Daily Energy Research Articles

Optimal planning of solar energy using a sensitivity factor for rural electricity needs in an off-grid system (case study: Sebesi Island, South Lampung, Indonesia)

ABSTRACT Small islands in Indonesia usually have a million beauty and extraordinary natural wealth. However, the development of remote islands is prolonged due to the limited electricity supply on these islands. This limitation occurs because the island is far from the primary power grid or uses a diesel generator (DG). Using the DG will increase the cost of shipping fuel oil through limited sea transportation. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a feasibility study of a solar power plant to meet the electricity needs of Sebesi Island, South Lampung, Indonesia. The availability of solar Energy and limited battery life are the main challenges in providing solar Energy today. Therefore, this study also considers the uncertainty of resources by using the sensitivity factor. This research uses HOMER software. This study assumes operating reserve peak, operating reserve, solar reserve, and lifetime battery life to account for resource uncertainty. This method is very effective in overcoming operational limitations and problems. The research results show that the optimal peak operating reserve, operating reserve, solar reserve, and lifetime battery are 10%, 10%, 10–30%, and 5 years, respectively. To meet the daily electrical energy needs of 505.1 kWh, the minimum net current cost (NPC) and energy cost (COE) are $1.26 million and 0.346 $/kWh, respectively. Therefore, this research succeeded in finding a scenario that takes into account sensitivity factors that are more economical. Compared with a diesel generator (DG) with a capacity of 100 kW, the NPC and COE values are $1.29 million and 0.397 $/kWh. Meanwhile, in terms of technology, solar power systems produce much more energy than DG. This system has an energy of 583,316 kWh/year, while the DG system can produce an energy of 268,469 kWh/year. As a result, this system can also reduce CO2 emissions by 241,812 kg/year.

A short review of marine renewable energy: Generation, storage, and applications

Renewable energy is a sustainable and green energy converted from renewable energy resources in the nature. There is a huge amount of renewable energy resources in the ocean that can be changed into useful energy like electricity, store for long time use, or apply in the daily energy consumption. These marine renewable energies (MRE) include wave energy, ocean thermal energy, tidal energy, ocean current energy, salinity gradient energy, and offshore energy. With a big area, the oceans have been prospected that it brings endless renewable energy sources for social development and human demand. The renewable ocean energy shows many advantages of sustainable energy, clean energy, and non-carbon dioxide emissions by generating from wave and water in the ocean with an enormous amount of natural energy resources. The MRE can service at many areas of off-shore, on-shore, and remote areas where need energy to drive daily living demands. The MRE reveals some disadvantages such as the influence of daily, monthly, season, and period of time. The solutions have been developed to solve the limitations of the MRE such as developing the storage method to store energy for long time use or making the balance of the output performance to improve quality of the renewable energy. The MRE has also received many concerns from countries by promulgating policies, strategies, and plans to develop the renewable ocean energy such as green economy development, blue economy strategy, carbon dioxide emission reduction, and encouragement of using marine renewable energy. This paper reviews current marine renewable energy with its generation, storage, and application. The work also mentioned some advantages, disadvantage, policies, strategies, and solutions to encourage the development of the renewable ocean energy in over the world. The results hope that it will be spread development, exploitation, and application of marine renewable energy in the near future. Keywords: Marine renewable energy, energy storage, generation, application, sustainable energy

Links between energy budgets, somatic condition, and life history reveal heterogeneous energy management tactics in a group-living mesocarnivore

