i Sexual function in breast cancer patients: a prospective study from Iran

Background: Sexual function in patients with breast cancer especially in younger patients is an important issue from clinical and psychosocial perspectives. This study aimed to assess sexual function among Iranian breast cancer patients. Methods: This was a prospective study of sexual function in breast cancer patients attending the Cancer Institute of Iran. Sexual function was assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) at two points in time: baseline (pre-treatment) and after completion of cancer treatment at follow-up visits (post-treatment). Pre- and posttreatment data were compared. In addition logistic regression analysis was performed to find out factors that contributing to post-treatment sexual dysfunction. Results: In all 277 breast cancer patients were approached. Of these, 231 patients (83%) were sexually active and data for 216 patients (93.5 % of sexually active patients) were available at pre-and post-treatment. Overall pre- and post-treatment sexual dysfunction was found to be 52 % and 84%, respectively indicating a significant deterioration in sexual function among breast cancer patients. The results obtained from multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that younger age [OR = 0.95, 95 % CI = 0.93-0.98; P = 0.04], receiving endocrine therapy [OR = 3.34, 95% CI = 1.37-7.91; P = 0.007] and poor sexual function at pre-treatment [OR = 12.3, 95 % CI = 3.93-39.0; P < 0.0001

A Novel Solar Photovoltaic Fed TransZSI-DVR for Power Quality Improvement of Grid-Connected PV Systems.

In this article, a new solar PV fed Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR) based on Trans-Z-source Inverter (TransZSI) is proposed to improve the power quality of on-grid Photovoltaic (PV) systems. DVR is a power electronic compensator using for injecting the desired voltage to the Point of Common Coupling (PCC) as per the voltage disturbance. In the proposed DVR, in place of traditional VSI, TransZSI with outstanding merits of buck/boost, a broader range of voltage boost gain, fewer passive components, and lower voltage stress, is put forth. For efficient detection, accurate voltage disturbances mitigation, and also lessening the injected voltage harmonics, a hybrid Unit Vector Template with Maximum Constant Boost Control (UVT-MCBC) method is proposed for TransZSI-DVR. The performance of the proposed TransZSI-DVR with UVT-MCBC has been analyzed under severe sag, slight sag with harmonics, swell, and interruption. The comparative studies and simulation results have shown the effectiveness of the proposed TransZSI-DVR, as opposed to traditional ZSI-DVR and VSI-DVR. The TransZSI-DVR in the PV system has mitigated voltage sag/swell/interruption. It has also improved the power quality of both the injected voltage to the PCC and PV system's output voltage

Two fast metaheuristic-based MPPT techniques for partially shaded photovoltaic system

The photovoltaic output power varies according to the solar radiation and ambient temperature because the operation of the photovoltaic arrays depends on them. Therefore, achieving the maximum photovoltaic power under different shading patterns is a key factor in the performance improvement of photovoltaic systems. An efficient Maximum Power Point Tracking technique is needed to distinguish the global maximum power point from the local ones, as the traditional techniques are prone to fail. This paper proposes two hybrid meta-heuristic algorithms to improve the maximum power point tracking technique of partially shaded photovoltaic systems. The first proposed maximum power point tracking technique is based on the Whale Optimization Algorithm and Differential Evolution algorithms. The second proposed maximum power point tracking technique is an improved version of the first proposed technique. Both proposed techniques are highly proficient in enhancing the photovoltaic system\u27s efficiency in shaded and unshaded conditions. The maximum power point tracking technique is studied for evaluating the performance based on two traditional algorithms, Whale Optimization Algorithm and Differential Evolution, and two hybrid proposed algorithms. The simulation results show the second proposed maximum power point tracking technique finds the global power points faster and offers better performance than the first proposed technique, which itself outperforms two traditional maximum power point tracking techniques concerning a faster rate of convergence and higher efficiency

An advanced meta metrics-based approach to assess an appropriate optimization method for Wind/PV/Battery based hybrid AC-DC microgrid

This paper discusses the growing influence of renewable energy and distributed generation, emphasizing the need for smart control systems to maximize benefits and optimize network performance. However, the absence of a standardized evaluation framework makes it challenging to compare different control systems effectively, especially in large-scale hybrid networks with both AC and DC components. While hybrid energy systems show promise for greener and more reliable power networks, they introduce complexity to control methods. Researchers are exploring innovative approaches, including linear and nonlinear techniques, to leverage renewable energy sources effectively in hybrid grids. The paper provides an overview of heuristic evolutionary optimization methods for microgrids (AC, DC, and hybrid AC-DC), highlighting promising techniques such as Crow Search Algorithm, Modified Crow Search Algorithm, Particle Swarm Optimization, and Genetic Algorithms. Comparative analysis suggests that the Modified Crow Search Algorithm performs best across various evaluation criteria, indicating its potential for optimizing microgrids effectively

Power Converters Coolant: Past, Present, Future, and a Path Toward Active Thermal Control in Electrified Ship Power Systems

Power converters have widespread applications in automotive, renewables, and power systems. The demand for power modules with low power consumption and high efficiency has increased due to advancements in semiconductor devices. So, power converters need to be highly efficient to reduce costs associated with energy dissipation and cooling requirements. This paper discusses various active thermal control methods for high-power power converters. It covers modulation and configuration techniques, ranging from single configurations to cascaded, modular, and multilevel converters. These concepts form the basis of power electronics building blocks, particularly relevant in all-electric ship systems. Power electronics building blocks represent a thriving technology that will advance ship power systems, the thermal design of which plays a crucial role in managing high heat dissipation levels. Hence, thermal management is essential for reliable device performance. The paper thoroughly studies different active thermal control methods and their impact on power semiconductor devices and converters, categorized per configurations, power routing methods, modulation, and control layers. The review then moves to thermal control methods for the PEBBs concept using multilevel converters in all-electric ship systems. The paper eventually outlines future research directions for the thermal aspect of power electronics building blocks