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Background The primary aim of this study was to assess if there was a sex difference in reaction time.Methods Young males and females were tested for sustained attention and reaction time (i.e. Psychomotor Vigilance Test or PVT). Data is expressed as the mean and standard deviation. An unpaired t-test was used to determine if significant differences existed between males and females.Results Males were significantly different vis-a-vis height, weight, and percentage of body fat (Table 1). Furthermore, males demonstrated a faster reaction time than females (Figure 1).Conclusions Males demonstrate a faster reaction time than females as assessed by the PVT.

Water scarcity is a relevant issue whose impact can be mitigated through sustainable solutions. Humidification–dehumidification (HDH) cycles powered by photovoltaic thermal (PVT) modules enable pure water production in remote areas. In this study, models have been developed and validated for the main components of the system, the humidifier and the dehumidifier. A unique HDH-PVT prototype was built and experimentally tested at the SolarTech Lab of Politecnico di Milano in Milan, Italy. The experimental system is a Closed Air Closed Water—Water Heated (CACW-WH) that mimics a Closed Air Open Water—Water Heated (CAOW-WH) cycle through brine cooling, pure water mixing, and recirculation, avoiding a continuous waste of water. Tests were performed varying the mass flow ratio (MR) between 0.346 and 2.03 during summer and autumn in 2023 and 2024. The experimental results enabled the verification of the developed models. The optimal system performance was obtained for an MR close to 1 and a maximum cycle temperature of 44 °C, enabling a 0.51 gain output ratio (GOR) and 0.72% recovery ratio (RR). The electrical and thermal energy generation of the PVT modules satisfied the whole consumption of the system enabling pure water production exploiting only the solar resource available. The PVT-HDH system proved the viability of the proposed solution for a sustainable self-sufficient desalination system in remote areas, thus successfully addressing water scarcity issues exploiting a renewable energy source.

This paper presents a detailed numerical modeling of a hybrid photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) unit combined with a TEG (thermoelectric generator), focusing on two key performance indicators: profit and CO 2 mitigation (CM). The study investigates how the unit's electrical and thermal outputs vary with different geometrical configurations of the cooling duct's cross sections. Four distinct geometries—circular, elliptical, triangular, and square—were analyzed, with results highlighting the effects of these shapes on system performance. The cooling medium used in the ducts is a hybrid nanofluid composed of copper and aluminum oxide nanoparticles suspended in water. This hybrid nanofluid was selected for its enhanced heat transfer properties, which directly impact the system's efficiency. The findings reveal that among the examined geometries, the triangular duct provides the best overall performance in terms of both profit and CM. Transitioning from a circular to a triangular duct results in a profit increase of approximately 2.58%, while CM improves by around 2.14%. Furthermore, increasing the inlet velocity of the coolant within the duct contributes to further gains, with profits and CM both enhanced by approximately 6% and 5%, respectively. The importance of current work lies in its demonstration that optimizing the cooling duct geometry, coupled with the use of hybrid nanofluids, can substantially improve both the economic and environmental performance of PVT-TEG systems.

This study presents a comparative analysis of the annual performances of stationary and dual-axis sun-tracked photovoltaic–thermal (PVT) systems. The experimental research was conducted at a demonstration site in Oświęcim, Poland, where both systems were evaluated in terms of electricity and heat production. The test installation consisted of thirty stationary PVT modules and five dual-axis sun-tracking systems, each equipped with six PV modules. An innovative cooling system was developed for the PVT modules, consisting of a surface-mounted heat sink installed on the rear side of each panel. The system includes embedded tubes through which a cooling fluid circulates, enabling efficient heat recovery. The results indicated that the stationary PVT system outperformed a conventional fixed PV installation, whose expected output was estimated using PVGIS data. Specifically, the stationary PVT system generated 26.1 kWh/m2 more electricity annually, representing a 14.8% increase. The sun-tracked PVT modules yielded even higher gains, producing 42% more electricity than the stationary system, with particularly notable improvements during the autumn and winter seasons. After accounting for the electricity consumed by the tracking mechanisms, the sun-tracked PVT system still delivered a 34% higher net electricity output. Moreover, it enhanced the thermal energy output by 85%. The findings contribute to the ongoing development of high-performance PVT systems and provide valuable insights for their optimal deployment in various climatic conditions, supporting the broader integration of renewable energy technologies in building energy systems.

