The effects of pH value on crystal size and optical property of zinc oxide nanoparticles prepared by chemical precipitation method were investigated.Prepared samples have been characterized by means of X-ray diffracti...The effects of pH value on crystal size and optical property of zinc oxide nanoparticles prepared by chemical precipitation method were investigated.Prepared samples have been characterized by means of X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy,ultraviolet-visible spectrometer and photoluminescence spectrometer.From X-ray diffraction profile,it is found that the particle size of sample increases from 13.8 to 33 nm when the pH value of the solution was increased from 6 to 13.Microstructural study also shows that the particle size increases with pH value.Hexagonal shape of the zinc oxide nanoparticle has been confirmed by the scanning electron microscopy image.The recorded ultraviolet-visible spectrum shows excitonic absorption peaks around 381 nm.The energy gap of the prepared samples has been determined from the ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum,effective mass model equation and Tauc＇s relation.It was found that the energy gap of the prepared samples decreases with increase in pH value.The recorded blue shift confirmed the quantum confinement effect in the prepared zinc oxide samples.Photoluminescence spectrum infers that the increase in pH value shifts the ultraviolet-visible emission but not the violet and green emissions.展开更多
Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor(PNET) of the kidney is a rare, aggressive tumor known for its recurrence and metastatic potential. Despite the frequency of venous extension to the renal veins and inferior v...Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor(PNET) of the kidney is a rare, aggressive tumor known for its recurrence and metastatic potential. Despite the frequency of venous extension to the renal veins and inferior vena cava, pulmonary tumor embolism at the initial presentation is not common. We report a case of 22-year-old female with PNET of the kidney who presented with tumor embolism in the inferior vena cava(IVC) and bilateral pulmonary artery. The patient underwent surgical resection and histopathological analysis confirmed the presence of tumor within the IVC and pulmonary arteries. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy and is currently doing well on follow-up.展开更多
The experimental research programs of 1950s, to understand the adsorption of CO on W surfaces, changed to ab initio studies in 2000s. The goals were to seek improved practical applications. Most of the studies were ba...The experimental research programs of 1950s, to understand the adsorption of CO on W surfaces, changed to ab initio studies in 2000s. The goals were to seek improved practical applications. Most of the studies were based on density functional theory. Many studies also used programs, such as VASP (Vienna Abinitio simulation package) and CPMD. The computational procedures used plane wave approximations. This needed studies with selection of K points and cutoff energy selection to assure convergence in energy calculations. Observations and analysis of papers published from 2006 to 2022 indicate that the cutoff energies were selected arbitrarily without any needed convergence studies. By selecting a published 2006 paper, this paper has clearly showed that an arbitrary selection of cutoff energy, such as 460 eV, is not in the range of, cutoff energies that assure convergence of energy calculations, with ab initio methods and have indicated correction procedures. .展开更多
Pomegranate rind is abundantly available as a waste material. Pomegranate Rind Extract (PRE) can be applied to cotton fabrics for its natural colours, as a mordanting agent and also for imparting certain functional pr...Pomegranate rind is abundantly available as a waste material. Pomegranate Rind Extract (PRE) can be applied to cotton fabrics for its natural colours, as a mordanting agent and also for imparting certain functional properties such as fire retardancy and antimicrobial properties. This paper reviews the feasibility of Pomegranate Rind Extract to improve the functional properties of cellulosic fabrics. Studies show that varying concentrations and higher temperatures that were used to apply the extract on the fabric, resulted in enhanced functional properties. At a particular concentration, the treated fabric showed a 15 times lower burning rate in comparison with the control fabric. Also, antimicrobial efficacy has been observed against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Due to the natural colouring material, it can be used as a natural dye on cotton material. The fire retardancy of pomegranate rind extract was tested on jute material under varying alkalinity. Research has indicated that pomegranate rind extract could be used to dye polyamide as well. The rubbing and wash fastness of the finished fabrics is good. The light fastness was fair, and its antibacterial efficiency against tested bacteria was good.展开更多
Dry-spun Carbon Nanotube(CNT)fibers were surface-modified by atmospheric pressure oxygen plasma functionalization using a well controlled and continuous process.The fibers were characterized by scanning electron micro...Dry-spun Carbon Nanotube(CNT)fibers were surface-modified by atmospheric pressure oxygen plasma functionalization using a well controlled and continuous process.The fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),Raman spectroscopy,and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy(XPS).It was found from the conducted electrochemical measurements that the functionalized fibers showed a 132.8% increase in specific capacitance compared to non-functionalized fibers.Dye-adsorption test and the obtained Randles-Sevcik plot demonstrated that the oxygen plasma functionalized fibers exhibited increased surface area.It was further established by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET)measurements that the surface area of the CNT fibers was increased from 168.22 m^2/g to 208.01 m^2/g after plasma functionalization.The pore size distribution of the fibers was also altered by this processing.The improved electrochemical data was attributed to enhanced wettability,increased surface area,and the presence of oxygen functional groups,which promoted the capacitance of the fibers.Fiber supercapacitors were fabricated from the oxygen plasma functionalized CNT fiber electrodes using different electrolyte systems.The devices with functionalized electrodes exhibited excellent cyclic stability(93.2% after 4000 cycles),flexibility,bendability,and good energy densities.At 0.5 m A/cm^2,the EMIMBF4 device revealed a specific capacitance,which is 27% and 65%greater than the specific capacitances of devices using EMIMTFSI and H2SO4 electrolytes,respectively.The practiced in this work plasma surface processing can be employed in other applications where fibers,yarns,ribbons,and sheets need to be chemically modified.展开更多
