Novel Energy Management System of PMSG based Standalone Wind Power Generation System

Renewable energy sources based electric power generating units are often power supply units for many rural areas worldwide especially where power supply is impossible through the power grid. Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generation (PMSG) based wind power conversion system is considered in this paper and equipped with an efficient maximum power tracker (MPPT) circuit. However, electricity produced through wind turbine will be always fluctuating according to wind speed. Hence, an energy storage device (i.e., batteries) is also connected through a dc to dc bidirectional circuit. Moreover, during light load conditions, a dump load also incorporated to consume excess power in case batteries are fully charged. A common dc-link is established by connecting MPPT circuit of wind system, bidirectional converter and dump load along with a power electronic switch. Novel control methods are proposed to all converters to maintain constant voltage at dc-link under various changes happened in the standalone system. In order to provide supply to AC loads, an inverter with voltage control unit also connected between load bus and dc-link. An efferent energy management algorithm is developed based on controlling the voltage at dc-link. MATLAB/Simulink is used to analyze the standalone power supply system and applied various operating conditions to present results

Solar Energy in Developing Countries: Challenges and Opportunities for Smart Cities

This perspective article explores the dynamic landscape of solar energy adoption in developing countries, particularly within the framework of smart cities. Developing nations face a compelling need to bridge the energy gap, reduce emissions, foster economic growth, and enhance energy security. Solar energy offers potential solutions to these challenges. Despite the promise of solar energy, obstacles exist. Financial constraints, outdated infrastructure, grid instability, technical expertise gaps, and regulatory hurdles hinder widespread adoption. However, technological advances in solar panels, energy storage, smart grids, and data analytics present avenues for overcoming these challenges. Collaborative initiatives, consistent policies, and public-private partnerships offer support for sustainable development. Smart cities play a crucial role in this transition. Sustainable urban planning, smart infrastructure, and digitalization contribute to the efficient use of solar power. Case studies from India, Rwanda, and Brazil exemplify successful integration of solar energy within smart city projects. Balancing challenges with opportunities is the key to success. By addressing obstacles and seizing available prospects, developing countries can lead the charge toward a sustainable energy future

Hybrid Intelligent Optimization Techniques for Grid Integration with Renewable Systems: Review

Renewable energy sources are essential in fulfilling the increasing need for electricity. Researchers are actively exploring eco-friendly alternative energy sources and technologies, particularly in the form of micro grids or gridintegrated systems. A hybrid renewable energy system with battery storage in a small-scale industry was optimized using a blend of traditional and cutting-edge models, employing mixed integer linear programming techniques, as demonstrated in a recent study. The proposed optimization algorithm offers improved accuracy and reduced computational burdens. The model considers the intrinsic stochastic nature of hybrid energy systems and integrates fluctuations in load forecasting. By employing an intelligent computational optimization algorithm, the study focuses on optimizing the PV-Wind, Diesel, and battery storage hybrid system. The findings of this research shed light on the impact of load variations on component sizing in small-scale industries. This review holds significant value for researchers who aim to tackle the intricacies of algorithm analysis and power system design in order to drive future enhancements

COVID-19 Pandemic: Insights into Molecular Mechanisms Leading to Sex-based Differences in Patient Outcomes

Recent epidemiological studies analyzing sex disaggregated patient data in COVID-19 across the world revealed a distinct sex bias in the disease morbidity as well as the mortality- both being higher for the men. Similar antecedents have been known for the previous viral infections, including from coronaviruses, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and middle-east respiratory syndrome (MERS). A sound understanding of the molecular mechanisms leading the biological sex bias in the survival outcomes of the patients in relation to COVID-19 will act as an essential requisite for developing a sex differentiated approach for therapeutic management of this disease. Recent studies which have explored molecular mechanism(s) behind sex-based differences in COVID-19 pathogenesis are scarce, however, existing evidence, for other respiratory viral infections, viz., SARS, MERS, and influenza, provides important clues in this regard. In attempt to consolidate the available knowledge on this issue, we performed a systematic review of the existing empirical knowledge and recent experimental studies following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The qualitative analysis of the collected data untraveled multiple molecular mechanisms, such as, evolutionary and genetic/epigenetic factors, sex-linkage of viral host cell entry receptor and immune response genes, sex hormone and gut microbiome mediated immune-modulation, as the possible key reasons for the sex-based differences in patient outcomes in COVID-19

