Modular multilevel converter with modified half-bridge submodule and arm filter for dc transmission systems with DC fault blocking capability

Although a modular multilevel converter (MMC) is universally accepted as a suitable converter topology for the high voltage dc transmission systems, its dc fault ride performance requires substantial improvement in order to be used in critical infrastructures such as transnational multi-terminal dc (MTDC) networks. Therefore, this paper proposes a modified submodule circuit for modular multilevel converter that offers an improved dc fault ride through performance with reduced semiconductor losses and enhanced control flexibility compared to that achievable with full-bridge submodules. The use of the proposed submodules allows MMC to retain its modularity; with semiconductor loss similar to that of the mixed submodules MMC, but higher than that of the half-bridge submodules. Besides dc fault blocking, the proposed submodule offers the possibility of controlling ac current in-feed during pole-to-pole dc short circuit fault, and this makes such submodule increasingly attractive and useful for continued operation of MTDC networks during dc faults. The aforesaid attributes are validated using simulations performed in MATLAB/SIMULINK, and substantiated experimentally using the proposed submodule topology on a 4-level small-scale MMC prototype

Exploring Tourism Opportunities: Role of Financial Institutions in the Promotion of Tourism Entrepreneurship in Kerala

This study aims to assess the role of financial institutions in promoting tourismentrepreneurship in the state of Kerala; Kerala is a brand of Indian tourism and the destinyof world tourism. The study highlights the acumen behind the promotion of tourismentrepreneurship, tourism opportunities in Kerala and identifies the role of financialinstitutions in exploring tourism opportunities with the primary data sourced from 222tourism entrepreneurs of Kerala. The study found that financial institutions significantlyassist tourism enterprises in asset creation. Further, the findings reveal a positiveassociation between financial assistance in the innovation of recreation facilities and astimulus to start enterprises in the tourism sector. The study provides deeper insights tomanagers and academicians that the financial institutions should extend credit to thetourism industry as Priority Sector Lending (PSL) along with other prime lending sectors

Examination of Acid-Fast Bacilli in Sputum Using Modified Light Microscope with Homemade Light Emitting Diode Additional Attachment

Typical clinical symptoms and chest X-ray is a marker of Tuberculosis (TB) sufferers. However, the diagnosis of TB in adults should be supported by microscopic examination. Currently, Bacilli microscopic examination of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in sputum by Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) coloring is the most widely used. However, for reasons of convenience, especially for laboratories with a considerable amount of smear samples, and due to higher sensitivity compared with ZN staining, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the use of auramine-O-staining (fluorochrome  staining), which is visualized by light emitting diode (LED) fluorescence microscopy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of modified light microscope with homemade LED additional attachment for examination of AFB in sputum using auramine-O-staining method. We compared the sensitivity and specificity of 2 kinds of AFB in sputum methods: ZN and fluorochrome, using culture on Lowenstein-Jensen media as the gold standard. The results showed auramine-O-staining gives more proportion of positive findings (81%) compared to the ZN method (70%). These results demonstrated that the sensitivity of auramine-O-staining was higher than ZN, however it gives more potential false positive results than ZN. The sensitivity of auramine-O-staining in detecting AFB in sputum was 100% while the specificity was 88%

The Life-cycle of biosteres persulcatus with reference to adults' reproductive capacity on eggs of Carambola fruit-fly

A study of the life-cycle of Biosteres persulcatus Silvestri, a larval parasitoid of (Bactrocera (B) sp. near Bactrocera dorsalis A), was conducted in the laboratory (26.50C± 1.50 C). There are 4 larval stages as indicated by the sizes of the mouthhooks. The first larval moult occurred in the newly{ormed puparium of the host. The entire developmental period from egg to adult emergence for male and female was 16.3± 0.80 days and 1 7.1 ± 0.80 days respectively. The average reproductive capacity during the life span was 67 ± 3.5 eggs

Weak Isospin Violations in Charged and Neutral Higgs Couplings from SUSY Loop Corrections

Supersymmetric QCD and supersymmetric electroweak loop corrections to the violations of weak isospin to Yukawa couplings are investigated. Specifically it involves an analysis of the supersymmetric loop corrections to the Higgs couplings to the third generation quarks and leptons. Here we analyze the SUSY loop corrections to the charged Higgs couplings which are then compared with the supersymmetric loop corrections to the neutral Higgs couplings previously computed. It is found that the weak isospin violations can be quite significant, i.e, as much as 40-50% or more of the total loop correction to the Yukawa coupling. The effects of CP phases are also studied and it is found that these effects can either enhance or suppress the weak isospin violations. We also investigate the weak isospin violation effects on the branching ratio $BR(H^-\to\bar t b)/ BR(H^-\to \bar\nu_{\tau}\tau^-)$ and show that the effects are sensitive to CP phases. Thus an accurate measurement of this branching ratio along with the branching ratio of the neutral Higgs boson decays can provide a measure of weak isospin violation along with providing a clue to the presence of supersymmetry.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figure

Determination of Optimum Frame Rates for Observation of Construction Operations from Time-Lapse Movies

Construction professionals have been using time-lapse movies in monitoring construction operations. However, some amount of detail is always lost in the interval between two consecutive frames in a time-lapse movie. This poses the question: By how much can the frame rate be lowered from the standard 30fps (frames per second) to allow for the accurate observation of construction operations from a time-lapse movie? This paper addresses the problem by establishing the optimum frame rates for observation of activities related to mortar mixing and block handling. The activities were first recorded at the standard rate of 30fps. Using the Adobe Premier Pro video editing software, the records were then segregated into still images from which 15 different time-lapse movies of various time intervals were generated. The movies were then shown to 25 Construction Managers. A structured questionnaire was employed to capture the level of accuracy with which Construction Managers could interpret the job site situation from each movie. The results suggest that 1fpm (frame per minute) is sufficient for the accurate tracking of labourers involved in mortar mixing while 1 frame in every 20 seconds is sufficient for accurate identification of number of cement bags used. However, for tracking number of blocks off-loaded, and those damaged, 1 frame in every 2 seconds is required

Probing scalar-pseudoscalar mixing in the CP violating MSSM at high-energy e+e−e^+e^- colliders

We study the production processes $e^+e^-\to H^0_iZ$, $H^0_iH^0_j$ and $H^0_i\nu_e\overline \nu_e$ in the context of the CP violating MSSM. In a given channel we show that the cross-section for all i (=1,2,3) can be above 0.1 fb provided M_{H_{2,3}}\la 300 GeV. This should be detectable at a Next Linear Collider and would provide evidence for scalar-pseudoscalar mixing.Comment: 17 pages, RevTex, 4 ps figures, figure 4 changed, minor modifications to text, version to appear in PR

On the EDM Cancellations in D-brane models

We analyze the possibility of simultaneous electron, neutron, and mercury electric dipole moment (EDM) cancellations in the mSUGRA and D--brane models. We find that the mercury EDM constraint practically rules out the cancellation scenario in D-brane models whereas in the context of mSUGRA it is still allowed with some fine-tuning.Comment: 10 pages, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let