AIM: To seek and analyze features suggestive of gallbladder cancer(GBC) on preoperative imaging and intraoperative findings in patients diagnosed as having incidental GBC(IGBC). METHODS: The study was conducted on 79 ...AIM: To seek and analyze features suggestive of gallbladder cancer(GBC) on preoperative imaging and intraoperative findings in patients diagnosed as having incidental GBC(IGBC). METHODS: The study was conducted on 79 patients of IGBC managed in our department over a 10-year period(2003-2012). Review of preoperative imaging and operative notes was done to ascertain any suspicion of malignancy-in-retrospect.RESULTS: Of the 79 patients, Ultrasound abdomen showed diffuse thickening, not suspicious of malignancy in 5 patients, and diffuse suspicious thickening was seen in 4 patients. Focal thickening suspicious of malignancy was present in 24 patients. Preoperative computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging was done in 9 patients for suspicion of malignancy. In 5 patients, dif-ficult Cholecystectomy was encountered due to dense/inflammatory adhesions. Intraoperative findings showed focal thickening of the gallbladder and a gallbladder mass in 9 and 17 patients respectively. On overall analysis, 37 patients had preoperative imaging or intraoperative findings suggestive of malignancy, which was either a missed GBC or an unsuspected/unexpected GBC. In 42(53.2%) patients, there was no evidence suggestive of malignancy and was an unanticipated diagnosis.CONCLUSION: Our study highlights a potential and not-so-rare pitfall of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy. A greater awareness of this clinical entity along with a high index of suspicion and a low threshold for conversion to open procedure, especially in endemic areas may avert avoidable patient morbidity and mortality.展开更多
The emergence of the Internet of Things(IoT)has triggered a massive digital transformation across numerous sectors.This transformation requires efficient wireless communication and connectivity,which depend on the opt...The emergence of the Internet of Things(IoT)has triggered a massive digital transformation across numerous sectors.This transformation requires efficient wireless communication and connectivity,which depend on the optimal utilization of the available spectrum resource.Given the limited availability of spectrum resources,spectrum sharing has emerged as a favored solution to empower IoT deployment and connectivity,so adequate planning of the spectrum resource utilization is thus essential to pave the way for the next generation of IoT applications,including 5G and beyond.This article presents a comprehensive study of prevalent wireless technologies employed in the field of the spectrum,with a primary focus on spectrum-sharing solutions,including shared spectrum.It highlights the associated security and privacy concerns when the IoT devices access the shared spectrum.This survey examines the benefits and drawbacks of various spectrum-sharing technologies and their solutions for various IoT applications.Lastly,it identifies future IoT obstacles and suggests potential research directions to address them.展开更多
Introduction Ectopic pregnancy(EP)poses significant health risks,particularly in developing nations,necessitating improved diagnostic methods.This study aimed to explore potential biomarkers for EP diagnosis.Methods A...Introduction Ectopic pregnancy(EP)poses significant health risks,particularly in developing nations,necessitating improved diagnostic methods.This study aimed to explore potential biomarkers for EP diagnosis.Methods A case-control study was conducted at the Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research,Chennai,Tamil Nadu.It included 140 EP cases and 140 pregnant controls,aged 19-38 years,attending routine visits.Serum samples were analysed for beta-human chorionic gonadotropin,progesterone,soluble tms-like tyrosine kinase-1(sFLT-1)and eight microRNAs(miRs).Results Ditferential expression of biomarkers was observed in EP cases.Four miRs(hsa-miR-141,hsa-miR-218,hsa-miR-519d and hsa-miR-873)were downregulated,and four miRs(hsa-miR-223.hsa-miR-517a,hsa-miR-523 and hsa-miR-323-3p)were upregulated.Statistically significant expression fold changes were noted(p<0.05).except for hsa-miR-141 and hsa-miR-218.miR-519d exhibited promising diagnostic potential with the highest specificity(97.1%)and a sensitivity of 47.1%.sFLT-1,as an individual marker,demonstrated a sensitivity of 98.6% and a specificity of 90%.The combination of sFLT-1 and miR-519d significantly enhanced the sensitivity to 100% with a specificity of 87.1%.Conclusions The combination of miR-519d and sFLT-1 emerges as a promising diagnostic tool for EP,offering a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 87.1%.These findings underscore the potential of biomarker-based approaches in improving EP diagnosis,especially in resource-limited settings.Further validation and clinical implementation studies are warranted to corroborate these findings and enhance EP management strategies.展开更多
Numerical predictions are made for Laminar Forced convection heat transfer with and without buoyancy effects for Supercritical Nitrogen flowing over an isothermal horizontal flat plate with a heated surface facing dow...Numerical predictions are made for Laminar Forced convection heat transfer with and without buoyancy effects for Supercritical Nitrogen flowing over an isothermal horizontal flat plate with a heated surface facing downwards.Computations are performed by varying the value ofΔT from5 to 30 K and P_(∞)/P_(cr)ratio from1.1 to 1.5.Variation of all the thermophysical properties of supercritical Nitrogen is considered.The wall temperatures are chosen in such a way that two values of Tw are less than T∗(T*is the temperature at which the fluid has a maximum value of Cp for the given pressure),one value equal to T∗and two values greater than T∗.Three different values of U∞are used to obtain Re∞range of 3.6×10_(4)to 4.74×10^(5)for forced convection without buoyancy effects and Gr_(∞)/Re^(2)_(∞)range of 0.011 to 3.107 for the case where buoyancy effects are predominant.Six different forms of correlations are proposed based on numerical predictions and are compared with actual numerical predictions.It has been found that in all six forms of correlations,the maximum deviations are found to occur in those cases where the pseudocritical temperature TT∗lies between the wall temperature and bulk fluid temperature.展开更多
The slagging/fouling due to the accession of fireside deposits on the steam boilers decreases boiler efficiency and availability which leads to unexpected shut-downs. Since it is inevitably associated with the three m...The slagging/fouling due to the accession of fireside deposits on the steam boilers decreases boiler efficiency and availability which leads to unexpected shut-downs. Since it is inevitably associated with the three major factors namely the fuel characteristics, boiler operating conditions and ash behavior, this serious slagging/fouling may be reduced by varying the above three factors. The research develops a generic slagging/fouling prediction tool based on hybrid fuzzy clustering and Artificial Neural Networks (FCANN). The FCANN model presents a good accuracy of 99.85% which makes this model fast in response and easy to be updated with lesser time when compared to single ANN. The comparison between predictions and observations is found to be satisfactory with less input parameters. This should be capable of giving relatively quick responses while being easily implemented for various furnace types.展开更多
Renewable fuels have many advantages over fossil fuels because they are biodegradable and sustainable,and help mitigate social and environmental problems.The objective of the present study is to evaluate the performan...Renewable fuels have many advantages over fossil fuels because they are biodegradable and sustainable,and help mitigate social and environmental problems.The objective of the present study is to evaluate the performance,combustion,and emission characteristics of a compression–ignition engine using hydrogen compressed natural gas(HCNG)-enriched Kusum seed biodiesel blend(KSOBD20).The flow rate of HCNG was set at 5 L/min,10 L/min,and 15 L/min,and the injection pressure was varied in the range of 180 bar to 240 bar.Brake thermal efficiency(BTE)and brake-specific fuel consumption(BSFC)were improved when HCNG was added to the KSOBD20.Combustion characteristics,namely,cylinder pressure(CP)and net heat release rate(NHRR),were also improved.Emissions of carbon monoxide(CO),hydrocarbons(HC),and smoke were also reduced,with the exception of nitrogen oxides(NO_(x)).The higher injection pressure(240 bar)had a positive effect on the operating characteristics.At an injection pressure of 240 bar,for KSOB20+15 L/min HCNG,the highest BTE and the lowest BSFC were found to be 32.09%and 0.227 kg/kWh,respectively.Also,the CP and NHRR were 69.34 bar and 66.04 J/°.CO,HC,and smoke levels were finally reduced to 0.013%,47×10^(-6)and 9%,respectively,with NO_(x)levels at 1623×10^(-6).For optimum results in terms of engine characteristics,the fuel combination KSOBD20+15 L/min HCNG at FIP 240 bar is recommended.展开更多
In this paper, numerical simulation of shock induced chemical reactions of a thermite mixture of binary energetic material, aluminum and iron oxide, are discussed. To initiate the chemical reactions, the impact or the...In this paper, numerical simulation of shock induced chemical reactions of a thermite mixture of binary energetic material, aluminum and iron oxide, are discussed. To initiate the chemical reactions, the impact or the shockwave should supply the energy to take the reactants, aluminum and iron oxide, to the transition state. Thus, for any numerical simulation of the shock or impact induced chemical reaction in a continuum or mesoscale, it is necessary to identify the transition state. The transition state for the thermite mixture, of aluminum and iron oxide, is identified in this paper and a result from a numerical simulation of the shock induced chemical reaction, in a continuum scale is presented.展开更多
Multi-Area Multi-Fuel Economic Dispatch (MAMFED) aims to allocate the best generation schedule in each area and to offer the best power transfers between different areas by minimizing the objective functions among the...Multi-Area Multi-Fuel Economic Dispatch (MAMFED) aims to allocate the best generation schedule in each area and to offer the best power transfers between different areas by minimizing the objective functions among the available fuel alternatives for each unit while satisfying various constraints in power systems. In this paper, a Fuzzified Squirrel Search Algorithm (FSSA) algorithm is proposed to solve the single-area multi-fuel economic dispatch (SAMFED) and MAMFED problems. Squirrel Search Algorithm (SSA) mimics the foraging behavior of squirrels based on the dynamic jumping and gliding strategies. In the SSA approach, predator presence behavior and a seasonal monitoring condition are employed to increase the search ability of the algorithm, and to balance the exploitation and exploration. The suggested approach considers the line losses, valve point loading impacts, multi-fuel alternatives, and tie-line limits of the power system. Because of the contradicting nature of fuel cost and pollutant emission objectives, weighted sum approach and price penalty factor are used to transfer the bi-objective function into a single objective function. Furthermore, a fuzzy decision strategy is introduced to find one of the Pareto optimal fronts as the best compromised solution. The feasibility of the FSSA is tested on a three-area test system for both the SAMFED and MAMFED problems. The results of FSSA approach are compared with other heuristic approaches in the literature. Multi-objective performance indicators such as generational distance, spacing metric and ratio of non-dominated individuals are evaluated to validate the effectiveness of FSSA. The results divulge that the FSSA is a promising approach to solve the SAMFED and MAMFED problems while providing a better compromise solution in comparison with other heuristic approaches.