Characterization of 2nd life Li-Ion batteries for use within an EU context

Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionized the industry in terms of mobile power applications. Ranging from cell phones to electric vehicles, Li-ion batteries have been at the heart of the energy transition. In this document the consequences of the latest EU directive concerning batteries is reviewed, the potential for creating a business via the use of 2nd life li-ion batteries is discussed and the viability of characterizing a li-ion battery for use in its second life by measuring its internal resistance is investigated. It has been shown that it is indeed possible to create a business model around the latest EU directive by providing guaranteed energy storage for residents, and that a test bench using low cost materials and an Arduino Nano can be used. The calculated internal resistance of 42mΩ has an acceptable 5% error with the theory, and is likely due to hardware limitations such as no filtering being done within the circuit. Future work includes building upon this thesis to create a commercial product to provide SoH estimations for 2nd life batteries for use within an EU contex

MA

thesisThe Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH), originally proposed in Lenneberg (1967), states that there is a maturational period of time during which language acquisition can take place. The CPH is often cited to account for differences in success between early and late language learners. Based on Lenneberg's hypothesis, other researchers have generated additional hypotheses, all of which consider a maturational period of time during which language acquisition can take place. This thesis investigates the critical period hypothesis for second language (L2) pronunciation from an English; as a foreign language perspective. It investigates whether it is possible for late learners of English; to achieve a native-like pronunciation regardless of maturational constraints. This thesis also investigates whether the variable 'exposure to the target language' significandy influences the ability of late L2 learners to obtain native like pronunciation. In order to investigate whether the variable exposure to the target language significantly influences the ability of late L2 learners to obtain a native-like pronunciation, two groups of non-native speakers, differing in the amount of exposure they received to the target language in their secondary education, were included in this study alongside a native speaker control group. Three speech samples were collected for each speaker- a word list, a paragraph, and an answer to an open-ended question. After three speech samples were collected for each subject, 21 linguistically naive native speakers of English; evaluated the sound samples based on native likeness. After these scores were obtained, means were calculated for each individual speaker, in order to determine their performance, and for speaker groups, in order to determine intergroup comparison

NM-Rs au Naturale: Investigations into Simulating a Natural Environment

Naked Mole-rats (NM-Rs) have been studied in laboratories for decades due to their unique behavior and physiology. However, due to the scope and complexity of the NM-R’s natural subterranean tunneling system, it has been difficult to replicate in the laboratory environment. From a researcher’s perspective, optimal housing is cost- and space-efficient and easily cleaned. On the other hand, optimal animal welfare and husbandry encourages the most biologically relevant enclosure to evoke the fullest range of an animal\u27s behavioral repertoire. While there is an abundance of works centered on the biomedical potential of these odd rodents (Buffenstein et al, 2012; Delaney et al, 2016), there is comparatively little in the way of housing and husbandry refinements; meaning that even basic welfare studies, like those done for the rat in 1906 by the Wistar Institute, are likely non-existent for the NM-R. Even when remarked upon, housing standards for NM-Rs seem to stand in stark contrast to their natural habitats. NM-Rs are most often found in hard solidified lateritic loam soil but have also been known to inhabit pure gypsum (Jarvis and Sherman, 2002). However, they are often kept in wood shavings, corn cob, corn husks, grasses, or paper towel in captivity (Wood and Mendez, 2002; Buffenstein, 2012; Chenlin et al, 2017). Here we hope to offer evidence in support of a new potential substrate for the NMR in the laboratory setting that supports an increased biological relevance but can be implemented quickly and cheaply

Glucose Homeostasis and Insulin Resistance in veal calves:Studies on the effects of age, nutritional modulations and the applicability of metabolic profiling techniques

Insuline resistentie, een risicofactor voor het ontwikkelen van type 2 diabetes, komt niet alleen vaak voor bij mensen, maar ook bij dieren. Vleeskalveren ontwikkelen vaak insuline resistentie en kunnen als model gebruikt worden om deze pathologie te bestuderen. Het voorkomen van insuline resistentie bij vleeskalveren zou de efficiënte benutting van nutriënten (voor groei en gezondheid) kunnen stimuleren. We hebben het effect van leeftijd en verschillende voedingsstrategieën (b.v. spenen, korte-keten fructo-oligosacchariden suppletie, en het deels vervangen de lactose door fructose, glucose, glycerol of vet) op de ontwikkeling van insuline resistentie onderzocht. Uit de resultaten blijkt dat bij kalveren insuline gevoeligheid snel afneemt (vanaf geboorte) en daarna laag blijft. Voedings aanpassingen kunnen leiden tot verbeterde postprandiale glucose homeostase en verminderde glucoseverlies via de urine, maar zal de ontwikkeling van insuline resistentie niet voorkomen. De leeftijdsgerelateerde afname van insuline gevoeligheid in combinatie met de afwezigheid van voedingseffecten suggereert dat de ontwikkeling van insuline resistentie hoofdzakelijk gerelateerd is aan de ontogenetische ontwikkeling van kalveren (de ontwikkeling tot herkauwers). We hebben met behulp van geavanceerde metabolomics technieken verschillende biomarkers en metabole routes ontdekt die mogelijk gerelateerd zijn aan insuline resistentie. Voor de metabole routes van glycerofosfolipiden en sfingolipiden werden verschillende verschillen gevonden. De mechanismen achter de associatie van deze metabole routes met de ontwikkeling van insuline resistentie zijn niet duidelijk. Veranderingen in metabolisme van glycerofosfolipiden in het membraan, bijvoorbeeld, zou de fysisch-chemische eigenschappen van het membraan kunnen beïnvloeden en daardoor invloed hebben op de insuline secretie. Het verder toepassen van metabolomics technieken zou de kennis van mogelijke mechanismen achter de ontwikkeling van insuline resistentie kunnen vergroten

