Harmonics Temporal Profile in High-Voltage Networks: Case Study

This chapter presents a case study about harmonics measurements in high-voltage networks. Measurements were conducted at two locations in the main interconnected system (MIS) of Oman. Voltage and current THDs were recorded for a period of 1 week. The power quality analyzer was set to record required data for a period of 1 week, and the observation period for each recorded value is 10 minutes. At the first location, the grid station (132/33) is feeding industrial as well as other customers. The second grid station (220/132/33 kV) is dedicated to large industrial customers including arc furnaces and rolling mills. The power quality analyzer was installed at the 132 kV side of power transformers at both locations. Recorded data are analyzed, and temporal harmonics profiles are studied. A clear temporal variation of harmonics similar to that of aggregate load and local voltage profiles was observed at the grid station feeding mixed residential and industrial loads. However, this correlation between system load and harmonics profile diminishes at the grid station dedicated for heavy industrial loads

Presenting features, treatment patterns and outcomes of patients with breast cancer in Pakistan: Experience at a university hospital

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Pakistani women. We report the presenting features, treatment patterns and survival of breast cancer from a University Hospital in Southern Pakistan and compare the data with international population based studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of patients diagnosed to have breast cancer between January 1999 and November 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 845 patients were identified. Median age of diagnosis was 48 years (range 18-92). Clinical stage was as follows: Stage I 9.9%; Stage II 48.5%; Stage III 26.2%; Stage IV 13.8%; data not available 1.5%. Approximately, half (51.6%) were estrogen receptor (ER) positive and 17.5% over-expressed Her2/neu. Nearly 23% patients received neo-adjuvant chemotherapy while 68.9% received adjuvant chemotherapy. Anthracycline based treatment was the most common treatment until 2003 while later on, patients also received taxanes and trastuzumab based therapy. Age, stage, tumor size, lymph node status, tumor grade, ER status, treatment with hormonal therapy and radiation were the major predictive factors for overall survival (OS). We report an impressive 5 year OS of 75%, stage specific survival was 100%, 88% and 58% for Stages I, II and III respectively. CONCLUSION: The majority of patients present at a younger age and with locally advanced disease. However, short term follow-up reveals that the outcomes are comparable with the published literature from developed countries. Long-term follow-up and inclusion of data from population-based registries are required for accurate comparison

Phylogenic analysis of serotype Asia1 foot-and-mouth disease virus from Sulaimani/Iraq using VP1 protein: heterogeneity with vaccine strain As1/Shamir/89

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotypes O, A and Asia1 are responsible for a significant number of disease outbreaks in Iraq. The current study can be considered as the first molecular characterization of serotype Asia1 in Iraq. The present investigation reports the detection of serotype FMDV Asia1 from local farms in Sulaimani districts in 2012 and 2014 outbreaks. Phylogenetic analysis of the complete VP1 gene has shown that FMDV Asia1 field isolates were under genetic novel variant Sindh-08 (group VII) including PAK/iso/11 and TUR/13 strains. The VP1 protein sequence of circulatory FMDV Asia1 genotype showed heterogeneity of nine amino acid substitutions within the G-H loop with the vaccine strain As1/Shamir/89 (JF739177) that is currently used in vaccination program in Iraq. Our result indicated that differences in VP1 protein at G-H loop of the locally circulated FMDV serotype Asia1 strain may be a reason for current vaccination failure

Does Solar Radiation Affect the Distribution of Dubas Bug (Ommatissus lybicus de Bergevin) Infestation

