Minimum Value Research Articles

Xenon Antiaggregant Effects.

In in vitro model of short-term therapeutic inhalation of Xe/O2 mixture, xenon in millimolar concentrations led to a pronounced decrease in induced platelet aggregation in the platelet-enriched blood plasma. The maximum and statistically significant decrease occurred in response to induction by collagen (by ≈30%, p≤0.01) and ADP (by ≈25%, p≤0.01). A slightly weaker but statistically significant reduction in aggregation appeared in response to ristocetin (by ≈12%, p≤0.01) and epinephrine (by ≈9%, p≤0.01). It should be noted that the spontaneous aggregation exceeded the reference values in the control group. Nevertheless, even at minimal absolute values, spontaneous platelet aggregation decreased by 2 times in response to xenon (p≤0.01). The reasons for the decrease of spontaneous and induced aggregation are xenon accumulation in the lipid bilayer of the membrane with subsequent nonspecific (mechanical) disassociation of membrane platelet structures and specific block of its distinct from neuronal NMDA receptor.

A new intervention to prevent social isolation in people with complex communication needs

While implementing communication interventions, practitioners follow diverse theoretical models. Different conceptual orientations influence the way professionals embrace the subject of communication and its disorders. This research project explores the co-creation and validation of a new model and intervention program to analyze and improve communication between persons with Complex Communication Needs and their caregivers. The methodology incorporated a comprehensive narrative review, as foundation for the new model and intervention proposal. Succeeding this stage, the team implemented an online Delphi Panel to improve and validate these results, involving 17 international renowned experts. Following the Appropriateness Method, 25 indications were subject to scrutiny and rated as appropriate with minimal values of disagreement among the evaluators. Qualitative feedback was used to improve the research products. Quality assurance measures were taken to ensure quality and transparency of the results. A new conceptual framework of atypical interpersonal communication and intervention program result from the investigation. The new model is inspired by the Transactional model and principles of Dialogism. The intervention consists of consultations with caregivers, using video analysis and a dialogical methodology to enhance communication. The next research phase is to pilot-test the intervention program with clinicians supporting persons with disability at risk of social isolation.

Supportive psychotherapeutic intervention and video directing observed therapy to increase family adherence

To determine the effect of supportive psychotherapy and video-directing observed therapy interventions on family compliance in assisting patients with mental disorders in the working area of the Kabila Health Center, Bone Bolango District, Gorontalo City. Research design quasi-experimental design with a one group pre- and post-test design, where the variables to be measured are family adherence in providing treatment assistance, which are included in the dependent variable. The independent variables in this study were supportive psychotherapy and video-directed observation therapy. The sampling technique used was a total sampling technique with a sample size of 39 respondents. Data analysis was performed using univariate analysis, namely descriptive analysis (frequency, percentage, median, minimum value, and maximum value) and bivariate analysis (Wilcoxon test), with a significance level of <0.05, which was performed using SPSS version 25 software. Supportive psychotherapy and video-directing observed therapy increased family compliance accompanying the treatment of patients with mental disorders (p-value of x1=0.020, x2=0.000, p<0.05). Supportive psychotherapy interventions and video-directed observed therapy have been proven to increase family compliance in treatment assistance, which can improve the quality of life of patients with mental disorders.

Dynamic ant colony optimization algorithm for parameter estimation of PEM fuel cell

