Assessment of Voltage Stability Using Network Equivalent

 In this paper a fast system voltage stability index (FSVSI) has been proposed to assess overall system voltage stability of a multi-bus power system at a particular operating point using the concept of two bus network equivalent.  A universal direct voltage stability index has also been explored to assess local (DVSI) as well as overall system voltage stability (DSVSI). An index called system transmission quality factor (STQF) has been developed to assess the power transmission quality of the overall system in the context of voltage stability. Two FACTS controllers, TCSC and STATCOM have also been incorporated in the present study to observe their effectiveness to ensure voltage stabilty. STATCOM has been found to be superior in order to improve voltage stability of power system as compared to TCSC. The developed concept has been validated using practical India Easten Grid (WBSEB system) and it has a high potential of on-line application

Hierarchical approach for fusion of electroencephalography and electromyography for predicting finger movements and kinematics using deep learning

The brain is a unique organ that performs multiple processes simultaneously, such as sensory, motor, and cognitive function. However, several neurological diseases (ataxia, dystonia, Huntington’s disease) or trauma affect the limb movement and there is no cure. Although brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have been recently used to improve the quality of life for people with severe motor disabilities, anthropomorphic control of a prosthetic hand in upper limb rehabilitation still remains an unachieved goal. To this purpose, a hierarchical integration of neural commands to fingers was applied for execution of human hand grasping with better precision. For finger movement prediction and kinematics estimation, a neuromuscular approach was employed to establish a hierarchical synergy between electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG). EEG, EMG and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint kinematics were acquired during five finger flexion movements of the human hand. EMG for five finger movements and kinematics were estimated from EEG using linear regression. A Long Short-Term Memory network (LSTM) and a random forest regressor were adjoined hierarchically for prediction of finger movements and estimation of finger kinematics from the estimated EMG. The results showed an average accuracy of 84.25 ± 0.61 % in predicting finger movements and an average minimum error of 0.318 ± 0.011 in terms of root mean squared error (RMSE) in predicting finger kinematics from EEG across six subjects and five fingers. These findings suggest the implementation of a hierarchical approach to develop anthropomorphic control for upper limb prosthese

Chronic Draining Ear and Cholesteatoma Recidivism: A Retrospection from Clinical, Imaging, and Surgical Perspectives

Objective:To evaluate the reasons for persistent draining ear and cholesteatoma recidivism following canal wall down (CWD) tympanomastoidectomy by studying the sensitivity of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scanning in different potential etiologies, corroborating through appropriate surgical intervention, and thereby, to suggest proper preventive measures.Methods:In this observational study, 32 chronic, refractory draining ears were subjected to revision surgery following a radical or a modified radical mastoidectomy. Besides disease (cholesteatoma/granulations) eradication, pitfalls of the primary surgeries were addressed. Data were interpreted for studying the epidemiologic profile, the clinical presentation at recurrence, the type of primary surgery, the sites of recidivism, the probable causes, and the best possible management at revision.Results:Of the 32 patients/ears, 23 had residual/recurrent cholesteatoma. Major reasons were inadequate disease clearance, contracted/inadequate conchomeatoplasty, no cavity obliteration, and inappropriate bone work. HRCT predicted persistent bridge and lateral semicircular canal dehiscence with 100%, and ossicular integrity and bony overhang with >80% sensitivity. Sinus tympani and oval window niche were the commonest sites of recurrence. At revision, radical/modified radical mastoidectomies were associated with cavity obliteration and appropriate revision of conchomeatoplasty in 28 patients.Conclusion:Recurrence of cholesteatoma/granulations is an important cause for chronic drainage from post-CWD cavities. Revision surgery explores the surgical pitfalls, and ensures clearance of disease from hidden areas, adequate bone work, and optimum conchomeatoplasty following cavity obliteration to provide a safe, dry ear with hearing improvement whenever feasible

The Structural Relationship Between Current and Capital Account Balance in India: A Time Series Analysis

The long run relationship between current account balance (CAB) and capital account balance (KAB) and the repercussions of capital account convertibility (KAC) on growth process of a country is a much debated issue. In particular, in the aftermath of the Southeast Asian crisis, the limitation of the liberal capital regime for a developing country like India is often highlighted in the literature. However, the probable impact of introducing KAC on CAB in India generally is discussed theoretically. Though some of the existing studies in India have earlier focused on this research question, they have done so by exogenously assuming the existence of a single structural break in the interrelationship between CAB and KAB. The present study intends to bridge the gap in the literature by raising two empirical questions: first, how far KAC is likely to destabilize the CAB and second, measuring the strength of the interrelationship between CAB and KAB. The current paper also contributes to the literature by incorporating multiple endogenous structural breaks in the empirical analysis. The empirical findings do not support any long term relationship between capital and current account balance and reveals that two significant structural breaks are observed in 1993-94 and 2003-04

