Role of IT and ICT in Smart Grid

The new era will be of Smart Grid in comparison with existing electricity grid.Smart grid is a combination of electricity grid and communication infrastructure. To give sustainable electricity supply, Smart grid connects with all the connected components to form a logical power network. To increase the effectiveness of power grid many sophisticated communication technologies have been recognized. These communication technologies increase the efficiency taken as a whole of electrical grid.This paper details the relevance and challenges of various communication technologies. Two major challenges have been found for implementing smart grid technology, first is standard inter operability and cognitive access to unlicensed radio spectrum. Paper also discusses the problems to implement smart grid communication on an evolutional path. Recent and future trends in Smart grid are elaborated. The paper provides the broad review of state of art research available on Smart grid communication

Structural mechanism for the recognition and ubiquitination of a single nucleosome residue by Rad6-Bre1

Cotranscriptional ubiquitination of histone H2B is key to gene regulation. The yeast E3 ubiquitin ligase Bre1 (human RNF20/40) pairs with the E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme Rad6 to monoubiquitinate H2B at Lys123. How this single lysine residue on the nucleosome core particle (NCP) is targeted by the Rad6-Bre1 machinery is unknown. Using chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry, we identified the functional interfaces of Rad6, Bre1, and NCPs in a defined in vitro system. The Bre1 RING domain cross-links exclusively with distinct regions of histone H2B and H2A, indicating a spatial alignment of Bre1 with the NCP acidic patch. By docking onto the NCP surface in this distinct orientation, Bre1 positions the Rad6 active site directly over H2B Lys123. The Spt-Ada-Gcn5 acetyltransferase (SAGA) H2B deubiquitinase module competes with Bre1 for binding to the NCP acidic patch, indicating regulatory control. Our study reveals a mechanism that ensures site-specific NCP ubiquitination and fine-tuning of opposing enzymatic activities

Microwave non-destructive testing of coatings and paints using free space microwave measurement / Norhayati Hamzah ... [et al.]

Microwave nondestructive testing (MNDT) techniques are applied to evaluate quality of anti-corrosive protective coatings and paints on metal surfaces. A tree-space microwave measurement (FSMM) system is used for MNDT of protective coatings. The FSMM system consists of transmit and receive spotfocusing horn lens antennas, a vector network analyzer, mode transitions and a computer. Diffraction effects at the edges of the sample are minimized by using spot-focusing horn lens antennas. Errors due to multiple reflections between antennas are corrected by using free-space LRL (line, reflect, line) calibration technique. We have measured complex reflection coefficient of polyurethane based paint which is coated on brass plates

Investigation on Dielectric Properties of Sludge Waste from Water Treatment Using Microwave Non-Destructive Testing (MNDT)

The demand for water cleanup rises in tandem with a country's requirements and development. Recovery of purified water containing nutrients and other beneficial materials is a critical opportunity that must be taken advantage of. A challenge that needs to be tackled is the necessity for large capacity and high-value management of sludge waste following the water treatment process. The pH level and microwave frequencies influence were used as a starting point for assessing the content of the sludge waste. Microwave non-destructive testing (MNDT) is a microwave measurement that can be used to determine the dielectric characteristics of materials without destroying or modifying the sample's content. The methodology employs a free-space measurement technique with a frequency range of 8 to 12 GHz (X-band). Through S-parameters acquired, a correlation analysis was done to analyze the effect of frequencies with the sludge waste. A comparative investigation with peat soil samples in establishing if the sludge has similar attributes to normal soil is used to ensure the accuracy of the sludge waste data. It can be determined that the sludge waste has a high signal correlation towards the frequency band 8 GHz to 12 GHz, which is compatible with the MNDT approach. All of the sludge samples had a pH range that is appropriate for agricultural use

Investigation on Dielectric Properties of Sludge Waste from Water Treatment Using Microwave Non-Destructive Testing (MNDT)

The demand for water cleanup rises in tandem with a country's requirements and development. Recovery of purified water containing nutrients and other beneficial materials is a critical opportunity that must be taken advantage of. A challenge that needs to be tackled is the necessity for large capacity and high-value management of sludge waste following the water treatment process. The pH level and microwave frequencies influence were used as a starting point for assessing the content of the sludge waste. Microwave non-destructive testing (MNDT) is a microwave measurement that can be used to determine the dielectric characteristics of materials without destroying or modifying the sample's content. The methodology employs a free-space measurement technique with a frequency range of 8 to 12 GHz (X-band). Through S-parameters acquired, a correlation analysis was done to analyze the effect of frequencies with the sludge waste. A comparative investigation with peat soil samples in establishing if the sludge has similar attributes to normal soil is used to ensure the accuracy of the sludge waste data. It can be determined that the sludge waste has a high signal correlation towards the frequency band 8 GHz to 12 GHz, which is compatible with the MNDT approach. All of the sludge samples had a pH range that is appropriate for agricultural use

