Improving the aesthetics of photovoltaics through use of coloured encapsulants

Photovoltaics (solar cells) are important in the creation of sustainable architecture, but are difficult to integrate into a wide variety of architectural styles, which is necessary if this technology is to be extensively used. Adding variety to the colour range in these installations will provide a way of making this solar energy technology more visually exciting, so methods need to be found to add colour at minimal extra cost, without loss of efficiency. Adding colour to photovoltaic encapsulant materials offers a solution. It is shown that fluorescent, organic Lumogen dyes (BASF) can be added to the photovoltaic encapsulant materials Sylgard 184 (Dow Corning) and EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate). The dyes continue to fluoresce within these host materials. Encapsulating a photovoltaic cell with Sylgard containing Lumogen red 300 dye (BASF) demonstrates that light can be transported to a photovoltaic cell by the fluorescent dyes inside the encapsulant material that surrounds the cell. This slightly improves the electricity output from the photovoltaic cell, and is especially promising for use in light-transmissive photovoltaic arrays incorporating widely-spaced photovoltaic cells, such as architectural glass art that incorporates photovoltaics. Further work is needed to test and improve the performance of the dyes over time, to ensure that installations incorporating this technology can last for the minimum twenty years that is the current industry standard for photovoltaics

Luminescent solar concentrators: From experimental validation of 3D ray-tracing simulations to coloured stained-glass windows for BIPV

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSC) are a promising technology for building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) given the wide variety of forms and colours that can be realised. Given the flexibility of the technology, the use of ray-trace modelling is indispensable in the design, performance evaluation, and optimisation of LSCs. This work begins by comparing a three dimensional (3D) ray-trace model of an LSC with experimental results. The study includes 70 samples – both square and circular LSCs, containing five different fluorescent organic dyes (BASF Lumogen) each at seven different concentrations. The figure-of-merit used for performance evaluation was the average power density determined at the LSC edge sheet, measured using an optical fibre connected to a spectrometer. The results demonstrate that 3D ray-trace results gives good agreement with the experimental measurements, to within around ±5% within a wide concentration range (optical density=0.05–8) and a maximum difference of ±13%. The wide range of colours achieved is presented in a CIE chart. Overall, the validated experimental results give confidence in the use of modelling for future larger LSCs for BIPV. Therefore, based on these results and the colours achievable, a model of a stained-glass window is constructed and its performance throughout a solar day is simulated

Comparison of Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties of Five Plants with Anti-Diabetes and Anti-Cancer Potential

\ua9 2025 by the authors.Polyphenols and flavonoids are bioactive organic compounds extracted from medicinal plants. They exhibit significant antioxidant and antibacterial properties, which help fight several chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cancer. Numerous therapeutic effects and a broad spectrum of biological activities are exhibited by the following five medicinal plants traditionally utilized in medicine for the treatment of diabetes and cancer: Ginger, ephedra alata, ajuga iva, nettle, and graviola (annona muricata). The objective of the present study is to examine ethanolic and aqueous extracts exhaustively obtained from these plants through decoction and maceration using ethanol, with particular emphasis on the content of total polyphenols and flavonoids, and to evaluate their in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial potential. The antibacterial effect was assessed on the strains Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The study was complemented by an FTIR analysis of the different extracts. The results indicate that for ginger, graviola, and ajuga iva, as opposed to ephedra alata, maceration appears to be the more efficacious technique compared to decoction. The highest yield (27.465%) was observed in the case of the ethanolic extract of ginger. Ethanolic extracts contain higher concentrations of polyphenols and flavonoids than aqueous extracts. The aqueous extracts of ajuga iva and nettle demonstrate the highest inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria

Discrimination between Alzheimer dementia and controls by automated analysis of multicenter FDG PET

