Modelling of hydrogen blending into the UK natural gas network driven by a solid oxide fuel cell for electricity and district heating system

A thorough investigation of the thermodynamics and economic performance of a cogeneration system based on solid oxide fuel cells that provides heat and power to homes has been carried out in this study. Additionally, different percentages of green hydrogen have been blended with natural gas to examine the techno-economic performance of the suggested cogeneration system. The energy and exergy efficiency of the system rises steadily as the hydrogen blending percentage rises from 0% to 20%, then slightly drops at 50% H2 blending, and then rises steadily again until 100% H2 supply. The system's minimal levelised cost of energy was calculated to be 4.64 £/kWh for 100% H2. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was also used to further train a sizable quantity of data that was received from the simulation model. Heat, power, and levelised cost of energy estimates using the ANN model were found to be extremely accurate, with coefficients of determination of 0.99918, 0.99999, and 0.99888, respectively

Technoeconomic and environmental performance assessment of solid oxide fuel cell-based cogeneration system configurations

In this study, an innovative energy solution to fulfil the electricity and heating needs of a mixed community, including residences, a commercial building, and a small brewery has been investigated. The primary objective is to comprehensively analyse the technoeconomic, and environmental aspects of a UK-based solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) energy hub designed for local-scale electricity and heating demands. This present study investigates two different configurations: (a) SOFC-based cogeneration and (b) SOFC-heat pump cogeneration configuration. These configurations are modelled to provide year-round electricity and heating for a local scale application and are evaluated using hydrogen and natural gas as fuels. A thorough environmental assessment is also conducted for SOFC and SOFC-heat pump system configurations fuelled by natural gas. The hydrogen fuelled SOFC-heat pump configuration outperforms other system configuration with energy efficiency of 96%. Meanwhile, the hydrogen-fuelled SOFC cogeneration system yields maximum exergy efficiency at 61.51%. The natural gas-powered SOFC-heat pump cogeneration system yields the lowest levelized cost of energy (LCOE) at 0.1603 £/kWh, in comparison to the higher LCOE of 0.213 £/kWh for the alkaline hydrogen-fuelled system. The natural gas-fuelled SOFC system emits 0.3352 kg/kWh of CO2, with even lower emissions of 0.275 kg/kWh for the SOFC-heat pump system configuration

Techno-economic analysis of solid oxide fuel cell-based energy systems for decarbonising residential power and heat in the United Kingdom

This study examines the feasibility of using hydrogen as a clean energy source for residential consumers in the UK through a low-carbon energy hub. Two cases were compared: a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) integrated combined heat and power (CHP) system fuelled by natural gas and hydrogen; and a SOFC–heat pump (HP) integrated CHP system fuelled by natural gas and hydrogen. The study used the actual electricity and heating demands of a UK cluster to model the CHP systems. The results indicate that the SOFC-based CHP system with hydrogen as fuel is more energy-efficient than the natural gas-fuelled system, with energetic efficiencies of 92.12% and 66.98%, respectively. The study also found that the system incorporating a heat pump is more economically viable, regardless of the fuel source, with the hydrogen-powered system equipped with a heat pump having a levelised cost of energy (LCOE) of 0.2984 £ per kW h. The study also evaluated the environmental impact of the natural gas-powered SOFC and SOFC–HP systems, with estimated levelised CO2 emissions of 0.308 kg per kW h and 0.213 kg per kW h, respectively. The study's findings provide insights into the potential of hydrogen as a cleaner energy source for residential consumers in the UK and highlight the importance of exploring low-carbon energy alternatives

Izdvajanje, molekularna obilježja i otpornost na antibiotike enterotoksigenih (ETEC) i nekrotoksigenih sojeva E. coli izdvojenih iz zdravih azijskih vodenih bivola.

The present study was undertaken to detect the prevalence, virulence gene profile and antibiotic resistance of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and Necrotoxigenic E. coli (NTEC) in healthy water buffalo in West Bengal. Out of the 363 E. coli isolates from 165 faecal samples, 18 (4.95%) and 7 (1.9%) isolates were found to possess genes for ETEC (LT or STa or STb) and NTEC (cnf1 or cnf2), respectively in PCR. Among the 18 ETEC isolates, 13 (72.22%), 12 (66.67%), and 1 (5.56%) isolates were found to harbour STa, LT, and STb genes respectively. However, among the 7 NTEC isolates, 3 (42.85%) and 4 (57.14%) were detected to possess cnf1 and cnf2 genes, respectively. Further, among the five isolates possessing the EAST 1 gene, four were detected with the STa gene and one (1) with the LT gene. However, the majority of the F41 strains possessed ST genes, and F5 strains harboured both LT and ST. In addition, one out of three cnf1 NTEC isolates was detected to harbour the papC gene and all the four cnf2 NTEC isolates contained the cdt gene. The ETEC isolates belonged to 11 different serogroups (O11, O53, O71, O84, O88, O103, O112, O120, O128, O153, and O158), while, four NTEC isolates belonged to the OUT serogroup and the remaining 3 were disseminated among the O2, O4, and O6 serogroups. The RAPD of the ETEC isolates produced different electrophoretic profifi les. The antibiotic resistance of ETEC and NTEC isolates was observed most frequently to amikacin (56%), kanamycin (44%), gentamicin (40%), neomycin (36%). The study thus revealed water buffalo as a reservoir of multi drug resistant ETEC/NTEC for the first time in India.Istraživanje je provedeno s ciljem da se ustanovi prevalencija, geni za virulenciju i otpornost na antibiotike enterotoksigenih (ETEC) i nekrotoksigenih (NTEC) sojeva bakterije Escherichia coli izdvojene iz zdravih vodenih bivola iz Zapadnog Bengala. Od 363 izolata E. coli iz 165 uzoraka fecesa, 18 (4,95%) je posjedovalo neki od gena za ETEC (LT ili STa ili STb), a sedam (1,9%) izolata imalo je gene za NTEC (cnf1 ili cnf2) dokazane PCR-om. Od 18 izolata ETEC, 13 (72,22%) je imalo gen STa, 12 (66,67%) gen LT i jedan (5,56%) gen STb. Međutim, od sedam NTEC izolata, tri (42,85%) su imala gen cnfl , a četiri (57,14%) gen cnf2. Nadalje, od pet izolata koji su posjedovali gen EAST 1, četiri su imala gen Sta, a jedan gen LT. Većina sojeva F41 posjedovala je gen ST, a sojevi F5 i LT i ST gen. Nadalje, jedan od triju cnf1 NTEC izolata imao je i gen papC, a sva četiri izolata cnf2 NTEC sadržavala su gen cdt. Izolati ETEC pripadali su u 11 različitih seroloških skupina (O11, O53, O71, O84, O88, O103, O112, O120, O128, O153 i O158). Četiri izolata NTEC pripadala su serološkoj skupini OUT, a preostala tri skupinama O2, O4 i O6. RAPD izolata ETEC davao je različite elektroforetske profile. Izolati ETEC i NTEC najčešće su bili otporni na amikacin (56%), kanamicin (44%), gentamicin (40%) i neomicin (36%). Ovim istraživanjem prviput je u Indiji ustanovljeno da su vodeni bivoli rezervoar multiplo rezistentnih sojeva ETEC/NTEC

Prevalencija i otpornost na lijekove šiga-toksigenih (STEC), enteropatogenih (EPEC) i enterotoksigenih (ETEC) izolata bakterije Escherichia coli u slobodno držanih jakova s proljevom i bez proljeva u pokrajini West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, Indija.

Food producing animals are the major reservoirs of Shiga-toxin producing (STEC) and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). The yak (Poephagus grunniens) is a unique multipurpose bovid, reared by highlanders in the Himalayan region. A total of 67 STEC, 5 EPEC and 22 ETEC strains were isolated from 256 rectal swabs of free ranging yaks from the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Among the STEC isolates, shiga toxin producing genes stx2 was predominant, followed by stx1. Of all the stx variants, stx1c, stx2d, stx2c, stx2e and stx2f were detected in 23, 11, 2 and 1 isolates, respectively. Further, genes such as eaeA, ehxA, saa, iha and toxB were detected in 16, 35, 28, 10 and 2 isolates, respectively. One of the EPEC isolates possessed a bfpA gene and was categorized as typical EPEC. Among the ETEC isolates, genes such as LT, STa, STb, F41 and K99 were detected in 14, 5, 13, 2 and 2 isolates, respectively. The majority of the STEC, EPEC and ETEC isolates exhibited multi-drug resistance. The study revealed the presence of multi-drug resistant diarrhoea genic E. coli in free ranging yaks from the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. Moreover, the presence of STEC/EPEC can be a potential public health risk for tribal highlanders residing in close proximity of the reservoir yaks.Životinje koje služe za proizvodnju hrane mogu biti rezervoar šiga-toksigenih (STEC) i enteropatogenih (EPEC) sojeva bakterije Escherichia coli. Jak (Poephagus grunniens) je jedinstveni multipari bovid kojeg uzgajaju gorštaci na Himalaji. Ukupno je bilo izdvojeno 67 STEC sojeva, 5 EPEC sojeva i 22 ETEC soja iz 256 rektalnih obrisaka slobodno držanih jakova na području West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, Indija. Među izolatima STEC prevladavao je gen stx2 za prizvodnju šiga-toksina, a slijedio ga je gen stx1. Od svih varijanata gena stx, stx1c bio je dokazan u 23 izolata, stx2d u 11 izolata, stx2c u dva izolata, a stx2e i stx2f u jednog izolata. Nadalje gen eaeA dokazan je u 16 izolata, gen ehxA u 35, gen saa u 28, gen iha u 10 te gen toxBu dva izolata. Jedan od izolata EPEC posjedovao je gen bfpA i svrstan je u tipične EPEC izolate. Gen LT dokazan je u 14 ETEC izolata, gen Sta u pet, gen STb u 13, gen F41 u dva i K99 također u dva izolata. Većina izolata STEC, EPEC i ETEC pokazivala je otpornost na više lijekova. Istraživanje je pokazalo da postoji višestruka otpornost bakterije E. coli izdvojene iz slobodno držanih jakova s proljevom na području West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh. Povrh toga, prisutnost STEC/EPEC može predstavljati rizik za javno zdravstvo za gorštačka plemena koja dolaze u bliski dodir s jakovima

