Optimal Point Research Articles

Optimizing Thermal Energy Storage Using Multi-Walled Carbon Nano Tube Infused Polyethylene Glycol Composites: An Experimental and Simulation Study

Highly stable phase change materials with superior thermal properties and reliability are of utmost need for waste heat recovery applications. Due to low supercooling, non-corrosivity, and low phase separation, organic phase change materials are preferred for thermal energy storage over inorganic phase change materials. Despite their other advantages, the limited heat conductivity of organic phase change materials limits their practical use in thermal energy storage. Therefore, current research focuses on developing nano-enhanced organic phase change materials by dispersing one-dimensional thread-shaped multi-wall carbon nanotubes with different weight percentages to improve the thermal properties of the base PEG-1000 PCM. The two-step method was adopted to develop phase change material composites to establish an improved thermal network, resulting in improved thermal conductivity. An ongoing study evaluated structural stability, chemical stability, thermal property, optical absorptivity, transmissivity, and thermal reliability of the formulated nano-enhanced phase change material composites. The results demonstrated that the highest thermal conductivity of nanocomposite was improved by 104.2% at 0.7wt.% multiwall carbon nanotube. The composite's optimum latent heat and melting point were 41.5 °C & 140J/g, respectively. Additionally, the composite retained its thermal and chemical performance after being subjected to 500 thermal cyclic studies. Subsequently, a heat transfer simulation study is conducted to exhibit the effect of higher thermal conductivity of newly formulated nanocomposites for heat transfer compared to base PCM using 2-D energy simulation software.

АНАЛИТИЧЕСКОЕ ПРЕДСТАВЛЕНИЕ ЭЛАСТИЧНОСТИ И ОБОСНОВАНИЕ КРИТЕРИЯ КАЧЕСТВА ПРОЦЕССА СМЕШИВАНИЯ СЫПУЧИХ КОМПОНЕНТОВ

The purpose of the study is an analytical representation of elasticity and substantiation of the criterion for the process of mixing bulk components. Tasks: to develop an analytical model of the process of mixing bulk components, taking into account indicators of elasticity and to analytically substantiate the quality criterion for mixing bulk components. The process of high-quality mixing of bulk mixtures of plant components depends on the design of the equipment used. The analytical model and quality criterion of the process of mixing bulk components are developed for the patented design of the paddle mixer. Wheat grain and millet were used as components of the mixture. The factors in the studies were: the angular velocity of the paddle mixer shaft; blade angle; millet content in the mixture. The target optimization functions were: the variability of the mixture, the energy intensity of the process of mixing bulk components, as well as a generalized indicator representing their convolution. The computer package Maple was used for the computational experiment. The proposed criterion for the quality and efficiency of mixing is presented in an analytical form as a maximization criterion, and the technological task of improving the process, accordingly, turns into a problem of conditional optimization. At the optimum points, the "mixed" generalized indicator has the property of elasticity – "sensitivity" to the control of the mixing process. The criterion of quality (efficiency) of the process of mixing bulk plant components was proposed to agree on the goal of increasing the productivity (high energy intensity) of the mixing process while ensuring its stability (low variability). The numerical values of the maxima at different levels are determined. When choosing the angular speed of rotation of the shaft, the angle of inclination of the blades, the content of millet in the mixture at a variation level not exceeding 1.85 %, the maximum energy intensity of the mixing process is achieved.

Parametric Optimization of Concentrated Photovoltaic-Phase Change Material as a Thermal Energy Source for Buildings

A concentrated photovoltaic system is evaluated as a thermal energy source employing phase change material to meet the domestic water heating demand. A paraffin wax-based phase change material is selected with a 58 °C melting point to store enough thermal energy to match the hot water demand in the buildings. The energy performance of the concentrated photovoltaics containing phase change materials is compared to that of the reference to determine the increased energy outputs due to the heat removal by the material. The concentrated photovoltaics-phase change material achieved 30% higher energy output compared to the reference concentrated photovoltaic, thus providing a strong justification for the improved thermal management design. An enthalpy-based thermal model is developed to compare the experimental results with model predictions, confirming a reasonable agreement between the results. The model is used determine the optimum melting point and container size for different phase change materials under different radiation concentrations for the hot climate of the United Arab Emirates.

Development and optimization of a new competitive ELISA using recombinant (rPSA D15 and rCag11) antigens for the detection of Helicobacter pylori infection.

H. pylori (Hp) is highly causative agent of chronic gastritis, gastric cancer and human death worldwide. To address the challenge of H. pylori infection, numerous immunological assays have been developed for its diagnosis and management. However, the limited availability of these assays in certain laboratories, coupled with their high cost, inconsistent specificity, and sensitivity, has hampered their widespread adoption, particularly in developing countries where H. pylori infection is prevalent. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and validate a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) assay for detecting H. pylori infections by targeting the Protective Surface Antigen (PSA) and Cytotoxic-Associated Gene Pathogenesis Island (Cag11) proteins in H. pylori stool antigen sample. In the current study, the optimal conditions including the dilution of anti-rPSA D15 and anti-rCag11 antibodies at 1:1000, coating antigens (rPSA D15 and rCag11) at a concentration of 1 μg/well, the dilution of HRP-labelled antibody at 1:5000 and H. pylori stool antigen dilution at 1:1000 with a 1hour incubation and color development time of 30 minutes for cELISA were determined using an ELISA checkerboard titration assay. Based on the optimized conditions, novel rPSA D15-cELISA and rCag11-cELISA assays with a respective optimum cut-off value of 20.80% PI and 24.16% PI were developed. According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis on the diagnostic performance of the newly developed rPSA D15-cELISA and rCag11-cELISA assays using 60 clinical H. pylori stool samples, the rPSA D15-cELISA test assay established an optimum cut-off point of 20.80% with sensitivity and specificity of 90% (95% confidence of interval (CI) 74.38-96.54), Area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9556 (95% CI = 0.896-1.000) and P value <0.0001. Similarly, the rCag11-cELISA assay revealed optimum cut-off value of 24.16% with sensitivity of 93.33% (95% CI 78.68-98.82), specificity of 90% (95% CI 74.38-96.54), AUC of 0.986 (95% CI = 0.967-1.000) and P <0.0001. Furthermore, the reproducibility assay coefficients of variation (CV) of the newly developed rPSA D15-cELISA and rCag11-cELISA assay were less than 10%, indicating that the two cELISA assays exhibits excellent reproducibility and reliability. To validate their clinical diagnostic application, the comparative study results of rPSA D15-cELISA and rCag11-cELISA showed a high agreement (k = 0.766 and 0.799) with the commercially available H. pylori antigen test immunochromatographic kit and more accurate than the reference kit by detecting stool antigen of H. pylori strain, indicating it is promising for clinical testing. In conclusion, these results indicated that the newly developed rPSA D15-cELISA and rCag11-cELISA H. pylori stool antigen test assays were a potential reliable and a clinically useful assay for rapid, specifically, sensitively and accurately diagnosis and large-scale epidemiological investigation of H. pylori infection.

A smooth gradient approximation neural network for general constrained nonsmooth nonconvex optimization problems.

Nonsmooth nonconvex optimization problems are pivotal in engineering practice due to the inherent nonsmooth and nonconvex characteristics of many real-world complex systems and models. The nonsmoothness and nonconvexity of the objective and constraint functions bring great challenges to the design and convergence analysis of the optimization algorithms. This paper presents a smooth gradient approximation neural network for such optimization problems, in which a smooth approximation technique with time-varying control parameter is introduced for handling nonsmooth nonregular objective functions. In addition, a hard comparator function is introduced to ensure that the state solution of the proposed neural network remains within the nonconvex inequality constraint sets. Any accumulation point of the state solution of the proposed neural network is proved to be a stationary point of the nonconvex optimization under consideration. Furthermore, the neural network demonstrates the ability to find optimal solutions for some generalized convex optimization problems. Compared with the related neural networks, the constructed neural network has weaker convergence conditions and simpler algorithm structure. Simulation results and an application in optimizing condition number verify the practical applicability of the presented algorithm.