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) provide a reliable, pollution-free, sustainable, and stable power generating alternative to non-renewable resources, and they do not self-discharge. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) necessitate correct parameter estimates for effective investigation, modelling and designing effective fuel cells, highlighting the importance of exact modelling for successful use in many industries. The present research aims to determine the approximate parameters estimation of PEMFC using a modified algorithm derived from the Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) meta-heuristic algorithm. In order to provide justification for the algorithm, it is initially benchmarked against 10 functions. The study compares the outcomes of PEMFC parameter estimation through the Dynamic Ant Colony Optimisation (DACO) algorithm including some additional metaheuristic algorithms such as Ant Colony Optimisation (ACO), Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO), Artificial Bee Colony (ABC), Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm, and an algorithm known as Grey Wolf Optimisation - Cuckoo Search (GWOCS) which is hybrid in nature. The suggested algorithm’s performance evaluation is based on minimising the Square Error (SSE). The modified proposed optimization algorithm exhibits superior performance compared to other alternative meta-heuristic algorithms due to its minimal SSE value. The effectiveness and efficiency of the modified method based on the Ballard Mark V datasheet were evaluated using statistical error analysis and non-parametric testing. The convergence curves of DACO demonstrate a faster convergence compared to the other optimization algorithms.

Unveiling the Anti-Candida albicans activity of bioactive fractions of mining soil-dwelling Streptomyces sp. DS104

Due to an increase in the incidence of Candida albicans infection and its growing resistance to currently used antifungal drugs, further development of more potent antimicrobials is needed. This study sought to assess the antifungal properties of Streptomyces sp. DS104, isolated from a mining soil, against C. albicans and identify the bioactive substances that are produced by this strain. Ethyl acetate supernatant's crude extract showed a high inhibition against C. albicans, with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) value as low as 4 µg/mL. Two bioactive fractions (F5 and F6) have been isolated using silica gel column chromatography, demonstrating zones of inhibition against C. albicans measuring 28.33 ± 01.52 to 29.00 ± 02.64 mm. The GC-MS analysis was carried out on the purified fractions and allowed the identification of 21 compounds predominantly consisting of carboxylic acids and pyrrolopyrazine derivatives. In Fraction F5, the major compounds detected are pentadecanoic and hexadecanoic acids, constituting the highest area percentages of 41.99% and 33.77%, respectively. As for fraction F6, the predominant compounds include pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione, hexahydro-3-(2-methylpropyl) and pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione, hexahydro-3-(methylphenyl), accounting for area percentages of 20.18% and 12.16%, respectively. Various other bioactive compounds, such as isocoumarins, and phenolic compounds, had previously been identified as components with antifungal activity, were also detected. It's worth highlighting that three compounds specifically, 2-hydrazino-8-hydroxy-4-phenylquinoline, hydroxyphenylacetic acid, and 3-carboxaldehyde-1H-indole have been reported for the first time to be detected within the Streptomyces genus. These results suggested that Streptomyces sp. DS104 is a promising strain and thus appears to be a potential candidate for the development of antifungal drugs.

Geoelectric Modelling Based on Bessel Functions Integral and Damped Least-Square Inversion for Layered Earth Models

Apparent resistivity formulations of a geoelectric method for layered Earth have been obtained analytically in the Bessel functions integral. This formulation is obtained through the application of two boundary conditions. First, the current density is zero at the Earth's surface. Second, current density and electric potential are continuous at the boundary between the layers. Geoelectric modelling can be done using several model parameters through this formulation. The modelling results show that apparent resistivity formulations based on Bessel function integrals can simulate apparent resistivity curves for layered earth models. The inversion process uses the apparent resistivity formulation based on Bessel function integrals. In this study, the inversion process uses a dumped Least-squared inversion method. The first step begins by testing the inversion program using synthetic data. After that, the inversion program is used in field data. The inversion results using field data from geoelectric data in Mount Pandan, East Java, show that the program was well done, with a minimal error value of 1.24%.

Quality Assessment of Developed Cumin Cookies

Abstract: Cookies are good carrier of nutrients like carbohydrate and fat which can be enriched with protein. Refined Flour is the finest type of wheat flour containing high calorie content but minimal nutritional value that is used to make pizza, bread, samosa, kachoris, puri, cakes and biscuits.by partially replacing refined wheat flour with wheat flour up to an acceptable level. It is a fast and quick recipe for cookies made with Refined wheat flour, wheat flour and cumin seeds. The special characteristic of these cookies is that, as opposed to other cookie recipes, they do not contain plain flour, sugar or even jaggery. It is an excellent snack or coffee snack for munching and is enjoyed by all age groups, including children and adults because of its rich nutrients.