展开更多
In this paper, numerical simulation of shock-induced chemical reactions of intermetallic mixtures is discussed. Specifically, the paper focuses on intermetallic mixture of nickel and aluminum. To initiate the chemical...In this paper, numerical simulation of shock-induced chemical reactions of intermetallic mixtures is discussed. Specifically, the paper focuses on intermetallic mixture of nickel and aluminum. To initiate the chemical reactions, the thermal input or the shockwave should supply the energy to take the reactants, mixture of nickel and aluminum, to the transition state. Thus, for any numerical simulation or analysis of the shock or thermally induced chemical reaction in a continuum scale or a meso scale, it is necessary to identify the transition state. The transition state for the intermetallic mixture of nickel and the aluminum is identified in this paper and a result of the numerical simulation of the shock-induced chemical reaction, in a continuum scale is presented. The numerical solutions clearly show the chemical reactions, release of heat energy, increase of the temperature and the formation of products, following the transition state and the resulting shock-induced chemical reaction of a binary intermetallic energetic mixture of nickel and aluminum. The studies also show that the collapse of porosity is a mechanism that takes the reactants to the transition state, in shock-induced chemical reactions of binary intermetallic mixtures.展开更多
Pure and Smdoped NdOnanophosphors were synthesized using modified Pechini method. The phase formation with symmetry of the sample is confirmed by the Rietveld refinement of the powder Xray diffraction(PXRD) data. The ...Pure and Smdoped NdOnanophosphors were synthesized using modified Pechini method. The phase formation with symmetry of the sample is confirmed by the Rietveld refinement of the powder Xray diffraction(PXRD) data. The surface morphology and the crystallite size were examined using scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and the results confirmed that the synthesized particles are in nanosize. The energy-dispersive X-ray(EDX) analysis was done to confirm the purity of the sample. The optical properties of the sample were studied using ultraviolet-visible range(UV-Vis) spectroscopic analysis and photoluminescence studies. The calculated band gap of the synthesized NdOwas found to be higher than that of bulk NdO. The photoluminescence(PL) of the prepared samples reveals that doping with Sm3+ ion has influenced the optical properties. Quantitative investigation on charge density distribution was done by analysing the 3-dimensional and 2-dimensional charge density maps drawn along the bonding directions. The maximum entropy method(MEM)/Rietveld analysis was used for the first time to analyse the charge density in the chosen system. Charge density arrangement in the unit cell is correlated to the analysed photoluminescent(PL) properties. The spectral behaviour of the samples has been explained through charge ordering which are verified using experimental data obtained. The studies on these materials have shown that these nanophosphors will provide promising application for near-ultraviolet lightemitting diodes(n-UV-LEDs).展开更多
Thresholding is a popular image segmentation method that converts gray-level image into binary image. The selection of optimum thresholds has remained a challenge over decades. In order to determine thresholds, most m...Thresholding is a popular image segmentation method that converts gray-level image into binary image. The selection of optimum thresholds has remained a challenge over decades. In order to determine thresholds, most methods analyze the histogram of the image. The optimal thresholds are often found by either minimizing or maximizing an objective function with respect to the values of the thresholds. In this paper, a new intelligence algorithm, particle swarm opti-mization (PSO), is presented for multilevel thresholding in image segmentation. This algorithm is used to maximize the Kapur’s and Otsu’s objective functions. The performance of the PSO has been tested on ten sample images and it is found to be superior as compared with genetic algorithm (GA).展开更多
This paper studies delay dependent robust stability and the stabilization problem of nonlinear perturbed systems with time varying delay. A new set of sufficient conditions for the stability of open as well as close l...This paper studies delay dependent robust stability and the stabilization problem of nonlinear perturbed systems with time varying delay. A new set of sufficient conditions for the stability of open as well as close loop systems are obtained in the sense of Lyapunov-Krasovskii. To reduce the conservatism, the work exploits the idea of splitting the delay interval into multiple equal regions so that less information on the time delay can be imposed to derive the results. The derived criterion not only improves the upper bounds of the time delay but also does not require the derivative of the delay to be known at prior. Easily testable sufficient criteria are presented in terms of linear matrix inequalities. It is shown that the derived conditions are very less conservative while comparing the maximum allowable upper bound of delay with the existing results in literature.展开更多
