SHORT TERM HYDRO THERMAL SCHEDULING PROBLEM: A REVIEW

Operation of a system having both hydro and thermal plants is far more complex and is of much more importance in a modern interconnected power system. The objective of the STHS problem is to optimize the electricity production, considering a short-term planning horizon. This paper presents an extensive review of a short term hydro thermal scheduling problem. The paper demonstrates results of various evolutionary and analytical methods applied on a short term hydro thermal scheduling problem .All the assumptions made and a brief description of the solution methods is presented in the paper. The paper provides helpful information and resources for the future studies for researchers those interested in the problem or intending to do additional research in this area

Curcumin And Etoricoxib Encapsulated Liposomes: Formulation, Characterization And Anti-Inflammatory Effects In Rat Models

To enhance anti-inflammatory efficacy of Curcumin (CURC) and Etoricoxib (ETRX); and to reduce their notorious side effects, they were loaded into liposomal formulations (LFs). The present study aimed at formulation, characterization and evaluation of anti-inflammatory effects of LFs of CURC in combination with ETRX in experimental acute inflammation (AI) in rat model induced by carrageenan administration. The existing pharmaceuticals for treating arthritis are analgesics, steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which reduce the symptoms such as severe pain and inflammation. Classical NSAIDs are cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors that inhibit prostaglandins (PGs) and thromboxane synthesis, thereby reducing inflammation. New NSAIDs selectively inhibit COX-2 and are usually specific to inflamed tissue, which decreases the risk of peptic ulcer. However, their long-term use cannot be sustained due to inadequate pain relief, immune disturbances and serious gastrointestinal and cardiovascular adverse events. Therefore, plant-based product like CURC with anti-inflammatory properties and minimum side effects are needed for the treatment of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis, especially after the withdrawal of many Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved anti- inflammatory drugs. However, its poor solubility, low chemical stability and short half-life following systemic absorption contribute to CURC being considered a pharmaceutical challenge. Numerous delivery systems have been proposed as means to tailor its biological properties. In this research, we are particularly interested in potential of CURC as an anti-inflammatory agent in combination with ETRX and delivery in the form of LFs. ETRX; a NSAID is proposed to treat inflammation in rat model as it is known for its anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects. ETRX, a widely prescribed anti- inflammatory drug belongs to class IΙ under BCS (biopharmaceutical classification system) and exhibit variable oral bioavailability due to its poor aqueous solubility. This research is aimed to study synergistic effect of a natural compound CURC and an allopathic NSAID moiety ETRX to treat inflammation in rat model, by oral ingestion in the form of LF as an efficient drug delivery system. Hence, we propose LF as a mean to overcome the CURC limitations. Liposomes (LPs) encapsulation of CURC makes this formulation amenable to circumvent the problem of poor oral availability that limits the utility of free CURC. The LFs can potentiate the effects of encapsulated drugs by sustaining the release over an extended period of time. The results of our study demonstrated that the association of CURC with ETRX in the form of LFs could potentiate the anti-inflammatory effects in reduced doses in vitro and in rat model. The LFs were spherical in shape in TEM images at various resolutions. The particle size of optimized CURC-ETRX LPs was found to be 276.1 nm with PDI value of 24.5. The maximum EE for CURC and ETRX in optimized formulation (F2) was found 98.915% and 93.877% respectively. The % EE of CURC-ETRX loaded LFs was found to be dependent on the lipid concentration, resulting almost quantitatively for a maximum 15 mg of total lipids (PC+CL) and progressively decreasing at higher 20 mg of total lipid (PC+CL) content, may be due to precipitation of drugs at higher lipid concentrations. The cumulative percentage release of CURC and ETRX from optimized formulations was found to be 59.64% and 83.11% respectively, for a period of 24 hours. We investigated the in vivo effect of CURC and ETRX loaded LF on local edema in carrageenan-induced paw edema in rat model. The percentage inhibition of edema in rat model was found to be better for CURC-ETRX LF in comparison to conventional CURC and ETRX in solution forms (p<0.05). Hence, the association of CURC and ETRX to a low dose in the form of LFs could be an appropriate combination to decrease NSAID doses used to reduce pain, inflammatory cytokines, and histological changes in AI

Investigating the association between obesity and asthma in 6- to 8-year-old Saudi children:a matched case-control study

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated an association between obesity and asthma, but there remains considerable uncertainty about whether this reflects an underlying causal relationship. Aims: To investigate the association between obesity and asthma in pre-pubertal children and to investigate the roles of airway obstruction and atopy as possible causal mechanisms. Methods: We conducted an age- and sex-matched case–control study of 1,264 6- to 8-year-old schoolchildren with and without asthma recruited from 37 randomly selected schools in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. The body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and skin fold thickness of the 632 children with asthma were compared with those of the 632 control children without asthma. Associations between obesity and asthma, adjusted for other potential risk factors, were assessed separately in boys and girls using conditional logistic regression analysis. The possible mediating roles of atopy and airway obstruction were studied by investigating the impact of incorporating data on sensitisation to common aeroallergens and measurements of lung function. Results: BMI was associated with asthma in boys (odds ratio (OR)=1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.08–1.20; adjusted OR=1.11, 95% CI, 1.03–1.19) and girls (OR=1.37, 95% CI, 1.26–1.50; adjusted OR=1.38, 95% CI, 1.23–1.56). Adjusting for forced expiratory volume in 1 s had a negligible impact on these associations, but these were attenuated following adjustment for allergic sensitisation, particularly in girls (girls: OR=1.25; 95% CI, 0.96–1.60; boys: OR=1.09, 95% CI, 0.99–1.19). Conclusions: BMI is associated with asthma in pre-pubertal Saudi boys and girls; this effect does not appear to be mediated through respiratory obstruction, but in girls this may at least partially be mediated through increased risk of allergic sensitisation

Low metabolic activity of biofilm formed by Enterococcus faecalis isolated from healthy humans and wild mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

It is widely known that Enterococcus faecalis virulence is related to its biofilm formation. Although Enterococci are common commensal organisms of the gastrointestinal tract, the difference between commensal and pathogen strains remain unclear. In this study, we compare the biochemical profile of the biofilms formed by two groups of medical and two groups of commensal strains. The medical strains were isolated as pathogens from infections of urinary tract and other infections (wounds, pus and bedsores), and the commensal strains were taken from faeces of healthy volunteers and faeces of wild mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) living in an urban environment. The properties of biofilms formed by medical and commensal strains differed significantly. Commensal strains showed lower metabolic activity and glucose uptake and higher biofilm biomass than the medical ones. Consistent with glucose uptake experiments, we found that the glucose dehydrogenase gene was more expressed in medical strains. These results indicate that higher metabolic activity and lower protein concentration of E. faecalis cells within biofilms are formed during infections.This work was supported by the Medical University of Gdansk research grant (GUMed W-65) and was financed partly by University of Gdansk research grant (BW 1440-5-0099-7). We are grateful to Katarzyna Zolkos for her help in catching mallards and Magdalena Remisiewicz for correcting the English. Catarina Seabra helped in preparing assays

Large-scale genome-wide association studies and meta-analyses of longitudinal change in adult lung function.

BACKGROUND: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified numerous loci influencing cross-sectional lung function, but less is known about genes influencing longitudinal change in lung function. METHODS: We performed GWAS of the rate of change in forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) in 14 longitudinal, population-based cohort studies comprising 27,249 adults of European ancestry using linear mixed effects model and combined cohort-specific results using fixed effect meta-analysis to identify novel genetic loci associated with longitudinal change in lung function. Gene expression analyses were subsequently performed for identified genetic loci. As a secondary aim, we estimated the mean rate of decline in FEV1 by smoking pattern, irrespective of genotypes, across these 14 studies using meta-analysis. RESULTS: The overall meta-analysis produced suggestive evidence for association at the novel IL16/STARD5/TMC3 locus on chromosome 15 (P  =  5.71 × 10(-7)). In addition, meta-analysis using the five cohorts with ≥3 FEV1 measurements per participant identified the novel ME3 locus on chromosome 11 (P  =  2.18 × 10(-8)) at genome-wide significance. Neither locus was associated with FEV1 decline in two additional cohort studies. We confirmed gene expression of IL16, STARD5, and ME3 in multiple lung tissues. Publicly available microarray data confirmed differential expression of all three genes in lung samples from COPD patients compared with controls. Irrespective of genotypes, the combined estimate for FEV1 decline was 26.9, 29.2 and 35.7 mL/year in never, former, and persistent smokers, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this large-scale GWAS, we identified two novel genetic loci in association with the rate of change in FEV1 that harbor candidate genes with biologically plausible functional links to lung function

