Spring search algorithm for simultaneous placement of distributed generation and capacitors

Purpose. In this paper, for simultaneous placement of distributed generation (DG) and capacitors, a new approach based on Spring Search Algorithm (SSA), is presented. This method is contained two stages using two sensitive index Sv and Ss. Sv and Ss are calculated according to nominal voltageand network losses. In the first stage, candidate buses are determined for installation DG and capacitors according to Sv and Ss. Then in the second stage, placement and sizing of distributed generation and capacitors are specified using SSA. The spring search algorithm is among the optimization algorithms developed by the idea of laws of nature and the search factors are a set of objects. The proposed algorithm is tested on 33-bus and 69-bus radial distribution networks. The test results indicate good performance of the proposed methodЦель. В статье для одновременного размещения распределенной генерации и конденсаторов представлен новый подход, основанный на "пружинном" алгоритме поиска (Spring Search Algorithm, SSA). Данный метод состоит из двух этапов с использованием двух показателей чувствительности Sv и Ss. Показатели чувствительности Sv и Ss рассчитываются в соответствии с номинальным напряжением и потерями в сети. На первом этапе определяются шины-кандидаты для установки распределенной генерации и конденсаторов согласно Sv и Ss. Затем, на втором этапе размещение и калибровка распределенной генерации и конденсаторов выполняются с использованием алгоритма SSA. "Пружинный" алгоритм поиска входит в число алгоритмов оптимизации, разработанных на основе идей законов природы, а факторы поиска представляют собой набор объектов. Предлагаемый алгоритм тестируется на радиальных распределительных сетях с 33 и 69 шинами. Результаты тестирования показывают хорошую эффективность предложенного метода

Effect of sunlight exposure and storage duration and temperature on release of heavy metals from polyethylene terephthalate drinking water bottles

Background and purpose: Bottled water is widely packaged and distributed in PolyethyleneTerphthalate (PET) bottles with plastic caps. Plastic materials in bottles, and other additives such as heavy metals, can leak into water during manufacturing or storage process in different ambient conditions. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of sunlight and environmental temperature on the release of heavy metals from PET bottles into water. Materials and methods: The study was conducted in six brands of bottled water (0.5 L) in five provinces of Iran, 2015. The levels of Pb, Ni, Cd and Sb were determined in bottled waters in different conditions including room-temperature of 27±2°C, sun exposure to 45±3°C, and with/without foil coating. Different temperatures (45°C, 60°C and 75°C) were also used in specified time ranges from 5 to 50 days. Measurement was done by ICP-AES and data was analyzed in Minitab. Results: Concentrations of Pb, Ni and Cd in bottled water did not show any significant changes in direct sunlight exposure and ambient temperature but Sb concentration was found to be higher in all samples when storage duration increased. In some samples, it even exceeded the maximum allowed value (5 ppb).Conclusion: Direct radiation exposure to sunlight, increasing the ambient temperature and storage duration, lead to increase in concentration of antimony in bottled water. © 2016, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Exposure to nanoscale diesel exhaust particles: Oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, anxiety and depression on adult male mice

ABSTRACT Exposure to nanoscale diesel engines exhausted particles (DEPs) is a well-recognized risk factor for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Rodents as commonly used models for urban air pollution in health effect studies demonstrate constant stimulation of inflammatory responses in the main areas of the brain. Nevertheless, the primary effect of diesel exhaust particulate matter on some of the brain regions and relation by behavioral alterations still remains untouched. We evaluated the brain regional in flammatory responses to a nanosized subfraction of diesel engines exhaust particulate matter (DEPs < 200 nm) in an adult male mice brain. Adult male mice were exposed to DEPs for 3, 6, and 8 h per day, 12 weeks and five days per week. Degree of anxiety and the depression by elevated plus maze and Forced Swimming Test respectively (FST) did measurement. After behavior tests, the plasma and some of the brain regions such as olfactory bulb (OB) and hippocampus (HI) were analyzed for oxidative stress and in flammatory responses. The inflammation and oxidative stress changes in OB and HI, markedly coincides with the results of behavioral alterations. These responses corresponded with rapid induction of MDA and nitrite oxide (NO) in brain regions and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) mRNA followed by IL6, IL1 α , and TNF α in OB and HI. The different times of DEPs exposure, leads to oxidative stress and inflammatory in plasma and brain regions. That this cumulative transport of inhaled nanoscale DEPs into the brain and creating to inflammation responses of brain regions may cause problems of brain function and anxiety and depression. Keywords: Air pollution Nanoscale diesel exhaust particles Oxidative stress Nanotoxicology Anxiety Depressio

