A multi-agent privacy-preserving energy management framework for renewable networked microgrids

This paper proposes a fully distributed scheme to solve the day-ahead optimal power scheduling of networked microgrids in the presence of different renewable energy resources, such as photovoltaics and wind turbines, considering energy storage systems. The proposed method enables the optimization of the power scheduling problem through local computation of agents in the system and private communication between existing agents, without any centralized scheduling unit. In this paper, a cloud-fog-based framework is also introduced as a fast and economical infrastructure for the proposed distributed method. The suggested optimized energy framework proposes an area to regulate and update policies, detect misbehaving elements, and execute punishments centrally, while the general power scheduling problem is optimized in a distributed manner using the proposed method. The suggested cloud-fog-based method eliminates the need to invest in local databases and computing systems. The proposed scheme is examined on a small-scale microgrid and also a larger test networked microgrid, including 4 microgrids and 15 areas in a 24-h time period, to illustrate the scalability, convergence, and accuracy of the framework. The simulation results substantiate the fast and precise performance of the proposed framework for networked microgrids compared with other existing centralized and distributed methods.© 2023 The Authors. IET Generation, Transmission & Distribution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Institution of Engineering and Technology. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Prevalence, antibiotic resistance and virulence of Enterococcus spp. isolated from traditional cheese types

BACKGROUND: Enterococci are naturally found in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of animals and humans, as well as animal-derived foods and vegetables. We here aimed to determine the prevalence, antibiotic resistance, and virulence determinants of E. faecium and E. faecalis in traditional cheese in the North-west of Iran.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty specimens of popular traditional cheese from dairy stores of Urmia and Tabriz, Iran, were collected. Identification of the genus and species of enterococci was done using molecular and phenotypic techniques.RESULTS: Forty-eight (96 %) of 50 traditional cheese samples were harboring Enterococcus spp, including Enterococcus faecalis (n= 40; 83.33 %) and E. faecium (n= 8; 16.67 %). The prevalence of enterococci ranged from 1.1×105 to 9.7×104 CFU/g, and 1.1×103 to 9.8×103 CFU/g in Urmia and Tabriz samples, respectively. Rifampicin resistance (n= 38; 79.2 %) was the most common pattern observed in the susceptibility test, which was followed by quinupristin/dalfopristin (n= 33; 68.75 %). Among E. faecalis isolates, cpd (100 %), ace (92.5 %) and gelE (87.5 %), and among E. faecium isolates, gelE (100 %) and asa1 (75 %) were found to have the most common virulence genes.CONCLUSION: E. faecalis was the predominant species, displaying more virulence determinants. It also had high antibiotic resistance, as compared to E. faecium. The enterococci identified here commonly expressed virulence and antibiotic resistance determinants. So, it is required to improve the maintenance and production quality of traditional cheese to avoid enterococci contamination

Generalized state space model and small signal stability analysis of Z-source converter

This paper proposes two nonlinear exact and simple state space models of a Zsource converter (ZSC) connected to an ac grid. A generic model of a ZSC accompanied with proper controllers are proposed and a dynamic model of the whole system is derived; as a result, based on a simple one, an equivalent block diagram of the current-controlled ZSC system is proposed. The ac small signal stability method is applied and the impact of controller parameters on network’s stability is discussed. Besides, overall system dynamic performance has been assessed in the event of perturbations. Time-domain simulations have been implemented in PSCAD/EMTDC to validate the accuracy of the models and effectiveness of the proposed controllers. The results of the exact model are compared with the response of the equations which are applied in MATLAB

Energy Commitment for a Power System Supplied by Multiple Energy Carriers System using Following Optimization Algorithm