Relevance of SARS-CoV-2 related factors ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expressions in gastrointestinal tissue with pathogenesis of digestive symptoms, diabetes-associated mortality, and disease recurrence in COVID-19 patients

International audienc

Relevance of SARS-CoV-2 related factors ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expressions in gastrointestinal tissue with pathogenesis of digestive symptoms, diabetes-associated mortality, and disease recurrence in COVID-19 patients

COVID-19 is caused by a new strain of coronavirus called SARS-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is a positive sense single strand RNA virus. In humans, it binds to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) with the help a structural protein on its surface called the S-spike. Further, cleavage of the viral spike protein (S) by the proteases like transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) or Cathepsin L (CTSL) is essential to effectuate host cell membrane fusion and virus infectivity. COVID-19 poses intriguing issues with imperative relevance to clinicians. The pathogenesis of GI symptoms, diabetes-associated mortality, and disease recurrence in COVID-19 are of particular relevance because they cannot be sufficiently explained from the existing knowledge of the viral diseases. Tissue specific variations of SARS-CoV-2 cell entry related receptors expression in healthy individuals can help in understanding the pathophysiological basis the aforementioned collection of symptoms. ACE2 mediated dysregulation of sodium dependent glucose transporter (SGLT1 or SLC5A1) in the intestinal epithelium also links it to the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus which can be a possible reason for the associated mortality in COVID-19 patients with diabetes. High expression of ACE2 in mucosal cells of the intestine and GB make these organs potential sites for the virus entry and replication. Continued replication of the virus at these ACE2 enriched sites may be a basis for the disease recurrence reported in some, thought to be cured, patients. Based on the human tissue specific distribution of SARS-CoV-2 cell entry factors ACE2 and TMPRSS2 and other supportive evidence from the literature, we hypothesize that SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry receptor—ACE2 based mechanism in GI tissue may be involved in COVID-19 (i) in the pathogenesis of digestive symptoms, (ii) in increased diabetic complications, (iii) in disease recurrence

COVID-19 Mechanisms in the Human Body—What We Know So Far

More than one and a half years have elapsed since the commencement of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and the world is struggling to contain it. Being caused by a previously unknown virus, in the initial period, there had been an extreme paucity of knowledge about the disease mechanisms, which hampered preventive and therapeutic measures against COVID-19. In an endeavor to understand the pathogenic mechanisms, extensive experimental studies have been conducted across the globe involving cell culture-based experiments, human tissue organoids, and animal models, targeted to various aspects of the disease, viz., viral properties, tissue tropism and organ-specific pathogenesis, involvement of physiological systems, and the human immune response against the infection. The vastly accumulated scientific knowledge on all aspects of COVID-19 has currently changed the scenario from great despair to hope. Even though spectacular progress has been made in all of these aspects, multiple knowledge gaps are remaining that need to be addressed in future studies. Moreover, multiple severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants have emerged across the globe since the onset of the first COVID-19 wave, with seemingly greater transmissibility/virulence and immune escape capabilities than the wild-type strain. In this review, we narrate the progress made since the commencement of the pandemic regarding the knowledge on COVID-19 mechanisms in the human body, including virus–host interactions, pulmonary and other systemic manifestations, immunological dysregulations, complications, host-specific vulnerability, and long-term health consequences in the survivors. Additionally, we provide a brief review of the current evidence explaining molecular mechanisms imparting greater transmissibility and virulence and immune escape capabilities to the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants