9,058 research outputs found
Electrical power grid network optimisation by evolutionary computing
A major factor in the consideration of an electrical power network of the scale of a national grid is the calculation of power flow and in particular, optimal power flow. This paper considers such a network, in which distributed generation is used, and examines how the network can be optimized, in terms of transmission line capacity, in order to obtain optimal or at least high-performing configurations, using multi-objective optimisation by evolutionary computing methods
Abelian Z-theory: NLSM amplitudes and alpha'-corrections from the open string
In this paper we derive the tree-level S-matrix of the effective theory of
Goldstone bosons known as the non-linear sigma model (NLSM) from string theory.
This novel connection relies on a recent realization of tree-level
open-superstring S-matrix predictions as a double copy of super-Yang-Mills
theory with Z-theory --- the collection of putative scalar effective field
theories encoding all the alpha'-dependence of the open superstring. Here we
identify the color-ordered amplitudes of the NLSM as the low-energy limit of
abelian Z-theory. This realization also provides natural higher-derivative
corrections to the NLSM amplitudes arising from higher powers of alpha' in the
abelian Z-theory amplitudes, and through double copy also to Born-Infeld and
Volkov-Akulov theories. The Kleiss-Kuijf and Bern-Carrasco-Johansson relations
obeyed by Z-theory amplitudes thereby apply to all alpha'-corrections of the
NLSM. As such we naturally obtain a cubic-graph parameterization for the
abelian Z-theory predictions whose kinematic numerators obey the duality
between color and kinematics to all orders in alpha'.Comment: 37 pages; v2: references, explanations and arguments for
factorization added; published versio
Multi-objective optimisation methods applied to complex engineering systems
This research proposes, implements and analyses a novel framework for multiobjective
optimisation through evolutionary computing aimed at, but not restricted
to, real-world problems in the engineering design domain.
Evolutionary algorithms have been used to tackle a variety of non-linear multiobjective
optimisation problems successfully, but their success is governed by key
parameters which have been shown to be sensitive to the nature of the particular
problem, incorporating concerns such as the number of objectives and variables,
and the size and topology of the search space, making it hard to determine the best
settings in advance. This work describes a real-encoded multi-objective optimising
evolutionary algorithm framework, incorporating a genetic algorithm, that uses
self-adaptive mutation and crossover in an attempt to avoid such problems, and
which has been benchmarked against both standard optimisation test problems in
the literature and a real-world airfoil optimisation case.
For this last case, the minimisation of drag and maximisation of lift coefficients
of a well documented standard airfoil, the framework is integrated with a freeform
deformation tool to manage the changes to the section geometry, and XFoil,
a tool which evaluates the airfoil in terms of its aerodynamic efficiency. The
performance of the framework on this problem is compared with those of two
other heuristic MOO algorithms known to perform well, the Multi-Objective Tabu
Search (MOTS) and NSGA-II, showing that this framework achieves better or at
least no worse convergence. The framework of this research is then considered as a candidate for smart
(electricity) grid optimisation. Power networks can be improved in both technical
and economical terms by the inclusion of distributed generation which may
include renewable energy sources. The essential problem in national power networks
is that of power
flow and in particular, optimal power
flow calculations of
alternating (or possibly, direct) current. The aims of this work are to propose and
investigate a method to assist in the determination of the composition of optimal
or high-performing power networks in terms of the type, number and location of
the distributed generators, and to analyse the multi-dimensional results of the
evolutionary computation component in order to reveal relationships between the
network design vector elements and to identify possible further methods of improving
models in future work. The results indicate that the method used is a
feasible one for the achievement of these goals, and also for determining optimal
flow capacities of transmission lines connecting the bus bars in the network
Role of a Conserved Glutamate Residue in the \u3cem\u3eEscherichia coli\u3c/em\u3e SecA ATPase Mechanism
Escherichia coli SecA uses ATP to drive the transport of proteins across cell membranes. Glutamate 210 in the “DEVD” Walker B motif of the SecA ATP-binding site has been proposed as the catalytic base for ATP hydrolysis (Hunt, J. F., Weinkauf, S., Henry, L., Fak, J. J., McNicholas, P., Oliver, D. B., and Deisenhofer, J. (2002) Science 297, 2018–2026). Consistent with this hypothesis, we find that mutation of glutamate 210 to aspartate results in a 90-fold reduction of the ATP hydrolysis rate compared with wild type SecA, 0.3 s–1versus 27 s–1, respectively. SecA-E210D also releases ADP at a slower rate compared with wild type SecA, suggesting that in addition to serving as the catalytic base, glutamate 210 might aid turnover as well. Our results contradict an earlier report that proposed aspartate 133 as the catalytic base (Sato, K., Mori, H., Yoshida, M., and Mizushima, S. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 17439–17444). Re-evaluation of the SecA-D133N mutant used in that study confirms its loss of ATPase and membrane translocation activities, but surprisingly, the analogous SecA-D133A mutant retains full activity, revealing that this residue does not play a key role in catalysis
Cannabinoid Receptor Involvement in Stress-Induced Cocaine Reinstatement: Potential Interaction with Noradrenergic Pathways