BackgroundOptimal management of voluntary energy expenditure is crucial to the survival and reproductive success of wild animals. Nevertheless, a growing appreciation of inter-individual variation in the internal state driving movement suggests that individuals may follow different, yet equally optimal tactics under the same environmental conditions. However, few studies in wild populations have investigated the occurrence and demographic context of different contemporaneous energetic expenditure tactics. Here, we explore this neglected aspect of energy budgeting in order to determine the effect of life-history traits such as age and reproductive status on the co-occurrence of different energy-budgeting tactics in wild populations.MethodsWe investigated inter-individual heterogeneity in energy expenditure within a wild population of European badgers (Meles meles) by quantifying individual overall dynamic body acceleration (ODBA, from tri-axial accelerometry collars) and total daily energy expenditure (DEE, from doubly-labelled water) during 6–9 day deployments and dosing periods over six different seasons (spring, summer, and autumn) in 2018–2019. We obtained ODBA values for 41 deployments (24 unique badgers) and DEE measurements for 41 dosings (22 unique badgers). We then evaluated correlations between these energetic metrics and computed individual ratios of ODBA/DEE as a proxy for the proportion of total energy spent on activity. We measured the impact of alternative ODBA/DEE ratios on body condition, and use survival models constructed using 29 years of demographic data from the same population to situate body-condition changes in the context of age and reproductive status.ResultsBoth ODBA and DEE were highly variable between individuals and exhibited season-specific relationships with individual body condition and life-history factors. DEE scaled allometrically with body weight, but only in summer and autumn; post-reproductive female badgers were lighter than other badgers during the spring but expended on average 350 kJ/day more than predicted from allometric scaling. Older badgers expended significantly less energy on movement during the summer than did younger adults. The ratio of ODBA to DEE (OD) provides a measure of proportional investment into movement. This ratio correlated more significantly with next-season body condition than either energetic metric did independently. However, the majority of individuals with high OD ratios were either younger badgers or reproductive females, for which lower body condition typically presented less of a mortality risk in previous analyses of this population.ConclusionsWithin a single population under the same environmental conditions, we found wide inter-individual variation in both mechanical and total energy expenditure. The adoption of different tactics aligns with relationships between life-history parameters and mortality risk previously studied within the population. Crucially, younger badgers and reproductive females appeared able to tolerate energy expenditure tactics that depleted their body condition more than other badgers. These findings provide a mechanism by which differences in individual energetic context set by life history can maintain heterogeneity in wild populations, providing a wide range of potential energetic tactics under changing environmental conditions.

Hierarchical online energy management for residential microgrids with Hybrid hydrogen–electricity Storage System

The increasing proportion of renewable energy introduces both long-term and short-term uncertainty to power systems, which restricts the implementation of energy management systems (EMSs) with high dependency on accurate prediction techniques. A hierarchical online EMS (HEMS) is proposed in this paper to economically operate the Hybrid hydrogen–electricity Storage System (HSS) in a residential microgrid (RMG). The HEMS dispatches an electrolyzer-fuel cell-based hydrogen energy storage (ES) unit for seasonal energy shifting and an on-site battery stack for daily energy allocation against the uncertainty from the renewable energy source (RES) and demand side. The online decision-making of the proposed HEMS is realized through two parallel fuzzy logic (FL)-based controllers which are decoupled by different operating frequencies. An original local energy estimation model (LEEM) is specifically designed for the decision process of FL controllers to comprehensively evaluate the system status and quantify the electricity price expectation for the HEMS. The proposed HEMS is independent of RES prediction or load forecasting, and gives the optimal operation for HSS in separated resolutions: the hydrogen ES unit is dispatched hourly and the battery is operated every minute. The performance of the proposed method is verified by numerical experiments fed by real-world datasets. The superiority of the HEMS in expense-saving manner is validated through comparison with PSO-based day-ahead optimization methods, fuzzy logic EMS, and rule-based online EMS.

Exercise Combined with a Low-Calorie Diet Improves Body Composition, Attenuates Muscle Mass Loss, and Regulates Appetite in Adult Women with High Body Fat Percentage but Normal BMI.

The present study aimed to examine the effects of a 500 kcal reduction in daily energy intake alone and in combination with 90 min of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise per week on body weight, body composition, and appetite sensations in young women with normal BMI and abnormal body fat percentage. sixty-six young women with normal BMI and abnormal body fat percentage (21.33 ± 1.20 kg/m2 and 34.32 ± 2.94%) were randomly assigned into three groups: (1) caloric restriction (CR; n = 22), (2) caloric restriction with exercise (CR-EX; n = 22), and (3) control (C; n = 22). Data on anthropometry, blood samples, and subjective appetite sensations pre- and post-intervention were collected. After 4 weeks of intervention, CR and CR-EX groups both reduced body weight, fat percentage, and waist and hip circumferences compared to the C group (p < 0.05). Muscle mass of the CR group was significantly lower than that of the C group (-1.21 ± 0.86 kg vs. -0.27 ± 0.82 kg, p < 0.05), and no significant difference between CR-EX and C groups was observed. For appetite sensations, the subjects of the CR group showed significant increases in change of scores in desire to eat and prospective consumption than that of the C group (p < 0.05), while no significant difference between CR-EX and C groups was observed. A 500 kcal reduction in daily energy intake alone and in combination with 90 min of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise per week could both reduce weight and improve body composition in young adult women with normal BMI and abnormal body fat percentage. More importantly, calorie restriction combined with exercise intervention was superior to calorie restriction alone in improving muscle mass loss and regulating appetite sensations.

