Variable fractional power‐least mean square based control algorithm with optimized PI gains for the operation of dynamic voltage restorer

Abstract The operation of Dynamic Voltage Restorer has been studied for the mitigation of supply voltage disturbances like sag, swell, distortions, and unbalances. A Dynamic Voltage Restorer with three single‐phase Voltage Source Converters has been implemented for this purpose. Dynamic Voltage Restorer's compensation capability has been evaluated while introducing the above‐said voltage related disturbances in the supply by different means. A control algorithm named Variable Fractional Power‐Least Mean Square has been proposed for generating the load reference voltage for Dynamic Voltage Restorer. Variable Fractional Power‐Least Mean Square extracts the fundamental active and reactive component out of non‐ideal supply voltage and is thus, used in generating reference load voltage. This algorithm is more robust with respect to disturbance due to variable step size and is computationally less expensive. In addition, an optimization‐based approach has been proposed to estimate the approximate values of PI control gains. For this reason, a population‐based optimization method known as Sine Cosine Optimization has been used. The added feature of the optimization method is the reduction of computational time as compared to conventional PI controller tuning. A model of Dynamic Voltage Restorer using Variable Fractional Power‐Least Mean Square control algorithm with Sine Cosine Optimization tuned PI gains has been built in MATLAB Simulink as well as a reduced scale experimental prototype and their results have been presented with discussion

Assessment of Mechanical Problems for Centrifugal Pumps in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India

Centrifugal pumps are vital property of the agriculture sector. A good quality pump can assure uninterrupted water supply to irrigate crops. The consumer of agriculture sector is largely illiterate and shortcoming of the pumps is faced by farmers in the terms of wastage of money. The study has carried out to grow awareness about the technique among the farmers. In such cases reliable functioning of the pump is an absolute necessity. The major objective of this paper is the analysis of the component life and frequency of occurrence of problem in a centrifugal pump. A survey was conducted among the farmers of tube well irrigated areas and subsequently analyzed. It was found that frequency of occurrence of leakage and excessive noise are 3.17 and 3.11 years which is the most frequent shortcoming found under study. It was also found that the mean life of centrifugal pump components i.e. Bearing, Packing, Impeller, shaft and casing was found as 3.56 , 3.18 , 3.61, 4.20 and 4.64 years respectively. The package of seal has longest life for the operation of centrifugal pump. For the frequency of occurrence of these problems, four the category scale has also chosen. Value 1 refers to always occurs, 2 most frequent occurs, 3 occasionally occurs, 4 – rarely occurs. Under the study a centrifugal pump for irrigating crop has treated as vital input, which is also a key factor in boosting productivity, for the national development and food security

Role of Macrophages in Solid Tumor Metabolism

Cancer cells undergo several complex processes to grow and evolve. For their survival, they manipulate the entire system and acquire the ability to gain all the energy demands from the host system itself. Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) are macrophages abundantly present in the tumor micro environment (TME) and essentially plays a critical role in coordination with the tumor cells helping them to progress and metastasize. One of the key hallmarks in tumor cells is elevated metabolic processes such as glycolysis, fatty acid oxidation, mitochondrial oxidation, and amino acid metabolism. Macrophages help cancer cells to achieve this metabolic demand through a series of signaling events including mTOR, Akt, and PI3K pathways. The M2-like phenotype of macrophages leads to the tumorous macrophage phenotype along with the tumor cells to support tumor growth through metabolic dysregulation. Focusing upon the area of macrophage-mediated tumor metabolism in solid tumors has been a new area that provides new effective targets to treat cancer. This chapter discusses the role of macrophages in tumor metabolism and cancer progression. Targeting TAMs in tumor microenvironment through metabolic axis could be a potential therapeutic option to control the solid tumor growth and propagation

Novel formulation for co-delivery of cinnamon- and cumin-loaded polymeric nanoparticles to enhance their oral bioavailability

Nanobiotechnology has been an encouraging approach to improving the efficacy of hydrophobic bioactive compounds. The biologically active constituents present in herbal extracts are poorly absorbed, resulting in loss of bioavailability and efficacy. Hence, herbal medicine and nanotechnology are combined to overcome these limitations. The surface-to-volume ratio of nanoparticles is high and as the size is small, the functional properties are enhanced. The present study reports the synthesis of cinnamon and cumin (Ci–Cu) dual drug-loaded poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) to overcome the limitations of oral bioavailability and extend the effect of these drugs for alleviating health problems. The solvent evaporation method was adopted for the synthesis, and the as-prepared nanoparticles were characterized by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The average size of the formed spherical Ci-Cu nanoparticles ranged between 90 and 120 nm. The encapsulation efficiency of the drug was found to be 79% ± 4.5%. XRD analysis demonstrated that cinnamon and cumin were amorphously scattered in the PLGA matrix. The FTIR bands showed no evident changes suggesting the no direct molecular interactions between the drug and the polymer. At pH 6.9, the release studies in vitro exhibited a burst initially followed by a tendency to obtain a slower steady release. The results indicated that the Cu-Ci dual drug-loaded polymeric NPs has drug release at a slower rate. The time taken for 25% release of drug in Ci-Cu-loaded PLGA NPs was twice as compared to cumin-loaded PLGA Nps, and three times compared to cinnamon-loaded PLGA NPs.Open Access funding provided by the Qatar National Library. This study was funded by the Qatar University, Kishor Kumar Sadasivuni Grant no: QUCG-CAM-21/22-1.Scopu