Linear support for the prime number sequence and the first and second Hardy-Littlewood conjectures

Servais and Grün used results about linear support for the prime number sequence to obtain upper bounds on the smallest prime in odd perfect numbers. This was extended by Cohen and Hendy who proved that for every $n \in \mathbb {N}$ there exists an integer $b_n$ such that $p_i \ge p_1 + ni - b_n$ for any sequence $(p_i)$ of odd primes, and found minimal values of $b_n$ for $3 \le n \le 5$, and conjectured minimal values for $6 \le n \le 10$. We give a new proof of the existence of $b_n$ and the values for $3 \le n \le 5$. We also show that if we assume that the second Hardy-Littlewood conjecture, $\pi (a+b) \le \pi (a) + \pi (b)$ for $a, b \ge 2$, is true, then we can in a finite number of steps determine numbers, $T_n$, that give quite close bounds for the values of $b_n$, namely $T_n \le b_n \le T_n + n - 2$, and determine the values of $T_n$ for $6 \le n \le 20$. We also consider the question of whether the values of $b_n$ can be replaced by smaller numbers if we assume that $p_1 > 3$. We will show that if we assume that the first Hardy-Littlewood conjecture is true, then we can determine the minimum such values, $a_n$, for $3 \le n \le 5$. We also determine some lower bounds for $a_n$ for $n \ge 6$. It is well-known that the two Hardy-Littlewood conjectures are mutually exclusive, but we never use both conjectures simultaneously. These results give us the upper bound $p_1<\frac {n}{2^n-1}t+b_n$ on the smallest prime in odd perfect numbers, where $t$ is the number of distinct primes dividing the odd perfect number. This bound was also found by Cohen and Hendy, but we improve the constants $b_n$.

Пыльцевой анализ линий селекционно-генетической коллекции подсолнечника

We studied pollen productivity and its morphological heterogeneity in the lines of the breeding and genetic sunflower collection. The research was carried out at the V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops, Krasnodar, in 2022–2023. Collection lines VK934, VK1-klp, VK678, VK876, In Krupnyak, VK195, MVG-8, VK416, L2138, K1587, KG49 and RIL200 were used. To assess the quality of pollen, we used the parameter of morphological heterogeneity of pollen grains, i.e. the proportion of atypical grains. The pollen productivity was assessed by two parameters: pollen weight and the number of pollen grains. A Biolab TS-2000 LCD MS 20 microscope was used at a magnification of 40×. A line L2138 was characterized by a maximum weight of 1.17 mg/anther and a number of pollen grains of 45,239 pieces/anther. A line VK876 had the minimal values of these traits – 0.25 mg/anther and 16448 pcs/anther, respectively. A high positive correlation of r = 0.90 was noted between these traits. In 2022, the average diameter of pollen grains in 12 studied lines varied from 30 to 32 µm, with an average value of 31 µm. In 2023, the minimal diameter of pollen grains was lower than in 2022 and amounted to 27 µm, the maximum was at the level of 2022 – 32 µm with an average value of 30 µm. Over two years of research, a line KG49 showed significant morphological heterogeneity of pollen, which was expressed in a high proportion of defective pollen grains (58%). A line VK195 was characterized by low morphological heterogeneity with a proportion of defective pollen grains of 5%.

Recommendations for Additional Imaging on Head and Neck Imaging Examinations: Interradiologist Variation and Associated Factors.

