Utility System Research Articles

Secondary use of helath data in EU: Exploring the legal challenges of the upcoming European Health Data Space Reguation in light of the findings of the TEHDAS project

Arguably, big data, data processing with advanced ICT solutions and data sharing were accelerated during the end of the 2010s, also fuelled by the COVID-19 pandemic. This latter can be reasonably considered a booster in health care for data-driven digital solutions and regulations, which led to issues concerning both primary and secondary use of digital (electronic) health data. There is an ongoing and comprehensive regulatory effort within the European Union to address the evoked challenges. Regarding the healthcare sector, the European Health Data Space Regulation can be considered a flagship legislation. The main ambition of the European Commission is, on the one hand, to create a common space where natural persons can easily control their electronic health data and, on the other hand, to make it possible for researchers, innovators and policymakers to use these health data sets for common societal purposes in a trusted and secure way based on a specific cross-border digital infrastructure. A European Union project, the Joint Action Towards the European Health Data Space (TEHDAS) has been initiated to support the establishment of the EHDS as regards the secondary use of data. Our analysis identified two important topics: legislative barriers to the secondary use of health data and challenges for citizens’ empowerment, including data altruism. The legal complexity of the ongoing strategic legislative initiatives within the EU poses several challenges for future application. Firstly, there can be a terminological issue based on the lack of a common definition of secondary use of data. Secondly, the regulation of the Member States adjusted to their national health and data utilisation systems can be diverse. Both of these may hinder the desired EU-level harmonisation regarding data-sharing. In this context, the division of regulatory competencies related to health care and the chosen legal basis can be decisive. Overall, the EHDS might be a regulation that can challenge the current legal paradigm of competence distribution among the EU and the Member States regarding digital transition, including data usage in health care. As for the citizens’ empowerment, the goal of an EU-wide ecosystem of health data utilisation requires individuals who are aware of the economic value of their health data and, via practising altruism, want to use these data also for the common good. Specific provisions of the EHDS, such as the right to data portability or the option for opt-out, are definitely for the empowerment of citizens. But, these can also reduce the potential health care-related benefits of data utilisation at both, individual and population level. Altogether, a concert of requirements should be fulfilled for meaningful citizens’ participation, engagement, and practice of data altruism, supported by the complex interplay of the relevant regulations.

End station refrigerator 2 cryoplant at Jefferson Lab

The End Station Refrigerator 2 (ESR2) cryoplant will provide cryogens to three of the four experimental halls in support of 12 GeV Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) experimental demands. In particular, the near-future Measurement of a Lepton-Lepton Electroweak Reaction (MOLLER) experiment requires the additional capacity provided by ESR2. This new cryoplant consists of a 4.0 kW at 4.5-Kelvin cold box and a two-stage compressor system. The cold box and compressor equipment were received from the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) project and are being refurbished to meet Jefferson Lab’s future operating needs. The ESR2 cryoplant includes a new, 50+ m long cold transfer line, bayonet-can, utility system, and control system. The paper describes the fabrication and installation challenges faced, mitigations adopted, and future work plans for the cryoplant.

Optimal Load Shedding Based On Hybrid Energy Generation

The demand for electricity is growing at an exponential rate with no corresponding increase in the electricity production, which has led to voltage collapse in many practical power systems all over the world. This has, therefore, been a serious concern to power system engineers, investors and utilities as its effect is highly detrimental to power system operation and its reliability. Consequently, in the quest for providing solutions to this problem, integration of various renewable energy sources are deployed in recent years. This paper, therefore, presents an effective approach to solving voltage collapse problems through load shedding optimization. HOMER software was deployed due to its great features of quality design and evaluation, coupled with its technicality and economical options for both standalone and grid-connected power system. The results show that the utilization of the hybrid Hydro/PV produces 91kWh annually, whereas 88.5% of the electricity is produced by hydroelectric system while the remaining 11.5% of the electricity comes from the integrated photovoltaic system with excess electricity of 84kwh per year. The results obtained, therefore, show that there is an assurance of stable electricity with the introduction of backup battery banks even with the intermittent nature of the renewable energy systems.