Drying is one of the most energy-intensive industrial processes, often resulting in excessive energy consumption and inconsistent product quality. This study experimentally investigated a photovoltaic–thermal (PVT) porous solar dryer, designed to overcome these limitations by enhancing heat utilization and improving drying performance. The system integrates a PVT panel, a double-pass solar collector, and porous materials to enhance thermal and drying performance. Experiments were conducted under humid tropical conditions to dry kaffir lime leaves at air velocities of 0.07, 0.09, and 0.10 m/s using porous materials with a porosity of 0.98. Results showed that applying porous materials markedly improved drying performance. The drying rate increased by 39–44%, while specific energy consumption (SEC) decreased by 28–30% compared to without porous. The drying process mainly occurred in the falling-rate period, governed by internal diffusion. Statistical analyses using two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD confirmed that both air velocity (p < 0.05) and porous material (p < 0.01) significantly affected performance, with the porous material being the dominant factor. The observed enhancements resulted from increased turbulence, an expanded heat-transfer surface, and improved thermal retention, leading to stable drying temperatures and efficient convective heat exchange. The PVT-porous dryer maintained high efficiency even under low airflow conditions, demonstrating reduced sensitivity to air velocity. Porous materials were thus identified as crucial design elements for optimizing drying efficiency and supporting the utilization of renewable energy. This study provides valuable insights into sustainable agricultural drying, contributing to enhanced energy efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions under tropical climatic conditions

Many studies and considerable international efforts have gone into reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This study was carried out to improve the efficiency of flat-plate photovoltaic thermal (PVT) systems, which use solar energy to produce heat and electricity simultaneously. An efficiency analysis was performed with various flow rates of water as the working fluid. The flow rate, which affects the performance of the PVT system, showed the highest efficiency at 3 L/min compared with 1, 2, and 4 L/min. Additionally, the effects of nanofluids (CuO/water, Al2O3/water) and water as working fluids on the efficiency of the PVT system were investigated. The results showed that the thermal and electrical efficiencies of the PVT system using CuO/water as a nanofluid were increased by 21.30% and 0.07% compared to the water-based system, respectively. However, the increase in electrical efficiency was not significant because this increase may be due to measurement errors. The PVT system using Al2O3/water as a nanofluid improved the thermal efficiency by 15.14%, but there was no difference in the electrical efficiency between water and Al2O3/water-based systems.

Methamphetamine (METH) is a commonly abused psychostimulant with a high addictive nature. The paraventricular nucleus of thalamus (PVT), a key nucleus for arousal, has attracted much attention in the reward process of substance use. However, at which stage dose the PVT encode the reward process? How to reduce the side-effects of modulating PVT on wakefulness during the treatment of substance use? These issues remain unclear. The goal of the current study is to explore the role of the PVT and the glutamatergic projections from medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) to PVT in the reward process of METH. Here, the conditioned place preference (CPP) was used to assess the reward process of METH in male mice, combined with methods of c-Fos mapping, virus-based neural tracing, patch-clamp recording, EEG-EMG recordings, optogenetics and designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs ( ). The glutamatergic neurons in PVT (PVT ) were triggered during METH CPP-Test, rather than by METH CPP-Training. Suppressing either PVT or glutamatergic projection from mPFC to PVT efficiently disrupted the acquisition of METH CPP in male mice, mainly mediated by the GluN2A subunit of NMDA receptor. Further, inhibition of PVT affected the rhythm of EEG-EMG, whereas inhibition of glutamatergic projection from mPFC to PVT did not. PVT is involved in the reward process of METH at the retrieval stage of METH-conditioned context, rather than at the stage of encoding association between METH and context. The glutamatergic projections from mPFC to PVT, especially the GluN2A molecule, may be a promising therapeutic target for reducing METH reward, as there are no significant side effects on wakefulness.