Optic nerve damage model: A preliminary study to determine injury duration and degree of gliosis

Aims/Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of varying durations of optic nerve compression on retinal function and morphology in an adult DA/HanR rat with optic nerve crush model.Methods: In the study, adult DA/HanR rats (4‐8 mo) were divided into 5 experimental groups. Lateral canthotomy and lateral bulbar conjunctiva incision were performed to reach the area. The optic nerve was held 2‐3 mm posterior to the globe with the help of calibrated forceps and compressed for four different periods of time: 10 seconds, 15 seconds, 30 seconds and 2 minutes. During the injury, retinal fundus observation of rats was checked with a 90‐diopter fundus lens. To evaluate changes in vision after optic nerve damage, in vivo electrophysiological tests (VEP, EEG and ERG) with daylight stimulator, a light intensity of 500 μW/cm2, was studied. Changes in optic nerve and retina morphology after injury were evaluated by hematoxylin‐eosin (H&amp;E), TUNEL assay, immunofluorescence staining of gliosis and retina cell markers.Results: It was observed that the response to light was reduced in both the retina (ERG) and visual cortex (VEP‐EEG) in the damaged eyes compared to the control group. Retina cell survival showed decrease in injured groups by TUNEL assay. In immunofluorescence staining, an increase in the severity of gliosis with activation of the microglia and Müller cells in the retina and optic nerve depending on the duration of damage was shown by the expressions of GFAP, Glutamine Synthetase and Vimentin. It was observed that the expression of the neural marker NeuN and the photoreceptor marker Rhodopsin decreased upon injury.Conclusions: Our study provided preliminary results to further optic nerve regeneration studies to select optimum time points for improve axonal healing in retina and optic nerve injuries.Funding Information: This work is supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) under Grant ARDEB‐121S762

Pemanfaatan Abu Sekam Padi dan Abu Boiler Kelapa Sawit Sebagai Pengganti Parsial Semen pada Pencampuran Paving Block

Plantations in Indonesia are vast and numerous. Various types of plantation products are produced every year; examples of plantations are oil palm and rice husk. These two plantations have their waste during the process of becoming finished materials. Examples of these two wastes are oil palm boiler ash and rice husks. These two wastes can be used as a partial substitute for cement because they have several compounds similar to cement. This study used the two wastes as a partial replacement for the cement used to manufacture environmentally friendly paving blocks. This study used substitution variations of 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% with a FAS value 0.4. The tests that are used are compressive strength tests and water absorption tests. The optimum compressive strength results in each variation is 0%=25,17 Mpa, 2%=25,88 Mpa, 4%=25,93 Mpa, 6%=26,35 Mpa, and 8%=25,35%. For the optimum results of absorption in each variation is 0% = 3.52%, 2% = 2.41%, 4%= 3.50%, 6% = 4.70%, and 8% = 4.27%. According to SNI 03-0691-1996, it can be categorized as a quality B paving block for parking use. The conclusion is that adding the two wastes can increase the compressive strength until it reaches the optimum point of 6%; meanwhile, for the water absorption capacity, the variation increase can be increased because of the water absorption on the paving block.