Multiplicity Distributions and Charged-neutral Fluctuations

Results from the multiplicity distributions of inclusive photons and charged particles, scaling of particle multiplicities, event-by-event multiplicity fluctuations, and charged-neutral fluctuations in 158$\cdot A$ GeV Pb+Pb collisions are presented and discussed. A scaling of charged particle multiplicity as $N_{part}^{1.07\pm 0.05}$ and photons as $N_{part}^{1.12\pm 0.03}$ have been observed, indicating violation of naive wounded nucleon model. The analysis of localized charged-neutral fluctuation indicates a model-independent demonstration of non-statistical fluctuations in both charged particles and photons in limited azimuthal regions. However, no correlated charged-neutral fluctuations are observed.Comment: Talk given at the International Symposium on Nuclear Physics (ISNP-2000), Mumbai, India, 18-22 Dec 2000, Proceedings to be published in Pramana, Journal of Physic

Atrial arrhythmogenesis in wild-type and Scn5a+/Δ murine hearts modelling LQT3 syndrome

Long QT(3) (LQT3) syndrome is associated with abnormal repolarisation kinetics, prolonged action potential durations (APD) and QT intervals and may lead to life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. However, there have been few physiological studies of its effects on atrial electrophysiology. Programmed electrical stimulation and burst pacing induced atrial arrhythmic episodes in 16 out of 16 (16/16) wild-type (WT) and 7/16 genetically modified Scn5a+/Δ (KPQ) Langendorff-perfused murine hearts modelling LQT3 (P < 0.001 for both), and in 14/16 WT and 1/16 KPQ hearts (P < 0.001 for both; Fisher’s exact test), respectively. The arrhythmogenic WT hearts had significantly larger positive critical intervals (CI), given by the difference between atrial effective refractory periods (AERPs) and action potential durations at 90% recovery (APD90), compared to KPQ hearts (8.1 and 3.2 ms, respectively, P < 0.001). Flecainide prevented atrial arrhythmias in all arrhythmogenic WT (P < 0.001) and KPQ hearts (P < 0.05). It prolonged the AERP to a larger extent than it did the APD90 in both WT and KPQ groups, giving negative CIs. Quinidine similarly exerted anti-arrhythmic effects, prolonged AERP over corresponding APD90 in both WT and KPQ groups. These findings, thus, demonstrate, for the first time, inhibitory effects of the KPQ mutation on atrial arrhythmogenesis and its modification by flecainide and quinidine. They attribute these findings to differences in the CI between WT and mutant hearts, in the presence or absence of these drugs. Thus, prolongation of APD90 over AERP gave positive CI values and increased atrial arrhythmogenicity whereas lengthening of AERP over APD90 reduced such CI values and produced the opposite effect

Limits on WWZ and WW\gamma couplings from p\bar{p}\to e\nu jj X events at \sqrt{s} = 1.8 TeV

We present limits on anomalous WWZ and WW-gamma couplings from a search for WW and WZ production in p-bar p collisions at sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV. We use p-bar p -> e-nu jjX events recorded with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider during the 1992-1995 run. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 96.0+-5.1 pb^(-1). Assuming identical WWZ and WW-gamma coupling parameters, the 95% CL limits on the CP-conserving couplings are -0.33<lambda<0.36 (Delta-kappa=0) and -0.43<Delta-kappa<0.59 (lambda=0), for a form factor scale Lambda = 2.0 TeV. Limits based on other assumptions are also presented.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, 2 table

Zgamma Production in pbarp Collisions at sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV and Limits on Anomalous ZZgamma and Zgammagamma Couplings

We present a study of Z +gamma + X production in p-bar p collisions at sqrt{S}=1.8 TeV from 97 (87) pb^{-1} of data collected in the eegamma (mumugamma) decay channel with the D0 detector at Fermilab. The event yield and kinematic characteristics are consistent with the Standard Model predictions. We obtain limits on anomalous ZZgamma and Zgammagamma couplings for form factor scales Lambda = 500 GeV and Lambda = 750 GeV. Combining this analysis with our previous results yields 95% CL limits |h{Z}_{30}| < 0.36, |h{Z}_{40}| < 0.05, |h{gamma}_{30}| < 0.37, and |h{gamma}_{40}| < 0.05 for a form factor scale Lambda=750 GeV.Comment: 17 Pages including 2 Figures. Submitted to PR