Bibliography on power system probabilistic analysis (1962-88)

A bibliography is presented on the subject of power system analysis from a probabilistic point of view. Comprising 269 references, this bibliography focuses on probabilistic loadflow, probabilistic short circuit, and probabilistic dynamic analysis (probabilistic security). An additional section covering general topics (analysis and engineering) and a list of previous bibliographies are also presented.<>     

Experimental and numerical evaluation of stress redistribution in thick-walled rocksalt cylinders

Whenever an opening is excavated in soft rocks showing elastic–visco-plastic behaviour, like rocksalt and potash, the stress state prevailing soon after the excavation will not remain constant in time but will eventually evolve from the initial state, σ^o, generally considered to be elastic, to a state of stress that can be considered to be stationary for all practical purposes, σ^ss. The knowledge of the stress state prevailing around the excavation some time after its completion is essential for many short-term applications such as the interpretation of in situ tests based on the cavity expansion principle and of stress measurements based on overcoring techniques. Since no analytical solutions are available for the evaluation of this stress redistribution process, numerical analyses are often used to study this problem. The results obtained from such analyses depend on many factors but mainly, the kind of creep law formulation and related parameters. This paper presents an experimental methodology to quantify the amount of stress redistribution occurring in a thick-walled cylinder under a given set of conditions. This experimental methodology does not require any assumption regarding the creep behaviour of the material. As a consequence, it allows the validation of numerical analyses by comparing the amount of stress redistribution obtained experimentally and that obtained from these numerical analyses.     

Menstrual cycle modulation of tender points

OBJECTIVE: A summary about the final results of the Hungarian double-blind placebo controlled randomised trial of periconceptional folic acid containing multivitamin and trace element supplementation. RESULTS: The major finding is a significant prevention of the first occurrence of neural-tube defect, urinary tract and cardiovascular defects, in addition a decrease in the rate of limb deficiencies and congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis. Fertility was slightly improved and the rate of twins increased significantly after periconceptional multivitamin supplementation. The effect of multivitamin supplementation for fetal death is controversial, but in general there is no clinically significant change. Periconceptional multivitamin supplementation can reduce the occurrence of nausea and vomiting. PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATIONS: Consumption of foods which are rich in folate may not be the best way to prevent neural-tube defects and other congenital abnormalities. Periconceptional multivitamin supplementation is part of the periconceptional care in Hungary and it is an appropriate forum for the practical delivery for this primary prevention action. However, as a large proportion of pregnancies are unplanned, the widespread use of bread fortified with folic acid, vitamin B12 and B6 may decrease a considerable part of neural-tube defects and some other congenital abnormalities, in addition to vascular diseases due to hyperhomocysteinemia.     

Evaluation of trainees' stay in general practice by the young physicians and their tutors

In 1991 a new reform for postgraduate trainees was introduced in Denmark. Since the reform all young doctors-as a compulsory part of their vocational training-have had to work for six months as general practice trainees, no matter their wishes for future specialization. The reform furthermore led to the general practice trainees being considerably younger than previously-the average length of postgraduate experience before working as a trainee declined from six to seven years to one to two years. In this light an investigation was conducted from August 1992 to July 1993. Seven hundred and fifty-eight questionnaires were sent to general practice trainees and their tutors in Denmark. Ninety-five percent of the questionnaires were returned, thus it was possible to evaluate the new compulsory training in general practice. In conclusion, the main part of the trainees had a positive assessment of the work conditions in general practice. However, a large part of the trainees indicated that their tutor doctors had set aside too short a time for supervision.     

Tuft-to-capsule adhesions and their precursors: differences between the vascular and tubular poles of the human glomerulus

The hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is modulated by sex hormones. Few data exist on the relation between acute estrogen deficit and HPA axis response to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). The effects of a sudden drop in estradiol levels on basal and CRH-stimulated levels of ACTH, cortisol, testosterone, androstenedione and 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) were assessed in nine premenopausal women (44-48 years of age), before and after ovariectomy. The CRH test was performed before and 8 days after ovariectomy. A significant reduction in ACTH and adrenal steroids but not in cortisol response to CRH was observed after ovariectomy. The ratio of deltamax androstenedione/17-OHP after CRH stimulation was substantially the same before and after ovariectomy, whereas deltamax 17-OHP/cortisol was significantly lower in ovariectomized women showing increased 21- and 11beta-hydroxylase activity. The results show that the acute estrogen deficit induces changes in the HPA axis characterized by reduced stimulated secretion of ACTH and steroids but normal stimulated cortisol production.     

Properties of human hemoglobins with increased polarity in the alpha- or beta-heme pocket. Carbonmonoxy derivatives

The spectroscopic, conformational, and functional properties of mutant carbonmonoxy hemoglobins in which either the beta-globin Val67(E11) or the alpha-globin Val62(E11) is replaced by threonine have been investigated. The thermal evolution of the Soret absorption band and the stretching frequency of the bound CO were used to probe the stereodynamic properties of the heme pocket. The functional properties were investigated by kinetic measurements. The spectroscopic and functional data were related to the conformational properties through molecular analysis. The effects of this nonpolar-to-polar isosteric mutation are: (i) increase of heme pocket anharmonic motions, (ii) stabilization of the A0 conformer in the IR spectrum, (iii) increased CO dissociation rates. The spectroscopic data indicate that for the carbonmonoxy derivatives, the Val --> Thr mutation has a larger conformational effect on the beta-subunits than on the alpha-subunits. This is at variance with the deoxy derivatives where the conformational modification was larger in the heme pocket of the alpha-subunit (Cupane, A., Leone, M., Militello, V., Friedman, R. K., Koley, A. P., Vasquez, G. P., Brinigar, W. S., Karavitis, M., and Fronticelli, C. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 26271-26278). These effects are attributed to a different electrostatic interaction between Ogamma of Thr(E11) and the bound CO molecule. Molecular analysis indicates a more favorable interaction of the bound CO with Thr Ogamma in the beta-subunit heme pocket.