Sustainable alternative to manage the organic fraction of household solid waste: optimized composting in organomineral production

More than 50% of household solid waste is organic; thus, composting has emerged as alternative to extend landfills’ useful life and to reduce costs and minimize environmental impacts resulting from organic-fraction landfilling. The aims of the present study are to develop a domestic compost bin, optimize the main composting-process parameters set for household organic solid waste, generating an organomineral composite as final product from synthetic fertilizer application and featuring this matured biofertilizer. Rotatable central composite design was the method of choice to define the experimental matrix for variable optimization purpose. The following parameters were monitored throughout the experiments: moisture content, temperature, pH and C:N ratio. The mathematical model returned values close to 99% for optimum stabilization point and approximately 98% experimental data. This finding points out the efficiency of the generated optimization model. Temperature was not a compromising factor to achieve a proper composting process progress. According to the C:N ratio recorded throughout the experiments, the equipment mineralized the waste without reaching high temperatures, with small amounts of organic mass. The optimal conditions to maximize the stability of organic-mineral materials were reached when the process was carried out within 18 days, after 15-time compost revolving and the addition of 6.5% synthetic fertilizer (NPK). The equipment developed under the optimized composting parameters emerged as promising alternative to treat the organic fraction of urban solid waste, besides contributing to sustainable and environmental development, as well as to economic and social gains.

Design and Development of Nanoparticle-loaded In-situ Gel for Enhanced and Sustained Ophthalmic Delivery

Background: Flurbiprofen, a non-selective COX inhibitor utilized for managing mild to moderate pain and inflammation, operates through reversible inhibition of both COX-1 and COX-2 pathways. However, as a BCS class II drug, it exhibits limited aqueous solubility, leading to suboptimal ocular bioavailability and a brief corneal contact. Objective: The goal of this study was to amplify the aqueous solubility of Flurbiprofen by formu-lating it into a nanosuspension, which was subsequently incorporated into an in-situ gelling sys-tem so as to extend the ocular residence time and to achieve sustained drug release. Methods: Nanosuspensions were crafted through the anti-solvent precipitation ultra-sonication method. The assessment included parameters, such as particle size, surface morphology, XRD, and FT-IR. The optimized nanosuspension was then incorporated into a pH-sensitive in-situ gel. Results: The developed formulation was stable and showed enhanced contact time, minimizing the frequency of administration. Morphological analysis unveiled spherical drug nanoparticles in the nanosuspension without any signs of aggregation, supported by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The ex vivo permeation studies showed a drug release of 83.48%, indicating good permeation and histopathology, and isotonicity indicated no ocular irritation and tissue damage. Conclusion: The design and development of Flurbiprofen nanosuspension were found to be liq-uid at the formulated pH and formed gel due to changes in bonds between polymers. In-situ ocu-lar gels minimize the risk of systemic absorption of the drug, as they are designed to stay local-ized on the ocular surface and within the eye. An optimum point can be reached in the shortest time with minimum efforts to achieve desirable rheological and in-vitro release properties for in-situ gelling systems.

Extraction of antioxidant and antibacterial agents from avocado (Persea americana) seed using Pulsed Electric Field method

The abundance of avocado seeds causes environmental problems. Therefore, avocado seeds, which are high in bioactive compounds, have been utilized. Several extraction methods have been explored to maximize this utilization. However, conventional extraction methods present major challenges due to disadvantages such as requiring high temperatures, high energy consumption, long extraction times, and producing solvent waste. To that purpose, the Pulse electric field (PEF) extraction method was developed, which is highly efficient, has a short extraction process, is environmentally friendly, and does not produce solvent waste. This study observed the effect of electric field strength (2.5–7.5 kV/cm) and pulse frequency (100–250 Hz) until an optimum point on the properties of avocado seed extract (Avs) as an antioxidant and antibacterial agent. The results show that increasing the electric field strength and pulse frequency boosts the extraction yield and total phenolic content (TPC). This is highly supported by SEM images, which show more pores, cavities, and disrupted membrane cells as the electric field strength and pulse frequency increased. GC-MS and FTIR analysis also showed that the extract contains bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, fatty acids, and other compounds with the representing peaks OH, C−H stretch, CC, −C−H stretch, C−O stretch, and in-plan deformation vibration CH indicating as antioxidant and antibacterial agents. The extract obtained at 7.5 kV/cm with a pulse frequency of 250 Hz shows the best performance of bioactive potential indicated by antioxidant activity, IC50, and surface area of the inhibition zone against E. coli and S. aureus, which are 95.56 %, 90 µg/mL, 396 mm2, and 785 mm2, respectively. The inhibitory zones of the two microbials were relatively stable until the seventh day of observation. This research showed that the EF extraction method serves as an eco-extraction technology of natural bioactive compounds, which has high potential application as an antioxidant and antibacterial agent.