Biometric Assessment of Temporomandibular Disorders in Orthodontics: A Multi-arm Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective:This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the role of fixed orthodontic treatment in the aggravation, precipitation, or alleviation of temporomandibular disorders in young adults.Methods:Sixty patients were randomly assigned to 4 groups of 15 patients each (group I, orthodontic treatment in temporomandibular disorder-free orthodontic patients; group II, orthodontic treatment in patients with mild symptoms of temporomandibular disorders; group III, splint therapy accompanied by orthodontic treatment in patients with moderate symptoms; and group IV, control with no treatment). The biometric equipment used were the T-scan, to analyze the occlusal component; the BioEMG for muscular analysis; BioJVA for temporomandibular joint acoustic analysis; and JT3D for mandibular kinematic analysis. The paired t-test and ANOVA were used for intragroup and intergroup comparisons, respectively. The difference between groups was assessed using post hoc Tukey’s test.Results:Groups I and III showed significant difference in the occlusal, muscular, temporomandibular joint vibration, and kinematic mandibular assessment variables. Group II showed significant improvement in occlusal variables only. Group IV did not show improvement in any of the variables except for certain muscular components.Conclusion:Successful practical utilization of biometric equipment revealed that fixed orthodontic treatment does not aggravate temporomandibular disorders. It was also found that temporomandibular disorders due to malocclusion can be treated successfully with orthodontic treatment, whereas temporomandibular disorders due to multifactorial temporomandibular joint and muscular components might require splint therapy before orthodontic intervention

Exploration of mycorrhizal fungi as potential biofertilizer in the management of plant biotic and abiotic stresses

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are fungi found in the soil and it can significantly enhance plant nutrient uptake and increase resistance to various environmental stresses. Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis is the most common non-pathogenic symbiosis in the soil and is found in 80% of vascular plant roots. Most of AM fungi species belong to the sub-phylum Glomeromycotina within the phylum Mucoromycota. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi not only enhance the phosphorus supply to plants but also boost the absorption of zinc, copper, nitrogen and iron. AM fungi limit the uptake of Na and Cl. AM fungal hyphae make significant contributions in enhancing soil structure and its ability to retain water. Additionally, these fungi demonstrate resilience against certain root diseases and display a tolerance to drought conditions. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi serve as crucial endosymbionts, playing a significant role in enhancing plant productivity and contributing to the overall functioning of ecosystems. Their importance is paramount in the context of sustainable crop enhancement

High-Precision Nonenzymatic Electrochemical Glucose Sensing Based on CNTs/CuO Nanocomposite

The measurement of blood glucose levels is essential for diagnosing and managing diabetes. Enzymatic and nonenzymatic approaches using electrochemical biosensors are used to measure serum or plasma glucose accurately. Current research aims to develop and improve noninvasive methods of detecting glucose in sweat that are accurate, sensitive, and stable. The carbon nanotube (CNT)-copper oxide (CuO) nanocomposite (NC) improved direct electron transport to the electrode surface in this study. The complex precipitation method was used to make this NC. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy were used to investigate the crystal structure and morphology of the prepared catalyst. Using cyclic voltammetry and amperometry, the electrocatalytic activity of the as-prepared catalyst was evaluated. The electrocatalytic activity in artificial sweat solution was examined at various scan rates and at various glucose concentrations. The detection limit of the CNT-CuO NC catalyst was 3.90 µM, with a sensitivity of 15.3 mA cm−2 µM−1 in a linear range of 5–100 µM. Furthermore, this NC demonstrated a high degree of selectivity for various bio-compounds found in sweat, with no interfering cross-reactions from these species. The CNT-CuO NC, as produced, has good sensitivity, rapid reaction time (2 s), and stability, indicating its potential for glucose sensing.This publication was supported by Qatar University internal (Grant No. QUCG-CAM-21/22-1). The findings herein are solely the responsibility of the authors.Scopu

Comparison study of metal oxides (CeO2, CuO, SnO2, CdO, ZnO and TiO2) decked few layered graphene nanocomposites for Dye-Sensitized solar cells

Recent research is focused on few layered graphene (FLG) with various metal oxides (MOs) as (MOs; CeO2, CuO, SnO2, CdO, ZnO, and TiO2) nanocomposite materials are alternatives to critically important in the fabrication of solar cell devices. In this work, FLG with different MOs nanocomposites were prepared by a novel eco-friendly viable ultrasonic assisted route (UAR). The prepared FLG/MO nanocomposites were performed with various characterization techniques. The crystal and phase compositional were carried out through using X-ray diffraction technique. Surface morphological studies by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Spectroscopic methods were done by Raman and UV-Vis Diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-DRS). The prepared FLG/MO nanocomposites materials were used as a photoanode, in the fabrication of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Compared to TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) and other FLG/MO nanocomposites, FLG/TiO2 nanocomposites exhibited superior photovoltaic properties. The ob-tained results indicate that FLG/TiO2 nanocomposites significantly improved the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of DSSCs. The photovoltaic analyses were performed in a solar simulator with an air mass (AM) of 1.5 G, power density of 100 m W/m2, and current density-voltage (J-V) was investigated using N719 dye.Funding: ?This research was funded by QATAR NATIONAL RESEARCH FUND (QNRF), grant number NPRP: 12S-0131-190030? and ?The APC was funded by QATAR NATIONAL RE-SEARCH FUND (QNRF)?.Scopu