- Research Article
8
- 10.1016/j.ceramint.2023.05.208
Synthesis, microhardness, fracture toughness and microstructural features of chitosan containing alkali activated geopolymers
- May 23, 2023
- Ceramics International
- A Rondinella + 5 more +5
Publications from 2021 to 2026
Showing 10 of 12 papers
Synthesis, microhardness, fracture toughness and microstructural features of chitosan containing alkali activated geopolymers
Smart Energy Routing For Rural Islanded Microgrid Clusters
This paper proposes a generic architectural design for a microgrid cluster using a smart energy routing scheme resulting in effective utilization of excess energy and mitigated overall cost. The Clustered Microgrid Design (CMD) presents the Storage Agent Replacement Optimization (SARO) technique which uses intelligent throughput estimation to corroborate accurate replacement cycle of the system, a Smart Energy Routing Algorithm (SERA) that efficiently captures and utilises excess solar energy which is shared within the integrated microgrid cluster and an Energy Storage Optimization (ESO) technique that enhances the CMD by resizing the storage agents. The CMD determines the optimised systems for cost and efficiency at various Capacity Shortages (CS). The proposed framework is implemented for a cluster of three interconnected microgrids, where a decrease of 11.29% in Lifetime Cost is observed for a 10% CS and an efficiency gain of 4.99% is discerned for a CS of 20%.
Read moreIrrigation Optimization for Agriculture Productivity: Case Study of a Hybrid Solar Microgrid in Rural India
This paper presents a two-stage optimization strategy for enhancing irrigation load servicing in existing stand-alone rural Indian microgrids. In this case study, the system design for an operating 8 kW rural microgrid in Bihar, India is taken under consideration. The rural loads are categorized as critical, irrigation and non-critical loads and are serviced by the Default Microgrid System (DMS). Optimization of the DMS is carried out in Intelligent Microgrid System (IMS) which involves two stages - Prioritized Load Management (PLM) and Energy Storage Enhancement (ESE). PLM serves the load demand based on defined priorities resulting in improved irrigation efficiency which plays a pivotal role in the rural context. The ESE optimizes the system storage size which results in maintained system cost. The resultant system increases the irrigation efficiency by 10.24% and improves the overall crop yield by 6.54% for this particular case study. However, this two-stage method is generic and can be employed across any rural Indian microgrid where the microgrid and solar pump operate as a hybrid system.
Read moreIntelligent Interconnection of Operating Micro-grid and Irrigation System in Dharnai - A Rural Indian Scenario
This paper presents a flexible energy transfer algorithm for the pre-existing Indian rural micro-grid and the irrigation system. Dharnai, a small village in Jehanabad district, Bihar (25.0125N, 84.9792E) uses the Dharnai Microgrid system (DMG) for community electrification and its agricultural load is serviced by Dharnai Irrigation System (DIS). The irrigation load demand for the project lifetime of 20 years is modeled using climatic variations like evapotranspiration, rainfall and crop pattern. Since the DIS and DMG systems are not integrated the excess energy generated is rendered unused. The efficient utilization of excess energy is achieved by interconnecting the two systems as they are less than 2 km apart. In this paper, a smart energy transfer algorithm that can be implemented on pre-existing systems is developed to predict and transfer energy. The algorithm is made flexible and dynamic so that the efficiency of a preferred system can be boosted based on village community requirements. A relative efficiency increase in the overall system of 10.57% is obtained using the algorithm and on implementing preferential energy transfer, a relative efficiency increase of 7.8% and 13.05% is achieved in DIS and DMG respectively.
Read moreEstação solarimétrica de referência – instalação, operação e manutenção
A utilização da energia solar no Brasil vem aumentando gradativamente, movida principalmente pelo alto preço da energia elétrica e a queda do preço dos equipamentos. Um grande gargalo ainda presente nos projetos de energia solar no Brasil é a falta de medição do recurso disponível. Com o advento dos leilões de energia solar, os critérios de aceitação de novos projetos estão cada vez mais rigorosos e, a partir de 2016, já exigem medição no local da futura instalação, assim como já acontece em projetos de energia eólica. O objetivo deste projeto é apresentar os passos necessários para a instalação de uma estação de medição segundo padrão de estações de referência do projeto SONDA (Sistema de Organização Nacional de Dados Ambientais), seguindo todas as lições aprendidas e melhores práticas e enumerar as atividades relevantes para a operação e manutenção de estações.