A new diagnostic indicator of FDG PET scan abnormality, based on age-adjusted t statistics and an automated voxel-based procedure, is presented and validated in a large data set comprising 110 normal controls and 395 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) that were studied in eight participating centers. The effect of differences in spatial resolution of PET scanners was minimized effectively by filtering and masking. In controls FDG uptake declined significantly with age in anterior cingulate and frontolateral perisylvian cortex. In patients with probable AD decline of FDG uptake in posterior cingulate, temporoparietal, and prefrontal association cortex was related to dementia severity. These effects were clearly distinct from age effects in controls, suggesting that the disease process of AD is not related to normal aging. Women with probable AD had significantly more frontal metabolic impairment than men. The new indicator of metabolic abnormality in AD-related regions provided 93% sensitivity and specificity for distinction of mild to moderate probable AD from normals, and 84% sensitivity at 93% specificity for detection of very mild probable AD (defined by Mini Mental Score 24 or better). All regions related to AD severity were already affected in very mild AD, suggesting that all vulnerable areas are affected to a similar degree already at disease onset. Ventromedial frontal cortex was also abnormal. In conclusion, automated analysis of multicenter FDG PET is feasible, provides insights into AD pathophysiology, and can be used potentially as a sensitive biomarker for early AD diagnosis. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA)

The Suitable Power Control of Wind Energy Conversion System based doubly Fed Induction Generator

The aim of this paper is to propose different methods of control for a Doubly-Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) used in wind energy conversion systems. This paper presents a comparative study on the performance of three control methods for DFIG wind turbine. The study focuses on the regulation of the active and reactive power exchanged between the generator and the grid by the generator inverter using the control algorithm based on vector control concept (stator flux orientation), with classical PI controllers: proportional–integral. The different methods of control for the generator are simulated in MATLAB / SIMULINK and discussed. Therefore, we conclude which is a suitable control of DFIG in Wind Energy Conversion System

Pratiques sanitaires en élevage ovin et caprin dans les Grands Causses et impact sur les populations de rapaces nécrophages

LYON1-BU Santé (693882101) / SudocSudocFranceF

Validation of the French translation of the Glasgow Outcome Scale–Extended, Pediatric version (GOS-E Peds): Clinical utility in assessing outcome in children and adolescents following acquired brain injury (ABI)

IntroductionThe GOS-E Pediatric version allows measuring overall outcome in children and adolescents following ABI. Scores range from 1: upper good recovery, to 7: vegetative state.ObjectivesTo validate the French translation of the GOS-E Peds in children with (ABI) of various severity and stages post-injury.MethodsThe GOS-E Peds was used in a PMR department devoted to children with ABI, in three groups of patients: (1) patients shortly hospitalised post-ABI: GOS-E Peds was rated upon admission, at 3 and 6 months post-injury; (2) patients several years post-injury, requiring services of a multi-disciplinary outreach team; (3) patients followed-up on simple medical clinics. The type and severity of ABI were collected.Results398 patients were included [2/3 boys; mean age at injury 6 years (SD=4)]. In group 1 (n=124), mean (SD) GOS-E Peds scores were 5.9(.77) upon admission, 5.12(1.2) at 3 months (n=99) and 4.88(1.45) at 6 months (n=83); scores were significantly worse in case of hemiplegia (66%). GOS-E Peds improved over time (0–3 months P<0.0001; 3–6 months, P=0.001). Although age at injury was not correlated with initial rating of GOS-E Peds (r=–.18), younger age at injury was correlated to worse GOS-E Peds scores at 3 and 6 months (r=–.3 and–.44; P<0.001). In group 2, 101 patients were cross-sectionally assessed by the outreach team in April 2014 [mean age 14.8 (SD=4) years]. Mean GOS-E Peds was 3.95 (SD=1.4). Factors influencing GOS-E Peds were presence of cerebellar signs, younger age at injury (r=–.29; P=0.003) and lower intellectual ability (r=–.27; P=0.008). In group 3, 173 patients consecutively seen in clinics were assessed [mean age 10.4 years (SD=4.5)]. Mean GOS-E Peds score was 3.3 (SD=1.5). Presence of hemiplegia and cerebellar signs were significantly related to GOS-E Peds scores. Duration of coma, presence of diffuse brain injury and epilepsy negatively influenced GOS-E Peds scores in the three groups.ConclusionsThe GOS-E Peds has good sensitivity to change, and higher levels when children need a multi-disciplinary outreach team in the long-term, than when they require simple clinic follow-up. Young age at injury, diffuse brain injury, epilepsy, motor impairments, and intellectual ability all significantly influence overall outcome