Performance prediction of a novel solar power tower system based on spectral beam splitting

Photovoltaic technology is currently the most widely used solar generation technology in engineering. The particular spectral response band of PV cells cannot convert all solar radiation into electricity. Meanwhile, some radiation will become heat, leading to an increase in cell temperature and a decrease in the conversion efficiency of photovoltaic cells. Spectral splitting technology is an effective technology to improve electrical generation efficiency and can achieve full spectrum utilization of solar energy. The current work involved (1) proposing a novel solar power tower comprehensive utilization system based on spectral splitting; (2) developing a spectral splitting thin film configuration by using the Needle method whose transmittance is higher than 90% against the band range of 510 nm-1, 020 nm; (3) setting up a spectral splitting PV panel whose cover glass is coated the developed film, and replacing the heliostat of SPT system by using such spectral splitting PV panels; (4) predicting the electrical power generation of the spectral splitting-based tower type concentrating solar power system. The results demonstrate that the power generation efficiency of the proposed system is 5.5% and 3.46% higher than PV power generation and SPT systems respectively.

Investigation of the unsteady thermal storage performance of metal foam dual-phase change unit thermal storage tanks in solar thermal utilization systems

The adoption of metal foam thermal energy storage (TES) tanks in solar thermal utilization systems is crucial for enhancing energy supply stability. In this study, to investigate the transient thermal storage performance of TES tanks, a model of a solar thermal utilization system integrated with solar collectors and TES tanks was established. The model was validated through a literature review and experiments. The effects of initial temperature variation of solar collectors and the addition of metal foam on the transient heat transfer characteristics and thermal efficiency of TES tanks were analyzed. The results indicate that the porous structure of metal foam restricts natural convection, thereby improving temperature drift caused by displacement due to phase change material density variation. Maintaining the same initial temperature of solar collectors, filling metal foam can avoid the occurrence of melting dead zones at the bottom of pure paraffin phase change units, leading to an enhancement in the thermal efficiency of TES tanks and a reduction of 48.44% in phase change completion time. Additionally, a low initial temperature of the solar thermal collection system contributes to improving the thermal efficiency of metal foam composite TES tanks.

Meta Heuristic Algorithm Based Novel Dstatcom Architecture for Power Quality Improvement

Electric utility systems are increasingly favoured as local energy systems due to their ability to integrate renewable energy, improve energy efficiency, and enhance the resilience of the power grid. However, while these benefits are significant, they also present certain complexities related to control and power quality (PQ). PQ is crucial within utility systems to ensure the proper functioning of connected devices and the overall health of the system. Therefore, both voltage quality and current quality are of utmost importance. Control strategies combined with advanced power electronics devices (PED) provide a robust framework to address PQ challenges. This paper introduces a novel approach for constructing a distributed Static Synchronous Compensator (DSTATCOM) utilizing innovative 125-level asymmetric multilevel DC link inverters to enable multilevel operation. A modified 125-level multilevel inverter aimed at enhancing power quality is proposed herein. By employing a minimal number of components, this inverter can generate 125-level voltages per phase, serving as a DSTATCOM to address power quality issues such as sag, swell, and harmonics. Bidirectional DC-DC converters are employed for purposes other than just providing power to the inverter's DC connections replacing DC sources. Additionally, the Coati Optimization Algorithm (COA), a newly introduced metaheuristic approach inspired by observed behavioural patterns in coatis in their natural habitat, is presented. COA is designed to emulate two primary behaviours of coatis: (i) their hunting strategy when pursuing iguanas and (ii) their evasion tactics when confronted by predators. To validate the effectiveness of the Coati Optimization algorithm, simulation is carried out with Matlab Simulink, and the outcomes of the simulation for the proposed scheme are provided in this paper. The efficacy of Solar-PV integrated 125-level asymmetric multilevel DC link inverter in enhancing power quality by adhering to the IEEE-519 Standards is demonstrated.

