OPTIMAL POWER MANAGEMENT OF DGS AND DSTATCOM USING IMPROVED ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES OPTIMIZER

In this study an improved Ali Baba and the forty thieves Optimizer (IAFT) is proposed and successfully adapted and applied to enhance the technical performances of radial distribution network (RDN). The standard AFT governed by two sensible parameters to balance the exploration and the exploitation stages. In the proposed variant a modification is introduced using sine and cosine functions to create flexible balance between Intensification and diversification during search process. The proposed variant namely IAFT applied to solve various single and combined objective functions such as the improvement of total power losses (TPL), the minimization of total voltage deviation and the maximization of the loading capacity (LC) under fixed load and considering the random aspect of loads. The exchange of active powers is elaborated by integration of multi distribution generation based photovoltaic systems (PV), otherwise the optimal management of reactive power is achieved by the installation of multi DSTATCOM. The efficiency and robustness of the proposed variant validated on two RDN, the 33-Bus and the 69-Bus. The qualities of objective functions achieved and the statistical analysis elaborated compared to results achieved using several recent metaheuristic methods demonstrate the competitive aspect of the proposed IAFT in solving with accuracy various practical problems related to optimal power management of RDN

Interactions between HIV-1 and the Cell-Autonomous Innate Immune System

HIV-1 was recognized as the cause of AIDS in humans in 1984. Despite 30 years of intensive research, we are still unraveling the molecular details of the host-pathogen interactions that enable this virus to escape immune clearance and cause immunodeficiency. Here we explore a series of recent studies that consider how HIV-1 interacts with the cell-autonomous innate immune system as it navigates its way in and out of host cells. We discuss how these studies improve our knowledge of HIV-1 and host biology as well as increase our understanding of transmission, persistence, and immunodeficiency and the potential for therapeutic or prophylactic interventions

Optimal coordination of directional overcurrent relays using PSO-TVAC considering series compensation

The integration of system compensation such as Series Compensator (SC) into the transmission line makes the coordination of directional overcurrent in a practical power system important and complex. This article presents an efficient variant of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm based on Time-Varying Acceleration Coefficients (PSO-TVAC) for optimal coordination of directional overcurrent relays (DOCRs) considering the integration of series compensation. Simulation results are compared to other methods to confirm the efficiency of the proposed variant PSO in solving the optimal coordination of directional overcurrent relay in the presence of series compensation

Toward a more generalizable blood RNA signature for bacterial and viral infections

Host-response profiles can discriminate different infections. A new 8-gene blood RNA signature to discriminate bacterial and viral infections extends our focus hitherto on the case mix from the US and Europe to include that of low- and middle-income countries.1 Challenges remain