The Dubas bug Ommatissus lybicus is a serious pest of date palms. The infestation level of the Dubas bug varies from location to location, as well as from one season to the next. Climate factors are considered to be the main drivers for fluctuations in infestation levels. Few studies have examined the effects of solar radiation on O. lybicus infestation. This study was undertaken to examine the effect of solar radiation on O. lybicus infestation levels in Oman. Infestation data were collected during the spring infestation seasons of 2009 and 2016 from 49 and 69 locations, respectively, from seven governorates of North Oman. The monthly clear-sky potential solar radiation was calculated from a digital elevation model (DEM) with 20-m resolution in the ArcGIS environment, and the average daily solar radiation was calculated for each month. Ordinary least square regression (OLS) and geographic weight regression (GWR) models were run to find the relationship between infestation levels and solar radiation. The infestation level ranged from 0.02 insect/leaflet to 32.98 insects/leaflet, with an averageof 7.50 insects/leaflet in 2009 and 0.17 insect/leaflet to 17.52 insects/leaflet, with an average of 4.38 insects/leaflet in 2016. The highest solar radiation was recorded in June, with an average of 27.7 MJ/m2/day, and the minimum was in December, with an average of 14.1 MJ/m2/day. The higher infestation rate showed a weak correlation with solar radiation

Characterization of pPCP1 Plasmids in Yersinia pestis Strains Isolated from the Former Soviet Union

Complete sequences of 9.5-kb pPCP1 plasmids in three Yersinia pestis strains from the former Soviet Union (FSU) were determined and compared with those of pPCP1 plasmids in three well-characterized, non-FSU Y. pestis strains (KIM, CO92, and 91001). Two of the FSU plasmids were from strains C2614 and C2944, isolated from plague foci in Russia, and one plasmid was from strain C790 from Kyrgyzstan. Sequence analyses identified four sequence types among the six plasmids. The pPCP1 plasmids in the FSU strains were most genetically related to the pPCP1 plasmid in the KIM strain and least related to the pPCP1 plasmid in Y. pestis 91001. The FSU strains generally had larger pPCP1 plasmid copy numbers compared to strain CO92. Expression of the plasmid's pla gene was significantly (P ≤ .05) higher in strain C2944 than in strain CO92. Given pla's role in Y. pestis virulence, this difference may have important implications for the strain's virulence

Measurement of a wide-range of X-ray doses using specialty doped silica fibres

Using six types of tailor-made doped optical fibres, we carry out thermoluminescent (TL) studies of X-rays, investigating the TL yield for doses from 20 mGy through to 50 Gy. Dosimetric parameters were investigated for nominal 8 wt% Ge doped fibres that in two cases were co-doped, using B in one case and Br in the other. A comparative measurement of surface analysis has also been made for non-annealed and annealed capillary fibres, use being made of X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Comparison was made with the conventional TL phosphor LiF in the form of the proprietary product TLD-100, including dose response and glow curves investigated for X-rays generated at 60 kVp over a dose range from 2 cGy to 50 Gy. The energy response of the fibres was also performed for X-rays generated at peak accelerating potentials of 80 kVp, 140 kVp, 250 kVp and 6 MV photons for an absorbed dose of 2 Gy. Present results show the samples to be suitable for use as TL dosimeters, with good linearity of response and a simple glow curve (simple trap) distribution. It has been established that the TL performance of an irradiated fibre is not only influenced by radiation parameters such as energy, dose-rate and total dose but also the type of fibre

Structural performance of precast foamed concrete sandwich panel subjected to axial load

In this paper, experimental and simple analytical studies on the structural behavior of Precast Foamed Concrete Sandwich Panel (PFCSP) were reported. Full-scale tests on six PFCSP panels varying in thickness were performed under axial load applications. Axial load-bearing capacity, load-deflection profiles, load-strain relationships, slenderness ratio, load-displacement, load-deformation, typical modes of failure and cracking patterns under constantly increasing axial loads were discussed. Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis (FEA) using LUSAS software to investigate the structural behavior of PFCSP was contacted. The computed ultimate strength values using American Concrete Institute equation (ACI318) and other empirical formulas developed by pervious researchers which applicable to predict the ultimate strength capacity of sandwich panels were compared with the experimental test results and FEA data obtained; therefore, very conservative values resulted, a significant agreement with the FEA data that presented a high degree of accuracy with experiments and an increase in slenderness function

