Study of State Estimation Using Weighted Least Squares Method

Power state estimation constitutes the core of the on-line security analysis function. The challenge number one of a state estimator is to provide the optimal estimates of system state with minimum of measurement data. This paper describes weighted least squares state estimation method and investigates how the efficiency of WLS state estimation changes according to 4 parameters: number of measurements, measurement type, measurement weight and level of noise. Different simulation cases are tested on 3-bus system and IEEE 14-bus system. The results show that accurate estimates of system state can be obtained with minimum of measurement data on condition to choose a good combination of accurate measurements with a minimum of voltage measurements and power injection measurements and these data should be properly distributed throughout the system. For best results, the two factors (weight and noise) must be combined to obtain the best estimation. Indeed, the most accurate measurements (lower level of noise) should have greater weight compared to bad measurements (higher level of noise), specially voltage measurements due to their big impact

Search for relativistic Magnetic Monopoles with ten years of the ANTARES detector data

The presented study is an updated search for magnetic monopoles using data taken with the ANTARES neutrino telescope over a period of 10 years (January 2008 to December 2017). In accordance with some grand unification theories, magnetic monopoles were created during the phase of symmetry breaking in the early Universe, and accelerated by galactic magnetic fields. As a consequence of their high energy, they could cross the Earth and emit a significant signal in a Cherenkov-based telescope like ANTARES, for appropriate mass and velocity ranges. This analysis uses a run-by-run simulation strategy, as well as a new simulation of magnetic monopoles taking into account the Kasama, Yang and Goldhaber model for their cross section with matter. The results obtained for relativistic magnetic monopoles with ß = v / c = 0.57, where v is the magnetic monopole velocity and c the speed of light in vacuum, are presented.Postprint (published version

Limits on the nuclearite flux using the ANTARES neutrino telescope

In this work, a search for nuclearites of strange quark matter by using nine years of ANTARES data taken in the period 2009–2017 is presented. The passage through matter of these particles is simulated taking into account a detailed description of the detector response to nuclearites and of the data acquisition conditions. A down-going flux of cosmic nuclearites with Galactic velocities (ß = 10-3) was considered for this study. The mass threshold for detecting these particles at the detector level is 4 × 1013 GeV/c2. Upper limits on the nuclearite flux for masses up to 1017 GeV/c2 at the level of ~ 5 × 10-17 cm-2 s-1 sr-1 are obtained. These are the first upper limits on nuclearites established with a neutrino telescope and the most stringent ever set for Galactic velocitiesPeer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Genome-Wide Association Study in a Lebanese Cohort Confirms PHACTR1 as a Major Determinant of Coronary Artery Stenosis

The manifestation of coronary artery disease (CAD) follows a well-choreographed series of events that includes damage of arterial endothelial cells and deposition of lipids in the sub-endothelial layers. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of multiple populations with distinctive genetic and lifestyle backgrounds are a crucial step in understanding global CAD pathophysiology. In this study, we report a GWAS on the genetic basis of arterial stenosis as measured by cardiac catheterization in a Lebanese population. The locus of the phosphatase and actin regulator 1 gene (PHACTR1) showed association with coronary stenosis in a discovery experiment with genome wide data in 1,949 individuals (rs9349379, OR = 1.37, p = 1.57×10−5). The association was replicated in an additional 2,547 individuals (OR = 1.31, p = 8.85×10−6), leading to genome-wide significant association in a combined analysis (OR = 1.34, p = 8.02×10−10). Results from this GWAS support a central role of PHACTR1 in CAD susceptibility irrespective of lifestyle and ethnic divergences. This association provides a plausible component for understanding molecular mechanisms involved in the formation of stenosis in cardiac vessels and a potential drug target against CAD

Blood lead, cadmium and mercury among children from urban, industrial and rural areas of Fez Boulemane Region (Morocco): Relevant factors and early renal effects