Rate 5/6 TCM Code Having 64 States with 64 QAM for Fading Channel

Trellis Coded Modulation (TCM) is powerful technique employed in digital communication systems to improve the reliability and efficiency of data transmission. TCM combines error control coding and modulation schemes to achieve superior performance in challenging channel conditions. In TCM, information bits are encoded using a trellis encoder, which generates a sequence of encoded symbols. These symbols are then mapped onto a modulation scheme, such as Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) or Phase Shift Keying (PSK), to create the modulated signal. At the receiver, the received signal is demodulated and decoded using a trellis decoder, which employs maximum likelihood decoding to recover the original information bits. The trellis structure allows for efficient error correction and makes TCM particularly suitable for channels with fading, noise, and other impairments. TCM has been widely used in various communication standards and applications to enhance data transmission reliability and spectral efficiency. TCM is a coding technique that merges coding and modulation to attain substantial coding gain without compromising bandwidth efficiency. The emergence of TCM occurred in the late 1970s, and ever since, it has found extensive utilization in various contemporary information transmission systems. In this paper, a new methodology is introduced for the design of a 64-state rate 5/6 TCM code optimized for fading channels. The outcomes obtained from the study are remarkably encouraging, demonstrating coding gain of around 10 dB in comparison to uncoded 32 PSK. This substantial gain plays a pivotal role in boosting data rates, especially in situations where bandwidth-limited channels are involved.

Impact of corrugated duct and heat storage element on the performance of a low-cost solar air heater under forced air circulation: an experimental study.

The need to address global warming issues and international policies has placed a greater emphasis on the development of solar energy utilization systems. Intensive study is necessary to expand solar energy applications, as solar energy potential varies widely. This study investigates the thermal and thermohydraulic performance of a modified flat plate solar air heater (FSAH) to assess the effects of using corrugated aluminium duct and sand heat storage elements (HSE) in various combinations. The different arrangements selected for the experimental investigation are the FSAH, FSAH with corrugated aluminium duct (FSAH-C), FSAH with a sand heat storage element (FSAH-S), and FSAH with a combined use of corrugated aluminium duct and a sand heat storage element (FSAH-CS). The materials used for fabrication are low-cost and readily available in the study area. The results indicate that the sand bed enhanced the thermal performance by acting as the thermal heat storage medium, which could also supply heat for a short duration after non-sunny hours, and the corrugated aluminium duct enhanced the surface area and allowed the air to pass twice inside the SAH. We observed that the SAHs with sensible heat storage had a higher top loss compared to the FSAH-S configuration. The average thermal efficiency of the FSAH-CS configuration was 59.17%, which is 8.81%, 5.72%, and 10.95% higher than FSAH-S, FSAH-C, and FSAH, respectively. Furthermore, this configuration achieved an exit temperature of 64.5°C. The proposed system has a thermohydraulic efficiency of 59.14%, which is not significantly different from the average thermal efficiency. Therefore, the suggested system verifies its ability to function without requiring substantial external power.

Blockchain Targets Integrated IoT for Smart Healthcare Systems - A Bibliometric Analysis

Blockchain technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) for smart healthcare systems has emerged as a promising area of research, as evidenced by a bibliometric analysis. This analysis explores the scholarly literature on the integration of blockchain and IoT in healthcare, identifying key trends, influential publications, and research directions. By leveraging blockchain's decentralized and immutable nature alongside the IoT's ability to collect and transmit real-time health data from various devices, smart healthcare systems aim to enhance data security, interoperability, and patient privacy. Bibliometric analysis provides valuable insights into the evolution of research in this field, highlighting emerging topics, interdisciplinary collaborations, and potential applications that can revolutionize healthcare delivery and management in the future. This paper introduces the Weighted Key Signature for Smart Healthcare Systems (WKSS), a framework designed to optimize healthcare operations within smart environments. With advanced technologies such as blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), and integration technologies, WKSS aims to improve patient care, resource utilization, and overall healthcare system efficiency. The framework encompasses key components including digital signature generation, computational efficiency, and bibliometric analysis to provide insights into emerging trends and key contributors within smart healthcare systems. Through a comprehensive analysis, including simulations and bibliometric studies, this paper demonstrates the effectiveness of WKSS in reducing patient waiting times, enhancing resource utilization rates, and improving healthcare provider efficiency. Through simulations and bibliometric analysis, significant improvements were observed in key metrics. The average patient waiting time decreased from 45 to 34 minutes, resource utilization rates increased from 70% to 85%, and examination room occupancy rose from 60% to 75%. Additionally, physician and nurse utilization rates improved from 80% to 90% and from 75% to 85%, respectively.

