Developing Operating Rules for Conjunctive Use of Surface and Groundwater Considering the Water Quality Issues

Matin Rafipour-Langeroudi,Reza Kerachian,Mohammad Reza Bazargan-Lari 대한토목학회 2014 KSCE JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol.18 No.2

This paper presents a new methodology for developing operating rules for conjunctive use of surface and groundwater. BayesianNetworks-based operating rules are trained and verified using the results of a multi-objective optimization model. Reduction ofpumping costs, improving the groundwater quality, water supply with acceptable quality and controlling the groundwater tablefluctuations are considered as objective functions of the optimization model. In order to provide Pareto fonts among these conflictingobjectives, the combination of MODFLOW and MT3D groundwater quantity and quality simulation models and Non-dominatedSorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) are used. The best solutions on the Pareto fronts, which are selected using the Young andNash bargaining theories, are used to train and verify Bayesian Networks (BNs). In real-time water allocation from surface andgroundwater resources, the BNs-based rules can be used without any need to run the time consuming optimization and conflictresolution models. The proposed methodology is applied to the conjunctive use of water resources in the Tehran region, Iran. Theresults show that using the operating rules can improve the groundwater quality and control the groundwater table fluctuations in thestudy area.

Synergistic effect of GO@SiO2 and GO@ZnO nano-hybrid particles with PVDF-g-PMMA copolymer in high-flux ultrafiltration membrane for oily wastewater treatment and antifouling properties

Hossein Mahdavi,Mohammad Amin Kerachian,Mehri Abazari 한국공업화학회 2022 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.108 No.-

In the Ultrafiltration (UF) region, the development of the membranes with ultra-water permeability andextraordinary oil rejection at the same time is highly desirable. Herein, a copolymer/nano-hybrid particlesmixed matrix membrane was fabricated with high hydrophilicity and oil-in-water separation performance,originating from the synergistic effect between the prepared copolymer and nanoparticles. Accordingly, atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) method, especially considered as a promisinggrafting technique to modify polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), was utilized for the synthesis of thePVDF-g-PMMA copolymer. Furthermore, two different nano-hybrid particles including graphene oxide(GO) sheets separately decorated with ZnO and SiO2 were also synthesized. Then, different membranecompositions with various GO@ZnO and GO@SiO2 contents were fabricated, and then, the synergisticeffect of each nano-hybrid particle with the PVDF-g-PMMA copolymer was evaluated. The preparedGO@ZnO and GO@SiO2 were used not only to modify ultrafiltration (UF) membranes for oil rejectionbut also to prevent protein BSA adsorption on the membrane surface based on their surface charge. The 4 wt.% PVDF-g-PMMA/0.3 wt.% GO@SiO2 and 4 wt.% PVDF-g-PMMA/0.3 wt.% GO@ZnO membranesprovided outstanding separation performance (soybean oil rejections of 93.4% and 95.2%, respectively)and ultra- water permeability (312 and 326 L/m2.h.bar, respectively). Based on the results in terms ofseparation and filtration performances, the M5 membrane exhibited more efficient performance thanM4 membrane. By increasing the amount of nano-hybrid particles, the overall finger-like voids, averagepore size, and surface roughness of membranes decreased, making them ideal for application in the watertreatment field. Also, the influence of hydrophilicity and charge density of GO@ZnO and GO@SiO2 nanohybridparticles with the copolymer in the PVDF membrane was examined through conducting theantifouling experiment in two different pH values, in which a great performance was also obtained. Compared to previous researches, GO@ZnO and GO@SiO2 nano-hybrid particles with the copolymer inthe PVDF membrane not only can generate ultra-high water permeability in low pressure but also provide>93% oil-in-water emulsion rejections.