Objectives: To describe blood lead (Pb-B), cadmium (Cd-B) and mercury (Hg-B) levels in children living in urban, industrial and rural areas in Fez city (north of Morocco) and to identify the determinants and some renal effects of exposure. Material and Methods: The study was conducted from June 2007 to January 2008 in 209 school children (113 girls, 96 boys), aged 6-12 years, from urban, industrial and rural areas in Fez city. Interview and questionnaires data were obtained. Blood and urinary samples were analyzed. Results: The mean of blood lead levels (Pb-B) in our population was 55.53 μg/l (range: 7.5-231.1 μg/l). Children from the urban area had higher blood lead levels (BLLs) mean (82.36 μg/l) than children from industrial and rural areas (48.23 and 35.99 μg/l, respectively); with no significant difference between boys and girls. BLLs were associated with traffic intensity, passive smoking and infancy in the urban area. The mean of blood cadmium levels (BCLs) was 0.22 μg/l (range: 0.06-0.68 μg/l), with no difference between various areas. Rural boys had higher BCLs mean than rural girls, but no gender influence was noticed in the other areas. BCLs were associated with the number of cigarettes smoked at children's homes. The blood mercury levels (BMLs) mean was 0.49 μg/l (range: 0.01-5.31 μg/l). The BMLs mean was higher in urban and industrial areas than in the rural area with no gender-related difference. BMLs were associated with amalgam fillings and infancy in the urban area. About 8% of the children had BLLs ≥ 100 μg/l particularly in the urban area, microalbuminuria and a decrease in height were noticed in girls from the inner city of Fez and that can be related to high BLLs (89.45 μg/l). Conclusions: There is a need to control and regulate potential sources of contamination by these trace elements in children; particularly for lead

The Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery : defining a model for antimicrobial stewardship-results from an international cross-sectional survey

Background: Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) have been promoted to optimize antimicrobial usage and patient outcomes, and to reduce the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms. However, the best strategies for an ASP are not definitively established and are likely to vary based on local culture, policy, and routine clinical practice, and probably limited resources in middle-income countries. The aim of this study is to evaluate structures and resources of antimicrobial stewardship teams (ASTs) in surgical departments from different regions of the world. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted in 2016 on 173 physicians who participated in the AGORA (Antimicrobials: A Global Alliance for Optimizing their Rational Use in Intra-Abdominal Infections) project and on 658 international experts in the fields of ASPs, infection control, and infections in surgery. Results: The response rate was 19.4%. One hundred fifty-six (98.7%) participants stated their hospital had a multidisciplinary AST. The median number of physicians working inside the team was five [interquartile range 4-6]. An infectious disease specialist, a microbiologist and an infection control specialist were, respectively, present in 80.1, 76.3, and 67.9% of the ASTs. A surgeon was a component in 59.0% of cases and was significantly more likely to be present in university hospitals (89.5%, p <0.05) compared to community teaching (83.3%) and community hospitals (66.7%). Protocols for pre-operative prophylaxis and for antimicrobial treatment of surgical infections were respectively implemented in 96.2 and 82.3% of the hospitals. The majority of the surgical departments implemented both persuasive and restrictive interventions (72.8%). The most common types of interventions in surgical departments were dissemination of educational materials (62.5%), expert approval (61.0%), audit and feedback (55.1%), educational outreach (53.7%), and compulsory order forms (51.5%). Conclusion: The survey showed a heterogeneous organization of ASPs worldwide, demonstrating the necessity of a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach in the battle against antimicrobial resistance in surgical infections, and the importance of educational efforts towards this goal.Peer reviewe

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Synthesis and characterization of catalysts used for the catalytic oxidation of sulfur-containing volatile organic compounds:focus on sulfur-induced deactivation

