Metropolitan water purification facilities towards variability mitigation of the renewable resources: Optimal bid method for small hydropower generators.

As carbon neutrality in the power system arises as one of the important issues, numerous nations have been increasing penetration of the renewable resources. However, greater penetration of the renewable resources in the power systems has caused reliability issues due to the innate unpredictable output characteristics. For minimization of unpredictability and its consequential effects on the system reliability, the nations such as the Republic of Korea, Great Britain and Australia have been introduced market-based variability mitigating measures. The incentive policy driven market-based measures were designed to draw voluntary participation from the asset owners capable of providing controllability over the resources aggregated to be a single portfolio. Small hydropower generators in metropolitan water purification facilities can be actively utilized for such mitigation because of their relatively stable output characteristics. However, entities responsible for metropolitan water purification facilities with small hydropower generators have been reluctant to participate in the market with the mitigations incentive since there are no structured methods to acquire dispatch reliability of the water resources considering participation in the energy market. Thus, this paper presents a scheduling algorithm for the aggregated portfolio of renewable resources, utilizing small hydropower generators as one of the tools for variability mitigation. In the results, the portfolio-wide forecast error was reduced to below 2% in the presence of the scheduling algorithm and small hydropower generators as mitigation resources, while the water intake schedule at water purification facilities remained evenly distributed. Small hydropower generators played a key role in mitigating variability in the algorithm, and the revenue generated from the participation of these small hydropower generators contributed to approximately one third of the gross revenue from the portfolio. The algorithm was demonstrated to provide renewable resource owners with an additional revenue stream, beyond what is typically provided by government subsidies.

Effects of manual lymph drainage for abdomen on the brain activity of subjects with psychological stress.

[Purpose] The present study investigated the effects of manual lymph drainage for abdomen on electroencephalography in subjects with psychological stress. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-eight subjects were randomly allocated to undergo a 20-min session of either manual lymph drainage or abdominal massage on a bed. [Results] Analysis of electroencephalograms from the manual lymph drainage group showed a significant increase in relaxation, manifested as an increase in average absolute, relative alpha activity and a decrease in relative gamma activity. [Conclusion] Our results suggest that the application of manual lymph drainage from the abdomen provides acute neural effects that increase relaxation in subjects with psychological stress.

Preventive effects of stretching and stabilization exercises on muscle fatigue in mobile phone users.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the preventive effects of stretching and stabilization exercises on muscle fatigue of the neck erector spine and upper trapezius muscles. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects of this study were 26 healthy university students (14 males and 12 females). Each subject was assigned randomly to each of three study groups in order to prevent order effect. The three groups included in this study were the no-exercise, stretching exercise, and neck stabilization exercise groups. The median electromyographic frequency was used as a gauge of muscle fatigue. [Results] Decreased muscle fatigue was demonstrated by an increase in the median electromyographic frequency values in all the four muscle groups in the comparison between conditions 1 and 3. In particular, statistically significant differences were found between the two conditions in the right upper trapezius muscle group. [Conclusion] These findings suggest that the effect of stretching and stabilization exercises can reduce muscle fatigue in mobile phone users.

Manual lymph drainage attenuates frontal EEG asymmetry in subjects with psychological stress: a preliminary study.

[Purpose] The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate the effect of manual lymph drainage (MLD) of the neck on frontal electroencephalogram (EEG) asymmetry in subjects with psychological stress. [Subjects] Thirteen subjects with psychological stress participated in the study. [Methods] Subjects received MLD of the neck for 15 min. [Results] Analysis of the frontal asymmetry index showed that the energy shift in the alpha frequency band from the left hemisphere to the right hemisphere after MLD resulted in greater left-side activation (positive asymmetry values), which could be related to the positive emotional state observed particularly in the F7-F8 area. [Conclusion] These preliminary findings suggest that frontal EEG asymmetry was significantly attenuated after MLD.

Effects of manual lymph drainage of the neck on EEG in subjects with psychological stress.

[Purpose] The present study investigated the effect of manual lymph drainage (MLD) of the neck on electroencephalography (EEG) in subjects with psychological stress. [Methods] Twenty-six subjects were randomly allocated to receive one 15-min session of either MLD or resting on a bed (control). [Results] Analysis of EEG in the MLD group showed a significant increase in relaxation, manifested as an increase in average absolute and relative delta and alpha activity. [Conclusion] It is suggested that MLD provides acute neural effects that increase relaxation in subjects with psychological stress.

Boiling heat transfer of nanofluids--special emphasis on critical heat flux.

