A New Multilevel Inverter Topology of D-STATCOM to Compensate Reactive and Nonlinear Loads

This work proposes an enhanced hybrid distribution static compensator (D-STATCOM) topology to address some practical issues like power loss, filter size, performance etc. A LCL filter has been utilized at the front end of a voltage source inverter (VSI), which gives better exchanging harmonics elimination while utilizing much littler estimation of an inductor as contrasted and the conventional L channel. A capacitor is utilized in as eries with LCL channel to diminish the dc-interface voltage of the D-STATCOM. This thusly lessens the power rating of the VSI. With lessened dc-connect voltage, the voltage over the shunt capacitor of the LCL filter will be additionally less. It will decrease the power misfortunes in the damping resistor as contrasted and the conventional LCL filter with latent damping. In this way, the proposed DSTATCOM topology will have decreased weight, cost, rating, and size with enhanced proficiency and current pay capacity contrasted and the conventional topology. A deliberate methodology to outline the segments of the inactive filter has been displayed. A multilevel cascaded-H-bridge is executed in the VSI operation of a D-STATCOM topology. The viability of the proposed DSTATCOM topology over customary topologies is approved through MATLAB/SIMULINK programming

Fuel Cell Based Bridgeless Boost Rectifier For Low Voltage Energy Harvesting Applications

energy producing systems power electronic circuit figures the key boundary between transducer and electronic load which might embrace a battery. The electrical and physical description of the power conditioning interfaces establishes the functionality, competence and the size of the integrated systems. The power electronic circuits are engaged to legalize the power delivered to the load and vigorously direct the electrical humid of the transducers so that maximum power could be transferred to the load. The output voltage level of the micro scale and mesoscale energy return devices is more often than not in the order of a few hundred millivolts depending on the topology of device. To get voltage for medium order in volts we introduce Fuel cell.  The output ac voltage should be rectified, boosted and synchronized by power converters to complete the voltage requirement of the loads. The proposed topology unites a boost converter and a buck-boost converter to condition the positive and negative half portions of the input ac voltage respectively. Only one inductor and capacitor are used in both circuitries to decrease the size of the converter. A fuel cell is a device that converts chemical reaction into electricity. For generation of electricity hydrogen plays major role. Fuel cell efficiencies can reach 80-90% and stay clean for the environment. Versatile fuel cells offer a promising way to generate electricity and on a infinitely decentralized basis

To Improve the Probability of Detection in Spectrum Sensing by Using Equal Gain Combining Technique

Development of smart spectrum sensing techniques is the most important task in the design of a cognitive radio system, which uses the available spectrum efficiently. The Energy Detection (ED) and covariance absolute value (CAV) methods do not require any information about the signals, channel, and noise power. So these techniques are known as blind spectrum sensing techniques. This paper mainly focusing on equal gain combining technique. This technique was applied on both Energy Detection (ED) and covariance absolute value (CAV). By using this technique at low Signal to noise ratio (SNR) this system can improve the probability of detection

Power Flow Management In A Fuzzy Logic Control Of Solar PV System Supplying DC And AC Loads

PV based systems are being more and more in employment in diverse applications both at domestic and commercial levels. Photovoltaic systems can be largely confidential into stand-alone system and grid-connected system. The stand-alone system is extensively used in remote places where access to electricity is not viable. The stand-alone configuration can make available a well-regulated load voltage but the dependability of power supply cannot be sure-fire. Storage batteries are generally used to recover the reliability of the stand-alone system. The incorporation of a PV system to the grid is speedily growing due to the development in the power electronics technology. And proposed add on called FUZZY logic to basic MPPT so that the good organization of PV system under above said circumstances is establish productive. A variety of topologies and control strategies for grid-connected inverters have been narrative. In grid-connected PV systems (GCPVs) the generated PV power is fed to the grid or it provisions the linear and nonlinear loads connected at the ac side