Perioperative and Post-Hospital Whole-Course nutrition management in patients with pancreatoduodenectomy - a Single-Center prospective randomized controlled trial.

Whole-course nutrition management (WNM) has been proven to improve outcomes and reduce complications. We conducted this randomized controlled trial to validate its effectiveness in patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy. From December 1, 2020, to November 30, 2023, this single-center randomized clinical trial was conducted at the Department of Hepatobiliopancreatic Surgery in a major hospital in Beijing, China. Participants who were undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy were enrolled and randomly allocated to either the WNM group or the control group. The primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative complications. Subgroup analysis in patients who were at nutritional risk was performed. Finally, a six-month follow-up was conducted and the economic benefit was evaluated using an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). A total of 84 patients were randomly assigned (1:1) into the WNM group and the control group. The incidences of total complications (47.6% vs. 69.0%, P=0.046), total infections (14.3% vs. 33.3%, P= 0.040) and abdominal infection (11.9% vs. 31.0%, P= 0.033) were significantly lower in the WNM group. In the subgroup analysis of patients at nutritional risk, 66 cases were included (35 cases in the WNM group and 31 cases in the control group). The rate of abdominal infection (11.4% vs. 32.3%, P= 0.039) and postoperative length of stay (23.1±10.3 vs. 30.4±17.2, P= 0.046) were statistically different between the two subgroups. In the six-month follow-up, more patients reached the energy target in the WNM group (97.0% vs. 79.4%, P=0.049) and got a higher daily energy intake (1761.3±339.5 vs. 1599.6±321.5, P=0.045). The ICER suggested that WNM saved 31,511 Chinese Yuan (CNY) while reducing the rate of total infections by 1% in the ITT population and saved 117,490 CNY in patients at nutritional risk, while WNM saved 31,511 CNY while reducing the rate of abdominal infections by 1% in the ITT population and saved 101,359 CNY in patients at nutritional risk. In this trial, whole-course nutrition management was associated with fewer total postoperative complications, total and abdominal infections, and was cost-effective, especially in patients at nutritional risk. It seems to be a favorable strategy for patients undergoing PD.

The predictive role of the dietary phytochemical index in relation to the clinical and psychological traits of migraine headaches

We investigated the relationship between dietary phytochemical index (DPI) and migraine headaches in Iranian patients, analyzing both clinical and psychological traits. A cross-sectional study was conducted using non-obese adults aged 20–50 years who were diagnosed with migraine. The study used a validated 168-item food frequency questionnaire to assess the usual dietary intake of participants. The DPI was calculated using the following formula: [daily energy derived from phytochemical-rich foods (in kJ)/total daily energy intake (in kJ)] × 100. Clinical outcomes of migraine including frequency, duration, and severity of headaches, as well as migraine-related disability were obtained using relevant questionnaires. Moreover, the mental health profile of patients including depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as serum levels of nitric oxide (NO) were measured. A Poisson regression was used for headache frequency. Linear regression analyzed migraine-related outcomes including duration, severity, migraine-related disability, and serum NO levels. In addition, psychological traits were analyzed via logistic regression. A total of 262 individuals (85.5% females) with a mean age of 36.1 years were included in the analysis. The frequency of migraine attacks was lower in patients in the last DPI tertile compared to those in the first DPI tertile both in the crude [incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 0.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.63, 0.78, Ptrend < 0.001] and fully-adjusted models (IRR = 0.84, 95% CI 0.74, 0.96, Ptrend = 0.009). After controlling for potential confounders, an inverse relationship was observed between higher adherence to DPI and migraine-related disability (β = − 2.48, 95% CI − 4.86, − 0.10, P trend = 0.046). After controlling for potential confounders, no significant relationship was observed between DPI and depression (OR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.42, 1.47, Ptrend = 0.480), anxiety (OR = 1.14, 95% CI 0.61, 2.14, Ptrend = 0.655), and stress (OR = 1.04, 95% CI 0.57, 1.90, Ptrend = 0.876). Higher intakes of phytochemical-rich foods may be associated with lower migraine frequency and improved daily activities among patients. Further studies should confirm our observations and delineate the biological pathways linking phytochemicals and migraine headaches.