Changes in needle maneuver space and optimal insertion site for midline neuraxial puncture with progressive age: an analysis in computed tomography scans

IntroductionWe systematically describe the morphology and accessibility of interspinous spaces across age groups of patients. Our primary goal was to objectively estimate if the maneuver space for a virtual spinal...

Research on the performance of frequency tracking methods for the ultrasonic machining system considering the influence of impedance matching unit

In power ultrasonic systems, impedance matching is a critical technique which enables electrical energy to be fully utilized by the transducer. However, the electrical parameters of the transducer will change when thermal-force loads are applied in the application scenario. Although the transducer can be operated at the optimum frequency point by using resonance frequency tracking (RFT), there is a certain tracking error when tracking the resonant frequency of the transducer in the loaded condition due to the impedance matching unit. To improve the RFT accuracy and the stability of the ultrasonic system, an ultrasonic system with RFT function was designed in this research. Then four commonly used matching topologies were introduced. Secondly, the electrical parameter drift patterns of the ultrasonic device were explored. Based on the patterns, the impedance characteristics of the transducer with four matching topologies after being loaded were revealed. Finally, the theory and experiments were combined to reveal the influence of matching topology and loading effect on the output characteristics of the transducer. The results showed that the Ls and LCL topologies have better resistance to load fluctuation. Meanwhile, after Ls and LCL matching, the phase-locked loop method still has good RFT performance under heavy load conditions. This study can guide the selection of the transducer’s matching topology and RFT methods.

Implementation of high step up converter using RBFN MPPT controller for fuel cell based electric vehicle application

Fuel cell-based electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining popularity in the automotive industry due to strict carbon emissions and fuel efficiency regulations. Fuel cells have inherently low voltage characteristics, making it challenging to interface with EV drive systems. This work proposes a unique topology implementing a non-isolated high step-up DC-DC converter to integrate the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel (PEMF) cell with the EV motor drive. The converter combines a modified Single-Ended Primary Inductor Converter (m-SEPIC) with two winding-coupled inductors, enabling high voltage gain, minimizing conduction losses, and ensuring high efficiency. The output power of a fuel cell is highly dependent on cell temperature and membrane water content, making a maximum power point tracking controller essential for extracting optimal power from the fuel cell stack. The optimum power point of the PEMF cell is identified using a Neural Network (NN)-based Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technique, employing the Radial Basis Function Network (RBFN) approach compared to the Perturb & Observe (P&O) method. The performance of the RBFN MPPT method is validated under various temperature conditions of the fuel cell system. An extensive analysis and comparison with alternative converters validate the efficacy of the proposed system. The converter is designed for an input voltage of 24 V and boosts it to an output voltage of 240 V, with high static voltage gain, high power density, and minimized total losses. The system is tested and validated through both simulation and real-time implementation using the dSPACE 1104 real-time controller. A 200 W, 3000 rpm, 240 V VSI-based BLDC motor drive integrated with the proposed converter topology is developed as a real-time setup in the laboratory which would confirm the converter’s functionality. Both theoretical analysis and real-time outcomes affirm the suitability of the proposed converter topology for electric vehicle applications.