BACKGROUND. A paucity of relevant guidelines may lead to pronounced variation among radiologists in issuing recommendations for additional imaging (RAI) for head and neck imaging. OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article was to explore associations of RAI for head and neck imaging examinations with examination, patient, and radiologist factors and to assess the role of individual radiologist-specific behavior in issuing such RAI. METHODS. This retrospective study included 39,200 patients (median age, 58 years; 21,855 women, 17,315 men, 30 with missing sex information) who underwent 39,200 head and neck CT or MRI examinations, interpreted by 61 radiologists, from June 1, 2021, through May 31, 2022. A natural language processing (NLP) tool with manual review of NLP results was used to identify RAI in report impressions. Interradiologist variation in RAI rates was assessed. A generalized mixed-effects model was used to assess associations between RAI and examination, patient, and radiologist factors. RESULTS. A total of 2943 (7.5%) reports contained RAI. Individual radiologist RAI rates ranged from 0.8% to 22.0% (median, 7.1%; IQR, 5.2-10.2%), representing a 27.5-fold difference between minimum and a maximum values and 1.8-fold difference between 25th and 75th percentiles. In multivariable analysis, RAI likelihood was higher for CTA than for CT examinations (OR, 1.32), for examinations that included a trainee in report generation (OR, 1.23), and for patients with self-identified race of Black or African American versus White (OR, 1.25); was lower for male than female patients (OR, 0.90); and was associated with increasing patient age (OR, 1.09 per decade) and inversely associated with radiologist years since training (OR, 0.90 per 5 years). The model accounted for 10.9% of the likelihood of RAI. Of explainable likelihood of RAI, 25.7% was attributable to examination, patient, and radiologist factors; 74.3% was attributable to radiologist-specific behavior. CONCLUSION. Interradiologist variation in RAI rates for head and neck imaging was substantial. RAI appear to be more substantially associated with individual radiologist-specific behavior than with measurable systemic factors. CLINICAL IMPACT. Quality improvement initiatives, incorporating best practices for incidental findings management, may help reduce radiologist preference-sensitive decision-making in issuing RAI for head and neck imaging and associated care variation.

Type-3 fuzzy dynamic adaptation of Bee colony optimization applied to mathematical functions

In this article, an Interval Type-3 Fuzzy Logic System (IT3FLS) for enhancing the performance in Bee Colony Optimization (BCO) is outlined. The efficiency of the IT3FLS approach is verified with results on a set of benchmark mathematical functions. The IT3FLS provides an approach that helps to identify the optimal values in α and β parameters that allows to improve the performance in the original BCO. The IT3FLS approach exhibits advantages in the optimization of the benchmark functions. It can be noted that a IT3FLS exhibits better results in the minimal values of the set of mathematical functions. The experimentation demostrates that the implementation of the IT3FLS approach enhances the performance of BCO when compared with respect to the variants utilizing Generalized Type-2 FLS (GT2FLS), Interval Type-2 FLS (IT2FLS) and Type-1 FLS (T1FLS).

Insignificance of the Act in Criminal and Administrative Tort Law: Nature and Content

The study develops an idea of the criminal legal nature of the insignificance of the act. The author arguments in favor of the fact that such nature is due to the differentiated approach of the federal legislator to assessing the level of public danger of actions and inaction provided for by criminal law. At the same time, the high role of the law enforcement officer in determining the scale of the threat posed by a specific offense for the object of criminal law protection is stated. Studying the mitigating and aggravating circumstances of the act, the personal characteristics of the offender and the line of their behavior, the court decides on the degree of public danger of the relevant act. Its minimal value becomes the reason for raising the question of recognizing the committed action or inaction as insignificant. The paper considers issues on categories of crimes that the offense formally falls under and thus can be assessed on the grounds of insignificance. It is argued against a well-known judgment that the insignificance of the act containing structural elements of the corpus delicti serves as the basis for evaluating what was done according to the norms and provisions of another branch of Russian legislation. A mechanism for developing the insignificance category potential at the level of an individual criminal wrong, known as a criminal offense, is proposed. The study offers a set of arguments proving the inconsistency of the position of the legislator and law enforcement officer on the issue of the possibility of recognizing an administrative offense as insignificant. Their essence boils down to the fact that the formal essence of administrative offenses excludes their differentiation into groups according to the level of harmfulness. This implies the inexpediency of using the category of insignificance in the legislation on administrative offenses.