Design and performance analysis on a breathing-type instant heat recovery module for fresh air ventilation

The process of air exchange in buildings is essential for maintaining optimal indoor air quality. However, this process results in the loss of thermal energy in the form of sensible heat carried by the air, thereby increasing the energy demand of the buildings. In order to recover this thermal energy, the present study introduces a breathing-type instant heat recovery module for fresh air ventilation, inspired by the biological nasal breathing process. The performance of this module was thoroughly investigated through Fluent simulation and experimental tests. Based on the simulation results, the module exhibits the capability to decrease the outdoor air temperature by an average of 7.5 ℃ prior to its entry into the room. Consequently, this leads to a daily energy conservation of approximately 2.354 kW·h, accompanied by an energy recovery rate of 62.9 % under typical summer conditions. Notably, the heat recovery performance is more favorable during winter, resulting in daily energy savings of about 5.446 kW·h and an energy recovery rate of 62.2 %. The conducted experiments substantiate that the module is able to recuperate approximately 70 % of heat when the indoor temperature is set at 22 °C, while the outdoor temperature reaches its lowest point at 6 °C. The study describes an effective heat recovery technology for building air exchange using a breath-type instant heat recovery module. This could offer a new energy-saving solution for the renovation of fresh air systems.

Effectiveness of Nutritional Intervention Led by Clinical Dietitian in Patients at Risk of Malnutrition at the Primary Healthcare Level in Slovenia - Evaluation Study.

Clinical dietitians play a crucial role in the nutritional support of patients at risk of malnutrition in primary care settings. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of an individualized nutritional intervention on clinically relevant outcomes for patients with chronic disease at nutritional risk. A longitudinal evaluation study was conducted in two Slovenian primary health centres. We used pre-test and post-test design. Patients with chronic disease were screened using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool and additional risk factors (≥70 years and BMI <22 kg/m2; lower food intake in the last five days). Patients at nutritional risk were referred to a clinical dietitian for individual nutritional intervention. The effect of the nutritional intervention was assessed six months after the patients' first visit with a clinical dietitian. The sample included 94 patients. Nutritional risk was reduced significantly in high-risk and moderate-risk patients. In a subgroup of patients with a MUST score ≥1 (77 patients), body weight, BMI, Fat-Free Mass Index (FFMI), energy intake, and protein intake increased significantly (p<0.001). At the same time, the phase angle significantly increased (p<0.001), but there were no statistically significant changes in the improvement of grip strength. In a subgroup of patients with MUST score 0 (17 patients), we observed an increase in their median daily energy intake (p<0.001) and median protein intake (p=0.003). Nutritional intervention delivered by a clinical dietitian improved patients' nutritional intake and nutritional and functional status.

Experimental investigation of the thermoelectric and double-glazed glass effects on the performance of a solar still

Due to water scarcity, the use of solar stills and their improvements have been widely taken into account. In this regard, researchers are always looking for solutions to improve the performance of solar stills because of their low efficiency. Hence, this study experimentally investigated the effect of adding thermoelectric coolers, a cold air channel, and double-glazed glass on increasing the performance of a conventional solar still. The modified solar still was equipped with six thermoelectric cooler modules under the solar still. The hot sides of the modules were connected to the solar still plate to increase the temperature of the inside water, while the cold parts were used to cool the air blown from a channel toward the double-glazed glass on the solar still. The performance of two solar stills (solar still and the modified solar still) was compared for 2 days in Sabzevar city, in the northeast of Iran. The important analyses, including freshwater production, energy and exergy performances, and economic view are compared. Based on the results, the daily freshwater production, energy efficiency, and exergy efficiency of the modified solar still were improved by 570 %, 137 %, and 215 %, respectively, compared to those in the conventional solar still. The economic analysis results indicated that under optimal conditions (i = 5 %), the cost of distilled water was 0.0326 $/L and 0.0739 $/L for the modified solar still and conventional solar still, respectively. Also, using the modified solar still, the payback period reduced by about 1.74 years (payback period for the modified solar still and conventional solar still was obtained at 1.30 and 3.04 years, respectively).