Persistence of Different Forms of Transient RNAi during Apoptosis in Mammalian Cells

Gene silencing by transient or stable RNA-interference (RNAi) is used for the study of apoptosis with an assumption that apoptotic events will not influence RNAi. However, we recently reported that stable RNAi, i.e., a permanent gene-knockdown mediated by shRNA-generating DNA vectors that are integrated in the genome, fails rapidly after induction of apoptosis due to caspase-3-mediated cleavage and inactivation of the endoribonuclease Dicer-1 that is required for conversion of shRNA to siRNA. Since apoptosis studies also increasingly employ transient RNAi models in which apoptosis is induced immediately after a gene is temporarily knocked down within a few days of transfection with RNAi-inducing agents, we examined the impact of apoptosis on various models of transient RNAi. We report here that unlike the stable RNAi, all forms of transient RNAi, whether Dicer-1-independent (by 21mer dsRNA) or Dicer-1-dependent (by 27mer dsRNA or shRNA-generating DNA vector), whether for an exogenous gene GFP or an endogenous gene poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1, do not fail for 2–3 days after onset of apoptosis. Our results reflect the differences in dynamics of achieving and maintaining RNAi during the early phase after transfection in the transient RNAi model and the late steady-state phase of gene-knockdown in stable RNAi model. Our results also sound a cautionary note that RNAi status should be frequently validated in the studies involving apoptosis and that while stable RNAi can be safely used for the study of early apoptotic events, transient RNAi is more suitable for the study of both early and late apoptotic events

