Electric Vehicles; The Driving Power for Energy Transition: Blockchain-based Decentralised Energy Trading

The widespread introduction of (hybrid) electric vehicles has caused dynamic, local energy demand peaks. While, decentral energy generation, often using sustainable methods, creates local over-supply. Following the trends of the previous decade, the central balancing party (TenneT) will soon be no longer able to keep up. Blockchain offers an outcome by ruling out the third party and enabling direct sales from supply to demand. The technology offers a safe and transparent transaction platform. In collaboration with CGI Nederland a proof-of-concept is developed that proves the usefulness of the technology for a decentral, distributed, peer-to-peer energy trading system. In my thesis research I developed an algorithm that enables electricity trading between households and electric vehicles, benefiting both systems from an operator's perspective, as well as the individual system users.Civil Engineering and GeosciencesTransport & PlanningTransport, Infrastructure & Logistics (TIL

SDS-PAGE and Western blotting of purified HPV16 L1 VLPs.

<p>360 or 180-2%, and 300 or 150 ng of protein was loaded per well for the other VLPs. L1 protein was visulized by silver staining and Western blotting. M indicates the molecular weight marker.</p

Production and purification of HPV16 L1 VLPs.

<p>(A) Quantities of L1 protein in cell lysates were compared by Western blotting. (2 μg of cell lysate protein were loaded per well). Tubulin was used as internal control. Band intensities were determined as described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0094467#s2" target="_blank">Materials and methods</a>. (B) Quanties of L1 VLPs finally recovered after purification. Cells were cultured in 150 mL YPDG medium for 144 h. 2, 4, 6, and 8% indicate the concentrations of total carbon source in YPDG medium. *<i>p</i><0.05; **<i>p</i><0.01. Values represent the mean ± SEM of six independent purifications.</p

Treatment regimens used in the present study.

<p>Mice received PBS, xylitol and/or RGs orally for 5 days prior to virus challenge and for 3 days post virus challenge.</p><p>^a The oseltamivir group received PBS orally for 5 days prior to virus challenge.</p><p>^b The oseltamivir group received oseltamivir orally for 7 days post virus challenge while other groups received the appropriate regimen for 3 days. These regimens were used for the experiments of <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0084633#pone-0084633-g001" target="_blank">Figs. 1</a>, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0084633#pone-0084633-g002" target="_blank">2</a> and <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0084633#pone-0084633-g003" target="_blank">3</a>.</p

Effect of dose of xylitol on lethal influenza A virus infection.

<p>Mice were challenged with 2X LD₅₀ of influenza A virus. A and B show survival rates and changes in body weight, respectively. Details as in the legend to <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0084633#pone-0084633-g001" target="_blank">Fig. 1</a>. Body weights one day before virus challenge were set at 100%. Data are means ± SEMs of body weights of mice that survived. All mouse groups except the oseltamivir group, n = 5; oseltamivir group, n = 3.</p

Protective Effect of Dietary Xylitol on Influenza A Virus Infection

<div><p>Xylitol has been used as a substitute for sugar to prevent cavity-causing bacteria, and most studies have focused on its benefits in dental care. Meanwhile, the constituents of red ginseng (RG) are known to be effective in ameliorating the symptoms of influenza virus infection when they are administered orally for 14 days. In this study, we investigated the effect of dietary xylitol on influenza A virus infection (H1N1). We designed regimens containing various fractions of RG (RGs: whole extract, water soluble fraction, saponin and polysaccharide) and xylitol, and combination of xylitol with the RG fractions. Mice received the various combinations orally for 5 days prior to lethal influenza A virus infection. Almost all the mice died post challenge when xylitol or RGs were administered separately. Survival was markedly enhanced when xylitol was administered along with RGs, pointing to a synergistic effect. The effect of xylitol plus RG fractions increased with increasing dose of xylitol. Moreover, dietary xylitol along with the RG water soluble fraction significantly reduced lung virus titers after infection. Therefore, we suggest that dietary xylitol is effective in ameliorating influenza-induced symptoms when it is administered with RG fractions, and this protective effect of xylitol should be considered in relation to other diseases.</p></div

Virus titers in mouse lungs receiving PBS, oseltamivir and xylitol 2 with water soluble fraction following lethal influenza A virus challenge.

<p>For experimental details see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0084633#pone-0084633-g001" target="_blank">Fig. 1</a> legend and Materials and Methods. Mice were challenged with 2X LD₅₀ of influenza A virus. The center line of the box represents the median, and the top (Q3) and bottom (Q1), the 75^th and 25^th percentiles, respectively. The values are plaque forming units (PFUs). The top and bottom whiskers represent outliers. The numbers in parenthesis are median values. PBS, n = 5; oseltamivir, n = 5; xylitol 2+ water soluble fraction, n = 5.</p

Mouse survival as a function of dosing period before lethal influenza A virus challenge.

<p>Mice received PBS and xylitol 2 (33 mg/kg/day) in combination with the water soluble fraction (0.25 mg/kg/day) orally for 0, 1, 3 or 5 days prior to influenza A virus challenge. Details of the administration protocols are presented in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0084633#pone-0084633-t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>. Panels A, B, C and D are survivals following administration for 0, 1, 3 and 5 days prior to virus challenge. After challenge with 2X LD₅₀ of influenza A virus, each regimen was continued for 3 days and survival was monitored for 14 days post challenge. PBS, n = 5; xylitol 2+ water soluble fraction, n = 5; oseltamivir, n = 3.</p

Survival of mice receiving RGs, xylitol or xylitol combined with RGs orally following lethal influenza A virus challenge.

<p>Panel A shows survival monitored for 14₅₀ of influenza A virus. Panel B shows survival on the 14^th day post virus challenge. Mice received each regimen for 5 days prior to virus challenge and 3 days post challenge. All mouse groups except the oseltamivir group, n = 5; oseltamivir group, n = 3.</p

Camvir-1, H16.V5 and H16.E70 reactivity towards hHPV16 VLPs and cHPV16 VLPs.

<p>The HPV16 L1 protein residues recognized by H16.V5, H16.E70 and Camvir-1 are displayed graphically in (A). BC, CD, DE, EF, FG and HI indicate the loop structures in HPV16 L1. The numbers refer to the amino acid residues as counted from the N-terminus, the black boxes indicate loops covering the solvent-exposed face of the capsid, and the white box (CD) indicates an internal loop. The gray box (EF) indicates a loop partly located on the outside of the capsid. The hHPV16 VLP and cHPV16 VLP concentrations were confirmed by SDS-PAGE prior to running ELISAs (B). The protein concentration of each VLP preparation was determined by Bradford protein assay, and 500 to 62 ng of proteins were loaded for SDS-PAGE analysis. M indicates the molecular weight marker. Camvir-1, H16.V5 and H16.E70 reactivity towards hHPV16 VLPs and cHPV16 VLPs was determined by direct ELISA. The ELISA results are presented in C, D and E, respectively. The ODs of the hHPV16 VLPs after reaction with 1 µg/ml of Camvir-1, 0.25 µg/ml of H16.V5 and 0.25 µg/ml of H16.E70 were set at 100% in C, D and E, respectively. The ELISA values are the means ± SD of two independent assays.</p