Delving into the Revolutionary Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Mechanical Systems: a Review

Artificial intelligence technology has become a highly advanced field in science and technology, extensively utilized in business and everyday activities. Artificial intelligence is widely used in engineering, especially in the automotive industry, autonomous vehicles, optimizing heat exchangers' operational settings, and assisting firefighters in rescuing victims in low visibility situations. This work examines the applications of artificial intelligence in mechanical systems, particularly focusing on its utilization in automobiles, heat exchangers, safety and fire systems, and other mechanical systems. Artificial intelligence in mechanical systems enhances precision, minimizes inefficiencies, and substantially cuts manufacturing expenses. Consequently, artificial intelligence will enhance mechanical systems, boosting their production and efficiency.

Engineering tiramisu-like phase change nanocomposite for superior thermal energy management and electromagnetic interference shielding

Exploiting advanced nanocomposites isochronally integrating outstanding thermal conductivity (TC) and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) can boost the cutting-edge application of phase change materials. Here, we report a tiramisu-like composite (GMP), where the typical “crust-and-cheese” hierarchical structure is replicated by an innovative two-step bidirectional freezing assembly (BFA) and compressive densification. Hierarchical-aligned graphene array (G-GA) with ultralow thermal resistance is fabricated through 1st BFA and graphitization. During the 2nd BFA, the MXene-CNF crosslinking network with hydrogen-bond actions is used for encapsulating polyethylene glycol (PEG) onto the microlayers of the G-GA skeleton. Remarkably, the microlaminated GMP4 achieves a recorded TC of 34.05 W m–1 K–1, unprecedented EMI SE of 87.4 dB, and preferable enthalpy density of 179.4 J cm–3, along with leakage-free function, and eminent thermal durability. Furthermore, the GMP-loaded equipment is demonstrated for efficient microelectronics cooling and sustainable solar energy utilization. This work opens new avenues for multiscale designing multifunctional macro-composites, broadening the application prospects in advanced electronics and solar energy utilization systems.

Comprehensive Exploration and Implementation of Multi-Armed Bandit Algorithms Across Various Domains

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of Multi-Armed Bandit (MAB) algorithms, elucidating their decision-making mechanisms in uncertain environments and their widespread applications in fields such as recommendation systems, advertisement delivery, network traffic control, and medical experiment design. Despite the notable successes of MAB algorithms, they encounter significant challenges in practical deployment, including the balance between exploration and exploitation, addressing unfairness, and managing large-scale implementations. An in-depth theoretical and practical examination of MAB algorithms is thus both theoretically and practically vital. This study conducts a meticulous literature review, theoretical analysis, and empirical research to offer insights into the current state and future prospects of MAB algorithms. It begins with a literature review, mapping out the research landscape and developmental trajectory of MAB algorithms. This is followed by a theoretical dissection, delving into the fundamental theories and diverse applications of MAB algorithms, with a focus on their utilization in recommendation systems, vehicle edge computing, and taxi route recommendation systems. Empirical research is then employed to validate proposed solutions and enhancement strategies. The study reinterprets the internal mechanics of MAB algorithms, affirming their effectiveness and superiority across various domains. The final section addresses the practical challenges and issues faced by MAB algorithms, such as fairness concerns and scalability. Corresponding solutions and improvement strategies are suggested, aiming to enhance the efficiency and applicability of MAB algorithms in real-world scenarios.