Prevalencija i otpornost na lijekove šiga-toksigenih (STEC), enteropatogenih (EPEC) i enterotoksigenih (ETEC) izolata bakterije Escherichia coli u slobodno držanih jakova s proljevom i bez proljeva u pokrajini West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, Indija.

Food producing animals are the major reservoirs of Shiga-toxin producing (STEC) and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). The yak (Poephagus grunniens) is a unique multipurpose bovid, reared by highlanders in the Himalayan region. A total of 67 STEC, 5 EPEC and 22 ETEC strains were isolated from 256 rectal swabs of free ranging yaks from the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Among the STEC isolates, shiga toxin producing genes stx2 was predominant, followed by stx1. Of all the stx variants, stx1c, stx2d, stx2c, stx2e and stx2f were detected in 23, 11, 2 and 1 isolates, respectively. Further, genes such as eaeA, ehxA, saa, iha and toxB were detected in 16, 35, 28, 10 and 2 isolates, respectively. One of the EPEC isolates possessed a bfpA gene and was categorized as typical EPEC. Among the ETEC isolates, genes such as LT, STa, STb, F41 and K99 were detected in 14, 5, 13, 2 and 2 isolates, respectively. The majority of the STEC, EPEC and ETEC isolates exhibited multi-drug resistance. The study revealed the presence of multi-drug resistant diarrhoea genic E. coli in free ranging yaks from the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. Moreover, the presence of STEC/EPEC can be a potential public health risk for tribal highlanders residing in close proximity of the reservoir yaks.Životinje koje služe za proizvodnju hrane mogu biti rezervoar šiga-toksigenih (STEC) i enteropatogenih (EPEC) sojeva bakterije Escherichia coli. Jak (Poephagus grunniens) je jedinstveni multipari bovid kojeg uzgajaju gorštaci na Himalaji. Ukupno je bilo izdvojeno 67 STEC sojeva, 5 EPEC sojeva i 22 ETEC soja iz 256 rektalnih obrisaka slobodno držanih jakova na području West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, Indija. Među izolatima STEC prevladavao je gen stx2 za prizvodnju šiga-toksina, a slijedio ga je gen stx1. Od svih varijanata gena stx, stx1c bio je dokazan u 23 izolata, stx2d u 11 izolata, stx2c u dva izolata, a stx2e i stx2f u jednog izolata. Nadalje gen eaeA dokazan je u 16 izolata, gen ehxA u 35, gen saa u 28, gen iha u 10 te gen toxBu dva izolata. Jedan od izolata EPEC posjedovao je gen bfpA i svrstan je u tipične EPEC izolate. Gen LT dokazan je u 14 ETEC izolata, gen Sta u pet, gen STb u 13, gen F41 u dva i K99 također u dva izolata. Većina izolata STEC, EPEC i ETEC pokazivala je otpornost na više lijekova. Istraživanje je pokazalo da postoji višestruka otpornost bakterije E. coli izdvojene iz slobodno držanih jakova s proljevom na području West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh. Povrh toga, prisutnost STEC/EPEC može predstavljati rizik za javno zdravstvo za gorštačka plemena koja dolaze u bliski dodir s jakovima

Synthesis, Characterisation, Structure, and Magnetic Properties of [Ni{H 2 NCH(CH 3 )CH 2 NH 2 } 3 ][Fe(CN) 5 NO]·H 2 O

The complex [Ni(pn

Antimicrobial resistance pattern, clustering mechanisms and correlation matrix of drug-resistant Escherichia coli in black Bengal goats in West Bengal, India