An amended low-cost indirect MPPT strategy with a PID controller for boosting PV system efficiency

Operating a photovoltaic (PV) array at its optimum power point (MPP) despite fluctuating weather conditions is challenging. However, tracking this point enhances system efficiency and energy yields. Various maximum power point tracker (MPPT) techniques have been developed, differing in convergence speed, tracking efficiency, and implementation complexity. The Incremental Conductance (IC) strategy is popular due to its simplicity and reliability, but its fixed perturbation step size results in low tracking efficiency, MPP fluctuation, high power loss, and poor performance. This study proposes an improved IC (IMP-IC) method using indirect control based on a PID controller with an adjustable step size. The IMP-IC approach is simple, cost-effective, and implementable using a low-cost ATmega328 microcontroller on the Arduino Uno board.Simulations in the Proteus environment compared its performance to other MPPT techniques like conventional IC, zone voltage (ZV), fuzzy logic (FL), and novel adjustable step InC (NAS-INC). Results under various weather conditions, including rapid changes and EN50530 testing standards, indicate the IMP-IC approach outperforms existing methods. Specifically, it achieved an average tracking time of 0.12 seconds and tracking efficiencies of 99.40 % (static) and 99.88 % (dynamic). The IMP-IC method showed negligible power losses and fluctuations, a quick convergence speed and significantly lower implementation complexity. These attributes position the IMP-IC method as an effective solution for enhancing the reliability and performance of PV systems.

A Novel Arithmetic Optimization Technique for Electric Vehicle Charging

With the increased usage of Electric vehicles in recent days, the optimal usage of battery both in terms of electrical and economic perspective is very important. Though several battery optimization techniques are evolving day by day, the method to achieve an efficient control of all parameters like battery current, power and power loss has not yet been achieved. This paper proposes a novel approach of implementing an arithmetic optimization scheme for FTP 75 drive cycle source. In this connect, the details of the arithmetic operators are discussed and their relations with electrical parameters are framed from the fundamental equations. A Pseudo-code has been developed and implemented for identifying the optimum charging point from different search spaces. The simulation results obtained for different electrical parameters with respect to different arithmetic operators, emphasizes the enhanced operation of electric vehicles at optimum charging points.

Weight loss and electrochemical measurements of aluminum corrosion in diesel fuel and biodiesel prepared via transesterification of waste cooking oil

Recent studies have found potentials in the utilization of biodiesel from renewable energy sources to tackle environmental pollution associated with the release of exhausts from fossil diesel fuel engines. However, it's imperative to investigate the corrosion rate and nature of the engine components fuelled with the biodiesel. This study examines the corrosion rate and nature of aluminum coupon (AC) in fossil diesel fuel (DF) and biodiesel produced from waste cooking oil via transesterification reaction (WCOB) using weight loss and electrochemical measurements. Taguchi Orthogonal Array was used to study the influence of temperature, immersion time, agitation and WCOD/DF volume. Weight loss method revealed highest corrosion rates to be 0.0052 mm y−1 and 0.0381 mm y−1 for AC in DF and WCOB respectively. Corrosion rate increased with increase in immersion time and temperature. A shift in the corrosion potential from -0.192 V to -0.574 V; and -0.178 V to -0.516 V was revealed by potentiodynamic polarization curve for AC in WCOB and DF respectively. Nyquist plots exhibited relatively perfect semicircles of different diameters and similar shape. The developed mathematical models were effective for corrosion rate prediction. Minimum corrosion rates of 1.222 × 10−3 mm y−1 and 1.822 × 10−3 mm y−1 for AC in DF and WCOB are respectively feasible at optimum point. Presence of carbon and oxygen on AC surface; pits formation; and loss of Al ion into WCOB and DF after corrosion were noticed. In conclusion, the corrosion rate of AC in WCOB was higher than the DF counterpart.

Improving the decision-making for sustainable demolition waste management by combining a BIM-based life cycle sustainability assessment framework and hybrid MCDA approach.