In today’s world, the development and continuation of life require energy. Supplying this energy demand requires careful and scientific planning of the energy provided by a variety of products, such as oil, gas, coal, electricity, etc. A new study on the operation of energy carriers called Energy Commitment (EC) is proposed. The purpose of the EC is to set a pattern for the use of energy carriers to supply energy demand, considering technical and economic constraints. EC is a constrained optimization problem that can be solved by using optimization methods. This study suggests the Following Optimization Algorithm (FOA) to solve the EC problem to achieve technical and economic benefits. Minimizing energy supply costs for the total study period is considered as an objective function. The FOA simulates social relationships among the community members who try to improve their community by following each other. Simulation is carried out on a 10-unit energy system supplied by various types of energy carriers that includes transportation, agriculture, industrial, residential, commercial, and public sectors. The results show that the optimal energy supply for a grid with 0.15447 Millions of Barrels of Oil Equivalent (MBOE) of energy demand costs 9.0922 millions dollar for a 24-h study period. However, if the energy supply is not optimal, the costs of operating energy carriers will increase and move away from the optimal economic situation. The economic distribution of electrical demand between 10 power plants and the amount of production units per hour of the study period is determined. The EC outputs are presented, which include an appropriate pattern of energy carrier utilization, energy demand supply costs, appropriate combination of units, and power plant production. The behavior and process of achieving the answer in the convergence curve for the implementation of FOA on EC indicates the exploration and exploitation capacity of FOA. Based on the simulated results, EC provides more information than Unit Commitment (UC) and analyzes the network more efficiently and deeply.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Molecular study of the blaZ Staphylococcus aureus gene isolated from clinical samples

Background: Bacterial resistants to beta-lactam antibiotics, are steadily expanding. Excessive consumption beta-lactam antibiotics in the treatment of related Staphylococcus aureus infections caused the emergence of beta-lactamase enzymes in strains. Identification and analysis of molecular characteristics of these strains can be effective to select on the appropriate antibiotic treatment.Materials and Methods: Initially, the isolates collected from clinical samples were screened by biochemical tests. After the whole Staphylococcus aureus resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics, were evaluated by used of molecular-specific primers.Results: Of 496 isolates obtained from different clinical samples, 147 isolates were identified as S. aureus. The highest resistance to the antibiotics had related to penicillin, Oxacillin, Cefocithin and the lowest resistance antibiotics had related to Vancomycin. From the 147 samples, 143 samples were blaZ genes that allocated to over 97 percent.Conclusion: According to the results of molecular tests, in the Zahedan spread of carrier-lactamase strains is very high. This would be to treat all staphylococcal infections of beta lactam antibiotics are not used as much as possible to the access to early treatment prevented the increase in resistant strains

Isolation and Identification Enterobacter asburiae from Consumed Powdered Infant Formula Milk (PIF) in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Enterobacter asburiae (E. asburiae) is a facultative anaerobic, non-spore-forming gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium belonging to the family of Enterobacteriaceae. It is an opportunistic pathogen that its strains are isolated from a variety of clinical and environmental specimens. Since powdered infant formula milk (PIF) is not a sterile product, it is an excellent medium for bacterial growth. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify E. asburiae from PIF in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and determine antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of this bacterium. A total 125 PIF samples were purchased from drug stores between June 2011 to March 2012. E. asburiae was isolated according to FDA method. For final confirmation, biochemical tests embedded in the API-20E system were used. The drug susceptibility test was performed using the disc diffusion method according to CLSI recommendations. Out of the 125 PIF samples investigated, 2 (1.6%) samples were positive for E. asburiae. All isolated strains were uniformly susceptible to aztreonam, cefotaxim, amikacin, streptomycin, nalidixic acid, meropenem, tetracycline, ceftazidime, and colistin. Variable susceptibility was seen to the some antimicrobial agents tested. Each country should categorize its own designed guidelines for the preparation and handling of PIF adapted to the local environment. Moreover, the pathogenesis of the E. asburiae in infants hospitalized in NICU and other groups such as immunosuppressed patients and HIV infected individuals is uncertain and requires further study

A Dynamic and Heuristic Phase Balancing Method for LV Feeders

Due to the single-phase loads and their stochastic behavior, the current in the distribution feeders is not balanced. In addition, the single-phase loads are located in different positions along the LV feeders. So the amount of the unbalanced load and its location affect the feeder losses. An unbalanced load causes the feeder losses and the voltage drop. Because of time-varying behavior of the single-phase loads, phase balancing is a dynamic and combinatorial problem. In this research, a heuristic and dynamic solution for the phase balancing of the LV feeders is proposed. In this method, it is supposed that the loads’ tie could be connected to all phases through a three-phase switch. The aim of the proposed method is to make the feeder conditions as balanced as possible. The amount and the location of single-phase loads are considered in the proposed phase balancing method. Since the proposed method needs no communication interface or no remote controller, it is inexpensive, simple, practical, and robust. Applying this method provides a distributed and dynamic phase balancing control. In addition, the feasibility of reducing the used switches is investigated. The ability of the proposed method in the phase balancing of the LV feeders is approved by carrying out some simulations