There can be a significant discrepancy between predicted and measured power conversion efficiency when using piezoelectric polymers for thermal energy harvesting. The influence of temperature and strain on electrical parameters can impact overall performances. We report the temperature and strain dependence of PVDF dielectric constant and losses and their impact on power conversion efficiency o...

Brazil nut, the Bertholletia excelsa seed, is one of the most important non-timber forest products in the Amazon Forest and the livelihoods of thousands of traditional Amazonian families depend on its commercialization. B. excelsa has been frequently cited as an indicator of anthropogenic forests and there is strong evidence that past human management has significantly contributed to its presen...

BACKGROUND Previous studies suggest that humans can acquire immunity to reinfection with schistosomes, most probably due to immunologic mechanisms acquired after exposure to dying schistosome worms. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We followed longitudinally two cohorts of adult males occupationally exposed to Schistosoma mansoni by washing cars (120 men) or harvesting sand (53 men) in Lake Vic...

Pyroelectric energy conversion is a novel energy process which directly transforms waste heat energy from cyclic heating into electricity via the pyroelectric effect. Application of a periodic temperature profile to pyroelectric cells is necessary to achieve temperature variation rates for generating an electrical output. The critical consideration in the periodic temperature profile is the fre...

More than a decade of research in the field of thermal, motion, vibration and electromagnetic radiation energy harvesting has yielded increasing power output and smaller embodiments. Power management circuits for rectification and DC–DC conversion are becoming able to efficiently convert the power from these energy harvesters. This paper summarizes recent energy harvesting results and their pow...

This paper proposes collision-free structure using NdFeB thin-film magnet for vibration energy harvesters. By using stripe shaped NdFeB magnet array on the Si MEMS structure, we finally obtained 3 mN of magnetic repulsive force on 8 × 8 mm specimen with 40 μm air-gap.

BACKGROUND Although leptospirosis is a reemerging zoonosis of global importance, outbreaks related to agricultural exposures are primarily situated in tropical countries. In July 2007, a suspected leptospirosis outbreak was recognized among strawberry harvesters from Eastern Europe who were working in Germany. An investigation was initiated to identify the outbreak source and the risk factors f...

Sensors, communication systems and geo-reference units are required to achieve an optimized management of agricultural inputs with respect to the economic and environmental aspects of olive groves. In this study, three commercial olive harvesters were tracked during two harvesting seasons in Spain and Chile using remote and autonomous equipment that was developed to determine their time efficie...

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