Differential evolution algorithm for static and multistage transmission expansion planning

A novel differential evolution algorithm (DEA) is applied directly to the DC power flow-based model in order to efficiently solve the problems of static and multistage transmission expansion planning (TEP). The purpose of TEP is to minimise the transmission investment cost associated with the technical operation and economical constraints. Mathematically, long-term TEP using the DC model is a mixed integer nonlinear programming problem that is difficult to solve for large-scale real-world transmission networks. In addition, the static TEP problem is considered both with and without the resizing of power generation in this research. The efficiency of the proposed method is initially demonstrated via the analysis of low, medium and high complexity transmission network test cases. The analysis is performed within the mathematical programming environment of MATLAB using both DEA and conventional genetic algorithm and a detailed comparative study is presented.     

Occlusion and ion exchange in the molten (lithium chloride-potassium chloride-alkali metal chloride) salt + zeolite 4A system with alkali metal chlorides of sodium, rubidium, and cesium

Interaction between molten salts of the type LiCl-KCl-MeCl (Me = Na, Rb, Cs, x _MeCl = 0 to 0.5, x _KCl/x _LiCl = 0.69) and zeolite 4A have been studied at 823 K. The main interactions between these salts and zeolite are molten salt occlusion to form salt-loaded zeolite and ion exchange between the molten salt and salt-loaded zeolite. No chemical reaction has been observed. The extent of occlusion is a function of the concentration of MeCl in the zeolite and is equal to 11±1 Cl⁻ per zeolite unit cell, (AlSiO₄)₁₂, at infinite MeCl dilution. The ion-exchange mole fraction equilibrium constants (separation factors) with respect to Li are decreasing functions of concentration of MeCl in the zeolite. At infinite MeCl dilution, they are equal to 0.84, 0.87, and 2.31 for NaCl, RbCl, and CsCl, respectively, and increase in the order Na<Rb<Cs at identical MeCl concentrations. The standard ion-exchange chemical potentials are equal to −(0.0±0.5) kJ·mol⁻¹, −(0.4±0.3) kJ·mol⁻¹, and −(6.5±0.5) kJ·mol⁻¹ for Na⁻, Rb⁻¹, and Cs⁺, respectively.     

Topical Neck Cooling Prolongs Survival of Rats with Intra-Abdominal Feculent Sepsis by Activation of the Vagus Nerve

Global hypothermia prolongs survival in rats with intraabdominal feculent sepsis by inhibiting inflammatory responses. We hypothesized that topical neck cooling (TNC) has similar benefits. Septic shock was induced by cecal ligation and incision (CLI) in Sprague Dawley rats. Rats were randomized to sham laparotomy, control with CLI, CLI with TNC, or vagotomy at the gastroesophageal junction before CLI and TNC. Two more groups underwent peritoneal washout with and without TNC two hours after CLI. TNC significantly lowered neck skin temperature (16.7 ± 1.4 vs. 30.5 ± 0.6 °C, p < 0.05) while maintaining core body normothermia. TNC rats recovered from anesthesia 70 min earlier than the control (p < 0.05). Three hours following CLI, the control and vagotomy with TNC groups had significantly more splenic contraction, fewer circulating leukocytes and higher plasma IL-1β, IL-10 and TNF-α levels than TNC rats (p < 0.05). TNC prolonged survival duration after CLI by a median of four hours vs. control (p < 0.05), but no benefit was seen if vagotomy preceded TNC. Peritoneal washout alone increased survival by 3 h (9.2 (7.8–10.5) h). Survival duration increased dramatically with TNC preceding washout, to a 56% survival rate (>10 days). TNC significantly prolonged the survival of rats with severe intraabdominal sepsis by inhibiting systemic proinflammatory responses by activating vagal anti-inflammatory pathways.     

Breaching hypnotic amnesia by manipulating expectancy.

Prior to hypnotic induction, subjects selected for high hypnotizability and ability to experience hypnotic amnesia were read one of two expectancy manipulations designed to convince them that deepening of hypnosis either would or would not allow them to breach amnesia. After memorizing a list of six words, subjects heard a hypnotic induction, an amnesia suggestion, a challenge to remember, a trance-deepening procedure, and a second challenge to remember. On the first challenge, subjects in both conditions demonstrated considerable and equivalent degrees of amnesia. Following the trance-deepening procedure, subjects in the amnesia expectancy condition displayed even more amnesia, whereas 80% of the subjects in the memory expectancy condition completely recovered their memory of the word list. These data demonstrate that for most subjects in whom hypnotic amnesia can be elicited, it can be completely breached by manipulating subjects' expectancies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Expression cloning and receptor pharmacology of human calcitonin receptors from MCF-7 cells and their relationship to amylin receptors