Read moreAnalysis of thermal effects in end-diode-pumped, Q-switched Nd:YVO4 laser
We present a laboratory model of a Nd:YVO 4 laser with thermal effects compensation dedicated as a laser head for marking devices. Theoretical analysis on thermal effects were performed and resonator parameters were optimized. For 10 kHz repetition rate we obtained about 0.25 mJ of pulse energy corresponding to about 45 kW of peak power with slope efficiency 14%. M 2 parameter was 1.6. Full Text: PDF References J. E. Geusic, H. M. Marcos, L. G. Van Uitert, Laser oscillations in nd-doped yttrium aluminum, yttrium gallium and gadolinium garnets, Applied Physics Letters 4 (10), (1964) CrossRef L. Gorajek, L. Galecki, Tunable, gain switched Ti3+:Al2O3 laser pumped by intracavity frequency doubled Nd3+:YLF laser, Photonics Letters of Poland 1, No 3, 136-138 (2009) CrossRef W. Zendzian, J. K. Jabczynski, P. Wachulak, J. Kwiatkowski, High-repetition-rate, intracavity-pumped KTP OPO at 1572 nm, Appl. Phys. B 80, 329-332 (2005) CrossRef J. Swiderski, A. Zajac, P. Konieczny, M. Skorczakowski, Numerical model of a double-clad fiber laser, Opt. Express 12, 3554-3559 (2004) CrossRef J. Swiderski, A. Zajac, P. Konieczny, M. Skorczakowski, Q-switched Nd-doped double-clad fiber laser, Opto-Electronics Review, vol. 13, no. 3, 29-33, 2005 DirectLink
Read moreTumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-associated Factor 6 (TRAF6) Associates with Huntingtin Protein and Promotes Its Atypical Ubiquitination to Enhance Aggregate Formation
Huntington disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expansion of polyglutamines in the first exon of huntingtin (HTT), which confers aggregation-promoting properties to amino-terminal fragments of the protein (N-HTT). Mutant N-HTT aggregates are enriched for ubiquitin and contain ubiquitin E3 ligases, thus suggesting a role for ubiquitination in aggregate formation. Here, we report that tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) binds to WT and polyQ-expanded N-HTT in vitro as well as to endogenous full-length proteins in mouse and human brain in vivo. Endogenous TRAF6 is recruited to cellular inclusions formed by mutant N-HTT. Transient overexpression of TRAF6 promotes WT and mutant N-HTT atypical ubiquitination with Lys6, Lys27, and Lys29 linkage formation. Both interaction and ubiquitination seem to be independent from polyQ length. In cultured cells, TRAF6 enhances mutant N-HTT aggregate formation, whereas it has no effect on WT N-HTT protein localization. Mutant N-HTT inclusions are enriched for ubiquitin staining only when TRAF6 and Lys6, Lys27, and Lys29 ubiquitin mutants are expressed. Finally, we show that TRAF6 is up-regulated in post-mortem brains from HD patients where it is found in the insoluble fraction. These results suggest that TRAF6 atypical ubiquitination warrants investigation in HD pathogenesis.
Read moreFabrication and characterisation of Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 solar cells on polyimide
Quantitative Real-Time PCR using the Thermo Scientific Solaris qPCR Assay
The Solaris qPCR Gene Expression Assay is a novel type of primer/probe set, designed to simplify the qPCR process while maintaining the sensitivity and accuracy of the assay. These primer/probe sets are pre-designed to >98% of the human and mouse genomes and feature significant improvements from previously available technologies. These improvements were made possible by virtue of a novel design algorithm, developed by Thermo Scientific bioinformatics experts. Several convenient features have been incorporated into the Solaris qPCR Assay to streamline the process of performing quantitative real-time PCR. First, the protocol is similar to commonly employed alternatives, so the methods used during qPCR are likely to be familiar. Second, the master mix is blue, which makes setting the qPCR reactions easier to track. Third, the thermal cycling conditions are the same for all assays (genes), making it possible to run many samples at a time and reducing the potential for error. Finally, the probe and primer sequence information are provided, simplifying the publication process. Here, we demonstrate how to obtain the appropriate Solaris reagents using the GENEius product search feature found on the ordering web site (www.thermo.com/solaris) and how to use the Solaris reagents for performing qPCR using the standard curve method.
Read moreMeningeal metastases from malignant melanoma presenting with gaze-evoked tinnitus.
Gaze-evoked tinnitus (GET) is uncommon and has been reported only in patients operated on for posterior fossa tumors. Reported cases of GET developed shortly after patients underwent surgery and followed complete hearing loss in the patients’ affected ear.1,2 We report a patient who had GET as an early symptom of CNS and meningeal metastases from a malignant melanoma. In March 1994, a 32-year-old woman underwent surgical resection of a cutaneous malignant melanoma of the upper left abdominal wall (Clark II, Breslow 0.4). Axillary nodal metastases were found in June 1997, and radical axillary dissection was performed. Subsequently, she received adjuvant immunotherapy with interferon-alpha. By April 1998, numerous subcutaneous metastatic lesions had been surgically resected. In April 1998, she had right facial pain (V2 and V3 distribution) and one episode of true vertigo with nausea and vomiting. On neurologic examination, a moderate right neurosensory-type hearing loss was found, and facial sensation and blink reflexes were …
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