PLANNING OF ENERGY CARRIERS BASED ON FINAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION USING DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING AND PARTICLE SWARM OPTIMIZATION

Purpose. In the present article, a new approach of the energy grid studies is introduced to program energy carriers. In this view, a proper plan is designed on the use of energy carriers considering the energy optimum use. Indeed, the proper energy grid is designed by applying Iran energy balance sheet information. It is proper to mention that, the energy grid modelling is done in a matrix form. The electrical energy distribution among power stations is achieved by using the particle swarm optimization algorithm. In the present paper, concerning the dynamic programming method, it is tried to determine a suitable combination of energy carriers

Prenatal exposure to diesel exhaust particles causes anxiety, spatial memory disorders with alters expression of hippocampal pro-inflammatory cytokines and NMDA receptor subunits in adult male mice offspring

Air pollution by Diesel exhaust (DE) consists of gaseous compounds and diesel exhaust particles (DEPs). Previous studies show associations between prenatal exposure to diesel exhaust affects the central nervous system (CNS). However, there was not reported that these effects were caused by gaseous compounds, diesel exhaust particles, or both. A limited number of studies in rodent models have shown that exposure to DEPs can result in CNS. Here, we explored the effects of prenatal exposure to DEPs on anxiety and learning and memory in NMRI mice male offspring. Three groups of pregnant mice were exposed to 350�400 μg DEPs/m 3 for 2, 4 and 6 h daily in a closed system room. We examined anxiety and learning and memory in 8-to-9-week-old male offspring using the Elevated plus maze and Morris water maze (MWM) test. Hippocampi were isolated after the behavioral tests and measured pro-inflammatory cytokines and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor expression by quantitative RT-PCR analysis. Mice exposed to DEPs in utero showed de�cits in the Elevated plus maze and Morris water maze test. In addition, DEPs exposed mice exhibited decreased hippocampal NR2A and NR3B expression. Taken together, our data suggest that maternal DEP exposure is associated with anxiety, disrupts learning and memory and reduction hippocampal NR2A and NR3B expression in male offspring. © 201

DM:Dehghani method for modifying optimization algorithms

In recent decades, many optimization algorithms have been proposed by researchers to solve optimization problems in various branches of science. Optimization algorithms are designed based on various phenomena in nature, the laws of physics, the rules of individual and group games, the behaviors of animals, plants and other living things. Implementation of optimization algorithms on some objective functions has been successful and in others has led to failure. Improving the optimization process and adding modification phases to the optimization algorithms can lead to more acceptable and appropriate solution. In this paper, a new method called Dehghani method (DM) is introduced to improve optimization algorithms. DM effects on the location of the best member of the population using information of population location. In fact, DM shows that all members of a population, even the worst one, can contribute to the development of the population. DM has been mathematically modeled and its effect has been investigated on several optimization algorithms including: genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), gravitational search algorithm (GSA), teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO), and grey wolf optimizer (GWO). In order to evaluate the ability of the proposed method to improve the performance of optimization algorithms, the mentioned algorithms have been implemented in both version of original and improved by DM on a set of twenty-three standard objective functions. The simulation results show that the modified optimization algorithms with DM provide more acceptable and competitive performance than the original versions in solving optimization problems

Learning and memory disorders related to hippocampal inflammation following exposure to air pollution