Human breast cell carcinoma MCF-7 cells were found to bind 125I-labeled rat amylin (rAmylin) and the peptide amylin antagonist radioligand 125I-AC512 with high affinity. This high affinity binding possessed characteristics unique to the already defined high affinity binding site for amylin in the rat nucleus accumbens [Mol. Pharmacol. 44:493-497 (1993); J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 270:779-787 (1994); Eur. J. Pharmacol. 262:133-141 (1994)]. To further define this receptor, we report results of expression cloning studies from an MCF-7 cell library. We isolated two variants of a seven-transmembrane receptor that were identical to two previously described human calcitonin receptors (hCTR1 and hCTR2). These receptors were characterized by expression in different surrogate host cell systems. Transient expression of hCTR1 in COS cells yielded membranes that bound 125I-AC512 and 125I-salmon calcitonin with high affinity, but no high affinity binding was observed with 125I-human calcitonin (hCAL) or 125I-rAmylin. Stable expression of hCTR1 in HEK 293 cells produced similar data. In contrast, expression of hCTR2 in COS cells yielded membranes that bound 125I-AC512, 125I-hCAL, and 125I-rAmylin with high affinity. The agonists 125I-hCAL and 125I-rAmylin bound 65% and 1.5%, respectively, of the sites bound by the antagonist radioligand 125I-AC512 in this expression system. This pattern of binding was repeated in HEK 293 cells stably transfected with hCTR2 (125I-hCAL = 24.8% Bmax, 125I-rAmylin = 8% Bmax). In both expression systems, the agonists hCAL and rAmylin were much more potent in displacing their radioligand counterparts than was the antagonist radioligand 125I-AC512. For example, the pKi value for displacement of 125I-AC512 by rAmylin was 7.2 in HEK 293 cells but rose to 9.1 when displacing 125I-rAmylin. Finally, hCTR2 was expressed in baculovirus-infected Ti ni cells. In this system, only specific binding to the antagonist 125I-AC512 and agonist 125I-hCAL was observed; no binding to 125I-rAmylin could be detected. These data are discussed in terms of two working hypotheses. The first is that amylin is a weak agonist for hCTR2 and that this receptor is unrelated to the amylin receptor found in this cell line. The second is that hCTR2 couples to different G proteins for calcitonin and amylin function in different cells. At present, these data cannot be used to disprove conclusively either hypothesis.     

Double-blind versus deceptive administration of a placebo.

Subjects were given varying doses of a placebo, consisting of decaffeinated coffee, with double-blind or deceptive instructions. Deceptive administration simulated clinical situations in that subjects were led to believe that they were receiving an active drug. In contrast, subjects in double-blind conditions were aware that they might receive a placebo. Double-blind and deceptive administration of the placebo produced different, and in some instances, opposite effects on pulse rate, systolic blood pressure, and subjective mood. Deceptive administration produced an increase in pulse rate, whereas double-blind administration did not. A theoretically predicted curvilinear effect on systolic blood pressure, alertness, tension, and certainty of having consumed caffeine was confirmed with deceptive administration, but not with double-blind administration. Double-blind administration produced curves in the opposite direction on each of these variables. The effects of the placebo on motor performance varied as a function of subjects' beliefs about the effects of caffeine. These data challenge the validity of double-blind experimental designs and suggest that this common method of drug assessment may lead to spurious conclusions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Purple Dyes Made from Shellfish in Antiquity

Two types of precious purple dye were prepared in antiquity from Mediterranean shellfish. Red-purple (biblical argaman, ‘Tyrian purple’) was 6,6'-dibromoindigotin (I, C.I. 75800), made from spiny dye-murex and rock-shells. The nature of the other dye, blue-purple (biblical tekhelet, Greek hyakinthos) has been unclear until recently. The eight proposals advanced during the last 100 years regarding its identity are critically evaluated as to their compliance with the characteristic features historically ascribed to a genuine blue-purple. It is concluded that the banded dye-murex, Phyllonotus trunculus, was the authentic source of this ancient dye, which is, accordingly, a violet-coloured mixture containing two major colorants, I and indigotin (C.I. 73000). The analytical detection of tekhelet is described as is the biochemistry of purple dyeing. Biblical byssus is considered to be white linen rather than purple cotton.     

Effects of verbal and experiential expectancy manipulations on hypnotic susceptibility.

The hypothesis that an expectancy manipulation based on direct experience would have a greater effect on hypnotic behavior than one based on verbal persuasion was tested. Consistent with this hypothesis, the experiential expectancy manipulation was more effective than the verbal manipulation in enhancing hypnotizability. A combination of the 2 expectancy manipulations resulted in a sample in which 73% of the Ss scored as highly hypnotizable, 27% as moderately hypnotizable, and none as low hypnotizable on Form C of the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale. These data support I. Kirsch's (see record 1986-13702-001) response expectancy hypothesis. They also suggest that R. H. Fazio and M. P. Zanna's (1981) contention that attitudes formed via direct experience are more consistent with behavior may hold for expectancy–behavior consistency as well. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Normal personality characteristics in identical twins discordant for schizophrenia.

The authors examined normal personality characteristics of monozygotic (MZ) twins discordant for schizophrenia. Twenty pairs of discordant twins were analyzed; 11 pairs of MZ twins concordant for schizophrenia served as a comparison group. Personality was assessed using the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ; A. Tellegen, 1995). Among discordant twin pairs, twins with schizophrenia were more deviant than normal co-twins on all but 4 of the MPQ's scales. Analysis of MZ twin correlations among the discordant twin pairs revealed substantial erosion of personality similarity as compared to normal individuals, although a cluster of scales related to Constraint/Psychoticism showed significant correlations. The results highlight striking personality divergence related to nonshared environmental influences. It is not possible to determine the point at which the twins diverged, although previous findings from this sample suggest that the observed personality differences may reflect effects of schizophrenia on normal personality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)