Parkinson’s disease is identified as one of the key neurodegenerative disorders occurring due to the damages present in the central nervous system.The cause of such brain damage seems to be fully explained in many res...Parkinson’s disease is identified as one of the key neurodegenerative disorders occurring due to the damages present in the central nervous system.The cause of such brain damage seems to be fully explained in many research studies,but the understanding of its functionality remains to be impractical.Specifically,the development of a quantitative disease prediction model has evolved in recent decades.Moreover,accelerometer sensor-based gait analysis is accepted as an important tool for recognizing the walking behavior of the patients during the early prediction and diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.This type of minimal infrastructure equipment helps in analyzing the Parkinson’s gait properties without affecting the common behavioral patterns during the clinical practices.Therefore,the Accelerometer Sensor-based Parkinson’s Disease Identi-fication System(ASPDIS)is introduced with a kernel-based support vector machine classifier model to make an early prediction of the disease.consequently,the proposed classifier can easily predict various severity levels of Parkinson’s disease from the sensor data.The performance of the proposed classifier is com-pared against the existing models such as random forest,decision tree,and k-near-est neighbor classifiers respectively.As per the experimental observation,the proposed classifier has more capability to differentiate Parkinson’s from non-Parkinson patients depending upon the severity levels.Also,it is found that the model has outperformed the existing classifiers concerning prediction time and accuracy respectively.展开更多
文摘The effects of pH value on crystal size and optical property of zinc oxide nanoparticles prepared by chemical precipitation method were investigated.Prepared samples have been characterized by means of X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy,ultraviolet-visible spectrometer and photoluminescence spectrometer.From X-ray diffraction profile,it is found that the particle size of sample increases from 13.8 to 33 nm when the pH value of the solution was increased from 6 to 13.Microstructural study also shows that the particle size increases with pH value.Hexagonal shape of the zinc oxide nanoparticle has been confirmed by the scanning electron microscopy image.The recorded ultraviolet-visible spectrum shows excitonic absorption peaks around 381 nm.The energy gap of the prepared samples has been determined from the ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum,effective mass model equation and Tauc＇s relation.It was found that the energy gap of the prepared samples decreases with increase in pH value.The recorded blue shift confirmed the quantum confinement effect in the prepared zinc oxide samples.Photoluminescence spectrum infers that the increase in pH value shifts the ultraviolet-visible emission but not the violet and green emissions.
文摘Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor(PNET) of the kidney is a rare, aggressive tumor known for its recurrence and metastatic potential. Despite the frequency of venous extension to the renal veins and inferior vena cava, pulmonary tumor embolism at the initial presentation is not common. We report a case of 22-year-old female with PNET of the kidney who presented with tumor embolism in the inferior vena cava(IVC) and bilateral pulmonary artery. The patient underwent surgical resection and histopathological analysis confirmed the presence of tumor within the IVC and pulmonary arteries. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy and is currently doing well on follow-up.
文摘The experimental research programs of 1950s, to understand the adsorption of CO on W surfaces, changed to ab initio studies in 2000s. The goals were to seek improved practical applications. Most of the studies were based on density functional theory. Many studies also used programs, such as VASP (Vienna Abinitio simulation package) and CPMD. The computational procedures used plane wave approximations. This needed studies with selection of K points and cutoff energy selection to assure convergence in energy calculations. Observations and analysis of papers published from 2006 to 2022 indicate that the cutoff energies were selected arbitrarily without any needed convergence studies. By selecting a published 2006 paper, this paper has clearly showed that an arbitrary selection of cutoff energy, such as 460 eV, is not in the range of, cutoff energies that assure convergence of energy calculations, with ab initio methods and have indicated correction procedures. .
文摘Pomegranate rind is abundantly available as a waste material. Pomegranate Rind Extract (PRE) can be applied to cotton fabrics for its natural colours, as a mordanting agent and also for imparting certain functional properties such as fire retardancy and antimicrobial properties. This paper reviews the feasibility of Pomegranate Rind Extract to improve the functional properties of cellulosic fabrics. Studies show that varying concentrations and higher temperatures that were used to apply the extract on the fabric, resulted in enhanced functional properties. At a particular concentration, the treated fabric showed a 15 times lower burning rate in comparison with the control fabric. Also, antimicrobial efficacy has been observed against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Due to the natural colouring material, it can be used as a natural dye on cotton material. The fire retardancy of pomegranate rind extract was tested on jute material under varying alkalinity. Research has indicated that pomegranate rind extract could be used to dye polyamide as well. The rubbing and wash fastness of the finished fabrics is good. The light fastness was fair, and its antibacterial efficiency against tested bacteria was good.
