MULTI-CRITERIA ASSESMENT OF THE SMART GRID EFFICIENCY USING THE FUZZY ANALITICAL HYERARCHY PROCESS

In this paper, the key performance indicators related to the smart grid efficiency, as the key factor of any energy management system implementation have been analysed. The authors are proposing multi-criteria fuzzy AHP methodology for the determination of overall smart grid efficiency. Four criteria (technology, costs, user satisfaction, and environmental protection) and seven performances (according to EU and US initiatives for analysis of benefits and effects of smart grid systems) for the selection of optimal smart grid project are defined. The analysis shows that the dominant performances of the optimal smart grid project are efficiency, security and quality of supply. The methodology is illustrated on the choice of smart grid development strategy for the medium size power distribution company

Influence of anodization voltage on photocatalztic activity of TiO2 nanotubes

TiO2 under UV light generates charge carriers (electrons and holes) that take part in the process of decomposition of pollutants, which is a well-known fact for the past few decades. For this reason, TiO2 is used for photocatalytic purification water and air. Photoactivity of TiO2 depends on the amount of generated charge carriers, and one part of those carriers are lost through the process of recombination. In order to improve photoactivity, it is necessary to speed up transport of electrons and holes. For better and faster charge carrier transport a unidirectional path is desired, which can be obtained by synthesizing 1D morphology. Anodization of titanium foil is a good way to obtain perpendicular nanotubular morphology onto a substrate. Nanotubular morphology can be optimized via operative conditions of anodization: applied voltage, anodization time and type of electrolyte. In this work, TiO2 nanotube arrays were synthesized by anodization of titanium foil at different voltages: 10 V, 15 V, 20 V and 25 V. Based on FESEM (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy) micrographs, the microstructure of nanotubes was analysed and data concerning wall thickness, outer diameter of nanotubes and active surface were considered. Also, the influence of nanotube morphology on optical properties was determined. Results of our research show that the increasement in anodization voltage influenced on the appearance of redshift in the absorption spectrum. The sample synthesized at 20 V showed the highest photocatalytic activity due to the optimal nanotube length and nanotube diameter

Eksperimentalno ispitivanje i termodinamička analiza Bi-Ni-Pb faznog dijagrama

The article presents an experimental study of a phase diagram of a ternary Bi-Ni-Pb system using differential thermal analysis (DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis. The investigated ternary alloys were selected from three vertical sections (x(Bi)=0.75, x(Ni)=0.1 and x(Pb)=0.9) and two isothermal sections at 100 and at 300°C. The obtained experimental results were compared with the thermodynamically extrapolated phase diagram of the Bi-Ni-Pb ternary system based on the thermodynamic parameters for the constitutive binary systems available in literature. Reasonably close agreement between the experimental data and the calculated phase diagram was obtained.U ovom radu je predstavljeno eksperimentalno ispitivanje faznog dijagrama Bi-Ni-Pb ternarnog sistema uz pomoć diferencijalne termijske analize (DTA), skenirajućeg elektronskog mikroskopa (SEM) sa energijsko disperzivno spektrometrijom (EDS) i rentgenskom difrakcijom praha (XRD). Ispitivane ternarne legure su izabrane iz tri vertikalna preseka (x(Bi)=0.75, x(Ni)=0.1 i x(Pb)=0.9), i dva izotermalna preseka na 100 i 300°C. Rezultati eksperimenta su upoređeni sa termodinamički ekstrapolisanim faznim dijagramom Bi-Ni-Pb ternarnog sistema na osnovu termodinamičkih parametara sastavnih binarnih sistema koji su dostupni u literaturi. Utvrđeno je dobro slaganje između eksperimentalnih rezultata i proračunatog faznog dijagrama

Det desillusionerade sinnets sökande efter kunskap : En berättarteknisk studie av tre noveller av Edgar Allan Poe

En berättarteknisk studie av "Ligeia", "The Tell-Tale Heart" samt "The Fall of the House of Usher". Studien fokuseras till kunskap respektive destruktivitet och dess funktion i de skilda novellerna. Genom att se till de berättartekniska aspekterna skapas en ny ingång till förståelsen för novellerna och en ny grund för en kompletterande motivanalys. De tre novellernas narrativa framställning och strukturella uppbyggnad skiljer sig men delar vissa gemensamma grepp vilket möjliggör för vidgad förståelse av novellerna

Reporting quality of randomized controlled trial abstracts in the seven highest-ranking anesthesiology journals