Enhancing intercropping sustainability: Manipulating soybean rhizosphere microbiome through cropping patterns

Understanding the responses of soybean rhizosphere and functional microbiomes in intercropping scenarios holds promise for optimizing nitrogen utilization in legume-based intercropping systems. This study investigated three cropping layouts under film mulching: sole soybean (S), soybean–maize intercropping in one row (IS), and soybean–maize intercropping in two rows (IIS), each subjected to two nitrogen levels: 110 kg N ha−1 (N110) and 180 kg N ha−1 (N180). Our findings reveal that cropping patterns alter bacterial and nifh communities, with approximately 5 % of soybean rhizosphere bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and 42 % of rhizosphere nifh ASVs exhibiting altered abundances (termed sensitive ASVs). Root traits and soil properties shape these communities, with root traits exerting greater influence. Sensitive ASVs drive microbial co-occurrence networks and deterministic processes, predicting 85 % of yield variance and 78 % of partial factor productivity of nitrogen, respectively. These alterations impact bacterial and nifh diversity, complexity, stability, and deterministic processes in legume-based intercropping systems, enhancing performance in terms of yield, nitrogen utilization efficiency, land equivalent ratio, root nodule count, and nodule dry weight under IIS patterns with N110 compared to other treatments. Our findings underscore the importance of field management practices in shaping rhizosphere-sensitive ASVs, thereby altering microbial functions and ultimately impacting the productivity of legume-based intercropping systems. This mechanistic understanding of soybean rhizosphere microbial responses to intercropping patterns offers insights for sustainable intercropping enhancements through microbial manipulation.

Synergetic effect of trimetallic double hydroxide nanospikes embraced N-doped graphene nanosheets as electrode material for supercapacitors

In the energy storage sector, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are coming to the forefront as a promising option for electrode materials. However, LDHs suffer from insufficient intrinsic conductivity and agglomeration during formation which restrict their wide applications. In this context, a two-step hydrothermal technique is employed to synthesize NiCoMn hydroxide (NCM)/N-doped graphene (NG). Initially, NG is produced through hydrothermal treatment utilizing urea to serve as both a reduction and doping source. Subsequently, a straightforward hydrothermal technique is utilized to cultivate NCM onto the surface of NG nanosheets. The electrochemical properties of NCM-NG composite with different compositions of NG have been analyzed, resulting in capacitance increment on account of increased conductivity and large number of active sites upon incorporation of NG as compared to pristine NCM. Moreover, NG nanosheets inhibit the agglomeration of NCM nanospikes. Amongst different compositions, NCM-NG-2 nanohybrid secured the highest specific capacitance (Cs) of 783.5 F/g at 0.25 A/g. The Asymmetric supercapacitor device assembled with NCM-NG-2 (anode) and activated carbon (AC) (cathode) exhibits the Cs of 114.5 F/g at 0.5 A/g. The optimized specific energy (Es) of 31.8 Wh/kg and specific power (Ps) of 473.4 W/kg with remarkable retention of 101.9 % up to 15,000 continuous cycles, indicating a higher potential of the NCM-NG-2 electrode in energy storage applications. These findings open new avenues for developing highly productive multi-material electrodes for utilization in energy storage systems.

Thermodynamic analysis of power generation thermal management system for heat and cold exergy utilization from liquid hydrogen-fueled turbojet engine

Hydrogen propulsion is generally treated as the ultimate net zero-emission option for aviation, therein liquid hydrogen storage appears to provide the only feasible solution for aircraft with the constraints imposed by aircraft weight and volume. Hydrogen liquefaction consumes a great amount of energy, which significantly boosts the cost of hydrogen as an aviation fuel. Besides the H2 chemical exergy for combustion to provide thrust, the H2 physical exergy in the form of cold energy is also a kind of high-quality clean energy to produce power output, which offers great opportunities to achieve cost-effective use of hydrogen fuel. Thus, this paper presents a Rankine cycle and H2 direct expansion cycle (RC-DEC) combined power generation thermal management system for the simultaneous utilization of exhaust gas heat exergy and hydrogen fuel cold exergy from the liquid hydrogen-fueled turbojet engine. In the Rankine cycle, the transcritical mode is applied on the hot side while the liquid separation condensation concept is adopted on the cold side to achieve better thermal matchings with heat and cold sources. The hydrocarbon/inert gas binary mixture is proposed as the working fluid of the Rankine cycle. The effects of key thermodynamic parameters and the influence of Para-Ortho hydrogen conversion on system performance are discussed, then a comparison of the mixture working fluid is conducted. Results show that there exists an optimal separation temperature ratio and condensation pressure of RC to obtain maximum total net power output. As the DEC expander inlet pressure increases, the total net power output first increases and then levels off. The introduction of the Para-Ortho hydrogen conversion has a negligible impact on net power output but leads to a significant reduction in the exergy efficiency, which is attributed to the cold energy release nature of Para-Ortho hydrogen conversion. The results of the working fluid comparison indicate that the optimal inert gas retardant for CH4 is Kr, while those for C2H6 and C3H8 are Xe to achieve the maximum net power output and exergy efficiency of the proposed power generation system. Among them, C2H6/Xe(0.6/0.4) obtains the maximum net power output of 2717.9 kW and maximum exergy efficiency of 33.1%, which suggests an opportunity to provide megawatts of electrical power for the aircraft in place of the APU.