Real Time Automatic Number Plate Recognition Using Morphological Algorithm

The rising increase of up to date urban and national road networks over the last three decades become known the need of capable monitoring and management of road traffic. Expected techniques for traffic measurements, such as inductive loops, sensors or EM microwave detectors, endure from sober shortcomings, luxurious to install, they demand traffic distraction during installation or maintenance, they are massive and they are unable to notice slow or momentary stop vehicles. On the divergent, systems that are based on video are simple to install, use the existing infrastructure of traffic observation. Currently most reliable method is through the detection of number plates, i.e., automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), which is also branded as automatic license plate recognition (ALPR), or radio frequency transponders. The first revalent step of information is finding of moving objects in video streams and background subtraction is a very accepted approach for foreground segmentation. Next step is License plate extraction which is an essential stage in license plate recognition for automatic transport system. We are planned for two ways for removal of license plates and comparing it with other existing methods. The Extracted license plates are segmented into particular characters by means of a region-based manner. The recognition scheme unites adaptive iterative thresholding with a template matching algorithm. The method is strong to illumination, character size and thickness, skew and small character breaks. The main reward of this system is its real-time capability and that it does not require any extra sensor input (e.g. from infrared sensors) except a video stream. This system is judged on a huge number of vehicle images and videos. The system is also computationally extremely efficient and it is appropriate for others related image recognition applications. This system has broad choice of applications such as access control, ringing, border patrol, traffic control, finding stolen cars, etc. Furthermore, this technology does not need any fitting on cars, such as transmitter or responder

Metabolically healthy obesity and the risk of cardiovascular disease in the elderly population

Background Whether being metabolically healthy obese (MHO)-defined by the presence of obesity in the absence of metabolic syndrome-is associated with subsequent cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains unclear and may depend on the participants' age. We examined the association of being MHO with CVD risk in the elderly. Methods and Findings This study included 5,314 individuals (mean age 68 years) from the prospective populationbased Rotterdam Study.We categorized our population in groups according to body mass index (BMI) and presence and absence of metabolic syndrome, and estimated the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) for every group by using Cox proportional hazard models. Among 1048 (19.7%) obese individuals we identified 260 (24.8%) MHO subjects. Over 14 years of follow-up there were 861 incident CVD cases. In the multivariable adjusted analysis, we did not observe an increased CVD risk in MHO individuals (HR 1.07, 95%CI 0.75-1.53), compared to normal weight individuals without metabolic syndrome. CVD risk was increased by the presence of metabolic syndrome in normal weight (HR 1.35, 95%CI 1.02-1.80), overweight (HR 1.32, 95%CI 1.09-1.60) and obese (HR 1.33, 95%CI 1.07-1.66) individuals, compared to those with normal weight without metabolic syndrome. In a mediation analysis, 71.3% of the association between BMI and CVD was explained by the presence of metabolic syndrome. Conclusions In our elderly population, we found that the presence of obesity without metabolic syndrome did not confer a higher CVD risk. However, metabolic syndrome was strongly associated with CVD risk, and was associated with an increased risk in all BMI categories. Therefore, preventive interventions targeting cardiometabolic risk factors could be considered in elderly, regardless of weight status

Management of tibial diaphyseal fractures with linear external skeletal fixators using carbon connecting rods in dogs

Dogs (12) with unstable tibial diaphyseal fractures, selected for this study, were stabilized with bilateral uniplanar Type II external skeletal fixators using stainless steel positive profile centrally threaded transfixation full pins, 2- way AO clamps and indigenously designed carbon fiber rods. Clinical lameness evaluation and radiographic evaluation for fixator stability, fragment alignment and callus formation were studied. Post-operatively, no breakage or bending of the carbon fiber rods was seen throughout the fixation period. Fixator staged disassembly and complete removal was done on an average 4–9 weeks in all cases which showed grade I lameness after removal. Complications like pin tract infection, wound at suture site due to wound dehiscence and wound at pin-skin interface were seen, which subsided later without any affect on bone healing. Lameness grading, pain score and radiographic evaluation of healing were estimated in all the cases throughout the fixation period. ESF using carbon fiber connecting rod appears as a practicable method for repair of tibial diaphyseal fractures with minimum risk of fixator destabilization. Fixator staged disassembly at 4 weeks accelerated bone healing and promoted earlier limb function

Epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) on lipids: the Rotterdam Study