Abstract The work in this thesis concentrates on finding more active and durable catalysts for the demanding environmental application of the oxidation of sulfur-containing volatile organic compounds (S-VOCs). This application is challenging due to the high purification levels required and the catalyst deactivating nature of sulfur. In this thesis, dimethyldisulfide (DMDS) was used as the model molecule to represent S-VOCs since it is often present in odorous emissions and it is more difficult to treat than most of the other S-VOCs. It was found that the addition of a very small amount of Pt (0.3%) especially improves the selectivity of copper oxide based catalysts towards complete oxidation products ((carbon dioixide (CO2), water (H2O) and sulfur dioxide (SO2)) in DMDS oxidation. Catalyst characterization by transmission electron microscopy, temperature programmed reduction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses suggests that this promoting effect is most likely due to the close interaction between Cu and Pt species on the bimetallic PtCu/&#947;-Al2O3 catalyst. The drawback of using the Al2O3 support is that it is not resistant towards sulfur poisoning. The deactivation of the self-made catalysts was studied with the help of an accelerated ageing procedure that was developed based on the information from the industrially aged volatile organic compound (VOC) catalysts. Industrial deactivation was caused by the sintering of the support and active metals and by the formation of metal sulfates with the support. After accelerated ageing, the silica doped alumina (Al2O3)0.8(SiO2)0.2 supported catalyst, showed remarkably promising results in terms of stability towards sulfur poisoning and the activity in DMDS oxidation was very close to that of the most active PtCu/Al2O3. The addition of less than 20% of SiO2 on the Al2O3 support led to a catalyst that is more selective and resistant to sulfur poisoning.Tiivistelmä Väitöskirjassa tuotetaan uutta tietoa rikkipitoisten orgaanisten yhdisteiden (S-VOC) hapetukseen soveltuvien uusien katalyyttisten materiaalien synteesistä ja karakterisoinnista. S-VOC-yhdisteiden käsittely on vaativa katalyyttisen polton sovellus, koska näiden päästöjen käsittely edellyttää korkeaa puhdistustehoa, ja lisäksi yhdisteiden sisältämä rikki on katalyyttimyrkky. Tässä väitöskirjassa valittiin S-VOC-yhdisteitä edustavaksi malliaineeksi dimetyylisulfidi (DMDS), koska se on usein mukana käsiteltävissä S-VOC-päästöissä ja sen käsittely on vaativampaa kuin useiden muiden S-VOC-yhdisteiden käsittely. Tutkimustulosten mukaan hyvin pieni Pt-lisäys (0.3 %) parantaa erityisesti kuparioksidikatalyyttien selektiivisyyttä DMDS:n kokonaishapetustuotteiksi (CO2, H2O, SO2). Katalyyttien karakterisoinnin (läpäisyelektronimikroskopia, lämpötilaohjattu pelkistysreaktio, röntgensädefotoelektronispektroskopia) perusteella voidaan esittää parannuksen syyksi kuparin ja platinan läheinen kontakti bimetallisen PtCu/&#947;-Al2O3-katalyytin pinnalla. Al2O3-tukiaineen heikkoutena on sen deaktivoitumisherkkyys rikkiyhdisteiden läsnä ollessa. Väitöskirjatyössä valmistettujen katalyyttien deaktivitumista tutkittiin laboratoriomittakaavassa nopeutettujen ikäytyskokeiden avulla, jotka kehitettiin teollisessa käytössä deaktivoituneen katalyytin karakterisointien avulla saadun tiedon perusteella. Teollisessa käytössä olleen katalyytin deaktivoitumisen syyksi havaittiin tukiaineen ja aktiivisten metallien sintrautuminen sekä metallisulfidien muodostuminen tukiaineen kanssa. Nopeutettujen ikäytyskokeiden tulosten perusteella havaittiin, että piidioksidin lisäys alumiinioksiditukiaineeseen paransi tukiaineen rikin kestoa merkittävästi. Tutkimuksissa havaittiin myös, että piidioksidilla muokatun katalyytin aktiivisuus oli hyvin lähellä vastaavaa PtCu/&#947;-Al2O3-katalyytin aktiivisuutta. DMDS:n hapetuksessa selektiivisempi ja stabiilimpi katalyytti voidaan aikaansaada alle 20 %:n SiO2-lisäyksellä Al2O3-tukiaineeseen