Optimization of some types of Rényi divergences between unitary orbits

In this article, we investigate explicitly the minimal and maximal values of the α-z-Rényi divergences and some other types of Rényi divergences between unitary orbits. Our main tools are the majorization theory of eigenvalues of matrices, and some matrix inequalities such as Golden–Thompson's and Araki–Lieb–Thirring's inequalities.

Wind Power Integration and Challenges in Low Wind Zones. A Study Case: Albania

High wind performance systems are influenced by many factors such as site wind resources and configuration, technical wind turbine features and many financial conditions. Scenario planning and modelling activities often focus on restricted parameters and numbers to justify wind power plant performance. To better understand possible pathways to scaling up the distributed wind market in Albania, a deep and multidimensional calculations based on Monte Carlo analysis, using RETScreen and wind JEDI model, to assess socio-economic impact as a function of turbine output power, operating and maintenance cost and many other financial inputs by testing different WT (i.e., VESTAS, GAMESA, W2E and NORDEX) with rated power from 3.45 MW up to 4.5MW applied on LCOE, NPV, SPP, equity payback, B-C, after-tax IRR on equity and effects of GHG credits extended at a sensitivity range of ±35% is scientifically performed. From the simulation results LCOE reaches a minimal value of €43.48/MWh, if the debt rate is 99 % and a debt interest rate of 5.0%, a TotCapEx of €828/MW (-35 % less expenditures) indexed as the best scenario. For the base case scenario LCOE results €62.79/MWh, when applying a debt rate of 80% and a TotCapEx of (€1274/MW), while in the worst-case scenario LCOE impart a maximal value of €87.63/MWh if a TotCapEx of €1720/MW (+35 % more expenditures) and a share of 52 % debt rate is applied. Local annual economic impact (m€) during construction period and operating period evaluated in the wind JEDI model result around m€ 89.92 and m€ 23.54, respectively. As a conclusion, wind power plants (WPP), installed in low wind zones (Albania and many other EU countries) would be of interest if an electricity export rate of 110€/MWh, and a GHG credit rate of €50/tCO2 were accepted.

Bending analysis of quasicrystal plates using adaptive radial basis function method

A novel mesh-free kernel method is presented for solving function interpolation problems and partial differential equations (PDEs). Despite the simplicity and accuracy of the radial basis function (RBF) method, two main difficulties have been identified: the selection of the scale or shape parameter and the ill-conditioning issue. To address these challenges, an effective condition number (ECN) strategy is proposed for the scale parameter selection, utilizing the ill-conditioning issue to minimize errors. The study demonstrates that this method performs exceptionally well with severely ill-conditioned matrices, making it suitable challenging engineering problems. However, when the problem is severely ill-conditioned, an accurate and efficient method for determining the minimal singular values used in the ECN formulation is required. To tackle this, we utilize an efficient algorithm called minsv, which specifically computes the minimal singular value. The significance of accurately computing the smallest singular value is demonstrated through two interpolation examples, involving non-smooth and smooth test functions with various RBFs and data points. Furthermore, the RBF method is applied to solve a quasicrystal problem, which presents a challenging engineering problem with four unknown parameters, and excellent results are obtained. Finally, we illustrate that using MATLAB’s svd function can potentially produce completely incorrect minimal singular values. The codes implemented are available at https://doi.org/10.24433/CO.8716692.v1.

Interpreting Change in Disorders of Consciousness Using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised.