Intravenous Formulation of HET0016 Decreased Human Glioblastoma Growth and Implicated Survival Benefit in Rat Xenograft Models

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a hypervascular primary brain tumor with poor prognosis. HET0016 is a selective CYP450 inhibitor, which has been shown to inhibit angiogenesis and tumor growth. Therefore, to explore novel treatments, we have generated an improved intravenous (IV) formulation of HET0016 with HPßCD and tested in animal models of human and syngeneic GBM. Administration of a single IV dose resulted in 7-fold higher levels of HET0016 in plasma and 3.6-fold higher levels in tumor at 60 min than that in IP route. IV treatment with HPßCD-HET0016 decreased tumor growth, and altered vascular kinetics in early and late treatment groups (p \u3c 0.05). Similar growth inhibition was observed in syngeneic GL261 GBM (p \u3c 0.05). Survival studies using patient derived xenografts of GBM811, showed prolonged survival to 26 weeks in animals treated with focal radiation, in combination with HET0016 and TMZ (p \u3c 0.05). We observed reduced expression of markers of cell proliferation (Ki-67), decreased neovascularization (laminin and αSMA), in addition to inflammation and angiogenesis markers in the treatment group (p \u3c 0.05). Our results indicate that HPßCD-HET0016 is effective in inhibiting tumor growth through decreasing proliferation, and neovascularization. Furthermore, HPßCD-HET0016 significantly prolonged survival in PDX GBM811 model

Hydatid cyst of the quadrigeminal cistern: A case report for unusual location with literature review

Intracranial hydatid cyst involves supratentorial area and mainly affecting the middle cerebral artery territory with the predilection of the partial lobe. It can be single - which is the most common - or multiple up to 35 cysts. They tend to be huge at the time of symptomatic presentation especially when they are presented as a solitary lesion with a slow growth rate around 1.5 cm/year, however, it is variable and it can be up to 10 cm/year. Surgical treatment is mandatory for all patients once the correct diagnosis is made, except for patients with multiple organ involvement in poor general conditions and deep-located cysts. The existence of hydatidosis in the cisternal spaces must not be neglected given the capacity of E. granulosus larvae to disseminate via the CSF. In this case report; two and half years’ male child presented with a history of 2 attacks of generalized seizure for the last 72 hours with the head circumference at the upper normal limit for his age. This paper presents the first case report demonstrating a primary single hydatid cyst located in the quadrigeminal cistern in a child. We concluded that in spite of the feasibility of the imaging and the high suspension of cerebral hydatid cyst, still, the reports show more locations which can be described as unusual although for a head to toe suspected distribution of hydatid disease is already understood. An eminent medical and surgical (if indicated) treatment of the primary cerebral hydatid cyst are always effective and recommended

Adaptive multi-polling scheduler for QoS support of video transmission in IEEE 802.11e WLANs

The 802.11E Task Group has been established to enhance quality of service (QoS) provision for time-bounded services in the current IEEE 802.11 medium access control protocol. The QoS is introduced throughout hybrid coordination function controlled channel access (HCCA) for the rigorous QoS provision. In HCCA, the station is allocated a fixed transmission opportunity (TXOP) based on its TSPEC parameters so that it is efficient for constant bit rate streams. However, as the profile of variable bit rate traffics is inconstant, they are liable to experience a higher delay especially in bursty traffic case. In this paper, we present a dynamic TXOP assignment algorithm called adaptive multi-polling TXOP scheduling algorithm (AMTXOP) for supporting the video traffics transmission over IEEE 802.11e wireless networks. This scheme invests a piggybacked information about the size of the subsequent video frames of the uplink streams to assist the hybrid coordinator accurately assign the TXOP according to actual change in the traffic profile. The proposed scheduler is powered by integrating multi-polling scheme to further reduce the delay and polling overhead. Extensive simulation experiments have been carried out to show the efficiency of the AMTXOP over the existing schemes in terms of the packet delay and the channel utilization