A cross-sectional study covering four agro-climatic zones of West Bengal, India, was carried out to understand the risk-factors, antimicrobial resistance mechanism and clustering of the resistance characteristics of Escherichia coli isolated from healthy (170) and diarrhoeic (74) goats reared under intensive (52) and semi-intensive (192) farming practices. Of the 488 E. coli isolates, the majority, including the extended spectrum (n: 64, 13.11%) and AmpC β-lactamase (ACBL) (n: 86, 17.62%) producers, were resistant to tetracycline (25.2%), followed by enrofloxacin (24.5%), cefotaxime (21.5%) and amikacin (20.5%). Statistical modelling revealed that the isolates from diarrhoeic animals (p < 0.001) are likely to be more ACBL-positive than those from the healthy counterparts. Similarly, cefotaxime (p < 0.05) and enrofloxacin-resistance (p < 0.01) were significantly higher in diarrhoeic goats and in goats reared intensively. The isolates (n = 35) resistant to multiple drugs revealed the presence of β-lactamase [blaCTXM-1-(21), blaSHV-(7), blaTEM-(3), blaCMY-6-(1), blaCITM-(3)]; quinolone [qnrB-(10), qnrS-(7), aac(6’)-Ib-cr-(3)]; tetracycline [tetA-(19), tetB-(4)] and sulphonamide resistance determinants [sul1-(4)]; multiple plasmids, especially those belonging to the IncF and IncI1 replicon types; and active acrAB efflux pumps. Further, two isolates harbored the carbapenem resistance (blaNDM-5) gene and eight were strong biofilm producers. This first ever study conducted to unravel the status of AMR in goat farming reveals that not only the intensive farming practices but also certain clinical ailments such as diarrhoea can increase the shedding of the drug-resistant isolate. The emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) E. coli in goats, particularly those that are carbapenem resistant, is a cause for concern that indicates the spread of such pathogens even in the livestock sub-sector generally considered as naive

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Not AvailableAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) leads to enormous financial losses from issues such as high morbidity, mortality, man-days lost, hospital length of stay, health-care, and social costs. In humans, over prescription of antimicrobials, which is presumably higher during COVID, has been identified as the major source of selection for antimicrobial resistant bacteria; however, use of antimicrobials in food and companion animals, fish, and vegetables, and the environmental resistance gene pool, also play important roles. The possibilities of unnecessary use of antibiotics as prophylaxis during and after COVID in livestock and companion animals exist in low-and middle-income countries. A considerable loss in gross domestic product (GDP) is also projected in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to AMR by the year 2050, which is further going to be reduced due to economic slowdown in the post-COVID period. Veterinary hospitals dedicated to pets have cropped up, especially in urban areas of LMICs where use of antimicrobials has also been increased substantially. The inevitable preventive habit built up during COVID with the frequent use of hand sanitizer might trigger AMR due to the presence of cross-resistance with disinfectants. In LMICs, due to the rising demand for animal protein, industrial food animal production (IFAP) is slowly replacing the small-scale backyard farming system. The lack of stringent regulations and monitoring increased the non-therapeutic use of antimicrobials in industrial farms where the persistence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria has been associated with several factors other than antimicrobial use, such as co-resistance, cross-resistance, bacterial fitness, mixing of new and old animals, and vectors or reservoirs of bacterial infection. The present review describes types of antimicrobials used in agri-food chains and companion animals in LMICs with identification of the gap in data, updated categories of prevalent antimicrobial resistant bacteria, the role of animal farms as reservoirs of resistant bacteria, and mitigation strategies, with a special focus on the pivotal strategy needed in the post-COVID period.Not Availabl

A Secure Authentication Protocol for Multi-server-based e-Healthcare using a Fuzzy Commitment Scheme

Smart card-based remote authentication schemes are widely used in multi-medical-serverbased telecare medicine information systems (TMIS). Biometric is one of the most trustworthy authenticators, and is presently being advocated to use in the remote authentication of TMIS. However, most of the existing TMISs consider a single-server-environment-based authentication system. Therefore, patients need to register and log into every server separately for different services. Furthermore, these schemes do not employ error correction technique to remove the errors from biometric data. Also, biometrics are inherent and demand diversification to generate a revocable template from inherent biometric data. In this paper, we propose a mutual authentication and key agreement scheme for a multi-medical server environment to overcome the limitations of the existing schemes. In the proposed scheme, a cancelable transformation of the raw biometric data is used to provide the privacy and the diversification of biometric data. The errors of the biometric data are corrected with error-correction techniques under the fuzzy commitment mechanism. Formal security analysis using the widely accepted Real-Or-Random (ROR) model, the Burrows-Abadi-Needham (BAN) logic and the Automated Validation of Internet Security Protocols and Applications (AVISPA) tool concludes that the proposed scheme is safe against known attacks. We also compare the computation and communication costs of our scheme to evaluate the performance with the others