This paper proposes a new DC output voltage control for a battery energy storage system (BESS) with a lithium-ion battery based on the state of charge (SoC). The proposed control scheme was verified through computer simulations for a typical stand-alone DC microgrid, which consists of a BESS, photovoltaic (PV) panel, engine generator (EG), and DC load. A scaled hardware prototype for a stand-alone DC microgrid was set up in the lab, in which the proposed control scheme was loaded in a DSP controller. The experimental results were compared with the simulation results for performance verification. The proposed control scheme provides relatively lower variation of the DC grid voltage than the conventional droop control.

Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in many developed countries, and several studies suggest that vitamin D plays an essential role in brain function. A recent study showed that vitamin D deficiency was closely associated with daytime sleepiness and shorter sleep time. The relationshipbetween vitamin D levels and calcium levels is well established, and calcium level regulates slow-wave sleep generation. It is conceivable that the sleep disturbance in vitamin D deficiency may be due to an altered calcium level. Nonetheless, calcium levels, sleep disturbances, and activity rhythms have not been investigated directly. Therefore, we hypothesized that calcium and vitamin D levels might be important in regulating sleep and activity rhythm, and we analyzed the correlation with calcium levels by actigraphy analysis. Interestingly, a negative correlation was found between calcium level and sleep latency, total sleep time, use of sleep medicine, and daytime dysfunction among shift workers. In contrast, non-shift workers showed a negative correlation between the calcium level and the circadian phase. These findings suggest that low serum calcium levels may disrupt sleep–wake control and rest–activity rhythm, even if they are within the normal range.

Vitamin D plays an essential role in cognitive functions as well as regulating calcium homeostasis and the immune system. Many epidemiological studies have also shown the close relationship between vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and the risk of schizophrenia. Cortical gamma-band oscillations (GBO) are associated with cognitive functions, such as attention and memory. Patients with schizophrenia show abnormal GBO with increased spontaneous GBO and decreased evoked GBO. However, the direct effect of VDD on GBO remains unknown. Parvalbumin interneurons, which predominantly contribute to the generation of GBO, are surrounded by perineuronal nets (PNN). We sought to investigate the associations among VDD, PNN, and GBO. Here, we injected a viral vector (AAV5-DIO-ChR2-eYFP) into the basal forebrain stereotaxically and implanted electrodes for electroencephalogram (EEG). At baseline, the evoked and spontaneous EEG power at the gamma frequency band was measured in 4-month-old male PV-Cre mice. After six and twenty weeks of vitamin D deficient food administration, the power of GBO was measured in the VDD condition. Next, we injected the chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) enzyme into the frontal cortex to eliminate PNN. We found that the VDD group showed decreased power of both optogenetically- and auditory-evoked GBO, whereas the spontaneous GBO increased. Enzymatic digestion of PNN showed similar changes in GBO. Taken together, we suggest that VDD could result in decreased PNN and, consequently, increase the spontaneous GBO and decrease the evoked GBO, reminiscent of the aberrant GBO in schizophrenia. These results show that VDD might increase the risk of schizophrenia and aggravate the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia.

-In remote islands PV (Photo Voltaic) panel with BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) supplies electric power to the customers in parallel operation with EG (Engine Generator) to save fuel consumption and to mitigate environmental load. BESS operates in voltage control mode when it supplies power to the load alone, while it operates in current control mode when it supplies power to the load in parallel with EG. This paper proposes a smooth mode change scheme from current control to voltage control of BESS by adding proper initial value to the integral part of voltage control, and a smooth mode change scheme from voltage control to current control by tracking the EG output voltage to the BESS output voltage using PLL (Phase-Locked Loop). The feasibility of proposed schemes was verified through computer simulations with PSCAD/EMTDC, and the feasibility of actual hardware system was verified by experiments with scaled prototype. It was confirmed that the proposed schemes offer a seamless operation in the stand-alone power system in remote islands.

-This paper proposes a new output voltage control scheme based on the SoC variation of the battery energy storage system (BESS) applicable for the stand-alone DC microgrid. The proposed control scheme provides relatively lower variation of the DC grid voltage than the conventional droop method. The performance of proposed control scheme was verified through computer simulations for a typical stand-alone DC microgrid which consists of BESS, photo-voltaic (PV) panel, engine generator (EG), and DC load. A scaled hardware prototype for the stand-alone DC microgrid with DSP controller was set up in the lab, and the proposed control algorithm was installed in the DSP controller. The test results were compared with the simulation results for performance verification and actual system implementation.