Slow Coronary Flow Phenomenon and Increased Platelet Volume Indices

Mir Hossein Seyyed-Mohammadzad,Kamal Khademvatani,Abdollah Kerachian,Ramin Eskandari,Yousef Rezaei 대한심장학회 2014 Korean Circulation Journal Vol.44 No.6

Background and Objectives: We sought to determine the relationship between mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), and platelet larger cell ratio (P-LCR) with slow coronary flow (SCF). Subjects and Methods: Eighty participants who underwent coronary angiography were divided into two groups, 50 participants with SCF as case group, and 30 with normal coronary flow (NCF) as control group. Baseline characteristics and laboratory data were collected before angiography. Results: Platelet volume indices MPV (10.8±1.2 fL), PDW (14.5±2.2 fL), and P-LCR (30.5±8.1%) in the SCF group were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those (10.1±0.9 fL, 13.2±1.8 fL, and 26.8±6.8%, respectively) in the NCF group. The patients with three SCF arteries had significantly higher platelet volume indices compared to those with NCF arteries; however, the patients with one SCF artery did not. Based on linear regression model, MPV, PDW, and P-LCR were independent predictors of mean infarction frame counting (TFC). In multivariate analysis, MPV {odds ratio (OR)=32.393, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.189–882.606, p=0.039} and P-LCR (OR=0.566, 95% CI=0.330– 0.937, p=0.028) were independent predictors of SCF. Conclusion: Platelet volume indices MPV, PDW, and P-LCR were associated with both the presence and extent of SCF.

Developing an optimal valve closing rule curve for real-time pressure control in pipes

Mohammad Reza Bazargan-Lari,Reza Kerachian,Hossein Afshar,Seyyed Nasser Bashi-Azghadi 대한기계학회 2013 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.27 No.1

Sudden valve closure in pipeline systems can cause high pressures that may lead to serious damages. Using an optimal valve closing rule can play an important role in managing extreme pressures in sudden valve closure. In this paper, an optimal closing rule curve is developed using a multi-objective optimization model and Bayesian networks (BNs) for controlling water pressure in valve closure instead of traditional step functions or single linear functions. The method of characteristics is used to simulate transient flow caused by valve closure. Non-dominated sorting genetic algorithms-II is also used to develop a Pareto front among three objectives related to maximum and minimum water pressures, and the amount of water passes through the valve during the valve-closing process. Simulation and optimization processes are usually time-consuming, thus results of the optimization model are used for training the BN. The trained BN is capable of determining optimal real-time closing rules without running costly simulation and optimization models. To demonstrate its efficiency, the proposed methodology is applied to a reservoir-pipe-valve system and the optimal closing rule curve is calculated for the valve. The results of the linear and BN-based valve closure rules show that the latter can significantly reduce the range of variations in water hammer pressures.

BMP3 promoter hypermethylation in plasma-derived cell-free DNA in colorectal cancer patients

Parisa Rokni,Afsaneh Mojtabanezhad Shariatpanahi,Ebrahim Sakhinia,Mohammad Amin Kerachian 한국유전학회 2018 Genes & Genomics Vol.40 No.4

Detecting cfDNA in plasma or serum could serve as a ‘liquid biopsy’, for circulating tumor DNA with aberrant methylation patterns offer a possible method for early detection of several cancers which could avoid the need for tumor tissue biopsies. Bone Morphogenetic Protein 3 (BMP3) was identified as a candidate tumor suppressor gene putatively down-regulated in colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we aimed to assess the potential role of BMP3 promoter methylation changes in plasma DNA for detection of colorectal cancerous and precancerous lesions. Plasma DNA samples were extracted from 50 patients with histologically diagnosed polyps or tumor and 50 patients reported negative for polyps or tumors. The procedure consists of bisulfite conversion of the extracted DNA, purification of bis-DNA, and BMP3 methylation status analysis by using the bisulfite specific high resolution melting analysis. This study demonstrated that there was a significantly higher frequency of BMP3 methylated DNA in plasma in patients with polyps versus healthy controls with a sensitivity and specificity of 40 and 94%, respectively. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that BMP3 DNA methylation in plasma had not have sufficient sensitivity and it should be used in combination with other biomarkers for the detection of CRC.