Impact of the Introduction of Complementary Feeding Prior to the Sixth Month on Hemoglobin Levels and Weight Status

Background: An infant’s requirement for daily energy and nutrients appears to exceed what breast-feeding gives; consequently, incorporating complementary foods into the diet becomes vital for the growth and development of the infant. The study aims to explore the correlation between the age of complementary feeding introduction before the sixth month and its impact on hemoglobin levels and weight status. Subjects and Method: We conducted a case-series study at the Primary Health Care Center/Al-Tahrir, Baquba City, from April 18 to August 30, 2018. The study included a sample of three hundred fully developed infants, aged between 6 and 12 months, consisting of 180 males and 120 females. The dependent variable was complementary feeding. The independent variables were weight status, haemoglobin levels, and weught for age z-score. We obtained the data through face-to-face interviews with the child's mother using a structured questionnaire. Results: Among the women who took part in the study, 43% initiated the practice of providing additional food to their infants between the ages of 4 and 6 months. It was observed that the average hemoglobin level was higher in infants who consumed complementary feeding during the period of 4–6 months. A significant percentage of infants (52.6%) who initiated food intake by nursing or bottle feeding between the ages of 4-6 months exhibited weight levels within the normal range. In contrast, infants who had not yet commenced supplemental feeding showed a lower prevalence of normal weight levels. Furthermore, a majority of infants (83.3%) who engaged in supplemental feeding experienced an increase in hemoglobin levels and an improvement in weight. The research findings indicate that the introduction of supplemental nutrition throughout the period of 4 to 6 months of age has a significant impact on enhancing hemoglobin levels and weight among infants. Conclusion: The study's findings show that mothers frequently reported offering rice water, biscuits, and tea-soaked bread as their primary food sources.

Association between daily breakfast habit during pregnancy and neurodevelopment in 3-year-old offspring: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study

The association between daily breakfast habits during pregnancy and offspring neurodevelopment remains unknown. We evaluated the association between breakfast habits during pregnancy and offspring neurodevelopment. Data of 72,260 women with singleton deliveries at and after 37 weeks of gestation enrolled during 2011–2014 in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study were analysed. Offspring neurodevelopmental delays at 3 years of age were evaluated using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition (ASQ-3). Participants were stratified by tertiles of maternal daily energy intake (DEI) (Groups 1, 2, and 3:< 1400, 1400–1799, and ≥ 1800 kcal, respectively) during pregnancy and by offspring sex. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for abnormality in communication among participants with daily breakfast consumption habit was 0.87 (95% confidence interval, 0.80–0.96). A stratified analysis based on total DEI showed no significant differences in the neurodevelopment of Group 1 offspring. The aOR for abnormality in communication was 0.80 (95% confidence interval, 0.68–0.94) in Group 2. The aOR for abnormality in personal–social characteristics was 0.84 (95% confidence interval, 0.71–0.99) in Group 3. Maternal daily breakfast habits are associated with offspring neurodevelopment at 3 years of age, with the association influenced by maternal DEI and offspring sex.

Adaptive cloudiness index for enhanced photovoltaic energy prediction and management in low-income smart homes using geographic information system

Solar-powered homes can be an optimal solution for the lack of continuous power sources problem in initial low-income communities. However, the challenge of Photovoltaic (PV) uncertainty can make it difficult to coordinate this vital solar energy in real-time. This paper proposes a new, low-cost solution for assessing the uncertainty of photovoltaic power generation in smart home energy management systems. The proposed index, inspired by the well-known clearness index, is an adaptive deterministic indicator that only requires free Geographic Information System (GIS) models and PV power measurement, without the need for expensive high-tech controllers or expert engineers/programmers. The proposed index successfully predicts the daily PV energy with errors of less than 3% for more than 93% of studied days, according to the 2020 measured solar radiation of the studied case in an African developing location, i.e. Cairo. Egypt.

Mobile Application for Understanding Nutritional Labeling Focused on The Consumer

Objective: In this multidisciplinary study, a mobile application was designed as a technological tool that contributes to the training of informed consumers capable of interpreting the nutritional characteristics of the products they purchase. Theoretical Framework: Mobile applications that allow to display the sodium, sugar and fat content of a product in a way that is understandable to the consumer. Additionally, an area of opportunity is evident in the way of presenting this information and in the calculation of daily energy content. Design/Methodology/Approach: The agile Scrum methodology was used. The requirements of the mobile application were obtained through user stories, which allowed two sprints to be done. The application was subjected to unit and integration testing, connectivity and functionality type. Findings: Mobile application for users of the Android operating system that allows you to read, through a smartphone, the barcode of a product on the front labeling and display the sugar, sodium and fat content; Moreover, it issues recommendations for their consumption in accordance with the FAO, WHO, UNU. Research, Practical &amp; Social Implications: Contributes to the training of informed consumers capable of having a better interpretation of the nutritional characteristics of the products they purchase. Originality/Value: Mobile application that to scan the barcode of a product and graphically display, through teaspoons, the content in grams of sodium, sugar and calories it contains. Moreover, it calculates the daily energy content according to some variables: sex, age, weight and level of physical activity.

