The building sector is considered as the biggest single contributor to world energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, a good understanding of the nature and structure of energy use ...in buildings is crucial for establishing the adequate future energy and climate change policies. Availability of the updated data is becoming increasingly important in order to allow a rigorous analysis. In this paper, recent data on the world energy consumption in both residential and commercial buildings are reported. Past situation, current status and future trends are discussed and analyzed for selected countries. A breakdown of buildings energy consumption is realized in order to determine the influencing key parameters. A whole section of this paper is dedicated to give an overview of measures and policies adopted by different countries, allowing the monitoring, management and reduction of the energy consumption in buildings. Critical aspects of these policies are discussed based on the feedback of the early adopters.
Land use and climate change can influence runoff and soil erosion, threatening soil and water conservation in the Cerrado biome in Brazil. The adoption of a process-based model was necessary due to ...the lack of long-term observed data. Our goals were to calibrate the WEPP (Water Erosion Prediction Project) model for different land uses under subtropical conditions in the Cerrado biome; predict runoff and soil erosion for these different land uses; and simulate runoff and soil erosion considering climate change. We performed the model calibration using a 5-year dataset (2012–2016) of observed runoff and soil loss in four different land uses (wooded Cerrado, tilled fallow without plant cover, pasture, and sugarcane) in experimental plots. Selected soil and management parameters were optimized for each land use during the WEPP model calibration with the existing field data. The simulations were conducted using the calibrated WEPP model components with a 100-year climate dataset created with CLIGEN (weather generator) based on regional climate statistics. We obtained downscaled General Circulation Model (GCM) projections, and runoff and soil loss were predicted with WEPP using future climate scenarios for 2030, 2060, and 2090 considering different Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs). The WEPP model had an acceptable performance for the subtropical conditions. Land use can influence runoff and soil loss rates in a significant way. Potential climate changes, which indicate the increase of rainfall intensities and depths, may increase the variability and rates of runoff and soil erosion. However, projected climate changes did not significantly affect the runoff and soil erosion for the four analyzed land uses at our location. Finally, the runoff behavior was distinct for each land use, but for soil loss we found similarities between pasture and wooded Cerrado, suggesting that the soil may attain a sustainable level when the land management follows conservation principles.
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•Process-based models replace empirical ones when long-term observations are scarce.•A process-based model effectively estimates runoff and soil erosion in Brazil.•Land use influences on runoff and soil erosion rates in a tropical soil.•Runoff and soil erosion responses to climate change are not significant.•Agricultural land may reach conservation levels of an undisturbed tropical woodland.
The purpose of this study is to explore the possibilities for the application of laser therapy in medicine and dentistry by analyzing lasers’ underlying mechanism of action on different cells, with a ...special focus on stem cells and mechanisms of repair. The interest in the application of laser therapy in medicine and dentistry has remarkably increased in the last decade. There are different types of lasers available and their usage is well defined by different parameters, such as: wavelength, energy density, power output, and duration of radiation. Laser irradiation can induce a photobiomodulatory (PBM) effect on cells and tissues, contributing to a directed modulation of cell behaviors, enhancing the processes of tissue repair. Photobiomodulation (PBM), also known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT), can induce cell proliferation and enhance stem cell differentiation. Laser therapy is a non-invasive method that contributes to pain relief and reduces inflammation, parallel to the enhanced healing and tissue repair processes. The application of these properties was employed and observed in the treatment of various diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, brain injury, spinal cord damage, dermatological conditions, oral irritation, and in different areas of dentistry.
Energy storage: Applications and challenges Kousksou, T.; Bruel, P.; Jamil, A. ...
Solar energy materials and solar cells,
January 2014, 2014, 2014-01-00, 20140101, Letnik:
120, Številka:
Part. A
Journal Article
Recenzirano
In this paper, an updated review of the state of technology and installations of several energy storage technologies were presented, and their various characteristics were analyzed. The analyses ...included their storage properties, current state in the industry and feasibility for future installation. The paper includes also the main characteristics of energy storage technologies suitable for renewable energy systems.