基金funded by a NASA Grant NNX13AF46Apartly by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health through the UC Pilot Research Project Training Program ERC Grant #T42OH008432
文摘Dry-spun Carbon Nanotube(CNT)fibers were surface-modified by atmospheric pressure oxygen plasma functionalization using a well controlled and continuous process.The fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),Raman spectroscopy,and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy(XPS).It was found from the conducted electrochemical measurements that the functionalized fibers showed a 132.8% increase in specific capacitance compared to non-functionalized fibers.Dye-adsorption test and the obtained Randles-Sevcik plot demonstrated that the oxygen plasma functionalized fibers exhibited increased surface area.It was further established by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET)measurements that the surface area of the CNT fibers was increased from 168.22 m^2/g to 208.01 m^2/g after plasma functionalization.The pore size distribution of the fibers was also altered by this processing.The improved electrochemical data was attributed to enhanced wettability,increased surface area,and the presence of oxygen functional groups,which promoted the capacitance of the fibers.Fiber supercapacitors were fabricated from the oxygen plasma functionalized CNT fiber electrodes using different electrolyte systems.The devices with functionalized electrodes exhibited excellent cyclic stability(93.2% after 4000 cycles),flexibility,bendability,and good energy densities.At 0.5 m A/cm^2,the EMIMBF4 device revealed a specific capacitance,which is 27% and 65%greater than the specific capacitances of devices using EMIMTFSI and H2SO4 electrolytes,respectively.The practiced in this work plasma surface processing can be employed in other applications where fibers,yarns,ribbons,and sheets need to be chemically modified.
文摘AIM: To seek and analyze features suggestive of gallbladder cancer(GBC) on preoperative imaging and intraoperative findings in patients diagnosed as having incidental GBC(IGBC). METHODS: The study was conducted on 79 patients of IGBC managed in our department over a 10-year period(2003-2012). Review of preoperative imaging and operative notes was done to ascertain any suspicion of malignancy-in-retrospect.RESULTS: Of the 79 patients, Ultrasound abdomen showed diffuse thickening, not suspicious of malignancy in 5 patients, and diffuse suspicious thickening was seen in 4 patients. Focal thickening suspicious of malignancy was present in 24 patients. Preoperative computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging was done in 9 patients for suspicion of malignancy. In 5 patients, dif-ficult Cholecystectomy was encountered due to dense/inflammatory adhesions. Intraoperative findings showed focal thickening of the gallbladder and a gallbladder mass in 9 and 17 patients respectively. On overall analysis, 37 patients had preoperative imaging or intraoperative findings suggestive of malignancy, which was either a missed GBC or an unsuspected/unexpected GBC. In 42(53.2%) patients, there was no evidence suggestive of malignancy and was an unanticipated diagnosis.CONCLUSION: Our study highlights a potential and not-so-rare pitfall of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy. A greater awareness of this clinical entity along with a high index of suspicion and a low threshold for conversion to open procedure, especially in endemic areas may avert avoidable patient morbidity and mortality.
文摘The emergence of the Internet of Things(IoT)has triggered a massive digital transformation across numerous sectors.This transformation requires efficient wireless communication and connectivity,which depend on the optimal utilization of the available spectrum resource.Given the limited availability of spectrum resources,spectrum sharing has emerged as a favored solution to empower IoT deployment and connectivity,so adequate planning of the spectrum resource utilization is thus essential to pave the way for the next generation of IoT applications,including 5G and beyond.This article presents a comprehensive study of prevalent wireless technologies employed in the field of the spectrum,with a primary focus on spectrum-sharing solutions,including shared spectrum.It highlights the associated security and privacy concerns when the IoT devices access the shared spectrum.This survey examines the benefits and drawbacks of various spectrum-sharing technologies and their solutions for various IoT applications.Lastly,it identifies future IoT obstacles and suggests potential research directions to address them.
基金funded by the ICMR-TSS Fellowship PhD(Integrated)-30-F.T.//2014.
文摘Introduction Ectopic pregnancy(EP)poses significant health risks,particularly in developing nations,necessitating improved diagnostic methods.This study aimed to explore potential biomarkers for EP diagnosis.Methods A case-control study was conducted at the Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research,Chennai,Tamil Nadu.It included 140 EP cases and 140 pregnant controls,aged 19-38 years,attending routine visits.Serum samples were analysed for beta-human chorionic gonadotropin,progesterone,soluble tms-like tyrosine kinase-1(sFLT-1)and eight microRNAs(miRs).Results Ditferential expression of biomarkers was observed in EP cases.Four miRs(hsa-miR-141,hsa-miR-218,hsa-miR-519d and hsa-miR-873)were downregulated,and four miRs(hsa-miR-223.hsa-miR-517a,hsa-miR-523 and hsa-miR-323-3p)were upregulated.Statistically significant expression fold changes were noted(p<0.05).except for hsa-miR-141 and hsa-miR-218.miR-519d exhibited promising diagnostic potential with the highest specificity(97.1%)and a sensitivity of 47.1%.sFLT-1,as an individual marker,demonstrated a sensitivity of 98.6% and a specificity of 90%.The combination of sFLT-1 and miR-519d significantly enhanced the sensitivity to 100% with a specificity of 87.1%.Conclusions The combination of miR-519d and sFLT-1 emerges as a promising diagnostic tool for EP,offering a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 87.1%.These findings underscore the potential of biomarker-based approaches in improving EP diagnosis,especially in resource-limited settings.Further validation and clinical implementation studies are warranted to corroborate these findings and enhance EP management strategies.