A multi-stage forecasting system for daily ocean tidal energy based on secondary decomposition, optimized gate recurrent unit and error correction

Tidal energy, as a new energy, has very high research potential and practical application value. For the characteristics of tidal energy such as nonstationarity and nonlinearity, a multi-stage forecasting system for daily ocean tidal energy is proposed. It is based on improved complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (ICEEMDAN), refined composite multi-scale dispersion entropy (RCMDE), empirical mode decomposition based on time-varying filter modified by white shark optimizer (WSOTVFEMD), improved gate recurrent unit using parasitic salp swarm algorithm based on differential evolution (PDESSAGRU) and error correction using CNN (CNN-EC), named as ICEEMDAN-RCMDE-WSOTVFEMD-PDESSAGRU–CNN–EC. Firstly, decompose tidal energy into a series of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) by ICEEMDAN, and divide IMFs into high-complexity and low-complexity components by RCMDE. Next, secondly decompose the reconstructed high-complexity components into high-complexity parts by WSOTVFEMD. Afterwards, separately predict each component of the high-complexity parts and the low-complexity components by PDESSA, and reconstruct the predicted results to obtain original predicting results. In the end, decompose the error into error IMFs (EIMFs) by ICEEMDAN, predict EIMFs with convolutional neural network (CNN) respectively to acquire error predicting results, and reconstruct original predicting results and error predicting results to acquire the final results. Taking the tidal energy of the American cities including San Francisco, Sitka, and Wauna as case studies, the results show that the proposed system has high prediction accuracy after experiments with 13 comparative models in each city.

The effect of dietary olive polyphenols on markers of inflammation and bodyweight in senior domestic cats

Abstract The high rates of obesity and degenerative joint disease in companion animals has resulted in a demand for dietary supplements that support joint health and reduce inflammation. Polyphenols have received considerable attention in this space, although literature in companion animals is lacking or conflicting. This study determined whether a diet supplemented with olive polyphenol extract had the potential to reduce inflammation and/or bodyweight. Eight senior domestic cats aged 11.01 ± 0.74 years (mean ± standard error of the mean) and weighing 3.6 ± 0.3 kg (mean ± SEM) were used for this study. The cats were fed, ad libitum with a complete (AAFCO) canned diet supplemented with 0.1% olive polyphenol extract for 56 days. Cats were weighed weekly and blood samples taken on day 0 (baseline), 28, and 56 of the study. Biochemistry, haematology, and cytokine (19 cytokines or chemokines) panels were run for each blood sample. While there was an initial aversion to the supplemented diet, intakes of the cats increased, and they consumed enough to meet or exceed their daily maintenance energy requirements by day 10 of the trial. On average, the cats lost approximately 8% of their starting weight over the trial, which was interesting given that feed intake exceeding maintenance energy requirements for most of the study. Whether the decrease in bodyweight was due to seasonal changes, the supplemented diet, or a combination of the two warrants further investigation. There were little to no changes to any of the blood parameters, which was surprising given that previous studies have reported reductions in pro-inflammatory cytokines following polyphenol supplementation. Perhaps a higher concentration of olive polyphenols is required to elicit the anti-inflammatory response observed in other species. A study evaluating the dose-dependent effects of dietary polyphenols on inflammatory and oxidative markers in cats would be valuable in this context.