This study examined the role of endocannabinoid signaling in stress-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking and explored the interaction between noradrenergic and endocannabinergic systems in the process. A well-validated preclinical model for human relapse, the rodent conditioned place preference assay, was used. Cocaine-induced place preference was established in C57BL/6 mice using injections of 15 mg/kg cocaine. Following extinction of preference for the cocaine-paired environment, reinstatement of place preference was determined following 6 min of swim stress or cocaine injection (15 mg/kg, i.p.). The role of endocannabinoid signaling was studied using the cannabinoid antagonist AM-251 (3 mg/kg, i.p.). Another cohort of mice was tested for reinstatement following administration of the cannabinoid agonist CP 55,940 (10, 20, or 40 ÎĽg/kg, i.p.). The alpha-2 adrenergic antagonist BRL-44408 (5 mg/kg, i.p.) with or without CP 55,940 (20 ÎĽg/kg) was administered to a third group of mice. We found that: (1) AM-251 blocked forced swim-induced, but not cocaine-induced, reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior; (2) the cannabinoid agonist CP 55,940 did not reinstate cocaine-seeking behavior when administered alone but did synergize with a non-reinstating dose of the alpha-2 adrenergic antagonist BRL-44408 to cause reinstatement. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that stress exposure triggers the endogenous activation of CB1 receptors and that activation of the endocannabinoid system is required for the stress-induced relapse of the mice to cocaine seeking. Further, the data suggest that the endocannabinoid system interacts with noradrenergic mechanisms to influence stress-induced reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior
Antagonism of GABA-B but not GABA-A receptors in the VTA prevents stress- and intra-VTA CRF-induced reinstatement of extinguished cocaine seeking in rats
Stress-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking requires corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) actions in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). However the mechanisms through which CRF regulates VTA function to promote cocaine use are not fully understood. Here we examined the role of GABAergic neurotransmission in the VTA mediated by GABA-A or GABA-B receptors in the reinstatement of extinguished cocaine seeking by a stressor, uncontrollable intermittent footshock, or bilateral intra-VTA administration of CRF. Rats underwent repeated daily cocaine self-administration (1.0 mg/kg/ing; 14 × 6 h/day) and extinction and were tested for reinstatement in response to footshock (0.5 mA, 0.5” duration, average every 40 s; range 10–70 s) or intra-VTA CRF delivery (500 ng/side) following intra-VTA pretreatment with the GABA-A antagonist, bicuculline, the GABA-B antagonist, 2-hydroxysaclofen or vehicle. Intra-VTA bicuculline (1, 10 or 20 ng/side) failed to block footshock- or CRF-induced cocaine seeking at either dose tested. By contrast, 2-hydroxysaclofen (0.2 or 2 μg/side) prevented reinstatement by both footshock and intra-VTA CRF at a concentration that failed to attenuate food-reinforced lever pressing (45 mg sucrose-sweetened pellets; FR4 schedule) in a separate group of rats. These data suggest that GABA-B receptor-dependent CRF actions in the VTA mediate stress-induced cocaine seeking and that GABA-B receptor antagonists may have utility for the management of stress-induced relapse in cocaine addicts
Protected gates for topological quantum field theories
We study restrictions on locality-preserving unitary logical gates for
topological quantum codes in two spatial dimensions. A locality-preserving
operation is one which maps local operators to local operators --- for example,
a constant-depth quantum circuit of geometrically local gates, or evolution for
a constant time governed by a geometrically-local bounded-strength Hamiltonian.
Locality-preserving logical gates of topological codes are intrinsically fault
tolerant because spatially localized errors remain localized, and hence
sufficiently dilute errors remain correctable. By invoking general properties
of two-dimensional topological field theories, we find that the
locality-preserving logical gates are severely limited for codes which admit
non-abelian anyons; in particular, there are no locality-preserving logical
gates on the torus or the sphere with M punctures if the braiding of anyons is
computationally universal. Furthermore, for Ising anyons on the M-punctured
sphere, locality-preserving gates must be elements of the logical Pauli group.
We derive these results by relating logical gates of a topological code to
automorphisms of the Verlinde algebra of the corresponding anyon model, and by
requiring the logical gates to be compatible with basis changes in the logical
Hilbert space arising from local F-moves and the mapping class group.Comment: 50 pages, many figures, v3: updated to match published versio
Early indication of decompensated heart failure in patients on home-telemonitoring: a comparison of prediction algorithms based on daily weight and noninvasive transthoracic bio-impedance
Background: Heart Failure (HF) is a common reason for hospitalization. Admissions might be prevented by early detection of and intervention for decompensation. Conventionally, changes in weight, a possible measure of fluid accumulation, have been used to detect deterioration. Transthoracic impedance may be a more sensitive and accurate measure of fluid accumulation.
Objective: In this study, we review previously proposed predictive algorithms using body weight and noninvasive transthoracic bio-impedance (NITTI) to predict HF decompensations.
Methods: We monitored 91 patients with chronic HF for an average of 10 months using a weight scale and a wearable bio-impedance vest. Three algorithms were tested using either simple rule-of-thumb differences (RoT), moving averages (MACD), or cumulative sums (CUSUM).
Results: Algorithms using NITTI in the 2 weeks preceding decompensation predicted events (P<.001); however, using weight alone did not. Cross-validation showed that NITTI improved sensitivity of all algorithms tested and that trend algorithms provided the best performance for either measurement (Weight-MACD: 33%, NITTI-CUSUM: 60%) in contrast to the simpler rules-of-thumb (Weight-RoT: 20%, NITTI-RoT: 33%) as proposed in HF guidelines.
Conclusions: NITTI measurements decrease before decompensations, and combined with trend algorithms, improve the detection of HF decompensation over current guideline rules; however, many alerts are not associated with clinically overt decompensation
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