文摘Numerical predictions are made for Laminar Forced convection heat transfer with and without buoyancy effects for Supercritical Nitrogen flowing over an isothermal horizontal flat plate with a heated surface facing downwards.Computations are performed by varying the value ofΔT from5 to 30 K and P_(∞)/P_(cr)ratio from1.1 to 1.5.Variation of all the thermophysical properties of supercritical Nitrogen is considered.The wall temperatures are chosen in such a way that two values of Tw are less than T∗(T*is the temperature at which the fluid has a maximum value of Cp for the given pressure),one value equal to T∗and two values greater than T∗.Three different values of U∞are used to obtain Re∞range of 3.6×10_(4)to 4.74×10^(5)for forced convection without buoyancy effects and Gr_(∞)/Re^(2)_(∞)range of 0.011 to 3.107 for the case where buoyancy effects are predominant.Six different forms of correlations are proposed based on numerical predictions and are compared with actual numerical predictions.It has been found that in all six forms of correlations,the maximum deviations are found to occur in those cases where the pseudocritical temperature TT∗lies between the wall temperature and bulk fluid temperature.
文摘The slagging/fouling due to the accession of fireside deposits on the steam boilers decreases boiler efficiency and availability which leads to unexpected shut-downs. Since it is inevitably associated with the three major factors namely the fuel characteristics, boiler operating conditions and ash behavior, this serious slagging/fouling may be reduced by varying the above three factors. The research develops a generic slagging/fouling prediction tool based on hybrid fuzzy clustering and Artificial Neural Networks (FCANN). The FCANN model presents a good accuracy of 99.85% which makes this model fast in response and easy to be updated with lesser time when compared to single ANN. The comparison between predictions and observations is found to be satisfactory with less input parameters. This should be capable of giving relatively quick responses while being easily implemented for various furnace types.
文摘Renewable fuels have many advantages over fossil fuels because they are biodegradable and sustainable,and help mitigate social and environmental problems.The objective of the present study is to evaluate the performance,combustion,and emission characteristics of a compression–ignition engine using hydrogen compressed natural gas(HCNG)-enriched Kusum seed biodiesel blend(KSOBD20).The flow rate of HCNG was set at 5 L/min,10 L/min,and 15 L/min,and the injection pressure was varied in the range of 180 bar to 240 bar.Brake thermal efficiency(BTE)and brake-specific fuel consumption(BSFC)were improved when HCNG was added to the KSOBD20.Combustion characteristics,namely,cylinder pressure(CP)and net heat release rate(NHRR),were also improved.Emissions of carbon monoxide(CO),hydrocarbons(HC),and smoke were also reduced,with the exception of nitrogen oxides(NO_(x)).The higher injection pressure(240 bar)had a positive effect on the operating characteristics.At an injection pressure of 240 bar,for KSOB20+15 L/min HCNG,the highest BTE and the lowest BSFC were found to be 32.09%and 0.227 kg/kWh,respectively.Also,the CP and NHRR were 69.34 bar and 66.04 J/°.CO,HC,and smoke levels were finally reduced to 0.013%,47×10^(-6)and 9%,respectively,with NO_(x)levels at 1623×10^(-6).For optimum results in terms of engine characteristics,the fuel combination KSOBD20+15 L/min HCNG at FIP 240 bar is recommended.
文摘In this paper, numerical simulation of shock induced chemical reactions of a thermite mixture of binary energetic material, aluminum and iron oxide, are discussed. To initiate the chemical reactions, the impact or the shockwave should supply the energy to take the reactants, aluminum and iron oxide, to the transition state. Thus, for any numerical simulation of the shock or impact induced chemical reaction in a continuum or mesoscale, it is necessary to identify the transition state. The transition state for the thermite mixture, of aluminum and iron oxide, is identified in this paper and a result from a numerical simulation of the shock induced chemical reaction, in a continuum scale is presented.
文摘Multi-Area Multi-Fuel Economic Dispatch (MAMFED) aims to allocate the best generation schedule in each area and to offer the best power transfers between different areas by minimizing the objective functions among the available fuel alternatives for each unit while satisfying various constraints in power systems. In this paper, a Fuzzified Squirrel Search Algorithm (FSSA) algorithm is proposed to solve the single-area multi-fuel economic dispatch (SAMFED) and MAMFED problems. Squirrel Search Algorithm (SSA) mimics the foraging behavior of squirrels based on the dynamic jumping and gliding strategies. In the SSA approach, predator presence behavior and a seasonal monitoring condition are employed to increase the search ability of the algorithm, and to balance the exploitation and exploration. The suggested approach considers the line losses, valve point loading impacts, multi-fuel alternatives, and tie-line limits of the power system. Because of the contradicting nature of fuel cost and pollutant emission objectives, weighted sum approach and price penalty factor are used to transfer the bi-objective function into a single objective function. Furthermore, a fuzzy decision strategy is introduced to find one of the Pareto optimal fronts as the best compromised solution. The feasibility of the FSSA is tested on a three-area test system for both the SAMFED and MAMFED problems. The results of FSSA approach are compared with other heuristic approaches in the literature. Multi-objective performance indicators such as generational distance, spacing metric and ratio of non-dominated individuals are evaluated to validate the effectiveness of FSSA. The results divulge that the FSSA is a promising approach to solve the SAMFED and MAMFED problems while providing a better compromise solution in comparison with other heuristic approaches.