Impact of dishware size on energy intake in adult females: A randomized control trial examining effects on within-meal and post-meal energy intake

The influence dishware size has on meal energy intake is unclear and no study to date has examined the impact on total daily energy intake. In a pre-registered RCT we investigate the impact of breakfast dishware size on breakfast and post-breakfast energy intake, as well as daily energy intake and hunger/fullness. In a repeated-measures design, 50 females (aged 18–77 years) were randomised to receive smaller or larger breakfast dishware on two separate days. Energy intake was also measured during the rest of the day. The primary outcomes were breakfast and post-breakfast energy intake (kcal). Secondary outcomes were total daily energy intake (kcal), and hunger/fullness (rated from 0 to 100). We examined if results differed by socioeconomic position (SEP). Dishware did not affect energy intake at breakfast (smaller: M = 394.8 kcal; SD = 172.2 larger: M = 394.4 kcal; SD = 164.4; d = 0.003, p = 0.98), and there was no statistically significant evidence that dishware size affected energy intake after breakfast, though post-breakfast energy intake was somewhat higher after using larger breakfast dishware (smaller: M = 1974.6 kcal; SD = 475.2; larger: M = 2077.5 kcal; SD = 525.9; d = −0.27, p = 0.06). Total daily energy intake, hunger and fullness ratings did not significantly differ between dishware conditions. There was no evidence that SEP moderated the effect of dishware size on energy intake. Smaller vs. larger breakfast dishware size had no significant effect on breakfast or post-breakfast energy intake, hunger, fullness, or daily energy intake. Previous studies may have overestimated the promise of dishware size as an intervention for reducing energy intake. Alternative interventions targeting the food environment should now be prioritised.

Design and Simulation of a Solar Powered House in Muğla: Roof Decorated with Half Cut Cells

In this article, the performance, design and efficiency calculation of photovoltaic systems were made using PvSol program. For roof type panel design close to standard installations, panel position and panel type were designed based on Muğla province sun hour data and roof shading factor. In this study, the data obtained for the roof type installation designed in Muğla city using monocrystalline, polycrystalline and half-cut monocrystalline cells were compared. When yield, area and price parameters were compared, it was found that the best cell type was half-section monocrystalline. As a result of the simulations, it was found that the average daily energy need of the house is 6.4kWh, fed by 14 half-section monocrystalline panels. The results obtained are consistent with the data in the literature.

Modelling and optimizing microgrid systems with the utilization of real-time residential data: a case study for Palapye, Botswana

Microgrids are becoming a realistic choice for residential buildings due to the increasing need for affordable and sustainable energy solutions in developing nations. Through modeling and simulation, the main goal is to evaluate the viability and performance of a solar microgrid system. Residential load modeling is used, which is vital to developing an effective Energy Management System (EMS) for the microgrid. A residential household’s load metering data is examined using statistical methods, including time series and regression analysis. For the residential community load in this research, Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers and Fuzzy Logic Controllers (FLC) are used to generate the necessary Direct Current (DC) microgrid voltage. The simulation research shows that FLC have benefits over PID controllers. The FLC technique performs better at reducing total harmonic distortion, which improves the microgrid system’s overall power quality. The Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) model was found to be the most appropriate and reliable model for the dataset after the performance of the models was evaluated using the metrics. The optimization results also showed that FLC optimization improves the microgrid system’s stability. The exponential Gaussian process regression (GPR) produced the highest R-squared measure of 0.49 and RSME measure of 7.9646, making it the best goodness fit for modeling the total daily energy usage and the peak daily usage.

Total daily energy expenditure and elevated water turnover in a small-scale semi-nomadic pastoralist society from Northern Kenya

Background Pastoralists live in challenging environments, which may be accompanied by unique activity, energy, and water requirements. Aim Few studies have examined whether the demands of pastoralism contribute to differences in total energy expenditure (TEE) and water turnover (WT) compared to other lifestyles. Subjects and methods Accelerometer-derived physical activity, doubly labelled water-derived TEE and WT, and anthropometric data were collected for 34 semi-nomadic Daasanach adults from three northern Kenyan communities with different levels of pastoralist activity. Daasanach TEEs and WTs were compared to those of other small-scale and industrialised populations. Results When modelled as a function of fat-free-mass, fat-mass, age, and sex, TEE did not differ between Daasanach communities. Daasanach TEE (1564–4172 kcal/day) was not significantly correlated with activity and 91% of TEEs were within the range expected for individuals from comparison populations. Mean WT did not differ between Daasanach communities; Daasanach absolute (7.54 litres/day men; 7.46 litres/day women), mass-adjusted, and TEE-adjusted WT was higher than most populations worldwide. Conclusions The similar mass-adjusted TEE of Daasanach and industrialised populations supports the hypothesis that habitual TEE is constrained, with physically demanding lifestyles necessitating trade-offs in energy allocation. Elevated WT in the absence of elevated TEE likely reflects a demanding active lifestyle in a hot, arid climate.