As innovative nanotechnology-based heat-transfer media, nanofluids have evoked considerable interest among researchers owing to their improved thermal properties as well as their extendable applications to various high-power thermal systems. This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent research developments and patents pertaining to nanofluid boiling heat transfer. Nanofluids definitely offer a wide range of potential improvements in boiling heat-transfer performance. However, experimental data available from different studies are currently beset by numerous contradictions, suggesting that the fundamental mechanisms of nanofluid boiling heat transfer are not yet well understood. Consequently application of these technologies has been limited in some aspects. Only a small number of patents related to nanofluid boiling heat transfer have thus far been reported in the literature. Based on the present review, future technological development and research requirements in this area are outlined in line with technical challenges. To utilize nanofluid boiling heat-transfer technologies for practical applications, more systematic and fundamental studies are required to understand the physical mechanisms involved.

Mitochondrial localization and regulation of BRAFV600E in thyroid cancer: a clinically used RAF inhibitor is unable to block the mitochondrial activities of BRAFV600E.

CONTEXT: The oncogenic BRAF(V600E) mutation results in an active structural conformation characterized by greatly elevated ERK activity. However, additional cellular effects caused by subcellular action of BRAF(V600E) remain to be identified. OBJECTIVE: To explore these effects, differences in the subcellular localization of wild-type and mutant BRAF in thyroid cancer were investigated. RESULTS: A significant proportion of endogenous and exogenous BRAF(V600E), but not wild-type BRAF, was detected in the mitochondrial fraction, similar to other BRAF mutants including BRAF(V600D), BRAF(V600K), BRAF(V600R), and BRAF(G469A), which showed elevated kinase activity and mitochondrial localization. Induced expression of BRAF(V600E) suppressed the apoptotic responses against staurosporine and TNFα/cycloheximide. Interestingly, the mitochondrial localization and antiapoptotic activities of BRAF(V600E) were unaffected by sorafenib and U0126 suppression of MAPK kinase (MEK) and ERK activities. Similarly, although the RAF inhibitor sorafenib effectively inhibited MEK/ERK activation, it did not block the mitochondrial localization of BRAF(V600E). In addition, inducible expression of BRAF(V600E) increased the glucose uptake rate and decreased O(2) consumption, suggesting that BRAF(V600E) reduces mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, a signature feature of cancer cells. Again, these metabolic alterations resulted by BRAF(V600E) expression were not affected by the treatment of thyroid cells by sorafenib. Therefore, RAF and MEK inhibitors are unable to block the antiapoptotic activity of BRAF(V600E) or correct the high glucose uptake rate and glycolytic activity and suppressed mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation induced by BRAF(V600E). CONCLUSIONS: The mitochondrial localization observed in oncogenic BRAF mutants might be related to their altered responses to apoptotic stimuli and characteristic metabolic phenotypes found in thyroid cancer. The inability of MEK and RAF inhibitors, U0126 and sorafenib, respectively, to block the mitochondrial localization of BRAF(V600E) has additional therapeutic implications for BRAF(V600E)-positive thyroid cancers.

Effects of manual lymph drainage on cardiac autonomic tone in healthy subjects.

This study was designed to investigate the effects of manual lymph drainage on the cardiac autonomic tone. Thirty-two healthy male subjects were randomly assigned to manual lymph drainage (MLD) (experimental) and rest (control) groups. Electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters were recorded with bipolar electrocardiography using standard limb lead positions. The pressure-pain threshold (PPT) was quantitatively measured using an algometer. Heart rate variability differed significantly between the experimental and control groups (p < 0.05), but the PPT in the upper trapezius muscle did not (p > 0.05). These findings indicate that the application of MLD was effective in reducing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system.

Point-of-care fluorescence immunoassay for prostate specific antigen.

BACKGROUND: Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is widely used as a clinical marker for diagnosis, screening, and prognosis of prostate cancer. A fluorescence (FL) dye-incorporated immunochromatographic assay (ICA) was developed for detection of PSA concentration in whole blood or serum. METHODS: Whole blood or serum mixed with FL-conjugated detector was loaded onto a cartridge and incubated for 12 min. The FL intensity of the cartridge was then measured in a laser FL scanner. The analytical performance of the FL-ICA system was evaluated by precision and recovery tests. The comparability of the new method was examined with an automated analyzer. RESULTS: A reliable correlation between area ratio (AT/AC), reflecting FL intensity of test/control line, and PSA concentration was observed (r=0.998). The CVs of intra- and inter-assay precision in a range of 2.5-8 microg/l were <6.0% and 4.5%, respectively, and analytical recovery of the FL-ICA system fell within 6.5% at the tested samples. When the FL-ICA method was compared with Abbott AxSYM and Bayer Centaur analyzers, there were strong correlations (r=0.993 and r=0.992, p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: The FL-ICA system with point-of-care-testing (POCT) appeared to be an easy, fast and suitable method for measurement of PSA concentration in whole blood, and needs no accessory equipment to separate serum.