The arterial pulse has historically been an essential source of information in the clinical assessment of health. With current sphygmomanometric and oscillometric devices, only the peak and trough of ...the peripheral arterial pulse waveform are clinically used. Several limitations exist with peripheral blood pressure. First, central aortic pressure is a better predictor of cardiovascular outcome than peripheral pressure. Second, peripherally obtained blood pressure does not accurately reflect central pressure because of pressure amplification. Lastly, antihypertensive medications have differing effects on central pressures despite similar reductions in brachial blood pressure. Applanation tonometry can overcome the limitations of peripheral pressure by determining the shape of the aortic waveform from the radial artery. Waveform analysis not only indicates central systolic and diastolic pressure but also determines the influence of pulse wave reflection on the central pressure waveform. It can serve as a useful adjunct to brachial blood pressure measurements in initiating and monitoring hypertensive treatment, in observing the hemodynamic effects of atherosclerotic risk factors, and in predicting cardiovascular outcomes and events. Radial artery applanation tonometry is a noninvasive, reproducible, and affordable technology that can be used in conjunction with peripherally obtained blood pressure to guide patient management. Keywords for the PubMed search were applanation tonometry, radial artery, central pressure, cardiovascular risk, blood pressure , and arterial pulse . Articles published from January 1, 1995, to July 1, 2009, were included in the review if they measured central pressure using radial artery applanation tonometry.
The extensive use of pesticides for better yield of crops have become major human concern over the decades. Pesticides are widely used in the fields to kill weeds and pests on the vegetable and crops ...to improve the quality and yield of the food knowing the fact that pesticides residue in food are very lethal for human being. Amongst, the hazardous pesticides, mancozeb is widely applied in the protection of crops. Thus the quantification of mancozeb residue is of great importance. This study reports the electrochemical monitoring of mancozeb through tungsten oxide reduced graphene oxide (WO3/rGO) nanocomposite. The engineered nanocomposite was characterized though different analytical tools such as FTIR, XRD and TEM to examine crystallinity, internal texture and the size. The FTIR result confirm the functionalities of GO and WO3/rGO nanocomposite in finger print and functional group region. Through XRD analysis, the size of the WO3/rGO nanocomposite was calculated as 31.6 nm. While the TEM analysis was also exploited to examine the 2D texture of GO and nanometric size of the WO3/rGO. To ensure the conductive nature of the WO3/rGO nanocomposite, the glassy carbon electrode was modified and exploited for cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Under the optimal conditions, the modified sensor showed exceptional response for mancozeb. The linear dynamic range was set from 0.05 to 70 μM in BRB buffer of pH 4. The LOD and LOQ for proposed method was calculated as 0.0038 and 0.0115 μM. The analytical applicability of chemically modified sensor was investigated in real matrix of different vegetable samples and the recovery values were observed in acceptable range. The electrochemical examination of present work reveals that WO3/rGO nanocomposite can be an exceptional aspirant for the determination of mancozeb at commercial level.
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Heavy metal pollution has become a severe threat to human health and the environment for many years. Their extensive release can severely damage the environment and promote the generation of many ...harmful diseases of public health concerns. These toxic heavy metals can cause many health problems such as brain damage, kidney failure, immune system disorder, muscle weakness, paralysis of the limbs, cardio complaint, nervous system. For many years, researchers focus on developing specific reliable analytical methods for the determination of heavy metal ions and preventing their acute toxicity to a significant extent. The modern researchers intended to utilize efficient and discerning materials, e.g. nanomaterials, especially the metal nanoparticles to detect heavy metal ions from different real sources rapidly. The metal nanoparticles have been broadly utilized as a sensing material for the colorimetric detection of toxic metal ions. The metal nanoparticles such as Gold (Au), Silver (Ag), and Copper (Cu) exhibited localized plasmon surface resonance (LPSR) properties which adds an outstanding contribution to the colorimetric sensing field. Though, the stability of metal nanoparticles was major issue to be exploited colorimetric sensing of heavy emtal ions, but from last decade different capping and stabilizing agents such as amino acids, vitmains, acids and ploymers were used to functionalize the metal surface of metal nanoparticles. These capping agents prevent the agglomeration of nanoparticles and make them more active for prolong period of time. This review covers a comprehensive work carried out for colorimetric detection of heavy metals based on metal nanoparticles from the year 2014 to onwards.
•Synthesis of Gold, Silver and Copper Nanoparticles through effective caping and stabilizing agents.•Naked eye metal based nanosensors for selective determination of metal ions.•Colorimetric sensors for heavy metal detection.•Fast and sensitive metal detection procedures.•Reliable colorimetric methods for environmental remediation.