Background DNA methylation is a key epigenetic mechanism that is suggested to be associated with blood lipid levels. We aimed to identify CpG sites at which DNA methylation levels are associated with blood levels of triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and total cholesterol in 725 participants of the Rotterdam Study, a population-based cohort study. Subsequently, we sought replication in a non-overlapping set of 760 participants. Results Genome-wide methylation levels were measured in whole blood using the Illumina Methylation 450 array. Associations between lipid levels and DNA methylation beta values were examined using linear mixed-effect models. All models were adjusted for sex, age, smoking, white blood cell proportions, array number, and position on array. A Bonferroni-corrected p value lower than 1.08 × 10−7 was considered statistically significant. Five CpG sites annotated to genes including DHCR24, CPT1A, ABCG1, and SREBF1 were identified and replicated. Four CpG sites were associated with triglycerides, including CpG sites annotated to CPT1A (cg00574958 and cg17058475), ABCG1 (cg06500161), and SREBF1 (cg11024682). Two CpG sites were associated with HDL-C, including ABCG1 (cg06500161) and DHCR24 (cg17901584). No significant associations were observed with LDL-C or total cholesterol. Conclusions We report an association of HDL-C levels with methylation of a CpG site near DHCR24, a protein-coding gene involved in cholesterol biosynthesis, which has previously been reported to be associated with other metabolic traits. Furthermore, we confirmed previously reported associations of methylation of CpG sites within CPT1A, ABCG1, and SREBF1 and lipids. These results provide insight in the mechanisms that are involved in lipid metabolism

Levels of ambient air pollution according to mode of transport: a systematic review

Background Controversy exists about the differences in air pollution exposure and inhalation dose between mode of transport. We aimed to review air pollution exposure and inhaled dose according to mode of transport and pollutant and their effect in terms of years of life expectancy (YLE). Methods In this systematic review, we searched ten online databases from inception to April 13, 2016, without language or temporal restrictions, for cohort, cross-sectional, and experimental studies that compared exposure to carbon monoxide, black carbon, nitrogen dioxide, and fine and coarse particles in active commuters (pedestrian or cyclist) and commuters using motorised transport (car, motorcycle, bus, or massive motorised transport [MMT—ie, train, subway, or metro]). We excluded studies that measured air pollution exposure exclusively with biomarkers or on the basis of simulated dat

Tuberculosis screening among HIV-positive inpatients: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis

Background: Since 2011, WHO has recommended that HIV-positive inpatients be routinely screened for tuberculosis with the WHO four-symptom screen (W4SS) and, if screened positive, receive a molecular WHO-recommended rapid diagnostic test (eg, Xpert MTB/RIF [Xpert] assay). To inform updated WHO tuberculosis screening guidelines, we conducted a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis to assess the performance of W4SS and alternative screening tests to guide Xpert testing and compare the diagnostic accuracy of the WHO Xpert algorithm (ie, W4SS followed by Xpert) with Xpert for all HIV-positive inpatients. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library from Jan 1, 2011, to March 1, 2020, for studies of adult and adolescent HIV-positive inpatients enrolled regardless of tuberculosis signs and symptoms. The separate reference standards were culture and Xpert. Xpert was selected since it is most likely to be the confirmatory test used in practice. We assessed the proportion of inpatients eligible for Xpert testing using the WHO algorithm; assessed the accuracy of W4SS and alternative screening tests or strategies to guide diagnostic testing; and compared the accuracy of the WHO Xpert algorithm (W4SS followed by Xpert) with Xpert for all. We obtained pooled proportion estimates with a random-effects model, assessed diagnostic accuracy by fitting random-effects bivariate models, and assessed diagnostic yield descriptively. This systematic review has been registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020155895). Findings: Of 6162 potentially eligible publications, six were eligible and we obtained data for all of the six publications (n=3660 participants). The pooled proportion of inpatients eligible for an Xpert was 90% (95% CI 89–91; n=3658). Among screening tests to guide diagnostic testing, W4SS and C-reactive protein (≥5 mg/L) had highest sensitivities (≥96%) but low specificities (≤12%); cough (≥2 weeks), haemoglobin concentration (<8 g/dL), body-mass index (<18·5 kg/m2), and lymphadenopathy had higher specificities (61–90%) but suboptimal sensitivities (12–57%). The WHO Xpert algorithm (W4SS followed by Xpert) had a sensitivity of 76% (95% CI 67–84) and specificity of 93% (88–96; n=637). Xpert for all had similar accuracy to the WHO Xpert algorithm: sensitivity was 78% (95% CI 69–85) and specificity was 93% (87–96; n=639). In two cohorts that had sputum and non-sputum samples collected for culture or Xpert, diagnostic yield of sputum Xpert was 41–70% and 61–64% for urine Xpert. Interpretation: The W4SS and other potential screening tests to guide Xpert testing have suboptimal accuracy in HIV-positive inpatients. On the basis of these findings, WHO now strongly recommends molecular rapid diagnostic testing in all medical HIV-positive inpatients in settings where tuberculosis prevalence is higher than 10%. Funding: World Health Organization