Short communication:Supplementation of fructo-oligosaccharides does not improve insulin sensitivity in heavy veal calves fed different sources of carbohydrates

Heavy veal calves (4–6 mo old) often develop problems with insulin sensitivity. This could lead to metabolic disorders and impaired animal growth performance. Studies in various animal species have shown that the supplementation of short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS) can improve insulin sensitivity. We therefore studied the effects of scFOS supplementation on insulin sensitivity in heavy veal calves. Forty male Holstein-Friesian calves (BW = 190 ± 2.9 kg; age = 162 ± 1.4 d at the start of the trial) were fed either a control milk replacer (MR) diet or a diet in which one-third of the lactose was replaced by glucose, fructose, or glycerol for 10 wk prior to the start of the trial. At the start of the trial, calves were subjected to a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test to assess whole-body insulin sensitivity (muscle and hepatic insulin sensitivity). Calves within each dietary treatment group were ranked based on their insulin sensitivity value. Half of the calves received scFOS (12 mg/kg of BW) with the MR for 6 wk (supplementation was equally distributed over the insulin sensitivity range). Subsequently, a second frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test was conducted to assess the effect of scFOS. In addition, fasting plasma levels of glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and cholesterol were determined to calculate the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index and triglyceride:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (fasting indicators of insulin sensitivity). Whole-body insulin sensitivity was low at the start of the trial and remained low in all groups [1.0 ± 0.1 and 0.8 ± 0.1 (mU/L)−1 · min−1 on average, respectively]. Supplementation of scFOS did not improve insulin sensitivity in any of the treatment groups. The quantitative insulin sensitivity check index and the triglyceride:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio also did not differ between scFOS and non-scFOS calves and averaged 0.326 ± 0.003 and 0.088 ± 0.004, respectively, at the end of the trial. We conclude that scFOS supplementation does not improve insulin sensitivity in heavy veal calves regardless of the carbohydrate composition of the MR. This is in contrast to other animals (e.g., dogs and horses), where scFOS supplementation did improve insulin sensitivity. The absence of an effect of scFOS might be related to the dosage or to metabolic differences between ruminants and nonruminants. Increasing evidence indicates that dietary interventions in veal calves have little or no effect on insulin sensitivity, possibly because of low levels of insulin sensitivity

Identification of CD4-Binding Site Dependent Plasma Neutralizing Antibodies in an HIV-1 Infected Indian Individual

Dissecting antibody specificities in the plasma of HIV-1 infected individuals that develop broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) is likely to provide useful information for refining target epitopes for vaccine design. Several studies have reported CD4-binding site (CD4bs) antibodies as neutralization determinants in the plasma of subtype B-infected individuals; however there is little information on the prevalence of CD4bs specificities in HIV-infected individuals in India. Here, we report on the presence of CD4bs antibodies and their contribution to virus neutralization in the plasma from a cohort of HIV-1 infected Indian individuals. Plasma from 11 of the 140 HIV-1 infected individuals (7.9%) studied here exhibited cross-neutralization activity against a panel of subtype B and C viruses. Analyses of these 11 plasma samples for the presence of CD4bs antibodies using two CD4bs-selective probes (antigenically resurfaced HXB2gp120 core protein RSC3 and hyperglycosylated JRFLgp120 mutant ΔN2mCHO) revealed that five (AIIMS 617, 619, 627, 642, 660) contained RSC3-reactive plasma antibodies and only one (AIIMS 660) contained ΔN2mCHO-reactive antibodies. Plasma antibody depletion and competition experiments confirmed that the neutralizing activity in the AIIMS 660 plasma was dependent on CD4bs antibodies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report specifically on the presence of CD4bs antibodies in the plasma of a cohort of HIV-1 infected Indian donors. The identification of CD4bs dependent neutralizing antibodies in an HIV-1 infected Indian donor is a salient finding of this study and is supportive of ongoing efforts to induce similar antibodies by immunization

Punica granatum (Pomegranate) juice provides an HIV-1 entry inhibitor and candidate topical microbicide

BACKGROUND: For ≈ 24 years the AIDS pandemic has claimed ≈ 30 million lives, causing ≈ 14,000 new HIV-1 infections daily worldwide in 2003. About 80% of infections occur by heterosexual transmission. In the absence of vaccines, topical microbicides, expected to block virus transmission, offer hope for controlling the pandemic. Antiretroviral chemotherapeutics have decreased AIDS mortality in industrialized countries, but only minimally in developing countries. To prevent an analogous dichotomy, microbicides should be: acceptable; accessible; affordable; and accelerative in transition from development to marketing. Already marketed pharmaceutical excipients or foods, with established safety records and adequate anti-HIV-1 activity, may provide this option. METHODS: Fruit juices were screened for inhibitory activity against HIV-1 IIIB using CD4 and CXCR4 as cell receptors. The best juice was tested for inhibition of: (1) infection by HIV-1 BaL, utilizing CCR5 as the cellular coreceptor; and (2) binding of gp120 IIIB and gp120 BaL, respectively, to CXCR4 and CCR5. To remove most colored juice components, the adsorption of the effective ingredient(s) to dispersible excipients and other foods was investigated. A selected complex was assayed for inhibition of infection by primary HIV-1 isolates. RESULTS: HIV-1 entry inhibitors from pomegranate juice adsorb onto corn starch. The resulting complex blocks virus binding to CD4 and CXCR4/CCR5 and inhibits infection by primary virus clades A to G and group O. CONCLUSION: These results suggest the possibility of producing an anti-HIV-1 microbicide from inexpensive, widely available sources, whose safety has been established throughout centuries, provided that its quality is adequately standardized and monitored