Ethnobotanical Significance, Phytopharmacology, and Toxicological Profile of Limonia acidissima L. (Rutaceae): A Review.

Medicinal plants play a crucial role in traditional medicine, where they are extensively employed by traditional physicians for treating a wide array of ailments. Limonia acidissima (Linn), commonly known as the Wood apple and belonging to the Rutaceae family, is widely cultivated in countries, such as Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka. The various parts of Limonia acidissima, including its roots, leaves, fruits, stem, and even the whole plant, have been traditionally used in the treatment of numerous conditions, such as constipation, diarrhea, dysentery, skin diseases, asthma, astringent, diabetes, jaundice, and dyspepsia and act as diuretic agents, cardiotonic, cardiac stimulant, and hepato-protectant. Extensive research has revealed that Limonia acidissima possesses a rich chemical composition, including quinones, lignans, flavonoids, sterols, coumarins, alkaloids, triterpenoids, phenolic acids, and volatile oils, present in its stem, leaves, fruits, stem bark, and roots. These chemical constituents contribute to its diverse therapeutic properties. In recent years, numerous studies have explored the ethanopharmacological properties of Limonia acidissima extracts, highlighting their anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-diarrheal, antimicrobial, antiulcer, wound healing, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antibacterial, antifungal, larvicidal, neuroprotective, antispermatogenic, antihistaminic, diuretic, and adsorbent activities. This comprehensive review focuses on the traditional uses, biological activities, and phytoconstituents isolated from different parts of Limonia acidissima Linn. The gathered information provides valuable insights into the therapeutic potential of this plant, serving as a foundation for further research and the development of novel pharmaceuticals. The integration of traditional knowledge with scientific evidence enhances the understanding of the medicinal properties of Limonia acidissima, fostering its utilization in modern medicine and healthcare systems.

Integration of Electric Vehicles and Renewable Energy in Indonesia’s Electrical Grid

As the global transition toward sustainable energy gains momentum, integrating electric vehicles (EVs), energy storage, and renewable energy sources has become a pivotal strategy. This paper analyses the interplay between EVs, energy storage, and renewable energy integration with Indonesia’s grid as a test case. A comprehensive energy system modeling approach using PLEXOS is presented, using historical data on electricity generation, hourly demand, and renewable energy, and multiple scenarios of charging patterns and EV adoption. Through a series of scenarios, we evaluate the impact of different charging strategies and EV penetration levels on generation capacity, battery storage requirements, total system cost, renewable energy penetration, and emissions reduction. The findings reveal that optimized charging patterns and higher EV adoption rates, compared to no EVs adoption, led to substantial improvements in renewable energy utilization (+4%), emissions reduction (−12.8%), and overall system cost (−9%). While EVs contribute to reduced emissions compared to conventional vehicles, non-optimized charging behavior may lead to higher total emissions when compared to scenarios without EVs. The research also found the potential of vehicle to grid (V2G) to reduce the need for battery storage compared to zero EV (−84%), to reduce emissions significantly (−23.7%), and boost penetration of renewable energy (+10%). This research offers valuable insights for policymakers, energy planners, and stakeholders seeking to leverage the synergies between EVs and renewable energy integration to pursue a sustainable energy future for Indonesia.

Structural insights into α-(1→6)-linkage preference of GH97 glucodextranase from Flavobacterium johnsoniae.