The influence of sleep environments on sleep quality is well-established; however, the specific role of mattress design remains underexplored. Existing studies focus primarily on ergonomic aspects, such as pressure relief and spinal support, yet lack conclusive evidence linking these features to improved sleep quality. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of mattress firmness on sleep quality. Twelve participants with a moderate body mass index (BMI) were tested across three levels of mattress firmness: soft (32.6 HA), medium (64.6 HA), and firm (83.8 HA). Sleep architecture and neurophysiological activity were assessed using polysomnography (PSG), with EEG-derived features, including power spectral characteristics, sleep spindle activity, and slow-wave parameters, further analyzed. Our findings indicate that a medium-firm mattress provides better sleep quality, reflected in a narrower range (Range=xmax-xmin) of sleep duration, efficiency, and sleep latency, as well as increased sleep spindle activity. A repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant effect of mattress type on sleep latency (p < 0.05, partial η²=0.26), with sleep latency being longer on the soft mattress (12.42 ± 1.94 min) than the medium mattress (7.71 ± 1.31 min, p < 0.05). Another repeated-measures ANOVA showed significant differences in stage transitions (p < 0.05, partial η²=0.32), with more transitions on the soft mattress (29.17 ± 2.35) compared to the firm mattress (21.75 ± 2.13, p < 0.05). The firm mattress yielded mixed results, suggesting suitability for some individuals but not universally. Post-sleep vigilance differences were not statistically significant. This study provides evidence that mattress firmness significantly influences sleep quality, with medium firmness offering optimal outcomes for individuals with a moderate BMI. The findings contribute to the development of scientifically informed mattress designs, including smart mattresses aimed at improving sleep quality.

A photovoltaic thermal (PVT) system is a technology that combines photovoltaics (PV) and a solar thermal collector to produce thermal energy and generate electricity. PVT systems have the advantage that the energy output per unit area is higher than the single use of a PV module or solar thermal collector, since both heat and electricity can be produced and used simultaneously. Air-based PVT collectors use air as the heat transfer medium and flow patterns are important factors that affect the performance of the PVT collector. In this study, the thermal and electrical performance and characteristics of an air-based PVT collector were analyzed through experiments. The PVT collector, with bending round-shaped heat-absorbing plates, which increase the air flow path, has been developed to improve the thermal performance. The experiment was done under the test conditions of ISO 9806:2017 for the thermal performance analysis of an air-based PVT collector. The electrical performance was analyzed under the same conditions. In the results, it can be found that the inlet flow rate of the PVT collector considerably affects the thermal efficiency. It was analyzed that as the inlet flow rate increased from 60 to 200 m3/h, the thermal efficiency increased from 29% to 42%. Then, the electricity efficiency was also analyzed, where it was determined that it was improved according to operating condition of PVT collector.

Solar energy has been one of the accessible and affordable renewable energy technologies for the last few decades. Photovoltaics and solar thermal collectors are mature technologies to harness solar energy. However, the efficiency of photovoltaics decays at increased operating temperatures, and solar thermal collectors suffer from low exergy. Furthermore, along with several financial, structural, technical and socio-cultural barriers, the limited shadow-free space on building rooftops has significantly affected the adoption of solar energy. Thus, Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) collectors that combine the advantages of photovoltaic cells and solar thermal collector into a single system have been developed. This study gives an extensive review of different PVT systems for residential applications, their performance indicators, progress, limitations and research opportunities. The literature review indicated that PVT systems used air, water, bi-fluids, nanofluids, refrigerants and phase-change material as the cooling medium and are sometimes integrated with heat pumps and seasonal energy storage. The overall efficiency of a PVT system reached up to 81% depending upon the system design and environmental conditions, and there is generally a trade-off between thermal and electrical efficiency. The review also highlights future research prospects in areas such as materials for PVT collector design, long-term reliability experiments, multi-objective design optimisation, techno-exergo-economics and photovoltaic recycling.