å, b = 8.81 Å, c = 9.83 Å, β = 99.3°). Neutron diffraction shows large site disorder in the honeycomb layer and X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicates a valence state of Os (4.7 ± 0.2), consistent with the nominal concentration. We observe a transport band gap of Δ = 243 ± 23 meV, a large van Vleck susceptibility, and an effective moment of 0.85 μB, much lower than expected from 70% Os(+5). No evidence of long range order is found above 0.10 K but a spin glass-like peak in ac-susceptibility is observed at 0.5 K. The specific heat displays an impurity spin contribution in addition to a power law ∝T(0.63±0.06). Applied density functional theory (DFT) leads to a reduced moment, suggesting incipient itineracy of the valence electrons, and finding evidence that Li over stoichiometry leads to Os(4+)-Os(5+) mixed valence. This local picture is discussed in light of the site disorder and a possible underlying quantum spin liquid state

Evaluation of different feeding frequencies on growth performance and feed utilization of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822). Fingerlings

The experiment was conducted to assess the growth performance and feed utilization of Clarias gariepinus under the feeding frequencies of T1 (twice/day), T2 (thrice/day), and T3 (four times/day) at 3% BWD per day over a period of 56 days. A total of 180 fingerlings with average weight of 2.39±0.19g and average length of 5.02±1.04cm were stocked at 15 fish per plastic container of 35 litres capacity. The highest weight gain recorded at the end of the experiment was 7.39±0.19g in (T3) and the lowest was 5.35±0.31g in (T1). The highest specific growth rate (SGR%) value of 1.19±0.02 was recorded in (T3) and the lowest 1.01±0.03 was recorded in (T1). T3 recorded the highest FCR value of 1.88±1.37, while the lowest value of 8.34±2.12 was obtained in (T1). Therefore, Treatment 3 yielded the best performance in terms of WG, SGR, and FCR and can be recommended for enhanced growth performance and optimum feed utilization.Keywords; Fingerlings, feeding, frequency, growth, performance, utilization

Immunological selection for Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis antigens.

Comparative ELISA and selective immunoblotting procedures were used in attempts to identify differential serological indicators of infection with the Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis complex, infection with the L. braziliensis species, and therapeutic cure of localized or mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL or MCL). Although mean ELISA absorbance values were significantly higher for MCL sera than for LCL sera, absorbance could not be used as a reliable indicator of the clinical form of disease. Immunoblotting profiles were similar with sera from MCL and LCL. Pre-adsorption with heterologous trypanosomatid antigens indicated that recognition of antigens of about 56, 60, 66, 72, 88 and 110 kDa might be specific to the subgenus Viannia. In two-colour, sequential, dual ELISA-based immunoblotting, no antigens recognized only by sera from MCL patients were detected. After glucantime therapy, immunoblotting profiles with LCL sera were reduced both in intensity and in the range of antigens detected; a 104-kDa antigen was newly detected with post-treatment LCL sera. Overall, the results show the value of differential immunological detection strategies and support the close relationship between species of the subgenus Viannia but fail to indicate a prognostic antigen for MCL

Solving multi-scale low frequency electromagnetic problems

In this paper, we will discuss two methods to tackle the low-frequency, multi-scale electromagnetics problem. First we will discuss the augmented electric field integral equation (AEFIE), and then, we will discuss the equivalence principle algorithm (EPA). The AEFIE allows the solution of such problems without the need to perform a loop search of a complex structure. The EPA allows the separation of circuit physics from wave physics in a multiscale problem. Hybridization of these two methods will be discussed.published_or_final_versionThe 4th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP) 2010, Barcelona, Spain, 12-16 April 2010. In Proceedings of the 4th EuCAP, 2010, p. 1-