文摘In this paper, numerical simulation of shock-induced chemical reactions of intermetallic mixtures is discussed. Specifically, the paper focuses on intermetallic mixture of nickel and aluminum. To initiate the chemical reactions, the thermal input or the shockwave should supply the energy to take the reactants, mixture of nickel and aluminum, to the transition state. Thus, for any numerical simulation or analysis of the shock or thermally induced chemical reaction in a continuum scale or a meso scale, it is necessary to identify the transition state. The transition state for the intermetallic mixture of nickel and the aluminum is identified in this paper and a result of the numerical simulation of the shock-induced chemical reaction, in a continuum scale is presented. The numerical solutions clearly show the chemical reactions, release of heat energy, increase of the temperature and the formation of products, following the transition state and the resulting shock-induced chemical reaction of a binary intermetallic energetic mixture of nickel and aluminum. The studies also show that the collapse of porosity is a mechanism that takes the reactants to the transition state, in shock-induced chemical reactions of binary intermetallic mixtures.
文摘Pure and Smdoped NdOnanophosphors were synthesized using modified Pechini method. The phase formation with symmetry of the sample is confirmed by the Rietveld refinement of the powder Xray diffraction(PXRD) data. The surface morphology and the crystallite size were examined using scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and the results confirmed that the synthesized particles are in nanosize. The energy-dispersive X-ray(EDX) analysis was done to confirm the purity of the sample. The optical properties of the sample were studied using ultraviolet-visible range(UV-Vis) spectroscopic analysis and photoluminescence studies. The calculated band gap of the synthesized NdOwas found to be higher than that of bulk NdO. The photoluminescence(PL) of the prepared samples reveals that doping with Sm3+ ion has influenced the optical properties. Quantitative investigation on charge density distribution was done by analysing the 3-dimensional and 2-dimensional charge density maps drawn along the bonding directions. The maximum entropy method(MEM)/Rietveld analysis was used for the first time to analyse the charge density in the chosen system. Charge density arrangement in the unit cell is correlated to the analysed photoluminescent(PL) properties. The spectral behaviour of the samples has been explained through charge ordering which are verified using experimental data obtained. The studies on these materials have shown that these nanophosphors will provide promising application for near-ultraviolet lightemitting diodes(n-UV-LEDs).
文摘Thresholding is a popular image segmentation method that converts gray-level image into binary image. The selection of optimum thresholds has remained a challenge over decades. In order to determine thresholds, most methods analyze the histogram of the image. The optimal thresholds are often found by either minimizing or maximizing an objective function with respect to the values of the thresholds. In this paper, a new intelligence algorithm, particle swarm opti-mization (PSO), is presented for multilevel thresholding in image segmentation. This algorithm is used to maximize the Kapur’s and Otsu’s objective functions. The performance of the PSO has been tested on ten sample images and it is found to be superior as compared with genetic algorithm (GA).
文摘This paper studies delay dependent robust stability and the stabilization problem of nonlinear perturbed systems with time varying delay. A new set of sufficient conditions for the stability of open as well as close loop systems are obtained in the sense of Lyapunov-Krasovskii. To reduce the conservatism, the work exploits the idea of splitting the delay interval into multiple equal regions so that less information on the time delay can be imposed to derive the results. The derived criterion not only improves the upper bounds of the time delay but also does not require the derivative of the delay to be known at prior. Easily testable sufficient criteria are presented in terms of linear matrix inequalities. It is shown that the derived conditions are very less conservative while comparing the maximum allowable upper bound of delay with the existing results in literature.
文摘Parkinson’s disease is identified as one of the key neurodegenerative disorders occurring due to the damages present in the central nervous system.The cause of such brain damage seems to be fully explained in many research studies,but the understanding of its functionality remains to be impractical.Specifically,the development of a quantitative disease prediction model has evolved in recent decades.Moreover,accelerometer sensor-based gait analysis is accepted as an important tool for recognizing the walking behavior of the patients during the early prediction and diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.This type of minimal infrastructure equipment helps in analyzing the Parkinson’s gait properties without affecting the common behavioral patterns during the clinical practices.Therefore,the Accelerometer Sensor-based Parkinson’s Disease Identi-fication System(ASPDIS)is introduced with a kernel-based support vector machine classifier model to make an early prediction of the disease.consequently,the proposed classifier can easily predict various severity levels of Parkinson’s disease from the sensor data.The performance of the proposed classifier is com-pared against the existing models such as random forest,decision tree,and k-near-est neighbor classifiers respectively.As per the experimental observation,the proposed classifier has more capability to differentiate Parkinson’s from non-Parkinson patients depending upon the severity levels.Also,it is found that the model has outperformed the existing classifiers concerning prediction time and accuracy respectively.