Glycoside hydrolase family 97 (GH97) comprises enzymes like anomer-inverting α-glucoside hydrolases (i.e., glucoamylase) and anomer-retaining α-galactosidases. In a soil bacterium, Flavobacterium johnsoniae, we previously identified a GH97 enzyme (FjGH97A) within the branched dextran utilization locus. It functions as an α-glucoside hydrolase, targeting α-(1→6)-glucosidic linkages in dextran and isomaltooligosaccharides (i.e., glucodextranase). FjGH97A exhibits a preference for α-(1→6)-glucoside linkages over α-(1→4)-linkages, while Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron glucoamylase SusB (with 69% sequence identity), which is involved in the starch utilization system, exhibits the highest specificity for α-(1→4)-glucosidic linkages. Here, we examined the crystal structures of FjGH97A in complexes with glucose, panose, or isomaltotriose, and analyzed the substrate preferences of its mutants to identify the amino acid residues that determine the substrate specificity for α-(1→4)- and α-(1→6)-glucosidic linkages. The overall structure of FjGH97A resembles other GH97 enzymes, with conserved catalytic residues similar to anomer-inverting GH97 enzymes. A comparison of active sites between FjGH97A and SusB revealed differences in amino acid residues at subsites +1 and +2 (specifically Ala195 and Ile378 in FjGH97A). Among the three mutants (A195S, I378F, and A195S-I378F), A195S and A195S-I378F exhibited increased activity toward α-(1→4)-glucoside bonds compared to α-(1→6)-glucoside bonds. This suggests that Ala195, located on the Gly184-Thr203 loop (named loop-N) conserved within the GH97 subgroup, including FjGH97A and SusB, holds significance in determining linkage specificity. The conservation of alanine in the active site of the GH97 enzymes, within the same gene cluster as the putative dextranase, indicates its crucial role in determining the specificity for α-(1→6)-glucoside linkage.

Development and Evaluation of an Optimized Energy Recovery System from Excess Heat of a Compressed Air System

The aim of this study is to build a bounded optimized energy recovery system from the compressed air system’s excess heat. It is important to concentrate on the use of products that satisfy the requirements for performance and sustainability, as well as the need for energy that will be optimized. Purposive sampling is used to select the respondents, using quantitative research, specifically both descriptive and developmental methods. The researcher utilized a decision support tool developed by Kolaitis et al., (2020) as the primary research instrument of the study. The adopted tool was slightly modified to suit the assessment needs of the developed energy utilization system. All the main criteria components are interpreted as highly sustainable. The researcher utilized log sheets to determine the performance of the study. Finally, paired t-test was used to determine whether there was a significant difference in the performance of the study. The performance of the optimized energy after the implementation of the project was statistically higher than the performance of the optimized energy before the implementation of the project. The researcher concluded that the performance of the optimized energy recovery system from excess heat of a compressed air system after the installation and operation was effective and efficient based on the ratings of respondents and descriptive measures on the log sheet. For this kind of innovation, the manufacturing company with the same equipment should adopt and sustain it for potential energy savings and protect mother nature.

A Comprehensive Review of In Situ Measurement Techniques for Evaluating the Electro-Chemo-Mechanical Behaviors of Battery Electrodes.

The global production landscape exhibits a substantial need for efficient and clean energy. Enhancing and advancing energy storage systems are a crucial avenue to optimize energy utilization and mitigate costs. Lithium batteries are the most effective and impressive energy utilization system at present, with good safety, high energy density, excellent cycle performance, and other advantages, occupying most of the market. However, due to the defects in the electrode material of the battery itself, the electrode will undergo the process of expansion, stress evolution, and electrode damage during electro-chemical cycling, which will degrade battery performance. Therefore, the detection of property changes in the electrode during electro-chemical cycling, such as the evolution of stress and the modulus change, are useful for preventing the degradation of lithium-ion batteries. This review presents a current overview of measurement systems applied to the performance detection of batteries' electrodes, including the multi-beam optical stress sensor (MOSS) measurement system, the digital image correlation (DIC) measurement system, and the bending curvature measurement system (BCMS), which aims to highlight the measurement principles and advantages of the different systems, summarizes a part of the research methods by using each system, and discusses an effective way to improve the battery performance.