The purpose of this study was to differentiate clinically meaningful improvement or deterioration from normal fluctuations in patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) following severe brain injury. We computed indices of responsiveness for the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) using data from a clinical trial of 180 participants with DoC. We used CRS-R scores from baseline (enrollment in a clinical trial) and a 4-week follow-up assessment period for these calculations. To improve precision, we transformed ordinal CRS-R total scores (0-23 points) to equal-interval measures on a 0-100 unit scale using Rasch Measurement theory. Using the 0-100 unit total Rasch measures, we calculated distribution-based 0.5 standard deviation (SD) minimal clinically important difference, minimal detectable change using 95% confidence intervals, and conditional minimal detectable change using 95% confidence intervals. The distribution-based minimal clinically important difference evaluates group-level changes, whereas the minimal detectable change values evaluate individual-level changes. The minimal clinically important difference and minimal detectable change are derived using the overall variability across total measures at baseline and 4 weeks. The conditional minimal detectable change is generated for each possible pair of CRS-R Rasch person measures and accounts for variation in standard error across the scale. We applied these indices to determine the proportions of participants who made a change beyond measurement error within each of the two subgroups, based on treatment arm (amantadine hydrochloride or placebo) or categorization of baseline Rasch person measure to states of consciousness (i.e., unresponsive wakefulness syndrome and minimally conscious state). We compared the proportion of participants in each treatment arm who made a change according to the minimal detectable change and determined whether they also changed to another state of consciousness. CRS-R indices of responsiveness (using the 0-100 transformed scale) were as follows: 0.5SD minimal clinically important difference = 9 units, minimal detectable change = 11 units, and the conditional minimal detectable change ranged from 11 to 42 units. For the amantadine and placebo groups, 70% and 58% of participants showed change beyond measurement error using the minimal detectable change, respectively. For the unresponsive wakefulness syndrome and minimally conscious state groups, 54% and 69% of participants changed beyond measurement error using the minimal detectable change, respectively. Among 115 participants (64% of the total sample) who made a change beyond measurement error, 29 participants (25%) did not change state of consciousness. CRS-R indices of responsiveness can support clinicians and researchers in discerning when behavioral changes in patients with DoC exceed measurement error. Notably, the minimal detectable change can support the detection of patients who make a "true" change within or across states of consciousness. Our findings highlight that the continued use of ordinal scores may result in incorrect inferences about the degree and relevance of a change score.

Elevation Accuracy of Forest Road Maps Derived from Aerial Imaging, Airborne Laser Scanning and Mobile Laser Scanning Data

Forest road maps are a fundamental source of information for the sustainable management, protection, and public utilization of forests. However, the precision of these maps is crucial to their use. In this context, we assessed and compared the elevation accuracy of terrain on three forest road surfaces (i.e., asphalt, concrete, and stone), which were derived based on data from three remote sensing technologies (i.e., aerial imaging, airborne laser scanning, and mobile laser scanning) using five geospatial techniques (i.e., inverse distance; natural neighbor; and conversion by average, maximal, and minimal elevation value). Specifically, the elevation accuracy was assessed based on 700 points at which elevation was measured in the field, and these elevations were extracted from fifteen derived forest road maps with a resolution of 0.5 m. The highest precision was found on asphalt roads derived from mobile laser scanning data (RMSE from ±0.01 m to ±0.04 m) and airborne laser scanning data (RMSE from ±0.03 m to ±0.04 m). On the other hand, the lowest precision was found on all roads derived from aerial imaging data (RMSE from ±0.11 m to ±0.23 m). Furthermore, we found significant differences in elevation between the measured and derived terrains. However, the differences in elevation between specific techniques, such as inverse distance, natural neighbor, and conversion by average, were mostly random. Moreover, we found that airborne and mobile laser scanning technologies provided terrain on concrete and stone roads with random elevation differences. In these cases, it is possible to replace a specific technique or technology with one that is similar without significantly decreasing the elevation accuracy (α = 0.05).