Exploring the Bifunctionality of Co₃S₄/NiS₂/Cu₂S Heterojunction Nanocomposites for Hybrid Supercapacitors and Double Z‑Scheme-Driven Dye Degradation

A trimetallic heterojunction-derived Co3S4/NiS2/Cu2S with different ratios through a two-step hydrothermal method was successfully synthesized, showing multifunctional properties such as excellent electrochemical behavior and high photocatalytic activity. Both electrochemical and photocatalytic performances were optimized by adjusting the concentration of Cu without any change in Co and Ni concentrations. Among the synthesized nanocomposites, CNCS-0.15 (Co3S40.5/NiS20.5/Cu2S0.15) depicted the maximum specific capacity of 464.16 C g–1 at 1 A g–1 as revealed from electrochemical measurements. Further for real-time usage, assembling of a hybrid supercapacitor CNCS-0.15(+)||activated carbon(−) furnished an energy density of 84.95 W h kg–1 at a power density of 1134 W kg–1 with good capacity retention of 93.64% for 5000 cycles. In addition, CNCS-0.15 also displayed remarkable photocatalytic performance under visible light illumination by utilizing Congo red (CR) dye. It could effectively degrade 91% of CR (40 mg L–1) through a double Z-scheme mechanism owing to the charge carriers' availability with higher redox ability. The Mott–Schottky analysis along with the scavenging experiment confirmed the involvement of h+ and O2–. radicals in the photodegradation. Due to highly interconnected nanoflake architectures, CNCS-0.15 holds a promising application as a supercapacitor electrode and visible light active photocatalyst

Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Property of a Purified Fraction (NN-32) of Indian Naja Naja Venom on Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma in BALB/c Mice

A cytotoxic and antioxidant protein (NN-32) from the Indian spectacled cobra Naja naja venom was identified and its probable mode of action on murine Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) was established. The venom purified through ion exchange chromatography produced several peaks, among which fraction 32 produced cytotoxic-cardiotoxic properties. This fraction (NN-32) showed a single peak (retention time 38.3 min) by HPLC using C4 column. The molecular mass determined by MALDI-MS, found to be 6.7 kDa and the first ten N-terminal sequence was determined (LKCNKLVPLF) by Edmann degradation method using applied Biosystem procise sequencer. It was observed that the sequence shared 100% homology with other cytotoxin cardiotoxin identified from the venom of Naja species. NN-32 showed cytotoxicity on EAC cells, increased survival time of inoculated EAC mice, reduced solid tumor volume and weight. NN-32 increased proapoptotic protein caspase 3 and 9 activity and Bax-Bcl2 ratio. It also increased the antioxidant markers glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione transferase, superoxide dismutase and catalase activity. NN-32 increased serum IL-10 level and decreased murine keratinocytederived chemokine level. The cardiotoxicity of NN-32 was established on isolated guinea pig auricle, where 100% irreversible blockade of auricular contraction was observed. Thus, it may be concluded that, NN-32 induced anticancer activity in EAC mice was partly mediated through its apoptogenic – antioxidant property

Boosting the Electrochemical Performance of Polyaniline by One-Step Electrochemical Deposition on Nickel Foam for High-Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitor

Energy generation can be clean and sustainable if it is dependent on renewable resources and it can be prominently utilized if stored efficiently. Recently, biomass-derived carbon and polymers have been focused on developing less hazardous eco-friendly electrodes for energy storage devices. We have focused on boosting the supercapacitor’s energy storage ability by engineering efficient electrodes in this context. The well-known conductive polymer, polyaniline (PANI), deposited on nickel foam (NF) is used as a positive electrode, while the activated carbon derived from jute sticks (JAC) deposited on NF is used as a negative electrode. The asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) is fabricated for the electrochemical studies and found that the device has exhibited an energy density of 24 µWh/cm2 at a power density of 3571 µW/cm2. Furthermore, the ASC PANI/NF//KOH//JAC/NF has exhibited good stability with ~86% capacitance retention even after 1000 cycles. Thus, the enhanced electrochemical performances of ASC are congregated by depositing PANI on NF that boosts the electrode’s conductivity. Such deposition patterns are assured by faster ions diffusion, higher surface area, and ample electroactive sites for better electrolyte interaction. Besides advancing technology, such work also encourages sustainability