It has been demonstrated that sub-chronic exposure to air pollution containing nanoscale (�100 nm) diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) may lead to excessive oxidative stress and neuro-inflammation in adult male mice. Hereby, we investigated the effects of DEPs on hippocampus-dependent spatial learning and neuro-inflammation and memory-related gene expression in male mice. In this study, we divided 48 adult NMRI male mice into control group VS. three exposure groups. Mice were exposed to 300-350 μg/m3 DEPs for 2, 5, and 7 h daily for 12 weeks. The Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Elevated Plus Maze device were used to examine anxiety, spatial memory and learning, respectively. The mRNAs expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits, and glutaminase were studied in hippocampus (HI) by real-time RT-PCR. Besides, malondialdehyde (MDA) tests were used to determine the state of oxidative stress. After 5 and 7 h. of DEPs exposure, mRNA expression of NR2A and NR3B IL1α, IL1β, TNFα, NMDA receptor subunits and MDA levels increased significantly (P &lt; 0.05). Also, DEPs exposed mice for 2, 5, and 7 h. showed diminished entrance into open arms with short time spent there. Indeed, 5 and 7 h/day exposed mice required a longer time to reach the hidden platform. Sub-chronic exposure to DEPs increased oxidative stress markers, neuroinflammation, anxiety, impaired spatial learning and memory. © 2021, Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Hippocampal inflammation and oxidative stress following exposure to diesel exhaust nanoparticles in male and female mice

Air pollution exposure is among the most prevalent reasons for environmentally-induced oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which are involved in the development and progression of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Ultrafine particles (UFPs) plays an important role in global air pollution and the diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) are the most important component in this regard. There are more than 40 toxic air pollutants in diesel exhaust (DE), which is one of the main constituents of an environmental pollutant and including particulate matter (PM) especially UFPs. Thus, in this study, adult female and male NMRI mice were exposed to DEPs (350�400 μg/m3) for 14 weeks (6 h per day and 5 days per week). After 14 weeks of exposure, expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α), nNOS, HO1, NR2A, and NR2B and malondialdehyde (MDA) level were analyzed in various brain regions such as the hippocampus (HI) and olfactory bulb (OB). Exposure to DEPs caused neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in female and male mice. That these effects observed in females were less pronounced than in male mice. The male mice emerged to be more susceptible significantly than the female mice to induced neuroinflammation following DEPs exposure. Also, our findings indicate that long term exposure to DEPs results in altered expression of hippocampal NMDA receptor subunits, and suggests that gender can play important role in the modulating susceptibility to neurotoxicity induced by DEPs exposure. © 2021 Elsevier Lt

Learning and memory disorders related to hippocampal inflammation following exposure to air pollution

It has been demonstrated that sub-chronic exposure to air pollution containing nanoscale (�100 nm) diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) may lead to excessive oxidative stress and neuro-inflammation in adult male mice. Hereby, we investigated the effects of DEPs on hippocampus-dependent spatial learning and neuro-inflammation and memory-related gene expression in male mice. In this study, we divided 48 adult NMRI male mice into control group VS. three exposure groups. Mice were exposed to 300-350 μg/m3 DEPs for 2, 5, and 7 h daily for 12 weeks. The Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Elevated Plus Maze device were used to examine anxiety, spatial memory and learning, respectively. The mRNAs expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits, and glutaminase were studied in hippocampus (HI) by real-time RT-PCR. Besides, malondialdehyde (MDA) tests were used to determine the state of oxidative stress. After 5 and 7 h. of DEPs exposure, mRNA expression of NR2A and NR3B IL1α, IL1β, TNFα, NMDA receptor subunits and MDA levels increased significantly (P &lt; 0.05). Also, DEPs exposed mice for 2, 5, and 7 h. showed diminished entrance into open arms with short time spent there. Indeed, 5 and 7 h/day exposed mice required a longer time to reach the hidden platform. Sub-chronic exposure to DEPs increased oxidative stress markers, neuroinflammation, anxiety, impaired spatial learning and memory. © 2021, Springer Nature Switzerland AG