Enhancing Ethiopian power distribution with novel hybrid renewable energy systems for sustainable reliability and cost efficiency

Economic development relies on access to electrical energy, which is crucial for society’s growth. However, power shortages are challenging due to non-renewable energy depletion, unregulated use, and a lack of new energy sources. Ethiopia’s Debre Markos distribution network experiences over 800 h of power outages annually, causing financial losses and resource waste on diesel generators (DGs) for backup use. To tackle these concerns, the present study suggests a hybrid power generation system, which combines solar and biogas resources, and integrates Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) and Pumped Hydro Energy Storage (PHES) technologies into the system. The study also thoroughly analyzes the current and anticipated demand connected to the distribution network using a backward/forward sweep load flow analysis method. The results indicate that the total power loss has reached its absolute maximum, and the voltage profiles of the networks have dropped below the minimal numerical values recommended by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards (i.e., 0.95–1.025 p.u.). After reviewing the current distribution network’s operation, additional steps were taken to improve its effectiveness, using metaheuristic optimization techniques to account for various objective functions and constraints. In the results section, it is demonstrated that the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) outperforms other metaheuristic optimization techniques across three important objective functions: financial, reliability, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This comparison is based on the capability of the natural selection whale optimization algorithm (NSWOA) to achieve the best possible values for four significant metrics: Cost of Energy (COE), Net Present Cost (NPC), Loss of Power Supply Probability (LPSP), and GHG Emissions. The NSWOA achieved optimal values for these metrics, namely 0.0812 €/kWh, 3.0017 × 106 €, 0.00875, and 7.3679 × 106 kg reduced, respectively. This is attributable to their thorough economic, reliability, and environmental evaluation. Finally, the forward/backward sweep load flow analysis employed during the proposed system’s integration significantly reduced the impact of new energy resources on the distribution network. This was evident in the reduction of total power losses from 470.78 to 18.54 kW and voltage deviation from 6.95 to 0.35 p.u., as well as the voltage profile of the distribution system being swung between 1 and 1.0234 p.u., which now comply with the standards set by the IEEE. Besides, a comparison of the cost and GHG emission efficiency of the proposed hybrid system with existing (grid + DGs) and alternative (only DGs) scenarios was done. The findings showed that, among the scenarios examined, the proposed system is the most economical and produces the least amount of GHG emissions.

Control of microstructure, defects and mechanical properties in direct energy deposited SS316L/Inconel 718 functionally graded material via mechanical vibration

In this study, a mechanical vibration assisted laser direct energy deposition was used to fabricate a functionally graded material composed of stainless steel 316L and Inconel 718. The effect of mechanical vibration on the microstructure, defects and mechanical properties of the prepared functionally graded material was studied. The results indicate that in the sample without the assistance of mechanical vibration, plenty of brittle Laves phase and NbC carbides form and induce the cracking in the specific compositional gradient range from 60 % stainless steel 316L/40 % Inconel 718 to 40 % stainless steel 316L/60 % Inconel 718. The Vickers hardness obtains a minimal value near the compositional region of 50 % stainless steel 316L/50 % Inconel 718. The tensile properties are terrible with an ultimate tensile strength of 309.7 MPa and an elongation of 7.8 %. In the sample with the assistance of mechanical vibration, the synchronous mechanical vibration could effectively restrain the cracks formation in the compositional gradient region by suppressing the brittle phases precipitation, weakening the dislocation aggregation and refining the grain size, and resultantly achieve decent tensile properties with an ultimate tensile strength of 642.6 MPa and an elongation of 22.4 % and significantly improve the deterioration of hardness in the compositional gradient region.

A waste hemp‐based biomass carbon aerogel with high fire‐resistance

AbstractTo enhance the efficient utilization of waste hemp rods, a kind of three‐dimensional (3D), mesh‐like lamellar structured hemp‐based biomass carbon aerogel (CA) was developed by freeze‐drying and subsequent high‐temperature carbonization method. The microstructure, flame resistance, thermal stability, and thermal conductivity of CA were investigated using several analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), simulated combustion tests, and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). Optimum formulation yielded at an alkali treatment concentration of 20% and a carbonization temperature of 700°C, CA with a 3D network of reticulated lamellae was obtained. CA exhibited minimal values for thermal conductivity (0.06 W/m K) and thermal diffusion coefficient (0.41 mm2/s), which are indicative of superior insulative properties. Moreover, the material demonstrated remarkable thermal endurance and flame resistance, achieving a char yield of 70.03% when subjected to a temperature of 700°C in an oxidative environment.