A range of organic/ inorganic additives have traditionally been added to electroplating solutions to improve brightness and encourage levelling. A limited number of studies have shown that some ...brighteners function in ionic liquids. In this study the effect of four additives; nicotinic acid (NA), methyl nicotinate (MN), 5,5-dimethyl hydantoin (DMH) and boric acid (BH), have been measured on the electrodeposition of cobalt in the 1choline chloride (ChCl): 2 ethylene glycol (EG) based deep eutectic solvent (DES). In general the addition of these additives causes the deposition potential of Co to be shifted to more negative over-potentials. No apparent change in speciation and coordination environment around the CoII centre was observed. The surface morphology was significantly changed by the addition of each of the additives, suggesting that they function by modifying the double layer. The nucleation and growth mechanism of Co deposition was found to change in the presence of these additives. Flat, shiny and high uniform cobalt layers were obtained with the additives whereas in their absence the deposit was black and dull. The additives significantly increased the hardness of the cobalt deposit and this was shown to be related to the crystal structure of the deposit which was determined using XRD.
Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a common herb consumed worldwide as functional food and traditional remedy for the prevention of infectious diseases since ancient time. Garlic and its active ...organosulfur compounds (OSCs) have been reported to alleviate a number of viral infections in pre-clinical and clinical investigations. However, so far no systematic review on its antiviral effects and the underlying molecular mechanisms exists.
The aim of this review is to systematically summarize pre-clinical and clinical investigations on antiviral effects of garlic and its OSCs as well as to further analyse recent findings on the mechanisms that underpin these antiviral actions. PubMed, Cochrane library, Google Scholar and Science Direct databases were searched and articles up to June 2020 were included in this review.
Pre-clinical data demonstrated that garlic and its OSCs have potential antiviral activity against different human, animal and plant pathogenic viruses through blocking viral entry into host cells, inhibiting viral RNA polymerase, reverse transcriptase, DNA synthesis and immediate-early gene 1(IEG1) transcription, as well as through downregulating the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. The alleviation of viral infection was also shown to link with immunomodulatory effects of garlic and its OSCs. Clinical studies further demonstrated a prophylactic effect of garlic in the prevention of widespread viral infections in humans through enhancing the immune response. This review highlights that garlic possesses significant antiviral activity and can be used prophylactically in the prevention of viral infections.
•Garlic have anti-viral and immune boosting properties.•Dietary intake of garlic and garlic products is suggested to prevent viral infections as a prophylactic intervention.•The organosulfur constituents of garlic contribute in prevention of viral infections.
•Five parallel microchannels are interconnected by micro-slots.•Micro-slots can enable high frequency nucleate boiling.•Highly coordinated, rapid and sustainable nucleate boiling are realized.•The ...HTC and CHF are significantly enhanced on the present design.•The enhancements of HTC and CHF are ∼175% and ∼76%, respectively.
Flow boiling in microchannels using dielectric fluids is one of the most desirable cooling solutions for high power electronics. However, it is challenging to promote the flow boiling performances, particularly critical heat flux (CHF), due to their unfavorable thermophysical properties. Flow boiling in parallel and isolated microchannels has been extensively studied. In this study, five parallel microchannels (W = 200 µm, H = 250 µm, L = 10 mm) are interconnected by 4 × 28 micro-slots (20 µm wide and 250 µm deep) starting from the middle section to the channel outlet. Our visualization study shows that these micro-slots designed as artificial nucleation sites can enable high frequency nucleate boiling by drastically reducing the bubble waiting time and remaining fully activated, simultaneously. More importantly, such rapid switch on–off harmonically coordinated nucleate boiling in the neighboring channels creates a highly desirable periodic rewetting mechanism to substantially delay CHF conditions and enhance heat transfer rate. Flow boiling in this innovative microchannel configuration has been systematically characterized with mass flux ranging from 462 kg/m2∙s to 1617 kg/m2∙s. Compared to plain-wall microchannels with inlet restrictors (IRs), flow boiling heat transfer coefficient (HTC) is enhanced up to ∼172% at a mass flux of 462 kg/m2·s primarily owing to the enhanced latent heat transfer including nucleate boiling and thin film evaporation. The peak value of effective HTC is ~60 kW/m2·K in the fully developed boiling regime. Moreover, CHF is substantially enhanced by ∼76% at a mass flux of 1155 kg/m2·s owing to the rapid and periodic rewetting enabled by these micro-slots. Such drastic enhancements have been achieved without compromising two-phase pressure drop.
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