Effect of the cultivation mode on red pigments production from Monascus ruber

In submerged cultures performed in chemically defined fermentation medium containing glucose and glutamate, the growth and production of water‐soluble red pigments and citrinin by the filamentous fungus Monascus ruber were studied under various carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratios. The specific production of the red pigments was optimal at a glucose/glutamate ratio of about 10 and then steadily decreased at higher C/N ratio. In contrast, the production of the mycotoxin increased with increased C/N with an optimum in the range of 30–45. In a fed‐batch mode, it was also found that the production of pigments was not favoured in fed‐batch mode by feeding the medium with glucose while keeping the C/N ratio lower than 10. This low production likely resulted from concurrent high accumulation of L‐malic acid that was reported to inhibit this production. In contrast, this mode of cultivation was rather favourable for the production of the mycotoxin.     

Environmentally friendly synthesis and photopolymerization of acrylated methyl ricinoleate for biomedical applications

In this study, we aimed to develop an efficient synthesis and photopolymerization of acrylated methyl ricinoleate (AMR) for biomedical applications. During the first step of the synthesis, methyl ricinoleate (MR) and boric acid were esterified via azeotropic distillation in toluene. Afterward, MR–boric acid ester was acrylated with acrylic acid at 165 °C via a boric acid ester acidolysis reaction. The bulk photopolymerization of AMR was performed in the presence of the photoinitiator 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenyl acetophenone (DMPA) under 365 nm UV irradiation. Even with the use of 0.4% DMPA, a 35% monomer conversion was achieved within 30 min. Moreover, AMR, the plant-oil-based monomer, was also copolymerized with N-isopropyl acrylamide to obtain thermoresponsive hydrogels on the glass surface for biomedical applications. The synthesized materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, and thermal characterization via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry techniques. The surfaces were characterized by FTIR and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDS) spectroscopy. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47969.     

Transparent niobate glass-ceramics for optical limiting

The construction of nonlinear optical materials featuring asymmetric transmission of light is of great technological importance for various applications, including optical switching and optical power limiting. A significant challenge is the scalable fabrication of material candidates with good photochemical stability, high optical transmittance, and excellent optical limiting performance. Here, we present a nanocrystallization avenue for constructing hybrid optical limiting materials that exhibit ultrafast and robust optical limiting performance. The experimental results show that the controllable relaxation of a niobate glass may lead to the clustering of Nb-O units and contracting of the bandgap. It results in the notable improvement in nonlinear optical properties, including the enhanced saturation irradiance (380 GW/cm²), doubly increased nonlinear coefficient, and decreased limiting threshold (200 GW/cm²). Our results suggest a promising material that exhibits promising applications for protecting eyes and sensitive components from laser-induced damage.     

Levelized cost of energy definition – An economic paradox

Using mean value theorem for integrals we show that the well-known LCOE definition is incorrect.     

Study on maximum power point tracking of photovoltaic array in irregular shadow

Traditional maximum power point tracking (MPPT) methods can hardly find global maximum power point (MPP) because output characteristics curve of photovoltaic (PV) array may have multi local maximum power points in irregular shadow, and thus easily fall into the local maximum power point. To address this drawback, Considering that sliding mode variable structure (SMVS) control strategy have such advantages as simple structure, fast response and strong robustness, and P&O method have the advantages of simple principle and convenient implementation, so a new algorithm combining SMVS control method and P&O method is proposed, besides, PI controller is applied to reduce system chattering caused by switching sliding surface. It is applied to MPPT control of PV array in irregular shadow to solve the problem of multi-peak optimization in partial shadow. In order to verity the rationality of the proposed algorithm, the experimental circuit is built, which achieves MPPT control by means of the proposed algorithm and P&O method. The experimental results show that compared with the traditional P&O algorithm, the proposed algorithm can fast track the global MPP, tracking speed increases by 60% and the relative error decreased by 20%. Moreover, the system becomes more stable near the MPP, the fluctuations of output power is greatly reduced, and thus make full use of solar energy.     

A probabilistic load shedding concept considering highly volatile local generation

Automatic load shedding is the ultimate countermeasure against imbalance in a power system and can effectively help preventing large blackouts. Taking into account a high penetration of renewable energy sources (RES) in the distribution grid, a clear distinction between load and generation at the PCC becomes increasingly more difficult. For that reason an adaptation of frequency relay parameters and their locations of installation are necessary. In Europe this is rest on a multi-step plan based on values such as the yearly peak load. In this paper a novel probabilistic method for automatic load shedding is presented that uses the average values instead of peak values for load shedding. Its applicability is verified by a dynamic power system model that was developed to compare the classical and novel probabilistic load shedding principle. The method is verified using data from a German TSO.     

Charge transport and recombination in heterostructure organic light emitting transistors

Light-emitting field effect transistors (LEFETs) are a class of organic optoelectronic device capable of simultaneously delivering the electrical switching characteristics of a transistor and the light emission of a diode. We report on the temperature dependence of the charge transport and emissive properties in a model organic heterostructure LEFET system from 300 K to 135 K. We study parameters such as carrier mobility, brightness, and external quantum efficiency (EQE), and observe clear thermally activated behaviour for transport and injection. Overall, the EQE increases with decreasing temperature and conversely the brightness decreases. These contrary effects can be explained by a higher recombination efficiency occurring at lower temperatures, and this insight delivers new knowledge concerning the optimisation of both the transport and emissive properties in LEFETs.     

基于学生群体心理测试系统的设计

心理测试的根本目的是为了让人们在测试过程中，产生某些特定行为，即个体对测试题目的反应，并根据这些行为反应来推论其相应的心理特性。在一定程度上帮助我们了解人类的心理活动，并从中得到帮助。因此，本文对基于学生群体心理测试系统的设计进行深入研究。