Increasing efforts have been devoted to promoting sustainable demolition waste management (DWM) from a life cycle-thinking perspective. To this end, facilitating sustainability-oriented decision-making for DWM planning requires a sustainability assessment framework for assessing multifaceted criteria. This study develops a building information modelling (BIM)-based DWM sustainability assessment approach to facilitate the life cycle assessment (LCA) and decision-making by coupling the enriched Industry Foundation Classes model with hybrid multi-criteria decision-aiding (MCDA) methods using Dynamo visual scripting. To streamline the data-intensive LCA process, this study enriched the BIM properties and accommodated them into the LCA data template to enhance data interoperability, thus achieving seamless data transfer. Moreover, hybrid MCDA methods are integrated into the decision-making workflow for DWM scenario ranking. A pilot study is employed to verify the applicability of the decision-aiding framework. The results unveil that the sustainability score ascended with the recycling rate. The optimal DWM alternative with the highest recycling rate yields the highest sustainability score at 91.63. Conversely, a DWM alternative reflecting the 'status quo' in China's recycling industry has the lowest score at 8.37, significantly lower than the baseline scenario with a 50% recycling rate. It is worth noting that the 'growth curve' of the sustainability score continuously flattens as the target recycling rate escalates. The increment in recycling rate from the 'Australian standard' scenario to the optimal scenario is 18.4%, whereas the sustainability score merely increases by 2.3%, signalling that the former scenario arrived at an optimum point for maximising the cost-efficiency of DWM under the predefined framework and contexts.

Multiobjective Optimisation of Flotation Variables Using Controlled-NSGA-II and Paretosearch

Finding the optimum operating points for the maximisation of flotation recovery and concentrate grade can be a very difficult task, owing to the inverse relationship that exists between these two key performance indicators. For this reason, techniques that can accurately find the trade-off are critical for flotation process optimisation. This work extracted well-assessed Gaussian process predictive functions as objective functions for a comparative multiobjective optimisation study using the paretosearch algorithm (PA) and the controlled elitist non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (controlled-NSGA-II). The main aim was the concomitant maximisation of the copper recovery and the concentrate grade. Comparison of the two applied techniques revealed that the PA discovered the best set of the pareto-optimal solution for both the recovery (93.4%) and concentrate-grade (17.4 wt.%) maximisation.

Fibrinogen, FDP and D-Dimer as Potential Biomarkers for Disease Severity in Ulcerative Colitis: A Retrospective Study.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an idiopathic, chronic inflammatory disease that primarily affects the large intestine. Coagulation abnormalities have been detected in UC patients. This study aimed to evaluate coagulation-related parameters in patients with UC. A total of 364 UC patients were analyzed with 163 female and 201 male. Disease activity was determined according to the Truelove and Witts criteria. The fibrinogen (FIB), D-dimer, fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (FDP), C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels were evaluated. We found higher D-dimer, FDP, FIB levels in severe UC compared with non-severe patients.The area under the curve (AUC) of D-dimer was 0.852 (95% CI 0.805 to 0.898) and the optimum cut-off point was 0.585, with a sensitivity of 80.6% and a specificity of 78.9%. Furthermore, D-dimer and FIB are positively correlated with ESR and CRP levels. Our results indicate that D-dimer, FDP, and FIB levels are potential biomarkers for disease severity in UC patients.

Multi-objective optimization of power networks integrating electric vehicles and wind energy

In the ever-evolving landscape of power networks, the integration of diverse sources, including electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energies like wind power, has gained prominence. With the rapid proliferation of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), their optimal utilization hinges on reconciling conflicting and adaptable targets, including facilitating vehicle-to-grid (V2 G) connectivity or harmonizing with the broader energy ecosystem. Simultaneously, the inexorable integration of wind resources into power networks underscores the critical need for multi-purpose planning to optimize production and reduce costs. This study tackles this multifaceted challenge, incorporating the presence of EVs and a probabilistic wind resource model. Addressing the complexity of the issue, we devise a multi-purpose method grounded in collective competition, effectively reducing computational complexity and creatively enhancing the model's performance with a Pareto front optimality point. To discern the ideal response, fuzzy theory is employed. The suggested pattern is rigorously tested on two well-established IEEE power networks (30- and 118-bus) in diverse scenarios featuring windmills and PEV producers, with outcomes showcasing the remarkable excellence of our multi-purpose framework in addressing this intricate issue while accommodating uncertainty.