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to assess adherence to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) extension for Abstracts (CONSORT-A) in the highest-impact anesthesiology journals. Methods This was a descriptive, cross-sectional, methodological study. We analyzed whether abstracts of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in the highest-impact anesthesiology journals between 2014 and 2016 adhered with CONSORT-A. RCT abstracts published in the seven first-quartile journals in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) category Anesthesiology were analyzed. The primary outcome was adherence to the 17-item CONSORT-A checklist. Secondary outcomes were adherence to individual checklist items and adherence with the checklist across the individual journals. Results Search results yielded 688 records, of which 622 abstracts were analyzed. Analysis of the total score of the CONSORT-A checklist indicated a per-article median of 41% (interquartile range 35–53%). The European Journal of Anesthesiology had the highest overall adherence rate (53%), whereas Anaesthesia had the lowest (32%). The lowest adherence was observed for the following items: Trial design (18%), Contact of the authors as an e-mail address of the corresponding author (16%), Recruitment status (9%), Number of participants analyzed (8%), Randomization (3%), and Funding (0.2%). Conclusions RCT abstracts published in top anesthesiology journals are poorly reported, providing insufficient information to readers. Interventions are needed to increase adherence to relevant reporting checklists for writing RCT abstracts

Brine shrimp lethality bioassay of selected Centaurea L. species (Asteraceae)

Ether extracts of 15 Centaurea L. species (Asteraceae) methanol extracts of 12 species, and cnicin isolated from C derventana were tested for general bioactivity using the brine shrimp lethality test. Cnicin showed the most potent activity with LC50 0.2. Also, ether extract of C. splendens showed significant activity with LC50 7.3, as did methanol extract of C. arenaria with LC50 12.4.U radu je ispitivana biološka aktivnost metanolnih i etarskih ekstrakata 18 vrsta roda Centaurea pomoću Biotesta Artemiasalina. Vrste ovog roda predstavljaju značajne prirodne izvore biološki aktivnih sekundarnih metabolita. Takođe, određena je i biološka aktivnost (toksičnost) seskviterpenskog laktona knicina, čiste supstance, izdvojene iz C. derventana. Ekstrakti su dobijeni ekstrakcijom 5 g listova u etru i metanolu, knicin je izolovan iz C derventana, prema Tešević et. al. (1998). Uzorci i test su pripremljeni i sprovedeni prema 2Meyeret al. (1982) i McLaughlin (-1991). Kao kontrola korišćen je kalijum dihromat (VI). Utvrđeno je da metanolni i etarski ekstrakti svih ispitivanih vrsta pokazuju značajnu biološku aktivnost. Najveću aktivnost ispitivanih metanolnih ekstrakata pokazao je ekstrakt vrste C. arenaria LC50 12.4 μg/ml, dok je najmanju aktivnost pokazala vrsta C. chrysolepis, čija vrednost LC50 iznosi 277.7 μg/ml. Najveću aktivnost etarskih ekstrakata pokazao je ekstrakt vrste C. splendens, čija vrednost LC50 iznosi 7.3 μg/ml, a najmanju aktivnost pokazala je vrsta C. scabiosa čija vrednost LC50 iznosi 2605.9 μg/ml, tj. - gt 1000. Seskviterpenski lakton knicin je pokazao najveću biološku aktivnost (LC50 0.2μg/ml). Rezultati biotesta soni račić (Artemia salina Leach) pokazuju značajnu aktivnost svih ispitivanih ekstrakata analiziranih vrsta roda Centaurea. Naši rezultati, literaturni podaci, kao i upotreba vrsta roda Centaurea u etnomedicini, navode na zaključak da je istraživanje vrsta ovog roda sa aspekta biološke aktivnosti kako ukupnog ekstrakta, tako i pojedinačnih komponenti, veoma značajno. Pored ostalog, na osnovu rezultata može se zaključiti da biotest soni račić predstavlja jednostavan, statistički prihvatljiv, brz i pouzdan metod za detekciju komponenti viših biljaka koje mogu ispoljavati čitav spektar farmakoloških aktivnosti

The analysis of human error as causes in the maintenance of machines: a case study in mining companies

This paper describes the two-step method used to analyse the factors and aspects influencing human error during the maintenance of mining machines. The first step is the cause-effect analysis, supported by brainstorming, where five factors and 21 aspects are identified. During the second step, the group fuzzy analytic hierarchy process is used to rank the identified factors and aspects. A case study is done on mining companies in Serbia. The key aspects are ranked according to an analysis that included experts who assess risks in mining companies (a maintenance engineer, a technologist, an ergonomist, a psychologist, and an organisational scientist). Failure to follow technical maintenance instructions, poor organisation of the training process, inadequate diagnostic equipment, and a lack of understanding of the work process are identified as the most important causes of human error