Influence of biodegradable materials in the recycled polystyrene

Polystyrene (PS) is one of the commonly used polymer in food packaging, that is why it generates a large amount of residual PS: because of the need of reduce environmental damage that occurs, it is common to recycle this polymer. Recycling of PS may be affected by the introduction of biodegradable polymer in industrial food. For this reason we have studied the influence that generates small amounts of biodegradable polymer (PLA, PHB, and TPS) in the recycled PS properties. The recycled PS and biodegradable polymers blends were evaluated by measuring the Vicat softening temperature, melt flow index, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, and mechanical properties. VC 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Samper Madrigal, MD.; Arrieta, MP.; Ferrándiz Bou, S.; López Martínez, J. (2014). Influence of biodegradable materials in the recycled polystyrene. Journal of Applied Polymer Science. 131(23):41161-41168. doi:10.1002/app.41161S411614116813123Garcia, D., Balart, R., Crespo, J. E., & Lopez, J. (2006). Mechanical properties of recycled PVC blends with styrenic polymers. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 101(4), 2464-2471. doi:10.1002/app.23484Garcia, D., Balart, R., Parres, F., & López, J. (2007). Compatibility study of recycled poly(vinyl chloride)/styrene-acrylonitrile blends. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 106(1), 20-27. doi:10.1002/app.26636Parres, F., Sánchez, L., Balart, R., & López, J. (2007). Determination of the photo-degradation level of high impact polystyrene (HIPS) using pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 78(2), 250-256. doi:10.1016/j.jaap.2006.08.001Samper, M. D., Garcia-Sanoguera, D., Parres, F., & López, J. (2010). Recycling of Expanded Polystyrene from Packaging. Progress in Rubber, Plastics and Recycling Technology, 26(2), 83-92. doi:10.1177/147776061002600202Arrieta, M. P., Peltzer, M. A., Garrigós, M. del C., & Jiménez, A. (2013). Structure and mechanical properties of sodium and calcium caseinate edible active films with carvacrol. Journal of Food Engineering, 114(4), 486-494. doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2012.09.002Colwill, J. A., Wright, E. I., & Rahimifard, S. (2012). A Holistic Approach to Design Support for Bio-polymer Based Packaging. Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 20(4), 1112-1123. doi:10.1007/s10924-012-0545-zIotti, M., Fabbri, P., Messori, M., Pilati, F., & Fava, P. (2009). Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Coatings for the Modification of Barrier Properties of Poly(lactic acid) Films for Food Packaging Applications. Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 17(1), 10-19. doi:10.1007/s10924-009-0120-4Fortunati, E., Armentano, I., Iannoni, A., Barbale, M., Zaccheo, S., Scavone, M., … Kenny, J. M. (2011). New multifunctional poly(lactide acid) composites: Mechanical, antibacterial, and degradation properties. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 124(1), 87-98. doi:10.1002/app.35039Arrieta, M. P., López, J., Hernández, A., & Rayón, E. (2014). Ternary PLA–PHB–Limonene blends intended for biodegradable food packaging applications. European Polymer Journal, 50, 255-270. doi:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2013.11.009Rutkowska, M., Krasowska, K., Heimowska, A., Adamus, G., Sobota, M., Musioł, M., … Kowalczuk, M. (2008). Environmental Degradation of Blends of Atactic Poly[(R,S)-3-hydroxybutyrate] with Natural PHBV in Baltic Sea Water and Compost with Activated Sludge. Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 16(3), 183-191. doi:10.1007/s10924-008-0100-0Du, Y.-L., Cao, Y., Lu, F., Li, F., Cao, Y., Wang, X.-L., & Wang, Y.-Z. (2008). Biodegradation behaviors of thermoplastic starch (TPS) and thermoplastic dialdehyde starch (TPDAS) under controlled composting conditions. Polymer Testing, 27(8), 924-930. doi:10.1016/j.polymertesting.2008.08.002Kan, A., & Demirboğa, R. (2009). A new technique of processing for waste-expanded polystyrene foams as aggregates. Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 209(6), 2994-3000. doi:10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2008.07.017Balart, R., López, J., García, D., & Dolores Salvador, M. (2005). Recycling of ABS and PC from electrical and electronic waste. Effect of miscibility and previous degradation on final performance of industrial blends. European Polymer Journal, 41(9), 2150-2160. doi:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2005.04.001Vilaplana, F., & Karlsson, S. (2008). Quality Concepts for the Improved Use of Recycled Polymeric Materials: A Review. Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, 293(4), 274-297. doi:10.1002/mame.200700393Navarro, R., Ferrándiz, S., López, J., & Seguí, V. J. (2008). The influence of polyethylene in the mechanical recycling of polyethylene terephtalate. Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 195(1-3), 110-116. doi:10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2007.04.126Gong, Q., Wang, L.-Q., & Tu, K. (2006). In situ polymerization of starch with lactic acid in aqueous solution and the microstructure characterization. Carbohydrate Polymers, 64(4), 501-509. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2005.09.005Furukawa, T., Sato, H., Murakami, R., Zhang, J., Duan, Y.-X., Noda, I., … Ozaki, Y. (2005). Structure, Dispersibility, and Crystallinity of Poly(hydroxybutyrate)/Poly(l-lactic acid) Blends Studied by FT-IR Microspectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry. Macromolecules, 38(15), 6445-6454. doi:10.1021/ma0504668Dai, H., Chang, P. R., Yu, J., Ma, X., & Zhou, P. (2009). Preparation and properties of thermoplastic pea starch using N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)formamide as the plasticizer. Polymer Engineering & Science, 50(5), 970-977. doi:10.1002/pen.21615Ekabutr, P., Lerdwijitjarud, W., & Sittattrakul, A. (2012). Glycerol and esterified products of palmitic acid as a mixed plasticizer for thermoplastic tapioca starch. Polymer Engineering & Science, 53(1), 134-145. doi:10.1002/pen.23252Ma, X., Chang, P. R., Yu, J., & Stumborg, M. (2009). Properties of biodegradable citric acid-modified granular starch/thermoplastic pea starch composites. Carbohydrate Polymers, 75(1), 1-8. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2008.05.020Odelius, K., Ohlson, M., Höglund, A., & Albertsson, A.-C. (2012). Polyesters with small structural variations improve the mechanical properties of polylactide. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 127(1), 27-33. doi:10.1002/app.36842Miller-Chou, B. A., & Koenig, J. L. (2003). A review of polymer dissolution. Progress in Polymer Science, 28(8), 1223-1270. doi:10.1016/s0079-6700(03)00045-5Ghodgaonkar, P. G., & Sundararaj, U. (1996). Prediction of dispersed phase drop diameter in polymer blends: The effect of elasticity. Polymer Engineering & Science, 36(12), 1656-1665. doi:10.1002/pen.10562Shariatpanahi, H., Nazokdast, H., & Hemmati, M. (2003). Dispersed Phase Particle Size in Polymer Blends: Interfacial and Rheological Effects. Journal of Elastomers & Plastics, 35(2), 115-131. doi:10.1177/0095244303035002002Fekete, E., Földes, E., & Pukánszky, B. (2005). Effect of molecular interactions on the miscibility and structure of polymer blends. European Polymer Journal, 41(4), 727-736. doi:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2004.10.038Parres, F., Balart, R., López, J., & García, D. (2008). Changes in the mechanical and thermal properties of high impact polystyrene (HIPS) in the presence of low polypropylene (PP) contents. Journal of Materials Science, 43(9), 3203-3209. doi:10.1007/s10853-008-2555-8Arrieta, M. P., Fortunati, E., Dominici, F., Rayón, E., López, J., & Kenny, J. M. (2014). Multifunctional PLA–PHB/cellulose nanocrystal films: Processing, structural and thermal properties. Carbohydrate Polymers, 107, 16-24. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2014.02.044Kale, G., Auras, R., Singh, S. P., & Narayan, R. (2007). Biodegradability of polylactide bottles in real and simulated composting conditions. Polymer Testing, 26(8), 1049-1061. doi:10.1016/j.polymertesting.2007.07.00

Observing Human Mobility Internationally During COVID-19

This article analyzes visual data captured from five countries and three U.S. states to evaluate the effectiveness of lockdown policies for reducing the spread of COVID-19. The main challenge is the scale: nearly six million images are analyzed to observe how people respond to the policy changes